A Home Builders Federation (HBF) initiative, the NHBC Masterclass series offers fully funded training courses delivered by experts in their field covering roofing, bricklaying and dry lining. Aimed at professional tradespeople looking to keep up to date with the latest industry practices, they provide practical skills and improved knowledge to support the delivery of high-quality new homes.
Specifications are essential to defining materials, performance and responsibilities on a project, yet many architects lack training in writing these key documents. Dr Stephen Hamil, innovation director at NBS, discusses a new guide he has authored on putting together strong specifications.
Trevor Clements reflects on his long career in building control and where the profession stands in an ever-changing legislative and regulatory environment.
RSK Geosciences principal engineer Kevin Holmes argues that, while housebuilders and developers have long been aware of the importance of suitable surface water drainage strategies on completed developments, responsible developers should have the same level of awareness of regulations governing water discharge during the construction phase and suggests how developers can remain compliant.
While awareness continues to grow of the importance of cavity barriers in protecting from the rapid spread of fire through building cavities, it is important to remember that passive fire protection is also essential in non-combustible cavity walls for multi-occupancy buildings.
The architectural professional institutes of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have formed a coordinated body – the Belfast Group.
The fire safety regulatory environment has transformed significantly following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, presenting major challenges for Facilities Management teams.
The update means that by the end of 2029, any landlord who has failed to remediate a building over 18 metres - without reasonable excuse - will face criminal prosecution, with unlimited fines and/or imprisonment.
Fire safety and accessibility don’t need to be at odds. Smart, compliant solutions like Fireco’s DorMag range are proving how modern UK buildings — from hospitals and schools to retrofit projects — can deliver on both.
Dan Watt, director in Civic’s building services engineering team, discusses the urgent need to design urban spaces that remain liveable in an increasingly hot, urbanised world.
CIWEM's Alastair Chisholm welcomes newly published National Standards for SuDS, but argues that they may fall short if not backed by a rules-based mandate.
Where architectural hardware and fire safety share a vital link, how can the supply chain protect the integrity of buildings whilst navigating a reversal in fire safety testing standards. Director of Consort Architectural Hardware, Daniel May, provides comment.
Speaking with SFG20, Dame Judith calls for a culture of competence, rigour and accountability - and urges professionals to make and stand by their expert decisions.
Leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services, SOCOTEC UK and Ireland has today announced the acquisition of United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC), a renowned independent fire testing laboratory based in East Kilbride.
Actis architect and co-author of its RIBA-approved CPD modules, Thomas Wiedmer, has helped to create the latest in the National Home Improvement Council series of Doorstep Digests.
Stephen Kavanagh, director of engineering, Panos Rousakis, associate director, Jason Bell, principal consultant, and Humza Khan, fire engineering team lead at SOCOTEC, sat down with PBC Today’s Matt Brundrett to discuss common challenges faced when creating a comprehensive Building Safety Case.
New data reveals that the industry’s biggest challenges are budget constraints, understaffing and barriers to technology adoption, writes Kirsty Cogan, managing director of SFG20.
Ilyas Patel, director, Russell Bolton Consulting, explains what the proposed changes for the Building Safety Regulator mean for the construction industry.
Eight years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the UK’s cladding remediation programme continues to falter. Despite increased scrutiny and substantial public funding, progress remains unacceptably slow and is a national crisis that is deepening, writes Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Property Inspect.
The first official figures published by the Building Safety Regulator(BSR) cover activity from the end of 2023 to early 2025- and show that the average gateway approval waiting time on new build projects has stretched to 36 weeks.
At The Priory, a residential block of 80 flats in Patcham, Brighton, residents and management have taken proactive steps to stay ahead of evolving fire safety legislation.
The Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) has announced its endorsement of regulating the ‘whole life’ carbon in construction for net-zero targets.
CROSS-UK (Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures) has been appointed by HSE as the official voluntary reporting system for structural and fire safety until at least 2028 at the BSR.
New research from Ursa has found that almost a quarter of UK architects say clients are confused to what actually constitutes a high-risk building, while 24% say clients are unsure of the new roles and duties required by the Building Safety Act.
In today’s tough housing market, where margins are tight and scrutiny is high, structural warranties are evolving from a necessity to a vital asset for house builders and developers.
As a major manufacturer of advanced hinge systems for all door types, SFS has updated its brochure aimed at assisting fabricators, specifiers and other customers in selecting the most appropriate hinge solutions for a wide range of applications.
A new review by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has found that ageing infrastructure, increased incidents of extreme weather and squeezed budgets are all contributing to safety risks in the sector.
A development of new homes in Mayfield, Dalkeith, has gained the highest award given by Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, for incorporating crime prevention techniques into the layout and landscaping and the physical security of buildings.
