Features

Retrofit might not be new, but it’s going through a purple patch due to net zero concerns. CN asks how contractors are mitigating the risks on cut-and-carve projects It’s a bright summer’s day and Bam Construction is busy installing period furniture at a striking 1960s central London modernist office block…

Regulatory changes are driving developers to look more closely at material reuse rather than disposal, but old habits are hard to break, finds Kristina Smith Almost overnight, as the world emerged from Covid, Roy Fishwick noticed a change in attitudes towards reused steel. “Back in 2016, 2017, I was talking…

From bricks made of mushrooms to energy-generating paint, Construction News takes a look at some of the innovative building materials and products set to transform the industry Bio-concrete The Global Concrete and Cement Association says that concrete can self-heal to a degree. But one way to increase concrete’s self-healing ability…

Safety and environmental pressures are leading to a wave of innovation in materials development – but what are the barriers to getting new products to site? Innovation is, of course, desirable in any industry at any time. It enables companies to improve their products or services, thereby better serving their…

With the eyes of the world on Paris for the 33rd Summer Olympic and Paralympic games, Construction News takes a look at some of the venues and stadiums hosting the elite athletes and their spectators. Additional research: Matt Ross Project: Grand Palais Location: Paris Client: RMN (Réunion des musées nationaux)…

While the industry tries to improve women’s PPE, other minority groups’ needs remain overlooked It took several months for Leena Begum to even visit a construction site. The apprentice feared she would have to compromise her Muslim faith by wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) provided. Islam requires women to…

Is a looming legal time limit behind a rise in defect claims relating to long-completed schemes built under private finance intiatives?  In autumn 2021, North Kent Police Station’s geothermal heating system broke down. Almost three years later, the administrators of the company holding the station’s private finance initiative (PFI) brought…

Analysis of the 20 largest construction firms’ boards shows women are still underrepresented and ethnic diversity is woefully lacking. Keith Cooper reports It’s no secret that construction lags behind many other industries when it comes to the gender and ethnic mix of its workforce. Official employment figures for the first…

CN looks into the main parties’ manifestos as the UK general election approaches As the UK prepares to vote on 4 July, how have the main political parties’ manifestos approached the construction sector? Infrastructure The Conservative manifesto criticised “frivolous legal challenges” against big infrastructure schemes, after a five-year term in…

Hundreds of organisations have signed the Conflict Avoidance Pledge. CN examines whether or not it can make a real difference Six years ago, a group of industry figures announced their plan for helping to resolve contractual disputes without expensive legal fights. They wanted to gather as many players as possible…