I have scoured the internet and found a number of interesting buildings from around the globe, every week I’m going to show you my favourite 3 from the week, here’s this weeks three.

Crossword Apartment Building – Ukraine

As I’m a little bit geeky I got all excited about this building, you can find this building in Lov, Ukraine. The thing I found quite exciting about it is that there is actually 45 questions located at various points of interest around the city. So if you’re ever in the Ukraine and wanted a little fun family (as long as you or a family member can read Ukrainian) you only have a day though as when the sun goes down, the fluorescent letters of the completed puzzle appear. Amazing!

Citadel Floating Apartment Complex – Netherlands

Designed by Koen Olthuls of the Dutch firm Waterstudio, this project was meant to coexist with the fluctuating water levels in the Netherlands. This building is a staggering 60 apartments that have been built atop a slab of floating concrete and use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land, that’s down to the use of water cooling techniques.

Forest Spiral – Germany

Built in Darmstadt, Germany, this building, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, contains 105 apartments, a parking garage, a café and a bar. The inner courtyard contains a playground and a small artificial lake. The diagonal roof hosts a garden that rises up the 12 floors at its highest point.

Just got back from The BEST Show at the NEC arena in Birmingham, it has already been an exhausting first part of the week, my colleagues Mike and Beckie had the privilege of being down for the full 3 days, where as I was dropped into the mix late Tuesday morning.

The show itself was excellent; we spoke with lots of exciting people who are all eager to help drive BuilderScrap forward which is always great. We met a couple of some what unusual characters which is to be expected at an event where people from all over the world come to see what new technologies are out there to make their construction life easier.

‘Understanding European low carbon product standardisation and how to apply this at design stage’, was a particular favourite, yes it is a mouth full but gave us a very good understanding of the importance of embodied carbon in construction products.

I think we changed a lot of people’s views, well I hope we did, a lot of people where still talking about recycling building materials, recycled building materials do help the environment but the most frustrating problem we at BuilderScrap come in contact with almost on a daily basis is unused building materials being thrown away or being recycled.

We met an awful lot of charity organisations all in desperate need for cheap or free building materials to help all the community projects not being properly funded. The best parts of these types of shows is that we meet our existing users and get a bit of customer feed back, we were very pleased to hear a number of success stories with one man telling us how he saved £4,000 by purchasing windows and doors from our site.

We are always very interested in hearing feed back; we want to continue to improve our services in order to give our users the best possible outcome when using our website.

With the Built Environment Solutions & Technologies (BEST) show fast approaching, BuilderScrap would like to personally invite you to our stand which is right next to the entrance to hall 5 and is stand no. DO9.

The BEST show is the only event in the UK that has all its focus on the challenges of the major vertical construction markets that UK builders face. Through themed hubs, BEST showcases innovation and excellence across the entire built environment, from education to healthcare, residential to commercial property.

The event will give exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to speak with a number of construction services, building materials suppliers it will also allow you to see all the latest eco building materials and so much more.

So what ever you interest in the construction sector you should come to the BEST show, it’s a 3 day event 18-20 October, while you there don’t forget to come see BuilderScrap stand no. DO9.

We recently attended a really interesting Chamber of Commerce event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool.

Mr. Brendon Kenny had a starring role in the networking event as after lunch speaker, he captivated the attention of the audience as he told all there was to tell about the BuilderScrap vision.

The event was certainly a success and we made a lot of new contacts and also had the chance to catch up with a lot of our current contacts.

I most certainly look forward to the next event. We thought we should share some of the photos from the event in order to keep you up to date with all things BuilderScrap.

BuilderScrap recently attended an exhibition at the University of Lancashire (Preston), where I  got the opportunity to listen to several seminars on a variety of topics regarding construction and in particular green building.  One which particularly stood out to me was a seminar by the University of Liverpool research on Developing Sustainable Concrete Products.

The group has had a considerable amount of success in developing a number of sustainable concrete products manufactured using recycled building materials from demolition waste materials. They are still in the developing stages of the product so the product range is currently fairly limited. The existing products that are fully developed for sustainable concrete include:

• Paving Blocks
• Building Blocks
• Paving Flags

These products have been proved to conform to required British and European standards.

The aggregate component of conventional concretes consists of a mix of quarried stone and sand in different size fractions.  These aggregates comprise the bulk of the concrete mix.

In Liverpool, they have conducted considerable research into the feasibility of using recycled building materials as a substitute for quarried aggregates, and the effect of using such recycled fractions on the concrete’s physical properties.

Aggregate derived from recycled concrete can replace up to 60% of the coarse fraction and up to 30% of the fine fraction, whereas masonry-derived aggregate can only replace a maximum of 20% of either fraction.

The University of Liverpool are developing a technique for the complete replacement of cement to produce a cementless geopolymer using waste materials such as:

• Incinerator ash
• Basic oxygen steel slag
• Ash disposed from coal –fired thermal power plants

Combining the replacement materials with waste alkali solutions from existing manufacturing processes, will enable them to develop cost effective green precast concrete products, manufactured from 100% recycled materials.

At BuilderScrap, we love to hear about new innovation helping sustainable construction.  Please contact us if you know of any new ideas or innovations.

Our BuilderScrap website, for the construction industry in Wales to trade waste materials usually destined for landfill sites will go live in November.

BuilderScrap is an online way for the construction supply chain to manage its surplus materials builders and others tradesmen can access www.BuilderScrap.com and offer their surplus bricks, timber or other materials online and then be matched to potential buyers of the materials.

Our online materials and recycling exchange platform is being supported by Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) as part of an initiative to support the Welsh Assembly Government to reach targets regarding minimising waste and improve recycling in construction and demolition.

CEW estimate that 14% of all construction waste is made up from new materials that are simply thrown away on site.

Our BuilderScrap team is now working with the CEW waste programme team to develop a version of the platform specifically for the Welsh construction industry.

Karin Black, waste strategy adviser for the Welsh Assembly Government, said: “The rhetoric about waste reduction has gained momentum in recent years, but real alternatives have relied largely on the commitment of individual contractors and educated clients.”

“The agreement with CEW to take up the challenge of supporting a significant diversion of materials from landfill by deploying the BuilderScrap materials reuse platform is a major step in the right direction. This is the first government-backed initiative of its type in the UK and is pivotal to CEW’s ongoing strategy to reduce the waste generated by the construction industry.”

Paul Jennings, director of CEW, said: “The issue of waste in the construction industry is now so serious that to not take action and simply try to talk the industry around is no longer acceptable. We are running out of landfill space at an alarming rate and jeopardising the environment by wasting construction materials that could be used elsewhere. It is a win-win scenario that should be welcomed by all the stakeholders in the industry.”

Our very own Brendon Kenny BuilderScrap said: “We have seen a change in attitudes to how construction materials can be reused by others involved in building projects since the launch of BuilderScrap. With the launch of the CEW platform, it serves as a further validation that this initiative can play a pivotal part of an overall waste management strategy.”

We have all stayed at rubbish hotels but this one is a little different, it’s a hotel made entirely out of rubbish.

The hotel is made up of approximately twelve tonnes of rubbish collected from Europe’s beaches. It has been built as an artistic method of raising awareness about the throwaway culture that we live in and to highlight the coastline’s worrying levels of pollution.

The hotel is located in the world famous tourist city of Rome and has been created by German artist HA Schult. The distinguished guest list of the hotel includes eco-warrior and Danish fashion model Helena Christensen.

Whilst this may be seen as a bit of fun by some, there is a very serious underlying message that we are ignorant about rubbish and resources. We currently consume far beyond the earths capacity of resources and at some point something must give.

To some extent the increased awareness of recycling has largely determined that our throw away lifestyles can be maintained safe in the knowledge that rubbish will be recycled. This fails to address the true underlying problems and the need to reduce our rubbish, where this is not possible then reuse should be preferential to recycling.

This is a value that BuilderScrap can assist with in relation to construction materials, we are always seeking to maximise the life cycle of products and resources by providing a platform to do so.

It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do everything we can to reduce the amount of consumption that we are currently inflicting on our planet, after all the earths resources are finite.

The docklands of the Wirral Peninsula faces a massive regeneration scheme over the next three decades after the £4.5 billion planning application was given the green light.

The Wirral Waters scheme will transform more than 500 acres of disused brownfield sites over the next 30 years in the Birkenhead region. The project aims to breathe fresh life into the area, creating environmental as well as economic benefits to Birkenhead, Wallasey as well as the Merseyside region as a whole.

The development is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs during the construction phase and has been hailed a massive boost to the economy of the area as well as the residents that the project will impact directly upon.

The cabinet member for regeneration and planning strategy, Andrew Hodson commented: “This is a great day for Wirral. We have been working closely with Peel for almost four years to bring jobs and regeneration to the borough”.

“The approval of this planning application will lead to the total transformation of what is currently derelict brownfield land within East Float at Birkenhead Docks and when finished will create over 27,000 jobs.

“This has taken place against a backdrop of the worst recession in living memory and it is a credit to both Peel and Wirral Council that we have kept the plans moving.”

He added: “Subject to getting the okay from the government, we hope work will start on site within the next two years and officers of the council will continue to work with Peel as we move into the development phase.”

At BuilderScrap we are delighted to hear the news of this local development, as a Wirral based company this announcement marks exciting times for the area and we look forward to seeing the project progress.

Source: EDIE (net) 23 August 2010

Revolutionary building materials reuse web site BuilderScrap is to launch a premium membership programme designed especially for builders’ merchants.

BuilderScrap was founded by commercial contractors The Trustland Group as a response to the ever increasing problem of construction waste. It aims to connect surplus building material, otherwise destined for landfill or recycling, with projects in the local area requiring those materials.

Previously aimed at contractors and tradespeople, BuilderScrap has now launched a membership for suppliers into the trade. This membership not only allows suppliers to pass on slow moving or returned stock to their local community, thus saving on storage and/or disposal, but allows them to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and the industry.

In an increasingly competitive environment, companies need to show that they are going above and beyond what is required by legislation and policy. By using BuilderScrap to pass on materials to charities,

community groups and other parties in need, companies can prove their corporate social responsibility.

The new membership programme will provide merchants with a whole list of benefits including:

1. Demonstrating your support for reuse within the supply chain

2. Evidence based corporate social responsibility

3. Helping provide your customers with the reuse solution

4. Stimulating the market by moving surplus materials which otherwise would have be thrown away

5. Visibility in the BuilderScrap directory

6. A route to market for obsolete and slow moving stock lines

BuilderScrap, a not for profit organisation, is seeking new ways to both improve the service and also help support what has become an invaluable industry resource.

Recent awards, including the Green Apple ‘Gold Award’ and the NW Construction Industry Carbon Reduction award, have shown how the industry now regards materials reuse as an integral part of the battle to combat waste and also cut costs associated with sending materials to landfill.

Les Owens, Managing Director of BuilderScrap commented, ‘with the launch of this new programme, we are confident that builders merchants will see value in supporting the site and also being part of a growing community of organizations within the construction industry, all brought together with one common purpose; the reduction of our dependence on landfill sites’

For more information about BuilderScrap please contact:

Rebecca Owens, Marketing Manager

E: rco@builderscrap.com

T: 0844 225 3000

This month BuilderScrap were invited to the official launch of ‘Slick’ the Dragon, I attended along with BuilderScrap Business Development Manager Brendon Kenny. ‘Slick’ is the new mascot for Palletways and is displayed on a 61ft high pallet shaped hot air balloon. The Balloon displays ‘Slick’ carrying a large pallet on its back, big enough to carry 1450 full size pallet loads.

‘Slick’ represents protection and ensures that all deliveries are made with due care across Palletways distribution network. Palletways is Europe’s largest dedicated provider of express distribution services for small consignments of palletised goods.

The balloon will be visiting a large number of events over the coming months in the UK and across Europe as part of an extensive marketing campaign and the image will be appearing across the Palletways group in the near future.

The launch was made against the stunning backdrop of Warwick Castle. We donned our musketeer outfits and spent the evening in 15th century Britain as Musketeer Mike and Musketeer Brendon. Jesters performed, minstrels played and ‘Slick’ the dragon defeated two braveknights in an unusual twist to popular legend, we then enjoyed further entertainment and a fine medieval banquet in the great hall.

(Terry Morris Commercial Manager of Palletways and Brendon Kenny Business Development Manager of BuilderScrap)

As the sun went down we enjoyed a visual treat as the balloon performed a spectacular light show within the castle courtyard. I am sure we will be seeing much more of ‘Slick’ in the near future as the Palletways brand continues to go from strength to strength.

Michael Close (Project Manager)