PBC Today April 2018 Related News
Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS® For PassivHaus: Probably the Best U-Value Wall in...
Scotframe exclusively offers the Val-U-Therm PLUS® building system, which offers some best-in-class performance for PassivHaus construction
Are You Ready for BIM Level 2 Certification?
Building Information Modelling, or BIM, has already made a huge impact in the way we build. Not only does it ensure a better building quality, efficiency and sustainability, but the adoption of BIM brings firms additional benefits such as lower costs, better resource management and delivering projects on time. Couple your commitment to adopt this methodology with the attainment of company or personal BIM Level 2 Certification and you’ll gain recognition for meeting the highest UK construction standards
Exploring the potential of digital technology
Transformation is happening all around us and while other industries have been quick to make the digital leap, the construction industry has been slower out of the starting blocks. Steve Thompson of EOS Facades shares his views on the positive impact technology will have on today’s construction industry
PBC Today April 2018
Welcome to the April 2018 edition of PBC Today. In this issue, Kate Henderson, chief executive of the Town & Country Planning Association, looks at how we can deliver more genuinely affordable housing - and argues that councils have a key role to play
The factors behind external wall insulation failures
With cladding under the spotlight, Paul Valentine, Technical Excellence Director at the British Board of Agrément, discusses the factors behind external wall insulation failures and how they can be addressed
Treatment: The first step towards cure, as prescribed by Mick George...
Dealing with hazardous materials on brownfield land can be an expensive business. Mick George Environmental can handle and, crucially, recycle soils, avoiding landfill and ultimately saving money
Could our housing crisis turn into a flood crisis?
Can we deliver 300,000 new homes a year without exacerbating the strain on urban surface water flooding infrastructure that is already struggling to cope in some areas? Matthew Elliot of WYG takes a look
Advantage holds the Shield of Approval when it comes to providing...
Advantage is fundamentally a business that provides structural defects insurance – operating nationally with offices in Warrington, Horsham, Birmingham and Dublin. We offer various forms of development-related insurances and a service designed primarily to give you peace of mind.
The use of admixtures to waterproof concrete: Part 2
In the second of a series of articles on the use of admixtures to waterproof concrete, James McDonald of Cementaid discusses the need for clear and robust specification
Addressing the housing crisis through creative reforms
Could changing planning rules to make it easier for homeowners to build upwards help to tackle the UK’s housing crisis? Paresh Raja of Market Financial Solutions takes a look
Cavity Barriers in External Walls
Premier Guarantee’s Facades Technical Standards Director, Clive Everett, answers the most frequently asked questions about fire in buildings and cavity barriers in external walls
Planning enforcement: Refreshing NAPE services for members
Neil Whittaker, new chair of the RTPI National Association for Planning Enforcement, outlines his wholesale review of services to give members more practical resources, closer to where they are
Accessible, attractive, affordable: Building and designing homes for a range of...
Following the release of the new Wheelchair Housing Design Guide, Michelle Horn of the Centre for Accessible Environments reflects on why accessible housing is such an important issue for the sector.
Case study: Sustainability and modular housing
Kidbrooke Village in south-east London combines innovative modular construction with sustainability at every level
Quantifying the benefits of offsite construction
CIRIA, working with its members, industry partners and Buildoffsite, is poised to start work on producing good practice guidance for quantifying the benefits of offsite construction. This guidance is needed now, it would seem, more than ever to encourage and accelerate its uptake into mainstream construction practices, says Kieran Tully
Wall Ties and other Structural Repairs
The British Standard for wall ties – BS1243 was introduced in 1945 and was a ‘prescriptive’ standard – ie all ties had to conform to the approved design of the time, and the ‘butterfly’, ‘double triangle’ and ‘fish-tail’ were born
Fixing the cyber security skills shortage
The UK’s defence minister recently warned that sponsored cyber-attacks on the country’s infrastructure could cause economic chaos. But after endemic underinvestment in skills development for over a decade, Paul German of Certes Networks argues it is time for a significant change in approach to safeguard business
Fire suppression in car parks
After the devastating fire in the Echo Arena car park, Ian Gough of BAFSA says the warning signs were clear – and highlights the hard evidence that sprinkler systems can significantly reduce the damage and danger caused by such incidents
The Brownfield Revolution: Could 2018 be the tipping point for brownfield...
Greenfield development continues to outpace building on brownfield land. But will policy changes such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund and brownfield registers turn the tide? David Edwards of Place-Make examines the evidence
Case study: The changing face of offsite construction
Raymond Millar, Construction Director at the McAvoy Group and Buildoffsite member, looks at the design and offsite construction of a new state-of-the-art academy in Slough and how it was delivered weeks ahead of programme
New Fire Industry Association research sheds light on detection of stratified...
Robert Yates, Technical Manager of the Fire Industry Association, and Peter Massingberd-Mundy, Technology and Practices Manager at FIA member Xtralis, discuss the FIA’s recent research into the challenge of detecting stratified smoke
Blockchain and smart contracts: Binary solutions in a non-binary industry?
Legal expert and BIM specialist May Winfield examines the benefits, risk and future development of blockchain and smart contracts in the construction
Updated British Standard presents a golden opportunity
The publication of updated guidance aimed at making buildings more inclusive presents a golden opportunity for property developers and designers to look again at accessibility
Avoiding uncertainty with the development of a new learning hub dedicated...
Uncertainty is a word not often used within the Modular & Portable Building Association, which is currently celebrating 80 years by launching a new specialist accreditation centre and learning hub for its membership and the wider construction industry
Sustainable concrete
Many traditional reinforced concrete structures struggle in harsh conditions, particularly where water ingress is an issue. But, as James McDonald of Cementaid explains, a more sustainable future is possible.
HoloMeeting: A new tool for collaborative design
Virtual, augmented and mixed reality are gaining a foothold in construction as digital transformation progresses. Matthew Bumford of Kazendi looks at the emergence of this technology and how the HoloMeeting remote meeting tool can support the collaborative design so important to BIM.