Blogs

Tendering for public sector contracts is a competitive business, particularly for smaller organisations. The good news is that local authorities must consider their wider community goals, aims and objectives that benefit their area when awarding a contract. This includes supporting the local economy. 

MTX delivered Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s new Oxford Critical Care unit (OCC) at the city’s John Radcliffe Hospital using MMC.

The building was originally envisaged as three storeys, but the Trust quickly realised that it needed to be taller, and we worked closely with them to ensure the building met their new requirements.

The climate and biodiversity crises combined with the cost-of-living increase and its impact on fuel poverty has highlighted the importance behind the need to retrofit our existing buildings. The second wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund opening will enable some of this work to get started and offers great flexibility to upgrade your housing stock to achieve EPC ‘C’, as part of the journey towards Net Zero by 2050.

For several years, it has been identified that the adoption of offsite/modular housing has been the piecemeal with a number of clients interested to move forward on projects but wanting to “prove the concept” before committing themselves wholesale to adopting offsite solutions.

On the 27th of June 2019, the UK government declared the net zero emissions law, requiring the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and achieve net zero by 2050. However, for this to happen, significant changes must be made. For example, in the heat and building strategy, the government has outlined that they require high-efficiency, low-carbon buildings to help meet their target.

Waterproofing systems manufacturer Garland UK has taken a significant step in its commitment to sustainability, with the recent announcement that it will be a net-zero company by 2032, 18 years earlier than the Government’s 2050 net-carbon zero targets.

Fire doors are an integral part of a building’s passive fire system. They’re designed to compartmentalise a building to prevent smoke and fire to stop it from spreading at speed.

The ‘Accountable Person’ is responsible for maintaining fire doors and ensuring they’re regularly inspected. This article will explain how often fire doors should be inspected and the process you should follow to meet UK regulations.

Recently living in an ever-uncertain world has become the new normal. Currently we are facing up to the word “crisis” on a far too regular basis. The “cost of living” crisis, due to sharp rise of energy prices, has been added onto the health and well-being crisis, just at the point we are getting out of the pandemic and looking to find our BREXIT feet.

Across the globe, various pride events are held during June as a way of recognising the influence LGBTQ+ people have had around the world in securing LGBTQ+ rights.  

There is still a way to go – not just in rights globally but in enabling everyone to be accepted for who they are in all situations they’re in. 

This short blog has been published by SWPA to share the expertise and resources provided by Mills & Reeve to help all procurement professionals and public sector organisations understand and navigate the upcoming changes.