New edition of Renewal

Just to let you all know, the latest version of our update magazine Renewal is now online.

Click on the front cover, below, to open:

In this edition: News, school security, M6 Extension, the green economy, Shuttleworth College, Hoddinott Hall, urban trees

Prince Charles gives speech to RIBA

Further to all the discussions over the last few days, you can now see for yourself what Prince Charles had to say at the RIBA yesterday. (And make up your own mind).

Go to the Building Design website to read coverage, opinions and the full transcript.

Read some reactions on The Architects' Journal website

You can also watch the coverage from Channel 4 News:

A right Charlie?

Prince Charles is once again causing a stir in the world of Architecture.

HRH the Prince of Wales, an advocate of ‘traditional’ architecture, is to address the Royal Institute of British Architects tonight, to urge them that they must build to last and put the needs of people first.

The topic itself could provoke opinion, but the speech comes at a time when he has already been accused of meddling with plans for the Chelsea Barracks development in London, not to mention the last time he was at the RIBA 25 years ago, he famously described plans for the National Gallery as a ‘monstrous carbuncle’.

A number of Architects are now threatening to boycott the event.

Royal meddling or a valuable opinion? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Find out what people are saying:

• See what people are saying on Twitter
• Adam condemns RIBA boycott of Prince Charles lecture - Country Life
• Since when was the Prince of Wales a pillar of democracy? - Blueprint Magazine
• Architects to hear Prince appeal - BBC
• Charles Tells Architects: Put People First - Sky News
• Top architects urge boycott of Prince Charles speech – Building magazine
• Prince Charles RIBA Speech Revealed - Building Magazine
• Architects call for boycott of Prince of Wales RIBA lecture – The Architects Journal
• Should Prince Charles criticise modern architecture? - BBC - 'Have your say'
  
  

Renewal - Capita Symonds' magazine

Did you know we produced our own update magazine?

Well we do.....and it's called Renewal.

Twice a year we'll keep you up to date with our latest news and projects, as well as giving you an insight into some of the key issues affecting our industry today.

The next issue is due later this month, but if you just can't wait, you can see previous copies via the links below:

Issue 8: Corporate UK goes green, Noise at work regulations, Designing our crime, Reducing child road casualties, leading the regeneration debate

Issue 7: News, Sustainability, acquisitions, school design, new rail service, eco-towns, waste

Issue 6: News, zero-carbon, flood prevention, Wembley Stadium, hospital design, ecology, Philippines, landfill allowance

Issue 5: News, sustainability, climate change and security, Paddington Bridge, microsimulation, superbugs, quarry dewatering

Other issues can be found on our website

If you like to talk to us about any of the news stories or issues covered in Renewal please contact Karl Blockwell, Communications Manager.

These and other Capita Symonds publications can also be found on Yudo: Link to our library:

The importance of securing an education

An opinion piece concerning school security, by Kevin Shieber of Capita Symonds’ Security team recently appeared in Construction News:

Read the article in full on the Capita Symonds website

Smart research holds the answers to congestion

A research study carried out by Capita Symonds’ transport planning department in 2005 has been doing the rounds on the internet over the last few weeks.

The study concluded that Short Passenger Vehicles (SPVs) such as Smart cars could actually reduce congestion, as well as using less fuel and needing smaller parking spaces.

Mercedes-Benz (who own Smart) are now encouraging Boris Johnson to consider Smart Cars for his "Way to Go" document - discussing transport issues, including ways to cut congestion in the capital.

"We’ve suggested to the Mayor that he could improve traffic congestion in London by encouraging the use of space-efficient cars, like the smart fortwo. The fortwo’s exceptional fuel economy, reduced CO2 emissions and the fact you can park two smarts in the space of one regular car, can only be positive news for the Capital."

Find out more about the Capita Symonds research

Read some of the recent articles promoting the use of SPV's (and quoting Capita Symonds' research):

• Traffic Technology Today
• Smart
• Highbeam
• The Green Car Website

Sound Advice from Capita Symonds' Acoustics Team

Negative sounding financial phraseology has dominated media reports for some months now, as reports of a global credit crunch have followed on from over-ambitious bank lending in the US sub-prime property market. The ripples are now being felt further afield, with initial talk of belt tightening now leading to gloomier fears of economic recession. For stadium and arena managers, it seems that investment plans will be under greater scrutiny than ever.

But for the paying public, attention to detail when it comes to the audible experience at their favourite venue can no longer come second best – especially when the ticket cost for entertainment represents a larger percentage of their remaining disposable income. What’s more, there is the increasingly tempting option of saving on a ticket price and staying at home, perhaps with a cheaper takeaway meal, enjoying the sophisticated sonic delights of 5.1 home cinema sound on a widescreen high definition plasma TV display – why bother with muddy sound when you can catch the game on your sofa instead?

So doing nothing to compete with this attractive alternative is not an option. Budget restraints may force a compromise, but it’s clear that many venues in Europe, for instance, do need to catch up with their North American counterparts and overcome some of the structural and legislative factors that have held back their development in this area. At the ‘top end’ of the market, among Premiership football clubs for example, this work has already seen results. But for other facilities, such as those in the ‘middle market’, there is plenty of ground to make up. For them, one big question is how to achieve this?

Reaching the limit

Daryl Prasad, Associate Director at Capita Symonds Acoustics, believes market emphasis has moved to improved quality of sound and a switch towards improved technology that’s better able to direct sound within a venue. “The old days of managers being simply able to exponentially increase sound volume levels are gone – environmental considerations and local authority limits on acoustic emissions in the area surrounding a venue have changed that.”

He adds that the emphasis on quality and directional sound is being achieved by methods including the use of large phase arrays that angle sound so that it’s projected onto an audience and does not create ‘spillage’ beyond a boundary. These phase arrays can also be used for in-house systems to avoid creating unwanted reflections and echoes that can typically cloud and muddy the sound quality. Cardioid, and super cardioid, sub-woofers are another method of ensuring that low frequency energy is directional and have proved especially useful at music festivals such as the recent Glastonbury event in the UK, to prevent spillage.

Daryl Prasad, who’s spent 10 years in consulting and acoustics, including previous spells with Arup Acoustics and BDP Acoustics, points out that new EU health and safety regulations relating to occupational noise came into effect for the music and entertainment sectors in the UK this April.

The EU Directive (2003/10/EC) on which the Control of Noise at Work Regulations are based allowed these sectors a two-year transitional period. Arenas and stadiums hosting concerts should check that staff are not being exposed to sound volumes beyond the stated high noise levels – namely 85 decibels (daily or weekly average exposure) – without providing hearing protection and hearing protection zones.

Clearly, then, entertainment sound control is an important issue both for venues and consumers. Capita Symonds’ team of acoustic consultants provide a full range of services relating to entertainment noise. As specialists in sound, noise monitoring, acoustics and IT solutions they have worked on venues including Chelsea FC, Hong Kong Stadium, Eircom Park, The Point in Dublin and the new Wembley national stadium.

For further information on the services which Capita Symonds Acoustics can provide, please contact Daryl Prasad or visit our website

The show must go on

Don't forget to remember the sparkle....

Games of conkers banned in schools ... litter bins removed for attracting wasps ... hundreds of trees cut down for fear of falling branches ... pantomime stars banned from throwing sweets into audiences ... cross country runs seen as too dangerous ... ‘outdoor’ pursuits for children banned ... pancake runs squashed... and Santa Claus in a shopping centre made to wear a body harness in his 5mph sleigh ...

Many ‘Health & Safety’ stories in the tabloids are apocryphal but there is no doubt that in recent years we have seen the growth of a risk adverse society. The madness may be under threat from Gordon Brown’s new risk assessment watchdog (The Risk and Regulation Advisory Council) - but I sometimes wonder “How did we get here?”

Having worked in entertainment and leisure safety for many years I can honestly say that some of the events I attend nowadays are, quite frankly, boring. Events are supposed to be exciting, stimulating and fun. The public now, more often than not, wish to participate rather than watch, to push the boat out, seek a buzz, an adrenalin rush …but a serous paranoia has gripped event organizers, leading to many cancellations and/or curtailment of activities.

Admittedly, this paranoia is sometimes understandable as it’s a direct result of successful compensation claims by the public fuelled by over zealous legal eagles and a lack of risk management protocols. For example, the public have been successful in even the most bizarre claims for compensation - climbing over a perimeter fence and falling down a rabbit hole being one of my particular favourites! Nevertheless, this cotton wool culture is seriously destroying the event industry’s spirit of adventure, fun, enjoyment, fulfilment and excitement. It’s time to put things into perspective and actually get to grips with certain issues.

We need a better understanding of the law and, in particular, risk assessments. Health & Safety legislation requires employers to ensure that work places/activities are safe - including events. Of course, risk assessment of the activities must be carried out to deal with significant hazards and appropriate control measures must be put in place. However, only reasonable foreseeable significant hazards are to be considered and reasonably practicable control measures put in place - based on potential likelihood and severity. It’s basically commonsense and recognises you cannot, or indeed be expected to, guarantee an event is 101% safe.

Proper risk assessments by competent persons can achieve good legal safety precautions for almost any activity. An innovative, practical, pragmatic problem solving, creative approach to hazard control can be very rewarding - resulting in more exciting, stimulating, challenging events with new diverse, unorthodox, ‘dangerous’ activities accommodated. Paranoid over zealous, nit picking, paper producing processes do nothing of any value. Properly thought out safety procedures that are put into practice on the day need to be appropriate but not stifling. Risk has to be managed, but it cannot always be removed - and nor should it.

We need to put on a show, to entertain and thrill crowds. With risk assessments and skilled, creative, event Health & Safety officials we can still put on shows of which Barnum himself would have been proud.

Richard Limb, Director of Capita Symonds’ Leisure and Event Safety team

Links:

• Find out more about Capita Symonds' Leisure and Event Safety Team
• Enroll on the Diploma in Events Safety Management developed by Derby University and Capita Symonds
• What to know what's true and what's myth in the world of health and safety? Have a look at the Myth of the Month page on the Health & Safety Executive website