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THE VINCI CONSTRUCTION UK MAGAZINE SHARING EXPERIENCE, INNOVATION AND SUCCESS ISSUE 44 / NOVEMBER 2012 DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 02 BEYOND CONSTRUCTION HELP FOR HEROES 06 CONTENTS 02 CONTENTS 01 CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME 02 DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES — TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 06 FOCUS PROJECT — STREATHAM HUB 10 CHALLENGES — SPECIAL PROJECTS 14 NEWS ROUND-UP 18 INTERVIEW - ANDREW RIDLEY BARKER 20 EXPERTISE — VINCI FACILITIES AND THE ROYAL PARKS 22 BEYOND CONSTRUCTION — HELP FOR HEROES 25 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES 27 OUR PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 29 AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS 06 CHALLENGES SPECIAL PROJECTS FOCUS PROJECT STREATHAM HUB 10 CREDITS Editor Melanie Mathews, Communications Director, VINCI PLC [email protected] Copy Stratton Craig Design VINCI Construction UK Design Team Cover image Dan O’Callaghan, Help for Heroes, Tedworth House (full story on p19-21) &%3 Communiqué Issue 44 CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF COMMUNIQUÉ. At VINCI Construction UK we differentiate ourselves by A summary of a supplement produced by Building magazine adding value in ways that go beyond pure construction. looks at the VINCI Construction UK Technology Centre and how this particular team of experts are helping clients to engage For example, as part of our Step UP health and safety initiative, with the issues of the day such as saving energy and improving the entire business paused for 20 minutes at 10am on the 6th productivity. September to reflect on health and safety matters. Across all our work locations, over 15,000 team members and subcontractors This issue’s focus project, Streatham Hub, demonstrates not shared ideas and experiences and areas of concern were aired only the extent of our technical skills on a challenging project, with the aim of continually improving health and safety. but also our ability to manage multiple stakeholders on a multi- faceted town centre development. In this issue of Communiqué there is an article which describes the work we are doing with the charity Help for Heroes to Finally, I re-iterate the fact that the success of our business provide the opportunity for an ex-serviceman to re-engage old cannot be achieved without the skill and dedication of our skills. This is a fantastic example of the culture of community people. I congratulate everyone who has gone the extra mile engagement that permeates our business under the banner of this year and made personal career progress through our Stand Out! Make a Difference and I hope that other projects and Academy’s integrated approach to learning and development. regions take encouragement and inspiration from this. The skills and expertise of our Special Projects team, particularly in the delivery of large projects with complex procurement routes, is showcased on pages 10-13. JJohnohn StanionStanion Chairman & Chief Executive VINCI PLC Communiqué Issue 44 01 DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES — TECHNOLOGY CENTRE HIGH IMPACT Discover a place where building materials are tested to their absolute limits. Communiqué Issue 44 03 DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES — TECHNOLOGY CENTRE SOLUTIONS FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 01 As a hub of technical support and expertise, the VINCI Construction UK Technology Centre is one of the leading construction industry facilities of its kind in the world. Providing a range of testing and consultancy services, it helps companies cut costs, solve problems and maximise profitability. Located in the Bedfordshire countryside 30 miles north of London, the Technology Centre offers a wealth of cutting-edge laboratories and testing facilities. Over the years, all manner of industrial materials and structures have been tested, bent and broken on site in the pursuit of product safety and certification. Over and above this, in each of the core service areas, engineers and technicians use their expertise to devise innovative customer solutions, strategies and recommendations. The Technology Centre plays a key role in VINCI Construction UK’s commitment to drive innovation and reduce defects. Alternative methods of construction are showcased at the practical hands-on advice and expertise. We look at the overall Centre and over 20 Top Tips on the company’s intranet address sustainability requirements of projects that contractors are the four main areas of defects (cladding, concrete, screeds/ bidding for and give sustainability advice upfront at the tender coatings and roofs). stage, which will include BREEAM. Coming in at the very High-level consultancy beginning can help resolve technical problems early on and can make bids more competitive.” The teams at the Technology Centre undertake research and provide consultation to companies, government and the Unique testing capabilities European Union – particularly on sustainability. With a long- VINCI Construction UK has been providing compliance testing standing relationship with the Waste and Resources Action for over 50 years. Going back to the early days of development Programme (WRAP), the centre has played an extensive role in work in specialist concrete for nuclear power stations, the the national programme to halve the amount of waste going Technology Centre draws on decades of experience to deliver to landfill. It holds training workshops with SMEs on the truly unique lab-and field-testing capabilities. The team development of site waste management plans, and is currently provides acoustic performance testing, structural testing for working with WRAP to address broader resource efficiency moving machinery and nuclear safety assessments. They issues. The centre also recently helped the Liverpool Arena assess roll-over and falling-object driver protection systems reduce its annual energy consumption by 10% and enabled for construction plant, test building façades against typhoon another client to save hundreds of thousands of pounds by conditions, drop radioactive waste containers from tall cranes developing waste disposal methodologies for soil contamination. and heavy objects onto windows. “While we’re historically known for testing”, says Dr Russell Elsewhere, in one of the centre’s larger mock-up-and-trial Matthews, Technology Centre Director, “we also provide a range workshops, the team have constructed a full-size Crossrail of industry-leading consultancy services. Through innovation, platform model that is shaping the future of underground travel. research, cutting-edge technology and expertise, we focus on Crossrail is a £14.8 billion construction project to deliver a new, solving problems, maximising efficiencies and minimising costs high-frequency railway for London and the South East. In order for clients.” to create this transport legacy for London, it is essential that In the current economic climate, services that help clients every last fixture and component of the new stations are to lower their costs are critical. The Technology Centre’s fit-for-purpose, cost-effective and built to last. For this reason, sustainability team plays a key role in this area, providing the in 2010 the Technology Centre was appointed to deliver a full range of environmental tests and assessments, including full-size architectural model of a below-ground Crossrail BREEAM. As Bob Lewis, principal sustainability consultant, station platform. recently explained in interview: “The difference with our As Russell Matthews explains, the unique modelling and offer – and BREEAM is a good example of this – is that we simulation methods used on the Crossrail project “builds on the come very much from the perspective of a contractor, giving Centre’s rich history of large-scale tests and mock-ups going back to the 1960s.” Communiqué Issue 44 04 DELIVERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES — TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 02 Diverse clients, rich history store in London. The capability includes design, installation and The Technology Centre prides itself not only on its diverse long-term monitoring. service offering, but on its diverse client base. Around 85% of the Building pathology Centre’s work comes from external clients – UK house-builders, Another key service on offer at the Technology Centre is contractors, European curtain walling firms, Middle Eastern building pathology which involves the close investigation of paint manufacturers and, of course, Crossrail. Many of these defects and problems. Addressing issues that arise during and clients come directly to the Centre, rather than through after project completion, the building pathology team conducts VINCI Construction UK or the wider VINCI Group. However, reactive and proactive investigation work, as well as system as Russell Matthews points out, “being part of a large and maintenance. These vital services help to extend the working reputable contractor is a major USP for the Technology Centre lives of buildings and ensure they are fit for purpose. and vice-versa. The broad network of expertise we can access definitely sets us apart, and means our methods and Often brought in to look after older buildings, such as car parks, recommendations are very practically focused. Almost every many of which were built under different construction codes, company PQQ or bid makes reference to the added value the the pathology team is constantly innovating to meet client Technology Centre can bring.” needs. For example, as many of the buildings they investigate are in use, the team uses infrared technology to locate internal The Technology Centre’s mix of technical excellence and floor heating systems and pipes. It also tries to anticipate