For those who joined us last month at our 21^st Century Schools update conference, you’ll see we’re busy making use of various datasets from the phase one pilot school sites. Response rates have improved but we’re still awaiting data returns from six authorities providing their completed cost breakdown, drawings and BREEAM reports.

If we’ve been chasing you / your design teams in the recent weeks, we’d really appreciate your contribution. Any queries, please get in touch with Amy Hutchinson, CEW who can let you know what information we are missing.

The CEW Enabling Zero Waste project aerial photography drone has been out in action again this week and captured some more shots of one of the schemes being developed across Wales.  This shot shows the new care home developed by Castleoak at Castleton near Newport. This is one of the participating projects that has been applying best practice in reducing waste to landfill from  construction and demolition by working towards Zero Waste principles.  Due to complete in the Summer of 2015, the timber built development at Castleton, Near Newport will offer an 80 bed care home.

More about the Enabling Zero Waste project here.

Wales needs more homes, but it also needs low energy homes. So why not find out how to build them?

Wales definitely needs more houses, but it also needs better houses. So, why not start the process by learning more about low carbon building with Passivhaus and other systems. New dates are now available to find out more at some ‘Passivhaus and other systems II’ face to face sessions running all through July –

- 7th July PM. Llandudno

- 8th July AM. Newtown

- 13th July PM. Carmarthen

(Venue TBC upon registration)

Organised by BEST the Passivhaus and other systems II session is the third part of its Agored accredited CQFW level 5 1-credit CPD course ‘Passivhaus and Other Sustainable Design and Construction Systems’. The previous two parts of the course are already available online under the titles:

-          The Sustainability Jigsaw and how it affects you

-          Passivhaus and other systems

You might have attended these sessions back in Autumn-Winter 14/15 or followed them online. If not, you still have some time before the upcoming session to review them. However, ‘Passivhaus and Other Systems II’ can be attended independently of the rest of the course if you wish.

During the session John Carter from Pentan Architects will explain a Passivhaus domestic building from the point of view of both designer and user. And they will have a session on ‘Detailing for Passivhaus and other low energy buildings’. Finally, for those that want to achieve accreditation, there will be the chance to fill in a first part of the assessment towards it at the end of the session.

If you are interested in attending please email stating which of the sessions you’d like to join.

Refurbishment and Performance of Pre-1919 Buildings

The fourth of their Sustainable Architecture online courses is now available in Best Bolt, their Virtual Learning Platform: ‘Refurbishment and Performance of Pre-1919 Buildings’.

This course sets the scene with a review of current and proposed legislative frameworks and their use in practice in Wales. It further explores Cadw’s conservation principles, policies and guidance affecting the refurbishment of pre-1919 buildings. With an emphasis on practice in Wales, the course examines pre- and post- refurbishment energy performance studies, and features case studies of recent, planned or live heritage projects.

Women play an important role in construction, but not in significant numbers – the industry needs to work harder to attract more women to the sector .

Last Tuesday was the National Women in Engineering Day. Although set up by the Women’s Engineering Society to celebrate its 95^th anniversary, the day highlighted the role that women play in all aspects of construction and not just showcase the great engineering careers available to girls and women in Wales and the UK.

There was a lot of support for the initiative and traffic on social media. For example, we were reminded that it was a team of women that built London’s Waterloo Bridge. However, women make up only 11 per cent of the construction workforce and just 1 per cent of workers on site. The Office for National Statistics says that the number of women working as roofers, bricklayers and glaziers is so low that it is unmeasurable. These low figures are also reflected in UCATT’s membership, where women construction workers make up only a small proportion of total membership. But that is set to change. UCATT is redoubling its efforts to fight for dignity and equality for women already working in the sector, so that more women can and want to work in construction – click here for more information.

But, for now, let’s consider our own role model: CEW Awards 2015 Young Achiever of the Year, Ester Coma Bassas a research assistant at Cardiff University’s Welsh School of Architecture, has developed an impressive set of skills that were on full display during the design and construction of the Solcer demonstration house. She is a fine example of what can be achieved and you can read about her here.