Open to alternatives to open-plan living

Ben Brocklesby of Origin offers his advice to self-builders looking to create more functional floor plans, which move away from open-plan to ‘broken-plan’  The way we use our homes has changed significantly in the past three years. The pandemic made... View Article

The golden path to safety

Dean Asher from Polypipe Building Products offers some pointers for industry on how best to ensure it is complying with the Building Safety Act’s requirements, particularly the golden thread’s new responsibilities for design, build and maintenance Many in the industry... View Article

Modular methods of construction

Is modular construction the missing jigsaw piece needed to solve the UK’s housing crisis? HKR Architects’ Ayna Azhigali says it is, and that aesthetics need not be an issue We are all acutely aware of the housing crisis that the... View Article

Comment – Do we actually need a housing secretary?

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine asks whether a national body controlling housebuilding would be better than an ever-changing Housing Secretary? The prospect of removing responsibility for a policy area as important as... View Article

Comment – Housing benefits politicians

Brian Berry of FMB looks at the political manoeuvrings on housing as we approach the General Election buildup Looking back at my article from this time last year, it’s astonishing how far we’ve come, and what has changed. At this... View Article

Going beyond fire compliance

Siderise’s Chris Hall asks whether an approach of merely complying with regulations in specifying passive firestopping in curtain wall systems is good enough, or if specifiers should be looking to other standards Curtain wall systems are typically constructed with a... View Article

How green is your aluminium?

Phil Slinger from the Council for Aluminium in Building provides expert insights on the current green credentials provided by aluminium production, and how EPDs and collaboration are supporting its specification Aluminium has enjoyed an extensive recycling lifespan since its commercialisation... View Article

Durability is the key to sustainable building envelopes

Clare Fenton of the Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association (MCRMA) explains why durability must be a priority when specifying metal roofing and cladding panels and systems to deliver sustainable buildings As the physical separator between the interior and the... View Article

Practice Profile: Ackroyd Lowrie

In founding their own practice, Oliver Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd were able to pursue their passion for future cities, while applying lessons learned in their shared background as sustainability specialists. They tell ADF’s Laura Shadwell what drives them, and why... View Article

View Point: Dr Victoria Hutchinson

Dr Victoria Hutchinson from AtkinsRealis’ environmental practice explores how impact assessments can help unlock value as well as greater investment in projects – in a more favourable ESG context – and illustrates what this looks like Former Prime Minister Boris... View Article

How do we close the energy performance gap?

With a UK housing stock that doesn’t fare well in comparison to other European countries on energy efficiency, what is the solution to the UK’s thermal failings? Simon Blackham from Recticel Insulation explains how the industry is playing catch up... View Article

Meeting the Future Home Standard

Victoria Brocklesby, co-founder and COO of Origin, delves into the key question of whether triple glazing is needed throughout a property in order to meet the Future Homes Standard As the UK continues to prioritise the ‘green building revolution’ and... View Article

Home Styling – Embracing quiet luxury

Gloria Sanchez of Tailored Living shares her advice on cultivating subtle elegance to follow the trend of ‘quiet luxury’ in your self-designed interior ‘Quiet luxury’ is an aesthetic that captures the essence of subtle and toned-down elegance, using a preference... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

Nicole Collison and her husband Rob, along with their two young daughters, are moving from the coast to the countryside, renovating a Grade II listed Kent barn in search of a rural dream in their home county We’re the Collisons!... View Article

Ask the Expert – Get your light right

With so many options available from so many suppliers, choosing the right rooflight can be a bit of a minefield. Here Paul Trace from Stella Rooflights answers the key questions you will need to consider when seeking out the ideal... View Article

A room with a flue

The future of home heating is largely focused on the use of heat pumps. Dennis Milligan from the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturers Association (BFCMA) looks at how they can be combined with wood burning stoves as secondary heating Although... View Article

Bringing a sense of theatre to Devon flood defences

Paul Hargreaves from Jacobs describes how the firm innovated a flood defence project in Sidmouth to create a dual-use amphitheatre for residents, as an amenity which enhanced the environment while helping protect them from future floods The Sidmouth flood alleviation... View Article

A performance-based approach to energy modelling & rating

Shikha Bhardwaj from Hawkins\Brown looks at the changing conversation around energy, and the shift from ‘designing for compliance’ to ‘designing for performance,’ as embodied in the increasingly popular NABERS approach The conversation around energy is changing. The energy crisis –... View Article

A question for the minister…

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine asks the ‘64 thousand dollar question,’ after hearing the Housing Minister’s conference speech, namely where will the  UK’s much needed new housing come from? During the recent... View Article