Paper round: Hips inspectors under the spotlight

How Hips inspectors got it all wrong

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are incapable of producing accurate data according to a Sunday Telegraph investigation. When the newspaper booked two officially accredited assessors to evaluate the same house, not only were the energy estimates noticeably different, but both inspectors failed to notice crucial energy saving devices.

St Paul’s, meet Darth Vader cathedral

The Sunday Times reported that Lord Foster has teamed up with French architect Jean Nouvel to construct a “Darth Vader helmet” style building just 600 yards from its old-fashioned twin St Paul’s cathedral. Norman Foster has designed such landmarks as the ‘Gherkin’ tower and the new Wembley stadium.

Want to save the planet? Then grass over your roof

The Independent on Sunday reported that government ministers are calling for the new wave of sustainable buildings to have ‘living roofs’ covered with vegetation. The department of the Environment is working with housing minster Yvette Cooper to include houses with green roofs in their new sustainable housing plans.

Baroness Young: Taxpayer likely to pay for flooding

Chief executive of the Environment Agency Baroness Young wants to take control of towns and cities’ flood defences with the public footing the bill, the Sunday Telegraph reported. She said: "You either pay upstream to prevent or you pay downstream to mop up but you've got to pay. Climate change is coming home to roost."

After the Flood

As the flood risk increases, experts claim it would be more cost-effective to change building habits rather then spend money on flood defences, the Sunday Telegraph also reported. Raising homes, or using stone, concrete and tiled floors are just some of the methods to minimise damage.

Insurers put bill at £2.5bn and rising

The weekend FT reported that insurance firms have received claims from more then 50,000 homeowners and businesses. The Association of British Insurers has raised its estimate of the bill facing insurers to £2.5 billion following the floods in Yorkshire and the west Midlands.

Flood risk to power, schools and hospitals

The Independent of Sunday reported that too many vital services are built on flood plains with the Environment Agency demanding firms do more to protect themselves. An internal agency review revealed 2,215 power stations and 737 sewage and water treatment sites are at severe risk of flooding, while 401 schools, and 680 health centres and doctors’ surgeries are also at risk.

A history of flooding – unlearnt lessons

The Sunday Times reported that Britain simply hasn’t learnt the lessons of a long history of flooding. In 2000, the government declared “we must take practical action now” however seven years later and little has been done.

After the flood – a surge of anger

The Sunday Times also reported that a string of flood defence strategies must be implemented to prevent further catastrophe. Bigger rivers, raised embankments and diversion channels are just a few of the suggested strategies to combat the weather.

Europe suffers onslaught of fire and water

Freak weather conditions have wreaked havoc across Europe causing billions of damage in damage, the weekend FT reported. Fires, floods and storms have smashed records in many countries across the continent.

Elderly to be cared for by ‘clever homes’

Elderly people could remain independent and live at home courtesy of new groundbreaking technology, the Sunday Times reported. Carers or family would be alerted immediately if there were any irregularities in daily routine such as a fall or erratic behaviour through sensors and global positioning satellite trackers currently being pioneered in Britain.

Greeks row over Art Deco demolition

A massive row has broken out in Greece over the demolition of an Art Deco building designed by a friend of Pablo Picasso, reported The Observer. The thirties building, described as a ‘must see’ by guidebooks, is facing demolition because it distorts the view from the restaurant of the New Acropolis Museum, Europe’s most ambitious museum.

Affordability key to the fate of builders

UK housebuilders are refusing to panic despite alarming losses in the third quarter for several US housing firms, it was reported in the Sunday Telegraph. Barratt chief executive Mark Clare said that they are not experiencing the forecasted dramatic changes however the firm is preparing for a turn in the market by focusing on cost.

Persimmon leads a property comeback

The Times on Saturday reported that Persimmon Homes put in one of the best large-cap performance with rival house-builder Barratt Developments also making gains following share slides. However despite increases in both companies share prices, the figures are still well down on previous highs.

Affordable homes move ‘blocked by developers’

Tonight, Channel 4’s Dispatches will claim Britain’s leading developers have blocked government proposals to force them to build affordable housing it was reported in the Observer.

First Evidence that housing market is coming off the boil

Nationwide reported that house prices have almost stood still this month while several big banks demonstrated a marked fall in the number of mortgages approved for house purchase between May and June according to The Birmingham Post.

London House prices at odds with other areas

The weekend FT also reported that Nationwide figures showed a small rise in London house prices however a fall in the south-east and south-west – tow areas that had until recently been strong.

The new NHS hospital with a separate room for every patient

Today’s Daily Mail reported that under radical new plans, every patient will have their own room with en-suite at a new NHS hospital in a bid to stop the spread of superbugs such as MRSA and Clostridium. Pembury Hospital near Tunbridge Wells, Kent will make way for a new £300 million 512 room structure.

Signals at danger for new boss of UK railways

The Observer reported that the government recent rail white paper hasn’t gone far enough with the passengers set to pick up the majority of the multibillion-pound bill through increased rail fares. Accident prevention has been made top priority with overcrowding also needing a solution.

Olympic chiefs need ‘British cool’

The weekend FT reported that London’s Olympic organisers would have to draw on typical “British cool” if they wanted to make a success of the games. London 2012 has already weathered storms about the logo and the escalating budget.