Spec Finish

Industrial 20 www.thefis.org Hercules distribution centre case study The delivery teamat Pexhurst Services Ltd were appointed to carry out refurbishment works to Hercules, a distribution centre in Bristol totalling 423,202ft² with CAHollis, for client, Hines. It was one of the largest projects in Pexhurst’s 45 year history and Director, Stuart Byles, explains: “Our client wantedmore flexibility for incoming tenants, so the original unit was divided into two, whichmeant splitting all theM&E services, refurbishing two separate offices and forming a common party wall. “The project’s short turnaround time (against a backdrop of COVID lockdowns) meant works to the roofs, warehouse units, office spaces and hard standing were carried out simultaneously. From a logistics standpoint, given that there were between 100-150 operatives on site at any given time, site and project management were extremely important.” www.pexhurst.co.uk Innovation Ways of working and the way we live our lives generally has changed radically, particuarly over the past two years. Companies are having to strive for operational efficiency, safety and excellence, this, says Edward Finch (Troax), is what is driving companies to invest and introduce new technology. He said: “Projects require speed, safety and competent execution. At Troax, we provide solutions and work with customers to overcome new challenges and offer them bespoke solutions. “AI, automation and robotics are driving innovation and improvements in processes and operations and reacting to this, our products are designed to protect people, property and processes and are becomingmore integral in fully automated warehousing applications.” Stuart Byles (Pexhurst) puts the dramatic rise in e-commerce and digital transformation caused by the pandemic down to the huge demand for more resilient, collaborative and networked supply chains and warehouses. He said: “When it comes to managing all these moving parts, the rise of new technological innovations is helping speed things along and streamline the process. “New and existing warehouses are now taking a technology-first approach and we are seeing many technologies being integrated into these spaces including robotics and automation, sensor and automatic identification, Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles and drones.” Stuart predicts that as these innovations take centre stage and at the same time, the supply of land diminishes, we will see owners and occupiers broaden where they locate their warehouse and distribution centres and how they build them. He said: “If it’s feasible, we could see more multi- level warehouses pop up especially in urban areas, as well as underground warehouses, similar to what we see in cities such as Paris.” Sustainability “The biggest trend we are seeing in industrial buildings and warehousing is the demand for more sustainable buildings,” said Lee Stuart, Director at Pexhurst Services Ltd. This is driven by the rise of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing and occupier demand for buildings with green credentials. Some of the features and methods that Pexhurst is increasingly implementing in fit-outs include: • alternative, sustainable and regionally sourced materials; • sensors to monitor lighting needs, room occupancy and other types of resource management like gas and water; • LED and other energy-efficient lighting; • installation of EV charging points; • maximising re-use in the construction phase. (For example, on their Woolborough Lane project in Crawley for CBREIM, Pexhurst extended the structural steel column and reused the original rafter to increase the height of the warehouse by approximately 2.5m); • capturing and monitoring waste streams with the BRE SmartWaste system; • rooflights and other openings to increase natural light; and • building with nature. (For example, Pexhurst’s recent industrial refurbishment for SEGRO in Feltham saw the installation of external green walls featuring ivy planters in front of the existing brick wall to the car park area, as well as eco-friendly bike racks with roof planters and bird boxes). The Construction Skills Network (CSN) and the Glenigan Construction Industry Forecast both suggest that UK construction output will return to pre-pandemic levels this year, driven in part by the vaccine programme and extensive Government support, but also because many construction businesses were able to stay open and adapt rapidly to the new environment. They expect output to grow at an average rate of 4.4% across 2021-2025. We are building back strongly, but we have to acknowledge that the sector will continue to face some challenges; particularly the ongoing shortage of construction materials. All contractors will need to be agile and take opportunities when they arise in what promises to exciting future for our sector. Hercules, the 423,202ft² distribution centre in Bristol refurbished by Pexhurst Services Ltd