Post-pandemic paving

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Outdoor space has taken on a fundamental new importance with Covid-19. Chris Hodson of Interpave explains why a fresh approach is needed when designing and selecting paving for housing, to meet a wide range of new requirements.... View Article

A flood of enquiries

LISTEN HERE 🔊 With many homes still being built on flood plains, and flooding an increasing risk, there are a host of issues for housebuilders to address when it comes to drainage. Chris Green of ACO Water Management explains further.... View Article

Estimating a full recovery

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Marcus Jefford of Build Aviator explains how some of the supply challenges faced by housebuilders and developers as a result of Covid can be relieved with the help of intelligent estimating software. The coronavirus has had a... View Article

Avoiding pitfalls from roofs

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Marley’s Stuart Nicholson pinpoints the most common roof specification pitfalls, and advises housebuilders on how to avoid them for a best practice approach. The quality and security of pitched roofing in housing has seen some huge improvements... View Article

Waging war on plastic waste

Plastic waste is ubiquitous in construction, and the consequences are becoming increasingly apparent. Dr Wendy Jones of Changing Streams spoke to Jack Wooler about what is being done to address this key industry challenge Plastic is everywhere in construction, with... View Article

400 canalside homes in Hayes get go-ahead

The green light for 400 new homes at Clayton Road in Hayes, west London, has been granted to property group A2Dominion. The design by Assael Architecture has undergone extensive consultation with Hillingdon Borough Council, and an “appropriate scale of redevelopment... View Article

A luxurious blend

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Broadoaks Park is a new high-end development that includes a restored mansion in Surrey, offering a taste of rural living within commuting distance of London and a mix of styles. Tim Banks of developer Octagon explains more... View Article

Put fabric first

Ben Cheetham of Keystone Lintels considers how housebuilders can, by pursuing a fabric-first approach to energy efficiency and careful specification, avoid the problems of thermal bridging Preventing heat loss by addressing thermal bridging is growing in importance – particularly with... View Article

Bubble bathrooms

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Ash Chilver of HiB looks at how the need to maximise safety in the pandemic, coupled with the growth in multigenerational living, are driving bathroom design choices which will attract homebuyers of all ages. Home life is... View Article

Beyond energy efficiency

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Paul Barrett of Rockwool explains why housebuilders need to consider insulation that delivers safety and acoustic performance alongside maximising onsite benefits for installers, not just thermal factors Primarily driven by Approved Document L (ADL) of the Building... View Article

How to secure your funding in 2021

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Simon Chapman of Pluto Finance gives expert insights on the key steps developers need to take when attempting to secure finance for their residential schemes, and what challenges might be in store currently In this extraordinary year,... View Article

Whole-life carbon assessment – the only practical path towards Net Zero

By British Woodworking Federation Helen Hewitt, Chief Executive of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), penned an article about the importance of ‘getting retrofit right’ for the report Why timber is leading construction’s Net Zero recovery, published by the Confederation of Timber Industries in the Summer.... View Article

Will Jenrick’s reforms succeed where others have failed?

HMM news editor and housing consultant Patrick Mooney bemoans the recent ‘revolving door’ of Housing Ministers, and speculates on Robert Jenrick’s chances of success. Every Housing Secretary or Minister that I can remember promises two things – to overhaul the... View Article

The Green Homes Grant – explained

Stewart Thompson of Global Energy Systems looks into the Green Homes Grant, and how small builders can reap the benefits of an increase in energy efficient projects. Following on from the Government’s commitment for the UK to be carbon neutral... View Article

Joining the fight for increased diversity

Brian Berry explores how a different kind of diversity – housing diversification – is vital to meeting housing targets, and why the FMB has co-founded a new action group. The Government cannot meet its ambition of building 300,000 new homes... View Article

Fabric comes first

Chris Stanley, Housing Manager, Concrete Block Association Although the 2020 news agenda has been dominated by COVID-19, the global Pandemic and the socio-economic impact of attempts to contain and curb it, we must not lose sight of persistent environmental issues. ... View Article

A new district on the waterfront

LISTEN HERE🔊 Set to bring over 10,000 homes to the capital, Barking Riverside has been called one of Europe’s “most exciting placemaking projects.” Housebuilder & Developer’s deputy editor spoke to David Watkinson of Barking Riverside London. The Barking Riverside project... View Article

Cradle to cradle – squaring the circle

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Marco Abdallah of Drees & Sommer tells Housebuilder & Developer’s deputy editor Jack Wooler what a ‘circular economy’ could look like, and what concrete steps the construction industry can take to achieve this ideal. ‘Circular economy’ is... View Article

Tiled hygiene

LISTEN HERE🔊  The pandemic has thrown the spotlight on issues of hygiene as never before; The Tile Association explains tiled surfaces’ wide applications for helping achieve clean, healthy environments. Tiles are a durable and aesthetic solution for walls and floors... View Article

The UK CA Mark is coming

LISTEN HERE🔊 With the end of the Brexit transition period looming, Dennis Milligan of the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturer’s Association (BFCMA) looks at how the UK CA Mark will differ to its EU predecessor Unlike many in the industry... View Article