News

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.

Kensa Heat Pumps is hoping the revised Building Regulations standards for new-build homes in England, which are due to be brought in from June 2022, means flexibility will become a key factor when assessing renewable energy solutions rather than efficiency alone. Kensa also hopes Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) ratings will reflect this following the Part L and F revisions to the regulations.

The government has pledged £65m to digitise local council planning systems in England.

The Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) is a finalist in the Social Value category of the GO Awards Scotland 2021/22.

CABE has joined more than 150 other signatories of Professor Danielle George MBE’s open letter to the UK government.

Scottish housebuilder Springfield Group and construction industry charity Lighthouse Club, have announced a 12-month partnership. Springfield staff, subcontractors and their families will have free access to trained professionals who can support them on subjects ranging from financial to mental health and wellbeing.

RIBA is working with NBS to undertake a Contracts and Law Survey. The UK construction industry is often adversarial, and successful projects rely on clear, timely and proportionate contracting arrangements. As we all face on-going Covid challenges, this is as true now as ever before.

The Royal Academy of Engineering has produced a low-regrets framework to support urgent climate change.

In the 2021 autumn budget, the government announced that £2bn will be used to unlock 1,500 hectares of brownfield land across England to clear derelict land and make way for 160,000 new homes. This includes £300m to unlock smaller brownfield sites, which will provide more opportunities for SME developers.

The Domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: proposals to extend regulations consultation, which launched alongside the social housing white paper in England in November 2020, proposes to extend requirements for alarms in social and privately rented homes through building regulations. All of the proposals were supported by a majority of respondents and are now subject to parliamentary approval.

Data from staff members of 88 UK construction companies found that one in five employees have suffered from bullying in the last year. It also found that bullying was worse for those starting out in the industry, with half of 21- to 24-year-olds being bullied. Non-UK citizens are almost twice as likely to be bullied at work, with 31% of non-UK passport holders falling victim against 18% of UK citizens.

The 2021 consultation set out proposals for comprehensive reform of legislation that contributes to building safety in Wales.

This week (7-13 February) marks the 15th Annual National Apprenticeship Week. CABE is committed to apprenticeships and wants to take the time to celebrate its own apprentices. Building Engineer takes a closer look at what inspired them in the first place.

The Government’s Building Safety Bill proposes significant reforms to the building control profession in England. The Bill will introduce a new framework for the registration and regulatory oversight of the profession, setting new requirements and standards that will apply across both the public and private sector, levelling the playing field for the first time.