Entries by Building Specifier

91-year-old tenant helps architecture students design homes for the future

Housing experts from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) are teaming up with a 91-year-old tenant and a leading housing organisation to help architecture students design homes of the future. Leicester School of Architecture and DMU’s Centre for Comparative Housing Research (CCHR) are working alongside social housing and care provider emh group and extra care scheme […]

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New guidance to stop workers dying each week from occupational disease

The construction industry has launched new guidance to encourage better management of occupational health risks. HSE is urging the industry to put an end to the hundreds of construction workers that die of occupational diseases every month. Inspectors issued more than 200 health related enforcement notices during the recent Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) construction […]

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Deafening explosion at Cardiff’s Celsa Steel plant

Many workers at a Celsa Steel plant have sustained injuries following a ‘deafening’ blast at the plant that shook nearby buildings. Six fire crews were sent to tackle the blaze in the basement of the plant, on East Moors Road in Cardiff. Workers at the plant told Wales Online the explosion was “very loud, deafening”. […]

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The North West led all regions for new-build activity

The North West residential sector saw a significant boost in the number of new build properties commissioned in Q3 this year, leading all regions with 5,275 units. According to the latest Market Insight report from construction data experts Barbour ABI, £621 million pounds worth of property development was commissioned in Q3, with £608 million from […]

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ONS question reports of ‘healthy growth’ in construction

News that we are experiencing strong growth in constructing has been brought into disrepute by new figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Markit/Cips Purchasing Managers’ Index for construction that was released last month clearly indicated a reassuring reading of 58.8; 50 being the point which separates expansion from contraction. Whilst down […]

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Proposed resi tower to be a beacon for green development!

Plans for a 16-storey residential and office development have been submitted by developer Corona Properties that intends to dramatically improve the Hemel Hempstead landscape. Called ‘The Beacon,’ the mixed-use tower will house both residential property and office space and has been designed to be the first building of its kind to achieve an ECP A+ […]

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Construction activity declines in Q3

The latest ONS figures, released this week, highlighted a decline in construction activity during Q3. Output in the construction industry was 2.2% lower than in Q2 and 0.1% lower than a year ago, and was 4.3% lower than the pre-recession peak. Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, put the data into […]

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UK faces bleakest construction skills shortage in nearly 20 years

The latest RICS UK Construction Survey shows that the country’s skills shortage has reached its highest levels since the survey was launched 18 years ago, with bricklayers and quantity surveyors in shortest supply. Over half of respondents (53%) reported difficulty sourcing labour, with 71% saying they had particular difficulty sourcing bricklayers and 64% highlighting a […]

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Morgan Sindall receive award for improving the image of construction

Morgan Sindall – one of the UK’s leading construction, infrastructure and design businesses – has been recognised for its long-term commitment to improving the image of the construction industry. The company, winner of over 300 Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards, has become the third constructor to register 3000+ sites with the Scheme. The 3000th […]

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