Opinion
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CommentTurning challenges of the past year into opportunities for the next
The pandemic and Brexit have forced us to make fundamental changes to the way we work – and we have learnt a lot along the way. Now we need to take those learnings forward, says Ann Bentley
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Countdown to COP26: Are we building with the climate of the future in mind?
With fewer than 150 days until world leaders meet in Glasgow for COP26, Simon Wyatt turns his focus to one of the key themes on the agenda – adaptation and resilience
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An invitation to the largest hospital building programme in a generation
Today contractors can register their interest to help build 40 new hospitals in England, Natalie Forrest sets out the client expectations
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Social value means measuring more than time and money
Until relatively recently, when an organisation embarked on procuring an infrastructure project, it would evaluate bids based largely on cost, time and related quality factors. That is now evolving at speed. With corporate social responsibility (CSR) increasingly dominating both government and corporate agendas, project teams must now ...
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Tackling the hidden costs of the construction process
Some guiding principles on cost, time and risk from Alinea’s Iain Parker
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Construction has an image problem that is harming recruitment. We have to change
A lack of diversity combined with an out of date mindset means the industry is at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting new talent, says James Wates
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What the Australians have to teach us about the building performance gap
Mandatory reporting of energy use for large commerical and industrial buildings would be a huge step forward for the UK, says Burohappold’s Jim Saywell
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Let’s make it easy to specify green products
Specifiers want to do the right thing but a lack of clear information is a barrier to change, says NBS’ Lee Jones
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We now have a serious skills crisis on our hands
Recruiters have too many vacancies and too few candidates. Randstad’s Victoria Short warns of a perfect storm engulfing construction
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What can construction learn from M&S, John Lewis and the Co-op?
Retailers are taking their customers’ concerns about the climate crisis to heart, but Richard Steer is not sure the building industry can say the same
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Offsite manufacturing need not damage social value outcomes
Councils often want a guarantee that construction projects will create local jobs, but Mark Bolger argues for a whole life value approach when considering the benefits of MMC
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Construction industry gossip: Where the sun don’t shine
A 1960s cinema has been saved from eternal darkness, but Jack Pringle’s vinyl collection of the same era has been less fortunate. Meanwhile, David Hockney is trying to cheer us all up with a digital sunrise
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Hydrogen is not a silver bullet solution
Hydrogen is seen as the Swiss Army knife of net zero solutions – but is it really?
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Countdown to COP26: A good start – but still a long way to go
As momentum builds towards COP26, developers are making impressive-sounding commitments with their net zero pathways and strategies
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Give us the tools and we will finish the job
As the UK economy goes up a gear, there’s plenty of construction work – but where are the materials to do it with?
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Focus on design is critical as the optimism grows
Confidence is returning to the industry. We must use the renewed energy to ensure that we build in a responsible and resilient way, says Sadie Morgan
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Carbon targets have been set – now the hard work really starts
Turning well-meaning words about climate change into measurable action requires fundamental change across the industry, writes Mark Farmer
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Not just another toolkit
Over the next six months big names in construction will be trying out the Value Toolkit on live projects, Ron Lang explains why it’s important
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Senior staff have a duty to lead the way back to their desks
Given his job title, it is no surprise that Richard Kauntze is banging the drum for a return to office life. But, he argues, the benefits of a centralised workplace are really for society as a whole
