All Comment articles – Page 5
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CommentThe government must be brutal in reducing planning burdens to help SME housebuilders deliver
There is no chance of meeting the 1.5 million homes target without smaller firms delivering. This government should be bolder in reforming planning to help them do it, argues Paul Smith
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CommentWhy procurement reform has taken decades – and why now is different
Calls for change are nothing new in our industry, but now we really do have the tools and the need to make it happen, says RLB’s Paul Beeston
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CommentConstruction must undergo systemic change to reap the benefits of technology
Despite decades of technical advances and a revolution in technology, the benefits have not flowed through to improved productivity, says Paul Ruddick, chairman and founder of Reds10
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CommentAnother UK consultant now owned by a US firm but Mace’s decision to sell up makes sense
To scale up, it needed outside investment and there was only one place it was coming from, writes Dave Rogers
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CommentWhy an appeal ruling on negligence offers reassurance to valuers
The Court of Appeal has confirmed the two-step test for liability for negligent valuation, in a ruling on Bratt vs Jones
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CommentUK steel sector needs to educate partners for a sustainable future
The sector needs to educate its construction partners to create a sustainable supply chain that helps achieve net zero targets and manages the transition of UK suppliers to low carbon UK steel production, says Jonathan Davis, preconstruction technical director at William Hare
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CommentNo one wants to be a fat, dumb client. This is how we avoid it
It is time to create a national capital projects delivery unit to ensure we really learn lessons and avoid wasting time and money over and over again, writes Beth West
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CommentPromoting neuro-inclusivity in the workplace will bring benefits for all
Employers have a responsibility to create and maintain work environments where everyone can thrive. Our industry is currently lagging behind, writes Ben Channon at Buro Happold
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CommentIn the face of increasingly extreme weather, developers, design engineers, architects and policymakers must take the lead
The recent heatwave presents yet more evidence that we face a challenge – and a huge opportunity – to construct buildings that are thermally comfortable, energy-efficient and wellness-led, says Abhishek Parmar at HB Reavis
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CommentWe can’t protect historic buildings if we don’t protect the skills to care for them
We think we are doing enough to respect and preserve our heritage — but are we really? After a week learning from conservation specialists, Eleanor Jolliffe explores what we are getting right, and what we are missing
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CommentGrenfell revealed the dangers of a siloed industry. We must rethink design and construction education as a result
Our industry is full of specialists who tend to be siloed in their thinking. A new qualification at the University of Leeds aims to produce graduates with a broader range of skills
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CommentWe don’t need more planners to build more houses, we need fewer pointless rules
An overgrowth of conflicting regulations is strangling small-scale development, Robert Adam writes
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CommentConstruction industry gossip: Housing minister on jury service? You decide…
The latest chatter around the industry
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CommentStreamlining gateway 2: time to take a two-tiered approach to building safety approvals?
It cannot have been the intention of the Building Safety Act to create delays to development - it’s time for a fresh approach, argues Bhavini Patel
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CommentWhat next for the Building Safety Regulator?
Evidence being heard by a House of Lords inquiry exposes fundamental flaws that ministers still need to address
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CommentWill the gateway 2 building safety delays lead to more disputes?
As planning gridlock keeps schemes on hold and fingers are pointed, who will carry the can for delay costs? And will clients simply opt out of new-build HRBs altogether?
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CommentGood luck, 10-year infrastructure strategy. You’re going to need it…
Events will determine the impact of Labour’s intricate infrastructure proposals and the current government turmoil suggests the clock is ticking, says Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentA year after the general election, what progress are we making towards 1.5 million homes?
Today (Friday) marks a year since Labour won a historic landslide in the general election. Paul Smith assesses how the government has fared against its key housing delivery pledge
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CommentOut of the shadows: Why gender equity must underpin the future of the built environment
A diverse and inclusive working enviornment is no longer a “nice-to-have” but now a necessity for a business to thrive, says Vanessa Murray, founder and director of The Circle Partnership
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CommentBuilding momentum: Why it is up to us to inspire the next generation
Government funding is obviously important but it is only by going into schools, mentoring potential recruits and making practical experience more widely available alongside formal education that the construction industry will change perceptions and open up the sector to the talent of the future