The hot topic

With the UK breaking temperature records while homes become increasingly air tight, James Healey from the Institute of Acoustics looks at hitting the tricky balance between overheating and external noise This summer saw the hottest temperatures the UK has ever... View Article

A robust case for timber windows

Today’s timber windows are vastly improved on their predecessors, but a recent survey and round table found that specifiers’ misconceptions are still making them wary, says Tracy Pomfret of George Barnsdale Rishi Sunak’s U-turn on attending COP 27 came to... View Article

The embodiment of low carbon

Craig Edwards from WMS Underfloor Heating gives his views on why the latest embodied carbon data on heating systems shows that underfloor heating is the option to consider for specifiers pursuing low emissions The total carbon emissions from a building... View Article

Rising to the refurb challenge

Renovating older buildings requires a delicate balance of facilitating disability access while remaining sensitive to a building’s original character, says Sean O’Sullivan from The Platform Lift Company A visit to a local market town or high street provides stark evidence of... View Article

Ask the Architects: George Aboagye Williams & Priya Nahal

LISTEN HERE Newly-qualified architects George Aboagye Williams & Priya Nahal discuss what they enjoy about being at Perkins&Will, who recently merged with Penoyre & Prasad and have invested in a programme to foster young talent within the practice What made... View Article

Back to the Futurebuild – on the path to net zero

LISTEN HERE Futurebuild is doubling down on its sustainability goals with a promise to bring inspiring ideas on how the industry can reach net zero, with “innovative solutions and knowledge sharing” at London’s ExCel on March 7-9 Now in its... View Article

Built to last

London Build will return to Olympia London’s Grand Hall from 16–17 November with “more content, networking and entertainment than ever before” This year London Build will welcome over 35,000 visitors, 350 exhibitors and 500 speakers from contractors, developers, architects, specifiers,... View Article

Winning at the panel game

With the market for wall panels growing, Lidia Cetrangolo at Multipanel explains how they are becoming the preferred option for architects in bathrooms Wall panels have been around for decades, and have traditionally been used as an alternative to bathroom... View Article

Practice Profile: MorenoMasey

El Salvador-born Rodrigo Moreno Masey saw an opportunity to set up his own London practice 12 years ago, and hasn’t looked back. He tells ADF’s Laura Shadwell why keeping it simple is the key to success MorenoMasey was created on... View Article

View Point: Professor James Glockling

Professor James Glockling of the Fire Protection Association and RISCAuthority looks at the insurance challenges that must be tackled for mass timber to remain viable for architects as a specification option An inevitable consequence of the net zero 2050 ambition... View Article

The key to avoid slipping up on safety standards

In this article, Mark Hillier, specification manager at leading commercial tile supplier CTD Architectural Tiles, explains what the pendulum test is and its vital role in putting safety first in every project. Each commercial scheme requires a balancing act between... View Article

Raising a glass

LISTEN HERE Darren Greenwell of Sto looks at some of the reasons why glazed exteriors remain incredibly popular, with architects continuing to create impressive modern facades in combination with other materials Over 100 years ago, a group of prominent German... View Article

Defence by design

Planned legislation will make safety installations mandatory for entertainment venues, but Mark Stone from Securiscape says architects working on projects in all sectors should take a leaf from its book The cost of living crisis and pandemic may have dominated... View Article

The reality of fire safety

The question for fire resistance in cavity closers is how to achieve tested ‘safer alignment and confinement’ onsite, says John Shillabeer from Cavity Trays Buildings should be constructed to eliminate or minimise as much as possible, all potential fire and... View Article

A guide to low carbon heating

Joseph Raftery from Samsung Climate Solutions gives architects the lowdown on the specification and installation of heat pumps One of the central conundrums to solve in architecture over the next decade will be how our homes can be sustainably built,... View Article

Roll on sustainability

Paints and coatings can deliver sizeable sustainability benefits to a building project. Peter Howard from Dulux Trade outlines some of the top considerations for specifiers To meet net zero targets and customer demand for more sustainable building practices, it is... View Article

A renewed focus on sustainability

All sectors are having to strike the tricky balance between addressing the climate crisis and navigating a pessimistic economic outlook. Thomas Pearson from Arup looks at an example of renovation and renewal in hospitality as one solution The built environment... View Article