£650bn Decade Infrastructure Fund
A new Government infrastructure pipeline commits £650bn public and private investment into infrastructure over the next 10 years as part of the Government’s Build Back Better, including £30bn social & economic infrastructure contracts in the next year. It will create 425,00 jobs per year and include 170 Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) procurement contracts. You can read more about the programme called Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 here.
COVID Risks in Construction: Contracts
Law firm Pinsent Masons says, ‘Resilient contractors have adapted to COVID-19 so they can continue working’ but warns that ‘Contractors are likely to face shortages of people; shortages of materials, and delays due to further lockdowns or other government-imposed restrictions,’ and also notes ‘Companies must be innovative and cooperative when dealing with Covid-19 risks. Emphasis should be on being practical, pragmatic and responsive to the fast-changing nature of the pandemic.’ Read more here.
Award-winning wearable technology
North London Heat and Power Project deployed beable® Wearable to keep workers safe and productive; it facilitates physical distancing as well as interaction tracking. Co-developed by Electronic Media Services and COMIT Projects and funded by Innovate UK, the new technology has been well received and plans to further rollout with greater functionality are underway.
Click here to find out moreWorking at Height Robot Trial
Skanska is developing a robot for working at heights. The current iteration can drill and fit ceiling anchors 4m high and has a heavy-duty telescopic arm. Developed in collaboration with Innovate UK and technology companies, the robot autonomously navigates to a target and completes the tasks. It has autonomous and manual modes and has sensors that detect humans in proximity and shuts down to protect workers.
One Atom Thick Road Surface World First Trial
National Highways is trialling graphene, called the ‘wonder material’ on a three mile stretch on the A1 in Northumberland from Sunday 19 September to 1 November to see how the material holds up. The new application could potentially reduce the frequency of roadworks by making the road surface last longer. It has been mixed with plastic and used to enhance asphalt in the past but this is the ‘first time it will be added to recycled asphalt onsite.’ Graphene is the thinnest material know to humans: a one-atom thick layer of atoms arranged hexagonally and is a descendant of graphite (used in pencils). Watch a video here.
Internet Connectivity for New, Temporary and Challenging locations…
For new, temporary and challenging locations why not consider the EMS i-MO OptiBond solution? Delivers fast / resilient aggregated 4G and / or fixed line services to site in days. The system is widely used on difficult to serve and new commercial and infrastructure projects. See www.ems-imo.com
Find out more1,500 New Greenwich Homes Development
The 19-acre riverside site acquired by developer U+I in 2012 has permission for 1,500 homes – of which 35% will be affordable – consisting of 12 buildings up to 37 stories high and 4 acres of landscaped park with 275m of riverfront including a river beach. The commercial area will contribute £42m to the local authority and support infrastructure for 3,500 jobs. The development will sustain 2,400 construction jobs. More info here.