Oscar Venus

CLC Spring Budget 2024 Representation

by Oscar Venus | 26 Jan, 2024 | Main News Feed

A letter addressed to the Chancellor highlights the importance of the construction industry in growing the UK economy. The industry contributes 9% of the UK’s GDP and employs over 2.63 million people. The letter emphasises the need for stability across the sector’s projects, identifies challenges in housing delivery, and suggests solutions such as unlocking small sites for SME house builders and incentivising private finance for affordable housing.

It also calls for consistency in implementing the Construction Playbook and flexibility in infrastructure investment, along with a national retrofit strategy to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050. The letter concludes by urging the government to work with the industry to address these challenges and promote economic growth.

Read the full letter here

TradePoint: the ultimate solution for all your project needs

by Oscar Venus | 25 Jan, 2024 | Membership

TradePoint is offering exceptional benefits to FIS members, including a great deal on hiring tools, with free delivery and collection service. You can hire the tools you need for a week or even just for the weekend, so there’s no need to worry about the duration of your project.

Their range of tools and equipment are fully tested and come with accessories included, ensuring you have everything you need to complete your project with ease. With dedicated customer support, you can rest assured that you’ll have access to professional assistance if you have any questions or concerns.

The best part? No deposit is required, which means you can get started on your project right away without any financial burden. Whether you’re working on a DIY project or a professional construction job, TradePoint is the perfect solution to all your project needs.

Are you an FIS member? Access your TradePoint card here

An Overview of the Modification to Payment Practices and Performance Regulations of 2024

by Oscar Venus | 12 Jan, 2024 | Market data

The CLC has released a statement on Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) Regulations 2024

On Wednesday 10 January the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) laid the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) Regulations 2024.

These Regulations amend existing regulations, which impose a requirement on large companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) to publish certain information twice per financial year about their practices, policies and performance in relation to paying suppliers. These Regulations extend the Principal Regulations and the LLP Regulations beyond their current sunset date of 6 April 2024 to 6 April 2031 and require additional information to be reported by qualifying companies and LLPs. This includes requirements for qualifying companies to publish information on the value of payments made within a qualifying period and information on payments that were not paid under qualifying contracts. The Regulations can be found here.

The Government response to the public consultation on the amendments to the Payment Practices and Performances Regulations 2017 was published alongside the Autumn Statement 2023, and confirmed the introduction of a requirement for qualifying businesses that are parties to construction contracts to report on their retention payment policy and key statistics in relation to retentions.

Legislation for the new retention reporting requirements is expected to be laid before Parliament in 2024. It is anticipated that qualifying business will commence data collation and include in their payment practices and performance reports during 2025.

FIS CEO Iain McIlwee added:

“It is great to see the changes that were announced in the Autumn are being carried into law, but a bit disappointing that we have to wait until 2025 before we start to see the benefit. This is an area where FIS has long been calling for reform and has repeatedly highlighted the limitations with current reporting requirements that mask some serious underlying problems. The new requirements will provide a more realistic measure of late payment of construction invoices and highlight problems related to retention and disputed invoices.This is a positive step, but better measurement is not in itself change. As we head to the next General Election we will continue to lobby for reform of payment certification and retentions in construction and I am hopeful that the data that will start to come through will support our calls for change. New Zealand recently legislated for retentions to be held in trust and the EU are bringing forward far tougher late payment regulations. In the UK we are way behind on this and the supply chain is, as a consequence, getting even harder hit by the current levels of insolvency.”

Updates on the R&D Tax Credit Scheme for Construction Innovation

by Oscar Venus | 11 Jan, 2024 | Market data

The new R&D tax credit scheme, slated for launch in April 2024, has been closely followed by investors in construction innovation. The government has increased the tax credit from 1 April 2023 to 20% of qualifying expenditure, which is an excellent incentive to boost construction productivity. However, there were initial concerns that the text implied a restriction in claiming the tax credit in cases where the R&D stemmed from sub-contracting, which would have been disastrous for many SMEs and large businesses in the construction sector.

Following close engagement with the government, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) is pleased to report that specific positive references to subcontracting and the construction industry have been included in the Autumn Statement, with the aim of preserving current eligibility for the tax credit. The CLC, however, had valid concerns regarding the draft wording of the legislation released in the Draft Finance Bill 2023-24, which could still pose problems for the construction industry, where R&D activities had been “contemplated” further up the chain. The CLC is committed to ensuring that the R&D tax credit remains available to all firms in the construction supply chain that initiate their own R&D activities. HMT and HMRC have confirmed their willingness to work with the CLC and other industry professionals to ensure that the guidance is clear and that the final legislation reflects the position in the Autumn Statement. Real-world examples and case studies, including those from the construction industry, will be included in the guidance note, which should be available by early 2025.

Miranda Chamberlain, Group Head of Tax at Mace Group, shared these important updates.

Changes to Working Time Regulations: guidance for employers

by Oscar Venus | 4 Jan, 2024 | Health and Safety

On January 1, 2024, the UK government implemented amendments to the Working Time Regulations, which are outlined in this document. Please note that this guidance cannot provide definitive answers to all individual queries or be used in place of personalised legal advice. Employers must negotiate the changes in terms and conditions with their workers or representatives.

The main focus of this guidance is on the minimum entitlement of 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday. However, workers may have contractual entitlements to additional paid leave beyond this statutory minimum. Therefore, employers should first review individual contracts and consult independent legal advice if necessary.

It is important to note that all illustrative holiday pay calculations in this guidance are based on gross pay data (before any taxes or deductions).

Additionally, this guidance refers to ‘workers’ as individuals whose employment status is either as a ‘worker’ or an ’employee’, entitling them to paid leave.

See the guidance here

Join Citation on Wednesday, January 10th at 11am for an informative webinar on changes in employment law. Our discussion will focus on a range of topics including new regulations around carers’ leave, flexible working, and holiday entitlement and pay for irregular hours/part-year workers.

Be one step ahead this year by attending this webinar.

FIS Digital Construction Working Group Report

by Oscar Venus | 15 Dec, 2023 | Main News Feed

The meeting was chaired by Diane Tocco, Director of Diane Butterworth Limited, a longstanding FIS Member that specialises in digital solutions, initial office planning, visualisation and Revit Families.

Diane opened by reminding the attendees of the whole group objectives –

Establish best practices and encourage the sharing of knowledge.
Help appraise membership and support digital tools as they emerge in the sector.
Support the implementation of digitisation within organisations by influencing and educating key decision-makers and providers.
Simplify the understanding of emerging tools and interoperability between them.
Ensure engagement is active within the sector to the wider conversation of digital construction.

And the specific focussed Objectives of the day:

Support compliance with the more onerous Information Management requirements in the revised Building Regulations (the Golden Thread)
Integration of digital tools and the impact on the Golden Thread.
Evaluate the application of BIM to drive improvements in the delivery of training and safeguarding health.

To set the scene for the meeting Iain McIlwee revisited the progress of the Group from BIM4Fit-out to the Digital Construction Working Group and the tools and support that has been developed including:

BIM Toolkit
Key Product Data Templates
FIS guidance on Pre-Qualification BIM Questions
And the Digital Spine

This year the substantive piece of work was the development of the FIS White Paper: Introduction to the Golden Thread and Digital Information Plans published in October.

Legislation: What is the Golden Thread?
George Stevenson, Chairman www.bim4housing.com and Managing Director at ActivePlan Consulting Ltd

George Stevenson of ActivePlan Limited and Chair of the BIM4Housing Group update on work that FIS has supported in developing Asset Modelling that is aligned to and supporting the delivery of the Golden Thread.

Overview new FIS Guide: Introduction to the Golden Thread and Digital Information Plans
Iain McIlwee, CEO, Finishes and Interiors Sector

Iain then ran through the key sections and learnings from producing the White Paper and into details of the research that FIS has conducted in 2023 to understand digital readiness within the sector.

Key findings from FIS research are that 28% of Suppliers and 72% of contractors do not currently have a Digital Information Plan in place. Concerns we raised about information available, particularly time taken to hunt down evidence of performance, missing interface and fixing details and confusion in terms of performance scope. Again in tender packs the lack of critical details related to product and performance were highlighted.

Open Discussion on Key trends: Digitalisation and challenges in the finishes and interiors sector.

The discussion moved to real life examples of how the Golden Thread needs to be more clearly established at the start and more work needs to be done to define requirements upstream to ensure FIS Members are not being overloaded, overwhelmed and set up to fail. Linking this to wider technical work (and considering digital implications of technical work) was emphasised as the biggest priority for the group.

The scale of the challenge was discussed. Fundamentally Golden Thread is information that we have, simplistically it needs to be structured better to share it. Concerns remain that clients don’t know what they want so aren’t providing proportionate and structured requests for information.

It was noted that every building will have its own golden thread. The contents of it will depend on and is the responsibility of the dutyholders for that project: principal designer, principal contractor and client.

The question was posed, “What defines the piece of unambiguous information used to define the beginning of the Golden Thread?”. This is difficult to define and comes back to questions. Simplistically this was identified as a requirement, that needs to move from performance to a prescriptive requirement, which is then satisfied by a product (and supporting evidence). Then the Golden Thread is a digital connection between that and what was installed (check the right product was installed correctly).

The importance of System based thinking was discussed, because the next level is the context of a product within a system and ultimately the building.

Looking at the complexity of the current situation is frightening and debilitating, so it is important to remember the fundamentals. Manufacturers must start from where they are. All the data required already exists in their systems. The challenge is to put it into structured form, so that it can be mapped against the information requirements of their clients. They won’t provide it until it is asked for – it requires a client request. That client request needs to be proportionate to their requirements for data. The data requirement should be provided in a structured form too!”

To search for the simple answer it was proposed that The Golden Thread starts with reasonable questions. Alignment and talking in the same language is a challenge, this is about clarification. One of the problems is we have all been dumping unstructured information on each other that can’t be used. Needs to be a client pull. The client has to structure requests to support structured response – legislation should start to help. Noted clients need to confirm that they have received adequate information, which encourages better interrogation and ultimately articulation of requirements.

Key questions that need to be answered clearly through the process were clarity around:

What was specified?
What was installed?
What was its performance?
Who installed it?
Who inspected it?
Who maintained it?
What replaced it?
What risks do we anticipate?

A tender, considered to be a full NBS spec, which pushed all of the design work onto the specialist contractor, all complex performance requirements (judged on pre-installation testing) and no detail. This makes a mockery of the Golden Thread as sufficient time is not allowed and information is still being dumped. Upgrading the way tenders are coming out, 300 drawings showing sections, but not the finite detail. BIM is not forcing out the detail, it is still being avoided.

Noted that it is very unusual for the partition to be modelled because there is too much detail and the problem is that who is going to do it. Partition walls are typically modelled by the architect using generic models . If using Revit there are tools to support the make-up, normally get the model and then work with the manufacturer and detail not added til stage 4, which is too late when overlapping with Stage 5 means contractors are being put in difficult predicaments and seen as the “bad guys” asking questions too late. M&E Programming was also discussed as adding to the complexity.

Cut and paste specifications with several different elements being badly and inconsistently presented was highlighted as another common problem that means effective output is difficult when the right information is not received in the first place.

Ultimately the conclusion was that the Golden Thread will fail in intent unless vital design and procurement details are managed. The Golden Thread is not a plaster and in wake of increased complexity, misaligned and badly managed tolerances, we need to emphasise the importance of the “Responsible No” and “Early Supply Chain Involvement” and standardised information requirements.

Levers for change, Golden Thread, Building Safety Act, Insurance all need to be used to accelerate the change and limit the pain in implementation of new regulations.

Swe now that we need to provide information in a more structured and efficient way. Who is responsible is still a concern and we need to look at better understanding. Key action to return to Product Data Templates and ensure we are capturing all the information that we need at the start and identifying scenarios where our information requirements are not being met.

As in all aspects of our activity the FIS focus of this group is observation (understanding the challenges and opportunities), standardisation (encouraging consistency), normalisation (collective action) and representation (ensuring external barriers are understood and removed).

Copies of presentations given at the meeting are available below.

FIS Guide to the Golden Thread and State of Play for Digitalisation 2023

FIS ActivePlan – Building Safety Act and Digitalisation 12-12-23

FIS BIM4H Case Study Doorsets Dec 2023

The FIS is hosting a session on Digitalisation of Fit-out: Transformation through information at the Workspace Design Show in February and also hosting the Digital Innovation Award at the exhibition. More details here.

To access the FIS Digital Toolkit Click here

FIS is actively seeking case studies of positive Digital Information Management to form the basis of webinars, case studies and articles in 2024. To nominate a case study, email iainmcilwee@thefis.org.

Expanding England’s tree coverage and encouraging the safe usage of timber in construction

by Oscar Venus | 15 Dec, 2023 | Sustainability

The government is committed to increasing England’s tree canopy and woodland cover to 16.5% by 2050, as per the statutory tree and woodland cover target. However, planting trees alone is not enough. To make the most out of the materials they provide, the government has also pledged to enhance the safe use of timber in construction (TiC) as part of the Net Zero Strategy, the England Trees Action Plan, and the 2023 Environmental Improvement Plan. This will help reduce embodied carbon in the built environment, promote tree planting and forest management, create new green jobs and industries, and build domestic supply chains.

It’s important to prioritize safe, high-performing, and best-practice timber construction to achieve the net-zero pathway. Alongside resource efficiency measures and other low-carbon products, the use of timber will provide the most significant benefits.

See the roadmap here

Re-use, net zero, sustainability and FIS efforts

by Oscar Venus | 15 Dec, 2023 | Sustainability

Wednesday marked the last formal FIS Working Group meeting for 2023 with the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group descending on Clerkenwell, kindly hosted by Troldtekt in their showroom. As host Steve Mansell kindly acted as Guest Chair (this Chair for this group rotates between the members).

Action: If you are interested are a contractor and interested in sustainability and haven’t could you please complete our survey here (it is helping to inform our work).

The meeting was a chance to reflect on key work programmes associated with supporting sustainable transformation and a net zero approach within the finishes and interiors sector.

As in all aspects of our activity the FIS focus of this group is observation (understanding the challenges and opportunities), standardisation (encouraging consistency), normalisation (collective action) and representation (ensuring external barriers are understood and removed).

Led ably by FIS Sustainability Champion Flavie Lowres, the Leadership Group reviewed progress against the plan. This is an important area of focus and it is becoming increasingly so as clients start to interrogate in more detail the impact work.

The meeting zoned in on the area of re-use with the first live demo of the pre-refurbishment audit tool that FIS has been working to develop with the University of Hertfordshire (built around the standard Audit protocols FIS has developed and is currently working with NBS to turn into a specification standard). We also discussed the re-use initiative, our plans to set up a pilot collective re-use hub on the outskirts of London.

At the heart of all FIS does is collaboration and we have and are doubling down on our partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School in 2024 with a number of targeted training interventions:

Upcoming sessions	Dates
Introduction to Modern Slavery webinar	16th January at 10 – 11am
Using Lean for Continuous Improvement and Problem Solving workshop	23rd January at 10am – 12pm
Net Zero , SBTs & Carbon Offsetting webinar	1st February at 10 – 11am
Introduction to Circular Economy webinar	15th February at 12 – 1pm
Embedding Sustainable Procurement workshop	21st February at 9:30 – 11:30am
Business Case for FIR workshop	12th March at 10am – 1pm
Building Level Assessments webinar	21st March at 12 – 1pm
EPD webinar	Date TBC

The plan is also to work with the School to help benchmark activity within the sector based on a framework that has been developed (in consultation with FIS). More on this in the New Year.

We had brief updates on the ongoing work around establishing a more consistent approach to information exchange and how we can better embrace social value in the work (the fourth discussion this week about the failure of Section 106 clauses to deliver positive outcomes and something we do intend to take on in 2024 – initially with the work we are doing with the City of London and the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce).

We also had an update from Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO on why FIS is supporting Ska Rating as a mechanism to support the measurement of project impact within the sector. Iain has recently joined the Ska Board to help encourage uptake of and support investment in the next stage of development for what is already a fantastic process for measuring impact of refurbishment projects in retail, office and higher education.

We’d like to thank all members who have supported the Sustainability Leadership Group and provided inspiration, imagination, expertise and time to help shift the dial and we look forward to working with you all to deliver on your ambition in 2024.

The FIS sustainability group has grown since I started at FIS 2 years ago. It is very interesting forum where participants can share and collaborate on the topic of sustainability. The strength of the group is that it includes all the stakeholders from the fitout industry and all different levels of knowledge of sustainability.

If you are interested in getting involved in the FIS Sustainability Leadership Group in 2024 or just want to find out more about our activities, email flavielowres@thefis.org.

Action: If you are interested are a contractor and interested in sustainability and haven’t could you please complete our survey here (it is helping to inform our work).

Activity Map and update 2023 – FIS Sustainability Leadership Group.

Visit the FIS Sustainability Hub here

The 12 pays of Christmas

by Oscar Venus | 14 Dec, 2023 | Contractual and Legal, Insurance

With cashflow continuing to be a thorny issue across the industry, it’s never been more important to ensure your payment preparations are in good health. Here, our expert elf delivers a dozen festive financial pointers to help prepare your business balance sheet for the New Year and beyond…

Unfortunately we’re still seeing significant contractor and sub-contractor business failures across the UK, resulting in a trail of devastation for the supply chain.

I’ve recently dealt with payment and cashflow issues for a number of SMEs and the level of difficulties currently being experienced is extraordinary.

After 40 years in the industry I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much chaos and it’s desperately sad to see so many businesses going into administration and good people being made redundant.

It’s essential that FIS Members minimise risk in 2024, so with apologies to the classic tune <<The 12 Days of Christmas>>, I’ve wrapped up a dozen of my own top payment tips to ensure you don’t lose sleep over payments and can enjoy a silent night…

1. Use Mr (or Mrs) Clause – use an experienced professional to analyse any contracts you’re bidding for and highlight any high-risk clauses. This will allow you to discuss the issue in advance and request that the clauses are removed or mitigated. There’s no use doing this after your tender has been accepted!

2. Make a list and check it twice – ensure you have a payment schedule in your contract, setting out the dates when you’ll make an application for payment, what you need to provide, the due and final dates for payment and when a pay less notice will be issued. Stick religiously to these dates – your commercial manager should have them in their calendar.

3. Stay another day – beware your payment schedule running out. If a job runs past the last date in the schedule, make sure it’s extended until you reach practical completion.

4. Talk turkey – payment applications are often rejected or reduced because you haven’t provided the relevant information. Too much detail is better than not enough, so ensure your commercial manager follows up each application with a call to the contractor to establish they have everything they need. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of the month, only to find your application has been shredded!

5. Follow the star – make sure you do what the contract says about submitting notices. So if it says they must be sent by email and registered post, do that. If it says they have to go to individuals and an organisation, do that instead.

6. Wrap it up – a sub-contractor told me recently that if his money isn’t received by the final date for payment, he issues a notice to suspend the performance of his obligations on site the next day. You’re perfectly entitled to do this and I find it’s a good wake-up call to both contractors and employers.

7. Do you hear what I hear? – you’ll often get an early indicator if there are trading difficulties, so keep your eyes and ears open. If the contractor or employer isn’t paying on time or reducing payments, share intelligence and compare notes with other sub-contractors.

8. Avoid a ding-dong – if you’re delayed, tell the contractor or employer why ASAP and give early notification of an extension of time. Some clients say they don’t want to ruffle feathers, but your priority is your <<OWN>> business. A standard contract allows extensions of time and payment of loss and expense, so take advantage.

9. Head for quality street – quality is still a major issue in the industry, with clients being charged for failing to rectify defective workmanship, remove rubbish and comply with health and safety regulations. The Construction Quality Improvement Collaborative is a major step forward – it’s worth signing up at www.cqic.org.uk to demonstrate your credentials and commitment to doing things right.

10. Jingle all the way – I recently issued a notice of adjudication to a defaulting party who quickly paid up. The Low Value Dispute Adjudication offers a fixed fee for an adjudicator to run such a dispute so you should take advantage – find out more at www.rics.org

11. Goodwill to all men – SELECT is among the many bodies to sign up to the Conflict Avoidance Process (CAP), which you can use as an early intervention to prevent issues escalating and allow you to keep working (and earning). Check it out at www.rics.org/capledge

12. Stuff those turkeys – finally, if you’re working with an organisation that’s repeatedly giving you the runaround, have the courage to tell them their goose is cooked and give them the boot.

In addition to these pointers, please read the CICV’s Best Practice Guide – available to download for free from www.cicvforum.co.uk – to improve your commercial management.

There’s no doubt we’re in for another tough 12 months across the industry but those firms that prepare properly will manage to weather the snowstorms to come.

Changes to Skilled Worker Visas

by Oscar Venus | 8 Dec, 2023 | Skills

The Government has announced a number of changes to the Points‐Based Immigration System (PBIS) designed to reduce overall net migration. From next spring, the Government will increase the earning threshold for the Skilled Worker visa from £26,200 to £38,700, as well as raise the Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1,035. The Shortage Occupations List will also be replaced with a new ‘Immigration Salary List’, which will retain a general salary discount but include fewer occupations.

Under the PBIS, most workers from outside the UK in construction are ‘skilled workers’ and require a Skilled Worker visa to work in an eligible occupation. Build UK’s flowchart provides an overview of the process of employing a worker from outside the UK, with detailed guidance on How to Get a Sponsor Licence and How to Get a Skilled Worker Visa.

Building Safety Regulator Strategic Plan

by Oscar Venus | 8 Dec, 2023 | Building Safety Act

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has published its first strategic plan, setting out how it will carry out its building safety functions through to March 2026. With a vision to “create a built environment where everyone is competent and takes responsibility to ensure buildings are of high quality and are safe”, the plan includes an ambitious roadmap outlining a wide‐ranging programme of activity for the next three years:

Year one (April 2023 ‐ March 2024) ‐ Implementation of the new regime, including ensuring dutyholders are aware of their responsibilities and publishing a register of Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs)
Year two (April 2024 ‐ March 2025) ‐ Consolidation of the regime, including establishing the regulated building control profession and assessing 20% of occupied HRBs, prioritising those with un‐remediated ACM cladding
Year three (April 2025 ‐ March 2026) ‐ Operation of the regime on a ‘steady state’ basis, whilst reviewing the effectiveness of the BSR and setting its strategy for the next three years.

The BSR has also published its Enforcement Policy setting out where it will take action in the event of non‐compliance. Philip White, the HSE’s Director of Building Safety, has been appointed to lead the BSR on a permanent basis, which will include performing the duties of the Chief Inspector of Buildings.

Revisions to GAI DHF Code of Practice for Hardware for Fire and Escape Doors

by Oscar Venus | 6 Dec, 2023 | Health and Safety

The GAI DHF Code of Practice is a significant document that is often cited in Approved Documents and equivalent regulations throughout the UK and Ireland.

Recently, the code underwent a revision process, and it is now open for public comment by industry experts. If you’re interested in providing feedback, please use the commenting template provided via the link below.

CODE OF PRACTICE

Please send your completed forms to technical@gai.org.uk by Friday 15 December.

FIS CEO joins new SKARating Board

by Oscar Venus | 5 Dec, 2023 | Sustainability

Getting ready for Net Zero: SKA announces new Board and governance

SKArating is announcing an exciting change in leadership and new plans to scale up to support the growing need to reshape sustainability in the fit-out world.
SKArating has, over the last 15 years, helped over 12,000 fit-out projects improve sustainability and provided a framework for countless more to make better, responsible, sustainable decisions.

This month SKArating is announcing an exciting change in its leadership and governance, as well as new plans to scale up to support the growing need to reshape sustainability in the fit-out world.

Developed in 2008 to help landlords and tenants systemise sustainability and assess fit-out projects against a practical sustainability rating system, SKA is unique in that it is driven exclusively to make a positive impact. At the heart of SKA is a toolkit and assessment criteria that is free to use – costs are covered via training and certification. The scheme has now supported more than 12,000 fit-out projects to make responsible decisions.

SKArating was initially developed by a group of industry professionals led by Skansen and supported by RICS and AECOM to focus on sustainability in fit-out, primarily in the commercial office, higher education and retail space. The underlying philosophy of SKArating has always been to encourage all in the supply chain to make small changes in a practical way today.

To establish SKArating in the market, RICS provided a platform to incubate the scheme, host information and support the rating and certification process. The changes announced this week will see SkArating trade as an independent “not-for-profit” business.

The new board is formed from people with a long-standing association with the scheme. Elina Grigoriou has chaired the SKArating Technical Committee since the scheme was first launched in 2008, and served on the SKArating Development Board as well as delivering the training of SKArating assessors. She is joined by Joe Croft, Charlie Law and Dave Wakelin who have been members of the Technical Committee for many years, and Iain McIlwee who has joined the board, cementing the Finishes and Interiors Sector’s strong association with the scheme. The Board has supported SKArating through its incubation with RICS and provides continuity as the scheme takes its next steps.

SKA provides:

A framework to help understand good practice in fit-out and how to implement it.
An informal self-assessment tool for analysing environmental performance of a fit-out project
An opportunity to benchmark the performance of fit-outs
Quality-assured assessments from an accredited SKA assessor
A measure to help landlords and owners to demonstrate the sustainable credentials of commercial space

The way SKArating operates will not be affected. Assessments will continue to be certified as they were under RICS’s stewardship. Assessors will continue to receive the same technical support that they have previously enjoyed through RICS, with updated processes for assessor accreditation and CPD.

However, the board has plans to update the SKArating schemes to respond to an increasingly climate-aware fit-out industry, and to expand the sectors that SKArating can be used in. The board will be reaching out to industry experts, SKArating users, assessors and clients to help develop the next iteration of the tool and the various schemes.

Chairperson of the new SKA Board Elina Grigoriou stated:

“This is an exciting time in the evolution of SKA. After 15 years developing the product and building awareness, we are now ready to step out on our own and work with our amazing community to take this scheme to the next level. With SKA now firmly established, it is time to take the next step and RICS has supported the leadership group to establish SKA as an independent social value business.

“All of us on the new Board and our Technical advisors are passionate and committed to remaining true to the SKA values for its future direction. SKA will remain owned by the industry and run as a “not-for-profit” ensuring it is always acting in the best interest of the market.”

Commenting on the changes, Janine Cole, Sustainability & Social Impact Director at Great Portland Estates plc stated:

“GPE have used SKArating for several years and has supported the business in improving the sustainability performance of our smaller refurbishment projects. The flexible nature of the scheme makes it ideal for this type of project, as a result, it was recently included within “Our Brief for Creating Sustainable Spaces” as a requirement for our on floor fit out schemes. We look forward to working with the SKArating Board as they develop the scheme.”

Ben Stubbs, Head of Sustainability (Built Environment) at UCL added:

“At UCL, all our project teams are accountable for their impacts across a broad range of sustainability indicators. We recognise Ska’s potential to help us further reduce our impacts as we continue to update our institutional targets.”

More details on the SKArating is available here: www.skarating.org

Construction Sector Facing Weakness Across the Supply Chain

by Oscar Venus | 4 Dec, 2023 | Market data

According to surveys conducted throughout the construction supply chain, the sector experienced a decline in activity during Q3 of 2023. Heavy side and light side manufacturers experienced sales declines, while chartered surveyors saw their workloads decrease. Small and medium-sized contractors, as well as civil engineering contractors, also saw their net workload balances weaken. The surveys revealed that forward-looking questions all pointed to a deteriorating backdrop for the next year. Concerns over demand strength, tighter financial constraints due to raised interest rates, and a decrease in new enquiries – including in sectors that had previously driven construction activity – were all noted. Additionally, construction costs continued to rise, outpacing increases in tender prices and reducing profit margins.

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.

Members can access the Trade Survey here

Prioritise the Safety of Your Team with Our Free Online Fire Safety Training Course

by Oscar Venus | 4 Dec, 2023 | Health and Safety, Skills

Sign up for our free online fire safety training course and start learning today! Gain the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and mitigate potential fire hazards, all from the comfort of your own home. This course is specifically designed for those working in the construction industry but it is open to everyone who is interested in improving their awareness of fire safety in the workplace.

Importance of Fire Safety Awareness

Fire safety awareness is crucial for everyone. Being responsible and aware of potential fire hazards can reduce the risk of a fire taking place, improve evacuation procedures, and minimise harm to people.

Course Benefits

By enrolling in our course, you’ll have access to a range of benefits, including:

12-month access to interactive online course materials
Certification upon passing the end-of-course exam
Learn at your own pace – complete the course in as little as 2 hours or take your time to explore the content fully
Study with flexibility – you’ll have 12 months of unlimited access to the eLearning portal
You decide when to learn – fit your learning around your lifestyle, whether that’s in the morning, afternoon, or evening
100% online learning, no tutor involvement – get started right away, no need to travel or take time off work
Become safer on site – upon completing the course, you’ll gain a five-year fire safety awareness qualification

Is This the Right Course for You?

If you work in construction, live in the UK, want to improve your knowledge of fire safety awareness, or want to demonstrate to your employer that you are committed to a positive health and safety culture, then this is the course for you!

Access the course here

FIS Calls for Protection as Payment Times Lengthen

by Oscar Venus | 24 Nov, 2023 | Main News Feed

Late payment continues to be a major issue for the construction industry, and the impact of the recent economic backdrop and the looming holiday season is making it worse. According to industry insiders, current measures to address the problem, including the Prompt Payment Code and Duty to Report, are insufficient. Many in the industry view Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) as a positive step, as they ensure payment is kept separate.

However, concerns remain regarding who will take responsibility for them. Other potential solutions include direct payment from clients and a digital alternative. The government already advocates for the use of PBAs in public sector contracts, but more transparency is required regarding what constitutes “compelling reasons” not to use them.

According to Iain McIlwee, the CEO of Finishes & Interiors Sector, the voluntary Prompt Payment Code and mandatory Duty to Report are insufficient to address the payment issue in the construction industry. In fact, the situation is worsening. Contractors tend to “fatten the books” and delay payments during the Christmas season, exacerbating the problem. McIlwee warns that this is the worst time of year for the issue, making it critical to address the problem with more effective measures.

See full Construction News article

Update on Building Regulations and Resources

by Oscar Venus | 24 Nov, 2023 | Building Safety Act

The Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023, which outline the requirements for the Golden Thread of information and Mandatory Occurrence Reporting, have been presented to Parliament for approval.

The government has released remediation data for all programs supporting residential buildings over 11 meters in England with hazardous cladding. This is the first time such information has been made public and is intended to demonstrate the progress achieved.

The Building Safety Regulator’s webinar series is now available on-demand and aimed at assisting duty holders in understanding the new system, including the building control system and Planning Gateway One. If they have not already done so, members must register to view the videos.

FIS Guide – Introduction to the Golden Thread and Digital Information Plans

CITB Levy Return

by Oscar Venus | 23 Nov, 2023 | Skills

Submitting the Levy Return by the deadline is not only important for your company’s eligibility for grant claims, but it’s also a legal requirement. The Levy Return is an annual submission that outlines the amount of money your company owes for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Levy.

The levy is a small percentage of your company’s total payroll, and it’s used to fund training and qualifications for the construction industry.

If you’re unsure about how to complete the Levy Return, CITB has a range of resources available to help. You can access online guides, attend webinars, or even book a one-to-one appointment with a CITB advisor. It’s important to note that if you miss the deadline, you won’t be able to submit the Levy Return until the next year, and you’ll be liable to a penalty fee.

So, don’t wait until the last minute to submit your Levy Return. Take advantage of the resources provided by CITB, and ensure that your company remains eligible for grant claims for the upcoming year.

Participate in the Review of Apprenticeship Standards

by Oscar Venus | 23 Nov, 2023 | Skills

This is an exciting opportunity for those passionate about the plastering trade to have their say in shaping the apprenticeship standard.

The level 3 Plasterer Apprenticeship Standard is designed to provide apprentices with the necessary skills and knowledge to become competent plasterers. Contributing to the development of this standard will ensure that it meets the needs of the industry and apprentices alike.

If you have experience in the plastering trade or have insights on what should be included in the standard, do not hesitate to contact beenanana@thefis.org and share your input. Your contribution could make a significant impact on the future of the plastering trade in the UK.

Your details will be passed onto the IfATE Standards development team.

Training Awards Shortlist Announced

by Oscar Venus | 4 Oct, 2023 | Awards, Skills

The shortlist for the 2023 Training Awards has been determined by a panel of judges.

Celebrating excellence and achievement in plastering and interior trade, the Training Awards are a collaboration between FIS and the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers. The winners are announced during the Training Awards Lunch, which is being held on 21 November at Plaisterers’ Hall in London. The event allows us to celebrate the best of training as we recognise the apprentices, students and organisations that are building the next generation of talent and provides a great networking opportunity with like-minded organisations from the fit-out and plastering sector.

These awards acknowledge the accomplishments of apprentices, students who have exceeded expectations, training delivery by colleges and training providers, mentors and others who have supported sector training, and lifetime contribution to sector training.

Apprentice of the Year Shortlist

Ryan Stanford
Bella Romain
Deniss Fridenbergs
Zara Dupont
Michael Aarons
Ben Comerford.

Training Provider / College of the Year shortlist

NPTC Group of Colleges
College of North West London
DMR Training and Consultancy
Carlisle College.

Student of the Year Shortlist

Kathryn Doyland from GRWP
Caroline Moor from Vision West Notts College
Edward Celmins from Carlisle College
Dan Titley from V&D
Julius Debrah from Now Get Qualified

Congratulations to all the nominees for their hard work and dedication in pursuing their academic goals!

If you’re interested in attending the ceremony and joining us in celebrating the winners, book your place here.