All Buildings, Design and Specification articles
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Information - BuildingCPD 20 2026: Facing bricks – specifying for performance and buildability
Sponsored by Tobermore, this module explores how facing bricks should be specified as part of a complete wall system, considering durability, structural performance, appearance, movement, sustainability, buildability, procurement and whole-life value, with particular focus on concrete facing bricks in modern construction
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Information - BuildingCPD 19 2026: Beyond embodied carbon: the whole-life impact of timber windows
Sponsored by George Barnsdale, this module explores how material choice, operational performance, durability, maintenance, repair and end-of-life considerations can influence the whole-life carbon impact of window specification
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CommentWhy London is right to cap upfront embodied carbon
The draft London Plan’s decision to cap upfront embodied carbon rather than set a single whole life limit has divided opinion. Will Arnold argues the GLA has the logic exactly right
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Information - BuildingCPD 18 2026: Multifunctional flat roof design
As flat roofs take on more roles, their design and specification are becoming increasingly complex. This CPD, sponsored by ROCKWOOL®, explores how to assess loading, fire performance, drainage and long-term behaviour as part of a complete roof system
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Information - BuildingCPD 17 2026: Using XPS insulation below DPC level in cavity walls
Sponsored by PolyFoam XPS, this CPD module explores the principles behind using extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation in masonry cavity walls below damp-proof course (DPC) level, examining relevant Building Regulations guidance, detailing approaches and the role of thermal modelling in achieving robust building performance
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Information - BuildingCPD 16 2026: Fire safety and wall membranes: understanding their role in building performance
Sponsored by Glidevale Protect, UK producer of construction membranes, this CPD explores the role of membranes within wall construction, with a particular focus on fire performance and how it interacts with moisture management, airtightness and thermal performance
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FeaturesCosting Steelwork 37: Market update and guidance on fire protection responsibilities
A look at cost and carbon
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Information - BuildingCPD 15 2026: Retrofitting solid-wall homes with insulation
Sponsored by ROCKWOOL®, this module covers external wall insulation in the retrofit of solidwall homes – including the policy and funding landscape driving demand, and the fire safety and moisture-management requirements that govern material choice
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FeaturesProcurement update: Tackling programme uncertainty
What can be done to increase certainty of outcome on infrastructure projects? Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis examines the evolving strategies on affordability and delivery uncertainty
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FeaturesMarket forecast: Construction costs stabilise despite Middle East conflict pressures
Construction output is slowing, and the economy is fragile. But with tender prices stable, conditions look better for starting projects now than the headline economic figures suggest
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NewsLondon tower builders eye Fenchurch Street job
Square Mile scheme being developed by CO-RE will replace 1950s tower on edge of eastern cluster
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CommentPower first: how electrical infrastructure is shaping data centre delivery
As demand for data centres accelerates, power availability is increasingly shaping how projects are designed, phased and delivered. Keiran O’Gorman explores how grid constraints, rising power densities and earlier electrical infrastructure decisions are changing the way data centre projects are planned and coordinated
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FeaturesBermondsey Heights is a bold attempt to blend ‘beds and sheds’
Maccreanor Lavington’s mixed-use scheme in south-east London weaves together housing and industrial space within a tight urban setting
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Information - BuildingCPD 14 2026: Closing the performance gap with insulation
Sponsored by ROCKWOOL®, this module examines why the gap between the predicted and actual performance of so many buildings persists – and how fabric-first design, informed insulation specification and consistent installation practice can help close it
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FeaturesCost model: How the UK can meet its data centre infrastructure ambitions
Amid a global race to equip citizens and industry with AI, data centres are an investment priority. What are the key concerns in delivering the infrastructure for them?
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CommentBeyond the bid file – how social value has moved from compliance to brand strategy
Alexander Swann explains why the latest transparency regulations for public-sector tendering mean responsibility for social value needs to move out of the bid team and into the marketing director’s remit – and sets out how construction brands can win under the new rules
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NewsOne of London’s tallest resi towers in Canary Wharf gets green light
Scheme at 77 Marsh Wall will be 54 storeys in height
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NewsCarbon-storing plasterboard alternative piloted at L&G’s new HQ
Adaptavate, a developer of low-carbon and carbon-negative construction materials, has seen its bio-based plasterboard alternative, Breathaboard, installed at Legal & General’s new London headquarters 10 Coleman Street
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Information - BuildingCPD 13 2026: The fundamentals of insulation
Sponsored by ROCKWOOL®, this module explores the key principles behind insulation performance and how specifiers can ensure materials meet the standards required for modern construction on thermal, acoustic and fire performance
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FeaturesCosting Steelwork 36: Market update and guidance on carbon border taxes
A look at cost and carbon