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Issue 5 - December 2023

ENERGISED NEWS & VIEWS FROM OUR CORNER OF THE WORLD

flos CoNWY eXpANds CHristMAs soCiAls NeW editor WHAt is M&e?

CONTENTS Hello & welcome to Issue 5 of ENERGISED. Things may sound a little different this time round as a new editor takes over; Hi, I’m Jessica. I joined the company back in July. Time has absolutely flown by since May. It’s only when you take a moment to reflect on the past six months you become aware of how much the company has achieved, grown & changed in such a short space of time.

So, what have our highlights been? Of course, there’s FLOS. Our f irst industry leadership event discussing building regulations documents F.L.O & S and the impact they are having on new build residential schemes. The expansion of our Conwy off ice and further growth in North Wales. We have also won & completed some amazing projects & not forgetting a busy social calendar. Jessica Laycock Marketing & Business Development Executive and Energised Editor.

FLOS: the impact on new-build affordable housing.

07 FLO 2024 :

Welsh Regulations

08 Conwy Expands New Projects

11 12 The New Editor Five Minutes with Mr Hughes 13

Recruitment & Scholarship Scheme

What is M&E?

‘Tis the Season

21 Social Value 22

Looking ahead | 2024

FLOS Thursday 21st September 2023

September 2023 played host to our most ambitious leadership event to date:

APPROVED DOCUMENTS F.L.O & S THE IMPACT ON NEW-BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

So why F.L.O & S? So why F.L.O & S? Following signif icant updates to Building Regulations Parts F and L and the introduction of new Part S and O in June 2021, enforced f rom June 2022, we are seeing signif icant impacts feeding through into many of our live projects both at design and construction stage. So, with this in mind we thought it would be useful to meet with our industry colleagues and to share our experiences under the new regulations. What is FLOS? F.LO.S is an acronym which covers four of the sixteen government published Approved Documents:

Part F (Ventilation) Part L (Conservation of Fuel & Power) Part O (Overheating) Part S (Infrastructure for Electric Vehicle Charging F.L.O.S provides a regulatory ‘toolkit’ creating a ‘level playing f ield’ for housing providers, ensuring high quality, safe living standards are delivered, and provides a roadmap to assist in aspirations towards Net Zero Carbon.

What we discussed. - Each Approved Document was discussed in detail and experiences and best practice shared. - All parties were agreed that due to the complexities and risk associated with compliance to the new regulations and the signif icant impact these have on building form and cost, M&E, Part O and Part L appointments need to be engaged and works carried out pre-planning to help def ine the building design. - The design sequence and early appointment of specialists, including acoustician, Part O and Part L modellers is key to avoiding delays to project programmes. - How can these additional pre-planning consultancy costs can be managed at a time when the project is at risk and until planning has been granted ? - How have these documents impacted new affordable housing projects f rom the perspective of the Client and Client’s Agent ? - Housing Associations are rising to the challenge of the new regulations and are keen to engage earlier to mitigate issues pre and post planning. - Homes England provided excellent strategic context for the development of future affordable homes and took away useful feedback f rom the day to discuss with peers.

results of our live slido poll: Are you aware of the new standards F.L.O & S? YES 68% NO 7% SOMEWHAT 25% 5

THE EXPERTS Richard Lewis Technical & Quality Director Shared an overview of FLOS & discussed Part F.

Alan Williams Electrical Associate Discussed Part S and the inf rastructure for Electric Vehicle charging.

Peter Kinsella Director & Energy Consultant

Rob Buchanan Sustainability Manager Gave a detailed analysis of how best to comply with Part O. Stephen Jones Divisional Director Quantity Surveying

Highlighted how costs have moved over recent times due to various external pressures in conjunction with FLOS and provided a project management perspective on its impact.

Reviewed his experiences achieving compliance under Part L 2021 including M&E strategies and building envelope design.

Steve Alcock Director of Developmen & Technical

Sharon Kenny Assistant Director, Provider Management Delivered insight as to what support housing providers can expect as we move towards 2025 Future Homes Standard and acknowledged the challenges faced by the design and construction teams and welcomed the feedback on the day.

Gave his evaluation on how these documents have impacted new affordable housing projects f rom the perspective of the Client and how TORUS are actively involved in helping to develop innovative solutions for future homes.

Simon Halliwell Director Gave his perspective on how the changes have impacted the Architectural design process.

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Main takeaways from the day Having full design sign off by all consultants by the time planning is submitted, is crucial. Waiting until build stage will result in delays in planning permissions and additional cost due to revisions. Simon Halliwell, Paddock Johnson We must think about simplicity for end users. Some of the systems being installed are just too complex and occupiers can’t use them. Also consider having volunteers living in the communities that understand the systems to help their neighbours use them. Steve Alcock, Torus In the future Homes England will only support projects which enable sustainable homes and places, maximising their positive contribution to the natural environment and minimising their environmental impact. To make developments more appealing, to win land and funding, it’s crucial that the requirements of FLOS are met. Sharon Kenny, Homes England

The event was a roaring success (if we do say so ourselves) and the break-out discussions over a bacon sandwich with a wide range of industry colleagues topped off a great day.

FLO2024

20 March 2024

A second event is planned for March 2024 covering Welsh FLO Approved Building Regulations Documents which were released a short time after English regulations and will be focussed on issues specif ic to Wales, its approach to affordable housing and Welsh Assembly direction of travel. This event will include a Welsh translation service. The Welsh event will not cover Part S, as this document is not applicable in Wales however, a new viewpoint will be covered as William Jones, Commercial Director at Read Construction will share his experience f rom a contractors perspective. Darren Hatton, Head of Housing Standards for the Welsh Government will be attendance alongside Stephen Jones, Divisional Director Quantity Surveying at AA Projects & David Hughes, Director at Hughes O’Hanlon Architects.

Wednesday 20th March 2024 Venue Cymru

Tickets will go on sale early in the New Year. If you would like invitation reminder for the event, please email us here. 8

WE HAVE MOVED

EXPANSION OF DAVIES PARTNERSHIP NORTH WALES OFFICE In July we were thrilled to make the move into new, larger off ice space in Conwy. The move offers our team a beautiful picturesque view of Conwy Castle & has allowed us to better service our clients & projects in the vicinity. With 35% of our workforce already residing in the North Wales region, it is an integral part of the business and an important part of our identity.

We hope with this additional investment the North Wales team will continue to grow organically and allow us to continue to invest in local talent and developing young engineers in the area. Still residing at Riverside Business Park, the expansion has allowed us to welcome clients to our new rooftop terrace breakout space too. If you’re in the area and would like to pop in to discuss a project or just to take in the area’s natural beauty, please get in touch.

EW PROJECTS

new projects

NEW PROJECTS

new projects

NEW PROJECT

Housing 21 Hawthorne Road Extra Care

£20,000,000 Liverpool

Kimpton Bath Junction Residential

£100,000,000 Bath

Sheen Lane Sutton Park House Residential

£60,000,000

projects

London

NEW PROJECTS

new projects 10

NEW PROJECTS

new projects

NEW PROJECTS

new projects

NEW PROJECTS

new pr

Knight Frank Brabners LLP Commercial

£2,500,000 Liverpool

Haltec Airbus - Building 72 - 4th Customer Inspection Bay Industrial

£3,700,000

Broughton

Mara Electrical Springfield School Education

£5,000,000 Crewe

NEW PROJECTS

new projects

NEW PROJECTS 11

new projects NEW PROJEC

RECRUITMENT In November we welcomed a new Senior Mechanical Engineer, Steve Callan to the team and continuing with our ethos of promoting f rom within, we are pleased to report of another new promotion.

“I’m overjoyed to have been promoted to Intermediate Mechanical Engineer. I’m exceptionally grateful to the whole design team who have kindly given their time to help me learn and grow within the company”. Peter Hughes, Intermediate Mechanical Engineer.

Peter Hughes who joined in January 2023 as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer has been deservedly promoted to Intermediate Mechanical Engineer in just 10 months. A very deserving recognition.

We are currently recruiting for various positions, so please get in touch if you’d like to know more.

scholarship programme

We are delighted to announce the Davies Partnership Graduate Degree Apprenticeship. We are now accepting applications from students who are currently working towards a BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment or similar qualification. The scheme will sponsor a student on a 5-year, part time degree where they will spend one day a week at John Moores University & 4 days working with the Davies Partnership team. The student will be exposed to a wide variety of construction projects across several interesting sectors and attend regular site visits to carry our surveys & inspections. Receiving mentorship & guidance from all the Senior, Principle, Associate & Directors, we hope to offer an invaluable experience which will go some way to addressing the skills shortage in the construction industry. Our first wave of applications close 19th January. If you would like more information, please contact us here.

The new editor Jessica Laycock Marketing & Business Development Executive and Energised Editor. Educated in Chester. BA received in Cardiff. Previously of the textile manufacturing industry. Loves Scandinavian travel & Italian food. It has been my experience that in male dominated industries like construction, f inance & agriculture there can be an air of a ‘boys club’ mentality. That’s not to say that there are not women of power with considerable talent in these industries, but as a woman joining a new f irm, in a new industry, just back f rom maternity leave, my hesitations would be rational (probably my f irst rational thought in nine months). But, f rom interview stage through to the end of my f irst week, I needn’t of had any such hesitation. One of the things that stood out when researching the company pre-interview, was the level of staff retention. If a company is actively recruiting as a requirement not a replacement, it speaks volumes. The team were welcoming, f riendly and approachable; as were, and still are, the senior leaders. 5 months in, I’ve met some interesting characters & been invited to some exceptional events. I’m still learning the dialect but I’m enjoying working in M&E for an SME alongside PM’s & RP’s. Still impressed by the level of continued training and mentorship at each stage f rom graduate to director, the care & consideration put into each project & person is incomparable. What’s next? We have a busy calendar already for 2024 f rom leadership events to social activities and big projects to start. I’m looking forward to meeting more associates along the way and building on already solid foundations.

collaboration

As the company grows and the industry evolves we f ind the evermore need & interest to collaborate. Attending & hosting leadership events has been a big part of this latter year, which we aim to continue into 2024. Whether its addressing the skills gap in construction or discussing legislation changes, we want to be involved. If you have project you think we can help on please get in touch.

PETER HUGHES

MINUT

WIT S H E

FIV How would you describe your job role? My role is to aid the engineers in their design, conducting calculations, completing drawings and liaising with manufacturers. How did you get into the industry? After completing University I wanted to purse a career that used both an academic and practical approach to engineering. Additionally I wanted to enter into an industry where we are working towards reducing carbon emissions. Building Services Engineering encompasses both of these and I have really enjoyed my time in the industry. What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t stress about exams. Focus on gaining experience, you learn alot more by doing a job than in University.

Peter joined the team in January 2023 as a Graduate Engineer. 10 months later (only 10!) he was promoted to Intermediate Mechanical Engineer. An integral part of the team, you’ll f ind Peter at both our Conwy & Chester off ices.

What has been your favourite project to work on & why? Bath Junction - It involved some diff icult design criteria that lead to me learning a lot about drainage design. Additionally I started working on this project f rom the beginning so gained a better understanding of how decisions are made over the design process. What do you enjoy most about working at DP? The work culture is great. If I’m struggling to understand something people are very generous with their time and explain things to me. This is brilliant when you’re in the learning phase of you career. If you weren’t an engineer, what would you be? It’s hard to say really. I enjoy cooking so maybe a Chef. What are your interests outside of work? Spending time with my daughter, sea f ishing & I picked up golf over the summer but don’t play often. 14

“

Director Commendation Peter joined us as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer in 2022, having been through a challenging period at University during the covid years, and despite this, graduating with a First-Class Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Our recruitment process identif ied Peter as someone that would f it within the Davies Partnership culture and aligned with our core values. We knew he would build solid relationships with our established client base and that has proven to be the case. Peter quickly built-up relationships with our engineers, who have been very supportive, and Peter has ‘sponged’ up knowledge during his f irst year with us. Peter is proactive, dedicated, and hungry to learn, all qualities we look for in a graduate. As a result of Peter’s rapid progress, he has recently been promoted to the position of Intermediate Engineer and Peter is now taking ownership of projects for the f irst time, with the safety net of the Davies Partnership class leading Quality Control system hanging under him. Due to the Davies Partnership ‘one company’ approach which ignores regional off ice boundaries, Peter has been able to relocate back to his home-town in Conwy, working out of our Conwy off ice with regular trips over to Chester off ice providing good exposure to a wide variety of project types and enabling him to work with different Senior and Principal engineers. Peter has underpinned our decision to grow the company f rom the bottom up where possible, this decision made both on commercial and ethical grounds and Peter has proven to be a real asset to our team. Richard Lewis Technical & Quality Director

What is MEPS? Working in the M&E discipline often raise one question, “So, what is that exactly?” Often thought of the dark arts of the industry, unless you have a f riend, uncle or sister who works in building services you wouldn’t be blamed for not knowing exactly what we do. Even some of our closest industry colleagues don’t fully understand (though they would never admit it). One of the main takeaways f rom our FLOS event was how important the introduction of M&E was pre-planning. This being said we’ve put together a essential guide to M&E. You will be tested, so read up!

WHAT DOES MEPS STAND FOR? Mechanical, Electrical, Public health and Sustainability.

WHAT IS MEPS ENGINEERING? MEPS engineering what is left inside a building when you strip away the walls, roof, floors and structure. It delivers the air you breathe, the water you drink, illuminates your space, protects you f rom f ire, secures your building, delivers power for your equipment and disposes of human waste. All this, delivered in the most sustainable way possible. 16

WHAT DO MEPS ENGINEERS DESIGN? mechanical systems

electrical systems

> Air conditioning

> Electrical Power

> Heating

> General Lighting

> Ventilation

> Emergency Lighting

> Smoke Ventilation

> External Lighting

> Combined Heat and Power

> Fire Alarm

> Air Source Heat Pumps

> Security

> Ground Source Heat Pumps

> Access Control

> Local Extract Ventilation (LEV)

> Data

> Specialist Gases

> Audio Visual

> Compressed Air

> Solar Power

> Vertical transportation

> Wind Power > Standby Generation

public health systems > Domestic Water Supplies > Foul Drainage Systems > Water and gaseous f ire suppression systems

energy & sustainability Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Our sustainability team deliver the following: > Energy and carbon modelling / simulation of new buildings > Assist the design team in delivering net zero carbon new buildings. > Use energy and carbon modelling to improve eff iciency of existing buildings. > Model buildings to prevent overheating as buildings become more air tight. > Statutory compliance models to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations energy targets. > Promote best practice low energy building design.

KINGMAKER HOUSE New Barnet, London

WHY IS MEPS SO IMPORTANT? > MEPS deliver an environment that is usable, hygienic, comfortable, secure, safe and inspiring. > Minimise energy consumption and greehouse gas emissions > Eliminate fuel poverty

WHY BECOME AN MEPS ENGINEER? > You get opportunity to be part of a team delivering buildings that change lives for the better. > You will have opportunity to help reduce construction industry carbon footprint every day of your working life. > No two days are ever the same. > You enjoy learning new things every day, no matter how old you are. > You enjoy working as part of a team and building relationships across all walks of life. > You don’t like being off ice bound, MEPS provides an ideal balance of site and off ice working. > You have a passion for engineering and understanding how things work. > You want job security, MEPS are in high demand.

CHRISTMAS SOCIALS

We work in a very busy, very social industry, so after a year’s graft, it’s only right we all celebrate together - as a working collective & for our individual achievements.

15.11.23JDA BALL

Our first festive outing was to the JDA Architects Charity Ball. Joined by our friends from Strzala Architects & our founder Phil Davies we enjoyed a night of great food, one too many drinks & raising money for a great cause, 42nd Street Charity. The charity supports young people with their mental health through promoting choice & creativity. All of their services are free and confidential & available in a safe, understanding space. We were even honoured to hear from one of their young service users who described the incredible impact the charity has made to her life & wellbeing.

23.11.23ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DRINKS This year, our annual Christmas Drinks Event was held at Albert’s Schloss Liverpool. Hosting alongside our friends from AA Projects , Alan Johnston Partnership & Paddock Johnson we enjoyed an evening of Festive Drinks & Smorgasbords. We were thrilled to welcome so many clients. 20

07.12.23 OFFICE CHRISTMAS DO

An event we all look forward to. The Davies Partnership Christmas Party. Working across three offices can make it difficult for some of the team to see each other on a regular basis, so our Christmas lunch is always a wonderful occasion. Starting in Chester’s excellent La Fattoria Italian (we highly recommend) before moving onto the best of the bars, it was one to remember.

S O C I A L VA LU E Alongside our annual donation to Claire House Childrens Hospice, we were also really honoured to be involved in helping to support several other local projects & charities. Chester Boxing Club, our neighbours, provides a variety of classes and oneon-one sessions for all ages with a particular focus on building self-discipline, growing confidence and keeping healthy, both mentally & physically.

Pexhill JFC U7 Team received new sponsorship for their match day coats. Good Luck for the rest of the season boys!

We were pleased to support Debbie King on her incredible 100km trek across the Sahara Desert. Raising money for a Multigym at the Nugent secure children’s home in St Helens, Debbie surpassed her goal of £4000, raising over £5000. 22

2024

Looking ahead After another fantastic year in 2023 and as we prepare for a welcome break with family and friends, it is a great time to reflect and be appreciative of the great people we have in our business and to thank our wonderfully supportive clients and industry colleagues. I always think it is important to look back and reflect on where we have come from, but it is also equally important to look forward and relish the challenges and opportunities we have in front of us too. We have lots planned for 2024 including our Team Together Day, our Charity Bike Ride and Charity Golf Day. We will be attending UK REiiF for the first time and will be continuing to support and engage with our friends and colleagues in the industry wherever we can. We have an extremely busy order book having secured some exciting new appointments for next year and we will be completing many more existing appointments across a diverse portfolio of sectors. We will be welcoming another new starter in February and are delighted that our first apprentice (for some time) will be joining us in the summer to kick start our Scholarship Programme. The Scholarship is something that we are all really excited about and since launching details in November, we have had over a dozen high quality candidates apply, so hopefully this is good sign and will help address the desperate skills shortage our industry is currently experiencing. Looking forward, 2024 is already shaping up to be another bumper year for Davies Partnership. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it’. And that is what we intend to do. On behalf of everyone at Davies Partnership we wish you all the very best for 2024.

Tony McDonnell Managing Director

Thanks For Reading