The Plan for Change – Saving Water

Simple water-saving measures could save families in new homes over £100 a year on bills, while supporting a wave of new housing across Britain – delivering on the Plan for Change.

The government’s new efficiency rules will tackle water shortage bottlenecks and unblock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity helping to deliver the pledge of building 1.5million homes by 2030.

A consultation launched today will propose small changes to Building Regulations that could see new homes fitted with water-saving features such as aerated taps and showerheads, and dual flush toilets.

The change to the design standard will make new build housing more water efficient, equivalent to 20 litres per person per day. Analysis has shown this could save £111 a year on energy and water bills in new homes.

The small measures will also help the environment by reducing the amount that needs to be taken from rivers, lakes, and delicate chalk streams for public supply.

Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds, said:

We are getting Britain building faster, and a key element to growth is smarter water consumption.

Removing the water shortage barriers that have stalled development for too long will mean unlocking thousands of new homes while saving families money.

Not only will this make customer bills cheaper; it will protect the environment and unlock thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change.

The 12-week consultation looks to amend the current Building Regulations 2010 Part G2, which are insufficient to meet the parallel challenges of housing delivery and water conservation.

A reduction of 20 litres per person per day could see an additional 1,000 new homes unlocked for every 5,250 homes built. This is particularly helpful in areas like Cambridge and north Sussex where planning has previously been blocked because water demand outstripped supply.

The measures will support the government’s commitment to reduce water usage in England by 20% per person per day by 2038. It also puts us on track to use just 110 litres per head of the population by 2050.

Future innovations, such as using harvested rainwater to flush home toilets, are also being considered in a call to evidence that is running alongside the consultation.

England has seen seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall, with five areas in drought and more expected to follow soon despite the recent rain. Climate change and increased water demand means the nation needs to become more efficient with the water it has.

Defra has worked closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to develop the consultation and ensure it supports housebuilding goals.

Dr. Tom Dollard, Chair, Good Homes Alliance welcomed the consultation saying:

Our membership is facing real challenges in delivering new homes due to a lack of water capacity in their areas.

If we are to meet the Government housing delivery targets and unlock economic growth then we must start building more ‘water smart’ homes and neighbourhoods.

We would like to see a refreshed Part G that is aligned to the water neutrality hierarchy, and a fittings-based approach combined with a water labelling scheme that would deliver water efficient homes at scale across the UK.

We encourage all stakeholders from across industry to respond to this important consultation.”

Ed Lockhart, CEO of Future Homes Hub:

Water shortages are already constraining housing growth and the water supply shortfall at national and regional levels will widen without concerted action.

To sustain delivery of new homes at the levels required for everyone to have a decent home, homes need to become progressively more water efficient, alongside largescale investment in water infrastructure and demand management in other sectors.

That is why the Future Homes Hub proposed a water efficiency roadmap for the new homes sector in the 2024 Water Ready report. We therefore welcome the Government consulting on proposed efficiency measures and look forward to working with the Government to ensure water efficiency can be implemented affordably at scale whilst delivering on customer expectations.”

Source: Gov.uk

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The Growing Demand for Resource-Efficient Wood

 

Test production is starting at new Äänekoski Kerto LVL mill

Metsä Wood is responding to the growing demand for resource-efficient wood-based materials by building a new Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski, Finland. The project is reaching an important milestone on schedule: the first test runs will begin in October, and production is scheduled to start at the end of 2026. With this major investment and an additional research and development laboratory, Metsä Wood is strengthening its innovative strength and sending a clear signal for the future of European timber construction.

The new Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski is about to reach a crucial milestone: test runs on the first production line will begin in October. At the same time, the installation work for the second production line will begin. The project is thus consistently continuing its ambitious schedule. “The goal is to start extensive trial operations towards the end of the winter so that the mill can start operations as planned at the end of 2026,” explains Project Director Eero Lampola. Particular attention is paid to occupational safety: despite the parallel work of construction and assembly teams, the number of accidents has remained exceptionally low thanks to a consistent focus on occupational safety. Comprehensive preventive measures were taken to identify potential risks at an early stage and eliminate them immediately.

Strong signal for the European construction industry
Especially in a challenging market environment, Metsä Wood is sending a clear signal with this project. The past few years have been marked by a marked reluctance in the European construction industry, especially in residential construction. This downturn has also influenced timber construction. Nevertheless, the market outlook for Kerto LVL and other advanced wood-based materials remains positive in the long term.

“Although the general uncertainty continues to inhibit investment, the popularity of timber construction is growing worldwide. In addition, stricter European regulations that favour timber construction are increasing demand,” says Ulla Kivistö, VP, Sales for Kerto LVL in Central Europe. She adds: “In recent months, there have been signs that the construction industry in Europe is slowly starting to recover.”


Innovation location with research and development laboratory
The main markets for Kerto LVL are in Europe, but North America and Australia are also supplied. Despite the economic situation in Europe, Metsä Wood’s LVL mills are running around the clock. “The market is growing, and the additional capacity in Äänekoski is needed,” says Kivistö. Consequently, a new research and development laboratory for veneer-based wood products is being built on the site parallel to the mill. Metsä Wood is thus making targeted investments in the further development of Kerto LVL and other  innovative wood-based materials.

Kerto LVL – high-performance material for the future of construction
Kerto LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) is an innovative wood product that consists of three millimeter thin veneer layers glued together. It impresses with a combination of high strength, dimensional stability and versatility in use – from load-bearing structures in building construction to industrial applications. With an investment of around 300 million euros, the new plant, which is being built on a total area of 50,000 square metres and with a production area of 45,000 square metres, is one of Metsä Wood’s largest single investments. After completion, around 150 jobs will be created. The annual production capacity is planned at 160,000 cubic meters of different Kerto LVL products.

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The Rise of AI in Construction

 

Two-Fifths of Industry Now Using AI: Insights from the NBS Construction Leaders’ Summit 2025
 
Industry leaders, including Anneliese Day K.C., Chris Hines MBE, and Dr Stephen Hamil, gathered in London to explore digital construction, product safety, AI, and sustainability issues and give an exclusive preview of the NBS Digital Construction Report 2025.

 NBS (powered by Hubexo), the platform for connected construction information, brought together senior figures from across the built environment at the Construction Leaders’ Summit 2025 on 18 September at the Royal College of Physicians, London. The programme addressed some of the industry’s most pressing challenges, including digital transformation, product safety, sustainability, and the opportunities and risks presented by AI.

This year’s summit also featured an exclusive look at the NBS Digital Construction Report 2025 (formerly the BIM Report), the UK’s most comprehensive benchmark for digital transformation in the sector.

Now in its 13th year, the report examines insights from over 550 construction professionals. The findings highlight a sector at a critical tipping point:

  • Two in five were using AI tools, over four times the figure from five years ago
  • More than half of professionals feared their organisation would be left behind without urgent digital adoption.
  • The use of digital tools for sustainability has surged, with almost two-thirds of professionals using them for energy assessment, up from around a third two years ago.

The future of construction, challenges faced and how to best overcome them

The cross-industry event brought together leaders to explore key challenges for the industry and how digital innovation is shaping the future of construction. One of the highlights was a keynote from Anneliese Day K.C., co-author of the Morrell-Day Independent Review, which exposed serious flaws in construction product testing after the Grenfell tragedy and called for urgent reforms to ensure products are safe, reliable, and properly regulated.

Day considered where product safety has now reached and emphasised:

“At its core, digital adoption is not just about efficiency but about ensuring professionals have access to reliable product information so they can specify with confidence. Inadequate product data has undermined trust in the sector. Ensuring the availability and accuracy of digital tools represents a crucial step in creating the transparent product information that specifiers deserve.”

 

Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS (powered by Hubexo) said:

“The rise in Artificial Intelligence defines this year’s findings, as the sector moves rapidly toward adopting new technologies. The question is no longer if these innovations will be embraced, but how quickly they will transform the industry.”

With safety, trust, and sustainability at the top of the agenda, the Summit not only revealed fresh data on digital transformation but also discussed the roadmap for how the industry can meet its biggest challenges head-on.

Sign up to receive your copy of the NBS Digital Construction Report 2025 here.
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Therme Manchester Project, 2,500 Construction Jobs

 

With plans set to include an all-season urban beach, the world’s first living waterslides and an on-site farm, Therme Manchester is unsurprisingly one of the region’s most talked-about openings.

Projected to span 28 acres around the former EventCity site adjacent to the Trafford Palazzo shopping area, the facility will become the largest wellbeing resort in the UK.

Where is the Therme Manchester project up to?

On Fri 12 Sep, Theme Manchester hosted a Beyond Groundbreaking celebration to mark the official start of construction. Enabling groundworks were completed late last year. The construction phase will begin at the end of this month.

Completion of the £450 million project is scheduled for the end of 2028. An official opening date will be announced nearer the time.

Therme Manchester is set to create around 2,500 construction jobs (direct) with a peak onsite of 1,200. It will also employ 650 staff to operate the resort and bosses say it will build long-term partnerships with local businesses, charities and community groups.

Sustainability has been a major part of the project. Wherever possible, materials are being sourced locally, with innovative construction methods, including air source heat pumps and on-site 3D printing of building components – reducing waste and emissions with accelerated delivery.

Therme Manchester will combine cutting-edge architecture and technology with nature, water and wellbeing to create ‘a year-round destination that supports health, happiness and social connection.’

The resort will feature state-of-the-art swimming and thermal bathing areas, spa and fitness zones, immersive digital art, sustainable gardens and a diverse range of restaurants and
cafes. With its unique blend of activities and experiences, Therme Manchester will be a transformational destination for wellbeing, accessible to all and dedicated to enhancing quality of life across the region and beyond.

Professor David Russell, Therme UK CEO, said:

“Today marks the official beginning of a once-in-a-generation project for Manchester and the North West. Therme Manchester will be a place for everyone – a unique destination where wellbeing, sustainability, art and culture come together. Our vision is to make a lasting positive impact: creating jobs, supporting communities, and helping people live healthier, happier lives for years to come.”

A spokesperson from Trafford Council said:

“The Therme project is fantastic news for Trafford, and I am delighted that construction work has started on this one-in-a-lifetime scheme. The resort will attract millions of visitors each year and will provide hundreds of construction jobs and full-time jobs for the borough. Therme Manchester is a fantastic, visionary development and it supports several of our key commitments – helping provide a thriving economy, improving health and wellbeing and regenerating a vacant brownfield site in a sustainable location.”

What can visitors expect?

Projected to welcome 1.7 million guests in its first year, Therme Manchester will feature a year-round indoor climate of 33°C, made possible by a sustainable glass design. The resort will feature thermal waters, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, ‘next-generation’ water slides, a wave pool, spa therapies and health and fitness experiences.

 

Source: Manchester Wire

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Housing Secretary: Build, Baby, Build

New Housing Secretary has issued a ‘call to arms’ to leading developers and housebuilders following a roundtable held this week.

  • Housing Secretary Steve Reed commits to leaving no stone unturned to build 1.5 million homes after bringing together leading developers and housebuilders
  • Landmark legislation and major planning reforms are already paving the way to unlock hundreds of thousands of homes across the country
  • Government accelerates plans to unleash one of the largest eras for building in history as part of Plan for Change mission

A ‘call to arms’ has been issued to key developers and housebuilders, as new Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, vows to build, baby, build, as part of the next phase of getting Britain building faster.

The new Secretary of State, alongside Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, committed to working in partnership with industry leaders to ramp up housebuilding, focusing on the remaining barriers, including complex planning processes, that stand in the way of building 1.5 million homes in this Parliament.

It comes after the government took decisive action to get more spades in the ground in every corner of the country through our Plan for Change, ensuring hundreds of thousands of working people and families can have a safe roof over their head and achieve the dream of homeownership.

Housing Secretary, Steve Reed said:

“I want us to build, baby, build, so we can put the key to a decent home into the hands of every single family that needs it.

“We are doubling down on our plans to unleash one of the biggest eras of building in our country’s history and we are backing the builders all the way.

“Through major planning reform and investment, we will break down the barriers to development and build the 1.5 million homes this country needs as part of our Plan for Change.”

The ‘call to arms’ comes ahead of a blitz of new measures expected to be announced in the coming weeks and months, including new towns across the country and the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill passing into law.

The Housing Secretary met key developers and housebuilders before travelling to a housing site in Bedfordshire to witness first-hand the best ways to move forward and speed up building at sites up and down the country.

This builds on the government’s reinstatement of mandatory housing targets to reverse measures curbing supply which will drive UK housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years, according to the OBR.

The landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill is another way the government is working at pace to meet its 1.5 million homes target, speeding up building whilst protecting and enhancing the environment, and not at the expense of local say.

Since entering office, the government has also unblocked almost 100,000 homes through the New Homes Accelerator, pumped millions of pounds into councils unlocking disused brownfield land, and invested a huge £39 billion into the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

 

Source: WiredGov

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The AI deal, Will it be Boom or Bust

 

Whilst those with the big bucks might applaud the recent US/UK deal, it could well be the ordinary mass of UK citizens that ultimately pay the price, see this comment by David Roberts from his blog volts.

 

‘So basically, this rush of data centers is crashing into our conventional way of running utilities and regulating utilities and setting rates in such a way as to make a mess. And the danger in that mess is that ordinary ratepayers are going to end up stuck with the bill for a lot of the new expenses required by these big data centers.’

I am no expert, but I cant help feel that the prospect of the ordinary tax payer ultimately paying the cost has a sad ring of the truth.

Comment from your editor Lyn

US Tech Giants Invest £31bn In UK In ‘Prosperity Deal’

Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, others boost UK’s AI economy with data centre infrastructure, research as US and UK foster tech ties

Microsoft has announced a $30 billion (£22bn) investment package in the UK, its largest-ever outside the US, as part of a broader range of £31bn in spending around technology and artificial intelligence timed with a state visit by US president Donald Trump.

The investment will go to expand cloud and AI infrastructure and will also go toward Britain’s largest AI supercomputer, set to be established in Loughton, in Essex north-east of London.

The Loughton project was announced by the government in January as part of plans to make the UK an “AI superpower”, but Microsoft’s involvement is new.

AI infrastructure

Nvidia, meanwhile, said it would deploy 120,000 of its advanced graphics processing units across the UK, its largest commitment in Europe to date.

Up to 60,000 of Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell Ultra chips are to go to UK-based Nscale, which is working on the Loughton supercomputer.

Nscale is also partnering with OpenAI to launch a data centre project in Northumberland called Stargate UK, in reference to the Stargate data centre project in the US backed by OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank and others.

OpenAI, Nvidia, Nscale and chip design company ARM are all working on the project in Cobalt Park, Northumberland.

The government said there was potential for more than 5,000 jobs and billions in private investment in north-east England, which has been designated as a new “AI growth zone”.

Cloud computing company CoreWeave has pledged £1.5bn to fund energy-efficient data centres in partnership with Scotland’s DataVita, bringing its total UK investment to £2.5bn.

Google announced £5bn of investments, including a new data centre in Waltham Cross, north of London, and funding for its London-based DeepMind AI unit.

Bilateral ties

Other companies including Salesforce, Scale AI, BlackRock, Oracle, Amazon Web Services and AI Pathfinder said they would invest hundreds of millions to several billion pounds in the UK.

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella told the BBC he expected AI investments to fuel growth in the UK, but acknowledged the comments of analysts that AI investments have become a financial bubble that is likely to lead to a significant correction.

Nadella said that “all tech things are about booms and busts and bubbles” and that AI should not be “over-hyped or under-hyped”.

The investments are part of what was officially called the Tech Prosperity Deal between the UK and the US, which seeks to strengthen ties between the two countries on AI, quantum computing and nuclear power.

Nadella, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and OpenAI chief Sam Altman accompanied Trump to a state banquet hosted by the Royal Family at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening.

Source: Silicon

 

 

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Concrete Batching: A Crucial Investment

In London’s fast-paced construction market, a project’s profitability can be decided not by its blueprint but by its logistics. From the city’s labyrinthine traffic to tight deadlines, relying on off-site concrete deliveries is a strategic gamble. This is why a growing number of businesses are turning to on-site concrete batching plants, viewing them not as an expense, but as a crucial investment in a project’s financial success.

Investing in an on-site batching plant is a smart financial decision for any company serious about its future in London’s construction market. It is a proven way to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance a project’s environmental credentials. As a leading supplier of materials processing equipment, the Blue Group provides bespoke concrete batching plants that can be designed to fit a project’s specific needs, no matter the size or complexity. By partnering with a company that can provide a complete solution, from the machinery itself to expert installation, businesses can ensure they are not only meeting the demands of the present but also building a more resilient, profitable, and sustainable future.

The problem with off-site supply

Transporting large volumes of concrete from a fixed, off-site plant is a major logistical challenge in London. Traffic congestion can delay deliveries, leading to costly idle time for work crews and a risk of the concrete becoming unworkable before it can be used. Furthermore, projects often require a specific mix, and a small over-order can result in a significant amount of wasted material and a disposal fee. This traditional model is inefficient, costly, and difficult to manage in a large-scale, urban environment where every minute counts.

The strategic advantages of on-site batching

An on-site concrete batching plant provides a definitive solution to these problems. By mixing concrete directly at the project location, businesses gain a level of control and precision that is impossible with off-site deliveries. This eliminates transportation delays, reduces waste, and ensures a continuous supply of fresh, high-quality concrete to meet the project’s exact demands. This efficiency translates directly into a healthier profit margin by reducing a project’s carbon footprint and increasing productivity.

 

Source: London Loves Business

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Focus on Flash Fires Caused by Wood Dust

 

‘Think flash fires’ is the message for some manufacturers from commercial insurance broker, McCarron Coates, as it highlights the fire risk wood dust can pose within manufacturing.

Flash fires are not as frequently discussed as flash floods but can be equally devastating.  They occur when highly combustible wood dust, comprising fine wood particles, are suspended in the air in sufficient concentration and become an easily ignited cloud, potentially set alight by a nearby ignition source.  In the worst cases, an explosion can occur.

The ignition source could be a naked flame, an unintentional spark, the build-up of surface heat, static or a number of other causes.  With little or no warning, the resulting fire can shoot through a building, potentially even causing a second explosion, as it stirs up more wood dust whilst travelling through.

Within certain environments, the chances of suffering a flash fire are way higher than those of a flash flood.  It is not only wood dust clouds that are latent dangers issue but also stacks of contained wood dust, within which pressure can build.  Even a small layer of wood dust left laying on a surface can be a fire hazard.

The finer the dust, the higher the explosion risk.  Particles under 200 microns are usually explosive, as is a mixture in which as little as 10% of the dust measures under 80 microns.  Verifying whether dust is a danger can be achieved through a dust explosion test.

Controlling wood dust is absolutely essential, not just because a fire could lead to loss of life but because the law expects employers to be on top of this.

The UK legal framework is headed by the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974, which places a duty of care on the employer.  They must take all practicable measures to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Then, there are the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations of 2002.  Employers must control substances, including wood dust, known to have negative health impacts.  Wood dust is a respiratory hazard known for causing asthma and lung diseases like COPD.  In the USA, it is classed as a Group 1 carcinogen.  It can contain bacteria and fungal and moss spores, all of which can trigger respiratory health problems.

It also falls under Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR), 2002.  Under this legislation, any manufacturer generating wood dust in their workplace should have procedures in place to assess the risk of explosion and prevent and mitigate it.

Controlling ignition sources is another consideration, with measures to do this including maintaining equipment – as expected by the PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) of 1998.

Employers must ensure they also remain within the required Workplace Exposure Limits governing wood dust generated by hardwoods, softwoods or a mixture of both. They continually need to stay on top of wood dust and comply with all regulations.

To do this, McCarron Coates suggests manufacturers refer to the Hierarchy of Controls, of which the very minimum control is protecting workers through use of PPE equipment.

Director Luigi Maggio says,

“Whilst the use of RPE is nowhere near as efficient as eliminating wood dust at source, it will offer some protection.  The proviso to this is that protection is dependent on having the right particulate filters within disposable masks, ensuring correct face-fitting of disposable and half masks, and using only special RPE equipment for those with facial hair, for whom certain RPE is not suitable.”

Above this minimum level of protection in the Hierarchy of Controls lies administrative controls, which means changing the way people act around wood dust.  For instance, wood dust should not be vacuumed using a standard vacuum, as that could prompt an explosion. Instead, it needs to be picked up by ATEX industrial safety vacuums, with the selection of the right equipment for the individual workplace being a key part of the risk management.

Wet cleaning of layered dust is a way to prevent dust rising. Dry sweeping will cause more dust to circulate and should not occur.  Special attention should be paid to high shelving or other places where wood dust could lurk undetected.

Removing wood dust at source is essential. It is advisable to use LEV systems to capture and extract wood dust-ladened air. Such equipment can operate around processes such as cutting, sanding and shaping wood – all of which generate significant amounts of wood dust.  Catching wood dust before it has a chance to circulate and then taking it away to be treated and filtered in the optimal way is the preferred option.

“The LEV equipment again needs to be fit for the facility in which it will operate, with correct product selection being part of the risk management process.  Under COSHH regulations, it also needs to be inspected and tested every 14 months,” says Luigi Maggio.

Higher up the Hierarchy of Controls is ‘replacement of the hazard’.  Whilst it may not be possible to replace wood completely, McCarron Coates highlights how some woods are more hazardous to health than others.  If a swap is possible, it could be advantageous.

At the very top comes ‘elimination’.  If wood-related cutting, sanding and shaping processes are not essential to the product being manufactured, it may be advisable to remove them.

“Training staff in all aspects of wood dust control is vital for employee health and also for the mitigation of the flash fire risk,” says Luigi Maggio.  “Employees need to understand the correct cleaning methods to use, how to wear RPE correctly and the emergency evacuation procedures, should a fire break out.  Fire drills should be held regularly and staff should be encouraged to report hazards or possible sources of ignition.  Hot work needs to be strictly controlled and good machine maintenance needs to be practised, so as to prevent equipment from overheating, sparking, or experiencing static build-up.

“A flash fire can occur out of seemingly nowhere and take hold rapidly.  Manufacturers must ensure they do all they can to prevent this and abide by the various regulations relevant to wood dust.  Over and above that, they should keep a keen eye on their sums insured and work with an expert broker, like McCarron Coates, who understands their sector, to make sure that, should the worst occur and a fire break out, they are not exposed to financial loss by being underinsured.”

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Re-Structured launches Fortify to cut costs and carbon in UK construction

   

A new entrant to the UK construction sector is promising to help contractors, consultants and clients deliver leaner, more efficient projects by stripping out unnecessary structural costs.

Re-Structured, founded by the team behind Blue Engineering, has launched Fortify – a specialist tender-package review system designed to identify overspecification at tender stage, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock savings in both cost and carbon.

Unlike traditional “value engineering” exercises, which can compromise quality, Fortify combines automation, data analysis, and professional expertise to streamline building structures without undermining design intent, compliance or safety. Steelwork and foundations are the most common areas of waste, with material use often cut by as much as 50 per cent.

The system was developed out of Blue Engineering’s experience of seeing quality designs undercut by cheaper but often poorly conceived alternatives. To demonstrate the commercial value of precision engineering, the team began reviewing competitors’ designs on a no-win, no-fee basis. The process proved so effective that it has now been developed into a standalone business.

Fortify is already being applied to live projects, with savings identified in the majority of cases. In one London scheme, Re-Structured’s review uncovered significant overspecification, recommending targeted investigative work and a leaner redesign. The revised scheme removed 4,200kg of steel and 10,000kg of concrete, delivering estimated savings of £20,000 and cutting 8,700kg of CO₂ emissions.

To coincide with the launch, Re-Structured has published The Real Cost of Over-Design, a report analysing 50 recent tender-package reviews. It found that significant savings were possible in 85% of cases. Steelwork consistently offered the greatest opportunity for reduction, with average weight savings of 20 per cent, while reinforced concrete was frequently found to be outside optimal ranges. The report highlights how factors such as software defaults, conservative safety margins and lack of cost awareness among design professionals have contributed to unnecessary material use and inflated budgets.

James Nevin, co-founder of Re-Structured, said:

“By embedding Fortify into workflows, contractors and consultants can protect architectural intent while improving commercial margins and environmental performance. Our latest report shows the scale of the problem but also the scale of the opportunity. It is a way of unlocking savings that are already there, simplifying structures, removing unnecessary complexity, and cutting cost and carbon in the process.”

The initial review is offered free of charge. If savings are identified, Re-Structured partners with design teams to deliver revised specifications. Reviews typically take one day, with smaller projects turned around in 48 hours and larger ones in under three weeks.

Fortify is most effective between RIBA Stages 4 and 5, up to the point of ordering materials. It is already being used by project managers, developers, quantity surveyors, architects and business owners as part of their pre-construction protocols.

Re-Structured is now expanding partnerships across the sector and has already begun embedding Fortify into the tendering processes of several firms. The company’s ambition is for the system to become a standard step in UK procurement within the next two years, unlocking both financial and environmental value at scale.

 

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Why electricity access is now the biggest threat to UK construction – and what can be done 

 

Grid delays are overtaking planning as the biggest risk to UK construction, leaving projects stalled and costs spiralling. Can early insight break the deadlock?

For decades, developers in the UK have accepted that planning permission is the biggest hurdle for new projects. But a new barrier has quietly overtaken it – access to the electricity grid. Across the country, construction projects are stalling not because the land cannot be used, or the plans are unfit, but because there is simply not enough local electrical capacity to power them.

Turner & Townsend’s latest report identifies grid connection delays as one of the greatest threats to project delivery, now on par with planning as the leading risk. Councils in West London, Swindon, Oxfordshire and Cambridge have already reported stalled schemes due to grid shortages. And with total UK electricity demand forecast to rise by 50% in just ten years – and double by 2050 – the issue is only set to intensify.

This pressure is being felt most acutely in areas where energy-intensive data centres and electrification projects compete for capacity, leaving housebuilders, commercial developers, and public sector bodies facing long waits and spiralling costs for new connections.

“Grid access has become the new bottleneck,” says Stewart Dawson, Managing Director at Vattenfall IDNO. “Developers are moving quickly to decarbonise, electrify operations and scale renewables – but they are being held back by uncertainty over grid availability, capacity and costs. Without early clarity, projects risk being delayed or derailed.”

This uncertainty has financial as well as operational consequences. Developers often enter contracts and secure funding long before they know if a viable grid connection exists. In some cases, they only discover the true costs months later, when Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) issue prohibitively expensive quotes for a new connection and the required grid reinforcement works.

A student housing scheme in Bath, led by Alumno Group, illustrates the risk. When faced with an unexpectedly high DNO quote, the project was on the brink of becoming unviable. By working with an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), Alumno cut connection costs by 95% and delivered the scheme on schedule.

 

New tools to break the deadlock

Recognising the urgency, Vattenfall IDNO has launched a new Simple Grid Consultancy service aimed specifically at sub-2MVA projects. Developers gain access to Vattenfall’s grid specialists, engineers, and project managers, who provide feasibility studies, Point of Connection (PoC) applications, mini tenders for contestable works, and even legal support for land rights.

Crucially, the service is backed by Vattenfall’s Grid Capacity Insights Platform, which maps power availability and grid constraints across different voltage levels and locations. By using the platform early, developers can identify sites with power availability, thus avoiding nasty surprises and excessive grid connection quotes after they have acquired land.

 

Closing the knowledge gap

Another barrier is awareness. Research by Vattenfall found that 65% of Facilities Managers, Development Directors and Sustainability Managers have never heard of IDNOs, despite the fact they can secure developers significant regulated rebates through Asset Adoption Values (AAVs).

“This is effectively free money,” says Dawson. “But it’s still flying under the radar. With billions of pounds in AAVs left unclaimed, developers and the public sector are missing out on cost savings that could transform the viability of projects.”

The issue is particularly pressing for councils, NHS trusts, housing associations and universities, where funding for decarbonisation projects is already tight. From EV charging infrastructure to electrified heating, many public sector schemes are now at risk of delay or cancellation unless grid connections can be secured affordably. Early engagement with IDNOs can unlock significant cost savings, shorten timelines, and provide greater certainty, helping organisations keep projects viable and on track.

 

Planning approved, power denied

For UK construction, energy access is no longer a technical detail to be resolved later – it is a strategic priority that must be addressed from the outset.

“Developers need to make decisions based on facts, not guesswork,” says Dawson. “Whether you’re just getting started or have already hit roadblocks, involving experts early can help you reach energisation faster – and with fewer surprises along the way.”

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