Spec Finish

NEWS 6 www.thefis.org Philip Thomas, Business Development Manager at Smith Building Systems, has been co-opted to the FIS executive board. In Philip’s current role he is involved in many aspects of the business including branding, web development, safety, technical specifications, product development, improvement and design, so this will bring a vast amount of industry experience and knowledge to the FIS Board. Philip said: “FIS has long been considered as the ‘go to’ resource when it comes to the building industry so to be working alongside so many incredible and well- respected people from all parts of the industry makes me feel very proud.” Philip Thomas joins FIS Board To act as a safeguard in the event that the UK is unable to agree proposals with the EU through negotiations, the Government will introduce legislation to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol. The legislation being introduced would remove customs processes for goods moving within the UK. It will allow businesses to choose to follow either UK or EU regulations under a dual regulatory approach, removing barriers to goods made to UK standards from being sold in Northern Ireland and cutting the processes that drive up costs and disincentives businesses. The legislation will fix issues so that people in Northern Ireland can benefit from the same tax and spend policies as everyone else in the UK. The UK has also made it clear that goods which are destined for the EU will continue to undergo full processes applied under EU law as they do now and apply safeguards to avoid non-compliant products entering the EU Single Market. Members not need to take any action now as we will continue to operate within current ‘standstill’ arrangements, meaning you we move goods in exactly the same way as we do today, including existing grace periods and easements. Furthermore, we can continue to trade frictionlessly across the island of Ireland. The UK Government will communicate how any changes will work well before any changes come into effect. See the FIS Brexit toolkit here: www.thefis.org/knowledge-hub/ business-management/risk-register Brexit: Office of Product Safety on Northern Ireland Rise in project costs reflects ongoing global turmoil The Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) has reassured clients that ongoing price rises for projects are caused by global events; not “profiteering” – and says any increases only reflect the spiralling costs that are affecting the whole construction industry. FIS is a member of CICV, and Chief Executive, Iain McIlwee, said: “The war in Ukraine, energy price hikes, impact of Brexit and fallout from COVID-19 have all created a ‘perfect storm’ just as there is a surge in demand, with price increases being imposed on the industry as a result. “Construction professionals are increasingly being forced to shoulder these ongoing rises, particularly when it comes materials, and are having no option but to pass these increases on to clients. But it is not profiteering – it is a necessity for these businesses to survive. “Too often in construction we have contracted down all risks, but we are now in a position where fixed prices could undermine the resilience of contractors or suppliers. We need to adopt a more collaborative approach and consider howfluctuations clauses can be deployed and any risks fairly shared so as not to undermine the quality or viability of a project or businesses.” Since its creation in March 2020, the CICV has drawn on the collective expertise of its members to maintain a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, hosting webinars and making appeals to government ministers. www.cicvforum.co.uk London office starts set to surge over next six months Deloitte’s latest London Office Crane survey reports there are currently 2.7m ft² of planned office buildings in demolition phase and scheduled to start before the end of September. The projects will continue to follow the trend of a decline in new build and growth in sizeable refurbishments as pressure continues to re-use and recycle says the survey. Mike Cracknell, Director in Real Estate at Deloitte, said: “Increased new starts – especially of refurbishments – reflects anticipated renewal of existing stock to provide sustainable and quality space now strongly demanded by occupiers. “The market is displaying resilience with appetite amongst investors remaining strong. This coupled with occupier demand is contributing to confidence in the city.” Trade package cost predictions The survey also tracked trade subcontractors’ predictions for prices over the next year, which are expected to rise sharply. Twelve months ago, trades were predicting an average rise over the following year of around 3.4% for commercial office projects, and 3.0% for fit-out projects. In the latest survey, trades are predicting an increase of 10.8% for office projects and 7.6% for fit-out projects. www.tinyurl.com/yrjz6ezb