The construction industry has a reputation for being one of the biggest polluters; it’s responsible for 40% of the world’s carbon emissions. It’s clear that if we are to fight climate change and promote sustainability, construction will need to clean up its act. One of the best ways of doing so is cutting demand for one of the most common building materials: concrete. The key ingredient of concrete is cement which has a large carbon footprint, even higher than aviation fuel, says Charlie Ayers, Founder of SureCav.
Seaton Beach Apartments in Devon is the first UK multi-residential development to be certified as ‘Passive House Plus’. Some claim that the Passive House standard is easier to achieve with simpler, box-like forms, resulting in finished buildings being aesthetically limited – but this is certainly not the case here. A little design ingenuity and the use of Schöck Isokorb thermal breaks has enabled generous sea-facing balconies with sweeping curves to create a striking finish.
The number of change of use schemes is set to rise as clients respond to a post-pandemic market, but project teams need to bear in mind the associated fire safety challenges, says Nigel Morrey, Technical Director at Etex Building Performance.
In these dramatically changing times, it is remarkable what there is to find by simply using the word ‘innovation’ as a digging tool.
BIG, Hijjas and Ramboll have been selected as winners of Penang State Government’s competition to design Penang South Islands' masterplan.
This month, we have talked to Hoban Design’s Director, Gary Hoban, about his experience opening his own architecture practice. In this exclusive Q&A, we find out more about what inspires his work and discover how childhood memories of LEGO and creative doodling steered the successful career he has today.
Roland Jackson, Commercial Director of roofing, waterproofing and insulation specialist, Soprema, discusses alternatives to copper and why they should be considered to create stunning design features..
Simon Castle, Managing Director of construction and fit-out contractor, Chisholm & Winch, discusses a phased refurbishment which was delivered while the client retained business-as-usual operating conditions.
The B&M group is the fastest-growing variety goods value retailer with stores operating in the UK, Germany and France. It has recently injected £100m in investment to create a new distribution centre in Bedford that is expected to create 1000 new jobs. The distribution centre will become B&M’s third in the UK and will support its southern operations. Started in April 2019, the project took just over eight months to complete.
Some 5% of all deaths in the UK’s largest towns and cities are linked to toxic air exposure. Now, with air pollution thought to exacerbate the symptoms of COVID-19, there is an even greater need to review infrastructure, improve sustainability and meet our carbon-zero goals. Richard Hyams, Founder of astudio, investigates.
