Latest news with #ChrisYates
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
CI Road Trip: Washington Good Neighbor Days
WASHINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — Chief Meteorologist Chris Yates was in Washington on Friday for our CI Road Trip. Chris was visiting to see what Washington Good Neighbor Days has to offer, including deep-fried Oreos. Good Neighbor Days takes over the weekend in Washington The carnival opened up at 4 p.m. and is set to run through 10 p.m. Those who stay late tonight can expect to see fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The carnival will reopen from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. This story will be updated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Willmott Dixon begins construction on Whitby Maritime Training Hub
Willmott Dixon, a contracting and interior fit-out group, has commenced construction on the Whitby Maritime Training Hub in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. The training hub will serve as a centre for the training and certification of individuals in the maritime and offshore renewable sectors. It will feature engineering workshops, office space for marine-based startups, and accommodation for businesses and service providers. The hub will complement Whitby's rich fishing and sailing heritage, with completion of the project expected by April 2026. North Yorkshire Council procured Willmott Dixon for the £9.6m ($12.4m) project through the SCAPE Construction Framework, a public sector-compliant construction framework. Align Property Partners, the council's building design consultancy, will oversee the day-to-day management of the site. The council plans to operate the facility initially, with the potential for a community interest company to take over management in the future. The hub is expected to create new commercial opportunities and reduce the area's dependence on seasonal employment. Funding for the project is sourced from the national government's Town Deals programme, which contributed a total of £37.3m to Whitby and Scarborough in 2021. Upon completion, the Endeavour Wharf car park will offer 198 parking spaces, including spaces for disabled individuals and harbour operators. The car park will remain closed during construction for safety reasons. Willmott Dixon Yorkshire director Chris Yates said: "We're really excited to be working alongside North Yorkshire Council to create this landmark development which will add to Whitby's proud maritime heritage. "We share the council's passion for creating employment opportunities for this community. In partnership with our local supply chain partners, we will provide 800 hours of employment support through our bespoke Building Lives Academy programmes.' 'This will help those furthest from the job market become work-ready and give those involved the chance to leave a lasting legacy by contributing directly to the build of the new hub.' Last month, Willmott Dixon secured a contract for the City of Doncaster Council's Gateway One development, a new 52,000ft² Grade A office building in Doncaster, England. "Willmott Dixon begins construction on Whitby Maritime Training Hub" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Telegraph
08-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The charming period features in your home under threat from net zero
For many home buyers, nothing signifies value more than open fireplaces, 12-foot ceilings and generous windows to make an interior light and airy. But the key selling points can spell disaster for a home's green credentials, and face disappearing from new homes amid Labour's net zero drive, experts have warned. The Government is on an energy efficiency crusade, forcing landlords to upgrade their homes to ensure they have a minimum EPC grade of 'C' by 2030. The ratings – a legal requirement for people selling or renting a property – provide a score that estimates how much heat and energy a property can retain. But home owners have long complained of inconsistencies in the EPC system and the high cost of transforming properties to attain high grades. Now, design experts caution they risk making British homes uglier. Is it any wonder that energy efficiency is plummeting down buyers' lists of priorities? Recent research conducted by Hive, the British Gas-owned smart tech firm, found 75pc of consumers favoured old-fashioned features such as high ceilings, original fireplaces, stained glass windows and wood floors over energy efficiency when purchasing a home. Here, Telegraph Money looks at the features most under threat. 1. Large windows Labour has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament. The new housing stock is expected to come with better EPC ratings than older buildings. However, concerns have been raised about the tendency for new homes to be built with limited airflow thanks to their high level of insulation. Nicholas Boyes Smith, director of urban planning think tank Create Streets, said period features that promote airflow in buildings were increasingly rare in new construction. 'I fear that features associated with 'buildings that breathe' which let air in and out as opposed to being hermetically sealed, will become much rarer.' He added that sash windows that are preferred by planning regulations were now more common than larger casement alternatives. 'They are already rare in new builds. For example, developers and house builders now need to really want to create sash windows to get them through building regulations. 'Though well-intentioned, this outcome stems from an overly narrow understanding of sustainability as being entirely about the energy in use of homes. 'In fact, a far wider range of factors such as how we move about in our daily lives, [if we] can walk to the shops, how long buildings last and whether we re-use existing buildings are hugely important. 'The so-called form, height and shape of a building really matters, as well for its carbon footprint alongside its longevity. Never forget the greenest building is nearly always the one that already exists,' he added. According to Chris Yates, chief executive of green tech body the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations, conservatories that lead on to gardens are of particular concern. 'You would certainly find it much more expensive to heat which would impact the EPC. If you've got that conservatory open plan into another room or on the back of the house, you are going to lose heat if it has not been insulated properly.' 2. Tall ceilings This sought-after feature can make a home feel more opulent, but inevitably impacts energy efficiency. Some 25pc of those surveyed by Hive said they would prioritise buying a home with high ceilings. Mr Yates said: 'High ceilings will have an impact because you are trying to fill up more space. 'If you are heating the space at the ground level, the majority [of heat] will naturally rise to the top of the ceiling, so you've got to fill a lot of empty space before you get to the point where you actually feel the benefit.' As a result, Britain's ceilings appear to be getting lower. The average height of a ceiling in a new-build is now 2.4m, or just shy of eight feet. By comparison, it was commonplace for Victorian ceilings to exceed 3m, or just under 10 feet. 3. Open fireplaces Fireplaces are a key focal point in large, Georgian living rooms. But, they offer little in the way of green credentials. An open fire is 20pc energy efficient, according to specialists Athena. This is because the chimney evacuates much of the warm air from the living space. As a result, they rarely feature in new-build homes which tend not to have chimneys. 'The best solution personally would be to swap it out for a modern stove. You could still have a stove with period features, but gas would be more efficient, however, it's still going to be losing a lot of energy from the room and chances are the flume isn't going to be too efficient,' Mr Yates said. 4. Old doors The British front door is constantly evolving. Traditional oak doors were a staple feature of homes from the 15th century before being replaced by solid wooden alternatives. In the 1900s and early 2000s, the plastic door enjoyed a boom for their low maintenance and value for money. Today, most new-builds feature doors made from composite. Made with an insulating foam core and triple glazing, they claim to be six times more energy efficient than a traditional wooden door – offering a potential saving on energy bills.
