Committee condemns ‘badly missed’ cladding remediation target
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has condemned the ‘badly missed’ target to make thousands of Grenfell-style cladding homes safe, as it urges the new 2021 deadline be met.
Construction manufacturers urged to ‘digitise product data’
A new initiative aims to get manufacturers in the construction industry to take ownership of their product information, this project is being supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the UK BIM Alliance.
Why are we failing on ventilation in existing buildings?
Good ventilation is essential in controlling damp, mould and pollutants but a lack of compliance with Building Regulations in this area is widespread. When we’re not getting it right with new builds, what hope is there for proper ventilation in existing buildings, asks James Berry of the Property Care Association.
Building Safety Bill delivers ‘biggest changes’ to safety for 40 years
The government will publish its landmark Building Safety Bill to deliver the biggest changes to safety for nearly 40 years.
Cladding remediation fund falls short of towering safety problem
Following calls for the UK government to end the “cladding nightmare” for residents of tall buildings, Fieldfisher construction partner Helen Andrews looks at how far the funding allocated to tackle the issue is likely to stretch.
Barratt discovers structural design defects at seven developments
Housebuilder Barratt has revealed seven of its developments built over 10 years ago have structural design defects which will cost around £70m to remediate.
ACM cladding removal ‘lags behind’ expectations, says NAO
Only 149 of the 456 high-rise buildings over 18 metres which have unsafe ACM cladding have been fully remediated, according to a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO).
Funding approved to reclad nine tower blocks in Salford
Funding has been approved to complete fire safety works in Pendleton, including replacing the ACM cladding system on tower blocks with a compliant alternative.
Government must ‘remove all dangerous cladding once and for all’
The housing, communities and local government committee has urged Government to ensure all buildings of any height with ACM cladding are fully remediated.
Industry bodies welcome new safety policies for high-rise blocks
The CIOB, the RICS and the RIBA have welcomed Government measures which ensures more high-rise blocks will be fitted with sprinkler systems and safety signs.
Calls for ban on combustible materials go a step further
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is recommending the government extends the ban on the use of combustible materials to a wider range of buildings, including care homes, halls of residence and schools.
£1bn Building Safety Fund to remove dangerous cladding
The government has launched its £1bn Building Safety Fund to remove dangerous cladding from high-rise buildings.
Built to last? Building Regulations and improving fire resiliency
When it comes to fire risk, we mustn’t confuse regulatory compliance with property resilience, says Tom Roche, senior consultant for international codes and standards at FM Global.
Remediation of unsafe cladding to continue despite COVID-19
Although the issue has been partially obscured from public view by the coronavirus crisis, the UK government has said that work to replace flammable cladding on residential buildings of 18m or taller remains a priority. Helen Andrews, a construction law partner at Fieldfisher, takes a look.
