Is Gleeds the next acquisition target? We’d prefer to stay independent
Richard Steer believes T&T and CBRE make a good match, but a merger is not on the horizon for his business
Cryptocurrency could help construction reinvent itself
With one building firm becoming the UK’s first to accept cryptocurrency, the rest of the sector may not be far behind
Beautiful places aren’t built like this
Government guidelines on design codes fail to recognise society’s changed priorities post-covid, says Redrow’s Matthew Pratt
Materials shortages should boost our green ambitions
The current scarcity of key carbon-intensive products is the catalyst we need to focus on building more sustainably, Richard Steer says
We need a Part Z to regulate embodied carbon
It’s time to tackle carbon emissions from construction, which have failed to fall alongside operational carbon
Eco-anxious young people will be the ones to clean up construction
The next generation have a vested interested in saving the planet, the industry must do all it can to harness that determination and drive
Freedom day in shackles
With responsibility for risk assessment shifting from government to employers, firms have a lot on their shoulders
Let’s switch ‘working from home’ to ‘working near home’
We don’t have to make a binary choice between the old commute and working in isolation, there is a third way says Matt Driscoll
Construction industry gossip: Acropolis now
Cold War bunkers, the embarrassing largesse of HS2, a brutally cutting cabbie… and is that a Greek temple on the A14?
Collaboration is the key to social value
To identify opportunities to enrich local people and places, we must look outside the construction chain, says Adam Crossley
Getting back to nature should be the first consideration of sustainable design
There are many challenges when building in an urban setting, but resolving them using on-site natural resources is good for the environment and good for the wellbeing of those who live or work there
Fight discrimination by focusing on the individual
Improving equality, diversity and inclusion requires more than words and policies. Personal support and offers of help are every bit as important, says Sadie Morgan
Let’s not overlook what is good in the Building Safety Bill
Campaigners for leaserholders will understandably try to amend the bill but even so it represents a complete overhaul of the regulatory regime for buildings
Innovate with care: lessons to be learnt from collapse of Katerra
MMC firms are expanding in the UK but the US construction unicorn Katerra has just gone bust. So what does this tell us about the shape of construction innovation, asks Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
Are we approaching ‘peak new-build’ in the construction industry?
The need to focus on re-using materials and adapting existing buildings is more urgent than ever as we search for greener solutions for the built environment, says Mark Farmer
On too great expectations
Tony Bingham on a client who paid dearly for taking her builder’s quote and completion date too literally – with a whole lot of variations on top
A question of liability
The recent decision in Mott vs Trant suggests the courts are unwilling to overrule clauses that exclude or limit liability, writes Robert Akenhead
Making the most of modular contracts
Jahanara Hussain and Sarah Hale on how to minimise the risks and increase the benefits from modular
Multiple dispute objections and cherry picking
A recent ruling in Prater vs Sisk confirms that referring discrete elements of a dispute to a single adjudication does not result in the referral of multiple disputes, writes Jessica Scott
Will developers be left holding the political hot potato on planning reform?
Proposals do little to address the real issues that cause planning delay and will only worsen local authorities’ lack of resources
Supreme clarity on liquidated damages
Accrual of liquidated damages ends on termination of the contract, the Supreme Court has ruled
The Building Safety Bill: a legal view
Theresa Mohammed examines the draft legislation in detail, including the associated regulations revisions
Essential law: Liquidated damages, part four
Continuing our series on the basics of construction law, Chris Hadnutt considers whether liquidated damages clauses survive termination of contract
Navigating the steel crisis: contractual considerations
How can contractors mitigate the impact of materials shortages?
Beware the legal differences when using MMC
Standard construction contracts are often unsuitable for MMC projects, so housing providers should have the right protections and agreements in place
Challenges to adjudication: keep it plain and simple
Any challenge to a purported right to adjudicate must be plain, specific and certain if it is to succeed in court
Contract terms: the eiusdem generis rule
Lindy Patterson explains a key principle of contract interpretation, based on a presumption against the use of surplus words
Case in focus: Newcastle United Football Company Ltd vs The Football Association Premier League Ltd and Others
Ted Lowery on a decision highlighting the need for adjudicators to disclose relevant prior connections
Modern slavery – look closely at your supply chain
Scrutiny of the construction industry is increasing. How can firms ensure they don’t accidentally fall foul of the law?
JCT’s new chair sets out her vision
Karen Kirkham explains how she expects the contracts body to respond to the challenges of a fast-changing industry
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