UKCG launches Born to Build campaign

In order to get people working in the construction industry, you need to show how big, important, and interesting it is to the younger generations. And that's why the Born to Build campaign has been launched by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG).

Born to Build is aimed at 14 to 19 year olds and aims to change their perception of what the construction industry is all about. It offers up a very wide range of career opportunities, and the UKCG is asking young people already in the industry to share their stories with others. The reality is, the construction industry needs to recruit 182,000 new workers over the next 5 years, and it will take initiatives like Born to Build to achieve that goal, so please support it when you can.

Source: NFDC and Born to Build

715 cancelled school building projects to have major impact on UK construction & demolition industries

The news has been filled this week with details of plans to cut school building projects. In total, this affects 715 schools and the $55 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The consequences of this decision not only affects the schools, but has a major impact on both the construction and demolition industries within the UK. This is 715 projects that no longer need any demolition work, and 715 lost construction contracts.

The UK Contractors Group (UKCG) has responded to the decision by stating that they already argued the BSF programme could be simplified, and that contractors have been paying unnecessary costs because of it. They now plan to work with the government to conduct some sample projects in 14 areas so as not to waste the expenditure that has already gone into specific projects. The outlook seems to be clarification is required from the government going forward, and UKCG working to deliver efficiencies in line with government requirements.

We have uploaded a list showing the mpact this has had on BSF schools by local authority, you can download the list here (PDF)

We have also uploaded the speech given in parliament by Education Secretary Michael Gove. You can download it here (PDF)

Government carbon emission targets require plenty of UK demolition

Demolition across UK cities could be about to rise dramatically according to comments made by Paul Morrell, the Government's chief construction advisor at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.

The reason is that the Government has a bit of a dilemma to solve. In order to achieve tough new carbon emission targets (an 80% reduction by 2050) many of the buildings from the 60s and 70s need to be modified to cut down on their energy use. However, some of those building can't improve enough and therefore demolition and rebuilding is the only course of action to take.

Morrell commented to The Times:

"In the Sixties, everything was built cheaper, faster and nastier. If you are going to try to fix buildings, then really you won’t have too many problems with anything built earlier than the Fifties or after the Eighties.

Although you can do some things to buildings from the Sixties and Seventies, like replacing the roofs, there are probably some places that need to come down entirely.

The buildings that pose the most difficulties are semi-industrialised, highly inefficient, badly insulated and so ugly that they are not worth refurbishing."

Source: Times Online with thanks to Demolition News

Site Supervisors- CCDO or SSSTS course, which should they have?

We are getting lots of calls from customers saying that MCG companies are insisting on SSSTS courses for Demolition Supervisors but we don't agree so we asked NTDG what they think and they sent us this newsletter that sets out clearly what should happen;-

The NDTG has recently received numerous calls regarding UKCG Members requesting that all Supervisors on site have attended the 3 day SSSTS Course. This is in response to the attached UKCG press release being issued to its members.

As you are aware, the Demolition Industry Standard for Site Supervisors is the CCDO Demolition Supervisor Gold Card (affiliated to CSCS).

I have now sent letters to three UKCG Members who were requesting the SSSTS Course from our members as standard for Demolition Supervisors. The letter outlined the standard of our Industry Assessed Supervisors and how our course meets the UKCG Supervisor Standards Criteria. It would be unreasonable to request that a CCDO Demolition Supervisor Card holder must attend the 3 Day SSSTS Course.

Following these letters, the UKCG Members in question have accepted the CCDO Demolition Supervisor Card as an alternative to the SSSTS Course.

We have been in discussions with the UKCG Training Committee, and they are shortly going to be issuing a press release stating that any Supervisor Certificate or Card produced on site must be considered and investigated before requesting that the Supervisor attends the SSSTS Course. However, they are not able to endorse any one scheme.

I have attached a standard letter for the attention of UKCG Members. You may wish to produce this letter to any clients/contractors who are questioning the standards of the CCDO Supervisor Card. I have also attached the UKCG Press Release for your perusal.

If you do experience any problems with regards to this matter, and the attached letter does not suffice, then please do not hesitate to contact me. I can then look at it on an individual basis.

It would also be useful to hear any response that you have received from Clients/Contractors since the UKCG released this Supervisor Standard statement.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards
Sophie Francis
Training Group Manager
For & on Behalf of NDTG Ltd
Resurgam House
Paradise
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2 4TF