BSB Buildings

The Broad Group, a private company based in China who are global manufactures of a vary of products have managed to achieve the impossible by mastering the art of “instant” building which enables them to build up to 6-storeys in just 24 hours!

Their innovative flat pack techniques has allowed broad sustainable building (BSB) to finish a 3-storey workers cafeteria within a week.

With their recorded accomplishments, the company’s CEO Zhang Yue is setting his sights on building a 220-storey skyscraper which could rival London’s The Shard as the worlds tallest building and if Mr Zhang get’s his way, it will also give The Shards and any other future buildings a run for it’s money and time as he plans to complete any possible skyscraper within four months!.

Besides the recently completed canteen and their ambitions for a skyscraper, BSB managed has also built a 30-storey hotel in December within 15 days.

According to Mr Zhang, – ‘In the past, people find it hard to believe in the fact that it is possible to build a six story building in a day or so or in more than 10 days we could build a 30-story building, especially as we were building these buildings very cheaply, using even less money than is needed to build a traditional one.

People used to say – “You’re using so much so-called technology, isn’t it expensive?” My response was – “Firstly, I can build it that quickly, secondly, I can build it that cheaply, and thirdly, once it’s built, it’s more comfortable than the rest”.

The whole building process is very simple and the modules are similar to those like children’s building blocks. The concept is based on factory-made ‘modules’, which include all the necessary pipes and cables before they are slotted into place.

Which means that 90% of the work is done before the builders are even present on site. It also helps drive costs down, with the prefab buildings coming at a price of about 4,000 yuan (£396) per square metre. This means the 4,500-square metre canteen came to a total of 18million yuan (£1.78million).

The flat modules, the largest of which are about 13ft by 49ft and form the buildings’ floors and ceilings, are prepared in two factories in Yueyang, near the BSB headquarters in the provincial capital Changsha.

As amazing and hassle free as it seems, Mr Zhang insists on leaving a legacy of buildings that last after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake caused many poor quality buildings to collapsed, which claimed some 87,000 lives.

BSB rose to fame after their time-lapse video of the T30 Hotel project was uploaded online with over 5 million views.

A billionaire who founded the company after making his fortune in eco-friendly air conditioning, Mr Zhang cares deeply about building thimgs that last, that are eco-friendly and secured.

He believes that there is an urgent need for construction security, especially energy-saving in construction, and this touches on conserving materials. To truly safeguard humanity, and guarantee we live in security, regardless of where, structures should be all-steel construction.

History

Broad Group is a private company based in Changsha, China. Since 1996, it has been the global leader in manufacturing central air conditioning non-electric absorption chillers that are powered by natural gas and waste heat. Broad Group currently export products to over 60 countries.

They are one of the few Chinese manufacturing companies that has been widely recognized for its green policies and commitment to climate change. It has expanded its business in recent years to include other energy saving products and sustainable buildings.

London Railways

Wandsworth Council’s proposal for a new direct rail services between Waterloo and Heathrow has won support from more London boroughs.

Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham Councils are backing the scheme as a key measure to improve surface access to the airport and to ease congestion on the Piccadilly Line.

The service would include stops in the borough at Queenstown Road , Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Town and Putney.
Wandsworth unveiled the rail proposal in October last year which is based on BAA’s ‘Airtack’ scheme.

The new version – renamed ‘Airtrack Lite’ – would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5. It avoids routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham which was the key problem with the original scheme and led to it being scrapped in April last year.

The proposals have now been discussed at top level meetings with the Department for Transport (DfT) and BAA.
The scheme has now been included in the tender documents for the Great Western Rail Franchise. The next franchisee will be expected to help develop the proposal further as a means of improving links to Heathrow.

An extract from the tender documents reads:
“Options for longer term enhancements of rail links to Heathrow, such as Western Access and Airtrack Lite, are being considered and the franchise operator will be expected to engage constructively with industry partners in developing these options. The franchise operator may have the opportunity to tender for the operation of such services in due course.”

Leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govindia said:
“We’ve made a good start with Airtrack Lite but there is still a lot of work to do behind the scenes building the case.
“What everyone can agree on is that Heathrow needs to be at centre of a genuine local rail network offering easy access to communities on all sides of the airport. Our scheme would provide an alternative to tortuous journeys on the Piccadilly Line and help get more cars off the road.

“Airtrack Lite was devised as part of ‘Wandsworth Travel Choices’ – an ambitious campaign to make our borough a better connected place with a broader range of transport services. One of the key aims is to reduce people’s reliance on cars by making alternative travel choices more appealing and convenient.”

Airtrack Lite would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5. The plans avoid routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham. This was a key problem with the original scheme and led to it being scrapped by BAA in April last year.

Two trains an hour would run between Waterloo and Heathrow via the Hounslow loop. Two existing services on the Waterloo-Windsor line would split at Staines to provide a further direct link to Terminal Five.

Two services an hour would also come up from Weybridge to Heathrow – again without adding extra frequencies over level crossings at Egham.

The scheme would require a new station at Staines and a new stretch of track from here to Terminal 5. The rest of the route would run along existing lines.

Heathrow is one of Europe ‘s busiest airports but is served only by the Heathrow Express to Paddington and by the Piccadilly Line.

This forces Wandsworth residents to travel north through London to join a Heathrow bound service rather than travelling direct.

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A recent survey showed that pending home sales in the US has increased by 4.1% in March compared to that in the previous month and are up by 12.8% year on year.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), this is definitely good news as it is a sign that the US real estate sector is recovering.

Chief Economist – Lawrence Yun explained that the increasing volume in transactions has caused inventory to fall. He goes on to state that this has provided a much more “balanced condition” across the country and is confident that they will continue to see a rise in house prices as the year progresses.

In a data published last month by Standard & Poor revealed that although values continued to slide in February, the rate of decline slowed when compared to January.

The NAR figures showed demand for new homes is strongest in the south and west of the country, while pending sales fell marginally in the mid-west and north-east of the US.

International Students

The recent study conducted by the British Council revealed that International Students heading to the UK is set to increase by 10% over the next decade, making it the fastest growing destination for International Students outside of Australia.

This is definitely good news for those who are considering to venture into the buy-to-let market. Though the academic year seems to be a long way away, those who are keen in becoming a buy-to-let landlord should already be in the process of making the necessary adjustments and planning in a University town or city.

According to Samantha Baden, property analyst at FindaProperty.co.uk, “Given the continuous controversy over fees, loans, and available spaces, the rental sector especially for students continues to grow and in many areas, they outstrip mainstream housing growth, demand, value and yield.

Student towns are known to be a very promising sector with impressive yields but in order to fully benefit from it, potential landlords have to think it throughly through.

Balance is essential, says Nicholas Leeming, the business development director at Zoopla.co.uk. While most students will be pleased having a roof above them, making the property too “high end” or too “simple” will either make or break a potential deal. Tenants especially students, are either supported by their family or will be paying the rent themselves so keeping the property affordable is key to securing a tenant.

Older properties with multiple rooms are a good bet as that would allow the landlord to accommodate more than 1 individual thus enabling the landlord to receive a more profitable yield.The down side of it is that students will move on from year to year and so finding a new tenant can be quite daunting.

Other than that and the necessary paperwork, documents and procedures, renting out your property during the academic year is bound to be beneficial.

Below are the 10 most popular locations for students –

1) Birmingham

Birmingham is in pole position, according to Zoopla. In 2010/2011, 57,115 full-time students were in the city which is home to three universities. Average rents have risen 15 per cent in two years.

Average yield: 7%

2) Nottingham

Nottingham also offers two leading universities and access is decent via the M1 motorway. With two-bed flats going for around £112,033, there are some bargains to be had.

Average yield: 6.4%

3) London

The capital is seen as one of the most stable places to invest, not least because it continually outperforms the market during tough times. “There are lots of universities and a plethora of wealthy overseas students,” says Karelia Scott-Daniels from Manse & Garret Property Search.

Average yield: 6.4%

4) Coventry

In the last academic year, 35,265 students attended Coventry University or City College Coventry. Two-bed properties in the area are on the market for £109,904.

Average yield: 6.4%

5) Glasgow

A two-bed flat in the city might cost you a mere £108,106 . “A high percentage of graduates actually choose to stay in the city or surrounding areas after completing their studies, which means the city has a thriving young professional market,” says Matt Hutchinson of flat and house-share website Spareroom.co.uk.

Average yield: 6.2%

6) York

The city boasts 15,782 students and great transport links, with London and Edinburgh only a few hours away by train. The university is also undergoing an expansion.

Average yield: 6.1%

7) Reading

Reading houses two universities – The University of Reading, which educates 19,000 students, and a campus of the University of West London.

Average yield: 6.1%

Oxford

Although property prices are second only to London in the top 10 at £230,863 for a two-bed flat, rental prices are steep at £1,166.

Average yield: 6.1%

9) Manchester

There are three universities in the city, catering for 50,000 students. With demand outstripping supply, Zoopla’s yield estimate could be on the conservative side.

Average yield: 5.8%

10) Leicester

Has, possibly, more realistic house prices than many other university cities at around £115,980 for a two-bed flat.

Average yield: 5.8%

There you have it. A list of the top 10 locations for students accommodations.

Fulham Riverside

Residents of Fulham have been urged by the Council to come up and “have their say” regarding it’s plan to transform it’s disused industrial land.

The land which is located on a riverside stretch of Sands End from Carnwath Road to Imperial Wharf, has already begun it’s second and final round of public consultation and residents have until Friday,May 11, to make their views known.

The South Fulham Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), first consulted on the draft proposals last spring and has now incorporated a series of changes after listening to residents’ feedback. The SPD is important as it provides guidance for regeneration in the area over the next 20 years.

While the general responses were very positive there were some areas for improvement and we have taken on board this feedback.

Key priorities for South Fulham in the draft SPD include:

*Bringing vacant and underused former industrial sites into use for residential led mixed-use, providing affordable housing and a choice of housing options. The council anticipates that the area could accommodate up to 4,000 new homes and jobs over the next 20 years if the supporting infrastructure is put in place.

*Increasing the use of the river and riverside for leisure, transport, education and riverside moorings.

*Providing opportunities for new and improved routes to the river and to complete unfinished sections of the riverside walk.

*Possible new community facilities in the area – such as schools, health centres, open space and children’s play facilities – to be paid for by developers.

For those interested in finding the out the latest development and more, the council has organised drop-in sessions, where council officers will be available for discussion and to provide further details.

Venue - The Wharf Rooms, Imperial Road, London SW6 2PY between;

Time – 12noon-2pm on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
5pm-8pm on Wednesday, April 18, 2012
10am- 1pm Saturday, April 21, 2012

Source - Google Images

A recent study conducted by HSBC revealed that a majority of first-time buyers are unaware of the practicalities that comes with owning a home. Being caught up in the excitement of finally being a home owner can cause them to end up with more than they bargain for just because they fail to inquire of the necessary information needed before purchasing a property.

While most of these first-time buyers do inquire regarding the location,outdoor space and local amenities, they fail to take into consideration the other more practical aspects such as – plans for development in the area, the condition of nearby properties, signs of subsidence and the cost to update the property.

According to Peter Dockar, Head of Mortgages at HSBC, he said that it is important that first- time buyers consider more than just their immediate desires when looking for their first home, as otherwise they could well be in for a financial headache further down the line.

Buying a home is a serious financial commitment so it is important that first-time buyers do their homework and are aware of all of the potential costs involved to ensure they can maintain the value of what is, after all, likely to be the biggest asset for most.

Gateway House

REALTY Estates says it is ready to start work on its £35m redevelopment of Gateway House – the S-shaped building on Piccadilly Station approach – and the area behind it.

The Manchester-based developer, which has stripped out the building and secured funding, is also in advanced negotiations with potential hoteliers.

The company said it has received backing for the scheme from council executives but must now wait for formal planning approval.

The first phase involves converting the upper floors, which were offices, into a 270-bedroom hotel with a restaurant and conference facilities.

Realty then plans to remodel the 16 ground floor retail units before building a 40,000 sq ft, seven-floor Grade A office block behind the hotel on Ducie St, on a site formerly occupied by car hire firm Avis. The final phase will be a new three-storey health and fitness club.

Shahram Sakhdari, head of developments at Realty, said: “We have been working on the scheme for nearly two years with our consultants and the current proposal has evolved from a series of design solutions which were developed to detailed stage and tested for deliverability in the current market.”

Warwick Smither, senior partner at retail agency Cheetham & Mortimer said: “This is one of the most exciting, state-of-the-art retail and leisure developments that the city has seen for a number of years and will provide a great opportunity for leading retailers.

“The scheme will not only offer a superior standard of hotel, but also the modern, quality retail and restaurant units, which are so highly sought after within this prime, central location.

“Whilst we are still some way off from marketing the scheme, we are already receiving significant levels of interest from high-end, “transit fashion” retailers and restaurateurs such as those increasingly seen in rail stations and airports.”

Realty Estates says it wants to transform the area into the ‘New Leicester Square’, changing visitors’ impressions of Manchester. The proposals have been designed by Hodder+Partners.

Christmas Tips

It’s nearly time to dress the tree and your home for the festive season. Homespun guru Kirstie Allsopp and decor experts share their seasonal style tips with Gabrielle Fagan

Kirstie Allsopp’s rushing around thinking about robins, baubles, tinsel and all sorts of Christmas things. While the rest of us probably end up in a last-minute rush untangling decorations and checking the fairy lights, the property and home expert has impressively already chosen her colour theme and even produced a hand-made Robin decoration.

“It’s really early I know, and not like me,” she says with an apologetic smile. “Normally, it’s well into December before I get myself organised, but I’ve been able to ‘cheat’ this year as I’ve done bits and pieces over the last few months as part of my work.”

Allsopp’s been able to steal a march on the rest of us as some of her projects for her latest Channel Four TV series, Kirstie’s Handmade Britain, have been Christmas-focused.

“I’ve always had the children’s home-made decorations and now I’m going to have my own — I’m hoping to make a few more robins if I have time. It gives the tree a lovely personal feel,” she says.

It will be a getaway Christmas for the presenter, who’s leaving London and spending the festive season in her family holiday home in Devon, with her partner, Ben Andersen, their two sons, Bay, five, and Oscar, three, and Andersen’s sons from his previous marriage, Orion 11, and Hal, eight.

“We can have an enormous real tree there, which Ben staggers home with and then puts up with me shouting instructions.

“The boys and I have a great time choosing what to go on it,” she says with a beam.

“I absolutely love decorations and put a lot of time into making the whole house look really festive. I’m certainly not a puritan about the ‘look’ — honestly, you can’t have too much colour and sparkle,” she says.

Allsopp says there’s no need to stress about seasonal decor. “It’s a time of year when you can let your imagination go wild. If you’re struggling on a colour theme, simply pick the colour which features on most of your baubles.

“There are no taste rules in my book. The only bad tree is an undecorated tree,” she says.

“I even indulged my love of decorations last year by buying some lovely new baubles and Christmas decorations for myself, and giving some away as gifts, which was really popular.”

Create a sparkling festive setting by following decor tips from Kirstie and some top interior experts.

KIRSTIE’S HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS

“My favourite theme this year is red and white, which has a country-Scandinavian feel,” says Allsopp, who demonstrates how to make decorations and garlands on a video for B&Q.

“I like the tree and the table to have the same colours, and find that lots of greenery — holly and ivy — is a calming, natural contrast to the fussy detail of decorations.

“Get a hand-made look with felt embroidered decorations or painted wooden ones, and add a traditional touch with tiny robins and reindeer.

“I also love tinsel for instant sparkle. You can wrap it along stair rails, or use it to tie a name label to each chair,” she adds.

She dresses her table with a garland of holly and ivy down the centre, entwined around large silver and glass candlesticks, and intersperses tubs of red poinsettias. White napkins embroidered with red Christmas trees are a finishing touch.

GET THE LOOK

Red Robins, from £12 each, by Indigo & Rose; Red paper bells and globes, from £1.50 each, from RE; Red Tin tealight holders with a heart detail, £2.99, from The Con

temporary Home; 2m LED Tinsel Garland, £7, from B&Q. Tesco & Sainsbury’s have a glorious selection of red and white decorations, too.

Kirstie Allsopp’s guide to making Christmas decorations and garlands are on YouTube. Search for ‘Kirstie Allsopp’ and ‘B&Q’

WHITE WONDERLAND

“White and silver, with green foliage, is my favourite theme this year,” says Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company.

“I like the home to look magical and use trails of greenery intertwined with baubles and fairy lights for the mantelpiece, the stair bannisters and on the hall table.

“As well as decorating the tree, this year I’m using burnished silver and vintage-style glass decorations. I thread two or three baubles on to a pretty ribbon and hang it in front of windows, mirrors and pictures, and from door and cupboard handles.

“Wreaths are so versatile and I often hang one over the dining table, or lay one flat and fill it with three big white pillar candles.”

Her table decoration is classic and simple: A runner down the centre and a parade of tealights in glass holders, mixed with varying sizes of glass candlesticks, as well as glass vases filled with white roses and hyacinths.

GET THE LOOK

Glass 2-Ball Pillar Candle Holder, £35; Frosted Leaf Wreath, £65, and Battery Operated LED Pin Lights, £15; box of four ceramic heart-shaped tealights, £18, all from The White Company. Make a statement with Marks & Spencer’s splendid silver Stag Tealight Holder, £125, available now in store and online late November; and Next’s Snowy Paper Tree, £50, will also look stunning in any contemporary home.

VERY BERRY CHRISTMAS

“This year’s hippest Christmas look is all about going bold with vibrant berry shades,” says Isobel McKenzie-Price, editorial director of Ideal Home magazine.

“Pink-toned colours like raspberry, grape, blackcurrant and magenta have been the best-selling shades in decorating for the past couple of years, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now become the hottest look for the festive season.”

Zingy raspberry and rich, plummy purples will give decorations a contemporary edge, she says, especially if they’re mixed with bronze or gold accessories to add depth.

“For impact, choose a plum or grey tree, and go for a few super-sized statement decorations, rather than a mass of tiny baubles. Mix in gold baubles with berry shades for a really jewelled vintage look.”

For a professional stylist’s effect, she advises using a selection of baubles in complementing hues, starting with paler pinks and shading up to deeper purples.

“Also, work with threes for festive drama — hang a cluster of three large baubles on a door, and display three wreaths on a plain wall.”

GET THE LOOK

John Lewis’s graphite tree, £80, and baubles from £3 each; Tesco’s Mixed Bauble Set contains 30 purple decorations, £3.50 in store; Next’s 50-piece Mixed Bauble Set, £10; Giant Classic 250mm baubles, from £9.95 each, from DZD.

Kensington - London

A Kensington developer has decided to build a beach in the basement of a London property.

The Daily Mail has reported that the false beach resort will surround a 36 foot swimming pool and include a beach area, changing rooms, sauna and a spa bath.

The plan is yet to gain planning approval but the local council has announced that applications for basement conversions are extremely popular with the Sunday Times reporting that 1,164 applications have been made in the last five years.

A basement in the same street has been converted to include a wine cellar, tasting room, games room and swimming pool whilst another encases a garage lift that takes its owner two floors underground to a private pool and bar.

Global charity Oasis

Global charity Oasis has announced that it has chosen the award-winning United House Group as its preferred partner for the redevelopment of the Oasis Centre in Waterloo.

Oasis chose United House after a demanding three-stage competitive selection process, based on a range of criteria including their approach to the project and their track record of delivering high quality buildings that make a difference to their local communities.

United House is a specialist contractor and developer with an outstanding track record in delivering innovative mixed-use developments.

They have experience of working in the London Borough of Lambeth through the Clapham One scheme, which is due for completion in early 2012, where a Studio Egret West (SEW)-designed new community library, a primary care medical centre, leisure facilities plus affordable and private housing have created a new focus to Clapham High Street.

As part of the United House team, SEW has been appointed as architects for the development. SEW, renowned for its exciting community schemes, will help transform the Oasis site in Westminster Bridge Road into a vibrant community hub which will include new facilities for local residents, charities and community groups.

Design feasibility studies for the site are in progress and have included a range of options. Oasis and United House will now begin engaging with the local community, stakeholders and the London Borough of Lambeth to develop a scheme for the site.

They will be consulting widely with and involving neighbours, local businesses, community groups and all relevant statutory bodies in the New Year. Following the consultation process, detailed plans will be produced and a formal application will be submitted to the London Borough of Lambeth and the GLA.