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

Improvements in the kitchen

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Dave Mayer of Reginox UK looks into how current kitchen trends will affect what’s installed in the new wave of home improvements predicted to occur. When planning for 2020, no one could possibly have predicted what the... View Article

Manufacturing a recovery

LISTEN HERE🔊  Stormking explores the challenges the pandemic has brought to manufacturing, and the way in which the UK construction industry has responded to the pressures so far, particularly the move to offsite When it comes to manufacturing, the UK... View Article

Extinguishing fire safety myths

Fire Safety has and always will be a well-documented subject, with various experts and regulatory bodies sharing key insights that save lives. Despite this, practical knowledge can sometimes be overshadowed by false information and myth. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK... View Article

Coronavirus Lockdown? Off-site construction saves the day

By Jonathan Passmore, UK Technical Sales Manager, Helec Ltd A lot has changed since the UK’s first two patients tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of January. Six weeks later, the prime minister announced a nationwide lockdown, asking the public... View Article

The importance of properly constructed cavities

The introduction of the Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) in 2018 means all new homes must adhere to a minimum-level of energy efficiency. A positive move from the UK government, over the last couple of years it has led... View Article

Offsite manufacturing mitigates risk of working from height

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive reveal roofers account for 24% of work-related deaths in the construction industry. Working at height can be a perilous activity, particularly for the operators making lengthy modifications to products which could have been... View Article