News

The McAvoy Group is delivering three new educational facilities valued at £40m on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE). One of these, the Cavendish School near Cambridge, will provide a much-needed specialist school for children with autism. It will be the world’s first International Baccalaureate special autism school, with a range of new facilities including multi-functional learning areas, calm and sensory spaces, and a horticultural room.

The UK government is consulting on workforce reporting on disability for large employers.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has released its independent assessment of the UK government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy.

The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has announced the global verification of its Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) 3.1 software tool, which will help cement and concrete manufacturers better understand the environmental impact of their products and processes while enabling designers to design the lowest-possible whole-life carbon buildings and infrastructure.

Climate solutions charity Ashden has called on climate trailblazers to apply for the 2022 Ashden Awards, entries for which are now open. The six awards this year focus on climate action at work, accentuating green jobs and skills.

Jemma Harris, Regional Sales Director for Actis and a Women in Construction ambassador, has been inspiring young women to reject stereotypes and follow their dreams of careers in male-dominated professions. Giving a talk to Year 11 students at a school in Hull, she shared her own career path working in two traditionally macho environments – the Royal Navy, where she worked as a weapons engineer, and construction – and gave advice on how to overcome the obstacles she and other women face.

Following the announcement last month from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) regarding Kingspan’s K15 product (including two prohibition notices issued by the OPSS in relation to K15) and the withdrawal by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) of its certificate for K15, this note explains to NHBC’s registered builder customers the impact on NHBC warranty and/or NHBC Building Control where these are being provided on their sites.

A report from the NHBC Foundation, written by Cutland Consulting Ltd, provides guidance for house builders and developers on ensuring buildings are future proofed.

The Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) conference, exhibition and showcase runs from 15-17 March 2022.

CIBSE has released a webinar on testing for air leakage – the uncontrolled movement of air through a building envelope or component due to the porosity of building fabric materials, interfaces between materials and components and imperfections in the construction of the building.

A team of students from Coventry University have developed a concept for a house that can float whenever a flood approaches and shelter people for at least six weeks during catastrophic weather. The house is attached to four anchoring steel pilings that fix the structure in one place. The walls and roof are constructed using galvanised metal sheets, while multiple recycled plastic barrels are tied underneath the ground floor and act as floatation devices.

The new Building Safety Bill has begun its House of Lords’ Committee Stages with 38 pages of government amendments, some of which could place significant pressures on the construction industry.

New regulations for all new homes and buildings in England to have electric vehicle charging points installed as standard come into force from 2022. These include supermarkets, workplaces and buildings undergoing major renovations. Together with new homes, this could result in up to 145,000 charge points being added each year over the next decade. England is the first country to mandate such building regulations.

CABE Chief Executive Dr Gavin Dunn has taken part in a podcast for the Society for the Environment.

Dame Judith Hackitt has vented her frustration at the industry’s lack of leadership and slow progress towards bringing about a cultural change in building safety following the Grenfell disaster.

As you read this, I will be enjoying the first month of my retirement. I have been privileged to have been part of the CABE team for five years, first as a non-executive on the board representing academic partners and latterly as Learning, Education and Academic Director.

Yorkshire-based CorkSol won the Innovation in Insulation category at the 2021 Build It Awards. This category is all about pioneering products that insulate buildings.

London-based project manager Mirona Tomala, from international property and construction consultancy Gleeds, has been named RICS Matrics’ Young Surveyor of the Year 2021. She said: “I am passionate about improving the representation of women in construction, co-founding the International Women’s Day networking event for RICS Matrics and sharing my journey to becoming a chartered surveyor with young people to inspire more girls to pursue careers in the built environment. I’m very proud to be a role model for the next generation.”

The 2021 House Builders’ Survey of small and medium-sized house building companies in England, from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), found that land availability is the most important constraint holding back local house builders from building new homes.

A technical consultation in England and Wales on offering all new homes access to high-speed wi-fi has been announced by the government.