{"id":164371,"date":"2026-08-04T11:32:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?post_type=publication&p=164371"},"modified":"2026-08-04T11:32:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:32:33","slug":"pbc-today-august-2026","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/publication\/pbc-today-august-2026\/164371\/","title":{"rendered":"PBC Today August 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the August edition of PBC Today. Andy Burnham has become the UK\u2019s seventh prime minister in the past 10 years, prompting a flurry of policy announcements, commitments and appointments.<\/h2>\n

In this edition, our expert contributors examine the fallout from the UK\u2019s latest bout of political upheaval and what a Burnham premiership could mean for construction, infrastructure, housing and more.<\/p>\n

Ian Dean, managing director of Holcim UK, says that after 17 housing ministers since 2010, the prime minister\u2019s first job is to just \u201cstay the course\u201d and ensure we have a government stays in office long enough to begin to address an in tray that has barely changed in 15 years \u2013 not enough homes, ageing infrastructure and a Treasury that \u201cflinches at every big number\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ian argues that tackling these issues does not require the government to remove all risk; rather it needs to stop being the main source of that risk by committing to a plan \u2013 and sticking by it when things get difficult.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Rachael Williamson of the Chartered Institute of Housing argues that a new prime minister presents an opportunity to have an \u201chonest conversation\u201d about what it will take to address the UK\u2019s housing crisis.<\/p>\n

In his first speech as PM, Andy Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping, which marks an important recognition that preventing crises is better than paying for failures, but Rachael writes that if the government is serious about driving economic growth, decent housing for all will be essential.<\/p>\n

Could new towns be the answer to Britain\u2019s housing problems? Only if barriers to delivery are properly addressed, writes Victoria du Croz, head of planning at Forsters.<\/p>\n

However, England\u2019s housebuilding targets are being undermined by local level \u201cchaos\u201d that are punching holes in the policy, warns James Clark of Foot Anstey.<\/p>\n

Professor Ashley Wheaton of the University of the Built Environment argues that ultimately, Britain doesn\u2019t just need more homes; it needs better places. That has prompted the launch of the Regional Building Foundation, which aims to revolutionise housebuilding by replicating proven successes of place-building communities throughout the UK.<\/p>\n

There is much more besides, from how the construction sites can deal with extreme heat and the application of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard to industrialisation, the role of laser scanning in fire safety and the future of AI in the built environment.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a selection of articles in this issue:<\/p>\n

1. A new PM won\u2019t fix Britain\u2019s building problem. A longer memory might<\/a><\/h3>\n

Britain has had 17 housing ministers since 2010. Ian Dean, managing director of Holcim UK, argues the next prime minister\u2019s first job is simply to stay the course.<\/p>\n

2. What needs to happen to finally tackle the housing crisis?<\/a><\/h3>\n

We need an honest conversation about what it will take to deliver the government\u2019s housing ambitions, writes Rachael Williamson, director of policy, communications and external affairs at the Chartered Institute of Housing.<\/p>\n

3. Britain doesn\u2019t just need more homes; it needs better places<\/a><\/h3>\n

Professor Ashley Wheaton of the University of the Built Environment discusses the launch of the Regional Building Foundation, a new initiative to revolutionise housebuilding by replicating the proven success of place building communities throughout the UK.<\/p>\n

4. Construction skills training needs to go back to basics<\/a><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s time for the Construction Industry Training Board to refocus and better serve SMEs, writes Dr Victoria Hills, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Building.<\/p>\n

5. Finding the money for SuDS<\/a><\/h3>\n

Greater flexibility on funding is needed to ensure that SuDS not only deliver but are also affordable for everyone, says Jo Bradley, convenor of British Water\u2019s Sustainable Water Management Focus Group.<\/p>\n

6. No ecosystem, no industrialisation<\/a><\/h3>\n

Without a functioning ecosystem supporting resilient supply chains and joined-up workforce planning, industrialisation in construction will continue to struggle to scale, writes Gaynor Tennant, founder and chair of the Offsite Alliance.<\/p>\n

7. Modular technology: Hidden in plain sight<\/a><\/h3>\n

The next time you buy a coffee, check into a hotel, visit a healthcare facility, stop at a motorway service area or walk into a modern workplace or school, take a moment to look around. Richard Hipkiss, development director at the Modular & Portable Building Association considers the buildings you use every day \u2014 but never knew were modular.<\/p>\n

8. We need more than just aircon to cope with a changing climate<\/a><\/h3>\n

Britain is baking again. But before the country bolts a cooling box to every wall, the construction industry needs to ask if it\u2019s got it right about building design, says Sunil Pandita, chief division officer Planning & Design and Digital Twin Business Unit, Nemetschek Group.<\/p>\n

9. How BIM and laser scanning are improving fire safety<\/a><\/h3>\n

BIM and laser scanning are now essential tools in meeting heightened fire safety standards, writes Ryan Donoghue, head of digital engineering at AJ Digital.<\/p>\n

10. Precision over plausibility: AI in infrastructure demands a different standard<\/a><\/h3>\n

Julien Moutte, chief technology officer at Bentley Systems, examines AI and the trust problem in infrastructure.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In PBC Today August 2026, our expert contributors examine the fallout from the UK\u2019s latest bout of political upheaval and what a Burnham premiership could mean for construction, infrastructure, housing and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":164374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"publication_categories":[172610],"class_list":["post-164371","publication","type-publication","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPBC Today August 2026 | Construction Publications & Magazines<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"PBC Today August 2026 examines the fallout from the UK\u2019s latest political upheaval and what a Burnham premiership could mean for construction\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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