London 2012: a global showcase for UK plc

Posted on: 6 July 2012
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In February 2012 Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that he had commissioned the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman Sir John Armitt to draw up an action plan to share the lessons of the Park’s on-time-on-budget building programme. This report has now been published, based on a survey of construction firms who worked on the 2012 Games. It is argued that the next 12 to 18 months represent a crucial window of opportunity for UK businesses to capitalise on their involvement in the project, particularly in terms of securing work on other major sports events, a fast-growing sector that is creating many new opportunities. The report highlights the ingredients for future success. The aim of the report is to help UK companies to learn from what has been achieved and reap the benefits of future projects at home and abroad, whether or not they have been involved in the 2012 Games. The Government’s response to the report is also available online.

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Government Construction Strategy: One year on report and action plan update

Posted on: 5 July 2012
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One year on from the launch of the Government Construction Strategy, this publication takes stock of progress to date against the targets it set for reducing the costs of construction to Government, for the reform of the industry and for fostering innovation and growth.

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Handbook of Constructive Details

Posted on: 2 July 2012
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The British Board of Agrément and Robust Details have formed a joint venture, Constructive Details (CDL), working with the industry to provide solutions for linear thermal bridging. Linear thermal bridging, described by a psi-value, can contribute to up to 30% of heat loss in a building. To combat this, CDL has launched the first Constructive Details handbook of masonry detail junctions developed for the Aircrete Products Association. The handbook follows the principles of the Robust Details Part E scheme handbook and contains 16 details for partial fill external wall and five details for full fill party wall. CDL said that the details had been designed to provide “significantly lower” psi values than those featuring in Accredited Construction Details (ACDs), resulting in a 60% improvement of the overall y-value.  The handbook can be downloaded for free on the CDL website.

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2012 Learning Legacy – free online lectures

Posted on: 29 June 2012
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As part of the 2012 Learning Legacy, the Institution of Civil Engineers worked with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to deliver a UK-wide lecture programme. The topics covered include: master planning, land treatment, venues, bridges, structures, water use management, and transport. Videos of the following lectures are available:

Launch event: ODA Learning Legacy – Lessons Learned

Launch of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s Learning Legacy and panel discussion on the lessons learned from the London 2012 construction project.

Establishment of the Olympic Project: winning the bid, shaping the vision and master planning

Hear from those that led the complex design and planning process to ensure buildings and infrastructure were designed to meet long-term regeneration ambitions as well as the unique technical requirements for the games.

Engineering the Olympic Park: Contaminated land treatment and invasive species control

Prior to 2005 the Olympic Park site in east London was heavily polluted and divided by pylons and railways. The preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games required environmental improvement on a huge scale.

Delivering London 2012: the Aquatics Centre

The Aquatics Centre London 2012 is an iconic venue designed by acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid.

Engineering the Olympic Park: Water use minimisation and management

The lecture looks at the use of modern techniques to reduce the use of water across the site and successfully manage the resource.

Engineering the Olympic Stadium

Hear from those who led the design and delivery of the Olympic Stadium. An innovative use of permanent and temporary forms was developed to meet the 80,000 Olympic capacity and 25,000 legacy capacity, with the final structuring consisting of a permanent sunken concrete bowl and a removable upper seating tier.

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International Concrete Sustainability Conference. Seattle, 7-10 May 2012

Posted on: 27 June 2012
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The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and other sponsors hosted the seventh annual conference, providing the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research and solutions for sustainable concrete manufacturing and construction. Over 60 world renowned experts presented on the latest developments related to design, specifying, manufacturing, testing, construction, maintenance, and research of concrete as it relates to sustainable development. A large number of presentations are available online.

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The Cement Sustainability Initiative: 10 years of progress, moving on to the next decade

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), which operates under the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has launched its 2012 Progress Report during the Rio+20 Summit. The report underlines the role the cement industry has to play towards achieving a more sustainable future. Nine key issues are explored by the Initiative including: safety; climate protection; fuels and raw materials; air emissions; local impacts on land and communities; water; supply chain management; sustainability with concrete; and working with others.

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Structural assessment of large panel system (LPS) dwelling blocks for accidental loading

Posted on: 21 June 2012
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A new handbook (£85) and accompanying digest (£22), published by theBRE, provide current research and industry best practice on the structural assessment and strengthening options for large panel system (LPS) dwelling blocks. The detailed guidance for engineers, surveyors and regulatory authorities focuses on the resistance of high-rise tower blocks to accidental loading associated with gas explosions. Drawing on previously unpublished technical information, the publications define the requirements for LPS blocks over four storeys high, setting out the basic principles of a methodology for assessing large panel buildings and options for strengthening and remedial works.

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UK-GBC’s Industry Business Plan

Posted on: 15 June 2012
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This report represents the culmination of a six-month project run by the UK Green Building Council to highlight potential areas for commercial opportunity in a future resource-constrained world. The ‘Industry Business Plan’ project brought together a cross-section of business leaders to develop scenarios for future operating environments, and conduct an analysis to determine a range of strategic options for the industry. The project aimed to give organisations the space to rethink ‘business as usual’ and take some time to model some innovative ideas that responded to the likely future operating environment to deliver high value, low-carbon and sustainable growth opportunities.

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Unstructured Sitelines

Posted on: 12 June 2012
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The green cultural network, Fourth Door, has re-launched its main web-magazine, Unstructured, increasing its web-presence, and with the journal, Sitelines, a specific focus on sustainable architecture and the built environment. Sitelines highlights sustainability and its cultural, social and political implications and contexts, in contrast to the more technical approaches often found across contemporary architectural media. The latest issue also contains a special Passivhaus section.

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New orders in the construction industry: 1st quarter 2012

Posted on: 11 June 2012
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Information bulletin of the latest quarterly estimates of new construction orders and some back data. Contains new construction orders (current price and constant price seasonally adjusted) broken down by sector and, in current prices, by region and by type of work.

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