Ascent’s Post

ARE YOU AWARE OF THE CHANGES MADE TO THE §179D DEDUCTION? An increase in the deduction amount for three important commercial property areas—lighting, HVAC, and the remaining portion of the property, known as The Envelope—up to $5.65 per square foot. Building projects finished for tribal governments, and not-for-profit organizations are now eligible (all previously excluded). Previously, the deduction was made available once over the building's lifetime; currently, it can be claimed on a commercial building every three years. Schools, churches, hospitals, and other commercial and multifamily structures with a minimum height of four floors fall within the category of eligible properties. Connect with Walker Reid to take advantage of this as soon as possible! https://hubs.ly/Q02qxXLP0 #taxdeduction #governmentprojects #taxexemptbuildings #architects #engineers #contractors #prevailingwage #apprenticeship #savings #constructionindustry #179DTaxDeduction #deduction

In response to the King's speech today, our MD, Andrew Rinaldi has given his thoughts "We welcome the government’s plans to “get Britain building” and its focus on improving planning processes. We are keen to gain a deeper understanding of their plans for the much-needed planning reform. We strongly feel that there is also an urgent need to help first-time buyers who have struggled to gain a foothold on the housing ladder since the withdrawal of Help to Buy and we are interested to know how the government plans to assist those looking to own their first home. The government has often mentioned their desire for a diverse and sustainable housebuilding supply. To achieve this, the government must increase its support for SME housebuilders who are struggling to cope with high interest rates, high build costs high regulatory costs (Part L, Future Homes, BNG) against the backdrop of a weak sales environment, particularly in the Southeast where sales prices have fallen and continue to do so. A House of Lords Built Environment Committee report published in January 2022, noted that SMEs developed 10% of new homes in 2020, down from 39% in 1988. This clearly needs addressing urgently. The government’s commitment to investing in skills is much needed, given the existing shortage of skilled labour in our industry which is set to worsen as activity levels increase. As a strong advocate and sponsor of our own apprenticeship programs, Antler Homes is keen to understand the government’s plans to ensure a strong and fulfilled labour supply."

Exciting Developments in Roofing Education! I recently had the pleasure of discussing the future of roofing education in the US with Charles Antis, CEO of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing. Charles pointed out that there's a growing initiative to reintroduce roofing programs into high schools, similar to how it was 30-40 years ago. Roofing has been traditionally hands-on work, and there's a significant effort to provide young students with opportunities to learn and excel in this field. Through collaboration with organizations like the National Roofing Contractors Association, professionals like John Esbenshade, and Susan DeGrassi, partnerships with school districts, including Anaheim Unified School District, are making strides in bringing roofing curriculum back into schools. 📝 The goal? To lift the profile of roofing as a viable and rewarding career option for the younger generation. 🌟 The progress is undeniable, and it's heartening to see the roofing industry collectively working to make this happen. Charles believes we're already halfway there, and while we may not be donning lederhosen like roofers in Germany, it's entirely possible! 🇩🇪 #RoofingEducation #SkilledTrades #FutureWorkforce #RoofingAlliance #NRCA #AntisRoofing #CareerOpportunities

The next Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) round is fast approaching, and we ask is your school missing out? It's been reported that between 2016-2023, 15% of eligible schools made no CIF applications at all. With the condition of many school estates in decline, Synergy can help your school secure this vital funding, from writing the bid through to managing the project on site. Read more! #cif #schoolfunding #schoolimprovement #academies

BIG GRANT FOR COLLIN COLLEGE: A North Texas university is getting nearly half a million dollars in grants to train workers in two businesses we at Slaughter Investing are very close to: construction and finance. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the money was coming to Collin College thanks to the Texas Workforce Commission. The money will be used to train more than 300 new and current workers at local Collin County businesses. This is a grant that’s NEEDED because of all of the growth we’re experiencing now in North Texas. As most of our followers know. Slaughter Investing is biggest on investing in Grayson County, but Collin County was the original blueprint for what we’re seeing in the northern expansion of the DFW suburbs. If you’re interested in learning more about the areas that we suggest investing in, head over to our YouTube page and watch “Investing in 2024, Part 1: Setting Attainable Goals” at https://lnkd.in/e4UY-BDU. READ MORE ABOUT COLLIN COLLEGE’S GRANT: https://lnkd.in/gwXkt73q

🚨 Over 60% of high school students enter college right out of high school. Only a staggering 30% finish it. 🗣 The first part of this information tells me that there is 40% of high school graduates that need to be made aware of what our great industry, the roofing industry, has to offer. 🗣 The second part of this information tells me that the 30% who don't finish college, for whatever reason, need to be aware of what our great industry has to offer. I loved college, I have a Masters degree myself, but I also understand it isn't for everyone and I also understand that the roofing industry has a major labor gap and shortage. I also understand there is a large pool of high school seniors and young adults that doesn't know what we have to offer. The roofing industry can offer a lifelong, recession proof career and secured future for these graduates and their future families. I can speak to that without question. This video tells one of the many GAF Roofing Academy testimonials of how a young man recognized what our industry had to offer and took full advantage of it for himself and his family. My aim for 2024 is to connect with as many high school seniors and young adults across our great nation and champion what the roofing industry has to offer and showcase that it can provide them a secure future. Let's grow our industry together! #gaf #gafroofingacademy #laborgap #trades #roofing #makethatmoney #startatthetop #gohigher #highschoolseniors #youngadults #future #career #secure #roofingindustry Michael Humenik

BIG GRANT FOR COLLIN COLLEGE: A North Texas university is getting nearly half a million dollars in grants to train workers in two businesses we at Slaughter Investing are very close to: construction and finance. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the money was coming to Collin College thanks to the Texas Workforce Commission. The money will be used to train more than 300 new and current workers at local Collin County businesses. This is a grant that’s NEEDED because of all of the growth we’re experiencing now in North Texas. As most of our followers know. Slaughter Investing is biggest on investing in Grayson County, but Collin County was the original blueprint for what we’re seeing in the northern expansion of the DFW suburbs. If you’re interested in learning more about the areas that we suggest investing in, head over to our YouTube page and watch “Investing in 2024, Part 1: Setting Attainable Goals” at https://lnkd.in/ep5aYdQD. READ MORE ABOUT COLLIN COLLEGE’S GRANT: https://lnkd.in/gNrtTx6a

In his weekly column for The Times, Lord Hague makes a compelling case for vocational education and that the lack of it is holding back the economic growth of the nation 🏚 The UK's goal to build hundreds of thousands homes annually is challenged by a skilled trades shortage, especially post-Brexit with fewer EU workers. 🔧 Skilled workers like electricians and plumbers are essential but in short supply, needing years of training and apprenticeships. 📉 Government initiatives aim to fill skill gaps, but rapid improvement in construction skills remains difficult. 👷♂️ The CITB predicts a need for 225,000 extra workers by 2027, highlighting a vast skill shortfall in the sector. 👩🏭 Cultural shifts and support for practical skills, especially among young people and women, are needed alongside incentives for small businesses to train apprentices. As he notes "We do not have in this country the electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, plasterers, tilers, scaffolders, bathroom fitters and roofers who would be needed to build 300,000 homes every year. Their skills cannot just be conjured up but need training and apprenticeships that can take years. They are the very skills that will also be in demand to retrofit existing homes with heat pumps, change cladding that should never have been installed, and work on big infrastructure projects such as HS2" And they are skills that we (as a society, including industry and schools, as well as ministers of all parties) have not been producing in sufficient numbers for a long time. This cannot be allowed to continue and there needs to be a serious reappraisal of the tertiary education system in all parts of the UK at a time when there seems to be a disconnect with what industry requires and what is currently being provided. The fact that the Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government has reduced its apprenticeship budget by 25% at a time when we need more skilled young people in key areas of the economy is just one example where priorities have gone wrong. With 10,000 fewer apprenticeships in 2024-25, it's been estimated by one Welsh FE College that this decision could potentially cost the Welsh economy more than £400m over the long term. Whilst skills is a devolved matter, this is nevertheless an issue that needs urgent attention across the whole of the UK. I would hope that such reform will form a critical part of the manifestos for the this year's general election as this is not a failure of one political party but of successive governments over the last 40 years and it is a failure that is holding back the future of our economy. #skilledtrades #apprenticeships #vocationaltraining

My #WeekOnWednesday I'm still catching my breath after last week's presidential visit to #Dublin to attend the #RTPIIreland #AnnualDinner with Lindsey Richards FRTPI. Thanks to everyone who came along to the dinner, and all the people who gave up their time to show us around Dublin and share their work with us. This week #RTPIScotland published its response to the #ScottishGovernment consultation on #InvestinginPlanning. It's good to have lots of ideas about how to make the system work better and how to lever in more funds, but we also need some strategy and analysis to underpin all of that. Our key message there was that raising fees is important - but the funds wont necessarily stay in local planning budgets or be used to enhance the service, so how do we ensure that income is protected and directed to planning services? We'd like to see this work developed within a broader resourcing framework for the whole planning system in Scotland. It's been a very busy time on the consultations front, so I really appreciate the work of Jenny Munro and Shabnam Afshar pulling together three big consultation responses in May. I was hoping for a bit of a break, but I see that the Scottish Government have just published a new one on an #InfrastructureLevy which looks set to keep us occupied over the summer. Setting all that to one side, other activities this week include a meeting on Student Bursaries - (👀 look out for an announcement about Scottish Bursaries for 2024/25) - and making plans with Jenny Munro for some research and collaboration on planning performance in Scotland. We'll be following up on that with Craig McLaren the National Planning Improvement Champion (check your inbox Craig!) As usual, the week is peppered with plenty of internal and external meetings. Today we had the #BoardofTrustees, and on Friday there's a #HOPS sub-committee which will focus on Scottish policy. The #GeneralElection is adding to the busyness, as might be expected. There are regular team briefings to share insights and intel, although I have drawn a line at watching leader debates on TV! Pamela Clifford Niall Byrne MRTPI, MIPI Stefano Smith FRTPI FRSA Stuart Salter Gillian Dick Laura Robertson Maura McCormack James Hewitt Sepi H. Harry Smith Kirsty Macari FRTPI FHEA FRSA Andrew Hoolachan MRTPI https://lnkd.in/gP63zaDc

Dylan the points you make here are extremely important if any economy is to grow and for people to be empowered to succeed. Alongside infrastructure and housing how will we reasonably deliver on NetZero without essential skills in Engineering (electrical, mechanical and civil) for instance. Frank discussions with key individuals, stakeholders are required so that funding levels are correctly allocated. Increasing University fees a little would certainly help in retaining critical teaching levels and by default increase the graduate numbers in key skill areas. Number of apprenticeships need to be increased and include areas such as fitter and turners etc which are essential for maintaining manufacturing efficiency. Our current priorities in Wales certainly need some review.