Primary colours

Jemma Saunders from Crown Paints shares tips on using colour in primary school design so that spaces are easier to navigate for young children’s wellbeing Designing a primary school is a tough balancing act; educational spaces must encourage creativity, inspire... 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

Triple vs vacuum glazing

The Future Buildings Standard means vacuum glass is being considered as an alternative to triple glazing – George Barnsdale’s Tom Wright looks at the options. The Future Buildings Standard is looming over the horizon in 2025 and is likely to... View Article

Driving forward standards in fire door safety

Fire Door Safety Week raises awareness of the vital role that fire doors play in keeping building occupants across the UK safe. Helen Hewitt of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), explains how greater awareness coupled with new legislation is moving... View Article

Effectively venting all year round

Richard Carter from EnviroVent looks at how installing effective mechanical ventilation systems can reduce the maintenance burden that some housing associations experience in the winter months, and in turn positively impact tenant health. As we approach Autumn, thoughts turn towards... View Article

Help on the road to zero carbon homes

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund could see social housing providers upgrade the energy efficiency of up to 90,000 homes. Some of these homes will be relatively straightforward to upgrade, others will require a joined-up approach as Caroline Bowler of SIG... View Article

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

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 passive fire... 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

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 a news... View Article

Is housing going downhill fast?

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 housing market... View Article