Back to business

Brian Berry of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), considers what the new Government must focus on, for construction to prosper as the dust settles. Certainty has finally been restored after a summer with a caretaker government. The lack of... View Article

Biodiversity’s triple threat

Paul Hodgkinson of Wienerberger considers the impact of the ‘Biodiversity Trilemma’ of evolving legislation, declining species abundance and greater consumer understanding of environmental matters, and what it means for housebuilders. The challenges faced by housebuilders of meeting Biodiversity Net Gain... View Article

Out of office

Caledonia Housing Association explains how it’s redeveloping a vacant brownfield site in the north of Glasgow, and transforming a disused office into affordable apartments Eight new affordable homes are under construction at 68-78 Townhead in Cowgate, Kirkintilloch, with developer Caledonia... View Article

Why Keyfix is a best practice champion

John Duffin, Managing Director, Keyfix The government recently declared an exemption within the building regulations in relation to the use of non combustible Cavity Trays in most high rise residential buildings. This was initially intended to allow the industry to... View Article

Chelsea Hotel vibes

Shreen Gupta of GRID Properties talks to Housebuilder & Developer’s Jack Wooler about their luxury development with Marriott International in Chelsea which serves up a meticulously detailed, high-spec offer. In August 2022, developer GRID Properties (part of global financial services... View Article

Increasing biodiversity with SuDS

Adam Cane of ACO Water Management explores how housebuilders and developers can build better places to live through including biodiversity and SuDS. It may come as little surprise, but the current prognosis for biodiversity in the UK is stark. Almost... View Article

A viable sustainable alternative

There are multiple considerations when comparing polymer and aluminium windows, especially when it comes to sustainability, performance, and design flexibility. Here, Steve Tonkiss of REHAU addresses the debate head-on. As we approach government decarbonisation targets for 2030 and 2050, and... View Article

A panel discussion

With the market for wall panels growing, Lidia Cetrangolo of Multipanel explains why wall panels can be the sustainable option for bathrooms. Wall panels have been around for decades, traditionally used as an alternative to tiles in bathrooms. Thanks to... View Article

Radiating ‘carbon intensity’ benefits

Joanna Crown of WMS Underfloor Heating assesses the ‘carbon intensity’ of underfloor heating versus traditional radiator systems and explains why radiant technology ticks the boxes when it comes to embodied carbon reduction. There are many factors to consider when assessing... View Article

Homes UK 2022 is better than ever

Hailed by organisers as an “unmissable event for developers and sustainability professionals,” Homes UK returns on the 23-24 November 2022 to the ExCel in London Now in its eleventh year, Homes UK is claimed to be the largest free-to-attend conference... View Article

Super solar

In a world that is steadily warming, and with energy bills also on the rise, solar control products are playing a vital role in maintaining the comfort for homeowners, says Paul Higgins of TuffX. The average British person spends approximately... View Article

Masonry’s role on the road to net zero

Miles Hogg of Lignacite explores how concrete masonry has evolved to meet the demands of the 2050 net zero deadline. Over the years, concrete masonry has evolved to meet many challenges, including carbon reduction targets for buildings and increasingly demanding... View Article

Showcase of RCI innovations

Registrations for the Roofing Cladding and Insulation (RCI) Show, which is being held at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes 18-19 October, are now open. The RCI Show will be celebrating its sixth year as the UK’s dedicated roofing, cladding and insulation... View Article

The big one is back

The Birmingham edition of UK Construction Week – claimed to be the UK’s “largest event for the built environment” – returns to Birmingham’s NEC from 4-6 October 2022. UKCW Birmingham will “celebrate culture change in construction” with three days of... View Article

Steps towards safety

Kevin Underwood of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) discusses the key components for construction of safe staircases,, and the regulatory background. For many homes, a staircase not only provides a functional role, it’s also a central feature of a property. ... View Article

The race for space

Kevin Gamble of Saint-Gobain Weber explains how steel frame construction with external wall insulation (EWI) can help to increase not only thermal efficiency but internal area when building new homes and extensions. The shortage of skilled tradespeople to build homes... View Article

Local solutions for low-carbon heating

Steve Richmond from Rehau Building Solutions looks at the key considerations when commissioning a district heating network – an key option to consider in the race to reduce carbon in residential developments. Though the UK’s green transition will likely be... View Article

Shoring up Folkestone

As part of the wider regeneration of Folkestone, over 80 homes are being constructed on the site of a former car park on the town’s historic beachfront. Ella Brocklebank and Chris Page of contractor Jenner explain to Jack Wooler how... View Article

The new housing secretary’s Catch 22

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine, discusses the Government’s ‘transitioning’ housing policies. The Government has sensibly accepted that its long-standing commitment to build 300,000 new homes each year by the mid 2020s is... View Article