The EPD Explained - By Wojciech Brożyna - MD of Aluprof UK

By Wojciech Brożyna - MD of Aluprof UK

The EPD, a declaration made by a supplier that sits on a level playing field so specifiers can make decisions based on the life cycle of similar products and their impact on our planet, is particularly related to carbon emissions. Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are produced based on EN 15804+A2 and then verified in accordance with ISO 14025 by an independent external auditor. Produced in a common format, the declarations are easier to compare across different suppliers. An EPD is valid for a five year period and is recognised across the globe.

The EPD is produced from a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) which looks at a product life cycle through five stages which are: production, construction, the use stage, end-of-life and the potential for reuse, recovery or recycling. These are defined as Product Category Rules (PCRs) are specific to each product category and are always based on the ISO 14025 standard for Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). By enabling these standard PCRs products and materials can be compared side by side. The five stages of PCRs are referred to by letter and further broken down into sub-factors, which are:

1. The production & construction stages (A1-A5) show the impacts of the raw material supply, transport to the production facilities, the manufacturing stage, the impacts of transport to the site and product installation.

2. The use stage (B1-B7) covers the environmental impact for the period that the product is in use. This includes any likely emissions in use, product maintenance, expected repair or scheduled replacement and any operational energy use and water use such as in cleaning.

3. The end-of-life stage (C1-C4) considers the impact of de-construction, transport to waste processing including any recovery or disposal processes.

4. Material reuse, recovery or recycling stage (D), sometimes referred to as ‘Module D’ offers data on the ability of the material to have a second life. Some second lives can be as a lower quality material or indeed in the case of metals, can be recycled back into the same quality material, in the case of aluminium, recycled almost indefinitely.

The availability of this data in the form of an EPD has a two-fold impact, it further focuses suppliers to continue to reduce carbon emissions as the data becomes ‘public’ about their products and, as previously stated, allows specifiers to make choices about similar manufacturers products and products made from alternative materials.

To define how the product data is collected for a specific type of product, key components of the EPD and LCA, is yet another three-letter acronym: the Product Category Rules (PCRs). These rules define how the data is collected for a specific type of product. When these parameters are followed, independent reviewers can achieve consistent results, which allows specifiers to compare different products. PCRs are developed and administered by a program operator, generally standards organisations across the globe. PCRs are required for the completion of Type III EPDs as defined by ISO 14025.

On producing an EPD the LCA of a product (or service) is reviewed by the independent assessor and a Global Warming Potential (GWP) figure is produced and entered into the declaration. It may seem obvious, given the GWP figure, the best option is just to select a product/material with the lowest result which is best for the planet. Not necessarily, as a change in material may affect both the design and impact of other materials in the construction. GWPs that are reviewed across similar materials and products from various providers would be the best approach.

In the case of facades, it is important to review the whole-building level impacts. A comparison from suppliers can made be by completing a ‘Building LCA’ which will provide the building’s life-cycle impacts cradle to grave. By comparing the products’ environmental impact for the lifetime of the building into which facades are to be installed and the conditions that the building requires, will offer the best outputs to help make an informed decision.

Whilst EPDs are valid for five years, Aluprof are continuously reviewing their LCAs and where necessary review and update their EPDs which are freely available on the company's website. Project managers are available to explain the contents of the company's EPDs and complete specification support is available direct from Aluprof UK Installation in the UK and Ireland is undertaken by national facade companies with fully trained installers. Further information on systems and their specification are available through the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or directly from their UK head office in Altrincham or from their London office at the Building Design Centre by phoning +44 (0) 161 941 4005.

Structemp Innovations® Wins Environment & Sustainability Award at Construct Day 2023

Structemp Innovations®, the global trademark owner of the Buddy Range products, is delighted to announce its recent award with Selkent at the prestigious Construct Day 2023 awards in London. They were honoured with the coveted Environment & Sustainability Award, for their outstanding commitment to advancing environmentally conscious solutions in the construction industry.

In the category, the Buddy Range of products stood out as the most environmentally friendly and innovative solutions. Notably, they can withstand extreme conditions, including high temperatures, UV rays, solvents, impacts, and shocks, while remaining firmly secured on rebar in all weather conditions.

Structemp Innovations®’ Buddy Range of products, including the Linear Buddy® and Rebar Buddy®, have revolutionised temporary works in construction. These innovative products are crafted from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a material known for its durability, reliability, recyclability, reusability, and non-toxic properties. They have been recognised for their exceptional ability to cover exposed rebars, preventing contact injuries during construction processes.

These revolutionary products have found widespread adoption on construction sites throughout the UK and Ireland, including high-profile projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point. They are applied to exposed rebars on piles, starter bars (both horizontal and vertical), post-tensioning bars, scaffold bolts, and various other critical applications.

The awards jury commended Structemp Innovations® for the cradle-to-cradle feature of their products, making them fully recyclable and reusable to create new products  and new buddies, thus contributing significantly to a circular economy. The Buddy Range products were also praised for

their high visibility, perfect fit, easy installation and removal, and their minimal environmental impact.

Shiraz Dudhia, the founder of Structemp Innovations® and a former Director of Engineering and Temporary Works at Balfour Beatty Major Projects, expressed his delight at receiving the award. He said: "We are delighted to receive this award, which validates our vision of providing innovative and sustainable solutions for temporary works. We are proud of our products, which are backed by the British Design Fund. We are also grateful to our sole distributor Selkent, one of the UK's most prestigious and longstanding construction suppliers."

For more information about Structemp Innovations® and its groundbreaking Buddy Range products, please visit: www.structempinnovations.com.

Aver Property Limited tops the MSCI UK and European Property Investment Awards for the second year.

Aver Property Limited, a joint venture between NFU Mutual and Ergo Real Estate, for the second consecutive year, has been awarded “Unlisted Pooled Balanced Funds with end-period Capital Value under or equal to £1.5bn”, in the MSCI UK and European Property Investment Awards based on their 2022 performance, taking the award for the second consecutive year.

These awards recognise and celebrate the top performing funds across the real estate investment landscape, while also congratulating the teams who have delivered outstanding

returns for their investors. The awards are based upon independently verified direct real estate investment performance by pension and life funds, unlisted pooled funds, property investment companies and other professionally managed real estate portfolios. Eligible funds were measured to December 2022 in accordance with MSCI Real Estate Portfolio Services, globally defined data standards and performance measurement procedures.

Martin Jepson Founder of Ergo Real Estate and Aver Property Limited said:

“It is fantastic to be recognised for our continued success by the MSCI Index, following on from winning the award in 2021.  The award is a great credit to the team, who were ranked No. 1 Fund by MSCI 7 out of 8 quarters in 2021 and 2022.

Our results remains driven by our success in the logistics market, however we anticipate all sectors to be challenging 2024,  in particular, concerns about the office sector have been well documented and stock selection will remain key to performance over the next 12 to 24 months. ”

Small bathrooms come to life with an explosion of colour Unique wall concepts and colourful bathroom objects combine to create a strong design statement.

• Small bathrooms with the “wow” factor

• Vitrium colour palette offers the perfect option for every bathroom.

• Walls set the stage for patterned wallpapers, tiles, and coloured paint.

• Faucets and accessories provide the finishing touch.

Popular restaurants, clubs, and hotels have been blazing the trail: intense colours, furnishings in rich tones, and homely wallpapers all designed to transform bathrooms into places full of character and charm. Creating a complete work of art within your own four walls takes courage and requires a “thread” for a harmonious colour scheme that runs throughout the room.

The guest bathroom as a calling card Small room – big impact: the guest bathroom is the ideal place to start, you can express your own personality and experiment with colours. Bathroom objects in strong colours can be combined with expressive wall coverings that highlight an individual wall or smaller surface.

Wallpapers with graphic designs or botanical patterns, selected tiles, or coloured paints are especially well-suited for such a project. Furnishing items, walls, floors, and decoration should have a consistent colour harmony, be that tone-in-tone or combined with complementary colours. The selection process of individual elements or materials lends itself to experimentation with collages of materials and colours until the optimum and harmonious result is achieved.

Wallpapers as a stage for bathroom objects Modern wallpapers with graphic designs or botanical patterns are like works of art - they lend rooms a certain vibrancy. Graham & Brown have brought about a veritable renaissance of wallpaper over recent years with their extraordinary and colourful prints.

The renowned British manufacturer of high-quality paint products and wall coverings works with a range of motifs from nature, graphic design, various textures, and luxurious gold accents – and shapes trends as a result.

A wallpapered feature wall sets the stylistic scene for the whole bathroom, which more often than not is a small room. Combined with neutral or complementary colours on the other walls, this forms the perfect backdrop for Duravit’s Vitrium bathroom objects with their reserved designs and intense matt colours.

Furniture, washbasin, toilet, and bathtub in strong colours The Vitrium colour concept was curated by Christian Werner, who was also responsible for the formal design of the furniture and washbasins. The total of six colours make their presence felt without dominating and they harmonize perfectly with one another.

The colour palette can be divided into the three neutral shades Matt Light Gray, Matt Dark Gray, and Matt White as well as the three rich shades Matt Green-Blue, Matt Parlour Blue, and Matt Cinnamon.

This broad range of choices ensures that the right tone can be found for any bathroom - from the minimalist designer bathroom through to the modern rustic style. “Colour also determines how we perceive a product.

It’s an emotion, because everyone responds to it differently. Multiple colours create a kind of colour resonance, something that ideally creates a harmony. And colours for an interior can never be thought of in isolation, but always in the context of the room,” said Christian Werner. Faucets and accessories define the look It’s the small details that give the interior design the finishing touch.

Duravit opens up additional design potential in the bathroom with faucets, showerheads, and accessories in five tasteful finishes. A classic chrome surface or thrilling Matt Black or PVD surfaces in Brushed Bronze, Brushed Stainless Steel, and Polished Gold can change the look of the entire bathroom.

Walsall College Students Build on Classroom Learning with Winvic Enrichment Programme

Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects has given 16 Design, Surveying and Planning T-Level students from Walsall College hands on experience at three sites as part of the Winvic Enrichment Programme.

Over a three-week period, the students spent a total of six days across three projects. Kent St Baths is a 406 apartment build-to-rent scheme in the centre of Birmingham being delivered for Edmond De Rothchild and Stoford’s Redditch Gateway is an industrial project where two facilities are being constructed. West Midlands Interchange is a 734-acre site where civils and infrastructure works have recently commenced for Oxford Properties Group and Logistics Capital Partners. The six days of on-site education not only upskilled and improved the confidence of students in further education, but it also contributes to the three projects’ social value commitments and Walsall College’s 35-hour enrichment activity aims. In total the sessions have provided 465 enrichment activity hours.

Sessions in the Winvic Enrichment Programme have been designed to showcase several elements of a construction project, but they can also be tailored to meet the needs of each cohort and their course subject. Sessions enjoyed by Walsall College students included digital engineering, earthworks, planning, quantity surveying, CV writing, mental health and fairness, inclusion and respect (FIR); they were given activities to complete, site tours, got hands on and up close with various construction processes and were encouraged to ask questions at any time.

The feedback received from the students and tutors was outstanding and a number of students contacted Winvic after the programme to express their thanks. One said: “I enjoyed meeting the QS and doing the task he provided us. I also enjoyed seeing how tasks are done and how knowledgeable the site team are and how they treat the site with respect and care.”

Another student emailed: “I feel like I have learnt a lot in the past 6 days we've had on the different sites. I liked being able to meet new people and get their advice and opinions on the different sectors of the industry. I've definitely taken in a lot of information from everyone there and I think the thing that will stick the most is how you can always work your way up in the industry as long as you're willing to put in the time and effort in.”

“These 6 days gave me real experience and understanding of different processes in construction,” said another T-Level student. “Thank you to all the professionals who allocated time for us during their working day and showed us and told us about their tasks at construction sites, the work process, what difficulties they encountered, and what experience they had. It was very informative to listen to and ask each of the professionals questions.”

The Programme has led to more engagement in the coming weeks including the provision of on-site block placements for four students; the new HTQ Level 4 in Construction Management for England students will also be visiting Crown Place Birmingham – Crown Student Living’s Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) project comprising 814 beds – for a bespoke one day site visit. Furthermore, Winvic collaborated with Walsall College over the summer to provide Continued Professional Development (CPD) training to two tutors, on site at IM Properties’ Peddimore industrial project, supporting them to gain knowledge about the very latest construction technologies, materials and methods of construction.

Kayleigh Merritt, Winvic’s Talent Development Manager, commented: “This is the fourth time we have delivered an Enrichment Programme to students, and it has been wonderful to hear how much the students enjoyed each session and how the experience opened their eyes to different roles. Because we have a large number of projects in and around Birmingham, the students were able to visit projects in our three key sectors – multi-room, industrial and civils and infrastructure – and that was an added bonus to be able to show them even more than one site could offer. It’s no small task to organise a six-day programme so I’d like to thank our site teams and the numerous subcontract partners who contributed to providing this engaging learning experience.”   

Martin Lake, Lecturer in Advanced Construction at Walsall College, said: “We would like to thank Winvic’s talent and site teams for providing an excellent experience for our students and ourselves. A number of students have expressed that the induction placements provided an excellent insight into different sectors within the industry and have helped shape their future career choices.”

For more details on the Winvic Enrichment Programme, please contact traning@winvic.co.uk.

For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit X (formerly Twitter) @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.  

Surface Design Awards 2024 Finalists Announced

Surface Design Awards 2024 Finalists Announced

Surface Design Awards proudly unveil the highly anticipated finalists for its prestigious 2024 edition. Embracing a diverse array of categories, these awards celebrate exemplary design accomplishments in both the interior and exterior environment, acknowledging innovative and sustainable projects that deliver compelling messages. The finalists stand as beacons of creative ingenuity, spotlighting a global tapestry of visionary design excellence.

43 projects from 10 different counties were selected as finalists for the 2023 Awards, varying from an office in Haryana Sate in India, to a temporary installation in a pedestrian park in Jiaxing in China as well as projects in the UK. The judges were impressed by the high quality of entries last year and made an unanimous decision to crown two entries as the Supreme Winners of; Monc by Nina & Co with Smile Plastic, London, UK and Glade of Light by BCA Landscape, Manchester, UK.

Surface Design Awards 2024 received over 160 entries across an unprecedented 20 countries, ensuring the awards continue to gain worldwide recognition and establish a standard for international achievements in architecture and design with a significant emphasis on sustainability.  This year’s entrants have highlighted the most remarkable use of materials in both architectural and interior projects. Winners will be announced at Surface Design Show 2024 where the awards will be taking place at a celebratory breakfast on Thursday 8 February.

This year’s expert Judging panel, was led by Nimi Attanayake, director and co-founder of NimTim Architects, and Charlotte McCarthy, head of interiors at Heatherwick Studio. Architects and interior designers who have established themselves as experts in the field of architecture and design made up the rest of the judging panel for the 2024 Awards. Alongside Charlotte and Nimi the panel included Carly Sweeney, the Director of Universal Design Studio, Chris Laing, an Architectural Designer, Activist, Consultant, Founder of Signstrokes and Deaf Architecture Front and Gurmeet Sian, Architect and Founder of Office Sian, designer Kangan Arora, Sofia Steffenoni leader of Material Assemble, Lanre Gbolade architect and co-founder Gbolade Design Studio, Maria-Elena Patru director of Hill Patru and Gillian Lambert of AOC Architecture.

The judges were thoroughly impressed by the innovative designs and products that not only showcased sustainability but also embodied diversity while delivering a truly strong and impactful message. With over 40 entries shortlisted across the 8 diverse categories, the panel meticulously deliberated to select a supreme winner, sponsored by London’s Business Design Centre among these outstanding projects.

One of the Housing Interiors finalists, The Cork House by Polysmiths Ltd, stood out with judges stating that ‘The cork contributes to the overall environment of the house, acoustically, you're using a material for its inherent quality as well as how it looks, embracing the idea of imperfection’.

Additionally, the entrants for the Housing Exterior category judges were impressed with the contemporary, forward-thinking designs, stating that the projects “caught my eye instantaneously”, and one judge commenting on one of the shortlisted projects “to use that material in this context is unusual”.

For the Exterior Surface of the Year category, judges were captivated by shortlisted project Hotel at Bodh Gaya by SJK Architects, Judges commented “The shadows, the lights, it's so playful” and “I think it’s a space you can experience in multiple ways”. The two primary architectural melodies of memory and emotion are used in each hotel room to symbolise the principles of Buddhism. The traditional elements of Buddhist architecture evoke the first one, memory. All of the hotel's areas include vaults, corbelled arches, and stepped jambs reimagined in a modern style that is both nostalgic and functional.

Judges also were enthralled with the Light + Surface Exterior category, sponsored by Hanex, stating that “the creativity around it is simply beautiful” of shortlisted finalist - Artistic lighting at Orientkaj Metro Light Bureau part of AFRY Denmark Station in Copenhagen. A site-specific installation intended to infuse the area with joy and visual intrigue while fostering a sense of safety and security to the space.

The Interior Surface of the Year finalist, CASTA by Matter, accumulated recognition for its inventive use of grape stalks. Judges recognized the project's approach of tapping into available waste materials generated by the wine industry. This initiative highlighted a circularity in waste management while fostering collaboration among local industries, evoking a strong sense of authenticity and contextual relevance.

For the Full Shortlist for 2024 please see below:

Commercial Building Interior Finalists, sponsored by Armourcoat:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Masti Cocktails and Cuisine                               Studio Lotus                                                          United Arab Emirates

Cien                                                                        Hitzig Militello Arquitectos                                Argentina

Edyn Headquarters London                               Maison August & Atelier Ochre                        United Kingdom

Moshu Treehouse                                               Hitzig Militello Arquitectos                                Argentina

Commercial Building Exterior Finalists, sponsored by Armourcoat:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Charnwood Bricks & Eccleston Blend              Buckley Gray Yeoman                                         United Kingdom

Lost Lindenberg                                                   PT. LOST LINDENBERG                                         Indonesia

The Concrete Shop                                              tHE gRID Architects                                             India

The Rowe - (WELLS CLAD Vitreous                   AJ Wells & Sons                                                    United Kingdom

Enamel Cladding

Housing Interior Finalists:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Graphic House                                                      Office S&M Architects                                        United Kingdom

The Cork House                                                    Polysmiths Ltd                                                      United Kingdom

Haringey Brick Bungalow                                    Satish Jassal Architects                                       United Kingdom

Wave Residence                                                  Fourteen A.M. Ltd                                               United Kingdom

Housing Exterior Finalists:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Meadow End                                                        Neutral Projects                                                   United Kingdom

Rock House                                                           tHE gRID Architects                                             India

Woven House                                                       Giles Miller Studio                                               United Kingdom

The Nest                                                                                Studio Lotus                                          India

Light + Surface Interior Finalists, sponsored by Hanex:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Tarang                                                                    tHE gRID Architect                                               India

7 Tales                                                                    Studio Lumen                                                       United Arab Emirates

Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and              Michael Grubb Studio                                         United Kingdom

Whiskey Distillery

Light + Surface Exterior Finalists, sponsored by Hanex:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Artistic lighting at Orientkaj Metro                  Light Bureau part of AFRY                                  Denmark

Station in Copenhagen

Sunderdea Sunderland                                       Tonkin Liu                                                             United Kingdom

Public Building Finalists, sponsored by Panespol:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Manduca Market                                                 Hitzig Militello Arquitectos                                Argentina

Tarang                                                                    tHE gRID Architects                                             India

Macam - Museu de Arte Contemporânea      MACAM - Museum of Contemporary              Portugal

Armando Martins                                                Art Armando Martins

Temporary Structure Finalists:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Cien                                                                        Hitzig Militello Arquitectos                                Argentina

Pond Life: Albertopolis and the Lily                 JPLD                                                                        United Kingdom

Landscape and Public Realm:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

The Radion Project - (WELLS CLAD                   A.J Wells & Sons                                                   United Kingdom

Vitreous Enamel Cladding)

Pond Life: Albertopolis and the Lily                 JPLD                                                                        United Kingdom

Manduca Market                                                 Hitzig Militello Arquitectos                                Argentina

Interior Surface of the Year Finalists:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

CASTA                                                                    Matter                                                                    Portugal

Nevi                                                                        nevi GmbH                                                            Germany

Rootfull                                                                  Zena Holloway                                                      United Kingdom

THE CEILING OF ROOM XIX OF THE                  Wood-skin                                                             Switzerland

UNITED NATIONS PALACE IN GENEVA

Exterior Surface of the Year Finalists:

Project Name                                                       Company                                                               Country

Woven House                                                       Giles Miller Studio                                               United Kingdom

Algés                                                                      The Wall Project by Maria Ana                         Portugal

Vasco Costa

Hotel at Bodh Gaya                                             SJK Architects                                                       India

Architectural Photography Awards:

Project Name                                                       Photographer                                                       Country

Melting Colour Palette                                       Yasin Bal                                                                France

Spirit of Spaces                                                    Shine Parsana                                                       Saudi Arabia

Alone in Pompeii                                                 Leo Cox                                                                  Italy

Red from past to present                                   Jeevan Jyot                                                            India

North West contractor earns platinum award for exceptional commitment to employee development

Seddon is among the first to earn Platinum Membership from The 5% Club, recognising its outstanding commitment to employee development.

• Following three years of Gold Membership, this prestigious award positions Seddon in the top 30 businesses acknowledged for their dedication to employee growth.

• Over the past 23 years, Seddon has recruited over 450 apprentices with an impressive 97% retention rate.

Seddon, the family-run construction contractor, has achieved the highest level of recognition from The 5% Club for its outstanding dedication to the professional growth and development of its employees. Over the past 23 years, Seddon have successfully recruited over 450 apprentices (level 2/3 and level 6) with an impressive 97% retention rate.

The company has been honoured with the coveted Platinum Membership award, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to fostering inclusive and accessible workplace training for all. With the construction industry skills shortage deepening, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) estimated 224,900 additional workers must be recruited by 2027 to fulfil the sector's workforce demands. With over 350,000 construction companies in the UK, if each company could hire just one apprentice, the skills shortage would be resolved.

However, in 2022, only 13.9k new apprentices started, representing less than 4% of contractors, if we assumed each company had one apprentice. In reality, the actual percentage is even lower, considering that many advocates of apprenticeships employ multiple apprentices. Seddon understand just how crucial it is to address the barriers faced in the industry to improve these statistics. It would only take 64% of the UK’s construction companies employing one apprentice each to meet the employment figures deemed vital by CITB.

In the past 12 months, Seddon has furthered its commitment to employee development outside of its own brick and mortar. Seddon provided 110 companies with information regarding funding, training and employment creating 7 new apprentice roles within their supply chain. It further secured 17 employment opportunities for trainees as well as accessing £70K of funding from CITB for its supply chain.

Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director at Seddon, expressed her pride in achieving the Platinum award, stating, “This achievement is a testament to our ongoing commitment to our employees, and we remain resolute in upholding this level of dedication. Achieving Platinum status is a milestone achievement for the team here at Seddon, and I thank the leadership team who are equally as passionate about bringing the next generation of the workforce to the forefront.

Unfortunately, the existing frameworks related to construction education, funding, and accessibility for aspiring young individuals falls woefully short of addressing the multitude of issues faced. At Seddon, we understand the immense value of apprenticeships as a means of earning and learning, and we are committed to continuously creating inclusive opportunities for the next generation of construction professionals.”

The Platinum Membership is a newly introduced top-tier honour within The 5% Club's Employer Audit, reserved for members who have achieved Gold Membership status for three consecutive years and have 10% or more of their staff members participating in apprenticeships, graduate schemes, or sponsored student programmes in their third year. Out of the 180 businesses included in the Employer Audit, Seddon is one of the distinguished 30 businesses to have attained this prestigious award.

Camden-based entrepreneurs celebrate growth and success following LABS Workspace Initiative

London, 31st October 2023 – Following two successful years of providing workspace and resource support for local businesses, flexible wor­kspace provider LABS and Camden Council celebrate some of the success stories from their innovative partnership as it onboards its third cohort for 2023/24.

(From left to right) Paul Pember and Meital Miselevich, 23/24 Workspace Beneficiaries at LABS Atrium

Designed to stimulate growth, accelerate learning, and increase networking opportunities, the beneficiaries of two companies share how the workspace initiative had a positive impact on their business strategy.

Well Fruited (22/23 Cohort)

Founded by Ben Kaye and Alex Williams, Well Fruited (previously known as Bare Fruit), is a food and beverage startup dedicated to creating the most nutritious juice drink on the market. The objective - to address one of the most problematic issues surrounding nutrition. Most of us do not get enough fruit and vegetables in our diets.

Since joining LABS in September 2022, Well Fruited has gone through an exciting rebrand and completely redesigned its product. Following years of R&D, their patented SuperblendÔ technology enables them to preserve far more vitamins and minerals than standard smoothie/juicing techniques can, providing more of the benefits to consumers, with less hassle. They are now preparing to relaunch the brand within the next year.

AcademiaOne (21/22 Cohort)

Victor Kovalets is the founder of AcademiaOne, an innovative education technology startup for international and oversees students that provides vital resources to support the learning of foreign students in the UK education system. The aim is to give foreign prospective students as much support as possible when navigating the complexities of UK-based education while helping them reach their full academic potential.

Following its time at LABS, AcademiaOne was accepted onto the UK Business Grant and Natwest Accelerator 2022, giving the company an additional six months’ development and support. The company has now expanded its services to include Postgraduate Application guidance and Proofreading, alongside its initial tutoring and academic courses, and now has more than 20 employees based in its offices in Mayfair.

Following their welcome event in September this year, LABS spoke to two beneficiaries from the 23/24 cohort to find out more about their objectives for the six-month initiative.

Meital Miselevich, a beneficiary of the initiative, said: “Having access to LABS through the entrepreneurs program is of great importance to me because it provides a dynamic and collaborative environment that perfectly complements our creative process. The space will primarily serve as our team’s haven for brainstorming, strategising, and crafting innovative animation concepts. Being a LABS member opens doors to valuable networking opportunities, constant inspiration, and growth, all of which I highly value.”

Paul Pember, Founder of CX Score, added: “I launched CX score with the mission to help as many organisations as possible succeed at customer experience. We work with clients to help them better understand their customers and support them in building a strong organisational architecture to deliver - this includes things like their strategy, culture, technology, customer insight and organisational design. 

“Becoming a LABS member will help develop CX score into its next life stage. We’ve just hit two years old, so it’s invaluable having access to a space that will enable the business to continue its growth. The start-up energy within LABS is infectious and something that you can’t replicate virtually or at home.” 

Matt Watts, Managing Director at LABS, said: “Our partnership with Camden Council that provides support for local entrepreneurs has never been more necessary. The current economic climate (both globally and locally) is incredibly complex, with persistent high inflation and soaring interest rates increasing risk and barriers to entry across all industries.

“By providing fully funded workspace, we aim to alleviate many of the financial challenges during the crucial first few years of entrepreneurship, resulting in increased capacity and resources that can be focused on stabilizing business processes and developing innovative products and services that will be of particular benefit for local Camden residents.

We’re very pleased to see several emerging entrepreneurs affiliated with our initiative achieve growth and exciting results. We now look forward to supporting our third cohort of entrepreneurs that have shown promising solutions to London’s and the UK’s wider economy.”

This year's initiative will run from September 2023 to March 2024. New applications for the 2024/25 cohort will be accepted from April 2024 onwards.