The property is a mixed-use primarily retail complex incorporating the city library of Cambridge. The third floor of the building is occupied by an education provider with reception area, classrooms and dedicated washrooms.
As part of continued investment in the premises, by the asset manager and to support the ongoing service of the education provider to the city of Cambridge, TFT managed a design and build landlords CAT A and occupies CAT B fit out of the third floor.
The project included a new heating system an improved passive and dynamic fire protection and also presented an opportunity to move away from the existing gas supply to a fully electric HVAC system. The system supported the occupiers net zero commitments, and the project reached an EPC of ‘B’ with 38 points.
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Jay Ridings
Jay Ridings is a Senior Director and a chartered building surveyor (MRICS) and leads the technical due diligence service line, as well as contributing to the TFT leadership groups for fund monitoring and fire safety.
Jay has a keen interest in developing and improving TFT’s reporting, adopting the latest technology to communicate survey findings, streamlining the TDD process to assist transactions and providing holistic, commercial advice, integrating all of TFT’s specialisms.
Out of work, I have a sociable time with three children, dog walks and lunches, reading (once everyone is eventually in bed!) and very active holidays camping and skiing. Occasionally I make it to a yoga class or get onto the golf course.
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TFT charity spotlight: 1625 Independent People
Support for our local communities and charitable causes is central to TFT life, and has been throughout our 50 years! Each of our offices has strong local charity partnerships, so we can use our Volunteer Days, our skills and our resources to help many causes close to our hearts.
One of the longest relationships we have is with the Bristol-based charity 1625 Independent People (1625ip). They help vulnerable young people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire with housing, personal support, training and employment to overcome a hard start to life and gain a better footing for their future.
Through some 15 years, the TFT team has worked with 1625ip to raise money, share equipment and resources to set young people up for success. Today, the charity’s services help more than 1000 users at any one time!
Kingsley Hall
A major challenge for 1625ip is to refurbish Kingsley Hall, its Grade 2* Listed site in Bristol’s Old Market conservation area. It needs to turn this heritage building into a sustainable, long term and beneficial place for young homeless people to turn to, to overcome isolation, develop their skills and rebuild their lives.
The project will create:
Great spaces for young people to meet and receive training
Not only has the charity grown, but it offers new support as the world changes. 1625 Independent People is 40 this year, and in the beginning its focus was on those who struggled with alcohol and drug use. Today the charity has a wider remit covering mental health, diet and neurodiversity challenges across society, which present major barriers for young people to progress.
So the support we can give through our time and our resources can benefit more people in the Bristol and South Gloucester area today than ever before.
As both 1625 Independent People and TFT look forward to celebrating major milestone birthdays this year, we can’t wait to keep working together for many years to come.
If spending a night under the stars isn’t your thing, fear not. You don’t need to bring a sleeping bag to enjoy the festival they’re putting on in the heart of Bristol. There will be live music, tasty food and a chance to meet the young people who benefit from 1625IP’s amazing services.
Osama is MSc/MBA mechanical engineer with over 18 years’ proven record of technical engineering, academic research and business development experience.
Over the last 8 years, Osama’s focus has shifted from M&E design to Sustainability, leading building performance simulation and energy related workstreams, using a range of modelling approaches, tools, and techniques to bring about fundamental change and improvement in Energy performance, and to help thru the journey towards Net Zero.
Away from work, Osama has a keen interest in camping & fishing, he’s dedicated to exploring the unknown, and embracing the wilderness of the great outdoors.
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My BE Career: Emily Baigent, Sustainability Graduate
Across the many roles, levels of experience and subject experts in our team, what comes through loud and clear is the shared commitment to a better future for our industry, and our drive to help it get there. What does that look like? Emily Baigent shared some thoughts with industry magazine BE News recently, which gives a great perspective on that issue and many more.
Emily joined us on a student placement programme earlier this year, before becoming a full-time member of the team this month. To mark the occasion, she shared her views of the industry with BE News, including: the links between diversity, equity & inclusion, climate change, and the need to broaden our industry’s appeal for talented, passionate people.
It’s a powerful message as we seek to reach more individuals who have skills and perspectives to help create an even better built environment into the future!
“If more people had the opportunity to fall in love with the built environment, the world would be a far healthier and happier place to live.”
Cladding Safety Scheme: funds for building remediation works
The new Cladding Safety Scheme is open, and TFT is here to help building owners and occupiers access it. Although the application process can be complex, we offer four steps of support to help you secure the right funds and deliver safer buildings.
What is the Cladding Safety Scheme for?
The Cladding Safety Scheme is the second fund established by the UK Government to remedy unsafe cladding in residential buildings. This scheme is for buildings over 11 metres high. However, in London the scheme is only for medium-rise (11-18 metre) buildings.
The funds are only for remedying unsafe cladding on external walls. A condition of the funding is for you to carry out these remedial works swiftly, and to keep leaseholders informed along the way.
Who can access these funds?
The person responsible for the external repair of the building is responsible for applications. This might include the freeholder, a Local Authority, a Right to Manage company or a Property Managing Agent.
In most cases, developers or owners which have signed up to the Developer’s Pledge should pay for building remediations through the Developer’s Pledge policy.
Whichever party is accessing the funds, they will need specialist support helps to compile the right information for success.
How can I apply for Cladding Safety Scheme funds?
The application process can be complex, requiring accurate building information and details of the proposed works to proceed, including:
A compliant fire risk assessment of the external walls (FRAEW) by a competent professional which identifies the cladding systems which require remediation
A work package with full contractor schedule and costs
Statutory consents for the works
Demonstrated value for money in the works package (by getting multiple quotes or running a tender process)
Missing information can lead to rejected applications, meaning more time taken to access the funds and remedy unsafe buildings.
Four steps to secure the funds and complete the works
TFT has an experienced team ready to manage the assessment of buildings and support you through the process from end to end. We know the information required to support your application for building safety work funds.
Our four-step process gives your application the best chance of success, and includes project managing building safety works to improve your buildings swiftly and with transparency. At the end of the process, building owners will have clear documentation to record the quality and detail of the works.
The result is peace of mind for building owners and occupiers.
Building information modelling (BIM) for precision design
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is widely known across the construction and real estate industry. But how well are its benefits understood on a practical level, for different project types and sizes?
A project of ours at Wellesley Court shows how BIM can be integrated in projects of any size, not just major high value developments. The technology can support efficient and effective works when they are needed most.
This residential property comprising numerous flats in Maida Vale, London, requires replacement hot water storage units to serve all dwellings within the building. However, with an operational plantroom the challenge is to minimise disruptions to residents’ supply, so careful design was essential. Some challenges included access to the space and consideration to the presence of asbestos within the plantroom.
Precise data capture
In order to aid the design process, TFT’s Geomatics specialists captured a colourised 3D point cloud of the existing architecture and M&E services. Utilising the Leica RTC360 we were able to access the hard-to-reach areas, positioning the LiDAR scanner in a number of positions throughout the plantroom to ensure high resolution capture whilst ensuring no disturbance to the existing services.
From this, we produced a spatially accurate digital twin of the plantroom to millimetre accuracy – meaning the designs we created from it would fit in the real world. Revit was used to convert this geometry into a 3D model visualising the mechanical and electric plant systems, including details for each element within the model.
Scan-to-BIM
However, this 3D Revit model is not yet a building information model (BIM). We then added an additional layer of data: everything from wall materials to a pipe’s thermal qualities.
Combining many data points with the virtual model creates a BIM model: a highly relevant and easily understandable set of data which is accessible and useful for all.
Reliable, accessible, valuable
This scan-to-BIM workflow allowed TFT’s M&E team to create precise designs, with reliable ‘clash detection’ showing how well elements would fit in the space before the project began in the real world.
Furthermore, this model data is shared on with other TFT specialists. For instance, our principle designers can use the same model to ensure that the existing services risks and hazards are clearly identified to the contractor. The data will also be used to add to the asset schedules, providing full information for future maintenance works, and even informing technical due diligence surveys in the event of a sale, speeding up that process and helping to deliver the best value for the building.
Our project management team brought their playful spirits to their work and delivered Windsor’s brand new Adventure Play Park, for The Crown Estate. This is a place of giant acorns, treehouses, suspended walkways and more, giving children a natural, multi-sensory play experience.
The Adventure Park covers 1.2 acres and is created using sustainably-sourced wood from the Windsor Estate, providing an extensive playground for families to explore together. Its obstacles and activities are tiered for children of different abilities and confidence, including a fully accessible route.
We managed this unique project for The Crown Estate to create a natural, hand-crafted and accessible world for little ones (and bigger ones) to lose themselves in play. See how it looks here:
We’ll be right back! Team TFT is out for Wellbeing Day
We all do work that we’re passionate about, but there’s nothing like taking time to rest and reset. That’s why TFT dedicates a clear day for our whole team to spend on their own wellbeing, offline and out of the office.
TFT’s next Wellbeing Day is on Friday the 23rd June, giving the team a break to enjoy one of our longest summer days.
During this break, with ‘Out of Office’ replies set, we’ll be unwinding and celebrating a day just for ourselves. That might be spending quality time with loved ones, supporting special causes, getting some exercise outside in the sun (we hope), or simply enjoying an extended weekend.
Wellbeing is a central part of our working life at TFT. We believe that without the ability to switch off or step away, we won’t fully enjoy our working days or bring our best to the work our clients trust us to deliver.
As well as this dedicated day for wellbeing, and our annual charity volunteer day, we support each other as part of day-to-day life, keeping us all in balance and in touch with our wellbeing needs. Apart from shared-interest communities across the team from cycling to book club, our HR team are qualified mental health first-aiders and we work closely with the property industry network LionHeart to provide everyone with support which is well suited to our professional lives.
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Wellesley Court, London
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is widely understood as an area of innovation in the built environment, but how well are its benefits known on a practical level?
A project of ours at Wellesley Court shows how BIM can be integrated in projects of any size, not just major high value developments. The technology can support efficient and effective works when they are needed most.
This residential property comprising numerous flats in Maida Vale, London, requires replacement hot water storage units to serve all dwellings within the building. However, with an operational plantroom the challenge is to minimise disruptions to residents’ supply, so careful design was essential. Some challenges included access to the space and consideration to the presence of asbestos within the plantroom.
Precise data capture
In order to aid the design process, TFT’s Geomatics specialists captured a colourised 3D point cloud of the existing architecture and M&E services. Utilising the Leica RTC360 we were able to access the hard-to-reach areas, positioning the LiDAR scanner in a number of positions throughout the plantroom to ensure high resolution capture whilst ensuring no disturbance to the existing services.
From this, we produced a spatially accurate digital twin of the plantroom to millimetre accuracy – meaning the designs we created from it would fit in the real world. Revit was used to convert this geometry into a 3D model visualising the mechanical and electric plant systems, including details for each element within the model.
Scan-to-BIM
However, this 3D Revit model is not yet a building information model (BIM). We then added an additional layer of data: everything from wall materials to a pipe’s thermal qualities.
Combining many data points with the virtual model creates a BIM model: a highly relevant and easily understandable set of data which is accessible and useful for all.
Reliable, accessible, valuable
This scan-to-BIM workflow allowed TFT’s M&E team to create precise designs, with reliable ‘clash detection’ showing how well elements would fit in the space before the project began in the real world.
Furthermore, this model data is shared on with other TFT specialists. For instance, our principle designers can use the same model to ensure that the existing services risks and hazards are clearly identified to the contractor. The data will also be used to add to the asset schedules, providing full information for future maintenance works, and even informing technical due diligence surveys in the event of a sale, speeding up that process and helping to deliver the best value for the building.
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