On Tuesday (1st March) the Welsh Government issued a consultation on incorporating aspects of the previous Sustainable Buildings National Planning Policy into the Building Regulations in Wales. 

In July 2014 the Sustainable Buildings national planning policy and related TAN22 guidance was withdrawn. The stated intention was that we would look at incorporating the key non energy elements of the Code for Sustainable Homes/BREEAM into the Building Regulations. The subsequent review identified a number of components as having potential for incorporation into Building Regulations. The consultation contains proposals for:

• Changes to Part G – Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency; 
• The introduction of Part Q - Residential Security Part Q – Unauthorised access;
• Non mandatory guidance on the content and presentation of information to householder for new dwellings.
• Changes to the Approved Documents 

The consultation closes on the 24th May 2016 and we are working with Constructing Excellence in Wales to host consultation events in mid April. 

http://gov.wales/consultations/planning/building-regulations-sustainability-review/?lang=en 

Ar Dydd Mawrth (1 Mawrth) Mae Llywodraeth Cymru lansio ei ymgynghoriad ynghylch ymgorffori agweddau  ar y Polisi Cynllunio Cenedlaethol Adeiladau Cynaliadwy blaenorol i mewn i Reoliadau Adeiladu yng Nghymru. 

Ym mis Gorffennaf 2014 the tynnwyd yn ôl y Polisi Cynllunio Cenedlaethol Adeiladau Cynaliadwy a chanllaw perthnasol TAN 22. Y bwriad penodedig oedd edrych at ymgorffori elfennau allweddol y Cod Cartrefi Cynaliadwy/BREEAM nad ydynt yn gysylltiedig ag ynni yn y Rheoliadau Adeiladu. Gwnaeth yr adolygiad dilynol nodi nifer o gydrannau a allai gael eu cynnwys mewn Rheoliadau Adeiladu. Mae’r ymgynghoriad hwn yn cynnwys cynigion am: 

• Newidiadau i Ran G – Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency; 
• Cyflwyno Rhan Q – Residential Security Part Q – Unauthorised access;
• Canllawiau nad ydynt yn rhai gorfodol am gynnwys a chyflwyniad gwybodaeth i ddeiliad anheddau newydd.
• Newidiadau i Ddogfennau Cymeradwy 

Mae’r ymgynghoriad yn cau 24 Mai 2016 ac rydym yn gweithio gydag Adeiladu Arbenigrwydd i gynnal digwyddiadau ymgynghori yng nghanol mis Ebrill. 

http://gov.wales/consultations/planning/building-regulations-sustainability-review/?lang=cy

Hosted jointly with the Zero Carbon Hub this breakfast seminar will provide an opportunity to hear more about the Innovate UK’s Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) project. The seminar promises to demystify the Performance Gap and highlight the latest learning from two BPE projects.  

Join us to find out more about the housing terrace and apartments at Aberfawr Terrace, Abertridwr and The Blue Bell Centre, Liverpool, designed to be the first BREEAM healthcare excellent building. Both developments have incorporated sustainable and passive design approaches and integrated renewable technologies, their evaluation has useful lessons learnt for all roles in the construction sector. 

How to Book: To reserve your place please email CEWales Events stating your full contact details and the names of all delegates wishing to attend.  

Non-attendance by any registered delegate will be charged in full unless you have informed us prior to the event.  

In order to reduce wastage at our events CEW operates a policy of only notifying venue details when issuing registration confirmation. This ensures we only cater for delegates who have registered and don’t over order for individuals who may or may not turn up on the day. 

Crossrail has launched a knowledge-sharing website to spread lessons learned during its construction with the wider industry.

Welsh ambitions to embark upon some landmark infrastructure schemes will benefit from the learning passed on by the new knowledge sharing web site set up by Crossrail. Its Learning Legacy initiative will share good practice on a wide range of topics, including Health & Safety, Project Management, Engineering and the Environment. 

The reaction this week has been very positive with a lot of exchanges of information via social media and strong support from groups such as the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The first tranche of material shares some of the early lessons that have been learned from the Crossrail programme.

It includes technical papers, peer-reviewed case studies and procedures, which have been published on a dedicated website here. Further material will be published every six months during the rest of the project.

Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive, said: “Passing on the lessons and good practice that we have learned at Crossrail is an absolutely essential part of raising the bar in the delivery of major projects.

“With an unprecedented number of infrastructure schemes around the corner, now is the time to start sharing what we have learned so the UK can build on its reputation for delivering safely, on time and on budget.”

Apprenticeships, business and local communities will all benefit once the £53m Newtown bypass work begins next week because of how construction enables so much of Welsh society.

Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart AM has announced that construction work on the £53m Newtown bypass will start next Monday (7th March).

The contract for the detailed design, construction and environmental aftercare has been awarded to Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd (AGC). The 6.5km bypass will follow a west to east route to the south of Newtown. The proposed carriageways will allow safe overtaking opportunities in both directions with the provision of a 2+1 carriageway.

Mrs Hart said: “This bypass will improve the quality of life for the people of Newtown and improve journey times and safety along the A483, A489 and local roads within the town. In addition to creating up to 90 jobs and new apprenticeships during the construction phase this project will also provide an important long-term economic boost to the region.

“As a pro-business government we recognise the importance of investing in our trunk road network to improve access to employment sites and reduce journey times. This section of road provides important transport links between North and South Wales and Mid Wales and the West Midlands in England.”

A Swansea-based construction firm that has been running an apprenticeship programme for 20 years has added its support to National Apprenticeship Week. 

Apprenticeship Week, March 14 - 18, celebrates the positive impact that apprenticeships have on individuals and businesses and recognises the benefits of apprentices to employers and the wider economy.

The value of apprenticeships has been recognised at John Weaver Contractors for more than two decades and the company has received the ‘Golden Ticket’ award for Apprentice Employer of the Year from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

John Weaver Contractors’ Apprenticeship Programme is currently delivered in conjunction with both the CITB and the Youth Training Programme. Playing a key role in their strategy to encourage young people into the industry, the company currently employs six apprentices across the organisation and has taken on around 60 since it joined the programme.

Training manager, John Jones, said: “We recognise that the company’s direct workforce is fundamental to the continued success of the organisation and the industry as a whole.

“We need to ensure we have enough people coming in to fill key roles and to gain experience and develop from working alongside established project managers and tradespeople.”

Ahead of Apprenticeship Week, the Welsh Government is running a campaign to urge more businesses to consider apprenticeships for staff and is encouraging organisations of all sizes and across a range of sectors to support the recruitment of apprentices.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Julie James AM said: “I’m delighted that employers such as John Weaver Contractors share the Welsh Government’s commitment to training our future workforce.

"Apprenticeships represent one of the most practical, cost-effective ways that a business can build a skilled workforce. They learn the skills employers need to keep up with developments in their industry, enabling them to deliver the level of service that their clients demand.”

The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with the support of the European Social Fund.

If you’re interested in finding out more about taking on an apprentice and the benefits they can bring to your business, visit businesswales.gov.wales/skillsgateway or call 03000 603000.

Sharing best practice, passing on the learning from projects and processes and simply swapping ideas is at the grassroots of the improvement and change agenda in Welsh construction. It is at the centre of everything that CEW does on behalf of the construction industry and the wider supply chain. 

That’s why events such as best practice breakfast mornings, demonstration projects and information awareness seminars highlighting new legislation or debating key issues are critical to the development of Welsh construction. 

Last Friday the South East Wales Best Practice Club gave a platform to David Jukes, Electrification Programme Development Director, ABC Electrification, so he could update the industry on the electrification of the South Wales main line between Bristol and Cardiff as part of the Network Rail National Electrification Programme.

ABC Electrification is dedicated to delivering electrification projects that will help to transform the UK's railways. Founded on collaboration, innovation and agility ABC Electrification prides itself on its ethical delivery principles, ensuring that every project is delivered on time, in full and with zero harm. 

It is exactly the kind of event that CEW promotes and quite rightly, was very well attended and there was some very positive feedback. Likewise, the events held earlier this week focussing on Welsh Government’s new SUDs Guidance and case studies seminar have gone well too.

The Welsh Government has published new standards and guidance for sustainable drainage serving new developments in Wales. The standards have been developed with support from HR Wallingford and take account of the latest SuDS Manual from CIRIA and feedback from a public consultation in 2015.

There are six standards, dealing with runoff destination, hydraulic control, water quality, amenity, recreation and design. Guidance on each of these is also included in the document, along with links to further relevant sources of information to aid design, construction and maintenance. The document also includes a section on SuDS Principles, providing a list of the principles, such as managing water on or close to the surface and as close to the source of the runoff as possible, which underpin the design of surface water management schemes to meet the Standards.

The next event is to be at Ewloe on 9th March – to book you place on this or any other CEW event please get in touch with the team via email to CEWales Events stating your full contact details, the names of all delegates wishing to attend and the event.