Newark-based WilSon Energy, a provider of fully integrated Heating, Metering, Pre-Payment and Billing & Bureau Services for residential homes and commercial developments, has won a new contract to deploy the latest LoRaWAN technology as part of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). The project will see a network of 250 residential properties in Stevenage benefitting from WilSon Energy’s implementation of the latest cutting-edge heat metering technology. LoRaWAN is communications protocol that wirelessly connects “things” to the internet in regional, national, or global networks. Its popularity is growing in the residential property space as it is an easy-to-deploy, simple-to-manage, resilient, robust and cost-effective solution for managing heating, cooling, electricity, water and gas metering. Together with Axioma Metering, the project will feature Qalcosonic E3 smart ultrasonic heat energy meters with LoRa modules operating within WilSon’s intelligent data management platform solution. Andy Wilkinson, CEO WilSon Energy, said: “With this partnership we are able to provide customers with a one-stop shop solution; the smart heat energy meter, LoRaWAN network and IoT platform.” Through the collaboration, the WilSon platform will allow building administrators to monitor and analyse data; use the data for billing; generate balancing, consumption and leakage reports; as well as receive customisable alerts. This includes immediate notifications of any water leaks in order to prevent damage to their infrastructure and avoid un-billed cases. A spokesperson from the property management company added: “With the previous system that was deployed by a former contractor, the project has been inherently troubled with many issues over the last few years. Residents have been understandably unhappy about receiving incorrect bills or not being billed at all due to technical issues. With WilSon Energy on board we are now able to rectify this. “We’re looking forward to working with the WilSon Energy team to roll out the latest technology to residents at our Stevenage development. The implementation of this smart metering will provide a myriad of benefits, including accurate readings and a more cost-effective solution for utility bill management. This will ensure accurate billing and help our residents monitor and manage their energy usage.” Ultrasonic measurement is considered the most reliable way of measuring the hot or chilled water flow by providing accurate consumption reporting, as the data is collected automatically, while residents can monitor their energy usage with the help of a mobile App. In addition, the advanced metering infrastructure can lower billing costs and minimise errors by eliminating the traditional drive-by/walk-by meter data collection, as all meters are equipped with LoRa modules permitting data to be transmitted to the system effectively and without the possibility of intervention. Dan Mayfield, WilSon’s support and operations manager explained: “Working together in the market like this, enables us to have a strong focus and accelerate the development of our IoT platform.” WilSon Energy is carrying out the full mechanical and electrical installation of all metering devices and central concentrators. The project will enable the property management company to experience the benefit of the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for the first time.

Work has commenced on two educational facilities at Glenvale Park, a 3,000 home sustainable urban extension to the north of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The works comprise a new two-form entry primary school for up to 420 pupils as well as a 75-place nursery and community centre. Alongside these works, a new children’s play park facility will be delivered, creating a flagship recreational amenity for children living in the area. The ground-breaking ceremony marks a key point for the delivery of the development’s masterplan. In attendance were members of North Northants Council, Wellingborough Town Council, Homes England, and local community groups. Special guest Cllr Valerie Anslow, deputy mayor of Wellingborough Town Council, cut the first piece of grass and said a few words to mark the occasion: “The ground-breaking event was a great way to celebrate work beginning on the primary and nursery schools at Glenvale Park. “It fills me with tremendous pride to be able to kick-off these works which will bring additional school spaces to Wellingborough and be a place of inspiration for future generations. I’m looking forward to seeing how the schools progress in the coming months ahead of their opening in 2023.” Mark Best, director of Midtown Capital, Managing Partners of Glenvale Park LLP, said: “We’re delighted that the first works have commenced on the two educational facilities at Glenvale Park, marking a significant milestone in the development’s progress as well as delivering on our commitment to generating social value for the Wellingborough area. “The primary and nursery schools will become a space to learn for children living at Glenvale Park and beyond for many years to come. We’re excited to welcome the first pupils and their families to the schools in 2023.” The design and delivery of the schools is being led by Kettering-based architects and lead consultants, GSSArchitecture with the main construction works driven forward by Lindum Group. Tom Jagger, partner and project architect at GSSArchitecture, said: “It’s fantastic to see works start on site at Glenvale Park. The new primary school, community centre, nursery and play equipment will provide a key hub for the new community, offering purpose-built facilities that can enable the delivery of excellent learning opportunities for local children and benefit the wider community.” Darren King, Managing Director at Lindum Group, said: “We have now started working on the primary school and another team from Lindum will start on the nursery in three weeks. “To secure both contracts for the nursery and primary school will create a unique, but interesting situation for us, in the sense that we will have two separate teams working on projects that are right next to each other. “This is an excellent opportunity for Lindum to help to expand and develop the community in our local area. I am very much looking forward to seeing this project completed and welcoming this new community into the already thriving area.”

Plans to redevelop and extend a former retail and office building in Nottingham to provide purpose built student accommodation and a commercial unit have been approved.

The first phase of work to transform Derby’s historic Market Hall into an attractive retail and leisure destination fit for the future is now complete. Work is set to start soon on the second phase, which will focus on refurbishing the interior and developing the exterior public space at Osnabruck Square – a key entrance to the Grade II listed building. Wates Construction has been leading an expert project team of local architects and engineers on the flagship project, comprising Latham Architects, Rogers Leask, and Clancy Consultants. The vision is to create a building that celebrates its heritage and market tradition, while offering attractive and flexible spaces that can be adapted to meet modern needs and evolving consumer demand. When it reopens, the Market Hall will include both traditional and theme markets, events, one-off or pop-up uses, make and trade spaces, and small performances – with a greater emphasis on food and drink to attract a wide range of businesses and visitors. Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, it will also play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre economy. A vibrant city centre is a key part of the strategy developed to ensure Derby’s economy remains resilient after the pandemic. A task force, made up of representatives from both public and private sectors, is driving activity to maintain business and investor confidence, diversify the local economy and decarbonise the city. Councillor Mick Barker, cabinet member for governance and deputy leader of Derby City Council, said: “Derby Market Hall is one of the city’s most beautiful and prominent buildings, which connects key areas of our city centre. “As a Grade II listed building, it deserves tasteful and sympathetic attention to detail to its renovation. Quality takes time and we’re delighted to see that this striking copper roof has now been finished, which paves the way for the rest of the Market Hall’s transformation. “Soon we can move onto the internal renovation and give Derby a fantastic market, which is full of life and which will help draw people back into the heart of our city.” After undergoing extensive roof and structural restoration assisted by a scaffolding structure weighing more than eight blue whales, the Grade II listed Victorian market hall, which has been trading since 1866, is well on its way to being transformed into a contemporary and vibrant cultural and retail destination. The work completed includes masonry repairs to the building envelope, internal cleaning of the roof structure, and lead paint removal before the challenging and extensive heritage glazed roof replacement works. This included increasing ridge height to accommodate natural ventilation for the building, copper roof replacement, gutter and rainwater works, access equipment, localised electric works, lightening protection, and decoration. John Carlin, regional director at Wates Construction, said: “It has been a privilege to work on the restoration and transformation of such an iconic and unique building, maintaining its historic charm but also bringing it into the council’s overall modern vision for the revitalisation of the wider city centre. “Before this work on the roof was carried out, the Market Hall often had to close to customers for safety reasons if there was possibility of strong winds, snow, or heavy rain in case the glass windows came out of their frames. Along with the extensive restoration of the roof structure, all of these windows have now been replaced, meaning that closing the market and disrupting trade just for weather will no longer be necessary. “Making sure that trading could continue while initial surveys and work on the roof took place was particularly important. To do this, we installed a scaffolding structure to give access to the roof without disrupting ground level activity. It was an impressive feat of engineering all by itself, which would have spanned more than 62 miles if placed end-to-end and weighed almost 900 tonnes, but it really was the key to making sure trade could continue despite our ongoing work, supporting the city’s traders post-pandemic.” The team is now looking forward to commencing the second phase of the programme to transform the interior and exterior spaces, which will start later this year. Raised concrete floor plinths that currently house individual market stalls will be removed to create a more airy, open and accessible space, with the ground level intended to provide space for up to 32 market stalls, which will be portable for flexibility. Meanwhile, the interior balcony area will provide an opportunity to accommodate a small business incubator, and to provide space for special themed markets, such as antiques or crafts. The entrances to the Market Hall are also set to be improved in the upcoming phase of work, allowing market activity to flow seamlessly into the surrounding streets and creating an attractive and flexible space in the adjacent Osnabruck Square. Wates Construction was appointed via SCAPE’s Major Works framework. The second phase of development is set to commence on site in Q4 2022, with an aim to complete in 2024.