Technologies forming part of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ can improve the economic and environmental sustainability of an industry that contributes around 11% of all global carbon emissions, a new study shows.

Researchers including from the University of Exeter Business School examined how these Construction 4.0 technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, drones, AI and self-healing materials, could impact on the sustainability of the construction industry.

By creating the first ever Construction 4.0 framework and testing it in a real-world setting, the researchers concluded that industry concerns such as high carbon emissions, low productivity and increased costs could be addressed with greater understanding and widespread adoption of these cutting-edge technologies.
The researchers expect their framework will help policy-makers develop interventions and support mechanisms to increase the deployment of Construction 4.0 technology while addressing any negative impacts.

It was tested through a case study of the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates, a country enjoying an unprecedented 9% growth in construction per annum, and where 75% of all solid waste comes from construction.

Informed by all available academic research on Construction 4.0 over the past 10 years, the authors’ framework identified which technologies are in use, categorising them under the headings of ‘digitalisation’, ‘automation and advanced manufacturing’, ‘integration and collaboration’, and ‘intelligent environment’.
Through interviews with senior industry professionals, academics and government officials and a survey sent to 1,000 industry professionals they established that the use of Construction 4.0 technologies is likely to increase by around 20% in all categories in the next five years.

The study highlighted several technologies as likely leaders in the transformation of construction over the next five years.
The Internet of Things (IoT), used to keep track of materials and equipment, as well as in smart sensors that can continuously monitor dust, hazardous fumes, noise, vibrations and motion detection, is likely to become more widespread as construction moves towards digitalisation.

‘Automation and advanced manufacturing’ technologies such as robotic technology, drones and 3D printing will also become a mainstay of the industry, as well as ‘integration and collaboration’ technologies such as the 3D modelling system BIM (building information modelling) and ‘intelligent environment’ technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and smart materials.

Construction 4.0 was found to have a mainly positive impact on the environment, with real-time data through IoT and analytics cited as key to gathering accurate information on material usage and waste.
The study also highlighted new 3D modelling software as a way of reducing paperwork, the role of VR and AR in reducing carbon emissions, and a reduction of waste through a move towards prefabricating building components off site.

These environmental benefits were also found to translate into greater economic sustainability, with savings in energy, water, materials and human resources reducing the cost of construction projects and operational costs of buildings.
One of the main benefits of Industry 4.0 technology was found to be the potential reduction in costs, including manual labour, inspection and supervision and savings from the automation of routine administrative tasks.

However, respondents were wary about the amount of computational power required for technologies such as machine learning and AI algorithms, as well as the electronic waste generated at construction sites, and there was a more mixed reception for Construction 4.0 technology when talking about the social implications, with the likelihood of improvements to health and safety balanced by warnings of job losses.

Nazrul Islam, Associate Professor of Innovation/Entrepreneurship at the University of Exeter Business School, said: “This research demonstrates that Construction 4.0 has enormous potential to transform the sector and address some of its most pressing environmental and socioeconomic problems.
“Our comprehensive Construction 4.0 sustainability framework has huge potential to be adapted and applied to other countries, with several trends, conflicts, approaches, methods and gaps identified, all of which help to understand better and improve the adoption of Construction 4.0 technologies and guide future research.”

For any company looking to improve the life and energy efficiency of its compressed air system, Hi-line Industries now offers its range of class-leading Vertical Air Receivers from stock to help factories and plants quickly take advantage of these innovative devices. Hi-line’s high-quality painted and galvanised vessels are available immediately at extremely competitive prices.

Vertical Air Receivers are a type of pressure vessel that receive air from the compressor and hold it under pressure for future use. Storing compressed air allows the system to average the peaks in compressed air demand over the course of a shift, delivering steady air flow. The air in the tank is even available when the air compressor is not running.

Importantly, Hi-line’s Vertical Air Receivers can reduce the load/unload cycles on the system compressor, potentially extending its service life and reducing maintenance/repair. In addition, introducing an air receiver tank markedly improves the energy efficiency of a compressed air system, typically by reducing any wasted compressed air from excessive sump blowdowns and lowering the pressure requirements for the air compressor and air network. All of these benefits contribute to lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Four sizes of Hi-line Vertical Air Receiver are in stock at to suit virtually any application: 300, 500, 1000 and 2000 litre variants. Immediate shipping or collection is available from the company’s UK headquarters and manufacturing facility, which is centrally located in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, with excellent access to the motorway network.

Process gas heating specialists Lanemark Combustion Engineering Ltd. are delighted to announce the achievement of three major industrial international accreditations which, simultaneously, define the company’s management, environmental and health and safety commitment.

“By being able to hold ISO 14001 Environmental Accreditation, ISO 45001 Health and Safety Accreditation and ISO 9001 Quality Accreditation at the same time reflects well on both our organisation and, of course, the people within it,” says Alan Thompson, Lanemark’s Operations Director. 

ISO 14001 certification demonstrates Lanemark’s commitment to controlling environmental impact, meeting relevant legal obligations and its focus on continuous improvement.  Alongside this, ISO 45001 shows specific compliance with Health and Safety law and reflects on the methods and procedures across a wide range of company activities.  Similarly, ISO 9001 demonstrates Lanemark’s focus on delivering consistent, high quality products and services.  

“The fact that recent audits have confirmed that, in each case, our methods and performance comply with these major global standards has a direct impact from both an internal and external perspective,” comments Jeff Foster, Sales Director.

In operations where contact with process fluid is unavoidable, poorly specified bearings that fail prematurely can prove costly in maintenance labour and production downtime. For this reason, increasing numbers of food and beverage plants are turning to the beneficial attributes of NSK´s Silver-Lube^® bearing units.  Silver-Lube^® provides optimal protection against the ingress of wash-down water and detergent while simultaneously ensuring corrosion resistance. 

Among those testifying to the advantages of Silver-Lube^® is a market-leading milk processing and bottling plant. The facility was experiencing repeated bearing failures on five conveyor lines, where the company was changing bearings approximately every 16 weeks. With every replacement taking approximately one hour to complete, the plant invited NSK´s team of experts to recommend a solution.

As part of its AIP Added Value Programme, NSK´s specialist engineers analysed the failed bearings, concluding that the ingress of water during the wash-down process was causing internal corrosion and premature failures. Further review of the application and operating conditions led the NSK team to recommend its proven Silver-Lube^® housed bearing units.

Alongside its wide portfolio of lifting and handling equipment for sale, Hoist and Winch Ltd is currently promoting its extensive know-how and experience in the hire market. The company is an expert in turnkey hire projects involving air- and electric-powered hoists, overseeing installation, commissioning, testing and certification tasks as part of a complete service package that provides genuine market differentiation.

Through its turnkey offer, Hoist & Winch expertly advises customers on the most suitable equipment for their lifting requirements, making precise arrangements to ensure safe and reliable operation. This advice is particularly important for air hoists, where the selection of a portable diesel compressor or the checking of plant air supply is necessary. Here, requirements will include specifying the optimal operating pressure, air volume, and hose length and bore size, as well as preparing and lubricating the air supply.

Hoist & Winch completed a notable turnkey hire project over the recent Christmas period. A customer within the building materials industry hired a special 12t swl (safe working load), twin air-powered, trolley-based air hoist for lifting and replacing a large gear weighting 9t. This type of hoist was necessary to spread the 9t load over a greater distance of the monorail beam bottom flange than a standard hoist trolley arrangement would allow.

A Superior Range of Working Clothes for Class 1, 2 and 3 protection.

Snickers Workwear has an extensive range of High-Vis men’s and women’s workwear for all kinds of working environments and light conditions.

With Jackets, Trousers, Shorts, Toolvests, Shirts and Fleeces from Snickers’ LITEWork, FLEXIWork and ALLROUNDWORK families to choose from, there’s a host of different garments in the range to satisfy the specific requirements of Classes 1, 2 and 3 protection levels.

These 'outstanding' products combine with Snickers Workwear's unrivalled hallmarks of functionality and comfort to satisfy the ISO 20471:2013 standard for high visibility warning clothes.

With advanced designs, high-tech fabrics and performance reflection features, all the garments have durable colour-fast protection that will last for wash after wash, retaining shape, comfort and protection levels throughout the life of the garments.

Added to which, Snickers Workwear High-Vis garments can be custom-profiled to ensure 'stand out' coverage for your corporate brand.

For more information on the Snickers Workwear range of Hgh-Vis Workwea, call the Hultafors Group UK Helpline on 01484 854788, checkout the website at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hi-line Industries, an established and reputable UK manufacturer of high-quality compressed air purification equipment, can today offer a fully featured range of desiccant air dryers. The company’s series of class-leading HPSA heatless dryers includes new standard models, the recently launched HPSA-CT (Carbon Tower) version, plus the bespoke HP-HPSA (High Pressure) model. As a result, Hi-line can fulfil the needs of any company that needs dry, clean compressed air or nitrogen, whatever the application.

The Hi-line HPSA (Heatless Pressure Swing Adsorption) series of desiccant dryers features proven technology developed and manufactured in the UK by the company’s expert engineering team working to approved engineering standards. These ‘plug and play’ units with digital control panels come skid-mounted with their own filtration package (pre- and after-filtration). Available for next-day delivery, all standard HPSA dryers use Dri-Zorb 27 desiccant media that delivers constant low dewpoints while consuming the lowest possible quantity of regeneration air.

In order to meet ongoing industry demand, Hi-line is constantly looking to expand its portfolio, recently enhancing the HPSA range with two smaller capacity models. The new HPSA 70 and HPSA 100 bring the total number of standard models to 12, with flow capacity from 75 to 1130 scfm (larger heatless dryers are available if required).

                                                                                                                                                                        Continued ……

Another recent introduction to the range is the HPSA-CT (Carbon Tower), a three-stage dryer with

the Carbon Tower added after the adsorption dryer. Clean, dry air passes through the Carbon Tower and adsorbs gases and aerosols dependant on requirements and the zeolites selected. This capability makes the HPSA-CT extremely flexible and suitable for use in many specific applications. The Hi-line HPSA-CT features pre-filtration sub-micron oil removal and safety valves as standard, as well as an after-filter for particulate removal. A total of 12 standard HPSA-CT models are available with flow capacity from 80 to 1130 scfm. Larger HPSA-CT dryers are available upon request.

Hi-line can also now offer its bespoke HP-HPSA (High Pressure) heatless dryer. This model features the same proven HPSA technology, just running at high pressure. Control air is at 7 bar, but with elevated pressures up to 450 bar for specific applications such as P.E.T. blowing and moulding, R&D applications, breathing air/diving applications, speciality gas blending and laser cutting.

Every HPSA model in the extensive Hi-line range is a fully automatic, IP65-rated, self-contained unit featuring HDC1 digital dewpoint controller, stainless steel pipework, independent switching valves, exhaust silencers and a one-year warranty on parts and labour. Options include the company’s AEMS - Automatic Energy Management System (with digital dewpoint readout, high-humidity alarm, and set and demand regeneration), dewpoint to -70°C, and automatic start/stop control.

www.hilineindustries.com

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider Ultimo explains how bringing operations and maintenance closer together helps improve communication, optimise productivity and protect uptime at Plant & Asset Management 2022, NEC Birmingham, 5-7 April. Visitors to stand C30 will learn how breaking down silos in these two critical areas will help organisations move towards more autonomous, proactive maintenance to minimise disruptions, cut costs and futureproof operation.

“The EAM Trend Report 2021 revealed that 60% of asset managers experienced downtime last year, with ageing assets and poor communication between teams reported to pose the biggest risk to operation,” says Chris van den Belt, Team Leader Product Management, Ultimo. “Maintenance and operations teams often work in isolation, using different subsystems to manage vital information. This lack of visibility and collaboration adds extra layers of admin to both departments, slows down maintenance, and, in the worst case, prolongs downtime events. Adopting a more holistic approach to managing these vital areas helps managers unlock new efficiencies with existing resources and gain better control over the health and performance of their assets.”

Ultimo’s experts will be available on stand C30 throughout the show to discuss visitors’ asset management challenges and share practical advice on how to leverage the latest EAM technology to improve knowledge-sharing, streamline maintenance and protect uptime.

To find out more, visit www.ultimo.com.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider Ultimo has reached the Microsoft Gold Level status in Cloud Platform competency. This represents the highest level of certification available for Microsoft partners and acknowledges that the partner has a highly specialised technology skillset or service offering. Deployed on the Microsoft Azure cloud, Ultimo’s EAM software helps asset-intensive organisations improve labour productivity, maximise asset availability, and increase safety. The new accreditation marks another milestone in the growing partnership between the two companies.

Ultimo and Microsoft intensified their partnership over the last two years. As well as running the software on the Azure platform, Ultimo also connects its versatile EAM software with other Microsoft solutions, including Dynamics 365, Teams, HoloLens, Remote Assist and Power BI.

Ewout Noordermeer, CMO of Ultimo, said: “Ultimo in the Azure cloud offers rich and flexible tooling with extensive authentication and authorisation features to create a secure environment. Automatic updates and backups ensure that our customers always benefit from the latest version of the software and have guaranteed continuity. Achieving the Gold status is a great confirmation of the success of our ever-evolving partnership, and encourages us to continue to support our customers with joint solutions. Our mutual aim is to make it easier for people to work, increase productivity and innovate in the world of maintenance and asset management.”

Martina Klenkhart, Channel Sales Lead for Industries at Microsoft, added: “As I look back over the past two years, we have been privileged to work side by side with Ultimo to help our customers in manufacturing, logistics and healthcare simplify asset maintenance for maximised safety and productivity. We are proud to be Ultimo´s partner on that journey.”

To find out more, visit www.ultimo.com.

What is red diesel?

Red diesel refers to a normal diesel that has been dyed to show it is for use on untaxed off-road vehicles or equipment. Historically this distinction would see red diesel achieve a low duty rate. But from 1^st April 2022, red diesel will no longer be made available at a rebated rate for most commercial applications. This covers the majority of users in the construction industry. This reform was announced by the Government a couple of years ago as part of the ongoing task to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Losing tax-free status and business entitlement means viable alternatives to red diesel have had to be found. As with any major industry change, accepting these changes and flexibly adapting as soon as possible is in the best interest of all involved.