Site lines – BRE’s James Fisher

The BRE’s James Fisher describes how commercial clients are seeing the need to analyse and improve the environmental impact of their buildings in use, to increase asset value. For many businesses, operating their buildings presents a major cost overhead, often... View Article

Future watch – Norman Hayden looks at Building Biology

Norman Hayden looks at how Building Biology, an established design methodology for creating healthier environments, is seeing a comeback as architects look to increase user wellbeing. Creating green buildings, but also being able to accurately assess their environmental properties, is... View Article

Different strokes for different folks

Designing swimming pools can successfully combine safety with creativity, but also need to be closely aligned to the particular requirements of users. SPATA provides some design advice. A swimming pool’s design, whether indoors or outdoors, will materially depend on the... View Article

Turn down the volume

Adrian Pargeter of Kingspan Insulation describes how ‘lower lambda’ insulation can be the architect’s friend, as more efficiency means less volume is needed to achieve regulations compliance. Building Regulations have recently become more demanding when it comes to insulating properties... View Article

Complex stone cladding solutions

Tamsin Pickeral, business development manager, Szerelmey, explains how a combination of technology and tradition is overcoming the challenges of stone cladding for the 21st Century. The relationship between a contemporary visual aesthetic and fulfilling structural and legislative requirements is one that... View Article

Buyer beware

Designing a roof requiring tapered insulation is beset with challenges, with consequences for the contractor and specifier. Andrew Rowley, tapered design manager for Gradient Roofing, explains. Designing tapered insulation for a flat roof used to be relatively simple. The Building... View Article

Perfecting the building envelope

Graham Hurrell, commercial director at AluK, discusses how structural facades can optimise the performance of the building envelope. In order to achieve optimal building envelope performance, the envelope itself should integrate and work with other elements of the complete building. By... View Article

Brick, the hero of our built environment

Just because a material was developed 9,000 years ago does that make it old fashioned? Apparently not, as brick is enjoying something of a renaissance. The Brick Development Association explains further. To those of us who work in the industry... View Article

Cover all bases using engineered fit-for-purpose canopies

Canopies UK Managing Director Jason Eastwood says that specifiers need to beware of seemingly cost-effective off-the shelf options for canopies, and discusses the importance of site-specific calculations for bespoke fit-for-purpose solutions. Research suggests that many leading canopy manufacturers apply surprisingly... View Article

Have an open mind on door design

Homeowners, interior designers and architects all agree that doors are more than just a commodity, they are central to the character of any home. James Dean, head of marketing for Todd Doors, explores further. A front door is the first... View Article

At your leisure – High Wycombe Leisure Centre

Mark Smulian reports on Wycombe’s new hilltop leisure centre. As patrons swim, climb, play bowls, or use exercise bikes at the new Wycombe Leisure Centre, they will perhaps give little thought to how a complex masterplan and financing arrangement lie behind the construction... View Article