This Week in Construction (and Other) News | 24 May 2020

UK Mental Health Week

This week was Mental Health Awareness week in the UK - an issue that, thankfully, the construction industry is now taking more and more seriously. Why? Because low-skilled male construction workers more likely to take their own lives than the national average and the industry itself accounted for more suicides than any other industry for large parts of the last decade.

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Photo Credit: RICS

The RICS this week published a shocking but informative article highlighting the issues facing the industry and the work still to be done. There are however some rays of hope, with forward-thinking contractor MACE partnering with a business psychologists and well-being experts to put well-being firmly into the construction giant's business strategy.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/2XnVa3d

If you need help right now you can find links to mental health professionals and organisations here: https://bit.ly/3ge9aFn

Project Reset

After seeing the widely reported environmental benefits of global industry shutting-down almost overnight, Prince Charles has called upon world leaders to change the way we live to arrest the decline in environmental health.

The UK Royal plans to work closely with influential global figures with the objective of persuading them that "they must place an “environmentally sustainable future” at the heart of plans." This could have a profound impact on the way urban planners and architects design buildings of the future - in turn impacting a construction supply chain that would need to pivot towards using more sustainable building materials.

The Prince believes that as countries and businesses around the world look to rebuild after this crisis, there is a unique but narrow window of opportunity to accelerate the sustainability agenda in a way that puts people and planet first

Get the full story here: https://yhoo.it/2ZsAda9

For Those Still Planning Summer Holidays...

An Italian swimwear designer made the news by launching what is sure (maybe) to be on-trend on beaches across the world - the 'Trikini'. Spotting that beach goers are likely to need more than just SPF to protect them, the savvy designer created a bikini that features a matching face mask.

No one is entirely sure what this means for the future of tan lines or swimming, but at least it looks good.

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Photo Credit: Elexia Beachwear

See the finished product here: https://on.today.com/2yr6Xp1 or buy one here: https://bit.ly/2Tywns7