The failings identified with RAAC should not be seen simply as an issue for schools, hospitals and other public sector buildings. Dan Haynes, director, head of building surveying at AtkinsRéalis, says it is very much an issue for the private sector too, and should be subject to regular monitoring.
With thousands of flat-owners across the country affected, people have woken up to the risks of unsafe cladding – Mary-Anne Bowring, MD of Ringley offers advice to leaseholders stuck in blocks with untested cladding.
The technical team at structural warranty specialists Advantage Insurance (AHCI) take a look at what constitutes best practice for foundations in 2020.
The new Actis CPD module, certified by the Construction CPD Certification Service, looks at how installers can ensure their insulation and membrane use complies with building regulations.
Amid moves to improve the fire safety of buildings over 18m, Premier Guarantee says it’s important that, as an industry, Requirement B4 is applied to buildings of all heights.
Premier Guarantee’s Facades Technical Standards Director, Clive Everett, reviews the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government regulatory reform consultation paper for residential buildings that are 30m in height or more.
Following the introduction of a new industry-wide process for evaluating the fire safety of buildings over 18m tall in December, Helen Andrews, construction partner at Fieldfisher, considers whether the scheme is likely to stack up for development funders.
Phase 2 of the Inquiry will examine the circumstances and causes of the disaster, including how Grenfell Tower came to be in a condition which allowed the fire to spread in the way identified in Phase 1.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has responded to the new HSE regulator announcement, urging “visible and tangible action” on improving building safety.
After participating in the Defra-sponsored Cumbrian Flood Resilience Project, Aquobex looks at the progress in the developing market for flood resilient repairs.
Housing secretary, Robert Jenrick has announced measures that go further and faster to ensure residents are safe in their homes, slow improving building safety standards will “not be tolerated”.
Lesley Rudd, who takes the reins of consumer protection charity Electrical Safety First in February, discusses her priorities in the role and those of the new government, as well as the key issues around electrical safety in building control.
Hotels inhabit traditional buildings with single glazed windows that provide poor insulation; Selectaglaze secondary glazing can reduce heat loss by up to 65%.
A new residential design guide covering acoustics, ventilation and overheating has been launched by the Association of Noise Consultants. ANC chairman Dan Saunders takes a look at how it addresses these increasingly important issues.
