Second staircase; second chance

Stuart Bosley of Quantum and DeSimone Consulting Engineering looks at navigating the challenges of the new ‘second staircase’ regulations The Government’s recent ruling on second staircases has caused significant disruption for both developers and the housebuilding industry. Despite the resulting... View Article

How to futureproof homes’ heating

LISTEN HERE Darren Trivett of OMNIE and the Ridgspear Group counters the tabloid headlines and considers the key factors developers should address when specifying underfloor heating systems for energy efficiency on their projects.  It is unlikely you will get through... View Article

Is housing going downhill fast?

LISTEN HERE Brian Berry, CEO of the FMB looks at the prognosis for SMEs in a sector in crisis, and how its new guide could help All the data, including our own at the FMB, seems to be suggesting the... View Article

Grab the productivity benefits of lightweight timber systems

Andrew Orriss of the Structural Timber Association (STA) urges housebuilders to continue to invest in timber frames, exploring how the method can meet sustainability demands as well as those of efficiency and productivity. The UK housebuilding industry has faced numerous challenges in recent... View Article

Bathroom technology: A smart choice

Today’s consumers have lived through some of the biggest technological changes in the home since the industrial revolution. Sophie Weston of Geberit looks at the untapped potential in bathroom spaces that housebuilders can offer.  The ‘hotelisation’ of the home has... View Article

Use the right channels to lighten the load

When it comes to specifying drainage channels, there are vital factors that enable a system to meet requirements of a housing development project. Rob Butcher of ACO Water Management looks at the standards that must be upheld from the earliest... View Article

Growth under threat from demolition

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine discusses how the push to demolish ageing buildings could seriously undermine social housing’s growth agenda. Efforts to increase the stock of council housing to meet the growing... View Article

eHome2: to 2025 and beyond

Oliver Novakovic of Barratt Developments takes us inside the Energy House 2.0 test project in Salford, focusing on eHome2 – the three-bedroom family home built by Barratt & Saint-Gobain with a host of product innovations to take it past the... View Article

Delivering social housing that makes a difference

Stephen Wasserman of National Housing Group discusses the keys to delivering good quality ‘eco’ social housing From ITV’s ongoing investigation to young influencer Kwajo Tweneboa’s tireless social media campaigning, social housing is becoming an inescapable subject, and rightly so. Plainly... View Article

A thermal bridge too far?

Following changes to Part L in 2021, carbon emissions in new builds have to be significantly lowered. Simon Hill of Schöck says specifiers need to be aware how greatly thermal bridges can affect insulation values A localised area of the building envelope with... View Article

Housebuilding is still a struggle

LISTEN HERE Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), discusses the latest data from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey and finds few reasons to cheer As you will be aware, for too long we have not... View Article

The brave new world of low carbon retrofit

LISTEN HERE A large-scale retrofit project to bring energy efficiency of social housing across Northumberland and County Durham up to a C rating saw a housing association deploying robots to upgrade homes with minimal disruption. James Parker reports. The Socal... View Article

Shaping the future of buildings & decarbonisation

LISTEN HERE Installer SHOW – the UK’s largest event for influential installers and specifiers of heat, water, air and energy technology – will discover one of the biggest challenges on the road to net zero, the tools and solutions for... View Article

Opening up the black box on Part F and ventilation

LISTEN HERE Following the changes to Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations, housebuilders have been set the challenge of balancing carbon emissions with sufficient airflow to keep homes healthy. The importance of ventilation to health and wellbeing... View Article

Show Preview: The home front

27 – 29 JUNE MANCHESTER CENTRAL Throughout the UK, the housing sector is facing unprecedented challenges. From uncertainty in government funding, incoming new regulations, and the pressing need for more homes, to the equally pressing need to maintain and improve... View Article

Fencing solutions that will stand the test of time

All property developments require a fencing solution that is attractive, durable and low maintenance. Here, John Abernethie of Birkdale looks at why it’s time to switch from traditional to more modern options. When specifying a fencing system, certain characteristics should... View Article

Manage moisture & avoid floor failure

Excess subfloor moisture causes floor failure and costly delays to projects. Stephen Boulton of F Ball & Co provides some crucial advice for developers to help them guard against the problem when installing floorcoverings. Unchecked subfloor moisture, whether residual construction... View Article