An uplift in building accessibility

12 months on from the change in regulations covering the accessibility of buildings, as well as the standards covering lifts, Oliver Greening of LIFTEX 2019 looks at the implications for developers. With regards to the current legal requirements for the... View Article

A natural approach to thermal comfort in social housing

Fintan Wallace from Ecological Building Systems discusses the importance of an airtight and windtight building envelope and the natural insulation solutions that can help reduce heating bills and improve comfort for social housing tenants. The cost of heating a home... View Article

Get on top of the issue

Despite British Standards regarding slating and tiling being updated, sadly practice is still lagging behind, resulting in voided warranties and significant roof failures. Dr Kevin Ley of Redland explains. The first iteration of BS 5534, the ‘Code of Practice for... View Article

GET THE DOWNTON LOOK

Tony Pell of the Wood Window Alliance and Sarah Latham, founder of interior design agency Etons of Bath, look at the resurgent trend for period features in homes, and the key importance of windows. With our fixation on the future... View Article

Funded solutions

Simon Lomax of Kensa Heat Pumps explores innovative ways to access funding streams for heating and renewable energy installations. Many in the ground source heat pump (GSHP) industry are encouraged by the proposed refinements outlined in the Government’s 2016 response... View Article

A tale of two housing associations

Joining two existing Registered Providers (RPs) together is exciting. However, realising the benefit of a merger can be tricky, particularly if both organisations have a very different approach and culture. RPs Golden Gates Housing Trust (GGHT) and Helena Partnerships were... View Article

Next generation coatings and paints

Mike Turner of Ian Williams looks at some of the latest trends in coatings and paint products. Over the decades, formulations and applications have changed significantly and paint continues to be a dynamic sector, contributing heavily to the sustainability, aesthetics,... View Article

The sound of silence

You want your home to be a relaxing and peaceful haven – and it’s easier to accomplish than you might think, as British Gypsum’s sound solutions expert Sarah White explains. The hustle and bustle of everyday life can be deafening,... View Article

Future Watch – Embracing density

James Parker looks at how the new London Plan could transform the capital, as it puts high-density housing high on the agenda. London’s planning decisions, is still in draft form. When finally published next year it could have big repercussions... View Article
Brick: Meeting aspirations – Andy Batterham of Ibstock

Meeting brick aspirations

Andy Batterham of Ibstock looks at the ongoing renaissance in brick, and how providing for increasing demand for colours, as well as the trend for grey brick, is helping architects and specifiers reinvigorate this traditional building material. It is fair... View Article

Cladding: is our response to tragedy adequate?

FunderMax’s Paul Hughes questions whether the UK is doing enough to prevent further disasters following the Grenfell fire, and suggests where improvements should be made. In the early hours of 14 June 2017 Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey social housing tower... View Article

Practice Profile – Cove Burgess

James Parker spoke to architect Tim Burgess, one of the founders of a young practice which has quickly evolved from a two-man set up to a firm making its name in London and beyond. CoveBurgess Architects has been in existence... View Article
Nigel Ostime

View Point – Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown

Nigel Ostime, project delivery director at architects Hawkins\Brown, offers some thoughts on how to counter the ills of Design & Build using current procurement. There has been much in the media recently about the poor quality achieved through Design &... View Article
Nigel Ostime

View point – Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown

A continuing wage gap in architecture is presenting a further obstacle to diversity of new entrants to the profession. Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown suggests a different approach. Economic commentators are observing an increasing gap between the super-rich – the ‘1... View Article