Why use BIM?

The ability to exchange data between BIM models is valuable to businesses as, when used effectively, it can allow for significant cost savings on the lifecycle costs of a building. It does this by providing data across the entire lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure projects, and presents construction workers with opportunities to adopt new tools and workflows that will help them to deliver higher-quality buildings and infrastructure projects at a lower cost.

In addition, using BIM, a building’s performance can be optimised before it is even built as construction workers can use BIM models to store information about the project relating to the early stages of architecture and engineering. All project parties involved can contribute to a building’s BIM model and, just as easily, withdraw information from the model to make informed decisions. This makes it easier for construction workers to check compliance, estimate costs, schedule work and, overall, reduce the risks caused by construction.

BIM and energy management

It is becoming increasingly important for businesses to be able to monitor their energy consumption, and implementing processes early on in a building’s lifecycle can make the reporting requirements of this far easier.

BIM systems provide valuable data to integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) for many different lifecycle management issues including energy management, maintenance management, refurbishment projects and space management. Using BIM, construction teams have the information to make far more informed decisions, much earlier, on the impact that certain processes will have on the sustainability of a building project. By having a holistic view of a building’s processes, owners of buildings will also be able to identify and manage where energy savings can be made and analyse how this can be implemented. Furthermore, BIM can save time and reduce waste on the actual construction site as the information produced from the model will lead to fewer errors which are most commonly caused by inaccurate and uncoordinated information.

Ultimately, implementing BIM can provide a holistic view of a building’s energy usage, helping construction managers to easily identify and analyse where energy costs can be saved.

COBieLite

In order to respond to the benefits made available through BIM, Planon Software developed COBie Lite, in collaboration with the US Army (Corps of Engineers) and the buildingSMART alliance.  COBieLite is a new exchange standard that uses XML based file formats, rather than the existing COBie spreadsheet standard, to make the automated information exchange between BIM systems and integrated workplace management systems both faster and easier.

Using COBieLite, construction managers are provided with vital information that can be analysed and used right at the start of a project meaning that construction risks can be minimised through the identification of project issues early in the design process. For example, by having all of the information on a construction project in one place, work schedule clashes can be easily identified and rectified. 

BIMming with confidence

In summary, BIM provides construction workers with a shared knowledge resource containing information about a building and offering a reliable basis for decision making during a building’s lifecycle.  The model enables all parts of a project to be shown in relative scale to each other and the entire project. When all members of the construction team work on the same model, from early design through to completion, changes are automatically coordinated across the project and information generated is therefore of high quality.

Construction workers that use BIM and COBie Lite will see results in better building management that can ultimately lead to substantial cost savings and improved building quality.

Group Managing Director, Glenn Palin, said the contract award further recognises John Holland as a leading provider of educational facilities in Australia.

“We have a long history of operating as a trusted partner of both public and private organisations, delivering integrated, intelligent, and innovative solutions tailored to the needs of these facilities,” Mr Palin said.

“John Holland has a strong track record in constructing tertiary facilities, including the redevelopment of the Southbank Institute of Technology in Queensland, Urbanest student accommodation facilities in both Brisbane and Adelaide and the Medical Sciences buildings and Institute of Marine & Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania.”

Executive General Manager for Infrastructure, Chris Evans, said the complex project would involve the creation of innovative teaching and learning spaces over five levels ranging from case study and seminar rooms to a large 550-seat lecture theatre and a learning hub.

“We welcome the opportunity to work alongside the University of Sydney on this world-class, academic building, which will be delivered whilst faculty continues full operations,” Mr Evans said.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence said: “We are pleased to be partnering with John Holland to build a flagship home for the University of Sydney Business School. The construction of this site will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment for the next generation of business leaders and world-class facilities that will benefit the entire University community.”

Construction is scheduled to commence during July 2013, and be completed in early 2015.

MV Auto Energy Utilization Verification Technology that identifies energy conservation opportunities by analyzing and reporting consumption of electric power used in the space for heating and cooling, as well as for lighting and plug loads. The data obtained is then converted to carbon equivalents which help to track our carbon footprint.

L&Q has appointed United House as one of four framework contractors to carry out upgrade works as part of its four-year Internal Refurbishment Programme.  The programme is worth up to £35 million to United House and will involve kitchen and bathroom replacements, rewiring, heating upgrades and asbestos removal in the Cray ‘hub’ which, with nearly 25,000 homes in south east London, is the largest of the housing provider’s four hub areas.

Matthew Drake, L&Q Head of Programme Management, said: “We have worked in partnership with our residents to make sure we appoint the most suitable supplier to carry out the refurbishment programme.  We have chosen four suppliers which were selected on the basis of quality, price and providing opportunities for the local community.  Our number one goal is resident satisfaction and we are confident that the new programme will deliver high quality products for our residents over the next four years and provide value for money.”

In the second framework award, Harlow Council has selected United House as one of two contractors to Lot 1 of its Internal Capital Investment Programme.  The scope of the work will cover kitchen and bathroom upgrades, heating and electrical improvements and asbestos removal to homes in Harlow and the surrounding area.

The value of the framework is worth £25 million to United House over four years, with the potential to extend to a fifth year.

Councillor Rod Truan, Harlow Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “This contract is part of our £100m Council housing investment programme which will provide better housing in Harlow and improve our tenants’ quality of life. We are delighted to be working with United House.”

Jeffrey Adams, Group Chief Executive of United House, said: “It is a testament to our excellent track record in delivering high quality, cost effective refurbishment programmes that we have been appointed on these new frameworks.  It demonstrates United House’s reputation for excellence and we look forward to delivering these programmes to our usual high standards.  United House has a relationship with L&Q that goes back many years and it is good to be back working together.”

Work on both programmes is due to start within the next month.

Data gathered from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics suggests that work on 865 new housing units had begun between January and March 2013. This figure is three times the number of construction projects begun in the same quarter last year. If compared to the final quarter of last year (October-December 2012), the statistics correlate to a 355 per cent increase in colony activity.

People living in colonies represent a mere 4 per cent of the Israeli population but they have benefited from a 176 per cent increase in construction starts, while the other 96 per cent of Israeli citizens have put up with an 8.9 per cent decrease in construction starts, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics data showed. This contrast is all the more glaring amid continuing public concern about the state of the economy and housing costs.

The official statistics do not provide a breakdown of all construction starts by location and, hence, it is unclear exactly how many units were begun in each location. However, the bureau’s data does note that many of the units are located in Modiin Illit (241 units) and Beitar Illit (265 units).

According to Peace Now research, construction is taking place in many colonies east and west of the separation wall.

According to Dr Wasel Abu Yousuf, a member of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), the fact remains that Israel has a colonist government in place. “This Israeli colonist government is not interested in peace and has obviously preferred colony construction in the West Bank to reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinian leadership,” he told Gulf News. “The real challenge to achieving peace is stoppage of colony construction and meeting what has been agreed upon including a two states for two people solution based on the 1967 border line.”

The Palestinian leadership has categorically rejected a state of colonists in the West Bank, where the Israelis have been working against time to reach that goal.

“Israelis are working tirelessly against time to construct as much as possible in the illegal West Bank-based colonies to end up with those construction as facts on the ground,” Dr Abu Yousuf said.

“The last thing the Palestinians want is a Palestinian state ruled by Israeli colonists,” he stressed, adding that the Palestinians have agreed to a state on 22 per cent of the historic Palestine. The Palestinians want a state of their own on the West Bank, Gaza Strip with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Danger

Many jobs fall under the construction umbrella, and each has its own potential hazards. Roofers have a high incidence of fatal falls, while general laborers perform physically demanding work and operate heavy construction machinery.

Ironworkers have one of the highest rates of injury of any U.S. occupation, and are in the top 10 deadliest jobs at 30.3 fatalities per 100,000 workers (as of 2011, the most recent year for which the BLS has numbers).

An Improving Record

While many construction trades consistently land among the most dangerous jobs, the numbers do seem to be improving. The BLS reported a drop in on-the-job fatalities from 802 in 2010 to 781 in 2011. Looking at a wider range, the numbers are even more promising; in 2008 the number of fatalities was 1,016.

It's not just fatality numbers that are improving, either. Over the same four-year period, the total number of recordable injuries dropped from 4.7 per 100 workers in 2008 to 3.9 per 100 in 2011.

Reasons for Improvement

Several factors may help explain the improving safety record in the construction industry.

First, the federal government passed updated regulations that directed state agencies to come up with and implement safety plans for federally-funded road construction zones.

Construction employers have also stepped up their efforts to work with agencies and guidelines such as OSHA (the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act) and the Association of General Contractors of America. On their own and through these partnerships, employers are making an effort to put better safety training and procedures in place.

Finally, part of the improvement may just be a result of a general decrease in the total number of construction projects, due to economic conditions over the past few years.

Staying Safe on the Job

There are several measures employers and construction workers can take to ensure safety and reduce the risk of injuries or fatalities:

* Proper safety training. Every new worker should go through a mandatory, comprehensive safety program that covers possible on-the-job accidents, and how to prevent them;

* Use protective equipment. OSHA has rules requiring all workers to have access to, and to use, protective equipment. Depending on your specific job, this equipment could include protective clothing, a hard hat, goggles, and a protective harness;

* Jobsite organization. Keeping walkways clear, marking zones where forklifts or other machinery may travel, and putting strict rules in place for safe work at height (such as roofing) are all ways to reduce chances of injuries and deaths.

It bears repeating that, even though there are many different construction trades that work with various dangerous equipment, falls remain the leading cause of injury among construction workers.

Diligent use of safety equipment, along with proper training and safety refresher courses, will help keep everyone safe at work.

About the Author: Angie Mansfield is a freelance writer covering topics and people of interest to consumers and small business owners, such as employment information and Steve Wynn.

Having provided general contracting services for seven decades, CCB Inc. has been chosen to construct a portion of the 66 mile high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic distribution system. Tetra Tech was selected to construct another portion of the same system, and Schmid Pipeline Construction Inc. will be responsible for the 68 miles of steel transmission lines, stretching from Richmond to Madison and Skowhegan.

President of Summit Natural Gas of Maine, Mike Minkos commented:

“We’re pleased to announce the signing of our three contractors as they commence construction on this year’s $110 million portion of our Kennebec Valley natural gas transmission and distribution system. This represents the installation of 68 miles of steel pipe and 66 miles of plastic distribution pipe in various communities throughout the region, which creates an estimated 435 jobs.”

Long term supporter for the expansion of natural gas in the state, Governor Paul R LePage commended Summit for using Maine workers on these projects:

“I am pleased to see that so many Mainers will be put to work in good-paying jobs on these construction projects, plus more in related projects such as excavating and paving. Maine is fortunate to benefit from this project, which will help lower energy costs and improve the bottom line for our state’s employers.”

Construction on both the steel transmission line and the HDPE plastic distribution system will start this week, with the project sequenced to allow crews to work concurrently throughout the Kennebec Valley in several locations.

According to the report, which was completed for London First, the capital benefits by £0.6bn annually from large construction projects, yet the further contribution to regional economies is almost double that, at £1.1bn a year.

Furthermore, construction work in central London supports twice as many jobs outside London as it does in the capital. The 12,200 jobs supported in London annually are dwarfed by the 22,400 supported outside the capital, according to the report, which studied projects undertaken by nine large developers which have been completed since 2008 or have an expected completion date by 2016.

Findings discovered that a key factor in this “multiplier effect” is that the construction industry spends more of its direct investment (84 percent) in the UK for central London office developments - a higher figure than other industries.

Key findings of the report are:

• Central London office developments annually contribute £1.7bn of Gross Value Add (GVA, a measure of output like GDP) and 34,600 jobs to the UK economy.
• More than half of this annual output is outside London – £1.1bn of GVA and 22,400 jobs per year.
• Around 84% of direct expenditure on central London office development remains in the UK economy.
• There is potential for development to generate further economic benefits for the UK, by increasing capability in goods and services that the UK currently lacks, such as cladding, lifts and machinery.

Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive of London First said: “The value of investment in London is huge in terms of generating jobs and economic benefits in London itself, but the knock-on contribution to regional economies is more impressive and shows the boost that London businesses provide to the rest of the UK.

“The fact that it can attract this private sector investment, against competition from other international hubs such as New York or Dubai, is a sign of continuing global confidence in London and its future growth. But it’s vital that the government makes a similar commitment to public sector investment in the city’s infrastructure – particularly its transport system.”

About the Report

London First asked PwC to analyse the direct and indirect impact of a sample of developments in central London that have been completed since 2008 or are expected to be completed by 2016. Nine of the city’s principal developers agreed to take part in this work and allow access to their confidential proprietary data so that a full understanding of their construction expenditure, supply chain impacts and even employee spending could be developed. The aim was to assess the gross contribution of a small part of London’s construction activity to the UK economy.

Australia’s modular building operators are demanding suppliers meet very stringent design scopes to meet their continued expansion.

And it’s these demands that are proving fertile ground for companies whose building products and systems can be produced with extreme accuracy and at the breakneck speed that modular building owners and operators stipulate.

The answer is in the use of innovative machinery that can create cold formed steel floor chassis, using highly accurate steel sections and joists, that transport in kitset form to outlying locations and allow on-site concrete placement, in this case, for modular building accommodation.

The floors are a marriage of the Speedfloor Composite Flooring System and the Howick Steel Floor Joist System which provides floor units with the flexibility of a steel system and the mass and durability of a concrete system. The Floor Cassette kit is a bolt together system with concrete slab options of 65 mm to 95mm that allows for floors up to sizes of 14.4m x 4.2m.

Other benefits of the Speedfloor Transportable Floor include the ability to cast features into the floors such as foundation connection details, set downs for showers and penetrations for services.

An additional benefit of the rollformed perimeter channel is the ability to punch service holes and frame hold down locations saving much of the labour required with the current systems available.

Already the first four  floor units developed and built by Howick Engineering and Speedfloor in New Zealand, have been manufactured in Auckland and shipped to Melbourne for assembly and casting.

Once the building is completed, they are transported via road train at a startling 14.4m long by 4.2m wide, with the finished single level building weighing in at 18 tonnes.

Their final destination is Port Headland in the northern outpost of Western Australia and the use of this innovative technology marks another first for the industry.

Nick Coubray, of Howick Engineering explains.  “The job was well underway when we had to pause and redesign to take into account a change to the design regarding wind loading.  The Australian regions classed in the category of Region D produce the highest wind loads known in the world. The ability to meet these requirements is a positive endorsement to the time invested in developing this system for the modular building industry.

“What it has done is ensure that our buildings are signed off for the worst possible situation – and that capability has created increased interest in the company and what we do.  We’re working to secure an order for ten times the initial requirement and feedback from the market indicates this is just the start.”

Howick Engineering has sound credentials in design for worst possible conditions; its products are currently being used to build Russia’s winter Olympic village. Four machines are at work there, producing cold rolled frames able to withstand loads of up to 650kg/m2 to cope with the high snow loads in the mountains as well as the seismic constraints.

Russia, Siberia and Afghanistan are all reference sites for Howick Engineering’s H560   Framing Machine, and show a marked change from its  more usual market of hotels and houses.

Instead, large industrial buildings are being created in around a third of the time of the traditional process of bringing in hot rolled steel.

The latest, in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert is a two-part office and workshop building for a mining company, created in two months instead of six, by using the H560 to manufacture the steel framing on site.

The design highlights that Light steel framing extends the range of steel framed options into commercial construction which has traditionally been in hot rolled steel and masonry in Mongolia.

There are two distinct parts to the Gobi Desert building, the Office area and the Garage area; measure 18.15m x 24.15m and 46.15m x 18.15m respectively.  All light gauge steel and sections were designed and calculated in compliance with Euro Codes EN1993-1-3, of which imposed loads were also accordingly calculated but based on loads provided by the client, Newcom.  Wind loads were advised as 0.7 kN/m², with the Roof loads as 0.66 kN/m² Dead (Permanent) and 0.6 kN/m² Live (Variable).

Coubray says the Perth mining accommodation order sprang from viewing a prototype in Auckland and visiting engineers in Melbourne, but interest is running high in Australia for the company’s steel framing capabilities as well.

Interpod in NSW has just completed a project comprising 300 bathrooms of 35 different types, using Howick’s unique framing system. Interpod is running their framing machine for as  little as 1-2 hours a day whilst still meeting its production target of 25 bathrooms a week.

A large Interpod project in Carlton, Victoria has gone very smoothly with over 230 bathrooms delivered so far. The company reports the Howick system is impressive, noting it is extremely simple to operate, produces high quality and consistent frames, and makes frame manufacture a breeze with pre-cut, punched and labelled components.

To meet electricity demands throughout the summer, the 24MW temporary rental power plant will supply power to the electricity grid at a time when there is a significant increase in the use of temperature control equipment, such as air conditioning and district cooling. Supporting the existing generating capacity of Oman, the interim power plant will ensure peak performance during the hottest months of the year.

Taking just 96 hours to install, Peter den Boogert, Altaaqa Global’s General Manager for Business Development, commented on the impressive speed of deployment. “This reaffirms Altaaqa Global’s ability to install, commission and safely generate power within a matter of days. The full turnkey solution offers a complete package of power generators, transformers, fuel tanks, distribution panels, electrical accessories, and 24/7 CAT certified power engineers who will manage the temporary power plant.”

“We are proud to deliver our temporary power solution to the people of Oman,” said Steven Meyrick, Managing Director of Altaaqa Global. “Our highly experienced rental power team coupled with Caterpillar’s power dense and fuel efficient rental diesel generators is the perfect combination to provide grid optimization and dependable supplementary power.”

Robert Bagatsing, Altaaqa Global’s Marketing Manager, stated, “We can deliver multi-megawatt rental power projects to any part of the world, from 20MW to 200MW.  Catering to a wide spectrum of sectors such as power utility, government services, mining, industrial manufacturing, oil & gas, petrochemicals and construction, Altaaqa Global provides large-scale turnkey power solutions anywhere, anytime.”

A UN report has revealed that Iran is pressing ahead with the construction of a research reactor that Western experts say could eventually produce plutonium for a nuclear weapon should Tehran decide to produce one.

The UN International Atomic Energy Agency also that said Iran had added to its capacity to refine uranium, which can also provide the fissile core of a bomb if enriched to a high level.

That may fuel Western suspicions that Tehran is trying to remove traces of possible nuclear arms-related experiments there, perhaps a decade ago, something Iran denies.

It would now probably be “very difficult” for UN inspectors to find any traces at Parchin even if they were allowed access, which Iran has so far refused, one diplomat familiar with the country’s nuclear programme said.

The quarterly IAEA report was issued amid apparent deadlock in diplomatic efforts to resolve a decade-old dispute that threatens to trigger a new war in the Middle East.

Washington said Iran was “advancing its enrichment programme in blatant violation of its international obligations”.

“This report marks an unfortunate milestone with regard to Iran’s illicit nuclear activities,” US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.

Iran denies accusations that it is seeking the capability to make nuclear weapons, saying it needs nuclear technology for energy and medical purposes and that it is Israel’s arsenal that threatens peace.

Western concerns about Iran are focused largely on uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow.

But experts say the research reactor under construction near the central town of Arak may also be a proliferation issue as it could yield plutonium for nuclear arms if the spent fuel were reprocessed, something Iran says it has no intention of doing.

Iran has transported the reactor vessel - which would contain the fuel - to the heavy water plant but has not yet installed it, the IAEA report issued to member states said.

Other major components for the reactor, including control room equipment, have yet to be put in place there, it added.

The CORU project is part of the implementation of Gazpromneft’s OJSC Moscow Refinery Revamping and Upgrading Program, under which the refinery will be expanded up to 2020 to process an additional six million tons of crude oil per year and produce transportation fuels to Euro-V standards.

The CORU facilities are planned to include crude distillation and vacuum distillation units (CDU & VDU), a continuous catalytic reforming unit with naphtha hydrotreatment and hydrogen recovery by pressure swing adsorption, a diesel hydrotreater including a dewaxing section, a gas plant with a liquefied petroleum gases sweetening unit and common utilities. The FEED activities are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2013 while the submission of design documentation is scheduled for the first quarter of 2014.

Foster Wheeler was previously awarded the process design package for the facilities’ crude and vacuum distillation units and the gas plant.

“Developing long-term relationships with our clients based on project execution excellence and expanding our served markets in Russia are two of our strategic objectives,” said Umberto della Sala, President and Chief Operating Officer, Foster Wheeler AG. “We plan to leverage our experience in Russia, our in-depth refining experience and our reputation for developing high quality FEEDs to deliver a strong performance for Gazpromneft to form the basis for a longer-term working relationship.”

“The CORU Project is the most important investment for our Moscow Refinery. Timely completion and plant start-up are vital for our company, but completion of a strong FEED is a very important first step in the realization of this key project,” said Anatoli Moiceevich Cherner, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Gazpromneft. 

The Sky City concept significantly reduces the per capita use of land, and the CO2 emissions generated getting around. They call it "a way of development for higher life quality and lower impact on the environment" They see this as the future of Chinese city building: "Urbanization can not be materialized at the cost of land and environmental pollution."

If you can't build out, build up. The Sky City will utilise Chinese construction methods including prefab segments. Without the design eloquence of other structures, the building looks to trounce the competition in scale.



There is six mile long ramp running from the first to the 170th floor. Beside the ramp are 56 different 30 foot high courtyards used for basketball, tennis, swimming, theatres, and 930,000 square feet of interior vertical organic farms.

The building is designed to be earthquake resistant to Magnitude 9, and to a 3 hour fire resistance rating, provided by ceramics installed around the structure. 16,000 part time and 3,000 full time workers will prefabricate the building for four months and assemble on site in three months. The Broad system is based on prefabricated floor panels that ship with everything need to go 3D packed along with it, so they are not shipping a lot of air. It all just bolts together. BSC claims that by building this way, they eliminate construction waste, lost time managing trades, keep tight cost control and can build at a cost 50% to 60% less than conventional construction.

The modernisation of Vauxhall Tube station is an essential first phase of this strategy, which will provide a major increase in capacity and improve accessibility by making the station step-free, while keeping it open to passengers.

London Underground has now awarded the contract for the major improvements to Bechtel Ltd. Construction work will start in early 2014 and be completed by late 2015.

The number of passengers using Vauxhall Underground station is set to increase by 40 per cent over the next few years.

In order to create extra space, the ticket hall will be reconfigured to allow for more ticket gates and wide-aisle gates allowing disabled passengers and those with buggies or heavy luggage to travel more easily and reducing congestion within the station.

The station, its subways and stairways will be completely refurbished and a lift will be installed between the ticket hall and platforms.

This, combined with the existing lift from the bus station to the Tube ticket hall, will deliver step-free access to Victoria line trains.

Network Rail has almost completed the National Rail station's upgrade, including new lifts, which are already in operation, so once the Tube station lift is completed it will create a fully accessible interchange between rail bus and Tube.
 
The total project cost of the Vauxhall Tube station improvements has been reduced by more than £9m from £45m to around £36m because of a more cost effective construction method which also reduces environmental impact.

This includes building a lift shaft from below ground level and utilising sprayed concrete lining techniques, resulting in savings in both utility diversions and construction costs.

Foreign investors will be encouraged to pledge funds for Russian projects, with road building taking a high priority.

Winners of tenders for road construction will be spared the tasks of preparing future construction sites and solving numerous legal, property and infrastructure issues related to construction areas, according to a decree published on the official government site.

Excessive legal obligations related to road construction have been known to scare away potential foreign investors, undermining healthy competition in the sector.

The government now wants to solve contractors' problems by classifying preparing future building sites as a separate stage of construction, Vedomosti reported Monday.

According to the decree, road-construction contractors will no longer have to solve disputes with property owners, chop down trees and bushes or carry out archeological digs, among other requirements, before they can start building.

The measure is expected to attract more Russian and foreign companies to participate in tenders for road-construction projects.President Vladimir Putin last year ordered the government to attract more foreign companies to the construction of federal and local roads in Russia. Previously, foreign contractors were confronted with a set of problems including legal issues and difficulties with obtaining authorization for the use of new technologies.Current legislation on state purchases requires that contracts must be awarded to the lowest bidders in tenders. This provision undermines competition on the market by reducing the profitability of projects and stifling potential investors' interest in participating.

The figure represents a significant overall 22% increase on last year, when 25,998 new homes were registered in Q1 2012.

The rise has been fuelled by an increase in public sector registrations of 43% in Q1 this year compared to the same period last year. The main driver for this rise has been the Government's £2.2 billion Affordable Homes Programme which aims to deliver 170,000 new homes by April 2015.

The NHBC statistics also reveal an enormous 61% increase in new houses being registered in London in the first quarter of 2013 compared to Q1 last year. The landmark Battersea Power Station redevelopment helped boost the figures as more than 800 new properties were registered during the first phase of the project. Over the next 15 years, more than 3,000 new homes will ultimately be built on this iconic London site.

As the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, NHBC's housing registration statistics are a key leading indicator of activity in the new homes industry.

Commenting on the Q1 figures, NHBC Commercial Director Richard Tamayo said: "New home registrations in the UK have reached a five year high for Quarter 1 rising 22% on the comparative period, boosted by a very strong performance in the Greater London area.

"This rise in new homes being registered - particularly affordable homes - is very encouraging news for Britain's house-building industry which has been through a very difficult time in recent years. These figures may be an indication that much-needed confidence is returning to the industry, although they should be viewed in the context of overall new homes volumes remaining significantly below historic levels."

One of the largest, most ambitious public transportation programmes in U.S. history, the project will allow passengers to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco at speeds capable of over 200 miles per hour, making the trip in under three hours, compared to almost six hours by automobile.  The first phase of the planned 800-mile network will run from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay Area through California’s Central Valley, with subsequent phases connecting to San Diego and Sacramento.

“The California High-Speed Rail System will transform the way Californians travel while alleviating freeway and airport congestion, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing the state’s economic competitiveness,” explained Andrew McNaughton, Balfour Beatty Chief Executive.  “With funding now in place, construction of the initial segment in the Central Valley is on target to proceed this summer.”

Parsons Brinckerhoff has served as the project’s programme manager since 2006 and is assisting the California High Speed Rail Authority with all aspects of the programme, including planning, environmental review, preliminary engineering, and testing and commissioning. Other key responsibilities include developing the criteria and technical standards that will define high-speed train systems, procurement of system-wide design-build contracts, and supporting the Authority on a range of project development activities, including economic impact analyses, business planning and grants.

The number of new homes registered with NHBC in the UK during the first quarter of this year has reached 31,739 - the highest level for this period since 2008.

The figure represents a significant overall 22% increase on last year, when 25,998 new homes were registered in Q1 2012.

The rise has been fuelled by an increase in public sector registrations of 43% in Q1 this year compared to the same period last year. The main driver for this rise has been the Government's £2.2 billion Affordable Homes Programme which aims to deliver 170,000 new homes by April 2015.

The NHBC statistics also reveal an enormous 61% increase in new houses being registered in London in the first quarter of 2013 compared to Q1 last year. The landmark Battersea Power Station redevelopment helped boost the figures as more than 800 new properties were registered during the first phase of the project. Over the next 15 years, more than 3,000 new homes will ultimately be built on this iconic London site.

As the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, NHBC's housing registration statistics are a key leading indicator of activity in the new homes industry.

Commenting on the Q1 figures, NHBC Commercial Director Richard Tamayo said: "New home registrations in the UK have reached a five year high for Quarter 1 rising 22% on the comparative period, boosted by a very strong performance in the Greater London area.

"This rise in new homes being registered - particularly affordable homes - is very encouraging news for Britain's house-building industry which has been through a very difficult time in recent years. These figures may be an indication that much-needed confidence is returning to the industry, although they should be viewed in the context of overall new homes volumes remaining significantly below historic levels."