Features

Following a £25m conservation and refurbishment programme, the Grade II listed Armstrong Building, which lies at the heart of Newcastle University’s campus, has not only withstood the tests of time, but is one of seven buildings in the North East which have made the shortlist for this year’s RIBA awards.

As infrared technology continues to be a popular choice in washrooms, Mark Schlotel, Marketing Manager at Cistermiser and Keraflo, explains how the technology’s versatility has widened its reach and what we can expect from infrared in our bathrooms in the future.

Buildings are the sum of many parts and we need a full portfolio of materials to achieve the best outcomes in terms of, performance, sustainability, safety, durability, efficiency and cost. Since the new Building Regulations came into force on 21st December 2018, much has been written about cross laminated timber. Here Andy Goodwin shares how B&K Structures have taken a pragmatic approach to embrace the new protocols.

Although not a recent innovation, self-cleaning renders and paints have made an indelible mark on the construction industry as an ingenious alternative to regular and aggressive building renovation, writes Nikolaos Mantelis, Product Manager at global building materials manufacturer, Baumit.

Links between damp and poor health are well established, yet tenants have been unable to force their landlords to rectify problems. That’s all set to change with the introduction of a new law, says Hudson Lambert, Managing Director of Safeguard Europe.

Construction is a strategically important sector to the UK economy, accounting for 7% of the labour market and expected to create 179,000 new jobs by 2022. It is also under the spotlight given the critical role it will play in the Industrial Strategy, and via the Construction Sector Deal, whilst the sector’s predicted spend of £500bn by 2025 serves to underline its contribution. Bev Hurley, Chair of the Institute of Economic Development, explains more.

Increasing pressure on contractors to deliver bigger, quicker and cheaper builds can result in mistakes sometimes costing lives. Construction is an industry that shoulders much responsibility, the importance of making fundamental changes to methods of working is immeasurable. Glyn Coates, Zeroignition, looks at flaws in traditional methods of construction and offers solutions.

Historic buildings form a substantial part of our architectural landscape. Often, listed status means that these ageing buildings continue to be celebrated for their significance to the local area. In order to protect these unique spaces for future generations, a sensitive approach must be taken to restoration, ensuring the original architectural characteristics are preserved, as Andy Lake, UK Projects Director for Pyroguard, discusses.

Ted Szuman, Head of Innovation at AkzoNobel UK, discusses the hot topic of future-proofing design that caters to its occupants.

Schöck explores a rare case where permission has been granted to demolish a Grade I listed Nash terrace and convert it back to the residential use for which the early 19th century building was intended. One of the key considerations with the new development was to prevent thermal bridging along the parapets.