All articles by Simon Rawlinson
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CommentWe are boxed in by bonds and the chancellor’s promises
Jeremy Hunt’s success in calming financial markets with the autumn statement leaves a lot of unanswered questions observes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentWe must be nimble and flexible if we are to keep up with accelerating AI
The pace of change in AI is breathtaking. Non-specialists like you and me need to take note says Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentWhy counting the cost of carbon is anything but straightforward
Is the price of carbon emissions going up or down? It might depend on who you are and where your project is located, writes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis. That is not a good thing
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CommentWe’ve lost our lead in the fight against climate change. Now it’s crunch time
The muted response to the UK’s latest climate change progress report highlights that the current approach isn’t working, observes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentL&G Modular’s closure shows there’s a limit to the patience of slow capital
Legal & General’s recent withdrawal from the offsite housing market is a wake-up call for policy makers relying on institutions to fund ambitious infrastructure plans, says Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentHunt’s Budget shifted emphasis from recovery to re-set
Many of the chancellor’s announcements will only bear fruit in the longer term. Whether that is in time to save the Tories at the next general election remains to be seen, writes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentStarmer must make sure he is not embarking on a mission impossible
Labour has set off on its pre-election marathon, but what should we make of Keir Starmer’s plans and how is policy likely to evolve?
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CommentSunak and Starmer should both be happy to embrace the squeezed middle
Now that the fiasco of the mini-Budget has cancelled out the reputational damage of the last Labour Party manifesto, a new focus on sober managerialism is taking hold
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CommentChancellor’s statement leaves me with a shrinking feeling
Jeremy Hunt’s better than expected investment proposals are already being undermined by inflation. We need to act fast
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CommentHave we put too many eggs in one basket with our net-zero goal?
There is no plan B for net zero but, with the clock ticking on the 1.5C target, we need to start a parallel conversation on resilience
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CommentGamble on growth won’t work unless supply-side reforms are a success
Truss and Kwarteng’s plan is radical but the focus on fixing the supply side has been overshadowed. The details should not be ignored
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CommentConstruction must seize this moment of opportunity
A change in national leadership can mean a new direction and fresh ideas. The industry should help Liz Truss rise to the challenges ahead
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CommentCurrent political chaos could cast long shadow over our industry
With calls growing for tax cuts and short-term fixes, a longer-term growth strategy underpinned by investment looks to be at risk
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CommentA five-point plan for coping with volatility in a positive way
While no one can predict the outcome of the Ukraine crisis, we do know what tools are needed to make projects and teams more resilient
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CommentLevelling up is a shared responsibility
There is much in the government white paper for construction to get behind and lots of opportunities to contribute
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CommentThat was COP26, so what next?
Progress on carbon trading was the biggest outcome from the climate conference for construction and should drive demand for low-carbon materials
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CommentThis was never going to be a budget with big capital investment pledges
Though clearly the levelling up and housing agendas have received welcome financial backing
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FeaturesProcurement in an inflationary market
With some materials prices going through the roof, inflation has become the hot topic for 2021. Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis examines what is causing the problem and what mitigation options clients have
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CommentInnovate with care: lessons to be learnt from collapse of Katerra
MMC firms are expanding in the UK but the US construction unicorn Katerra has just gone bust. So what does this tell us about the shape of construction innovation, asks Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentMaterial considerations are now key to a project’s resilience
Short-term supply disruption could be an early warning of a longer-term problem for the UK’s construction sector, says Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis