Keep right up to date with the hot issues

Sep 27 2007 By The Journal

AS part of National Construction Week, October 8-12, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is hosting a Construction Conference in the North East to bring property professionals up to date with issues currently affecting the sector.

The conference, on Wednesday October 10 at the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle, features presentations and discussions led by experts at the forefront of the construction industry from the public and private sectors. Hot issues including renewable energy, construction design and management regulations, construction lean improvement and developers’ needs are among those being discussed.

An impressive line-up of speakers include Adam Serfontein, Managing Director of the Hanro Group; Rachel Ford, Sustainability and Rural Policy Officer at the North East Assembly; John Holmes from Northumbria University; Robert Langley from Watson Burton; Martin Smith from the Health & Safety Executive; Noel Foley from the Office of Government Commerce and the BRE Group’s Martin Watson.

RICS Northern Ireland Construction Group Chair John Davidson will be giving delegates an insight into a new set of measurements rules for building works. It is anticipated that this new method of measurement will eventually replace SMM7, an estimating system widely used by building surveyors.

John Holmes, from Northumbria University, will highlight issues that the construction team needs to document to prove the environmental credentials of a building.

With 130,000 members, RICS is the largest organisation for property professionals in property, land, construction and related environmental issues in the world, promoting best practice, regulation and consumer protection to business and the public.

Jennifer Welch, Operations Director of RICS North, said: “The North East’s construction industry is dynamic and in great shape. You don’t have to look far around the region to see the great impact construction is having on our towns and cities.

“In such a fast-moving industry, it’s vital that property professionals and policy makers are kept up-to-date with new legislation and issues that may affect how they work, to allow our construction professionals to continue to perform to the highest standards. We look forward to seeing RICS and non-RICS members at the conference.”

The cost for delegates, including a two-course lunch and valet parking, is £100 for RICS members and £120 for non-members, excluding VAT.

In October, for the second consecutive year, RICS North is the headline sponsor of the Northern Regeneration Summit, a two-day event which brings together property and policy professionals from the regions affected by the Northern Way. Taking place in Manchester from October 29-30, the summit looks at topics including economic development and investment, social and community regeneration and physical regeneration and infrastructure. For information about the programme or for tickets, visit www.northernregeration.com