The sound of a drum banging for investment is being heard loud and clear from Downing Street, with the government seemingly taking on board at least some of the concerns raised by business leaders and others about the direction its policies appeared to be taking the economy.
Grounds for optimism are being seen in promised planning reforms that should mean major projects can get started on sites faster than the industry has been used to. Faster planning procedures allied to the speed and cost effectiveness of steel construction should add up to a promising future for our sector.
The evidence for constructional steelwork’s advantages over alternatives mounts almost daily as projects of all types are safely delivered on time and on budget up and down the UK and Ireland. In this issue of NSC alone, we see schools in Northern Ireland where steel emerged a clear choice after a value engineering exercise; a civic hub at Radcliffe that is at the heart of a town centre redevelopment; and a City commercial development that highlights steel’s low carbon potential, reusing steel that formed part of the building being replaced.
All of these projects can demonstrate that safety in use has been properly considered by their designers and contractors, including steelwork contractors. As well as having an enviable safety record during construction, thanks to extensive testing over many years, steel also has a uniquely proven safety performance in the event of fire. Since the Grenfell tragedy, there has been an intensified focus on the safety of buildings during fires, and all parties in the supply chain have been made aware of their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.
All responsible parties in supply chains will want to do the right thing but knowing what to do and being able to prove that what you have done is correct is not always straightforward. To help designers and contractors, the BCSA has produced a new publication detailing how designers of constructional steelwork buildings can prove that their selection of steel as a safety-first solution is backed by a unique level of assurance. BCSA’s Fire Protection guide will be distributed with NSC next month and available for free download at www.steelconstruction.info
As the guide says, the safety of buildings in fires now has to be proven from the earliest stage of construction, so the choice of materials will be dictated to a greater extent than before on their proven safety properties. Steel can justifiably claim to be unique in the level of confidence it gives building owners, designers and builders that their frame will meet the highest standards for safety in fire – no alternative construction material is able to prove its fire performance qualities in this way.
Misconceptions may have arisen about how steel performs in real-world fires, which should be dispelled when this publication is read and understood. BCSA actively promotes making buildings and other structures safe in fires. This month you can read BCSA President, Gary Simmons suggesting in his column, that it is time for new guidance to explain fire engineering options for car parks, following a recent fire in a Luton car park. The SCI article What is fire resistance? also published in this edition of NSC will help to explain some of these options.
Steel ready to respond to speedier investment approvals
The sound of a drum banging for investment is being heard loud and clear from Downing Street, with the government seemingly taking on board at least some of the concerns raised by business leaders and others about the direction its policies appeared to be taking the economy.
Grounds for optimism are being seen in promised planning reforms that should mean major projects can get started on sites faster than the industry has been used to. Faster planning procedures allied to the speed and cost effectiveness of steel construction should add up to a promising future for our sector.
The evidence for constructional steelwork’s advantages over alternatives mounts almost daily as projects of all types are safely delivered on time and on budget up and down the UK and Ireland. In this issue of NSC alone, we see schools in Northern Ireland where steel emerged a clear choice after a value engineering exercise; a civic hub at Radcliffe that is at the heart of a town centre redevelopment; and a City commercial development that highlights steel’s low carbon potential, reusing steel that formed part of the building being replaced.
All of these projects can demonstrate that safety in use has been properly considered by their designers and contractors, including steelwork contractors. As well as having an enviable safety record during construction, thanks to extensive testing over many years, steel also has a uniquely proven safety performance in the event of fire. Since the Grenfell tragedy, there has been an intensified focus on the safety of buildings during fires, and all parties in the supply chain have been made aware of their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.
All responsible parties in supply chains will want to do the right thing but knowing what to do and being able to prove that what you have done is correct is not always straightforward. To help designers and contractors, the BCSA has produced a new publication detailing how designers of constructional steelwork buildings can prove that their selection of steel as a safety-first solution is backed by a unique level of assurance. BCSA’s Fire Protection guide will be distributed with NSC next month and available for free download at www.steelconstruction.info
As the guide says, the safety of buildings in fires now has to be proven from the earliest stage of construction, so the choice of materials will be dictated to a greater extent than before on their proven safety properties. Steel can justifiably claim to be unique in the level of confidence it gives building owners, designers and builders that their frame will meet the highest standards for safety in fire – no alternative construction material is able to prove its fire performance qualities in this way.
Misconceptions may have arisen about how steel performs in real-world fires, which should be dispelled when this publication is read and understood. BCSA actively promotes making buildings and other structures safe in fires. This month you can read BCSA President, Gary Simmons suggesting in his column, that it is time for new guidance to explain fire engineering options for car parks, following a recent fire in a Luton car park. The SCI article What is fire resistance? also published in this edition of NSC will help to explain some of these options.