Spec Finish

6 www.thefis.org The Contract Flooring Association (CFA) has published its 2022 Guide to Sustainability. It includes some thought leadership pieces from CFA manufacturers and contractors, a glossary explaining what’s hot and what’s not and some briefing papers from colleagues at the Construction Products Association. Product information and case studies make it a practical read for those who specify commercial flooring. www.cfa.org.uk Fewer construction deaths Hybridworking New law in France - green roofs on all new commercial buildings NEWS The French Parliament has approved a new law requiring all new buildings in commercial zones to have their roofs partially covered with plants or solar panels. This is not the original proposal by French environmental activists, which called for complete roof cover by greenery, but is still a move towards more sustainable cities and infrastructure. The French Government made the law less of a financial burden for business owners by only requiring partial roof cover by either plants or panels. The main benefits of green roofs include improved air and water quality as well as helping to reduce GHG emissions and pollution. They reduce ‘heat islands’ by providing shade, removing heat from the air, and reduce the temperatures of the roof surface. Although construction had the highest number of deaths of any sector in 2021/22, the actual number fell to 30 in 2021/22, from 40 the previous year. Of these 30, 64% were employed and 36% were self-employed. The HSE figures also showed that 2,544 people died from mesothelioma in 2020, a cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos. This is in line with the average of 2,523 deaths over the previous eight years. Current mesothelioma deaths reflect exposure to asbestos that mainly occurred before the 1980s so annual deaths should fall over the next decade. HSE’s Chief Executive, Sarah Albon, said: “While Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, these figures show we must continue to ensure safety remains a priority. Every loss of life is a tragedy, and we are committed to making workplaces safer and holding employers to account for their actions, as part of our mission to protect people and places.” www.hse.gov.uk Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that businesses are planning to implement a long-term culture of hybrid working - the number of organisations using or intending to include homeworking as part of their permanent business model has increased from 16% in autumn 2020 to 23% in April 2022. More than half (54%) of information and communication firms expressed an intention to include it as part of their permanent business model, with the data suggesting that improved staff wellbeing, reduced overheads and increased productivity are amongst the key motivations for this shift. Growth continues but cost pressuresmount The latest CPA Construction Trade Survey shows that the supply chain within the construction industry has continued a strong upward trajectory into the first quarter of this year. Bearing in mind the conflict in Ukraine and inflation costs, this is encouraging news for the sector. In Q1, 43% of heavy side manufacturers and 50% of light side manufacturers reported that sales increased compared to 2021 Q4. Data released from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) showed that materials prices rose by 21.9% in Q1, considerably outdoing UK CPI inflation, which itself is at a historic high. The primary factor for driving the increasing inflation costs were materials for SMEs and product manufacturers also reported an increase in energy and fuel costs across the board. In general, despite the increased pressure of higher costs and inflation, the construction products manufacturing industry has seen a strong start to Q1. Growth in sales is expected to continue during 2022, albeit alongside further upward pressure on input prices. www.constructionproducts.org.uk CFA publishes ‘Guide to Sustainability’