Green shoots of recovery

When Mark Rainforth bought a dark and dated bungalow on the outskirts of Sheffield, he wanted to work out a way of creating an eco-home befitting the beautiful location, but achieving it was not without its construction woes TEXT HEATHER... View Article

The power of neutral

Interior designer Lucy Bartley from lucyb home shows how a neutral kitchen look can be enhanced with careful lighting and design touches to deliver a special ambience The biggest advantage to a neutral kitchen is that it will instantly create... View Article

Put safety first with fire doors

Scott Francis of Bowater doors explores the standards and accreditations housebuilders should consider when looking for a composite fire door. Choosing fire doors can be a confusing and frustrating process. The internet is awash with manufacturers, installers and so called... View Article

Get hip to SIPs

SIPs systems offer an extremely low energy and eco-friendly construction method that’s also incredibly strong and quick to build. Matt Banks of SIPs Eco Panels explains more about the options available As we move into an era of low energy... View Article

Timber or composite?

Deciding on the best decking option for your garden makeover can be challenging. Tony Hobbs of Southern Sheeting offers some advice to help you choose The trend for durable and premium wood plastic composite (WPC) decking is now firmly established... View Article

A new green focus for bathrooms

Adam Teal of Kaldewei explains why sustainability is now a key aspect for specifiers when planning bathrooms, as the industry restarts in earnest. During World Earth Day this year, Delhi experienced the cleanest air quality on record, Greta Thunberg met... View Article

The sustainable case for PIR

Simon Blackham of Recticel insulation explores why the sustainability benefits of PIR make it a great choice for smart, energy efficient homes. Polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation panels satisfy two crucial factors for designing effective insulation solutions for new and existing buildings:... View Article

Pushing design boundaries with bespoke

Kathryn Muller of The Rooflight Company discusses how bespoke design can allow housebuilders and developers to push the boundaries of aesthetics on their schemes. ‘Bespoke’ – designers, developers and architects love the word. It means breaking conventional rules and resetting... View Article

Seeing the light

A dark and run-down Regency villa has been rebuilt ‘from the inside out,’ with a new basement level and exciting glass features which draw in the light TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES MATT CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPHY “When we first bought this house... View Article

A new lease of life

When David and Martin Ratcliff set about adding a top-floor extension to their handsome Victorian terraced house in South West London, they had no idea their project would end up taking such a different path TEXT JENNIFER GRIMBLE IMAGES RICHARD... View Article

Raising the profile

Tony Hobbs of Southern Sheeting looks at how and why profiled metal sheeting is increasingly being used across a range of areas in residential projects. Profiled metal roofing has been adopted in the commercial sector for many years but, thanks... View Article

The importance of green spaces

Paul Cassidy of Meadfleet explores how green space in housebuilding projects is crucial for the sake of residents’ health and their environment, and the role open space management specialists play here. If the last year has taught us anything, it... View Article

The great bungalow rescue

Years of wet and windy winters in rural Shropshire had brought the 1960s bungalow on Bob Griffiths’ farm to the point of near collapse, but he decided to give it a new lease of life Text Roseanne Field Tucked down... View Article

Functional flooring

Darren Trivett of Ridgespear Group offers insights into why developments in underfloor heating make it a practical option, and gives some installation tips The commonest forms of underfloor heating (UFH) involve circulating water through a high-performance plastic pipe, set within... View Article

Hanover gets the green light

A pioneering project by housing association Hanover (Scotland) to provide 15 Passivhaus social homes near Loch Lomond, on the site of the developer ’s first ever scheme, has been given the go -ahead. Jack Wooler speaks to the people behind... View Article

Radiating future relevance

With energy efficient heating systems fast becoming vital components of new homes, Chris Harvey of Stelrad Radiators looks at some of the hottest ideas when it comes to radiator innovation for self-builds With the major changes taking place in the... View Article

Power your life

Mark Chewter of Plug In Solar explains why solar energy remains a great investment, and how a solar PV system can be used to help you meet Building Regulations, while saving money on your self-build home’s future bills With an... View Article

Counting down to SAP10

With a return to normality comes a realisation that a new SAP method for assessing houses’ energy use is imminent. Harry Hinchliffe of C80 solutions outlines the impact that SAP10 will have. Having faced unprecedented challenges over the past year,... View Article

Support needed for SMEs to build greener

Brian Berry of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) explores why SMEs should be at the heart of the government’s plans for green construction to help them conquer obstacles This year, the UK will host the United Nations Climate Change... View Article