Features Articles

Richard Hayward, lead marketing manager for Legrand’s range of building automation systems, discusses the use of smart home technology at Berkeley Homes’ prestigious Roman House scheme. For the bespoke home and the penthouse apartment, intelligent control systems have become ubiquitous.... View Article

With increased demand for grass paving to driveways, access roads and parking for both commercial and domestic applications, there are certain aspects of both ground conditions and utilisation that building specifiers and installers should consider. By Robert Howden, managing director... View Article

Steve Urwin, Tarkett UK marketing manager, says flooring can have a major impact on the wellbeing of people living in sheltered accommodation – for some surprising reasons. It’s well-known that the UK’s population is ageing – more than 10 million... View Article

Ann Boardman, marketing and customer services manager at Saniflo UK, introduces the benefits of specifying inclusively designed bathrooms Today you can literally install a domestic or commercial, inclusively designed bathroom almost anywhere a water supply can reach, and all without... View Article

Combining low maintenance durability with safety and style is key to the success of any residential balustrades project. Nick Haughton, marketing manager at Sapphire Balustrades, looks at the latest developments to maximise aesthetic appeal and performance and highlights the use of innovative balustrade... View Article

Carrie Burton, marketing manager of National Plastics, reviews how the 2014 Budget announcements will have an affect on the housebuilding industry and the impact on rainwater goods manufacturers, installers and suppliers. There has been an undeniable buzz surrounding new build and... View Article

Sliding doors are becoming an increasingly common sight in new builds and redevelopments, with a range of systems enjoying a surge in popularity. Lili Wang, product manager at IronmongeryDirect, examines the reasons behind their use and looks at the benefits... View Article

Matt Higgs, sales director for Kloeber, tells us how the concept of bifolding door systems is being increasingly embraced as more housebuilders are recognising the added value and saleability they can bring to all styles of development. Bifolding (or folding sliding)... View Article

Dave Osborne, technical manager for Swish Building Products explains why taking that extra five minutes to ensure an accurate site survey is more important than ever. Accuracy is crucial in keeping project costs down and downtime to a minimum; two key... View Article

The upturn in construction activity has created a welcome increase in demand for bricks and blocks. This is great news for the construction industry but means materials manufacturers are having to react quickly. Stephen Harrison, managing director of Hanson Building... View Article

As the economy recovers and demand for new homes is rising, the ongoing brick shortage presents a challenge to a construction sector which is working hard to meet demand. Here, Alex Goodfellow, group managing director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems,... View Article

By Martin Shave, business development manager for domestic roofing at Protan. Why do we build dwellings with pitched, tiled roofs? There is no law saying we have to; it is tradition, and a bad reputation for flat roofs. Yet a... View Article

By Tony Millichap, technical manager of Kingspan Insulation Limited. Conventional construction methods such as brick and block have two distinct disadvantages: programmes can become unpredictable in our wet climate, and walls are having to become thicker and thicker in order... View Article