Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) stated that it expected the majority of the work involved to be sub-contracted to local companies. Four other firms had tendered for the £100m construction project. Read more…

Source: BBC News

The Construction Alliance consists of the the National Federation of Builders (NFB), Scottish Building Federation (SBF), Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) and the FMB giving the Alliance a combined membership of 13,500 companies within the UK.

Richard Diment (Director General of the FMB) stated: “Over the recent months the FMB has been working more closely with its colleagues at the three other organisations that now make up the Construction Alliance, so I am pleased to sign the memorandum of understanding to strengthen this relationship. I am looking forward to the great things the Construction Alliance will help us achieve for our members through the representation on the Strategic Forum for Construction.”

Source: Build.co.uk

“I’m having a couple of weeks off as I just competed in the British Championships then I’ll start my preparation work soon. I’m hoping for a top-three finish.”

RDF managing director Rick Firth has sponsored the Yorkshireman this year enabling him to purchase better equipment and helping him to prepare perfectly for the big competitions. Graham has ben in training for five years after his coaches at his gym gave him positive feedback.

“I originally went to their gym to keep fit but seeing all the pictures on the wall, it inspired me to start training. I asked both Andy and Brian if I could get involved,” said Mattison.

Graham hopes to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis unint at Leeds General Infirmary along with his Brother Antony and son Bradley.

He said: “For the last three years I have raised £1,400 each time by getting people to sponsor me £10 here and £5 there in my competitions. People have also sponsored a pound for eacbh kilo I lift.”

Graham has been featured in the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Good Luck Graham!

The £300M deal covers a 10 year period and 20,000 homes in London and the Home Counties with work expected to start in October 2010. The contract includes maintenance for, gas maintenance,
responsive, property surveying, void, estates management services and a 24 hour call centre for tenants.

Bob Holt, chairman of Mears said: “We have been working on behalf of Family Mosaic since 2004. This award represents the biggest contract award in Mears’ history.

Source: Building.co.uk

According to the The sustainable building association, paying people for heat used – however inefficiently – rather than for energy saved or renewable energy generated is illogical and could reduce the incentive to be efficient.

Andrew Simmonds (the CEO of the AECB) stated: “Trying to cut emissions and increase energy security by rewarding heat consumption is like trying to lose weight by eating ever more low calorie biscuits. If you want to succeed the biscuits have to replace, not supplement, your over-rich diet, likewise the renewable heat has to replace, not simply add to, the fossil fuel the nation is using.”

Source: Building.co.uk

A close source to Tesco said: “We’ve been told they definitely want a 25% increase [above the 2 million ft2 annual average] in the floorspace delivered this year from previous years. And they’re talking about bringing in other contractors.”

The statement came as Tesco reported a 10% rise in pre-tax profit to £3.2bn.

Source: Building.co.uk

James Stewart, Chief executive of government body, stated today, estimates by the team working up plans for High Speed 2, were that the project could cost nearly double what equivalent high speed rail projects cost to build in Europe.

His comments follow the announcement in budget documents that the body was commissioning an “investigation into the cost of civil engineering works for major infrastructure projects in the UK.”

Stewart also said: “It has come to our attention it appears to cost double in the UK to put infrastructure down than in Europe. Since we’ve been given this evidence, we have tested this with industry, with the ICE, and no-one disagrees. Now we’ve got to do a proper piece of work to understand it.”

“The one thing we can say,” he continued, “is there absolutely isn’t one single reason behind this, there’s lots of things playing in to it.”

Source: Building.co.uk

The contract runs for an initial 7 years, with a further 7 year extension available.”

So far, House price rises appeared to slow, with just 17% more chartered surveyors reported a rise than a fall in house prices. This is down from 31% in January 2010.

A RICS spokesperson said: “Most market indicators are still positive and consistent with further house price increases. However the magnitude of the gains going forward is likely to continue to ease reflecting the fact that new supply coming onto the market is starting to outstrip fresh demand.”

Source: Building.co.uk.

It is understood that the client is in talks with the three remaining firms and that a decision is expected within the next few weeks.

The £100M office development which is known as Amex House, will be constructed on the car park site of the present Amercian Express building in Mighell Street.

Some demolition work is also involved in the job.

The project centres on a nine-storey call centre and a four-storey data centre.
Work on site is expected to kick off early in 2010.