Building insulation manufacturer, Kingspan, confirmed as part of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry that it has retracted three test reports of external wall systems, including its K15 phenolic foam insulation product.
The launch of the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has been welcomed as a major step forward in helping to restore consumer confidence and trust in the housebuilding industry.
A Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) report suggests that only one in ten construction employers understand the government’s new migration system, introduced at the beginning of 2021.
The government has committed to establish a national regulator for construction products as part of wider reforms to address systemic failings identified by the Hackitt Review.
Simplified External Wall System (EWS) guidance to help leaseholders sell flats in blocks with external cladding has been issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Government proposals to extend permitted development rights – which would allow more premises to bypass normal planning procedures and be turned into homes – need greater safeguards to protect communities, says the Construction Industry Council (CIC).
New developments should be tree-lined, beautiful and of high quality, according to a new draft national design code launched for consultation by the government to support community access to nature.
Joe Cilia, Technical Director at the Finishes & Interiors Sector (FIS), considers how designers and specifiers can use the Acoustic Verification Scheme to specify products with confidence.
The latter months of 2020 saw many sensational headlines in the media around the ongoing investigation into the Grenfell disaster. It is important to focus on the facts rather than the headlines, and video coverage of the evidence can be viewed here: grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/
This case of improvised solution on domestic projects emphasises the need for better information sharing and competence in resolving unforeseen clashes safely.
