Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

Going retro: A shrewd solution to the UK’s housing crisis

Home is a vitally important place for everyone. So it is a sad state of affairs to think that at the moment more than 6 million people in the UK will never be able to buy their own home. And with a massive 1.2 million people currently hanging around on housing waiting lists, something must be done.

The UK’s housing crisis is a stark, cold reality for many Britons who simply cannot afford to buy their own home. Since 1996 real house prices have increased by a whopping 151%, while real earnings have only gone up by a quarter of that figure, according to the Redfern Review. And as a result of unaffordable housing, rising prices and sheer lack of adequate accommodation, many families are finding themselves placed in temporary lodging.

So what can be done?

Addressed in the last Autumn Statement, the government plans to invest £3.7bn into building a further 140,000 homes by 2020, in order to ease the housing issue.

However, this is a tall order to achieve within the space of four short years. So how is the government planning to tackle this and meet its promise?

A blast from the past

In order to build the huge quantity of homes targeted by the close of the decade and at the budget set aside, ministers plan to roll out a new wave of prefabs.

As the first prefabs were the solution to the UK’s housing shortage following the devastation of war in the 1940s, a second wave could be the solution to our current crisis. With over 100,000 prefabricated homes planned across the country, it looks like construction is set to go retro.

Unfortunately, prefabricated housing carries negative connotations for some, who associate it with cheap, temporary and ugly. However, modern modular design has developed considerably over the past 70 years and today’s prefab homes are high quality, contemporary and built to last. Prefabs can be posh.

Modern modular buildings have many other enviable benefits over a traditional brick and block build, such as being more energy efficient, eco-friendly and affordable.

Faster construction, reduced cost

With the cost of construction having dramatically increased over the last five years, the building of brick and block homes carries ever increasing expenses. However, as prefabricated buildings are constructed off-site, costs can be more accurately predicted.

A prefabricated house could cost as much as 40% less than the same building built of brick.

Modular homes are also considerably quicker to construct. An off-site build is not only more cost-effective, but much more efficient. A prefabricated building is less susceptible to potential delays, due to bad weather or shortage of labour, and has more chance of meeting deadlines.

Once manufactured, a modular home can be erected on-site in just 24 hours.

And it is the speed from design to completion that is crucial; it is this that will save the government both time and money.

Cost savings are key

But it’s not only the government who needs to make time and cost savings in order to meet tight deadlines and stick to budgets. It is vital for all businesses and organisations, no matter their size, to maintain a healthy bottom line. And finding ways to save time and money in all areas will build a better, stronger business.

So how can your company be more efficient and cost-effective?

There are many things you can do to become more efficient as a business and still make savings. One only needs to think outside the box. For example, by having a tracking system fitted in your company vehicles you will not only reduce your insurance premium and help to deter theft, but you will save money on your fuel bills and reduce repair costs too. With 24-hour GPS monitoring and a system such as Phantom Insight, you can make sure your drivers do not waste fuel or employ bad driving habits that will cause excess wear and tear on parts.

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UK house prices to increase by 3% in 2017

House prices in the UK will see an average increase of 3% over the course of next year as the number of transactions stabilises, according to the RICS housing forecast for 2017.

Forecast in brief

  • Transactions set to stabilise in line with recent trend, but fall short of full year 2016 outturn
    Supply shortfall to continue pushing prices higher with prices to increase by 3%
    Rents likely to increase by 2-3% across the UK in 2017

Need for more properties

Following on from the 2016 forecast, the supply pipeline or lack of it is at the forefront of the analysis and dominates the residential market. While there is an improvement, the legacy of building on an insufficient scale has left the average inventory on estate agents books close to a historic low.

What’s in store for 2017?

Looking forward, transaction activity will stabilise and is likely to come in between 1.15 and 1.2 million, a little below the 1.25 million likely to be recorded for the whole of 2016. The prediction for 2017 reflects the trend over recent months.

House prices are predicted to rise across the whole of the UK in 2017 with an average increase of 3%. East Anglia is likely to continue its trend during 2016 and alongside the North West and West Midlands is likely to record gains higher than the national average. Meanwhile, prices in Central London look set to stabilise after recent declines, with support provided by the weaker exchange rate encouraging foreign buyers.

Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist said “Although recent announcements by the government on housing are very welcome, the ongoing shortfall of stock across much of the sales and lettings markets is set to continue to underpin prices and rents. As a result, the affordability challenge will remain very much to the fore for many. Meanwhile the lack of existing inventory in the market is impacting the ability of households to move and will contribute toward transaction activity over the whole of 2017 being a little lower that in the year just ending.”

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VIDEO: A visual tour around the House of the Year

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is announced last week that Murphy House in Edinburgh by Richard Murphy Architects is the 2016 RIBA House of the Year, sponsored by Hiscox Home Insurance. Take a look round with Buildingspecifier:

This five-level house is a surprising addition to an otherwise conservative sandstone terraced street in Edinburgh’s UNESCO-listed New Town. Built on an awkward plot at the end of a terrace, Richard Murphy has designed for himself a deeply personal space filled with tricks, surprises and references to his own design heroes. From a hidden bath in the master bedroom and a folding corner wall, to sliding bookshelf ladders that glide around the subterranean library, this house is filled with a unique and spirited charm. Murphy, inspired by the work of the late Carlo Scarpa, a 20th century Italian architect has created a house full of pure, beautiful craftsmanship.

RIBA President Jane Duncan said “The Murphy House is this year’s best example of how to overcome challenging constraints – from planning restrictions and an awkward site in an urban location – to build a stunning house. Plus the architect overcame one of the biggest obstacles: a demanding client – himself!

“Nearly a decade in the making, this house is a true labour of love for Richard. Part jigsaw puzzle, with its hidden and unexpected spaces, and part Wallace and Gromit with its moving pieces and disappearing walls, this is a model house of pure perfection and a worthy winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2016.”

Architect Richard Murphy commented: “We celebrated our 25th birthday last month and to receive this award is a wonderful present with such astonishing levels of public interest. It’s our 21st RIBA award, and takes its place in a long line of awards for buildings small and large and for whole variety of types including domestic, educational, health, arts and a new British Embassy. It emphasises yet again that the practice demonstrates both great versatility and consistently high quality in all its work current and past. It’s been a huge pleasure to develop a lifetime’s themes and now it gives me great pleasure to live there.”

House of the Year judge, Philip Thorn from Hiscox described his reasons for picking Murphy house as this year’s winner, saying “Murphy House was a real box of tricks with a unique, playful character. Although a small property, it was deceivingly large inside due to the clever use of space. Every room contained a surprise and the attention to detail was exceptional. The roof terrace was a real oasis of calm and I loved the long list of environmentally friendly touches. A true pleasure to visit and I would imagine a lot of fun to live in.”

Take the tour below:

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Activists blockade UK’s most polluting power station

Image taken by Peter Brabham

Climate change campaign group ‘Reclaim the Power’ have blockaded Welsh coal-fired power station, Aberthaw, in protest of the record number of local air pollution deaths reported in the area.

To prevent vehicles from entering and exiting the power station, campaigners created a blockade with tripods and banners which read “Climate Change has a Death Toll” and “Fossil Fuels – Time to Quit” – the centrepiece being a symbolic giant ashtray.

Aberthaw power station is undoubtedly the dirtiest power station in the EU, having recently been accused of emitting more than double the legal amount of toxic nitrogen oxides for the last seven years. This is estimated to kill approximately 400 people a year in the Cardiff, South Wales and Bristol areas – as well as contributing to the ongoing problem of climate change. The UK Government recently lost a European Court of Justice ruling which found Aberthaw in breach of European air quality laws.

The blockade was set up yesterday, precisely a year after the historic climate deal in Paris was signed. The protest comes as the government holds its consultation on the planned phase-out of unabated coal by 2025, a target many feel is far too slow to meet climate goals before it is too late.

Sarah Joliffe from campaign group Reclaim the Power, said “Exactly a year on from the historic climate agreement in Paris, and the UK government is still undermining its own commitments by subsidising fossil fuels instead of keeping them in the ground. Climate change touches all of us – whether it’s the effect on our farmers, flooding in our cities or the insurance on our homes – and it’s already killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world. We must act quickly to protect our communities, our economy and our shared environment. We need decisive action to shut down these dirty power stations and invest in clean, secure energy systems that benefit us all. Anything less is a failure from our government to act in the best interest of the country. Please consider this blockade our submission to your consultation.”

Grace Wild from Reclaim the Power in Cardiff, added “The toxic fumes from the power station are killing 400 people a year, and still the government is failing to act. Our community deserves air they can breathe. Instead of supporting clean energy, the government is choosing to waste public money on dangerous, outdated power stations like Aberthaw. These power stations need to be closed, and resources put into developing the growing renewables economy in the area. Aberthaw is kept alive – despite breaking the rules – on the myth of supporting the Welsh economy. But it’s our communities that are dying from air pollution, and our farming, tourism and coastal towns that will be devastated by climate change. If the government wanted to support the welsh economy, they should be supporting a thriving, jobs rich renewables sector.”

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Historic engineering feat achieved as Chernobyl arch slides into place

Last week marked a key milestone in the international project to transform site of 1986 accident. A ceremony in Chernobyl today marked the successful conclusion of the sliding operation, a key milestone before the finalisation of the international programme to transform Chernobyl into an environmentally safe and secure state by November 2017.

Thirty years after the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, the radioactive remains of the power plant’s destroyed reactor 4 have been safely enclosed following one of the world’s most ambitious engineering projects.

Chernobyl’s giant New Safe Confinement (NSC) was moved over a distance of 327 metres from its assembly point to its final resting place, completely enclosing a previous makeshift shelter that was hastily assembled immediately after the 1986 accident.

Read more: Solar PV plant to be built in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

The equipment in the New Safe Confinement will now be connected to the new technological building which will serve as a control room for future operations inside the arch. The New Safe Confinement will be sealed off from the environment hermetically. Finally, after intensive testing of all equipment and commissioning, handover of the New Safe Confinement to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant administration is expected in November 2017.

Sir Suma Chakrabarti, EBRD President, commented: “We welcome this milestone in the process of the transformation of Chernobyl as a symbol of what we can achieve jointly with strong, determined and long-term commitment. We applaud our Ukrainian partners and the contractor and we thank all donors to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund whose contributions have made today’s success possible. The spirit of cooperation gives us confidence that the project will be completed on time and within budget a year from now.”

Novarka project director Nicolas Caille said: “We are very proud to have been able to actively contribute to meeting this one-of-a-kind technological challenge. The New Safe Confinement in Chernobyl is a feat of engineering that will ensure optimal safety conditions for the Ukrainian people for the next 100 years. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the achievement of the teams of the Novarka joint venture formed by major French groups VINCI Construction and Bouygues Construction.”

Igor Gramotkin, Director-General of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, said: “We were not building this arch for ourselves. We were building it for our children, for our grandchildren and for our great-grandchildren. This is our contribution to the future, in line with our responsibility for those who will come after us.”

On 26th April 1986, during a safety check, reactor 4 of the Chernobyl power plant experienced a meltdown that could not be contained. As a result, it is estimated that more than 100,000 people have died as either a direct result of fallout or from subsequent radiation-related illnesses. It is also estimated that over £111.7 billion worth of damage was caused by the disaster. These astounding figures prove that regardless of who is considered responsible for the accident, cleaning up Chernobyl is of worldwide concern. If another reactor had blown during the meltdown, Chernobyl could have rendered the whole of Europe uninhabitable.

The Chernobyl arch is the largest moveable land-based structure ever built, with a span of 257 metres, a length of 162 metres, a height of 108 metres and a total weight of 36,000 tonnes equipped. It will make the accident site safe and with a lifetime of 100 years allow for the eventual dismantling of the ageing makeshift shelter from 1986 and the management of the radioactive waste.

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Work begins on tallest religious structure in the world

Construction has begun on what will be the world’s tallest religious skyscraper – a 213 metre Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh, India.

This article was originally published by The Spaces, a digital publication exploring new ways to live and work.

Once completed, the earthquake-proof structure (called ‘Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir’) will cover more ground than St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and will be taller than Ulm Minster in Germany, which is currently the tallest church on Earth at 162 metres.

The building, designed by Indian practice InGenious Studio and structural consultant Thornton Tomasetti , will also include a theme park within its walls. It will comprise 70 stories in tiered formation towards the top.

In an article published by ‘The Spaces’, a digital publication exploring new ways to live and work, Project Director of the temple Narasimha Das said “Attractions planned in the theme park would be like park rides, animatronics, light, sound and special effects as well as the Vraja Mandal parikrama shows and laser shows.”

A capsule elevator will take visitors up to a viewing deck, where they can admire the 30 acre of forest surrounding the temple. The lift will also double up as a tourist attraction in itself, serving to take people through the planetary systems of the universe in sound and light.

Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir will be dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Sri Krishna – who, according to scripture, is said to have grown up in Vrindavan.

Social and residential facilities will also be built as part of the project, which will be sold off in order to help fund construction, along with donations from religious devotees.

Work is currently concentrated on the building’s impressively deep 55 metre foundations.

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New report finds local planning is failing the climate change test

Research carried out by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has found that the majority of new local plans in England are failing to cut carbon emissions and to plan for the scale of severe weather predicted over future years.

The study, which examined the most recently prepared plans in England, found that 70% had no carbon reduction targets or any way of monitoring their progress with carbon reduction. While plans did reflect current flood risk, they were generally poor at dealing with future climate impacts such as sea level rise and increased surface water flooding. Only a fraction of plans had recognised the impacts of heat stress or linked climate change with human health. This is despite national policy having firm commitments on climate change.

The full report, Planning for the Climate Challenge? Understanding the performance of English Local Plans, will be launched today at a TCPA event.

Dr Hugh Ellis, Interim Chief Executive at the TCPA, emphasised that there has been a missed opportunity within local plan policy to build in long term adaptation to future climate change impacts for local communities, and to integrate mitigation measures that reduce carbon emissions. He said “In practice a clear political signal has been sent to local authorities to deprioritise climate change and instead to focus solely on the allocation of housing land. Housing growth is vital, but it must be in the right place and to the right standards to deal with the future impacts of climatic change. Local planning can do a great deal to cut emissions and to design places resilient to flooding and overheating, but, the fact remains that many places remain critically unprepared for climate change. Government must act to refocus the system to look at outcomes that will result in secure, resilient and low carbon places.”

The study concluded that significant policy change and new resources were required if the system was going to deliver on is potential in tackling climate change. Sir Graham Wynne, Member of the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, commented that: “TCPA’s work is particularly relevant in the context of climate change and local planning has a strong impact on the resilience, well-being and sustainability of our communities. As climate change brings more frequent heatwaves and extreme rainfall, local planning decisions can do much to create safer, healthier communities with lower greenhouse gas emissions. This report worryingly finds that too often local plans fail to promote energy efficiency, low-carbon transport, and the sustainable management of water and flooding.”

Katharine Knox JRF Policy and research manager added “This report provides worrying reading for vulnerable communities at the sharp end of climate change impacts. Without better spatial planning, we risk increasing disadvantage among communities at greatest risk. Efforts need to be made at national and local level to respond to these challenges urgently.”

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“Construction industry showing encouraging signs of change to offsite methods”

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Speaking at Explore Offsite Futures at Birmingham’s NEC last week (24th November 2016), Fusion’s head of business development, Robert Clark spoke about the past, present and future opportunities for offsite manufacturing, saying he was starting to see encouraging signs of adoption by the construction industry.

As a designer and manufacturer of light gauge steel frames used by some of the UK’s most significant developers, Fusion is at the forefront of driving education and awareness of how offsite manufacturing methods hold the key to the future of construction in this country.

In his presentation to an audience of around 180 delegates from across all disciplines within the construction industry, Robert outlined the history of Fusion. He spoke about its experience in designing and building frames for low rise housing units through to high rise apartment blocks, and how its strategic view now is to focus on low rise, volume house building to help reduce the UK’s desperate shortage.

Robert recounted stories dating back 15 years when some of Fusion’s first projects were completed and little was really know or understood about the possibilities for offsite manufactured steel frames. Looking at the present, he referred to the widely-read Farmer Review: ‘Modernise or Die’, facing the truth about the drastic shortage of housing in the UK and the devastating decline of skilled labour in the construction industry.

Robert said: “The construction industry – or house building in particular, is faced with a dire situation. We’re still trying to make traditional building methods work but as Mark Farmer said in his review, radical steps need to be taken if we are to avoid an ‘inexorable decline’.”

With offsite recommended as one of a number of solutions, Robert explained projects which were currently underway using Fusion’s intelligent end to end service of design and manufacture and build – but pointed out that up until now, projects have largely been one off developments.

Robert continued: “A change in mindset needs to happen and I’m pleased to say it’s starting to. If we’re to make a serious impact on the construction process and housing shortage in the UK, offsite manufacturing needs to work in collaboration and as part of a developer’s integrated supply chain.”

Robert explained how Fusion was starting to see encouraging signs of change and an adoption of offsite manufacturing methods, from school building projects to a trial programme with the UK’s largest house builder. He also alluded to a branding idea called ‘4LP Homes’ or ‘four little pigs’, the fourth pig having his home made out of steel – strong, warm and built in a factory.

Robert was one of 16 speakers at today’s Explore Offsite Futures event – run as part of series of one day conference and exhibitions creating a platform for construction clients and their professional advisers to explore the latest offsite construction solutions, providing a dynamic and interactive learning experience for all visitors.

For further information visit www.fusionbuild.com and www.exploreoffsite.co.uk.
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Economical ways to build a luxurious home

Building a home of your very own is the ultimate dream for many families. Recently, there has been an addition of the word ‘luxurious’, right before home, in the aforementioned sentence because why not? Each of us wishes nothing but the best, the most comfortable, and the most pleasant for our families. And even though it has become fairly easy to buy such a house, thanks to ready-made luxury properties, building one from scratch still tops the list of aspirations of many.

However, luxuries don’t come easy these days. It can be hard to find a luxury property on sale; building one, even harder. That is why we have made this list of all the economical ways to build a luxurious home and make that dream of yours a reality for your family. Here we go:

1. The Shape of the House

The cost of building a house varies greatly for differently shaped pieces of land. For example, a 2,000-square-foot single-story rectangular ranch-style home will be way more expensive than a-2,000 square-foot two-story square colonial because the colonial’s foundation is based on a smaller piece of land.

The rooms built on the foundation of the colonial will be simpler and rectangular cutting down on overall construction costs. Therefore, preferably go for square shaped homes if you want to save the buck from the very start.

2. Cost and Quality of the Materials

When it comes to materials, you have to make the difficult choice of compromising durability over costs. The standard ‘builder-grade’ materials for homes are least durable and fairly inexpensive. The prices as well as the quality and durability of materials increases as you move on to quality-grade, custom-grade, and ultra-custom-grade home building materials.
Using the builder-grade materials may not be as long lasting an option as the other three, but it will cut down costs by a good notch.

3. Flooring Shenanigans

Ceramic tile or hardwood flooring can really be a cherry on the top, no denying. But, they also cost quite a lot. One way to maintain a balance between your wallet and dreams is going for vinyl flooring, while construction.

Vinyl floors cost less and can be made to look very aesthetic and luxurious with the right furnishing. Also, they make sturdy underlayment for tile or wood if you wish to install either of the two at a later date.

4. Ultimate Affordable Homes

You can get one of those ‘tiny homes’ ranging from 60 to 900 square feet that are delivered to site by the providers or built from scratch. Now there are several options and a vast variety of companies selling these tiny homes. One such company offers models with complete exterior furnishing and upgrades for as little as $12,900. That’s very reasonable! How luxuriously you decorate and utilize the space depends more or less on you!

Rachel Stinson

We hope the dream of building your own luxurious house seems less far-fetched now. Just be very vigilant about where your money goes and what results it generates. And remember, that no house seems luxurious and comfortable from day 1. It becomes so as you begin to own and liven up the place.

Written by guest blogger Rachel Stinson
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2 out of 3 taxpayers unhappy about £369m renovation of Buckingham Palace

Last week, the Treasury announced the ‘essential’ £369m renovation plans for Buckingham Palace. To fund this 10 year endeavour, the Queen has been given a 66% pay rise which will last for the entirety of the project. However, this news has caused a backlash from the general public and has left the UK questioning who should be paying for this refit. Consequently, a petition asking the Queen to pay for this refurbishment herself reached its target in a matter of days, attracting over 140,000 signatures. Now, leading home services marketplace, Plentific.com, has found that 2 out of 3 UK taxpayers feel unhappy with the costs.

Ultimately, 68% of UK taxpayers feel unhappy with the £369m price tag. As the home of Buckingham Palace, Londoners appear more supportive of the final price with only 61% feeling unhappy with the costs. This may be due to Londoners being more aware and accepting of higher costs in the capital, making them less surprised by the level of funding needed for the renovations.

Similar to the referendum and Brexit, Scotland has taken a distinctly negative stance and has proven to be the most unsupportive country in the UK, with 81% of respondents claiming they are unhappy with the costs. 82% of respondents in Edinburgh disapprove of the costs, whilst Glasgow appears to be the slightly more sympathetic with 77% feeling unsatisfied.

With only 54% feeling unhappy with the 369m investment, Bristol shows the highest level of support for the price tag in the country. Brighton, too, shows more understanding for the costs with 59% feeling unhappy.

The results also show that Liverpool (73%), Leeds (70%), Nottingham (78%) and Sheffield (72%) are the least happy of all locations in England.

Spokesperson for Plentific, Stephen Jury, said “Whilst the price for upgrading seems steep, these refurbishments are essential to the safety of the building and will allow Buckingham Palace to continue to attract tourism and generate revenue. For the average UK taxpayer, the cost obviously comes across as a shock, which is highlighted by our research with the majority not being happy with the bill.”

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