18 March 2011
Building
View all stories from this issue.
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£300m extra funding pledged for infrastructure in Budget
23 Mar 11
Rail schemes in Manchester and Swindon set to be the biggest beneficiaries
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77% of engineers support CITB levy
18 March 2011
Support is tempered by strong calls for reform
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800 mile cycle ride planned in memory of Joanna Yeates
22 Mar 11
150 BDP staff will take part in the tour in memory of the murdered Bristol landscape architect
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Alchemi conversion
18 March 2011
Alchemi will convert offices into flats in central London
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Andrew Wyllie: Yes, we can
18 March 2011
With Costain’s much publicised bid for Mouchel rebuffed no fewer than four times, and huge infrastructure plans dependent on funding, how come chief executive Andrew Wyllie is so upbeat?
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Arup to stress test buildings in disaster-hit Japan
18 March 2011
Damaged construction projects are on hold and evacuations take place as Japan struggles to recover
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Atkins evacuates Bahrain staff
18 March 2011
Firm removes 170 staff as force is used on protesters
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Berkeley sales rise 25% as construction costs stay low
18 Mar 11
Houesbuilder says excess capacity in construction sector is keeping costs down despite material and fuel inflation
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Billington boss believes steel market has ‘reached bottom’
18 March 2011
Billington chief executive Steve Fareham says markets are improving and the cycle is turning
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Budget 2011 reaction: Enterprise zones
23 Mar 11
The industry reacts to George Osborne’s announcement on Enterprise Zones
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Budget 2011 reaction: First Buy scheme for first time buyers
23 Mar 11
Scheme should help thousands get on housing ladder according to HBF and RICS
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Budget 2011 reaction: Green investment bank
23 Mar 11
The bank won’t finance the Green Deal, but it will be able to borrow - though not yet
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Budget will create construction jobs, says CBI
24 Mar 11
Business body says measures should help boost construction pipeline and speed up planning
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Budget wish lists
22 Mar 11
What the construction industry would like to hear in Osborne’s Spring Budget
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Building Awards 2011 Project of the Year: Royal Shakespeare Company
25 Mar 11
Shortlisted for Project of the year, the revamped home of the RSC tries to maintain and represent the history of the site, rather than completely replacing the iconic venue
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Building Awards 2011 shortlist: Woodland Trust
26 Mar 11
Shortlisted for the Project of the year, the Woodland Trust’s HQ is attractive and sustainable
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Building Awards 2011 shortlist: Angel Building
24 Mar 11
Continuing our shortlist preview series, a spacious atrium and geometric layout give a slick rejuvenation to a central London office block
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Building Awards 2011 shortlist: Carnegie Pavilion
23 Mar 11
Shorstlied for Project of the Year, the Carnegie Pavilion encorporates the abstract and futuristic, representing both cricket club and city
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Building Awards 2011 shortlist: One New Change
22 Mar 11
The first of our preview series on shortlisted projects is One New Change in London’s Paternoster Square
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Bulk of OFT fines likely to be wiped out after appeals
18 March 2011
Hope for other firms as fines in first six cases are reduced by up to 94%
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Business planning: home and away
18 March 2011
How do you plan ahead and formulate business strategies amid all the uncertainty of political uprisings - and the upcoming Budget?
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Chancellor launches £3bn green bank fund
23 Mar 11
But Green Investment Bank will not be able to raise private funding until 2015
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CityWatch: Devastation abroad but dull week at home
18 March 2011
Japan’s crisis impacts the stock market while UK firm’s share prices see little movement
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Consultancy errors: It wasn't me
18 March 2011
If you don’t know how to do something you call in a specialist, right? Well, if you’re a consultant on a construction project, beware. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind …
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Dave Lowery on government cuts
18 March 2011
The Bank of England has a tough decision to make over interest rates, and opinions are divided
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Davis Langdon returns to Bahrain against Foreign Office advice
22 Mar 11
Consultant evacuated office last Wednesday but has now flown staff back despite Foreign Office warnings
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Defence Estates reveals list for Scottish work
22 Mar 11
Contracts include maintenance, repairs and construction
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Don't let Twitter gossip ruin your firm's online reputation
22 Mar 11
Knowing how to manage your company’s online presence has never been so important – here are some tips on how
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Durkan 'considers action' over Tribunal decision
22 Mar 11
Company claims it never had control over former subsidiary Concentra
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Durkan's OFT fine cut by £4m
22 Mar 11
Company first to appeal liability on cover pricing and win
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Earl's Court regeneration to create 1,500 construction jobs
21 Mar 11
Developers will create 1,500 construction jobs and 7,500 homes as part of the Earl’s Court regeneration
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Earthquake damage could cost $235bn, says World Bank
21 Mar 11
Country could take five years to rebuild
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Eco-mansion: Living off the land
18 March 2011
Architect Scott Brownrigg has submitted a planning application for this “eco-mansion” in Medmenham, Buckinghamshire
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EDF "to learn" from Japanese nuclear crisis
21 Mar 11
EDF chief executive Vincent de Rivaz said lessons would be learned and applied to nuclear facilities in the UK
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Enterprise cuts back £70m social housing business
18 March 2011
Firm looks to exit contracts as news of chief executive Neil Kirkby’s departure emerges
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Firm wins health unit
18 March 2011
ISG Jackson will build child and mental health services unit
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First reaction: What the Budget means for construction
23 Mar 11
The key budget announcements put into context by EC Harris’ head of strategic research & insight
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Focus on costs boots Bovis Homes' profit by 146%
18 March 2011
Despite increase in sales of only 6%, a focus on costs pushed the firm’s margins higher
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Government launches inquiry into High Speed 2
18 Mar 11
The transport committee will launch an investigation into the cases for and against high speed rail
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Government unveils planning shake-up
23 Mar 11
Local authorities will be given a deadline of one year to guarantee a decision on all planning applications
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Grontmij appoints sustainability director
21 Mar 11
Appointment of Alex Drysdale follows rebranding of Roger Preston and Partners as Grontmij Building Services
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Hansom: La belle vie
18 March 2011
We report on racy goings-on, with recently arrested property magnates throwing yacht parties, firms hosting lavish dinners, and politicians talking procreation. And some said Mipim was tamer this year …
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Henry Boot back in the black after property disposals
23 Mar 11
Property and land disposals have wiped out Henry Boot’s debts and the firm has returned to profit
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House prices up 0.8% in March says Rightmove
21 Mar 11
Rightmove published its March house price index today, which showed a 0.8% increase from February
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Housing market recovery slow moving for now
18 March 2011
Many factors have contributed to a slow start for the housing market – but that should change as the year progresses
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How clients can protect themselves from contractors that underbid
18 Mar 11
A legal view on tightening up contract terms and using two-stage procurement to route out unrealistically low bids
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Interserve lands Middle East defence deal
22 Mar 11
Three year contract to support UK operations at a Main Air Base
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It wasn’t me
18 March 2011
If you don’t know how to do something you call in a specialist, right? Well, if you’re a consultant on a construction project, beware. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind …
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Japan's nuclear crisis sparks fears of delays to new UK reactors
18 March 2011
Chief nuclear inspector to conduct safety review as public pressure mounts
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Jarvis avoids prosecution for Potters Bar crash
18 Mar 11
Regulator expected to drop proceedings against the firm for incident that killed seven people
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Land Securities secures £71m for Park House development
24 Mar 11
Developer Land Securities has secured its profit on the development before it is even built
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Latest construction appointments: 18 March 2011
18 March 2011
GHM Consultancy Group, Shepherd Construction, British Land and Smith Hampton Manchester all have new appointments
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LCR chief in line to head Crossrail project
21 Mar 11
Mark Bayley believed to be on longlist to replace Rob Holden
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Live blog: Budget 2011
23 Mar 11
All the Budget news and reaction as it happens
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Lovell wins place on £210m Scottish frameworks
21 Mar 11
Morgan Sindall subsidiary, Lovell, has secured a place on two Scottish frameworks, worth £210m
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Mears operating profits up by 27% as rivals crash out
18 March 2011
Social housing repairs provider says underbidding has led to failures, allowing it to ’pick up the pieces’
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Miller Group sales down 15%
18 March 2011
The firm’s 2010 loss was an improvement on 2009, and its chairman was optimistic of market recovery
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Missing digits
18 March 2011
As the owner of a late Victorian semi-detached house in a conservation zone I have been reading Robert Prewett’s Passivhaus Diaries, regarding the conversion of 64 Midmoor Road to a low-energy building, with great interest (4 March, page 42)
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Morrisons fund RMJM
18 March 2011
The Morrison family is to provide £8m funding to troubled architect RMJM
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Mortgage lending stagnates in February
18 Mar 11
Mortgage lending was flat compared with January, figures released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders shows
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MPs ask Osborne to explain 'sustainable development'
24 Mar 11
Committee demands details on Budget statement of ’Presumption in favour of sustainable development’
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New Homes Bonus will not boost development, say MPs
18 March 2011
Select committee report on damns abolition of regional plans
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Nuclear reaction
18 March 2011
This week’s news is dominated by the crisis in Japan. We also look at the OFT fines saga, what the Budget might bring and how underbidding is affecting the industry
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OBR cuts growth forecasts for next two years
23 Mar 11
The Office for Budget Responsibility projects the economy will grow by 1.7% in 2011, down from 2.1% estimate
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OFT could pay for being over-keen
18 March 2011
According to directives from Europe, the OFT’s fines are levied on the basis of companies’ global turnover, not profit
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OFT fines: Galliford Try and five others see fines cut by 75%
24 Mar 11
Judgment consistent with tribunal findings on Kier and John Sisk
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OFT fines: Galliford Try outcome on Thursday
22 Mar 11
CAT delayed handing down judgment to firm facing £8.3m fine for reasons of ’convenience’
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OFT gets more time on bid rigging appeals
23 Mar 11
OFT given a month from publication of final appeal judgment
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Once upon a time in the West
18 Mar 11
We live in turbulent times with the ascendency of the East our most direct challenge. But reports of the death of the West have been greatly exaggerated
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Osborne unveils £250m housing plan
23 Mar 11
Chancellor to help 10,000 new home starts through equity loan subsidy
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Osborne unveils package to boost construction
23 Mar 11
Chancellor announces shake-up of planning, stamp duty changes and extra infrastructure cash
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Output down but predicted to rise
18 March 2011
Initial figures for January look poor but February is predicted to be better
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Preferred bidder chosen for £790m Forth bridge contract
21 Mar 11
International consortium preferred choice to deliver replacement for Forth Road Bridge
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Qatari Diar in-house consultant in UK move
18 March 2011
Developer’s presence in UK will cut down jobs available to other firms
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Quantum issues
18 March 2011
When defects emerge after work is complete the immediate concern is rectifying them. But how you do that will affect the quantum issues in court and how much you recover
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Read Building's debate on the 2011 Budget
24 Mar 11
Read our FREE Budget Q&A featuring industry experts from the UKGBC, HBF, CPA and EC Harris
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Renew ceases public sector work in the North
18 March 2011
Firm says the public sector in the North is no longer viable and will be pulling out
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RICS attacks Budget on zero carbon U-turn
24 Mar 11
Body ’disappointed’ standards are watered down despite industry backing for zero carbon homes
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Rolf v De Guerin
24 Mar 11
This illustrates the value of mediation – especially in small cases, where the costs of resolving the dispute can be disproportionate to the amounts at stake
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Russian developer seeks £310m London listing
23 Mar 11
Etalon Group behind major residential schemes in Moscow and St Petersburg
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Scott Wilson reopens Bahrain office
23 Mar 11
Engineer’s move highlights differences in approach by UK consultants to instability in Gulf state
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Severfield profits down 70%
22 Mar 11
Yorkshire based steel specialist reported a collapse in profits during 2010
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Shell to drill new wells in the Gulf of Mexico
22 Mar 11
US authorities award permit for first new drills since last year’s oil disaster
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Slippery slope
18 March 2011
This worker seems to be practising for the 2012 Games, in a perilious way …
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SME workers to lose right to train
18 Mar 11
Construction union Ucatt warns changes could put lives at risk
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Solar energy funds reduced
18 March 2011
Renewable Heat Incentive reveals lower than expected funding
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Specialist costs: Steel and concrete
18 March 2011
Steel and concrete subcontractor turnovers have taken a double hit as the price of raw materials has surged and work dried up. Despite no improvement to the short-term outlook, Peter Fordham of Davis Langdon, an Aecom company, sees a glimmer of hope from 2013
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Stamp duty reform to boost private rented housing
23 Mar 11
Property industry celebrates George Osborne’s unexpected U-turn
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T Clarke results hit by Scottish contract
18 Mar 11
Pre-tax profits fall of 22% blamed on challenging markets and problems with a large contract
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The Budget: Can George win the day?
18 March 2011
How do you fight off the threat of a double-dip recession with no weapons in your armoury? For George Osborne putting together next week’s Budget, the most obvious solution is likely to be deregulation. Here’s a look at what changes to expect
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Those who dare ...
18 March 2011
Reflecting on Richard Saxon’s letter (Inbox, 11 March), and Rob Charlton’s original thoughts (25 February, page 33), they have identified one of our industry’s core problems - too much functional focus and segregation on a project.
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Trafford town hall: civics makeover
18 March 2011
5plus Architects and Shepherd Developments have secured planning permission to redevelop Trafford town hall
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Twenty-eight day adjudication: the point and pitfalls
18 March 2011
A little domestic case of an extended deadline outlines the point - and pitfalls - of 28-day adjudication
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Ucatt forced to re-run election
18 March 2011
Construction’s largest union Ucatt was thrown into turmoil this week after a watchdog declared its 2009 leadership election void
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Underbidding: Warning! Highly risky manoeuvre
18 March 2011
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and in some cases result in suicidal tendencies. As underbidding spirals further out of control, we look at how widespread the practice has become and what – if anything – can be done about it.
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Wates wins £160m to go top
18 March 2011
Amount of work awarded in February dropped but big wins shuffle positions of top 10 contractors
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Welcome to Cheapsville
18 March 2011
Regarding the story Shapps calls for end to “Legoland” homes, (9 March, www.building.co.uk) it is the planners who are failing in their duty to ensure appropriate local design.
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Were Japan's defences up to it?
18 March 2011
Buildings in Japan withstood the earthquake well, but were no match for the tsunami that ensued
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West Ham reveals changes to stadium
18 March 2011
The £95m conversion will include removing floodlighting masts and installing an extended roof
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West Ham's stadium: Up close and personal
18 March 2011
West Ham won the acrimonious battle for the post-Games conversion of the Olympic stadium. But will its football stadium-cum-athletics arena be able to create the intimate atmosphere its fans demand?
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Wonders & blunders with Mike Barker
18 March 2011
Mike Barker’s architectural picks are all bound up with nature. He loves an Iraqi school built out of reeds, but doesn’t care two straws about Beijing’s over-designed Bird’s Nest
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WYG teams up with Chinese consultancy
22 Mar 11
Global consultancy firm partners in Beijing, plans Shanghai opening
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Zaha Brava: The Guangzhou Opera House
18 March 2011
Architecture and geology collide in Zaha Hadid’s glorious Guangzhou Opera House
