with the local authority was required and restrictions were placed on the design in-cluding limits on the height and footprint of the building. This led to the configuration of a main core with two two-storey, flat roofed wings. A third, northern wing was also con-sented allowing for future expansion.

The design philosophy was to produce good environmental performance using simple services and natural ventilation linked to thermal mass. The use of a concrete frame and green roof, insulated render and timber cladding allowed the insulation layer to be on the outside of the external masonry. This was combined with internal walls of feature stone work and large areas of ‘slate’ tiled flooring providing the building with a very high thermal mass. This helps to maintain stable temperature conditions across the day.

A good quality working environment was achieved within a simply serviced building by sizing the width of the floor plates to provide good lighting and cross flow ventila-tion. Opening panels behind sets of louvres also allow for night time cooling. The major office spaces benefit from higher than usu-al soffit heights, and raised floors are pro-vided throughout for services distribution. The early choice of a concrete frame ena-bled flat ‘clean’ soffits and external walls free from column intrusions. Lighting con-trol in most areas is automatic, to minimise

To submit articles or information for this newsletter, contact Debbie Hubbard on 07834 867580 or debbie.hubbard@casey.co.uk. Thank you to all contributors to this issue.

November 2011

construct News from The Casey Companies

HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Gloucester Officially opens new Casey Head OfficeOfficially opens new Casey Head OfficeOfficially opens new Casey Head OfficeOfficially opens new Casey Head Office On 17th November, His Royal High-ness The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO officially opened the new offices of The Casey Companies in Rochdale.

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is the youngest grandson of King George V and Queen Mary. He practised architecture as a partner of a London firm until he com-menced royal duties on behalf of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1972.

The Duke has remained particularly interested in architecture and con-servation. He became a corporate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1972, and serves as a commissioner of the Histor-ic Building and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage).

Peter Casey, company Chairman, said, “We are very proud of our new office building and it is an honour that His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, is here to celebrate it with our staff and our guests. The build-ing illustrates how far the company has come over the past 43 years and, with his experience, it is particularly fitting that it is The Duke performing our opening ceremo-ny“.

The offices were designed by Taylor Young, based in Handforth. The brief was for a striking, environmentally responsive build-ing and pleasant environment for staff, in keeping with the values of the company.

As the site is in the green belt, close liaison

energy use.

A limited pallet of materials with good sustainability ratings was cho-sen for the external envelope, in particular timber windows, cladding and a striking brise soliel to shade high summer sun. An extensive green roof was specified as a posi-tive measure in relation to site ecol-ogy, rainwater drainage attenuation and insulation of the building enve-lope. It is also an important ac-knowledgment that the building can be seen from above and so should sit comfortably in its environment.

Tony Chell, Casey Managing Direc-tor, said, “It has taken us a very long time to assemble the individual

components that bring together our vision of the perfect working environment. The es-tablishment of our new office building on the site of the former Rydings Mill within the green belt area has been a truly remarkable achievement.

This transformation and redevelopment of the approach to the office through our now well established wild life corridor is abso-lutely amazing.

We genuinely recognise that our staff are one of the most important components in the making of a successful company and we are proud to be able to provide them with these beautiful surroundings. We are, and will continue to be, Pro-Environment Pro-People Pro-Casey.”

HRH The Duke of Gloucester, with Chairman Peter Casey and MD Tony Chell, at the official opening ceremony at Casey head office.

Talking to staff about current Casey projects

Peter Casey and Tony Chell, The Duke of Glouces-ter, the High Sherrif of Manchester and The

Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale.

Casey are delighted to have been appointed to the new £100 million E N Procure Elemental Works Framework, which is a collaborative procure-ment consisting of seven Landlords from the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Members include Barnsley MBC and Berneslai Homes; Doncaster MBC and St Leger Homes; East Riding of Yorkshire Council; Kingston upon Hull City Council; Selby District Council; Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Homes; and Wakefield and District Housing.

We have also been appointed to Liverpool Housing Trust’s new window replacement programme in the conservation areas of the city. LHT is part of the Symphony Housing Group and has been providing affordable hous-ing in Merseyside since 1965.

Works on these frameworks have not yet been awarded, however we have been awarded a comprehensive works package at Tamworth Towers for Trafford Housing Trust. This scheme consists of various internal works to three tower blocks and will be programmed in two phases— Phase 1 com-mencing in January 2012 and Phase 2 in September/October 2012.

New frameworks for CaseyNew frameworks for CaseyNew frameworks for CaseyNew frameworks for Casey

Apprentice Case StudyApprentice Case StudyApprentice Case StudyApprentice Case Study

MICHAEL DAWSONMICHAEL DAWSONMICHAEL DAWSONMICHAEL DAWSON

Background InformationBackground InformationBackground InformationBackground Information

Local lad Michael started his career within construction, working with a few small local window companies, which he enjoyed for a number of years prior to joining The Casey Group through Fusion 21’s Shared Training Initiative. Michael has been offered a mini-mum 6 month placement on a project for Plus Dane Housing and he has the prospect of this being extended subject to workload and his own individual performance.

Michael, 25, was keen to progress his ca-reer and was looking for new challenges with more rewards. Mi-chael heard through a friend that Fusion 21 provided fur-ther training, help and guid-ance with em-ployment op-portunities around the local area and so he contact-ed them to see how they could help him.

After attending an interview day at Fusion 21’s offices and a successful interview with Casey’s Labour Manager John Walmsley, Michael soon joined the Casey site team currently working with Plus Dane Group on a Window and Door replacement scheme in the Toxteth area of Liverpool.

Michael : Michael : Michael : Michael : ‘I have been very lucky to receive the support from both Casey and Fusion 21, their support has been fantastic, they have helped funding for my courses and without it I don’t think I would have had the oppor-tunity to gain new qualifications and skills. With their help I have completed, First Aid Training, Asbestos Awareness Training, Health & Safety training and soon will be starting an NVQ 2 in Fenestration and want to continue towards achieving NVQ 3.

If I achieve these goals then the sky’s the limit for me’.

Mike Hyde, Project Manager for Casey: Mike Hyde, Project Manager for Casey: Mike Hyde, Project Manager for Casey: Mike Hyde, Project Manager for Casey: Michael is a pleasure to have on any site team. He is a hardworking, dedicated, en-thusiastic lad. He is a fantastic team mem-ber who works extremely well with residents while working in and around their homes. Both Michael and the Casey Site Team have received very positive feedback regarding the work carried out.

September saw Casey hand over an exciting new affordable housing development to St Vincent’s Housing Association.

The 11 new homes on Spring Street, Bury, are now fully completed and the develop-ment comprises of 3 bedroomed, six person accommodation. The new homes are built on the redeveloped site of an old vicarage.

All the properties have been built to the Life-time Homes standard which means they are accessible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of residents. They also in-clude energy efficient features to reduce their impact on the environment and the energy bills of residents. All the properties are for affordable rent and will be managed by St Vincent’s Housing Association.

All the units have been designed to Housing Quality Indicators, Code for Sustainable Homes 3 and 4 and to Lifetime Homes standard. The overall capital and lifecycle cost savings has meant that St.Vincent’s Housing Association were able to upgrade two of the units to CSH level 4 with the use of PV’s on the south facing roof slopes.

One of the Code 4 units has been adapted for disabled residents who are benefitting directly from the free energy generated from the PV’s that can be used to charge wheel-chairs and equipment.

Casey have been working closely with part-ners Jennings Design Associates Ltd and Wilkinson Cowan Partnership who have a thorough understanding of the design princi-ples associated with each of the standards and an in-depth understanding of the tech-nical issues associated with delivering CSH compliance on complicated urban schemes.

Rob Henderson, Director at JDARob Henderson, Director at JDARob Henderson, Director at JDARob Henderson, Director at JDA comment-ed, “We are delighted to hand over the scheme on what we feel is a really success-ful project in meeting the needs of the local residents. The homes not only deliver quali-ty family accommodation, but are an exam-ple of what can be achieved on a sensible budget whilst still delivering a variety of standards including Silver Award for Build-ing for Life, Secured by Design and Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4”

New Family Homes for St Vincent’s

construct

for all our company vehicle users, and other employees if they wished. All attendees are asked to make a small donation to Brake, the charity organising this important week, and to make a pledge to drive safely.

If you have missed out an a session, please call our Health & Safety Department.

IsIsIsIs the vaccine safe?the vaccine safe?the vaccine safe?the vaccine safe?

Although no medical procedure is totally free of risk, flu vaccines are generally very safe. The most common reaction to the jab is a sore arm, or you may feel hot for a day or two after the vaccination.

This year’s flu jabs have been tested and approved for use across the UK and in Eu-rope. The jab cannot give you flu because it doesn't contain any active viruses.

The Department of Health recommends that everyone who is eligible for a flu jab should have it as soon as the vaccine is available.

If you are in an at-risk group and do not have the jab, you will have a greater risk of developing serious complications or even dying if you get flu this winter.

If you haven't had the flu vaccine and you are in a risk group, make an appointment to get vaccinated.

H1N1 is included because it is likely to be one of the major flu strains circulating in Britain this winter.

The best time to have a flu jab is in the au-tumn, from September to November.

And if I don’t have the vaccine?And if I don’t have the vaccine?And if I don’t have the vaccine?And if I don’t have the vaccine?

Flu has a very efficient transmission mecha-nism. "It works a bit like an aerosol," says Professor Steve Field, chair of the Royal College of GPs. "When someone sneezes, droplets fly from the nose and mouth." The virus then enters your respiratory system via "flu receptors" in your mouth, nose and eyes. The problem is that the flu virus can also live on surfaces – door handles, lift buttons, phones, a shared towel – for up to two days. You touch an infected surface, touch your own flu receptors and, achoo!

Make sure you

• Wash hands with soap and warm water, on both sides, scrubbing under the nails. Some flu experts say you should keep going as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

• Carry alcohol gels if you can't get to a tap and use them every hour or two.

• Avoid touching your face (to cut the chances of infection from your hands).

• Postpone the New Year detox. It could weaken your immune system.

• Be altruistic: cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when you cough or sneeze, bin the tissue immediately and, yes, wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze into your elbow rather than your hands.

Studies also show that strengthening your immune system can protect you. It is im-portant to get adequate sleep, stop smoking and reduce stress levels. Eating a healthy diet also works wonders.

Flu, or influenza, is a highly infectious illness caused by the flu virus. It spreads rapidly through small droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.

Studies have shown that flu vaccines pro-vide effective protection against the flu, although protection may not be complete and may vary between people. Protection from the vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains change over time. Therefore, new vaccines are made each year and people at risk of flu are encouraged to be vaccinated every year.

The flu vaccination is offered to people in at-risk groups. These people are at greater risk of developing serious complications if they catch flu, such as pregnant women and elderly people.

Who should have the flu vaccination?Who should have the flu vaccination?Who should have the flu vaccination?Who should have the flu vaccination?

Certain people are at risk of developing serious complications of flu, such as bron-chitis and pneumonia, which may require hospital treatment.

It is recommended that you have a flu jab if you:

• are 65 or over

• are pregnant

or you have

• chronic (long term) respiratory disease eg asthma, COPD, bronchitis

• chronic heart disease eg heart failure

• chronic liver disease eg hepatitis

• chronic kidney disease

• chronic neurological disease eg stroke, TIA or post-polio syndrome

• diabetes

• a weakened immune system due to HIV or chemotherapy.

National Road Safety WeekNational Road Safety WeekNational Road Safety WeekNational Road Safety Week

This year's flu jab (2011)This year's flu jab (2011)This year's flu jab (2011)This year's flu jab (2011)

This winter’s flu jab protects against the same three strains of flu as last year’s vac-cines. These include the H1N1 strain of the flu virus. H1N1 is the same strain of flu that caused the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

construct

As highlighted in the last issue of construct, 21-27 November is National Road Safety Week.

Fleet drivers are at the coal face of road safety. Whether you drive a 38 tonne truck or a pizza delivery moped, you make the difference between life and death on our roads. About one in three deaths on roads involves a vehicle being driven for work pur-poses and more involve people driving to and from work.

We have been running a series of short ses-sions raising the awareness of safe driving

AAAA----aaaa----aaaa----achoo!!! What you need to know about fluachoo!!! What you need to know about fluachoo!!! What you need to know about fluachoo!!! What you need to know about flu

We’ve All Been Digging DeepWe’ve All Been Digging DeepWe’ve All Been Digging DeepWe’ve All Been Digging Deep

The Casey Companies Rydings Road, Rochdale, OL12 9PS

T: 01706 341121 F: 01706 861156 E: info@casey.co.uk W: www.casey.co.uk

Movember Movember Movember Movember During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, spe-cifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

This year, in memory of former employee Dave Lett who died of prostate cancer a couple of years ago, we have formed our very own Mo Growing Team:

MoMoMoMo----People, MoPeople, MoPeople, MoPeople, Mo----Progress, MoProgress, MoProgress, MoProgress, Mo----Environment.Environment.Environment.Environment.

Our team consists of several Casey Mo Bros, and a few Mo Sistas to support our guys along the way. Follow us on Facebook and you can sponsor us, or even join our team by going to uk.movember.com/donate/find-team/ . Type in Mo-People and look for the Casey logo. The team is open to anyone, so feel free to join. It’s all for a very good cause.

There has been a lot of fundraising fun this month, with several charities benefitting. Thank you to everyone who joined in, and to those of you who made donations.

Remember, it’s still not too late. If you would like to donate to any of our charities, just con-tact Marie on Reception at Head Office.

Best wishes

of the season

to all our

Staff, Clients,

Partners, and

Suppliers

construct

There is always a lot of input required to produce this newsletter, and it’s a team effort. We would like to say a big Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! to all contributors: Peter Casey, Tony Chell, Paul Turner, James Billing, Roy Looms, Tony Doran, Dave Stoddart, Gareth Edwards,

Sarah Harwood, Mike Hyde, Paul Byrne

Help for HeroesHelp for HeroesHelp for HeroesHelp for Heroes

The full team of 54 Site Managers, opera-tives and subcontractors at our Eastlands Low Rise Internals project are all proudly wearing their Help for Heroes bands.

It’s spread to our Head Office too. We have a supply of bands on Reception if you would like one.

Breast Cancer CampaignBreast Cancer CampaignBreast Cancer CampaignBreast Cancer Campaign

Here we all are Wearing It Pink on 28 Oct. (And I’ve donated an extra £10 just for the pleasure of publishing this picture of George O’Neill and his feather boa—Ed).

The Mustard TreeThe Mustard TreeThe Mustard TreeThe Mustard Tree

Some of our lads took part in a football tour-nament organised by Arcus for this charity for the homeless. We got knocked out in the quarter finals, but it was by the tournament winners!

We have been working with Eastlands Homes to educate resi-dents on how changing behaviour is important when it comes to reducing carbon footprints and keeping fuel bills down.

Casey staff, Roy Looms and Tony Duran, recently held a presenta-tion explaining the ways you can

Changing Behaviour & Cutting CarbonChanging Behaviour & Cutting CarbonChanging Behaviour & Cutting CarbonChanging Behaviour & Cutting Carbon reduce your power consumption and your carbon footprint. As power prices continue to rise, this has never been more im-portant and Eastlands Homes are keen that residents know how they can benefit by changing behaviour.

More on this topic next issue.

working well together