Looking forward to a better tomorrow with the Future Homes Standard
John Miles – Group Business Development Director at Assent Building Control At the tail end of 2019, the UK government announced its drive towards zero carbon buildings as part of …
Viewpoint
What’s your excuse for not going PVC-Free?
Authored by Matt Manteit, International Sales Manager at Neschen Coating GmbH. As an industry, we have been discussing the hazards of PVC for more than 15 years and whilst steps have …
The Implications of Lockdown on Building Maintenance
COVID-19 has caused, and continues to cause, extraordinary levels of disruption to the real estate sector and the insurance market that serves it with property owners struggling to manage and …
Taking on the COVID Challenge
The last 16 months have proved extremely challenging with the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ) and reducing COVID spread are essential indoors where transmission rates are far …
Searches for ‘Loft Conversions’ Rise by a Staggering 164% as Brits Look to Add More Space and Value to Their Homes This Summer
Market research conducted by building supply specialist Insulation4Less has revealed that searches for ‘Loft Conversions’ rose by a staggering 164% between May/June and searches for ‘Loft Conversion Ideas’ jumped by …
Designing a bespoke kitchen
Bespoke kitchens are on the rise, with many homeowners looking for stylish spaces with instant wow-factor that not only work for cooking but also entertaining guests. The benefit to bespoke …
From construction site to production line
Building prefabricated modules off-site can speed up the construction process by as much as 50 per cent and cut costs by up to 20 per cent, according to a 2019 …
A guide to conservation rooflights
There’s a huge variety of choice in the conservation rooflight market and selecting the right product can be confusing. Paul Trace from Stella Rooflight offers some advice on things to …
The Health & Well Being Benefits Of Urban Planting
Well-being is as we know inextricably linked with our surrounding environment and it is proven that natural landscapes have a positive effect on our mental health. It is for this …
Adapting our outdoor spaces
In the shadow of Covid our city planners and urban landscapers will be looking to re-design our town and cities.. The high street has typically operated both as a social …
City Centre Strategies
Various studies have shown that the numbers of workers moving away from our cities has been increasing year on year. In 2019 for every nine adults moving into London for …
The Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting
With continual and rapid changes to our climate, the gradual increase in global temperatures and our ever exploding population, many countries across the world continue to experience a lack of …
Why Covid has made us rethink whether our homes are fit for purpose
Before the Covid pandemic struck, many of us had a fairly well established and well-rehearsed daily routine. We generally knew when we’d be at home and what we’d be doing …
Aluminium: Helping the construction industry go full circle
Endurawood explores how aluminium can improve building project sustainability As the built environment accounts for around 40 per cent of national energy use, and construction materials are responsible for 20 …
Can modular construction rebuild the UK’s high streets?
Why town planners should use modular construction for Towns Fund projects In September 2020, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick, announced the first part of …
MECHANICAL VENTILATION SYSTEMS: Where Not to Cut Costs
By Paul Williams, Domus Ventilation Product Manager Prior to a revision of Building Regulations in 2010, ventilation was not high on the list of priorities in the house building sector. …
Future Perfect Ventilation
As the drive towards carbon neutrality continues to push forward, the Government’s Future Homes Standard is set to further increase the energy efficiency requirements for new homes. The Standard, due …
Getting acoustic insulation right in Material Change of Use
We’re seeing boom times for building conversions, especially when it comes to creating new apartments in existing non-domestic buildings. Not surprising when you consider how the reduced demand for traditional …
Euramax welcomes calls for 75,000 modular homes per year
Modular construction needs to be at the heart of the Government’s housing strategy A report compiled by the Government’s modern methods of construction (MMC) champion Mark Farmer and Mike De’Ath …
Pandemic sparks new-found love of woodworking
All the extra time spent at home during the coronavirus pandemic has prompted us to do up our homes like never before. Olle Berg, Setra’s EVP Market and Business Development, …
Adapting to the outdoor economy? Don’t set yourself up for a fall!
With the COVID-19 pandemic leading many of us to rethink our relationship with outdoor spaces, the value of outdoor space on any public or commercial premises is probably greater than …
Vent-Axia Publishes Essential COVID-19 Ventilation Guidance
Leading ventilation expert Vent-Axia has launched guidance on how ventilation can help in the fight against COVID-19. The British manufacturer has been involved in the national response against COVID-19 since …
Houses for the future
Constructing sustainable and durable residential buildings In a survey by Home Quality Mark, over two thirds of respondents said sustainable features are important in a prospective property. For a home to …
Vent-Axia Offers Heating Tips to Help You Stay Cosy this Winter
There’s no denying that things are becoming a bit chilly. Wintery weather and the pandemic are both causing us to spend an increasing time at home – making it more …
UKGBC publishes guidance to catalyse the delivery of net zero carbon buildings
The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has published new guidance, Unlocking the Delivery of Net Zero Carbon Buildings, which examines how current barriers to the delivery of net zero carbon …
A guide to buying rainwater systems
At Metal & Glass we know how important it is for you to get the rainwater system right on your property. They are an essential part of your roofing system and …
Bringing light to these dark times
Paul Trace from Stella Rooflight discusses the importance of well-lit spaces while the nation works from home. Chances are that over the last few months you’ve found yourself trying to …
Escape to the country
London firm Urbanist Architecture sees 65 per cent increase in demand for homes in rural areas due to pandemic. Multidisciplinary architecture and planning firm Urbanist Architecture has reported a surge in enquiries …
Rediscovering life and work in our town centres
Our high streets and town centres are a focal point for our culture, communities and our everyday economy. Our marketplaces are for living and working. In the wake of the …
Government Confirms Importance of Ventilation to Reduce Spread of COVID-19
Vent-Axia has welcomed the launch of the Government’s new public information campaign which highlights how ventilating indoor spaces can reduce the risk of coronavirus infection by over 70%. As part …
Will we see a rise in self builders?
New automatic planning permission could increase self-built homes In Austria, 80 per cent of homes are self-built, whereas the number in the UK barely exceeds ten per cent. However, with …
Concrete: let’s separate the carbon facts from the fiction
As we collectively begin to map our recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, the ways the UK will achieve the target of net-zero carbon by 2050 is coming into sharper focus. …
Construction with conservation in mind
Considering the environmental impact of a new building Inspired by the Italian novel The Baron in the Trees, Bosco Verticale — or Vertical Forrest in English — are two tower …
‘Delighted’ homebuyers expect far better acoustic standards
The acoustic standards set out in the building regulations of all the UK nations go nowhere near far enough to ensure we build homes that owners and tenants will love. …
Tropical Forests & Misconceptions
Forests have incredible importance for the future of our planets health and climate change mitigation – at the TTF we are trying to tackle misconceptions of tropical timbers. Tropical forests …
Hayley Robson, Creative Director at Day True talks trends for 2021
Renowned for transforming interiors into functional and distinctive spaces, experts in redefining and redesigning kitchens, bathrooms and the home, Day True, takes a look at the interior trends for 2021. …
What is environmentally conscious building?
Over the course of the last twenty years or so, there have been several methods used to make construction greener and more sustainable. For example, the use of solar panels …
DHF receives ASSURED ADVICE on powered garage door safety
For many years, DHF (Door & Hardware Federation), has been advising the garage door industry on the interpretation of the standards for garage door safety and the legislation surrounding their …
The elephant in the roof
Paul Trace from Stella Rooflight discusses the practicalities involved in specifying large rooflights As a bespoke rooflight manufacturer we often see grand plans with expansive areas of roof glazing, as …
Let in the light
Bi-fold doors can help you maximise space, light and personality The average size of a new build home increased from 2,479 square feet in 2007, to 2,584 feet in 2019. …