Delivering savings in water usage and tenant bills

A big consumer of water in social housing is the bathroom. Here, Stuart Reynolds from AKW discusses how inclusive sanitaryware and showers are now being designed to promote water and energy-saving, delivering long-term savings that ultimately benefit tenant bills With... View Article

Passive fire safety explored

LISTEN HERE Graham Laws from Siderise Insulation explores some of the ways residential building owners and managers can ensure that buildings and their occupiers are properly protected with accurate passive fire protection such as cavity barriers and firestops Ensuring the... View Article

Quintain’s Wembley hat trick

Repton Gardens, the latest residential phase of Wembley Park, the expansive Build to Rent-led project developed by Quintain and operated by Quintain Living, offers three contemporary apartment blocks linked by landscape to satisfy a range of customer needs. James Parker... View Article

Supporting role

Masonry is an increasingly popular cladding choice for high rise buildings. However, the selection and co-ordination of the masonry support system and cavity fire barriers is critical for the facade to perform effectively in a fire, as Ben Williams of... 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

Construction’s call to action in Birmingham

Innovative, inspirational and progressive, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham returns for its ninth year this autumn, with a ‘call to action’ for the sector to set its own agenda rather than wait for the Government to respond.  The UK’s largest... View Article

Second staircase; second chance

Stuart Bosley of Quantum and DeSimone Consulting Engineering looks at navigating the challenges of the new ‘second staircase’ regulations The Government’s recent ruling on second staircases has caused significant disruption for both developers and the housebuilding industry. Despite the resulting... View Article

How to futureproof homes’ heating

LISTEN HERE Darren Trivett of OMNIE and the Ridgspear Group counters the tabloid headlines and considers the key factors developers should address when specifying underfloor heating systems for energy efficiency on their projects.  It is unlikely you will get through... View Article

Is housing going downhill fast?

LISTEN HERE Brian Berry, CEO of the FMB looks at the prognosis for SMEs in a sector in crisis, and how its new guide could help All the data, including our own at the FMB, seems to be suggesting the... View Article

All change

Sally and Tom Marlow didn’t have to look far from their house in south London in their search for more space. The catch was that their new home needed a full renovation as well as multiple extensions TEXT ALEXANDRA PRATT... View Article

A wasted opportunity?

David Stagg, technical manager for Graf UK, says that ‘commissioning’ of domestic wastewater treatment plants is as vital as getting gas and electricity services signed off by specialists, and wonders why it’s not happening  Wastewater treatment plants became established in... View Article

Maintain your rainwater discipline

Maintaining your rainwater system is just as crucial as specifying the right system for your home. Paul Grills of Brett Martin offers insights on best practice for preserving healthy gutters and downpipes Although rainwater drainage systems are far from the... View Article

Integrated building control benefits

Self-builders are at the forefront of some of the most cutting edge building techniques. They now need to lead the way in quality building automation and control solutions, says Paul Foulkes of Theben Automation Remaining in control is important. Not... View Article

Farm from the madding crowd

What does it take to turn a 200-year-old remote Scottish farmhouse with an evocative name – Easter Shian – into a family home and business? Answer: the resilience and imagination of Dave and Debbie Halls-Evans  TEXT NIK HUNTER IMAGES ROBERT... View Article

Wrap up warmer

Having a solid roof fitted on your conservatory can help to save energy and bills, but it’s important to choose your system carefully to get the best results, Tim Douglas from Guardian Building Systems explains A roof replacement is a great... View Article

Solutions for Compliance: Part L and beyond

We staged our first industry round table a month before the legal requirement was brought in for all new dwellings to comply with the new Part L of the Building Regulations, which requires them to produce 31% fewer carbon emissions... View Article