Celebrate culture change

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Visitor registration for UK Construction Week Birmingham is now live, as the mammoth three-day show returns to the NEC from 4-6 October UKCW Birmingham 2022 will “celebrate culture change in construction” with three days of debate and... View Article

View Point: Sonia Travis of Nordan

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Following June’s significant changes to Part L, Nordan’s Sonia Travis reviews the implications for window specification, and aluminium-clad timber in particular The state-of-the-art demonstration COP26 Zero-Carbon House at last year’s international COP26 climate conference in Glasgow was... View Article

A durable sustainability case

Sustainability needs to encompass long-term durability factors in addition to embodied energy to provide an accurate picture. Keith Aldis of BDA (Brick Development Association) explains how achieving this bolsters the eco case for brick When considering the materials that may... View Article

The changing faces of facades

Philip West from Spanwall discusses the future of facades and how technology and legislation have created a new set of design expectations throughout the industry In the wake of unprecedented change, manufacturing firms across the globe are being forced to... View Article

Sustainable fire safety

Kelly Westwood from Knauf Insulation discusses the critical need to combine fire safety and sustainability in buildings of the future COP26 in Glasgow brought a renewed focus and urgency to the long-term sustainability of the built environment. This is reflected... View Article

Striking a balance

The importance of ventilation and ensuring a healthy and comfortable interior environment is an essential part of building design. Andy Moul from Construction Specialties (CS) looks at factors which need to be taken into consideration when specifying external louvres as part... View Article

Shining a light on embodied carbon

The lighting industry is changing fast in order to gear up for net zero – Tim Bowes from Whitecroft Lighting explains how supply chains are cutting embodied carbon The construction industry is often criticised for its slow pace of change,... View Article

Facing the threats

A growing range of perimeter security measures have been developed by industry to meet ever-changing security threats, with full accreditation to give specifiers and clients confidence. Sally Osmond from Frontier Pitts explains the options With a range of potential threats... View Article

Visible benefits

Light is more than just physical, it affects us biologically, and can significantly enhance our lives. Natalie Goodridge at Lamilux UK looks at the relative benefits of natural versus artificial light for occupant wellbeing While light gives biological benefits, there... View Article

In celebration of regulation

Dr Jonathan Evans from Ash & Lacy says that, far from stifling innovation in envelope design and cavity trays, the recent safety regulations actually put the UK on the verge of a ‘meritocracy’ that will benefit future buildings Contained in... View Article

Creative cavities

The requirement for an open cavity in ventilated facade systems can present a challenge when it comes to ensuring the passive fire safety of the building envelope. Graham Laws from Siderise Insulation looks at the issues, and suggests solutions Also... View Article

Ahead of the curve

LISTEN HERE As an alternative to revolving doors, automatic curved sliding doors are a great way of combining efficiency with a stunning focal point at a building’s entrance. James White from Record UK explains the options for specifiers Curved sliding... View Article

Ask the Architect: Festus Moffat

LISTEN HERE Festus Moffat, director at John Robertson Architects (JRA), answers ADF’s questions on his motivations, and his practice’s future plans What made you want to become an architect? Growing up, I was always interested in drawing, and in art,... View Article

EAVES DRAINAGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Here Kevin Wallis, Category Manager for Eaves Solutions at Marley Alutec highlights the factors that need to be considered when designing an effective eaves drainage system, including rainfall intensity, effective roof area (ERA) and gutter flow capacity. Along with increasingly... View Article

Specifying contract fabrics for care homes

Catherine Seville-Clare, Group Customer Relationship Manager at Panaz, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of contract fabrics, discusses the key factors architects should consider when specifying fabrics for care home applications. When selecting contract fabrics for care home applications, there are... View Article

Fit for the job, or forget

Steve D’Arcy of Visqueen examines how revised guidance around waterproofing make it vital to appoint a ‘fit for the job’ specialist as part of the design team – a crucial factor for avoiding pitfalls down the line Since BS 8102... View Article

Lifting the lid on water control

Carole Armstrong from Delabie provides some practical options for water controls in commercial washrooms, and looks at the specification challenges For building users, a visit to the washroom comprises three simple steps: use toilet, wash, hands, dry hands. As a... View Article