Problem contracts slash margins at Mace | Construction Enquirer



  • Stephen Pyecroft said new work over the year included a major data centre in Ireland for the construction team

    Problem contracts and rising costs saw margins at Mace’s UK and Europe division crash from 1.7% to less than 0.5%.

  • Overall the group operating margin including construction, consultancy and FM activities around the world halved to 1.1% over the year.
  • Announcing Mace results for last year, executive chairman Stephen Pyecroft said: “2015 saw some challenges for our construction business.

    “The sector delivered £1.42bn in turnover, an 18% increase on 2014.

  • However a number of difficult projects did impact on the margin level delivered to the business.

    “But we lived up to our long-standing reputation of being a trusted partner able to deliver large, complex and iconic projects.”

    He added: “Mace continues to go from strength to strength and while challenges remain in the UK and global economies, we have an enviable pipeline of work stretching well

    into 2016 and beyond.”

    Mace’s group pre-tax profits were actually up 4.5% on last year to £36.2m, supported by almost £18m profit from a major property disposal, thought to by its London student accommodation development Assam Place.


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Industrial Construction in the UAE to 2019: Market Forecast – openPR



  • The construction sector can be broadly classified into five categories: Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Institutional and Residential.
  • The reasons for this growth can be attributed to various macroeconomic factors conducive to the construction sector.Key Macroeconomic Trends Driving Growth in UAE Industrial Construction SectorUAE is one of the most diversified economies in the Gulf region.
  • Looking at the Middle East, UAE can be seen as one of the fastest growing economy, with its construction industry ranked third among the construction industries of the Middle East countries.
  • The construction industry is third largest economic activity after oil and trade, in the UAE, including approximately 6000 companies with most of the construction activities taking place in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
  • The industry’s output value in real terms is forecast to rise at a CAGR of 6.52% in the next five years period; up from 3.55% during the period 2010-2014.The promising future of the construction industry can be seen by observing its past trend.


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Live Webinar: Introducing Twinmotion for ARCHICAD



  • Join host Graphisoft and Abvent on a special live webinar demonstrating Twinmotion and ArchiCAD for advanced yet simple visualizations for AEC.

    Graphisoft, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software vendor, has announced today a new live, webinar online for 2 February 2016.

  • The focus of the webinar is the introduction of Twinmotion software for ArchiCAD 19.
  • Developed by Ka-Ra and distributed worldwide by Abvent of France, Twinmotion is compatible with every 3D modeling software on the market today, in addition to leading BIM software programs such as ArchiCAD 19.
  • Regarded a great fit for architecture, landscape and urban planning professionals, Twinmotion is considered special because of its ease-of-use and power.
  • The award-winning AEC visualization program Twinmotion is changing the way designers and engineers interact with their 3D models.


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Ambrosi Etchegaray inserts homes behind old Mexico City facade



  • Architecture studio Ambrosi Etchegaray has slotted four new homes behind a historic facade in Mexico City, but left enough space for three secluded patios (+ slideshow).
  • “The [facade] condition inspired us to rethink life inside the old house and translate the schema into the new building,” explained Ambrosi and Etchegaray.
  • “The project’s intention was to create interior spaces emulating the original patios, while maintaining privacy of these spaces from the other apartments,” they added.
  • The first of the four homes sits directly behind the facade, occupying the first, second and third floors.
  • Known as the Antonio Sola Townhouses, the four-storey block is located in the Colonia Condesa neighbourhood, near where architects Jorge Ambrosi and Gabriela Etchegaray are based.


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This week’s biggest architecture and design stories on Dezeen



  • The cover of David Bowie’s Blackstar album, released just days before his death, was designed to reflect the musician’s mortality, according to his graphic design collaborator Jonathan Barnbrook.
  • This week on Dezeen: the designer behind David Bowie’s Blackstar album artwork revealed its true meaning in an exclusive interview and we looked ahead to the era of the “megatall” skyscraper.

  • More architecture | More interiors | More design | More news

  • Rotterdam-based architecture firm OMA also released images of its renovation plan for Berlin’s KaDeWe department store.
  • Rotterdam is fast becoming a centre for innovation, according to architects we interviewed this week.


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Construction Enquirer



  • Eagle New Energy specialise in the supply and installation of Photovoltaic systems.
  • As part of our on-going expansion programme we are looking for solar PV installation companies to work with us.
  • Your team will have previous experience and category 2 asbestos training would be an advantage.
  • Operatives will ideally have either PASMA or IPAF training and you will need to work within East Anglia and the London area on mainly commercial projects.

  • For further details or to apply please contact Charlotte Adams, Business Development Manager via email to [email protected]


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London house extensions awarded by Don’t Move, Improve!



  • Dezeen promotion: a south London residence updated with new living spaces, custom-built furniture and a two-storey lightwell has been named winner in a competition to find London’s best house extensions (+ slideshow).
  • Designed by Tsuruta Architects to reveal “memories of place and construction”, House of Trace is a two-storey addition to a Victorian property in south London.
  • The prize for Best Historic Intervention was scooped by Fitzrovia House, a project by West Architecture that involved inserting a new residence behind the Georgian facade of a bomb-damaged west-London house.
  • Dezeen’s architecture editor Amy Frearson and RIBA London Director Tamsie Thomson were among the judges, who were chaired by NLA director Peter Murray.
  • “The standard of Don’t Move Improve continues to rise each year,” commented Murray.


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Southampton £34m ferry terminal approved



  • £35m terminal will be built at the Trafalgar Dock

    Plans to build a new ferry terminal for Red Funnel in Southampton have got the green light.

  • The facilities are to be moved from Town Quay to the Eastern Docks to make way for a £450m waterfront development, due to go before planners in August.
  • Red Funnel plans to build the £35m ferry terminal at the Trafalgar Dock to improve links with the Isle of White.

  • It will include a four-deck car park above the marshalling yard to replace existing surface parking and car storage

    Kevin George, CEO at Red Funnel, said: “We’re delighted that the plans have been approved.

    “This is a major step for Red Funnel in terms of delivering the first part of the Solent Gateways scheme alongside the proposals for East Cowes, which are also being progressed.”


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Burns’ Down still under construction



  • LOOK OUT FOR

    Whether a team has a new manager or one in their third or fourth season, the Dr McKenna Cup will always see a flurry of new faces. Éamonn Burns has given county debuts to a number of Down players in the last few weeks.

  • Last week’s win over St Mary’s in their final Dr McKenna Cup match was their first victory since defeating Laois last April to secure promotion from Division Two.
  • Forwards Gareth Johnson (Tullylish) and Seán Dornan (Castlewellan) got on the scoresheet during the McKenna Cup, while Ballyholland’s Joe Murphy added some physical presence to the attacking department.
  • When we speak, he’s working in Bangor; he could be anywhere around the country, any day of the week he admits.
  • It’s the sort of life Cavan manager Terry Hyland said recently is becoming less and less conducive to an inter-county career. But with the construction industry picking up, so too are the opportunities for the 25-year-old Down forward.


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Indian pool house by 42mm Architecture has a concrete frame



  • A thick loop of concrete forms the walls, flooring and roof of this pool house, completed by Indian firm 42mm Architecture in the garden of a New Delhi residence (+ slideshow).
  • The pre-stressed concrete structure made it possible to slightly cantilever the structure over the edge of its sloping site.

  • Other recently completed pool houses include a bulky concrete structure in Madrid and a building with a folded wooden ceiling in Melbourne.

  • “This combination of wood and concrete renders an expression which welcomes its guests while dazzling them,” added 42mm Architecture.
  • “Asserting its presence with a singular, bold and robust frame, this house sits impressively within its surroundings,” it added.


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