News
News in Brief
Decent homes 2010
BDP’s urban excellence
Interdisciplinary consultancy
target will be missed
BDP has received an Interim
Client and Outline Design Award
for its design services in the Derry a million affordable homes could
City Centre Public Realm project n
Hundreds of thousands of said: ‘There are risks to both the
homes in Britain will fail to programme’s completion and what be axed from the government’s
in Northern Ireland. The award by meet the government’s ‘decent has been achieved so far if a reliable building plans.
CEEQUAL, the assessment and standard’ deadline by 2010, a report funding mechanism is not put in The National Housing Federation
awards scheme for improving by the National Audit Office (NAO) place to deliver the remainder of the (NHF) claims that figures set
sustainability in civil engineering has revealed. programme and to maintain homes out in the Pre-Budget Report in
and public sector projects, The Department for to a decent standard. December imply spending cuts to
recognises environmental Communities and Local ‘Hundreds of thousands of the housing budget of 17.98 per
excellence and awarded the Government’s (CLG) Decent families are still living in properties cent. If implemented over the next
project an Excellent rating. Homes Programme aims to which are not warm, weather tight, decade, it would slash the planned
improve the condition of homes or in a reasonable state of repair. number of new affordable homes
All the fun of Meccano for social housing tenants and was ‘The department’s efforts have by 556,000, but continued long
Atkins, Arup, Allies and supposed to be completed by 2010. been undermined by weaknesses in term, it would take until 2038 to
Morrison will create the only new But the NAO’s report to the information it holds.’ build the envisaged one million
overground Crossrail station in parliament found that it will only be But the programme was affordable homes – 18 years later
London by largely prefabricating about 92 per cent complete in 2010, found to have brought wider than expected.
it off-site. The major elements of leaving around 305,000 properties benefits, such as better housing The NHF also warned 278,000
the new Custom House station in poor repair. It has been estimated management, tenant involvement jobs and apprenticeships in the
will be transported to site and by CLG that it will take until 2018- and employment opportunities, as construction industry could be lost
assembled there, similar to how a 2019 to make all homes reach the well as improving an estimated one due to the cuts. It is now calling for
Meccano set is built. required standard. As of April 2009, million or more homes. housing to be viewed in the same
86 per cent of homes in the social Earmarked public spending ‘untouchable’ terms as spending on
Scottish agreement sector were classed as decent. cuts have also led to a campaign health, education and policing.
ConstructionSkills Scotland and Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, group warning that more than half www.nao.org.uk
the Scottish Construction Centre
have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) to
show their commitment to the
Small-firm solutions sought
country’s sustainability targets.
The agreement outlines plans The UK government has announced improve the energy efficiency of healthcare, transport and retrofit
to educate and up-skill the that it will be launching two new public buildings and to develop demonstrators for low carbon
construction industry on a range competitions to improve the energy lighting solutions. buildings.
of issues, including reducing efficiency of buildings and develop These will focus on small SBRI provides fully-funded
waste. new ultra-efficient lighting by spring businesses developing innovative contracts for business to develop
2010. solutions to address the challenges technology-based solutions that
Raising awareness In its new Going for Growth faced in the public sector. address public sector challenges.
The ‘Green futures for existing strategy, which aims to ‘rebuild’ It will be led by the government’s Further tenders to improve the
buildings’ project is spending Britain following the global Technology Strategy Board, which energy efficiency of public buildings
£100,000 to raise awareness economic crisis, two new Small has already provided £9.3m of and develop ultra efficient lighting
about refurbishing existing Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funding for 277 contracts in areas solutions are planned for 2010.
buildings in a sustainable and competitions are announced to such as security and defence, www.berr.gov.uk
environmentally friendly way in
the East Midlands. Technical
events will be aimed at designers,
Excellent result in
environmental and facilities
Manchester
managers and contractors.
A new development in the heart
www.bre.co.uk/greenfutures
of Manchester, UK, has been
awarded the BREEAM Excellent
Tearing down the city
standard for its efficiencies in design
The UK government’s new
and operation. Building services
chief construction adviser, Paul
provider SES completed work on the
Morrell, has reportedly told The
final phase of the £15m Piccadilly
Times newspaper that many
Place development with one of its
buildings constructed in the
partners, the contractor Carillion.
1960s and 1970s may have
SES completed the design and
to be torn down rather than
installation of all the mechanical
made energy efficient. Problem
and electrical services to three levels
buildings include those that
of underground car park, as well as
are ‘semi-industrialised, highly
three mixed-use buildings, forming
inefficient and badly insulated’.
part of the regeneration project.
8 CIBSE Journal February 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb10 pp08-09 news.indd 8 28/1/10 16:18:02
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