The role of roofscapes

Nick Boulton at the Trussed Rafter Association says that with calls for faster and better housing delivery continuing to shape the sector, making practical progress relies on involving specialists. The demand to build more housing has been a long standing... View Article

Sustainability through placemaking

John Bowden at Keepmoat discusses how housebuilders must approach sustainability in 2026 – advocating a strategy that puts placemaking at the centre of developments. Sustainability in housebuilding can too often be approached as just energy efficiency alone. Whilst essential, it... View Article

Ask the Manufacturer: IDSystems

Housebuilder & Developer’s James Parker speaks to IDSystems’ David Clarke, to discover how the 2021 changes to Building Regulations have driven the specification of better glazing systems for new build and retrofit domestic projects. How have the changes to Part... View Article

Evolving fire risks

Helen Hewitt of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) discusses the need for developers to increase focus on fire door safety, against new risks like e-bikes. The fire risks facing our homes and public buildings have evolved considerably over the last... View Article

Building a safer future

As the industry enters a new era of rigour in building safety, Ben Towe at the Light Steel Frame Association (LSFA) explores how light steel frame construction can help meet the UK’s housing challenges. Following the reset of national housebuilding... View Article

Connecting ambition and action

03-05 March  Excel, London As the global conversation around climate change intensifies, Futurebuild 2026 is turning shared ambition into tangible action. Returning to London’s ExCel from 3–5 March 2026, it remains the UK’s only built environment event wholly dedicated to... View Article

Tackling transfers of roads & sewers

Alex Cocklin at RS Bonds Surety looks at the complex contractual issues around transferring responsibility for roads and sewers, explaining why securing the required ‘Bonds’ can be challenging in today’s market.  Road and Sewer Bonds are a contractual requirement when... View Article

Why render is the right choice now

Jason Nicholson of K Rend explores the way that modern render systems are helping developers reduce build times and project costs whilst ensuring consistently high standards. With more land released through planning reforms, particularly on brownfield and lower quality green... View Article

A smart revolution

Neil Budd from IMI Heatmiser explains how smart technology is now an integral component of achieving comfort at home for occupants. The UK housebuilding market is embroiled in arguably its largest period of upheaval since the post-war building boom. Alongside... View Article
Planning permission shortages stifle housing growth

Social housing needs a new approach

Our regular social housing correspondent Patrick Mooney argues that, with homelessness at record levels and councils pushed to the brink, only a bold new approach can deliver the affordable homes Britain urgently needs. With record levels of homelessness being experienced,... View Article

A flexible future for BNG compliance

Katy Davis at Carter Jonas (London) argues that, a year after biodiversity net gain became mandatory, flexibility is essential to ensure onsite ambition aligns with offsite realities and genuine ecological outcomes. A year after the introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain... View Article

Building ‘beyond zero’

Rob East of Newland Homes, explains how the Gloucestershire housebuilder took a “conviction-based” decision to redefine its design approach beyond the norm to provide climate-resilient, and even carbon-negative homes. It was our development director, Jeremy Drew, who first raised the... View Article

Suffragette City

A development onsite in London’s Tower Hamlets creates a new neighbourhood on where Suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst first proposed improvements to conditions in the East End, over a century ago. Roseanne Field reports. In Bromley-By-Bow in the London Borough of Tower... View Article

The rise of smart EV infrastructure for modern builds

Becky Hornby at Rolec explores why getting EV infrastructure right has become essential for developers in delivering Building Regulations Part S. It is not new to suggest that more needs to be done to tackle the current climate emergency. The... View Article

All the elements of a great debut

19-20 November Excel London elementalLONDON is a new event coming to London’s Excel on 19-20 November. This specifier-oriented show is focused on the twin aims of advancing building efficiency and decarbonisation. The 4,000 attendees expected at elementalLONDON encompass a variety... View Article

London Build Marks 10 Years

19-20 November  London Build Expo London Build is taking over Olympia’s Grand and National Halls on 19 and 20 November to celebrate 10 years of connecting the construction industry. To mark the milestone, this year’s event will offer more content,... View Article

Flames with Purpose: Modern stoves in low carbon developments

Peter Mintoft at Charlton & Jenrick explores how Ecodesign Ready stoves contribute to low carbon builds, supporting building efficiency and sustainable heating without compromising air quality or design integrity. Housebuilders and developers are increasingly under pressure to deliver homes that... View Article

Trusted Partners: Shaping the Future of Build to Rent

Damian Sheridan at Wren Contract Kitchens discusses the growing trend of BTR developments and why trusted partners are becoming essential to delivering quality and sustainable solutions. The Build to Rent (BTR) sector has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past... View Article

Smarter design starts in the bathroom

Housebuilders and developers are facing increasing pressure to make every component of a home more sustainable; a crucial area that deserves more focus is the bathroom, says Sophie Weston from Geberit. Bathrooms are responsible for a significant share of a... View Article