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Ecological Building Systems takes airtightness on tour
To celebrate British Board of
Agrément (BBA) approval of its pro
clima intello plus intelligent airtight
membrane, Ecological Building
Systems and pro clima have
announced a seminar tour that will
bring airtightness insights to five
locations around the UK.
Kicking off at the National Self
Build and Renovation Centre in
Swindon on October 16, 2018, the
Airtightness Tour willl then visit
London, Belfast and Glasgow,
before culminating at The Studio in
Birmingham on November 22.
Each event will include a packed
full-day programme of technical
presentations and discussion topics
from pro clima, the Ecological
Building Systems team and
the BBA, along with practical
installation demonstrations, a key
note speaker presentation and a
round table discussion.
The seminars can be counted
as six structured continuing
professional development points.
Ecological Building Systems has
launched a dedicated
website for the
seminar tour at www.
intellosealofapproval.
com, where delegates
can register their interest
and secure their place,
with early bird discounts
available on the standard
delegate fee of £80
(including VAT).
The day will provide
networking and
discussion opportunities.
Government needs fair procurement process
The National Federation of Builders
(NFB) is urging the government
for a fair procurement process, in
response to the Treasury agreeing
to terminate PFI on Midland
Metropolitan Hospital.
The Treasury has reportedly,
decided to end the Private Funding
Initiative (PFI) on the Midland
Metropolitan Hospital, following
Carillion’s collapse. The European
Investment Bank, Credit Agricole,
KfW IPEX, DZ Bank and Sumitomo
Mitsui were also part-funding it.
It is understood that the
government is now exploring the
possibility of putting a revised PFI
deal together to complete the
outstanding work on the hospital,
and is going to market to discuss
this option.
If a new PFI deal cannot be
agreed, it will most likely be
completed as a governmentprocured
construction job.
A report by the National Audit
Office into the contractor’s collapse
said that the firm lost around £48
million on the job in 2017.
Neil Walters, national chair of
the NFB, said: “Change doesn’t
just happen, you have to make it
happen. The government has said
it wants to learn the lessons from
Carillion but appears – yet again –
to be using the same procurement
method for a quick fix.
“There are more efficient
methods of procurement than PFI
available now, that are a better
use of taxpayers’ money, and we
don’t need to wait for the ink to
have dried on the investigations
into Carillion to implement them.”
"Green, pleasant and affordable"
A new campaigning think tank report
to provide the number of homes needed.
suggesting a radical rethink into how the UK
And that, she believes, means increasing the
manages the housing market will require an
volume of off-site built homes.
increase in off-site construction if the vision it
“Building a timber frame house is around 30%
proposes is to come to fruition, says insulation
faster than brick and block. With a shrinking
specialist Actis.
workforce and the likelihood that this situation
Suggestions in “Green, pleasant and
will worsen in the light of Brexit, off-site is a vital
affordable”, the first report issued by Think
way of creating the homes we desperately need
Tank, Onward, include increasing council
in this country,” explained Jemma.
powers to buy land to develop new villages
“The bulk of the skilled element takes place
and towns.
off-site. Timber frame walls, floors and roofs,
The report’s author, MP Neil O’Brien,
complete with electrical wiring, plumbing
explained: “Contrary to popular belief, it is
and insulation are built in factories at relative
possible to deliver the housing that Britain
speed. The site crew ‘just’ has to erect
needs. Look at continental Europe. We see
everything in the right order with a typical
denser, more liveable cities with better public
build time of between seven and 12 days,
transport and infrastructure. We see great
depending on the size of house.”
places to live, but much more being built. It
A traditional block and brick house requires
shows us that it’s not only achievable to build
a skilled bricklayer to construct both inner
in places and ways that people are willing to
and outer skins of a cavity wall, as well as
accept – it’s essential.”
placing the joinery, the wall ties and installing
Actis regional sales director, Jemma Harris,
the insulation, while the panel system can be
says a key factor in enabling the dream to
lowered into place, with the brickie required
come to fruition would be the physical ability
only to do the outer skin.
RCI's Pitched
Roofing Awards
With the Pitched Roofing Awards taking place
on November 30, 2018 at the Midland Hotel in
Manchester, RCI invites you to submit your project
entries for the awards.
The awards aim to recognise innovation and
excellence in the pitched roofing sector and reward
best practice and excellence.
The categories for the awards are:
• Roof tile application for a heritage roof
• Domestic property application using slate
• Commercial property application using slate
• Domestic property application using roof tiles
• Commercial property application using roof tiles
• Best lead roofing application
• Best flat to pitched roof system
• Best conservatory roof system
• Domestic building application using rooflights
• Commercial building application using rooflights
• Cedar Shingles application
• Best use of a rainwater system
• Best use of a solar PV system
• Best use of hard metals
• Rising star of the year
• Outstanding contribution to the industry.
To enter visit: www.pitchedroofingawards.co.uk
10 www.rcimag.co.uk July 2018
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