Opinion – Page 337
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CommentThe Romans and the Spartans: A mixed Mipim 2010
Building blogs Amid the usual orgy of champagne quaffing and scallop scoffing, Mipim 2010 was a serious affair
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CommentBridge on track
This week’s Building stated that “the completion of Blackfriars station … has been put back four months until spring 2012” (12 March, page 10)
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All aboard
Recent announcements by climate change secretary Ed Miliband are indeed good news (12 March, leader, page 3)
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Helping the aged
Strengthening the Building Regulations to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and to help meet this country’s ambitious zero-carbon targets is admirable, and I’m wholeheartedly in support (“Part L changes announced,” 12 March, building.co.uk)
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A Morrell crusade
A green building strategy with a focus on new work and skills is the only way the UK construction industry will be able to compete and survive in a changing world with its emphasis on low carbon (“Mandelson and Morrell reveal green building strategy”, 17 March, building.co.uk
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The many aspects of risk
I refer to your recent articles on timber-framed construction which contain several inaccuracies as to the insurance industry’s stance regarding this topic
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CommentCML certificate: But you said it was fine!
In April 2007 the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) produced a standard form certificate that consultants can be asked to sign concerning the condition of a newly built residential property
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CommentGosh, is that really the time?
Adjudication is not litigation (lawyers please note) and an adjudicator is not obliged to consider in detail new information that comes in at the eleventh hour
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The witness protection scheme
Expert witnesses may be protected from lawsuits for now, but the Supreme Court may be on the brink of overturning that rule
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Dishing the dirt
Whatever else we run out of, there will always be more than enough rubbish to go round. So what should a contractor looking to get its fair share watch out for?
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CommentGod help the first-time buyer
They won’t be getting a lot of assistance from banks, government, housebuilders or themselves. And that’s not good news for the rest of the market
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CommentThe 2010 Building Awards: Projects shortlist showcase
Hard not to have a wiggle in your walk when you see the cornucopia of building projects shortlisted for the 2010 Building Awards
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CommentRichard Steer: Where in the world are consultants going?
Spare a thought for Britain’s poor consultants as they fall victim to rich Americans. And spare a thought for the Americans as they tremble at the rise of Chinese power …
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Budget figures confirm the urgent need for new sources of investment in construction
As if in compensation for all the anticipation before and excitement during the Budget announcement, we are left with the dull thud back to reality afterwards.Certainly, for construction the Budget itself changed little of substance.Alright the first-time buyer stamp duty holiday was an eye-catching cheeky move. But we all know ...
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Stamp duty - a tax rise that looks set to win votes
There is obvious glee within the housing market about the prospects of a two-year period free of stamp duty for those first-time buyers who purchase properties worth less than £250,000.The £250,000 threshold captures practically all of them, with significantly less than 10% of exceptions that will be mainly resident in ...
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Comforting data ahead of the budget
As the Chancellor Alistair Darling puts his final touches to the Budget he will be relieved by the recent spate of comforting data.Last Wednesday we had employment statistics showing that the unemployment was falling.On Thursday the figures on public finances were far healthier than expected, with the Institute for Fiscal ...
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Focus on the here and now Mr Darling
With the sound of warnings from the European Commission ringing in Alistair Darling’s ears that his plans to halve the UK’s £178 billion deficit in four years “lacks ambition”, just what should be announced in Wednesday’s Budget?What is likely is that it won’t contain as much detail as many, including ...
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Tax, tax, tax and more tax – a rallying cry for construction
This is a rant.Why? Because I can't help myself. I tried to hold back.I read the first three chapters of the Low Carbon Construction Innovation & Growth Team emerging findings and I am now deeply saddened.I didn’t bother with the remaining chapters, but did eyeball the recommendations.I was not saddened ...