More Focus – Page 9
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FeaturesHome Truths podcast: In conversation with Peter Freeman at Homes England
Episode 1: The Swiss Army Knife – Homes England chair talks to Jackie Sadek and Peter Bill about the importance of housing targets, reforms to planning and investing in MMC. Listen and read extracts here
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FeaturesMy route into construction … Astrid Dazin, senior estimator at Legendre UK
The industry includes an impressive range and variety of roles – but unless you are on the inside it can be hard to know how to break in, let alone progress to the top. In this series, we talk to professionals about their often surprising career twists and turns
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FeaturesStanding your ground: Mott MacDonald’s Cathy Travers on her plans for the engineering giant
Cathy Travers has risen to become global MD of the largest engineering firm in the UK. She discusses her optimism about growth, infrastructure strategy and improving inclusivity
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Features‘Construction seems to have fallen down the food chain’ – Scape’s Mark Robinson on what the government must change
As the public sector-owned procurement specialist launches its Charter for Change, its chief executive tells Daniel Gayne how the next government can do more to promote the construction sector
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Features‘Good, but not perfect’ – What next for Homes England?
A year after the launch of its five-year strategic plan, an independent review of Homes England has set out recommendations for improving the body. But with an election coming soon, what might the future actually hold for the agency? Daniel Gayne reports.
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FeaturesYour guide to the May 2 elections: what’s at stake for construction
Three new metro-mayoral positions will be among those filled as local and regional elections take place next month. Carl Brown reports.
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FeaturesAddressing construction productivity challenges in the East of England
Our first Building the Future Think Tank regional roundtable for 2024 was held in Cambridge last month, with industry experts coming together to brainstorm ways to meet the productivity challenge in the East of England. Jordan Marshall reports
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Features‘Government flip-flopping on climate has cost us work’: Ramboll’s Philippa Spence on what she wants from UK politicians
The UK managing director talks to Tom Lowe about the impact that government dithering over net zero policy has had on her firm and the industry as a whole over the past five years
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FeaturesWhy the industry needs another net zero carbon buildings standard
David Partridge has been tasked with bringing together construction’s many and varied definitions of net zero. He tells Thomas Lane why setting a recognised and easily understood benchmark for whole-life carbon emissions is so important
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FeaturesFashion statement … London college becomes first to make its new home on the waterfront
The London College of Fashion has brought its six separate sites under one roof for the first time in more than 100 years. Tom Lane reports
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FeaturesPre-election briefing: What can we expect for investment in the NHS estate?
The first of Boris Johnson’s promised 40 hospitals will open this month. But huge delays to the £22bn programme mean that, months before an election, procurement for most of the work hasn’t even begun and there is no certainty that Labour will push ahead. Joey Gardiner asks what it all ...
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FeaturesLocal elections 2024: London mayor Sadiq Khan’s record on the built environment
What might a third term for the capital’s most powerful politician look like? Daniel Gayne considers the mayor’s record so far
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FeaturesCost model: Evolving the design and build of community diagnostic centres
The rollout of these centres is intended to cut long elective care waiting lists, provide value for taxpayers and decarbonise the NHS, but achieving all three is a challenge
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FeaturesMarket forecast: Why prices for goods and services are still set for further increases
Construction output is falling steadily as high interest rates sap demand, though repair and maintenance is propping up the sector. Despite materials costs rising less rapidly, tender prices are still on the up
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FeaturesThe cool cafe that comes with a Cambridge college attached
Witherford Watson Mann managed to carve out a niche cafe from a sliver of land on the side of Clare College’s Old Court and in so doing improved facilities, increased accessibility and revitalised some historic buildings, Ben Flatman reports
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FeaturesThe race is on… Countdown to the general election part three: Infrastructure and creating communities
Over the next few months, Building will have a political focus: what do the parties have to offer? What does construction want and need? Here is the final instalment of our three-parter with an overview of election topics
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FeaturesYouth engagement, sustainability and Wood Wharf’s future: The big topics covered at Open Doors
Local school children joined industry representatives at Canary Wharf’s massive Wood Wharf project as part of Build UK’s Open Doors event
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FeaturesFrom the archives: The world’s first nuclear power station, 1956-57
The Builder makes a badly timed recommendation to build nuclear power stations in urban areas, two months before the UK’s worst ever nuclear accident
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Features‘You’ve got to be prepared to see change. It’s natural’: HLM on its plan for the future
It’s all change at the architecture practice as the firm’s leadership makes way for the next generation. Karen Mosley and Richard O’Neil talk about how to do an orderly succession, the crunch moment that led to it and the decision to walk away from two flawed MMC school projects
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FeaturesFMB’s Brian Berry: ‘That anyone can be a builder is not helpful to the reputation of the industry’
With an election on the horizon, Daniel Gayne spoke to the leader of the representative body for construction SMEs to get his thoughts about the choices on offer