by Clair Mooney | 8 Dec, 2021 | Main News Feed
The Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) has published the Holiday Entitlement for 2022. The briefing gives guidance on the programme of Public/Bank holidays and annual holidays, that apply under the CIJC Working Rule Agreement in England, Wales and Scotland until the New Year 2023.
There will be an additional paid bank holiday on 3 June to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. You can download the guidance here.
by Clair Mooney | 8 Dec, 2021 | Main News Feed
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has updated its information on face coverings following the manadotory use of them in areas of retail open to the public and on public transport, in taxis and private hire vehicles.
The guidance covers the use of face coverings on construction sites in response to coronavirus to help provide a consistent approach across the industry. It is based on Government guidance in England and other restrictions and advice may apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Face coverings should also be worn in other crowded and enclosed indoor places where people come into contact with others they don’t normally meet. As part of their risk assessment, employers should consider whether to ask workers to wear a face covering. Workers may also choose to wear a face covering where it is not legally required and should be supported to do so.
The use of face coverings and/or PPE is not required in response to coronavirus whilst carrying out construction activities.
by Clair Mooney | 6 Dec, 2021 | Skills
Businesses have until midday on Friday 17 December to apply for funding through the Kickstart Scheme. The scheme, which is running until March 2022, provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.
The Department of Work and Pensions are withdrawing the role of KickStart Gateway Organisations, so FIS will no longer be able to provide the full service, but will be happy to advise FIS members on this and any linked government initiative. Please call Catherine on 07900 083325 . Please call Catherine on 07900 083325 or email catherinebillough@thefis.org or Marie on 07799 903103 or email marieflinter@thefis.org
For a full update on how FIS is attacking the Skills Shortage, click here.
by Clair Mooney | 2 Dec, 2021 | Main News Feed
The Prompt Payment Code has confirmed that compliance with the new requirement to pay 95% of invoices from businesses with fewer than 50 employees within 30 days is being enforced from a signatory’s next full reporting period. For companies with a financial year ending 31 December, this will be January 2022. The Code is encouraging signatories that are required to report under the Duty to Report regulations to include the information as part of their biannual report using the narrative box within the Payment Terms section.
Companies that specify the Common Assessment Standard can use it to identify their suppliers with fewer than 50 employees through Question 10 which asks ‘Are you a Micro, a Small or a Medium‐Sized Enterprise?’ Any suppliers that state they are ‘Micro’ or ‘Small’ have fewer than 50 employees in accordance with the EC definitions used within the standard.
by Clair Mooney | 30 Nov, 2021 | Main News Feed
The Government has introduced a number of temporary COVID‐19 measures from 30 November in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK:
- Close contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and legally required to self‐isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status or age
- Face coverings must be worn on public transport and in shops
- Everyone entering the UK from abroad must take a PCR test within 48 hours and self‐isolate until they receive a negative result.
FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee said:
New restrictions do not have significant impact on what we legally have to do in the workplace, but are a reminder to be careful and to consider reinforcing the use of facemasks and ensuring that regular testing is taking place. Beyond the safety of people, which must always be at the forefront of a business leaders mind, this is about protecting our businesses in a time of severe skilled worker shortages.
The changes were discussed at the latest industry call with Construction Minister Lee Rowley this week, and construction sites are urged to continue to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. The Site Operating Procedures remain available as a reference document and the Build UK COVID‐19 flowchart has been updated in line with the new rules. The CLC is currently reviewing its guidance on the Use of Face Coverings in Construction following publication of the detailed Government guidance yesterday.
The Government has confirmed that the measures will be reviewed in three weeks’ time and we will keep the guidance updated.
CICV Forum has revised its free good practice guide for construction professionals, containing advice on self-isolation.
It doesn’t hurt to revisit signage to remind people on site FIS, with the help of CICV has produced a Mask for Task, Cover for Covid poster.
Vaccination guidance
The Government has announced that everyone who is currently eligible for the COVID‐19 booster vaccine can now book from three months after their second dose and all adults aged 18 and over will be offered a booster by the end of January. Whilst the majority of the UK population is vaccinated, there are a number of issues that employers need to be aware of and FIS Associate Member Citation has updated its practical guidance on developing and implementing a vaccination policy for staff, which covers whether a policy is required, recording vaccination status, and making it mandatory for staff to be vaccinated.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Nov, 2021 | Skills
A £45 million package of funding that will help small businesses across Wales to grow and support thousands of people to train to work in key sectors is being made available by the Welsh Government, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething has announced.
As part of the package, £35 million will help small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in Wales relaunch, develop, decarbonise and grow to help drive Wales’ economic recovery. The funding will support more than 1,000 business, help to create 2,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 4,000 jobs.
In a joint initiative between the Economy Minister and the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, an additional £10 million is being made available to boost Wales’ popular Personal Learning Accounts. This will enable further education colleges to deliver additional courses and qualifications which will help 2,000 people access a wider range of job and earning opportunities in priority sectors facing labour shortages.
Funding will be specifically targeted at reengaging and retraining staff to return to work in the NHS and in social care, training more HGV lorry drivers, reskilling individuals to respond to exciting new job opportunities in green construction and renewable energy, and to ensure there are more trained chefs, waiting and front of house staff to work in Wales’ thriving hospitality sector.
Ministers say the substantial package will help support Wales’ economy through the winter months.
The Economy Minister made the announcement during a visit to Advance Energy Services in Cross Keys to mark the start of Wales Climate Week. The company fit boilers, insulation and heat pumps with a focus on making homes and businesses more energy efficient.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said:
The £45 million package I’m announcing today is being delivered at a critical time in our economic recovery. It provides an opportunity to kick-start and grow the economy as we focus on creating a fairer, greener and prosperous future for Wales.
The funding will offer businesses who need to re-invest – particularly following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, our departure from the EU, and with a view to climate and Covid proofing – the opportunity to do so, in order to relaunch, develop and grow.
We’re doing all we can to build a Wales with a prosperous, fair, green economy, where nobody is held back or left behind.
Announcing the additional investment in Personal Learning Accounts, Education Minister Jeremy Miles added:
Personal Learning Accounts give people the opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need to make progress in their career. I’m pleased we have secured an additional £10m to boost this initiative.
This will provide opportunities for people to retrain and increase their earning potential in areas of the economy we know are under extreme pressure – including health and social care, training for HGV drivers, hospitality and green construction.
The £35 million funding for SMEs is the next phase of the Welsh Government’s approach to economic recovery and an important step towards re-establishing resilience within the Welsh economy and continued decarbonisation of Wales’ business sector.
Administered by local authorities, it provides an opportunity to kick-start and grow the economy following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the UK’s departure from the EU.
Businesses will be invited to identify ways in which investment will help them re-launch their business, develop it in innovative new ways, and create new jobs.
It will also support businesses to tackle some of the major issues facing Wales, such as addressing skills gaps in some sectors, upskilling the existing workforce, ensuring fair work for employees and tackling climate change – with Ministers looking for proposals that will help Wales meet its legally binding Net Zero carbon emission target by 2050.
Businesses will be expected to match-fund any grants made available by the Welsh Government.
It’s expected the £35 million funding will support around 1,000 business, helping them to create 2,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 4,000 jobs. It will help leverage £40 million worth of investments by businesses themselves, which will help support the creation of 50 new enterprises.
The £10 million for further education colleges will see the further expansion of Personal Learning Accounts, which will allow local colleges to deliver additional courses and qualifications to support 2,000 people to access a wider range of job opportunities and increase their earning potential in priority sectors.
These include:
- logistics (in particular HGV and LGV driving) including driver licence fees and tests. Funding will be targeted at driver training by offering courses to new potential drivers, provide refresher training for those who may be seeking a return to the sector, and to train and increase the number of instructors and examiners available to conduct driving tests
- green construction and renewable energy – including roles in housing retrofit, and in wind, tidal and solar power sectors
- advanced materials and manufacturing – including technical engineers
- hospitality – including chefs, catering assistants, waiting and front of house staff
- health and social care – including support to re-engage and retrain former health and social care employees back into the sector and meet the new licence to practice requirements.
Since the start of the Covid pandemic, Ministers have invested more than £2.5 billion in emergency business support, helping protect in excess of 160,000 jobs which might otherwise have been lost.
The £35 million SME funding will further boost existing local authority business support grants and will begin to open for applications in November. Applications will need to be made direct to local authorities once their individual grant schemes open.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Nov, 2021 | Skills
The deadline for employers to apply for the incentive payment for new apprentices hired between April and September 2021 is fast approaching. Eligible employers must apply for their incentive payment by 30 November 2021.
- how to apply video including a walk through of the steps to take within the Apprenticeship service.
- how to apply guide including when to apply, steps to take before applying, how to apply and what happens after applying.
- guidance page including eligibility, how the payment can be used and when payments are made.
by Clair Mooney | 24 Nov, 2021 | Transformation
Help to Grow: Digital (HtGD) is a UK-wide government-backed scheme that aims to help SMEs choose, buy and adopt digital technologies that will help them grow their business. The initiative will be launched in December 2021 and could help up to 100,000 businesses adopt new digital technologies over three years.
The Help to Grow: Digital scheme will offer businesses:
- Free, impartial advice and guidance about what digital technology is best suited to their business and how it can boost their business’ performance
- Targeted financial support for eligible businesses, worth up to £5,000, towards the costs of buying approved digital technologies for the first year.
To register your interest visit https://register-help-to-grow-scheme.service.gov.uk/
by Clair Mooney | 23 Nov, 2021 | Skills
The theme for the 15th annual National Apprenticeship Week has been announced today.
The National Apprenticeship Week 2022 theme of ‘Build the Future’ continues from 2021, and focuses on the benefits apprenticeships can have on individuals, businesses, and local communities and a toolkit on how to get involved is now available.
The theme of “Build the Future” continues for its second National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which will take place between 7 and 13 February 2022.
The 15th annual week-long celebration will take place across England, encouraging individuals of any age to reach their career goals by building their skills and knowledge through an apprenticeship.
George Swann FIS Skills and Training Lead said
“National Apprenticeship Week showcases the benefits of apprenticeships for the UK economy, now that England has made apprenticeships available to individuals of any age it allows employers to invest in upskilling existing employees as well as securing the future of their organisations by taking on new entrants. With over 100 construction apprenticeships listed on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website: Apprenticeship Standards Construction and incentive payments of up to £4000 for each apprentice an employer takes on, it is a good time to review your organisations succession plans. If you have apprentices please get involved in this and promote careers in the Finishes and Interiors Sector, if you have been thinking about taking on or putting your existing employees through an apprenticeship the information contained in this article should help you come to an informed decision. If you need further information, advice or guidance please give FIS a call on 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org
Peter Mucklow, Director, Apprenticeships, Education and Skills Funding Agency said:
National Apprenticeship Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the many benefits that apprenticeships bring to employers, individuals and the wider economy.
Apprenticeships build skills supply now and for the future, and form an important part of many organisations’ recruitment, skills and business strategies. We want employers to showcase how they are realising the return on their investment when apprentices are brought into the business. Apprenticeships offer outstanding access to skilled careers across a wide range of occupations and industries. We want current apprentices from all sectors and of all ages to get behind the Week and to demonstrate the positive impact of apprenticeships on their careers, families and communities.
I encourage employers, providers, partners, and apprentices to begin planning for National Apprenticeship Week 2022 now so we can spend the week collectively celebrating the impact of apprenticeships on individuals and our great businesses and public services.
To support National Apprenticeship Week 2022 individuals, employers, training providers and communities can get involved by encouraging everyone to consider how apprenticeships can help #BuildTheFuture. A toolkit is available to support the apprenticeship community with planning their activity for National Apprenticeship Week 2022.
Download the toolkit from apprenticeships.gov.uk
Keep up to date with National Apprenticeship Week 2022 updates by following @Apprenticeships on Twitter and Apprenticeships on LinkedIn and use the hashtags #NAW2022 and #BuildTheFuture on social media activity.
To find out more about apprenticeships, visit: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk.
by Clair Mooney | 23 Nov, 2021 | Technical
The Construction Leadership Council has written to The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State, Department for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities & Local Government and The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to draw their attention to urgent industry concern in connection with the introduction of the UK CA Mark.
Read the letter here.
For the latest guidance on UKCA Marking and placing products on the market in January 2023 and beyond click here.
by Clair Mooney | 19 Nov, 2021 | Skills
On Monday, during the second reading of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, announced that level 3 qualification reforms were being slowed down to allow the sector more time to prepare for the changes. As a result, qualifications will not be defunded until 2024 at the earliest, rather than 2023 under the original timetable.
Following a two-stage level 3 and below review, launched in March 2019, DfE announced it would strip public funding from “poor quality” level 3 qualifications which overlap with T Levels or A-levels.
The policy change follows a petition from the Protect Student Choice campaign, a coalition of FE and skills sector organisations led by the Sixth Form Colleges Association, which has been calling for the plans to be reversed or slowed down.
Nadhim Zahawi revealed the exit requirements for English and maths in T Levels will be removed. During the reading, he told MPs: “I am clear that T Levels and A-levels should be front and centre of the level 3 landscape. But I am also convinced that we need other qualifications alongside them, many of which currently exist, that play a valuable role in supporting good outcomes for students. It is quite likely we will see many BTECs and other similar applied general style qualifications continuing to play an important role in 16 to 19 education, for the foreseeable future. Our reforms to the qualifications landscape are rightly ambitious, but we know that we would be wrong to push too hard and risk compromising quality. That is why I am announcing we have decided to allow an extra year before our reform timetable is implemented.”
It means that qualifications affected by the cull will now not be defunded until 2024 at the earliest, compared to the original plan of 2023.
The Education Secretary also confirmed government will consult on proposals for reform of qualifications at level 2 and below later this year, to ensure learners have clear lines of sight to level 3 apprenticeships, traineeships and employment.
by Clair Mooney | 19 Nov, 2021 | Skills
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) is holding a ‘mini consultation’ as part of the route review of construction. The consultation seeks stakeholder views on the occupations currently represented on the occupational map for construction.
The finishes and interiors sector currently has three apprenticeships standards aligned to core trade occupations with two options in each:
- Interior Systems Installer ST0388 with options for Dry Lining and Ceilings and Partitions.
- Plasterer ST0096 with options for Fibrous and Solid Plastering.
- Carpentry and Joinery ST0264 with options for Site Carpenter and Architectural Joinery
The occupational map also includes apprenticeships aligned to the finishes and interiors sector such Painting and Decorating, Construction Site Supervisor, Design and Surveying.
Comments received to date indicate concerns related to the Drylining requirements in the Plasterer apprenticeship, duties 10 and 11 (Drylining fixing, boarding and finishing), which detract from the moulding and trowel skills needed by a plasterer. Concerns have also been expressed that the training programme for Plaster is too long at three years (the Interior Systems Installer apprenticeship training is 18 months). In the original Plastering qualifications drylining was an optional choice for plasterers and still is in Scotland and Wales. It is also unlikely Fibrous plasterers will use drylining skills once the apprenticeship is completed – views are sought particularly on whether the Plastering Standard should be simplified.
What are your views on this?
FIS will feed in a sectoral response on your behalf so to support this we would like to you to email George Swann (georgeswann@thefis.org) on the three points below and include any additional concerns you have on apprenticeship qualifications and specifically your view on the plastering concerns. In addition it is vital that IfATE hear directly from employers.
Yes/No – please provide details
- Are there any occupational standards (or options within) no longer used by the sector?
Yes/No – please provide details
- Can you see any of the occupations represented working better as core and options and/or merged standards?
Yes/No – please provide details
As well as sending your responses to georgeswann@thefis.org, views can be contributed via an online questionnaire. The deadline for submissions is 30 November 2021 and FIS encourage all members to submit their views. The details of all the available apprenticeship standards can be found here.
by Clair Mooney | 18 Nov, 2021 | Skills
To help organisations secure funding for training, the CICV Forum has produced a guide to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.
This guide is designed to explain the fund clearly and concisely and help organisations secure financial assistance for training. More details available here in a summary developed for the CICV Members (FIS is a member on your behalf).
As it currently stands, every construction company in Scotland is entitled to either £5,000 or £15,000 to spend on training of their choice, thanks to the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF).
This versatile and easily accessible fund can help you identify and achieve your digital enablement goals and aspirations, and is available regardless of whether you’re registered with, or receiving funding from, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
It can be used for any kind of training, coaching, or professional development, one-to-one training, standard courses or designed bespoke for your .company.
by Clair Mooney | 18 Nov, 2021 | Building Safety Act, Technical
BSI has launched BSI Identify to allow permanent structured product data to be found at any stage in the design, installation, maintenance and deconstruction of the product or system.
The Construction Product Association (CPA) said ‘This unique initiative aims to improve safety across the built environment through digital product identification’
BSI Identify has been in development with CPA and its members since 2024 and was supported with Innovate funding
How does it work?
- Manufacturers are issued a unique digital identifier called a BSI UPIN for every product
- The manufacturer can mark or tag their products via QR codes, NFC or RFID tags
- The BSI UPIN, once scanned, directs users to an open-access permanent page that holds all relevant and up to date product information
- All product queries can be routed back to the manufacturer
By using this revolutionary technology, manufacturers can support the Golden Thread of Information and improve industry safety. It’s good for business and good for your customers.
FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia sai:
‘Being able to access product information at the point of installation or even years after its been integrated in the fabric of a building is vitally important if we are to maintain buildings for the safety of all occupants in future. BSI identify will allow this to happen using a data base that will be available in perpetuity even if the company is no longer in business, and that’s a game changer.’
Peter Caplehorn CEO at the CPA said
‘By moving everything into a fully joined-up digital process, we can improve overall efficiency, product performance, safety, customer satisfaction, environmental performance and profit margins, which is a good thing because some money can be put back into R&D. BSI Identify is a unique digital identification service that looks to improve industry safety by solving the challenge of product identification.’
Watch this video to see how BSI Identify helps manufacturers
Find out more about BSI Identify on the BSI Identify website or CPA website.
by Clair Mooney | 17 Nov, 2021 | Market data
All parts of the construction supply chain experienced continued growth in Q3, according to the Construction Trade Survey.
Construction product manufacturers reported a fifth consecutive quarterly rise in product sales, whilst SME building contractors and chartered surveyors registered another increase in workloads. However, given ongoing issues on the supply side and the subsequent impact on cost inflation, all balances came in lower than in Q2. Nevertheless, growth remained widespread across sectors and continued to be steered by private housing and RM&I due to strong demand for larger properties with outdoor and office/study space to accommodate homeworking.
The CPA’s Construction Trade Survey brings together results from surveys of building contractors, specialist contractors, civil contractors and product manufacturers. It provides a pan-industry assessment of current and expected conditions. FIS members can download the full report here.
by Clair Mooney | 12 Nov, 2021 | Technical
FIS is pleased to announce the appointment of James Parlour as its new Technical and Vetting Manager to support the technical work of the organisation and develop the membership vetting process.
With more than 16 years’ technical, compliance and design experience across a wide range of sectors, James Parlour arrives at FIS to play a key role in ensuring FIS Members are specified and selected for projects. Formerly Project Coordinator at Ergonom, James has worked as Senior Design Engineer at Komfort Partitions, Technical Supervisor at SIG (Ocula Systems) and brings more than 10 years’ experience as a design technician at SAS International and Avanti Systems.
Working with the FIS Community in this new role, James will review and upgrade current vetting processes to better embrace the risk management approach defined by the FIS Product Process People Quality Framework and ensure that the members understand and uphold the values outlined in the Code of Conduct.
He will also provide support to the FIS Technical Director in responding to technical enquiries from members, supporting the various working groups and reviewing, developing and monitoring the FIS Vetting activities.
Commenting on the new appointment, FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said:
“We are delighted to welcome James to the FIS team. James has a wealth of experience across the finishes and interiors sector, and his skills and passion will make him a great asset in supporting the FIS Working Groups and projects, as well as the vetting process.”
“Vetting is central to our values and we are keen to work with the community to test the existing process and develop it to ensure that FIS community reflect these values and meet the standards these values project,” added Iain.
“This is a fantastic opportunity. To play a part in supporting value-led change at FIS and taking this leading trade body to the next level is very exciting,”said James Parlour.
For further information or for any questions please contact the FIS at info@thefis.org or call 0121-0707-0077.
by Clair Mooney | 12 Nov, 2021 | Skills
Employers who hired an apprentice between 1 April and 30 September 2021 could be eligible for an incentive payment of £3,000 for each new apprentice. Employers need to apply before midnight on 30 November 2021 to claim the incentive. To receive the payment, employers must submit an application for each eligible apprentice using their
apprenticeship service account.
Apprentices must have an employment start date from 1 April to 30 September 2021. They must also have an apprenticeship start date from 1 April to 30 November 2021. The Education and Skills Funding Agency how to video provides a step-by-step guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUg0AVLLAHQ
Employers are not able to apply for apprentices they have hired from 1 October 2021 to 31 January 2022 until applications open on 11 January 2022. These apprentices must also have an apprenticeship start date from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Review the guidance to find out more.
by Clair Mooney | 12 Nov, 2021 | Building Safety Act, Technical
Building Standards Division (BSD), is developing a national Compliance Plan approach to provide greater assurance that compliance with building regulations is achieved from design to completion.
This consultation seeks to obtain the views on the development of a new Compliance Plan Manager role within the building standards system which will apply to specific High Risk Building (HRB) types, the definition of these HRBs and the level of fines where work is not carried out in accordance with the regulations.
This consultation forms part of the work undertaken by the Compliance Plan Working Group, which is one of seven work streams, being directed by the Building Standards Futures Board. The consultation will gather opinions from stakeholders on a review of the building standards system relating to the way in which compliance with the building regulations is assured and enforced to help ensure the health, safety and welfare of people in and around Scotland’s buildings and to further the conservation of fuel and power and further the achievement of sustainable development.
The consultation covers four main areas, as follows:
-
- Creation of a new Compliance Plan Manager (CPM) oversight role on High Risk Building types on behalf of the Relevant Person (normally the owner or developer);
- The definition of High Risk Buildings requiring a CPM;
- Fines and penalties; and
- Impact assessments.
The proposed changes outlined in the consultation aim to:
Require applicants (building owners and developers) to evidence and document how compliance with the building regulations has been approached from a ‘pre-application meeting’ (initial) stage through to completion of the building project. The intention is to strengthen compliance across all building types with the new Compliance Plan approach and also to introduce a requirement for independent professional oversight – a Compliance Plan Manager – on high risk buildings to manage the compliance process from start to finish. Initial considerations have concentrated on application to High Risk Buildings (high rise residential, high public value – schools, healthcare facilities) and also housing sites. But this may be extended, in the future, to apply to a wider range of buildings types if there is evidence to support this. The consultation also seeks views on the definition of buildings classed as ‘High Risk Building Types’ (HRBs).
You can read the consultation paper here.
Members are encouraged to read the consultation and feed back their comments to FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia via email joecilia@thefis.org
by Clair Mooney | 11 Nov, 2021 | Sustainability
The construction industry is playing its part in transforming its working practices and leadership models to contribute to the global ambition for a net zero future. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has partnered with ITN Productions Industry News to produce ‘Building a Greener Britain’, a programme exploring some of the new pathways and sustainable methods the sector is adopting, alongside initiatives such as the Construct Zero programme, CLC’s response to the climate emergency.
Anchored by presenter Clare Nasir, Building A Greener Britain, features experts from within the construction industry along with informative interviews, news items and sponsored editorial profiles, filmed in the ITN Productions Industry News London studio and remotely on location. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, joins Clare Nasir to represent the CLC Steering Coordination Group and discuss how the sector is meeting the challenge.
The feature focusses in on some of the Business Champions who are demonstrating the sector’s commitment towards reducing carbon emissions. These include
Construction company and property consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall, is making sustainability an integral part of the conversation at the outset of projects to help achieve greener results.
At the University Hospitals of Leicester, NHS Trust, where the company is reconfiguring the estate with new construction alongside repurposing existing buildings, Andrew Reynolds, Chief Executive of Rider Levett Bucknall, talks about the role of the CLC in meeting sustainable development goals.
The Active Building Centre in Gloucester, created as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Transforming Construction Challenge, which is demonstrating how future builds can be both labour and energy efficient.
A familiar face to many in the finishes and interiors sector Mike Chaldecott, CEO, Saint-Gobain, UK & Ireland, outlines the company’s long-term sustainability strategy.The programme goes to the plant in Yorkshire where Saint-Gobain has invested £30m to produce glass using less energy with higher levels of recycling and more innovation.
Find out more about Construct Zero here
To help start or continue your net zero journey, visit the FIS Sustainabilty Hub here.
by Clair Mooney | 11 Nov, 2021 | Sustainability
FIS and the Supply Chain Sustainability School are collaborating to help deliver Net Zero in the finishes and interiors sector through a new virtual training portal hosted on the Supply Chain Sustainability School website.
This sustainability training hub is another output of the FIS Sustainability Working Group, which has been established within the FIS community to support a focus on individual change, collective focus and supply chain engagement. The working group has five core objectives:
- Increasing knowledge and understanding within the supply chain
- Setting targets and standardisation (including monitoring and measuring impact)
- Providing an active network and encouraging collaboration
- Highlighting individuals and approaches that help inspire and inform change
- Informing design and encouraging better asset management
At our COP26 webinar this week, FIS Sustainability Champion Flavie Lowres introduced how the tool can be used to support training on Net Zero and wider sustainability matters in our businesses and the School’s tool for measuring the carbon impact of your business available via the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Finishes and Interiors hub here.
You can listen again to the webinar here.
