Net zero is a huge challenge – and a massive opportunity
Retrofitting the nation’s homes will require one of the largest industrial efforts this country has attempted in peacetime. Are we ready, asks Hannah Vickers
The heat pump grant is welcome – but £5,000 is not enough
The government has set a bold target, but it may need to do more to persuade homeowners and industry that it is worth the investment, says Darren Snaith
We need to keep a closer eye on prices
Better tracking and forecasting will help us ride the materials cost rodeo. But don’t forget that prices are just one factor in project success
Construction industry gossip: Looney tunes
From a moon-obsessed cladding talk to a council publishing some “proper whack” planning decisions, it’s been an interesting month
Climate emergency: are you part of the problem or part of the solution?
COP26 is coming and professionals in the built environment must use this moment to focus minds on the path to net zero
My hopes and fears for construction ahead of COP26
In just over two weeks’ time, the UK is set to host the biggest international conference on climate change in history. When COP26 lands in Glasgow on 31 October, the eyes of the world will rest firmly on this country and our progress towards net zero carbon.
Bridging the valley of death: greener buildings need not cost more
The right use of technology can provide affordable future-proof buildings that perform better for everyone. The ABC is here to help, says Sam Stacey
Good design is crucial as we tackle the nation’s biggest challenges
The cabinet reshuffle and hosting of COP26 are two major events this season that form part of the UK’s longer race towards a different future, says Sadie Morgan
We must attract more young people to a job making history
The skills shortage facing construction is particularly acute within more niche, highly skilled roles. So it’s time for the Year of the Craftsperson, says Adrian Attwood
Join me in the last-chance saloon and we’ll rise to the climate change challenge
An awful lot is riding on the COP26 conference in my home town in November, says Jack Pringle. We must lead by example and all make a difference
It is vital that we rise to the digital challenge
The infrastructure sector is among the last to embrace the potential of the digital revolution but it is in all of our interests to do so, says Richard Threlfall
Levitt’s warts-and-all report must lead to real change at the RICS
Members want a more transparent organisation representing them – and they want their voices to be heard
Construction industry gossip: Have you heard the latest?
There’s old news … and then there’s very, very old news
Countdown to COP26: Timber is a panacea but use it wisely
Timber is widely regarded as the obvious solution in the quest for a sustainable construction material, but it is not as simple as that
Can the RICS become fit for purpose again?
Only root-and-branch reform can restore the professional body’s credibility after the mass resignation of the senior management team, Richard Steer says
Labour’s alternative planning proposals
A potentially influential private member’s bill sets out four key changes to planning law, writes Katherine Evans
Averting supply chain breakdown
With insolvencies on the rise, be vigilant about your supply chain health, warn Stephen Rockhill and Tim Carter
Twenty-five years of adjudication
Theresa Mohammed looks back on a quarter-century of construction adjudication – what’s changed, and has it achieved its aimed?
£1 notices aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on
A payment notice is invalid if it fails to set out the amount genuinely considered due – placeholder notices don’t count, says Tony Bingham
Case in focus: Dana UK Axle Ltd vs Freudenberg FST GmbH
Ted Lowery looks at a case in which the defendant’s expert evidence was excluded
Is a collateral warranty a construction contract?
Victoria Peckett on what the Toppan ruling has added to the debate about when a collateral warranty constitutes a construction contract
A liquid situation over damages
Tony Bingham tells of a subcontractor defending a liquidated damages claim that decided it did want to pay them after all, when the client changed tack
PFI hand-back – are you at risk?
If you were involved in design or construction of PFI projects about to expire, be prepared for fallout in the form of claims against you as the facilities are handed back. By Sheena Sood
