Getting smart with solar energy storage

Peter Thiele, president of Sharp Energy Solutions Europe, demonstrates how solar batteries can store power for use when the sun isn’t shining. With the right infrastructure in place in your rented property, a solar system can supply up to 80... View Article

Adapting for the future: bathroom refurbishment

Antony Newton of refurbishment specialist J Tomlinson addresses the implications a rising elderly population has on bathroom refurbishments and adaptations in the rental sector. Projections show that society will age significantly over the upcoming decades. The number of people aged... View Article

View Point – Rory Bergin of HTA Design

In his second article on the subject for ADF, Rory Bergin looks deeper at the facets within ‘the ethics of development’ that architects should consider. Since ethics are primarily about how we deal with each other, architects might be forgiven... View Article

Ask the Architect – Glenn Swann of LK2

Glenn Swann, associate at sports & leisure specialists LK2, tells ADF about the firm’s aspirations and how technology is helping to shape the profession today. WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ARCHITECT? I’ve always been creative, so the idea of using... View Article

Editor’s Comment – June

While many architects have been expressing their fears over Brexit (not least on behalf of their EU staff) and the likelihood of a strengthened victorious Conservative government pushing through a ‘hard’ Brexit, the world will continue to turn following the... View Article

Practice Profile – Hogarth Architects

From radical refurbishments and modern extensions to ventures into housing development, Hogarth Architects has made a success of the residential sector, as Teodora Lyubomirova found out. Stick to what you’re good at – this has been the underlying notion underpinning... View Article

Bringing SKA back to school

Joe Croft, head of environmental and sustainability at Overbury, examines a challenging environmental assessment method for higher education fit-outs. There is a real desire for environmental sustainability within the higher education sector. To address that, the SKA for higher education... View Article

A tax guide for architects

Sumit Agarwal, a specialist accountant and tax adviser for freelancers, contractors and small businesses, shares some pointers about tax for architects and interior designers. In the past, architects used to work as unincorporated partnerships, but in 2000, the Limited Liability... View Article

Designing a home for life

Inclusive design can help adapt homes to cater for the needs of an ageing population, writes Barry Eagle of anti-slip flooring solutions supplier GripClad. According to a YouGov poll, more than four in 10 Londoners aged over 55 believe they... View Article

No smoke without fire

Martyn Walley of Aico looks at the benefits of interconnecting domestic smoke alarms with third-party safety systems and how best to achieve this. Domestic smoke alarm systems used to be pretty much selfcontained affairs – you couldn’t add accessories to... View Article

Eliminating bad air

John Moss of EnviroVent looks at how housing providers can ensure a better level of indoor air quality in their residents’ homes. Dealing with issues caused by condensation and mould growth is a persistent problem for housing maintenance teams. As... View Article

The case for furnished tenancies

Prevalent in the PRS, furnished tenancies remain scarce in social housing despite millions of tenants facing poverty. Helen Campbell of FRC Group explains why landlords must change their ways. Furniture poverty is on the rise and thousands of families and... View Article

High voltage

While gas and fire safety requirements have become paramount across the PRS, the emphasis on electrical protection is yet to catch up. Phil Buckle, of charity Electrical Safety First, explains how this is changing. For almost 20 years, landlords have... View Article

Leaning on innovation

Effi Wolff of Balcony Systems Solutions offers essential safety and maintenance tips on balconies and advises on new cost-saving solutions. Around seven per cent of properties in the UK feature some kind of balcony, but for new developments in urban... View Article

Offsite for sore eyes

Often seen as the panacea for the housing crisis, is offsite construction methodology able to live up to its potential in terms of design quality as well as volume? Teo Lyubomirova spoke to four architects to hear their views. Imagine... View Article

Don’t break the chain

Phil Savage of Pilkington United Kingdom explores the use of structural glazing in modern building design and explains why the ‘value chain’ is integral to successfully fulfilling an architect’s vision. Structural glazing is a common feature of architectural projects across... View Article