What a third runway means for construction & the environment

Heathrow: What a third runway means for construction and the environment

Alastair Hamilton, partner at the national property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, said: “Yesterday’s (26th June 2018) Commons vote resulted in an overwhelming majority in favour of Heathrow’s third runway following a thorough consultation period.” “The consultation highlighted a... View Article
From demolition to completion – Back with a bang!

Back with a bang!

Selfbuilder + Homemaker is following first-time selfbuilders Andy and Sarah Ball from the start of their project to completion. The last time we heard from them, they had just lost their builder. Now, a year on, the project is firmly... View Article

Eco performers

Michelle Alcock of Teknos offers an insight into environmentally-friendly paints and how their performance has come on leaps and bounds. Paints and finishes are far more than a design device that brings colour and cohesion to your home. They are... View Article

Transparently innovative

The Francis Crick Institute is a unique research hub, dedicated to discovering how diseases behave. Larry Malcic of HOK explains to Jack Wooler how the building’s ‘transparent’ design benefits the vital work of the facility: Amassive state-of-the-art facility now sits... View Article

2018 RIBA National Awards announced

On 21 June 2018, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced the 49 winners of the 2018 RIBA National Awards for architecture. The RIBA awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognise the best new buildings and provide an insight into... View Article

Untangling the issue

Long delays and landfill costs from dealing with Japanese knotweed could be a thing of the past thanks to new methods available to self- builders, explains Nic Seal of Environet. Discovering the presence of Japanese knotweed on a site where... View Article
Kitchen Trends

The view from the showroom

Howarth Timber researcher and blogger Kat Jacklin outlines key kitchen trends identified for 2018 and beyond. Providing a dedicated kitchen design service to both trade customers and homeowners offers a unique insight into design trends: not only those which glossy... View Article

The hot topic

With awareness of smoke and fire protection needs at an all time high, Steve Bright of A Perry & Co explains how safety goes beyond alarms. We also need to consider fire doors and other safety products. The tragic events... View Article

A green partnership

Heat pumps are often paired with underfloor heating, but a system featuring low-H2O radiators could provide greater comfort, control and efficiency. Jaga UK’s Claire Owen discusses why implementing renewable heating needs a ‘whole system approach’ to work best. Many people... View Article
Home Security: Safe as houses – netMAGmedia Ltd 

Safe as houses

With the number of thefts and burglaries rising, prioritising home security has arguably never been more important. Dr Steffan George of the Master Locksmiths association offers advice on securing homes during construction and over the long term. While cases of... View Article
New toolkit for better quality – Nigel Ostime, Hawkins\Brown | Hawkins\Brown Architects – ADF interviews Nigel Ostime

View Point – Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown

Nigel Ostime, delivery director at architects Hawkins\Brown and chair of the RIBA Client Liaison Group, looks at how a ‘chain of custody’ approach is fundamental to a new toolkit created to ensure a focus on quality in projects A new... View Article

Shedding some light

Martyn Haworth from Bison Frames answers your questions about the wide range of window and door options available to self-builders, while describing some of the benefits of different styles and materials, and what to watch out for. Windows and doors... View Article

Underlying benefits

Shane Oxberry of YPS Plumbing supplies recaps the many compelling benefits of underfloor heating. Neat, economical to run, reliable and green, it’s tempting to recommend underfloor heating (UFH) for every new build, renovation or extension. Unless you demand period cast... View Article

Don’t forget your thermals

Karen Everitt of Ravatherm UK explains the importance of correct insulation specification in achieving high thermal performance. Housebuilding is on the rise. Research suggests that by 2050 there could be a 23 per cent increase in UK households, and the... View Article
Rooflights in schools

A brighter future for our kids

Imma Boada of Kingspan Light + Air, manufacturer of rooflights, looks at how the need for effective daylight within our schools extends far beyond issues of academic attainment. In 1999, Heschong Mahone Group conducted a comprehensive study that analysed the... View Article

Taking a circular route to emergency care efficiency

A new hospital in Cramlington, Northumberland, is the first in the NHS to be purpose-designed for emergency cases. Neil Harvey of Ramboll explains how the building simplifies the route from admission to specialists using a ‘panopticon’ ward design The Northumbria Specialist... View Article

The power of nature

HLM’s Aline Browers and David Greig explain how the benefits of biophilia are increasingly being recognised by designers working in educational environments Biophilia is a term popularised by American psychologist Ed Wilson in the 1980s. When you ask people where... View Article