So David Cameron and Nick Clegg are going to get Britain building again. Cameron said his Government is serious about rolling its sleeves up and doing all it can to kick-start the economy. So they came together to announce...the relaxation of planning rules on extensions! That is great news for people who build extensions, of course – provided that their prospective customers, freed from the jack-booted oppression of petty minded officialdom in town halls across the country, can actually afford to build them.

To be fair, there are some things that will boost housebuilding. The extension of the FirstBuy scheme is to be welcomed, even if it only applies to new builds. There are elements, however, that seem to display a desire to hand public money to private developers: the mooted Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Bill, for instance, that will guarantee "the debt of housing associations and private-sector developers" (my emphasis).

A Guide group in Grays were desperate for funding to help purchase new tents in time for Essex International Jamboree this summer and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) gladly stepped in to help.

4th Grays Guides, based in Grays, Essex, had a disastrous camp earlier this year when the roof of their patrol tents flooded. But with just weeks until the group were due to attend Essex International Jamboree they were in need of new tents, and fast. NFRC, the UK’s largest roofing trade association, heard about their dilemma and were more than happy to help support the girls, sponsoring the group £350 to buy new tents.

3 October, 2012

Ground Engineering is proud to announce the 5th Basements and Underground Structures Conference.

This is an unmissable event for the ground engineering industry held on the 3rd October 2012. The conference will tackle key issues facing our community today. This is a great opportunity to network, share ideas and establish best practice. This is a one day only event showcasing practical solutions and innovative techniques from the best in the industry.

More often construction companies are turning to fleet-tracking technology to keep an eye on vehicles and monitor KPIs (key performance indicators) and other analytics related to equipment. The technology improves visibility for operations, creating a more efficient, safe, and cost effective business.

This week, a new map overlay capability will now allow construction companies to superimpose infrastructure, GIS (geographic-information systems), or route maps on vehicle location maps. This will help create an integrated view for dispatching and other activities.

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) Ltd, the UK’s oldest roofing trade association, has been receiving an unprecedented number of calls from members of the public, who have been approached about moss removal, which is usually followed up with the tiles being painted in order, so it is claimed, to prolong the life of the roof.

While NFRC is a dedicated roofing trade association that has been around for over 120 years we have never recognised the practice of moss removal or roof painting as a true roofing discipline.

CCSec has just introduced its new Vehicle Loop alarm to the UK, providing an added layer of security to its comprehensive alarm and monitoring package.

The Vehicle Loop Alarm is a wireless device which protects plant machinery from theft by way of an alarmed cable which is simply wrapped around the machinery, and then plugged together.

Frustrated BTSC students who have been left part way through their training have been delighted with PGL Trainings flexible and proactive response in accommodating their training needs.

PGL Training are able to carry out candidate searches with City and Guilds and EAL to ascertain exactly what has been achieved and then work out individual training plans to avoid any repeat assessments or registration fees.

Managing facilities maintenance and capital improvements at a university requires careful planning and detailed reporting. In order to enable this, many program and facilities managers have implemented technology to help complete the job as efficiently as possible.

Take the recent example of Montclair State University, www.montclair.edu, Montclair, N.J., which is the second largest public institution of higher education in the state of New Jersey. The division of university facilities has a five-year capital improvement plan estimated at more than $650 million.

Jablite is celebrating being awarded Department of Climate Change (DECC) funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) Innovative Refurb Fund for a new insulation product that it is developing for non-domestic properties.

“We entered the DECC/TSB fund competition with the London Borough of Bexley, our own Local Authority, as our partner and we are really pleased that our new insulation product was considered good enough for this Innovative Refurb fund,” says Sue Ballard, Technical and Innovation Manager, Jablite.

Over the past 15 years we have seen lots of changes in the construction industry with highs, followed by the inevitable lows. With the economy currently in the grip of recession, every business is looking for ways to reduce its costs but cutting certain corners, like overall site security, can often be more costly in the long run.

CCSec has become aware of an emerging trend where construction firms buy purely on price and are taken in by what appears to be a great deal – comprehensive site security at bargain bucket prices. However, once the purchase is complete and the kit installed they quickly realise the equipment is sub-standard and doesn't do what they need it to!