News
Low carbon sacrificed for good of economy, says CIC
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The Construction Industry Council (CIC) praised the
government for not announcing more immediate cuts to capital programmes. But it fears the planned VAT rise in Britain could send the retrofitting sector into the ‘black economy’ and hinder efforts to achieve climate change targets. The 20% rate of VAT, due to take
effect in January, was announced by the Chancellor, George Osborne, in his Emergency Budget last month. Although no further cuts to
capital spending were announced above and beyond those already made public, Osborne said a Spending Review will be held on 20 October, detailing public spending beyond 2011.
Design award for Museum of Liverpool
The Scottish Design Awards have now been announced, with multi-disciplinary consultant Buro Happold scooping two categories – it was winner of the Engineering Design Award for its Museum of Liverpool project (pictured), and also won the Sustainable Design Award for its design of the Queens University Library in Belfast. www.
scottishdesignawards.com
Colleges win £50m funding despite cuts
The first round of £6bn cuts announced by the coalition government will see £500m reinvested, with further education colleges set to receive a lump sum for building projects. Around 150 colleges that have
yet to significantly benefit from the capital programme will each receive about £225,000 under a £30m Renewal Grant. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said that a further £20m will be made available to colleges through an Enhanced Renewal Grant.
www.cibsejournal.com Colleges will have the opportunity
to add to their Renewal Grant by bidding to build their total allocation to £1m. Colleges will be expected to attract additional private finance, providing final projects of significant value. Criteria have been set for colleges
wishing to submit a bid for a share of the funding. These include: • The condition of the college and its facilities;
• The benefits to learners; and • How it will add to the regeneration of local communities. The college submitting the bid
cannot have received more than £5m of funding for building projects in the past from the Skills Funding Agency (formerly the Learning and Skills Council). The bid also needs to show that the building project can be completed by September 2011.
The government also announced
£150m to fund 50,000 new apprenticeship places, focused on small and medium enterprises; and £170m to safeguard the delivery of around 4,000 otherwise unfunded social rented homes to start on site this year.
Separately, the Department
for Education confirmed that the Building Schools for the Future programme was being reviewed, with further details to follow. Graham Watts, chief executive
of the CIC, a forum for professional bodies in the sector, said the Budget was unlikely to worsen the economic indicators for the construction industry in 2010/11 or 2011/12. But he told the Journal: ‘The
“Achilles heel” for construction might be the impact that an increase in VAT will have on retrofitting existing buildings for greater energy efficiency and to reduce carbon emissions – the additional increase is likely to deter
some owners from going ahead with retrofitting work and has the potential for taking more such work in the domestic sector into the black economy. [The VAT rise] is unlikely to make the achievement of climate change targets any easier.’ The Renewable Energy
Association (REA) said the Budget had left key questions unanswered for the deployment of renewables. However, the Budget confirmed
that a Green Investment Bank to stimulate investment in low carbon industries would be taken forward. It also pledged a ‘green deal’ to
encourage households to make energy efficiency improvements, under the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill.
Engineering sector shines in Queen’s honours
Several professionals have been honoured for the part they have played in furthering the success of the sector, including:
Mark Andrews, formally the chief executive of NG Bailey, who received an OBE for his services to apprenticeships and training in the construction industry;
William Dunster, founder of ZEDfactory, who received an OBE for services to sustainable housing design;
Ronald Gainsford, chief executive of the Trading Standards Institute, who also received an OBE, awarded in recognition of his services to consumers and business;
Professor David Gann, chairman in technology and innovation management at Imperial College London, who received a CBE for his services to engineering;
Douglas Edwin, formally chairman of Crossrail, who received a CBE for his services to civil engineering;
Nelson Olawale Ogunshakin, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, who received an OBE for his services to construction and engineering industries;
Deborah Smith, director of the Building Research Establishment, who received an OBE for her services to fire safety;
Robert Steadman, vice-president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, who received a CBE for his services to engineering;
Jean Venables, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, who received a CBE in honour of his services to civil engineering; and
Sarah Webb, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, who received a CBE for her services to the housing sector.
To see the list of recipients in full, visit
www.direct.gov.uk
July 2010 CIBSE Journal
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