Calcium sulphate screeds have become an increasingly common choice of subfloor to install in new builds, especially where underfloor heating is incorporated within the subfloor. This is because of the speed with which they can be applied over large areas and other advantages over concrete bases, including less shrinkage and fewer joints required within the subfloor. Neil Sanders, Technical Director at F. Ball and Co., gives his advice on achieving a long-lasting, professional flooring finish when working over this type of surface.

Gresham St Paul’s on Gresham Street, Central London, has undergone a £50m transformation, delivered by Mace. Designed by leading architectural practice, Wilkinson Eyre, the project has maximised the building’s net internal area with an extensive remodelling programme, and added a three-storey extension at roof level.

Bricks are one of the world’s oldest building materials and have been used in the construction of many iconic structures, including New York’s Empire State Building. Scott Denham, Sales Director from IG Masonry Support, gives insight into the limitless design opportunities bricks enable across commercial and residential applications.

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.

Brick has become a highly sought-after building material for individual bespoke homes and housing schemes. Offering lasting value, brick does not rot, dent, or need to be painted, and it will never tear. Its modular units and variety of shapes have resulted in beautiful structures in just about every architectural style, ranging from colonial to Victorian to post-modernist.