Kitchens for the ages

It’s high time that kitchens are adapted to functionally respond to the UK’s changing demographics, argues Mike Turner, executive director of kitchen specialists Ian Williams. Living conditions in social homes has improved significantly since the introduction of the Decent Homes... View Article

Lighting the way – smart solutions for social housing

Andy Davies, head of business development and specification at lighting specialists Harvard Technology, explains how one of the UK’s largest operators of affordable housing, Peabody, gave tenants improved and safer lighting across its estate, whilst delivering significant financial savings, reductions in... View Article

Traditional style meets modern standards

Tony Wereszczynski of Marley Alutec explains how to achieve the right balance in rainwater and eaves specification when dealing with heritage-style properties. Heritage-style buildings can pose challenges for developers, especially when they are tasked with finding the balance between traditional... View Article

Ignoring heat network metering is an expensive mistake

Cost-cutting on heat metering at the installation stage can be a false economy, but there are ways to avoid the pitfalls, as Anthony Coates-Smith of Insite Energy explains. When housebuilders and developers strive to minimise initial construction costs, they can... View Article

Making an entrance

Patrick Dean of Door-Stop explores the wealth of safe and secure options available to housebuilders looking to make the right entrance. When it comes to specifying a front door for a property, it can seem there is no end of... View Article

A solution to the productivity problem

Sharing knowledge across the supply chain and driving innovation is vital to boost the construction industry’s productivity and meet the UK’s housing needs, says Neil Ash of Siniat UK. The construction industry is suffering from a productivity crisis. Only last... View Article

VIEW POINT: Nigel Ostime

Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown Architects and chair of the RIBA Client Liaison Group discusses the group’s just-published industry survey, which has important revelations on what architects do well, but also what they must improve on The best projects generally come... View Article

Choosing the right workplace settings

Oliver Ronald of The Boss Design Group explains how the emergence of the concept of settings is influencing workplace design to benefit performance Workplace design and furniture specification are no longer just about the space available. The modern office is... View Article

Bridging the divide: a question of choice

David Clarke of IDSystems looks at the options for specifiers when it comes to choosing glazed doors to bring the outside in. Bridging the divide between indoors and outdoors is one of the main reasons homeowners seek to employ ‘open plan’... View Article

A bathroom that works for everyone

Designing a bathroom for multi-ability use is a sensitive process and the influx of products combining style and substance means architects are spoilt for choice. Lisa Ward of Bristan offers expert guidance When planning a residential development, architects face the... View Article

Practice Profile – 2020 Architects

Norman Hayden meets a Northern Ireland team with a clear vision of the future. To produce a much-lauded conversion, have it featured prominently on television, and then win an award for it has to be a dream for most architects. This... View Article

Specifying lintels for the energy savvy

Steel lintels can have a crucial impact on a project, especially when it comes to addressing energy conservation. Richard Price, Technical Director at Catnic, provides a useful overview to help architects make a well-informed decision. No matter what type, size, scale... View Article

A lesson to learn

Creating educational buildings with zero energy usage and carbon footprints is perfectly possible. So why aren’t we building more? Neil Smith of design firm UK Energy Partners shares his thoughts. There’s no doubt the way we design and construct buildings consumes... View Article

Knowledge is power

Teachers know schools best and their input can be vital during a redesign. Pellings partner Nicolas Maari argues for the benefits of encouraging teachers to have a say in the design of UK schools. The soaring demand for school places... View Article

The convenience of co-ordination

Architects are increasingly looking to tie washroom design into the overall look of a building’s interior – and high-spec products are becoming more commonplace. Trevor Bowers of Washroom Washroom explores the diverse range of solutions on offer. By continually pushing... View Article

Bridging the performance gap

The movement to build ‘eco’ has led to greater focus on the importance of insulation, but the industry needs to ensure projects are built ‘as designed’ says Recticel’s Peter Wilcox. The final Evidence Review Report produced by the Zero Carbon... View Article

Structural glazing: Reshaping the modern skyline

As technology evolves, glass continues to be seen at the core of many exciting and iconic buildings, enabling achitects to achieve their goals. Phil Savage of Pilkington discusses the growing importance of glass in modern building design. A look across... View Article