Technology

Problems with a new digital system have hindered Building Safety Regulator (BSR) staff from accessing applications, its director has admitted. Philip White, director of building safety at the Health and Safety Executive, told Construction News that IT issues delayed the regulator from processing applications. Other key problems included difficulties in…

There are just over two weeks left for the industry to help shape the design of a British Standard for inclusive personal protective equipment (PPE). The British Standards Institute (BSI) consultation on its new standard is seeking feedback on its current ideas. Katherine Evans, mining geologist and founder of Bold…

Offsite specialist Merit Holdings has insisted its future is “tremendously exciting” despite a huge drop in pre-tax profit in its latest full-year results. Pre-tax profit at the Northumberland-based firm plunged by 72 per cent from £8.4m to £2.3m in the 12 months to 30 June 2024. Its turnover fell 8…

Technology is changing. And so is Construction News. Our editorial team has been using artificial intelligence (AI) behind the scenes for some time now to summarise long reports and data as part of our research process, as well as produce some illustrations. But we have not used it to produce…

Councils across the UK have abandoned projects involving modern methods of construction (MMC) amid issues around cost and quality, a UK parliamentary committee has heard. Many councils now have a “pretty negative view” of MMC projects and have done away with them entirely, Anna Clarke, director of policy and public…

The government will allow hydrogen-powered diggers, mobile cranes and other construction machinery to operate on public roads. Transport minister Lord Peter Hendy told Parliament that the Labour government would move ahead with the law change, which was first proposed in 2024 by the previous Conservative administration. Hydrogen-powered non-road mobile machinery…

Building regulations should be changed so that no new homes are completed with gas grid connections after this year, an influential body has said. The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the government’s official advisory body on reducing emissions, outlined a range of measures needed to decarbonise the UK by 2050. The…

Offsite specialist McAvoy Group returned to profit after providing temporary buildings to schools hit by the RAAC crisis. Accounts for the year to 31 May 2024 show the firm’s pre-tax profit rose to £217,600, up from a £712,700 loss in its prior year. Turnover soared to £75.5m in the period,…

The entire portfolio of a building company’s modular assets has been put up for auction. More than 500 lots including a 2021 Stour Twin Column Welding Cell and 2020 ABB IRB 8700 Foundry Plus articulated robotic handling arm are available to buy. Asset disposal company BPI said the items represented…

A council in the West Midlands is on the lookout for contractors specialising in modern methods of construction (MMC). Staffordshire County Council launched a search for contractors to join a framework to complete MMC work to the tune of £45m over three years. Jobs will be on an ad hoc…