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CIC Cascade31 January 2005
1. ConstructionSkills Employer Benchmarking Survey As a partner in ConstructionSkills, CIC is looking at issues relating to improving the capabilities of the professional service employers and practitioners. The application of benchmarking tools is one of the ways in which this might be achieved and CIC is therefore exploring their current use within the construction industry. Please click here to find out more about the survey and complete the questionaire2. The 2005 RICS and MacDonald & Co. Salary and Benefits Survey is now underway! The survey is open to surveying professionals worldwide and aims to understand the current markets’ attitude to careers, salaries and benefits within the profession. Your input is vital to ensure the survey portrays accurate results. It’s quick and simple to take part, visit www.macdonald.co.uk or www.rics.org and complete the online questionnaire! Alternatively, if you require a hard copy of the survey to be sent to you please call +44 (0)870 060 0033. The deadline for inclusion is 12 February 2005 . The survey results will be available in April’s edition of Property Week and RICS Business. All entries will be entered into a free prize draw to win £500 travel vouchers. 3. Impact of climate change on buildings New research commissioned by the DTI analyses the impact of increasingly hot summers between now and 2080 on various types of UK buildings and identifies how residential, commercial and educational buildings can best be adapted to limit overheating. The results and recommendations are contained in a new 52-page publication: Climate change and the indoor environment: impacts and adaptation. There is compelling scientific evidence that the climate is changing and it is probable that average temperatures will increase by several degrees over the coming century. These increases in temperature are expected to have a major impact on the indoor environment, especially since even today, many buildings are unable cope with hot summer weather. The starting point for the research is the set of UKCIP02 Climate Change Scenarios* for the United Kingdom , which provides the best currently available scientific projections for UK climate over the coming century. Key questions are:
The research analyses these issues through dynamic thermal computer modelling of 13 case study buildings, chosen to provide a cross-section of UK building types, including dwellings, schools and offices, and to illustrate a range of different approaches to comfort cooling provision. Performance is assessed against tests for summertime thermal performance, energy and carbon emissions. The new publication, TM36 Climate change and the indoor environment: impacts and adaptation, is co-published by CIBSE and RIBA and will be available from early February from CIBSE Publication Sales on 020 8772 3618 or online at www.cibse.org/publications . The cost is £28 (plus P&P) for CIBSE and RIBA members and £56 (plus P&P) for non-members. *United Kingdom Climate Impacts Programme , www.ukcip.org.uk 4. Accountability & Responsibility needed says CIOB On the 12th January a union-backed campaign for tougher laws to prevent workplace death and injury practices has seen its first parliamentary reading. The proposed ‘Director Duties’ Bill will hold company directors accountable for negligent health and safety practices. The CIOB lends its full support to the aims of the Bill and sees it as the perfect foil to the corporate manslaughter legislation proposals. Under the Bill, companies would face not just fines but the prospect of custodial sentences for directors where serious health and safety breaches or negligence has resulted in fatality. Saleem Akram CIOB Director of Professional & Technical Development said, ‘The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reported that as many as 70% of workplace fatalities are the result of management failures. It is essential for the construction industry to constantly strive to improve our health and safety standards and processes. To reduce our current rates of fatal and major injuries further we need directors not only to be responsible but accountable. This Bill will give a sharp wake up call to those offenders in the industry who continue to put a price on life and limb.’ Stephen Hepburn MP who is sponsoring the Bill said: 'There currently exists a state of ‘legalised ignorance’ for directors when it comes to health and safety. This is unacceptable. Directors are people of tremendous power and with that power ought to come a responsibility to safeguard the health of their workforce and the public.' The second parliamentary reading of the Bill is set to take place on March 4th. 5. SummitSkills applauds small business guides Small and growing firms within the building services engineering sector are being urged by SummitSkills to utilise two free guides designed to assist in raising funding for their businesses. The "No-Nonsense Guide to Small Business Funding" and the "No-Nonsense Guide to Finance for High-Growth Companies", produced by Business Link, are jargon-free guides featuring case studies outlining the experiences of small firms, backed up with the inside track from industry experts. “Around 85% of the building services engineering sector consists of small firms and ‘micro’ businesses,” said Keith Marshall, chief executive of SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the sector. “These guides will be a useful tool to help companies make the most of their business - ultimately boosting the prosperity of their own firm and the entire sector.” The "No-Nonsense Guide to Small Business Funding" will help start ups and small firms in need of finance. It offers advice on working out what finance is needed, what the best potential sources are and how best to approach them. The guide also offers advice on numerous issues, including the importance of seeking advice from accountants and banks; the value of a strong business plan; self-funding your business; Government grants and who may be eligible; when and how to seek small scale equity investment and dealing with cash flow issues. For established businesses that are looking to expand, the "No-Nonsense Guide to Finance for High Growth Companies" can help SMEs make the most of expert advice, locate the most appropriate funding for them and advises on the best way to secure it. The guides can be ordered free of charge at www.businesslink.gov.uk or by phoning 0845 600 9006. 6. Welsh Assembly Government strongly urges adoption of Constructionline Constructionline announced today that the Welsh Assembly Government has written to Welsh public sector organisations and registered social landlords to strongly urge them to adopt its register of local and national pre-qualified construction services. The views expressed in the letter, written by Edwina Hart, the Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration, were supported by findings from the North Wales Constructionline Pathfinder Project evaluation report. The report identified potential efficiency savings which could be achieved by the full adoption of Constructionline across the entire Welsh Public sector equating to approximately £1.2m per annum for public sector organisations and approximately £1.4 per annum for Welsh funds. The Minister said: “The adoption of Constructionline provides clear benefits to Welsh public sector organisations by providing them with access to contractors that have already been vetted including, for example: financial assessment; details of insurance cover; information on health and safety, and references taken. Constructionline can save considerable time and money at the start of tendering, particularly for small and medium sized local firms. This can be achieved by cutting out the red tape of repeated “pre-qualification for each different public sector organisation they wish to work for.” Margaret Harvey, Director for Constructionline, said: “We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly Government has officially recognised the benefits Constructionline can bring to the pre-qualification stage and we look forward to working even more closely with the Welsh public sector and with local firms. The letter gives evidence to the numerous benefits of Constructionline’s register of local and national pre-qualified construction services, particularly the way it streamlines procurement procedures.” The recommendation from the Welsh Assembly Government builds on the Local Government Task Force’s endorsement of Constructionline in their two reports examining the service in 2002 and 2003. Constructionline’s 1,500 plus clients across the UK range from Local Authorities and large central government departments and agencies to Housing Associations, Universities and NHS Trusts. Designed to make the construction industry more efficient, Constructionline is owned by the Department of Trade and Industry and run by Capita. 7. Events The events page of the CIC website is frequently updated visit the events page for details. Events recently added include: 17 February, Managing your Building Services – CIBSE, London 24 February, Log Books for Facilities Managers – CIBSE, London 10 March, Designing Dreams, Delivering Nightmares – CIBSE, London |
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