Insight

In its day, Mackintosh’s Hill House was a beacon of modernity, cutting-edge building materials and techniques combined with design flare and style. More than 100 years later, cutting-edge building engineering might just be able to save it, says James Cash.

A report that explores the relationship between the geometry of buildings and its effect on the behaviour of fire has significant interest for built environment professionals. James Cash speaks to the report’s author, Frances Maria Peacock MCABE Chartered Building Engineer

You could argue that product testing has been following ever-decreasing circles, but new regulation and industry efforts focused on safety are set to reform the sector and support broader changes in construction, says James Cash

Andrew Pearson offers a snapshot of some of the common themes and issues that building control bodies are having to overcome in fulfilling their professional duties.

Geoffrey Makstutis, Subject Lead for Construction and Art and Design at Pearson, offers an opinion on ethics and asks ‘Who are buildings for?’

Louise Beamish of WSP joins the ANC Board for the first time, while Rob Adnitt of Adnitt Acoustics returns to the board after an eight-year hiatus.

As part of Building Engineers continual development, and to make sure that we are meeting the needs of our readers, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the experience to deliver the most valuable content to help support your professional life.

When did current procurement practices fall out of favour, asks James Cash, and will clients and industry seize the opportunity to enact their transformation?

Billed as a long-term, post-Covid-19 solution for the construction industry that can save jobs and save the planet, but what does it actually mean? Asks James Cash.

Now this England-only scheme has been given the green light, how successful will it be in reducing carbon emissions? And what is in place for the rest of the UK?

Elaine Knutt tries to unpick the dynamics of knowledge transfer in the construction industry and asks where it leaves the idea of the golden thread.

CIC welcomes the MHCLG's publication of the draft Building Safety Bill, together with its associated guidance and the Home Office's publication of the Fire Safety Consultation. Taken together, CIC believes that the new legislative framework has the potential to deliver the most fundamental improvements to building safety regulation for over 50 years.

The technically challenging practice of façadism divides opinions over the use, conservation and demolition of historic buildings, says James Cash.

The term housing crisis was in use long before Covid-19 forced everyone to down tools. Off-site construction, modular and prefabricated building could make up for lost time but, as Elaine Knutt asks, is it really that simple?

Do we really understand all aspects of sustainability and how is academia strengthening this emerging sector? Asks Andrew Pearson.

In the race to make new builds and existing buildings energy and heat efficient, acoustic, ventilation and thermal comfort practicalities may have been overlooked. As Elaine Knutt discovers, that’s about to change.

Michael Wadood has kindly reproduced his presentation charting some of the UK’s significant fires, government-led reviews and subsequent changes in legislation.

Elaine Knutt notes how, post Grenfell, the construction industry’s business as usual attitude has been washed away leaving an earnest desire to improve – but uncertainty about how to do so.

Janice Warman makes a business case for diversity, but are there still too many barriers for the industry to realise its potential?

When those with construction experience and expertise meet those with digital know-how, amazing things can happen says David Adams.