Category: Partner News

Top stories

Work to safefguard HS2’s eastern branch route to continue, minster confirms

Work to protect land that would be required to build the HS2 branch to Leeds is ongoing despite the government confirming it would not be continuing with the route in full.

Find out more >>

Firms gear up to bid for Scape’s £4bn civils frameworks

Scape has unveiled plans for two civil engineering frameworks worth a combined £4bn – almost twice the value of its current deals.

Learn more >>

Sizewell C decision could be delayed after minister agrees extension

Read more >>

February’s Featured Topic: Fairness, Inclusion and Respect

The Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) programme is an industry-wide initiative that aims to make workplaces better for everyone. Promoting a culture of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect brings many business benefits to the companies that work to achieve it.

Start your learning on the topic of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) with the handpicked resources below:

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Template

A document to assist small businesses in writing their EDI policy.

Access the document>>

CIPD Good Work Index

The CIPD Good Work Index provides an annual snapshot of job quality in the UK, giving insight to drive improvement to working lives. Measures of GDP and employment rates are important, but we also need to understand whether the jobs we have are good or poor and how they can be improved.

Learn more>>

Developing A Diversity Communication Strategy

Communication is Vital. This weblink looks at communication, ensuring that it is inclusive, it’s diverse and that you’re thinking about people.

Find out more>>

Exploiting Digital in FM Conference

Join us on the 22nd February from 10:00am -12:00pm on Zoom Webinars at our Exploiting Digital in FM Conference. This session will examine how digital data and technologies are helping Real Estate to become more safe, productive and sustainable.

Speakers Include: Active Plan,  Hexagon,  Sunbelt Rentals andUniversity of West Scotland & Conexa

By attending this session you will:

• Hear from experts about the importance of good quality data in the aftermath of Grenfell
• Understand how to simulate maintenance and safety procedures in the buildings you manage or supply to
• Recognise what tools and innovations are ‘just around the corner’
• Learn how to quantify the benefits and risks of digital innovations

REGISTER NOW>

Top stories

Broadening the scope

Anthony Ainsworth, COO at npower Business Solutions explains why Scope 3 needs to be on your sustainability agenda.

Find out more >>

Why I lobbied for the sachet ban by Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet

Last week Whitehall announced it is to ban plastic food sachets. The move can’t come a moment too soon and is something A Plastic Planet has campaigned on for years.

Learn more >>

The Human Touch

FMJ’s Sara Bean talks with Environmental Psychologist and Workplace Strategist Dr Nigel Oseland about the decades of research behind his new book and why an understanding of the psychology of the workplace is essential as we embrace new ways of working.

Read more >>

February’s Featured Topic: Fairness, Inclusion and Respect

The Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) programme is an industry-wide initiative that aims to make workplaces better for everyone. Promoting a culture of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect brings many business benefits to the companies that work to achieve it.

Start your learning on the topic of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) with the handpicked resources below:

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Template

A document to assist small businesses in writing their EDI policy.

Access the document>>

CIPD Good Work Index

The CIPD Good Work Index provides an annual snapshot of job quality in the UK, giving insight to drive improvement to working lives. Measures of GDP and employment rates are important, but we also need to understand whether the jobs we have are good or poor and how they can be improved.

Learn more>>

Developing A Diversity Communication Strategy

Communication is Vital. This weblink looks at communication, ensuring that it is inclusive, it’s diverse and that you’re thinking about people.

Find out more>>

Exploiting Digital in FM Conference

Join us on the 22nd February from 10:00am -12:00pm on Zoom Webinars at our Exploiting Digital in FM Conference. This session will examine how digital data and technologies are helping Real Estate to become more safe, productive and sustainable.

Speakers Include: Active Plan,  Hexagon,  Sunbelt Rentals andUniversity of West Scotland & Conexa

By attending this session you will:

• Hear from experts about the importance of good quality data in the aftermath of Grenfell
• Understand how to simulate maintenance and safety procedures in the buildings you manage or supply to
• Recognise what tools and innovations are ‘just around the corner’
• Learn how to quantify the benefits and risks of digital innovations

REGISTER NOW>

Top stories

Zero Carbon Hospital being planned by NHS Lanarkshire 

NHS Lanarkshire is planning a £500m new hospital in Wester Moffat on the outskirts of Airdrie in Scotland. This will be the first in Scotland to be designed as fully net zero for both the build and operation phases.

Find out more >>

New Office Development For Carrick Square, Glasgow

Initial plans have been brought forward for a major office building on a site in Glasgow’s Broomielaw office district. Mosaic Architecture & Design has submitted an application for planning in principle to erect the second phase of planned office development at Carrick Street.

If approved, the 17-storey office block will be situated behind the 14-storey phase one building, with construction due to start on that in the first half of 2022.

Learn more >>

£1.3bn Edinburgh Waterfront Scheme Seeks MMC Expert as Development Partner 

The City of Edinburgh Council is looking for a development partner to start a major new regeneration of part of its waterfront. The £170-£190m first phase of the overall Granton Waterfront project requires expertise in sustainability and modern methods of construction.

440 private homes, 200 council homes, 2,000 square metres of private commercial space and 1,000 square metres of public-sector space are being planned, connected by sustainable transport infrastructure and served by low-carbon energy projects.

Read more >>

January’s Featured Topic: Biodiversity & Ecology 

All of the Earth’s plants, animals, insects and microbes contribute to biodiversity with each individual species playing its own unique part. Without biodiversity, we would not have clean air, water or soil. Our food sources, raw materials and even our climate can be dramatically affected by changes in species diversity.

Start your learning on the topic of Biodiversity with the handpicked resources below:

Reducing Biodiversity Loss

A weblink providing an engaging introduction to biodiversity, what it means and why we need to preserve and enhance it. 

Learn more >>

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

This short video introduces some of the key the key impacts human have to biodiversity.

Watch now>>

Guidance for Pollution Prevention

A guide from  from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), giving advice on how to prevent pollution and protect the environment.

Find out more>>

New Sustainability Supply Chain & Stakeholder Workshops announced by Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN)

As a principal partner of COP26, one of SSEN’s key goals is to build a legacy through their involvement with this crucial summit to create a cleaner, greener future for all of us.

Part of that commitment is to bring industry together who are already powering change through the work they are doing to make net zero a reality.

As such SSEN are supporting industry on the transition to net zero by offering the Climate Academy, a series of six online learning sessions available to charities and businesses across their licence areas.  In partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, the Climate Academy will provide a rich knowledge and understanding of climate change issues and what we can do to address them.

Starting on 26 January 2022, the sessions will share insight on safeguarding and enhancing the environment, with an emphasis on education and awareness of climate change. There will also be a strong focus on social inclusion, and creating a more fair, just and inclusive society at local, national and international levels.

The sessions will be “Lunch and Learn” hour long sessions, taking place 12:00pm -13:00pm on the following dates:

• 26th January 2022 – Introduction to Climate Change
• 2nd February 2022 – Net Zero & Carbon Neutral 
• 9th February 2022 – Adaptation
• 16th February 2022- Climate Change and Nature
• 23rd February 2022 – Climate Change and People
• 2nd March 2022 –  Waste, Resource Efficiency and the Circular Economy 

Register using the links above to secure your place!

Top stories

Zero Carbon Hospital being planned by NHS Lanarkshire 

NHS Lanarkshire is planning a £500m new hospital in Wester Moffat on the outskirts of Airdrie in Scotland. This will be the first in Scotland to be designed as fully net zero for both the build and operation phases.

Find out more >>

New Office Development For Carrick Square, Glasgow

Initial plans have been brought forward for a major office building on a site in Glasgow’s Broomielaw office district. Mosaic Architecture & Design has submitted an application for planning in principle to erect the second phase of planned office development at Carrick Street.

If approved, the 17-storey office block will be situated behind the 14-storey phase one building, with construction due to start on that in the first half of 2022.

Learn more >>

£1.3bn Edinburgh Waterfront Scheme Seeks MMC Expert as Development Partner 

The City of Edinburgh Council is looking for a development partner to start a major new regeneration of part of its waterfront. The £170-£190m first phase of the overall Granton Waterfront project requires expertise in sustainability and modern methods of construction.

440 private homes, 200 council homes, 2,000 square metres of private commercial space and 1,000 square metres of public-sector space are being planned, connected by sustainable transport infrastructure and served by low-carbon energy projects.

Read more >>

January’s Featured Topic: Biodiversity & Ecology 

All of the Earth’s plants, animals, insects and microbes contribute to biodiversity with each individual species playing its own unique part. Without biodiversity, we would not have clean air, water or soil. Our food sources, raw materials and even our climate can be dramatically affected by changes in species diversity.

Start your learning on the topic of Biodiversity with the handpicked resources below:

Reducing Biodiversity Loss

A weblink providing an engaging introduction to biodiversity, what it means and why we need to preserve and enhance it. 

Learn more >>

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

This short video introduces some of the key the key impacts human have to biodiversity.

Watch now>>

Guidance for Pollution Prevention

A guide from  from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), giving advice on how to prevent pollution and protect the environment.

Find out more>>

New Sustainability Supply Chain & Stakeholder Workshops announced by Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN)

As a principal partner of COP26, one of SSEN’s key goals is to build a legacy through their involvement with this crucial summit to create a cleaner, greener future for all of us.

Part of that commitment is to bring industry together who are already powering change through the work they are doing to make net zero a reality.

As such SSEN are supporting industry on the transition to net zero by offering the Climate Academy, a series of six online learning sessions available to charities and businesses across their licence areas.  In partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, the Climate Academy will provide a rich knowledge and understanding of climate change issues and what we can do to address them.

Starting on 26 January 2022, the sessions will share insight on safeguarding and enhancing the environment, with an emphasis on education and awareness of climate change. There will also be a strong focus on social inclusion, and creating a more fair, just and inclusive society at local, national and international levels.

The sessions will be “Lunch and Learn” hour long sessions, taking place 12:00pm -13:00pm on the following dates:

• 26th January 2022 – Introduction to Climate Change
• 2nd February 2022 – Net Zero & Carbon Neutral 
• 9th February 2022 – Adaptation
• 16th February 2022- Climate Change and Nature
• 23rd February 2022 – Climate Change and People
• 2nd March 2022 –  Waste, Resource Efficiency and the Circular Economy 

Register using the links above to secure your place!

Top stories

Renewable Energy in Wales

The Welsh Government has published the outcome of the exercise to identify opportunities to significantly scale up renewable energy in Wales.

Find out more >>

Safer Building in Wales: A Consultation; A building Safety White Paper

The Welsh Government’s response to Safer Buildings in Wales: A Consultation. The Safer Buildings in Wales White Paper consultation was published on 12 January 2021. It set out our plans to improve building safety following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, and the policy goals our programme of work is intending to deliver in response to the issues identified by the Hackitt Review, the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry and our own Building Safety Expert Group.

Read more >>

Barriers to Innovation in Smart Energy Services for SME’s

SMEs account for 99.9% of the business population of the UK representing a staggering three fifths of employment and half of the turnover of the UK private sector (£2.3 trillion). They contribute a significant amount to overall UK emissions and represent a market opportunity for smarter energy services to help them reduce their energy use and carbon impact.

Learn more >>

January’s Featured Topic: Biodiversity & Ecology 

All of the Earth’s plants, animals, insects and microbes contribute to biodiversity with each individual species playing its own unique part. Without biodiversity, we would not have clean air, water or soil. Our food sources, raw materials and even our climate can be dramatically affected by changes in species diversity.

Start your learning on the topic of Biodiversity with the handpicked resources below:

Reducing Biodiversity Loss

A weblink providing an engaging introduction to biodiversity, what it means and why we need to preserve and enhance it. 

Learn more >>

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

This short video introduces some of the key the key impacts human have to biodiversity.

Watch now>>

Guidance for Pollution Prevention

A guide from  from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), giving advice on how to prevent pollution and protect the environment.

Find out more>>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Top stories

New Building Regulations Mean Buildings Will Produce 1/3 Less Carbon

New homes and buildings in England will have to produce significantly less CO2 under new rules.  Under the new regulations, CO2 emissions from new build homes must be around 30 per cent lower than current standards and emissions from other new buildings, including offices and shops, must be reduced by 27 per cent.

Find out more >>

Digital Twin Simulation Helps Baristas Make A Perfect Espresso

A century-old Italian maker of high-end coffee machines used digital twins to virtually eliminate physical prototypes and set the stage for IoT*-connected product as a service.

(The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects—“things”—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet”.

Learn more >>

Workers Desperate To Return To The Office, Study Finds

The novelty of working from home is wearing off with the majority of employees keen to get back to their desks according to a new survey conducted by the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, revealing that 60 per cent of employees expect to get back to full time work this year.

Read more >>

January’s Featured Topic: Biodiversity & Ecology 

All of the Earth’s plants, animals, insects and microbes contribute to biodiversity with each individual species playing its own unique part. Without biodiversity, we would not have clean air, water or soil. Our food sources, raw materials and even our climate can be dramatically affected by changes in species diversity.

Start your learning on the topic of Biodiversity with the handpicked resources below:

Reducing Biodiversity Loss

A weblink providing an engaging introduction to biodiversity, what it means and why we need to preserve and enhance it. 

Learn more >>

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

This short video introduces some of the key the key impacts human have to biodiversity.

Watch now>>

Guidance for Pollution Prevention

A guide from  from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), giving advice on how to prevent pollution and protect the environment.

Find out more>>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Top stories

Second National Infrastructure Assessment: Baseline Report 

This Baseline Report sets out the current state of the UK’s economic infrastructure and identifies key challenges for the coming decades. The Commission will make recommendations to address these challenges in the second National Infrastructure Assessment, to be published in the second half of 2023.

Read more >>

National Infrastructure Commission Announces Net Zero Remit

The new guidance adds a fourth objective to the NIC’s scope of work – to support climate resilience and the UK’s transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 .

Find out more >>

Equinor and Cadent Gas Plan ” Hydrogen Town”

Cadent and Equinor have joined forces to realise the ambition of delivering one of the world’s first low carbon Hydrogen Town. The conversion of the gas networks of a town to 100% low carbon hydrogen have the potential to “drastically reduce” the carbon emissions linked to home heating. In turn, this could bring down the overall emissions in the town by around a quarter.

Learn more >>

January’s Featured Topic: Biodiversity & Ecology 

All of the Earth’s plants, animals, insects and microbes contribute to biodiversity with each individual species playing its own unique part. Without biodiversity, we would not have clean air, water or soil. Our food sources, raw materials and even our climate can be dramatically affected by changes in species diversity.

Start your learning on the topic of Biodiversity with the handpicked resources below:

Reducing Biodiversity Loss

A weblink providing an engaging introduction to biodiversity, what it means and why we need to preserve and enhance it. 

Learn more >>

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

This short video introduces some of the key the key impacts human have to biodiversity.

Watch now>>

Guidance for Pollution Prevention

A guide from  from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), giving advice on how to prevent pollution and protect the environment.

Find out more>>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Top stories

Universal method to report carbon in building and infrastructure launched

An international coalition of construction experts has published the world’s first universal standard for reporting carbon dioxide emissions used in the building and lifecycle of structures – also known as ‘embodied and operational carbon’ within the industry.

Find out more >>

Government ringfences investment in tidal power

The Government  will invest £20m a year in tidal stream electricity as part of its renewable energy auction scheme.

Read more >>

UK will require new homes to have EV chargers starting in 2022

Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations will be required for all new homes and businesses in the UK starting in 2022, the government announced today. The new measure aims to boost EV adoption in the nation by adding up to 145,000 extra charging points each year.

Learn more >>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Top stories

Nature Scot publishes its new draft guidance for comment: Developing with Nature

This guidance has been prepared in support of the draft National Planning Framework 4, to inform understanding of The Scottish Government’s approach set out in Policy 3(e) on the Nature Crisis.  This policy refers to the inclusion of ‘appropriate measures’ to enhance biodiversity for certain local and non-EIA development.  The draft guidance provides advice on 23 such measures, including managing water with nature, providing homes for nature and planting for nature.

Find out more >>

SGN plans accelerated hydrogen roll out

SGN has set out an accelerated pathway for converting Scotland’s gas networks to 100% hydrogen, starting with Aberdeen. The gas network company commissioned consultant Wood to investigate the feasibility of a hydrogen energy system with a view to helping deliver the Scottish government’s target of one million homes having low-carbon heat by 2030.

Read more >>

Edinburgh trams to Newhaven project remains on track

The Trams to Newhaven project remains on track to be completed by Spring 2023, as the City of Edinburgh Council marks the two years point in the projects construction.

Learn more >>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

Upcoming virtual training:

Understanding climate change & carbon and the importance to your organisation & customers 

The built environment is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions and reduction has to occur to avoid the worst effects. There is increasing pressure on our industry to ensure that we are reducing carbon in the design, construction and operation of projects, and organisations need to understand how to help their customers meet this challenge.

This workshop will develop your knowledge and skills so that you can support your organisation by assessing and reducing your carbon emissions.

Event Details:

• DATE: 14th December
• TIME: 9:30am -12:30pm
• LOCATION: Online

Register now >>

Top stories

Barratt Developments unveils flagship zero carbon home, ‘Z House’

The Z House, built on University of Salford’s main campus, is the first home in the country to be built by a major housebuilder that goes substantially beyond the Future Homes Standard.

Find out more >>

Boris Johnson confirms mandatory EV charging points for new buildings in England

All new homes and workplaces built in England from 2022 will need to have electric vehicle (EV) charging points as standard, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed.

Read more >>

Countryside announces net zero strategy

Countryside has launched it’s Net Zero strategy, with an aim for a “swift transition” to a decarbonised economy and society by 2050.

Take a look >>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Upcoming Homes virtual training:

Transitioning to HVO – Case Study Lunch ‘n’ Learn 

This case study session with leading housebuilder Lovell will cover the implementation of HVO fuel, a direct substitute to red diesel that they have been using to power telehandlers and generators on site.

Join us >>

Delivering Social Value with Keepmoat Lunch ‘n’ Learn

Find out why social value is important to business success at Keepmoat and about social value implications for Keepmoat’s supply chain.

Join us >>

Top stories

Pallet recycling scheme seeks to cut industry waste

BAM, Morgan Sindall and Willmott Dixon are among early backers of a new pallet recycling scheme for the construction industry.

Find out more >>

Balfour secures construction’s largest sustainability-linked loan

Balfour Beatty has secured a sustainability-linked loan it claims is the largest in the construction sector. 

Read more >>

New rules proposed for construction carbon

New regulations should be introduced for construction to avert the risk of missing net-zero goals, the UK Green Building Council has warned. The body’s Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap has called for legislation to limit the damage development does to the environment both in construction and use. 

Take a look >>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Upcoming construction virtual training:

Sustainable Materials – Lunch ‘n’ Learn

This case study session with leading housebuilder Lovell will cover the implementation of HVO fuel, a direct substitute to red diesel that they have been using to power telehandlers and generators on site.

Join us >>

Setting Science Based Targets – Lunch ‘n’ Learn

Offering you practical guidance on how to set a Science Based Target in your organisation.

Join us >>

Top stories

UK Government announces biggest investment into Welsh tidal power

The UK Government will invest £20 million per year across the UK in Tidal Stream electricity as part of its flagship renewable energy auction scheme, kickstarting a brand-new chapter for Wales’s tidal industry and creating jobs across Welsh coastal regions.

Learn more >>

New Stats Show Wales Upholds World Class Recycling Rates

Wales is currently ranked third in the world in recycling. Reducing waste ranks the priority goal- the amount of rubbish ending up in landfill for 2020-21  in Wales dropped to less than 5%.

Find out more >>

£45 Million package to train staff & help Welsh SME’s grow

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. 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

Read more>>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Top stories

Reducing carbon emissions through circular economy

The circular economy is to play a critical role in helping to cut carbon emissions. By recycling existing materials the highly energy-intensive production of new raw materials is reduced, accelerating the movement to net zero carbon emissions. What technologies are available to meet the challenges ahead?

Find out more >>

Time to reskill our people to meet the needs of the digital economy

The Autumn Budget presented an opportunity to reshape the economy around technology and scientific innovation and take a proactive approach to reskilling for a digital era. This means upskilling certain areas such as the hospitality area.

Learn more >>

Hybrid Operations

Tom Absalom, Managing Director of JCA discusses the delivery of M&E services that support the operation of hybrid working. 

Read more>>

December’s Featured Topic: Lean & Operational Efficiency 

Implementing Lean principles in your business can improve and support the development of a better skilled workforce. There is a clear correlation between high performing processes and teams having a significant impact on sustainability goals, enabling us to meet challenges faced by organisations throughout the built environment sector, including reaching sustainability targets to reduce waste and carbon, and improving the wellbeing of staff.

Start your learning on the topic of Lean with the handpicked resources below:

Lean Construction in 3 minutes

A video providing an introduction to Lean and the benefits it can bring to your business to improve productivity, reduce costs and tackle sustainability issues. 

Watch now >>

Kaizen The Secret behind Japanese Productivity

This short video explains why Kaizen can be the secret behind Japanese productivity.

Find out more >>

Visual Management

A module, which describes the purpose and aims of visual management, and outlines how visual management can support productivity and continuous improvement.

Get started >>

What do you think of the School’s resources?

As a member, we’d like to understand what’s important to you! Take 12 minutes to share your feedback in our Impact Survey, to help us shape the future of the School.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS >

Marc Roberts, Operations Director at LC International, discusses the six main time stealers found within a construction manufacturing process and outlines how to combat them.

Today, construction is as complex and technologically advanced as it’s ever been. In some areas, in fact, it’s becoming increasingly indistinguishable from manufacturing – and that’s meant thousands of construction businesses are beginning to confront challenges that manufacturers have been tussling with for decades.

Among the biggest is simply wasted time. Here, I want to examine the six most common time-stealers I see sapping productivity at ambitious construction firms around the country.

1: The breakdown loss
Equipment breakdowns cost time and money, stopping the flow of production and creating all sorts of knock-on impacts to lead times, product deadlines and project schedules.

Preventing them is often very simple. Ask yourself – just how reliable is the machinery you’re using? Are you regularly servicing it? In the long run, is it worth investing in new machinery rather than dealing with the aftermath of frequent shutdowns?

There could be some quick and easy fixes to machine-related downtime.

2: The changeover loss
So much time is lost when either a product or shift is being changed over, because everything is put on hold as the equipment is reconfigured, or the new workers prepare for the next shift.

In total, how long do these change overs take per day, week or month? No doubt, valuable time is misspent and could be used elsewhere.

Optimising your workflow to minimise these unwanted and costly disruptions might be a way to save a lot of time and money.

3: Idling and minor stops
Interruptions to work is a classic example of how time can be wasted in a production line. Rather than having everything ready before starting the job, work is stopped to fetch the materials to feed the station.

Maximise the productivity of your team by making sure they have what they need to do their job from the get-go.

It’s a simple solution that can lead to massive time savings.

4: Reduced speed loss
There are two key things to consider when you want to cut reductions in speed – people and machines. A piece of equipment is designed to perform at a certain rate, but if the settings aren’t configured properly, the machine won’t be performing at the level its manufacturers intended.

Address this issue, and you could achieve drastic improvements in performance.

When it comes to the team working on the production line, each member will have a different level of experience. A skilled person who knows the intricacies of the line will understand all the nuances of the job inside and out, compared to someone new.

To prevent reduced speed losses, it’s fundamental that all new recruits complete a comprehensive enrolment programme so that they too can learn the same ‘dark arts’ as the more experienced employees.

The results? Each person can work safely at an equal rate, and deliver exceptional quality.

5: Quality loss
Failing to make products right first time causes delays. Whether it’s issues with the materials supplied, the approved drawings or the machines, consider what can be done to fix things at the source as opposed to just sticking a plaster on the error and making do.

Reduce the number of reworks, or eliminate them completely, by teasing out the root cause of the problem and finding a proper solution.

6: Start-up and set-up loss
The biggest time vacuum on site is start-up and set-up losses. It’s rare to see a project kick-off exactly as scheduled, because the right resources aren’t always ready when they’re given the green light.

Everything should be set up and in place ahead of time so that nothing falls behind and off-track from the critical path of the project.

The good news is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to stop these frustrations and unnecessary losses. Understanding what the solutions are and how to apply them can have a real positive impact on the supply chain and manufacturing process, resulting in big savings on time, money and materials.

The School has a wealth of free material available to support you to spot the six time stealers within your organisation, take a look here. We’ve also worked with LC International to secure access for organisations to utilise their CITB levy to pay for Lean Foundations skills training. For more information about how LC International can work with you to spot the six time stealers click here.

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