Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The rebuild may be slow but it should come as no surprise that construction in Christchurch is at record levels.

The latest Statistics New Zealand consent figures show almost a billion dollars worth of new commercial and public buildings were approved for construction in Christchurch in the past year.

The value of the consented work was more than twice any other year on electronic record.

According to Statistics New Zealand, consents for 350 non-residential buildings were issued by the Christchurch City Council in the 12 months to the end of October.

The consents cover commercial as well as public buildings, but exclude non building-construction, such as roads, bridges and pipework.

Residential construction in the city and the Canterbury region is also at record levels, with almost 7000 new Canterbury homes approved in the past year.

ASB bank's latest Cantometer Index, which tracks economic activity in Canterbury, described construction levels in the region as "very strong".

ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said that while construction demand in the region was showing some signs of slowing from "very high levels", they expected demand for commercial building construction to pick up.

Concrete sales were growing strongly, and the rebuild was boosting demand for workers "across the sectors, from construction to professional services."

The biggest number of Christchurch consents for non-residential construction according to Statistics New Zealand was for office and administration buildings, with 105 worth a total of $417 million getting consent in the past year.

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Construction in Christchurch at record levels

CEBU.Two workers fell from the 11th floor of the FLB Corporate Center, which is being built along Archbishop Reyes Ave. in the Cebu Business Park. They were reportedly painting a wall around 9:20 a.m. when the ropes that held up their platform snapped. (Amper Campaa)

CEBU CITY -- A construction worker died while three others were injured after two of them fell from the building they were working on in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City at 9:20 a.m. Tuesday.

The ropes that held the improvised lift they were standing on reportedly snapped, causing Jovito Alvarado, 42, and Cristino Cupta, 21, to fall from the 11th floor of the FLB Corporate Center.

Cebu Citys Office of the Building Official (OBO) will inspect the building, which is being constructed along Archbishop Reyes Ave. and within the Cebu Business Park, near a terminal.

We will check if the accident was due to the lack of proper safety and security measures or if there was any problem in the structure, said the OBO chief, Engr. Jose Marie Poblete.

Tan-awon nato ni tanan (We will look at everything).

Jovito and Cupta were standing on an improvised gondola lift,a platform supported by two parallel ropes attached to a steel bar. They had started painting the outside wall of the building around7 a.m.

Two hours later,the rope attached to the scaffolding reportedly snapped, causing Jovito and Cupta to fall.

Their harnesses were reportedly not tied properly to the gondolas rope. They tried to latch on it but fell, said SPO1 Ruth Violango of the Homicide Section.

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Worker falls from building, dies

Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho, District 8 School Board member Dr. Marta Prez, District 5 School Board member Susie V. Castillo, and community leaders gathered at Kinloch Park Middle School today for a kick-off event for bond projects resulting from the overwhelming voter approval of the $1.2 billion General Obligation Bond. The bond will be used to modernize and construct school buildings throughout the district, expand student capacity, enhance facility safety, and provide technology upgrades at all schools.

Kinloch Park Middle School renovations valued at close to $7.7 million include roofing, HVAC replacement, energy management controls, selective window replacement, restroom and plumbing renovations, auditorium improvements, security system and PA upgrades, as well as exterior painting. The School Board commissioned Laura M. Perez and Associates, Inc. as the architect of record. The firm, which is female-owned and certified by the school district as both W/MBE and SBE, has committed to a SBE/MBE sub-consultant participation goal of 35 percent.The projected date of construction is spring 2017.

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M-DCPS Hosts Bond Project Kick-Off Event at Kinloch Park Middle School

AMBLESIDE: Development: replacement of 2 existing windows with new french windows - ground floor and first floor. Build wooden balconies to both new doors, incorporating steps down from ground floor level to patio below, at Grizedale Lodge, Grizedale, for R. Charley; development: crown raise trees close to buildings, fell 1 ash and 1 sycamore, fell 1 limb on sycamore (G4), at tall Pines, Gale Rigg, for Mrs A. Saneways; development: proposed extension of working areas, time extension for aggregates production and amended scheme of working, at Elterwater Quarry, Great Langdale, for Burlington Slate Ltd; development: redevelopment of land to provide student accommodation to the rear of Rydal Road (71 bedrooms) and on land to the north of the main campus (73 bedrooms) with associated amenities. Re-provision of sports pitch with drainage, demolition and replacement of existing sports pavilion. Associated landscaping (including works to trees), sewer diversion, cycle path and car parking, for University Of Cumbria, Rydal Road, for University of Cumbria; development: installation of new septic tank, pumping station and foul soakaway system to serve the Beeholme area of the campsite, at Low Wray Campsite, Low Wray, for C. Lee, National Trust. BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS: Development: new 2 storey extension to East forming Kitchen/Dining with Bedroom/Bathroom above. New single storey extension to S&W elevations forming new conservatory, Plant room and 2nd conservatory. New porch to front on north elevation. Amendment to driveway, at Haverlock, Seathwaite, for I. Hackett. COCKERMOUTH: Single storey extension, at East Lodge, Hundith Hill, for Mr & Mrs P. Butterworth. CONISTON: Development: replacement extension to provide changing and showering facilities, new disabled access, at Coniston Sailing Club, Coniston Hall, Haws Bank, for Coniston Sailing Club. GRASMERE: Development: reduce cypress (T9) by 25 per cent, at Above Beck Cottage, for Mrs H. Bunfield. HOLMROOK: Development: detached garage for 3 cars and domestic storage including adjacent parking/hard-standing, at Low Birker Farm, Boot, for B. Taylor. KENDAL: Development: confirmation of compliance with condition no 3 on planning approval ref 7/2014/5503 - bat survey required, at Barrow Tenement, Lyth, for Mr & Mrs Wilson. KESWICK: Alteration and extension to existing holiday let and conversion of adjacent garage to form new 4 bed holiday let, conversion of outbuilding to create new biomass boiler house, at Keepers Cottage, Portinscale, for D. Seymour, The Lingholm Estate; amend condition no 2 (roofing materials) and condition no 4 (weather boarding/exposed timber) on planning approval ref 7/2013/2076, at Little Ellers, Portinscale, for A. Broomhead. PENRITH: Two storey extension to south west elevation and porch to south east elevation, at Weavers Cottage, Hartsop, for E. Docter. SEASCALE: Fell 1 beech, reduce 1 beech and 1 ash by 20 per cent (G3), at Murt, Wasdale, for P. Grant; development: occupation of Hall Bolton Farmhouse without compliance with condition 4 of outline permission 7/75/4066 and condition 1 of reserved matters permission 7/76/4002 (agricultural workers condition), at Hall Bolton Farmhouse, Hall Bolton, Gosforth, for P. Bailey, MBC Investments Ltd; fell 2 beech trees, at Galesyke, Wasdale, for M. McKinley. WINDERMERE: Development: proposed extension and alterations to the existing dwelling including a new vehicle parking space, at Matson Ground Lodge, Helm Road, for Matson Ground Estate Co Ltd; development: construction of 6 new, individual residential suites for guests of the Gilpin Lodge Hotel. Alteration to existing parking arrangements with provision of additional parking, at Gilpin Lodge, Crook Road, for Mr B. Cunliffe, Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel; development: existing leisure club refurbishment and conversion of badminton and squash courts into suites, at Burnside Hotel, Kendal Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, for R. Berry, GGE Ltd.

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Laked District National Park Authority planning applications

Lakewood, New Jersey (PRWEB) December 01, 2014

Aquatherm Industries, Inc. has filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office for three new patents. Two of the patents pertain to mounting and connection hardware used in the installation of its solar collectors, while the third relates to a method of draining said collectors. The manufacturer currently holds 16 patents and trademarks in the United States.

The first of the companys three concurrent patent applications is for a design patent for a piece of hardware necessary to install transverse polypropylene-coated stainless-steel hold-down strapping called a Strap Hold-Down Clamp (Part Number 10011). Though the clamp has always been an integral part of the manufacturers installation hardware, "the new patent pending design allows the part to be made using a roll-forming process," says Dave Sizelove, President & CEO of Aquatherm Industries, "which makes for an even stronger, more secure connection."

The second patent application pertains to a leak-resistant solar panel connector, used as a coupler to join two or more solar collectors, or panels, in parallel. The manufacturers patent pending elastomeric connection hose design employs multiple degrees of hardness as well as a central reinforcing lumen, to achieve two things. First, the softer ends of the hose where the sealing actually occurs allow for a more complete and leak-resistant fluid seal. Secondly, the hose's reinforced central lumen eliminates any possibility of a burst or collapse due to pressure changes within the system. According to Sizelove, in the past the solar industry has relied on connections borrowed from other technologies and applications. "Our patent-pending design is really the first of its kind - designed from the ground up with solar thermal applications in mind."

The third patent application relates to a method to ensure positive water drainage of active direct solar thermal systems using a bypass line, which diverts a portion of water from the feed line of the solar collector to an inlet of a water pump. Proper drainage of solar thermal systems ensures collectors and components are protected from damage resulting from freezing conditions. When water is used as a heat transfer fluid, such as in a solar pool heating system, it must be drained back from the collectors to storage when not being actively circulated through the collectors. This drainage typically occurs when the circulation pump shuts off, however in commercial pools it is not always possible to shut off the circulation pump. Commercial swimming pools must maintain a specified turnover rate in order to comply with health department regulations, and shutting off the filtration pump to drain collectors is not possible. The manufacturer's patent pending method of draining collectors does not interfere with the operation of the pump, and utilizes a series of valves and float switches to divert fluid inside the collectors to the suction side of the pump, positively evacuating the collectors.

About Aquatherm: An ISO 9001:2008 registered company, Aquatherm Industries, Inc. is the largest U.S. manufacturer of low-temperature, unglazed polymer solar collectors primarily used for residential and commercial swimming pool heating as well as domestic hot water and process pre-heat applications. Within the companys pellets to panels approach, Aquatherms extrusion, welding, and injection molding processes have been awarded four U.S. and two International Patents for its technology. In addition, Aquatherms collectors were the first NSF-50 listed solar collectors in the world. Aquatherm distributors currently serve Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, all of North, Central, and South America, France, Egypt, and Jordan.

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Solar Pool Heater Manufacturer Aquatherm Industries, Inc. Announces Three New U.S. Patents Pending

Removing at-risk ficus trees in San Francisco just got easier for property owners and The City, as the region braces this week for what could be its largest storm yet this season.

Though stormy weather over the Thanksgiving weekend brought down weakened ficus tree limbs onto cars, and a construction worker was injured by a falling limb during mid-November rain, a new order easing the removal of such problematic ficus trees has been in the works for several months, said Rachel Gordon, Department of Public Works spokeswoman.

The initiative, signed by DPW Director Mohammed Nuru on Nov. 24, relaxes the removal standards for individual ficus street trees across The City by requiring only one of numerous criteria to be met.

Trees are considered vulnerable to failure if they are at least 50 feet tall, have competing trunks or have a live canopy that makes up less than 30 percent of the tree. Other criteria are that the tree has roots that have been pruned at least two times, has a history of limb failures, or has a canopy or trunk that conflicts with streetlights or power lines.

Previously, requesting the removal of a ficus tree typically required more than one of such criteria to be identified.

"We don't want to remove any trees from The City if we don't have to ... [but] we really felt this was in the best interest in the public to look at the at-risk trees and make it easier for people to remove the trees," Gordon said.

Trees recommended for removal will be posted with a notice to alert the public, and anyone who objects to the removal has 30 days to file a formal protest. That would trigger a public hearing from which an administrative officer would determine the tree's fate.

It's unclear what the new order will cost The City, but DPW officials estimate that removing a fully mature ficus tree costs between $1,000 and $1,500. Of the 2,700 ficus street trees in San Francisco, about 1,400 are maintained by The City.

Dan Flanagan, executive director of the Friends of the Urban Forest, applauded the new order, but said it would be easier and less expensive for municipalities to take care of all ficus street trees.

"Ficus trees have a tendency to fail, and if you're not pruning them on a good cycle [such as every] three to five years, bad things can happen to those trees," Flanagan said.

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SF eases removal of problematic ficus trees as new storm approaches

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Diss police have issued security advice

Anthony Carroll Monday, December 1, 2014 4:16 PM

Residents in Diss and surrounding areas are being advised to keep an eye on their sheds and garages over the winter months.

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With the colder weather setting in and shorter days people are less likely to be in their garden leaving places like sheds and garages more vulnerable to thieves.

Local policing commander for Diss, Insp Mike Britton, said: At this time of year sheds and garages are targeted due to the fact they are not used as much.

I would advise local residents to make sure they keep sheds and garages locked and secure and to also check them regularly.

Other crime prevention tips include:

Ideally store high value items inside the home

Use a padlock and chain to secure items such a lawn mowers to a heavy anchor

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Diss police issued shed and garage security advice