Opinion
-
CommentThe revised planning framework is not as bad as feared - but don’t thank Gove
The new national planning policy document will still lead to fewer homes being built, even if some of the most egregious proposals around density and green belt have been watered down, says Joey Gardiner
-
CommentWhy 2024 is the year to embrace circular economic models
Making cyclical construction a sector-wide objective would help meet decarbonisation objectives and strengthen supply chains, providing certainty to deliver infrastructure projects at the scale the UK needs, writes Joanne Conway
-
CommentThe UK is setting the standard for energy-efficient homes – but there is still some way to go
The latest update to the Future Homes and Buildings Standard is demanding, comprehensive and will shape our industry for years, but it still gives cause for concern, writes Alan Fogarty
-
CommentWhere do we go from here? Six predictions for 2024
The turn of the year is a traditional time to consider what may happen in the 12 months ahead. These industry experts share their thoughts
-
CommentIntroducing prediction for designing climate-resilient infrastructure
Construction has traditionally relied on precedence to prepare for events that may affect our buildings, but the past is no longer a reliable indicator to the future, writes John Rees of COWI in the UK
-
CommentWhy do we keep missing the government’s housing delivery target?
The housing market is not dysfunctional, it is the planning system that is holding back development, writes Paul Smith
-
CommentThis is how we can rise to the retrofit challenge
Is retrofit just a buzzword and an oversold solution for reaching sustainability goals? Not if we can avoid using excessive amounts of steel or diverting high amounts of material to landfill when we repurpose our buildings, writes Mark Swetman.
-
CommentIs 2024 already lost to dithering and delay?
The last few years have not been easy but we will have to wait a little longer before the outlook starts to improve, writes Richard Steer
-
CommentHow the next government can meet the needs of the construction industry
The future of the built environment is inextricably linked to the policies and commitments made by political parties. The next general election cannot come soon enough, says Thomas Vandecasteele
-
CommentHow to survive 2024
Our Top 150 Contractors and Housebuilders data shows firms under pressure and preparing for a difficult year to come
-
-
CommentLondon’s old problems require new solutions
The capital is congested, polluted and expensive but, thanks to the insight and ingenuity that its people possess, the way it functions can be mended, writes Sadie Morgan
-
CommentSix ways to improve procurement
In the light of recent headlines about the contractor sector and unsustainable margins, Mike Turner has six key recommendations
-
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
-
CommentIndustry should look in the mirror: Laing O’Rourke’s losses do no one any good
A personal disaster for the UK’s biggest private contractor is also a window into where contracting seems to be right now, writes Dave Rogers
-
CommentIt’s time to deliver communities that work for those who live and work in and around them
The arrival of thousands of new homes and jobs alongside existing communities can sound daunting to existing residents. But developments such as Waterbeach and Oxford North, which support the thriving knowledge economies of Cambridge and Oxford, can enhance lives across the board, writes Jonathan Kendall of Fletcher Priest, masterplanner for ...
-
CommentUnderstanding the JCT Young Professionals Group
The group combines JCT’s history of leadership and collaboration to support the next generation of construction industry leaders
-
CommentThe chancellor delivered the wrong kind of planning reform
It is wishful thinking to believe the latest financial incentives announced on Wednesday will suddenly speed up planning decisions
-
CommentAdapting procurement for a volatile market
Market volatility and economic headwinds have shifted industry focus towards dealing with the immediacy of that uncertainty, but we should not forget about longer-term solutions too, says Paul Beeston of RLB
-
CommentLet’s build the future with some creative thinking on skills
Technological progress means we now need wider skill-sets than ever before if we are to meet the demands on the sector, writes Patricia Moore of Turner & Townsend