Are we ready for the future homes standard?

The task of decarbonising our new building stock cannot be underestimated. REHAU UK’s Martin Hitchin says a new industry survey and white paper shows that construction needs to step up to achieve compliance with the Future Homes Standard when it’s... View Article

The Industry Advocate: Looking into 2024

Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), looks at some of the major issues the industry is already confronting and tackling in 2024. As we start to move through 2024, we can already start to see some... View Article

The whole package

As sustainability becomes a key priority in anticipation of 2025’s Future Homes Standard, product specification becomes more challenging, not least for roofs. Stuart Nicholson of Marley explains how providing a single point of contact can help housebuilders produce energy-efficient, low... View Article

To the new Part L – and beyond!

New updates to the Building Regulations go some way to cutting emissions – but construction firms have the chance to go further, argues Nicola Harrison of Bereco July 2023 was recently confirmed as the hottest month on record – and... View Article

Comment – Housing benefits politicians

Brian Berry of FMB looks at the political manoeuvrings on housing as we approach the General Election buildup Looking back at my article from this time last year, it’s astonishing how far we’ve come, and what has changed. At this... View Article

How to futureproof homes’ heating

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 a news... View Article

Is housing going downhill fast?

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 housing market... View Article

Housebuilding is still a struggle

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 been building... View Article

The brave new world of low carbon retrofit

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 Housing Decarbonisation... View Article

Shaping the future of buildings & decarbonisation

InstallerSHOW – 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 decarbonising buildings.  Taking... View Article

Opening up the black box on Part F and ventilation

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 has been... View Article
Make a sharp exit

Make a sharp exit

If a particular development isn’t proceeding as planned, a developer exit loan could get you back on track. Roma Finance’s Steve Smith explains what the loans entail and how they could help you. Whether you’re a first-time developer or highly... View Article

The changing face of roofing

Stephen Makin of Mayan Roofing Systems discusses the changes at the forefront of roofing development which are helping specifiers drive building performance Despite advancements in technology and construction materials, the methods and practices of pitched roofing have remained relatively unchanged... View Article

The Climate Challenge: Taking cement ‘2 Zero’

Will Lavelle of Atkins and Dr Philippa Horton from University of Cambridge discuss the world’s first zero emissions cement trial and the aim of developing net-zero cement for the construction industry. The decarbonisation of the built environment presents a phenomenal... View Article