Construction National

International Rugby Experience - a brick masterpiece with Michelmersh products

Michelmersh is proud to see its products predominantly featured throughout the design of The International Rugby Experience. The International Rugby Experience has quickly become one of the top tourist attractions in Ireland since opening its doors in 2022.

Michelmersh is proud to see its products predominantly featured throughout the design of The International Rugby Experience, Limerick, where it sits on the edge of a conservation area within Limerick’s Georgian Quarter. The International Rugby Experience has quickly become one of the top tourist attractions in Ireland since opening its doors in 2022. The Experience’s verticality was crucial to the project’s success, where capacity was integral to it. The height of the building also provides impressive views over the city with its crowning public hall. The state-of-the-art facility is a must-visit for rugby fans from around the world, with the target of welcoming 100,000 visitors annually. Described specifically as an “experience” and not a museum, guests will be told a story of rugby through five values: Discipline, Solidarity, Respect, Passion and Integrity.

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ASFP releases new passive fire protection guidance

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has published three new Advisory Notes and updated another. The documents cover a range of topics related to firestopping, penetration seals and smoke seals.  

Advisory Note (AN) 13 covers the testing of partial penetrations, for example, socket boxes, which are installed into dry wall systems. Firestopping products are made to help maintain the performance of a wall where such electrical boxes have been added. A CEN standard is currently being drafted to cover the testing of these products. However, in the interim period AN 13 suggests that the firestopping of these products is undertaken using an ad-hoc approach, based on testing to BS EN1364-1: Fire resistance tests for non-loadbearing elements. 

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Exeter College gets a solid investment with donation of 10,000 bricks

Brick by brick, a local housebuilder is building the future of the construction industry in Exeter - and they've just added 10,000 more to the mix. Persimmon Homes South West, has made a significant donation of 10,000 bricks to Exeter College to support the training and education of future construction professionals. The bricks, equivalent to the amount needed to construct a three-bedroom house, were delivered to the college's state-of-the-art construction facilities in the presence of local apprentices and Exeter City Council Leader, Cllr Phil Bialyk.

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The value of manoeuvrability - why operator comfort should come first

According to the National Safety Council, fatigued worker productivity costs USA employers between $1,200 and $3,100 every year. In the construction industry, which places significant physical stress onto workers, the numbers are likely to be considerably higher. Increasingly, construction companies are looking for ways to get the most out of their workforce without tiring them out. Here Dave Bigham, global director of training at surface preparation equipment manufacturer National Flooring Equipment, highlights some of the key benefits to equipment manoeuvrability.

Read more: The value of manoeuvrability - why operator comfort should come first