All Building articles in 1999 Issue 19

View all stories from this issue.

  • Features

    The puzzle

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Daniel Libeskind's £75m extension to the V&A is an engineer's nightmare. No columns are allowed, no walls are vertical. How do you make it stand up?

  • Features

    Plane tale of third parties

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Much of the debate on the proposed Contracts Bill centres on the implications of a clause that confers potentially troublesome benefits on third parties not privy to a contract. A flight of fancy or a real worry?

  • News

    Measuring performance

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    New methods for measuring contractors and consultants performance were unveiled this week. The 10 key performance indicators, which are backed by construction minister Nick Raynsford, are intended to show whether industry is meeting the improvement targets set out in the Egan report. Clients are keen to ...

  • Features

    Raynsford's new marker

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Meet Nigel Waterson: he's Nick Raynsford's shadow on planning, housing and construction. He's passionate about his party and says the government has little to offer but hot air and reheated Tory policies.

  • Features

    Purging the industry of racism

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Construction is not renowned for its political correctness. But racism is more insidious than bigoted on-site banter other industries employ 70% more black and Asian workers than construction. What is the industry doing about it?

  • Features

    How do you measure up?

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Long-awaited details of the government's initiative to help firms gauge their performance in the industry have been released this week. Here's how to work out if you're hitting those Egan targets.

  • News

    Wilcon targets top-end homes

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    The new group managing director of Wilson Connolly wants its housing arm to build larger, more expensive properties. John Tutte, who takes over on 1 July when Ian Black retires, said the firm s Wilcon Homes arm needed to expand at the executive-style end of the market. The ...

  • Features

    Trust funds

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    London housing association the Peabody Trust spends £50m on construction every year. And if you are an innovative architect or a time-saving sustainable contractor, it wants to hear from you.

  • Features

    Fee enterprise

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    The JCT s draft consultants agreement is intended to reduce conflict in the industry. In fact, it may do the opposite.

  • Features

    Materials life costs

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Timber windows are the focus of the first in a new series on the whole-life costs of materials, compiled by Building Performance Group to help specifiers and clients.

  • Comment

    Economic cleansing

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    The Inland Revenue seems to be trying to drive small companies out of business with its punitive new tax system.

  • Features

    Clash points

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    A recent report shows that clients are happier with the industry than they were in the mid-1990s. But this may merely reflects easier times, rather than better working practices.

  • Features

    Clash points

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    The results of the report were striking, and we know from all the demonstration projects that Egan is being taken seriously by the industry and by many of its most important clients.

  • News

    Contractor chases small fry

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Kvaerner Construction will target small clients and government departments in the coming year, as it says large players such as London Underground, BAA and the water companies are not offering any large contracts. The contractor announced this strategy after its parent company, Kvaerner Group, last week announced a pre-tax loss ...

  • Features

    Charters and partners

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    A charter can go a long way to clarify the intent behind the creation of a contract when the parties start falling fall out and have to go to court or arbitration.

  • News

    Lipton is champion

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Broadgate veteran will combine chairmanship of Commission for Architecture with project management work at Stanhope.

  • News

    Crunch talks over Cardiff stadium

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Rugby World Cup organisers were in urgent talks in Cardiff this week over the staging of October s final at the £120m Cardiff Millennium Stadium. The decision will be based on a report on the stadium s progress by Ove Arup & Partners, which has been commissioned by Rugby ...

  • Features

    B-plus

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    A pioneering secondary school built in 1993 and designed around the National Curriculum has been praised for its positive learning environment, but it loses marks in other areas

  • News

    New Turner & Townsend boss reshuffles top team

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Senior partner Wray makes early impact as he outlines new strategy for £32m QS and project manager.

  • News

    New bonus deal at opera house

    1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Strike action at the Royal Opera House has been averted after M&E contractor Balfour Kilpatrick agreed a bonus deal with electricians that will guarantee them a basic rate of £10 an hour. The settlement, which will see a resumption of a 50-hour working week, also enables electricians to earn ...