Building Insights: Recent Episodes
netMAGmedia
netMAGmedia, which publishes a range of titles for the construction sector, presents the Building Insights podcast, which speaks to key voices from across the industry. Engaging with thought leaders from the worlds of design, construction, development, self-build and social housing management, Building Insights will provide an array of enlightening and unique viewpoints from a wide range of experts.
Presented by editor of Housing Management and Maintenance magazine, James Parker, this podcast episode collects the key recommendations from the Building Insights LIVE industry round table which looked at Solutions for Decarbonising Social Housing.
Sponsored by WMS Underfloor Heating, LHC Procurement Group, Intergas Heating and Mira Showers, and chaired by Matt Baird of Spring Housing, the event explored a range of key solutions to the challenge, including from the supply chain perspective. It was a frank and open discussion on the pressing need to find solutions to retrofit the UK's social housing for lower bills and lower carbon. The podcast includes recommendations from delegates on the best ways to take advantage of the ongoing £1.29bn Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, including industry collaboration and engagement with tenants.
James Parker presents key findings and highlights from the recent Building Insights LIVE round table on secondary heating’s role in new housing developments’ resilience. Sponsored by Percy Doughty, Charlton & Jenrick and Jotul UK, the discussion looked at how the stoves industry can support housebuilders and homeowners in identifying the best options, with wood burning stoves now permitted under the Future Homes Standard.
Disclaimer: Danielle Michalska-Morris of Taylor Wimpey says that secondary heating is currently not* part of standard specification.
In association with BuildStore Mortgage Services; James Parker, editor of Housebuilder and Developer magazine speaks to Tom McSherry, National Business Development Manager, BuildStore Mortgage Services.
Tom gives us the benefit of 20+ years of experience at Buildstore and housebuilding in a very pertinent conversation around short-term funding – such as bridging loans. He outlines in particular the support and clarity developers need to navigate current financial storms.
This is a special Ask the Manufacturer episode, brought to you in association with Grant Westfield, an award-winning bathroom design specialist manufacturer. James Parker, editor of Housebuilder and Developer speaks to specification sales director Jamie Sandilands about how recent regulation changes around tanking in baths, showers and wetrooms are driving more robust waterproofing in residential projects. He explains some time and cost-saving solutions to the challenges.
In this Ask the Expert episode in association with BuildStore Mortgage Services, James Parker speaks to Tom McSherry, National Business Development Manager at BuildStore Mortgage Services. He explains how the company, which is 25 years old this year, has unlocked the possibility of self-build and home renovation for a much wider demographic thanks to innovative mortgage products such as guaranteed stage payments. Tom also tackles some of the myths around self-build mortgages.
Highlights of the second meeting of a new cross-disciplinary Design for Inclusivity Network for sharing good practice on inclusive design. This round table was sponsored by Amtico Flooring and Johnstone's Trade Paints and took place at Amtico's London Flooring Studio. Expert designers, academics, manufacturers and care professionals tackled many challenges, from design for dementia to broader inclusivity issues.
Highlights from the recent Building Insights LIVE round table staged by Housing Management & Maintenance magazine, looking at how to manage data to provide the ‘Golden Thread of Information’ on higher-risk buildings. Sponsored by K Systems and Winkhaus, the event at the Institute of Directors in London saw a range of experts exchanging strong views about what the sector needs to optimise safety.
Will the Future Homes Standard come into force in 2025 as planned? This was just one of many questions addressed around the challenges of building homes 75%-80% lower carbon emissions than current standards, by our expert round table held at the Institute of Directors in London in May. Held just as the controversial Home Energy Model was due to launch, this well-timed event featured major housebuilders and five sponsors (Kingspan Insulation, Glen Dimplex, WMS Underfloor Heating, E.ON and MIRA), and contained a host of essential industry insights. This podcast episode presents a selection of highlights from our biggest discussion yet.
Jon Lowy talks James Parker through the ins and outs of performance specifications, why they’re important for specifying zinc roofs and walls correctly, and what architects tend to get wrong. He also explains how VMZINC is helping specifiers navigate current territory where cost-based value engineering is still occurring, even post-Building Safety Act.
In association with RENOLIT, ADF editor James Parker speaks to Steve Hatcher, UK Technical Manager at RENOLIT ALKORPLAN. He explains how the company’s ‘pure white’ ALKORPLAN Bright roofing membrane provides class-leading solar reflectance to help offset cooling requirements as well as bringing other sustainability benefits.
The need to increase the efficiency of water appliances and fixtures in commercial environments is becoming increasingly acute for clients and specifiers tasked with sustainability goals. However it is low on the agenda compared to carbon, and low on regulation, so we brought together a panel of experts from the construction and water sectors to help establish the practical challenges and solutions. This important and challenging discussion, sponsored by Delabie, Cistermister and eco-sistem, showed how water savings could be harnessed to carbon goals to drive better specification in the commercial sector, to combat the lack of incentives and targets.
James Parker, managing editor of Housing Management and Maintenance magazine, presents a special edition of Building Insights focusing on the Building Insights LIVE round table held to discuss the Social Housing (Regulation) Act. Beginning with Awaab’s Law this October, the legislation has been called “the most significant reform of the sector in more than a decade,” and places a new set of requirements on landlords to ensure that social housing is healthy and safe.
This crucial issue was the topic of the first Building Insights LIVE round table to be held under the banner of Housing Management and Maintenance magazine. This podcast contains highlights from the discussion, which was guest chaired by Matt Baird, co-chair of Spring Housing Association. The round table included, from the social housing sector, Billy Cliffen of Riverside Housing Association, Stephanie Goad from Golding Homes, and Lee Reevell of Halton Housing in Widnes. From academia was Dr Douglas Booker, Indoor Air specialist at the University of Leeds, and Dr Hector Altamirano-Medina from the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings. We were also joined by Andrew Burke of the National Housing Maintenance Forum, Sarah Garry of the Property Care Association, Amy Bentall from law firm Trowers & Hamlins, Dale Holroyd of ZapCarbon, and Hony Premlal, chair of Women in Social Housing.
We are grateful to the sponsors Tarmac, WMS Underfloor Heating, and Cornerstone Management Services, who also contributed to the discussion.
In association with Kingspan Insulation. James Parker, editor of ADF, is again joined by Rita Singh, head of public affairs at Kingspan Insulation. She explains the complex and rigorous lengths the company goes to in order to show its products are compliant with relevant regulations.
In this Ask the Expert episode of Building Insights, in association with Charlton and Jenrick, managing editor of The Selfbuilder, James Parker, speaks to Peter Mintoft, MD of the fire and stove manufacturer. He explains the options for self-builders looking to create an eye-catching and efficient secondary heat source for their home.
In this special episode of Building Insights, James Parker visits the HQ of Futurebuild in Twickenham, to speak to event director Martin Hurn about the changes and sustained selling points the show has seen over its 20 year history.
James Parker speaks to managing director of SME developer City & Country Wayne Douglas, about the crucial contribution that SME firms like his are making to the delivery of good quality housing in the numbers asked for by Government. However he explains how the smaller end of the sector is being continually squeezed on viability, and why more support is needed now.
In this audible article, Dulux Heritage's Dawn Scott explains why selecting the right paint colours for each room is more than just a matter of aesthetics. It involves understanding how colours interact with light, influence mood, and establish a sense of continuity.
Highlights from the Building Insights LIVE round table staged in November 2024 at the Building Centre on Water & Energy Saving Innovations in New Build Housing. Sponsored by Hansgrohe, Triton Showers, and waste water heat recovery solutions supplier, Showersave, it featured housebuilders Vistry and Barratt Homes, Thames Water, and the Future Homes Hub, among others.
James Parker, managing editor of Housebuilder and Developer speaks to Hugo Reeve, Development Director & Co-Founder of new housebuilder BRiCS. Focused on placemaking and high quality design, Reeve describes how he managed to launch the firm in the teeth of Covid, with the help of former Crest Nicholson colleagues, to offer a more bespoke solution to buyers in the south east.
James Parker speaks to Neil Walker, Design Manager at Russell Homes, about how the award-winning north west-based housebuilder is prioritising green features over maximising margins.
In this audible article, Greg Blee, founder of Blee Halligan, tells ADF how he found himself working in architecture almost by accident, and why he now focuses on creating projects overseas which blend into their landscapes.
In our third Building Insights episode in association with Saniflo, James Parker speaks to Conor Reeves, UK sales manager.
The growth of adaptive reuse projects which convert ex-commercial premises into residential schemes in urban centres has a range of potential benefits. However as Conor explains there are also many inherent challenges including adapting and adding plumbing for current and future domestic needs.
In association with Saniflo. James Parker speaks to David Cook, managing director of Saniflo about the rising demand for bathrooms which work for elderly users and the rest of the family, to support multi-generational living. He also has some strong views about the need for housebuilders to be driven to focus on whole-life performance.
In this episode, James Parker, editor of ADF, introduces highlights from our recent Building Insights Live round table held in September 2024 at RIBA, focusing on improving the design of dementia care facilities to offer better support to all people living with the condition.
The multi-disciplinary debate included expert academics, people with lived experience of dementia and neurodiversity, architects and product manufacturers. It was sponsored by Amtico International, WMS Underfloor Heating, and Johnstone’s Trade Paints. The debate was an important opportunity to share knowledge on the problems and opportunities for practical design solutions, given that the number of people with dementia in the UK is predicted to reach 1 million in 2025.
In association with Saniflo, James Parker speaks to Scott Taylor, area sales manager for Scotland and North East England at Kinedo. He discusses the rising trend for more decorative wall panels in bathrooms and other settings, and how the Kinewall brand is helping specifiers meet the demand.
Christian Hale, MD of housebuilder Hale works in the high-end luxury home sector, but even his end of the market isn’t immune from the perils of value engineering post-tender, in fact it’s getting more common. He explains how clients’ expectations from their homes need managing so that cost cutting isn’t inevitable, and makes a plea to reduce extra costs like urban parking suspensions.
For the third time on the podcast, we are joined by Nick Haughton, Head of ESG at Sapphire Balconies, who are sponsors of this episode. James Parker discusses with Nick the crucial topic of why we need to strive to keep sustainability data as simple as possible, as more and more is unravelled in products’ life-cycles assessments, and Sapphire’s rigorous approach to transparency.
In this special episode of Building Insights, we capture some of the key sessions of a seminar held at RIBA recently to discuss ways to drive specification of timber buildings in the UK, as one of the chief ways to move the country to net zero by 2050. It features highlights of talks by leading lights in timber design; Alex de Rijke of dRMM, Anthony Thistleton of Waugh Thistleton, Jerry Tate of Tate & Co, and Rory Bergin of HTA. Other speakers at the Structural Timber Association-staged event provided key insights on how the Government’s Timber Roadmap is showing the way forward.
In this audible article, Giles Fallan of BuildSafe shares how the right selfbuild insurance can help give you confidence to make your dream home a reality.
In this audible article, James Parker speaks with Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of the Structural Timber Association, to discuss how the construction industry is tackling the obstacles behind the Government’s roadmap for increasing the use of timber.
In this audible article, Kathryn Firth of Arup reveals a groundbreaking residential development in Lewes, East Sussex. The scheme aims to transform the challenges of climate change and sustainability into opportunities for innovative design and community-focused placemaking, including shared amenities and affordable housing.
To assist self-builders exploring the myriad structural timber flooring options out there, Scott Wolters of EGGER UK provides a brief overview of the choices and solutions.
Gillian Burgis Smith details how she became an architect, overcoming some outdated industry mindsets and major health obstacles; and how she has positively harnessed her own experience to create inclusive environments for others.
This episode of Builders Voices (in collaboration with the Federation of Master Builders) is a revealing conversation with housebuilder Stephen Rankin, awarded the 2023 Master Builder of the Year by the FMB.
Stephen and firm he founded Vantage & Co have a string of great projects which demonstrate an unusual level of attention to detail, including a renovation of one of the few remaining Georgian villas in central Birmingham. He has however been vocal about some of the intractable problems in the industry, from severe planning headaches to how skills gaps can be filled.
A former joiner, Stephen looks at issues caused by underfunded planning departments, and how simple availability problems lead to negative outcomes for all. He clearly outlines some ideas for improving things which the new Government needs to consider if it really wants to ‘get Britain building.’
This episode of Building Insights is the second in association with Sapphire Balconies; James Parker, editor of ADF speaks to Nick Haughton, Head of ESG at Sapphire Balconies to discuss the key topic of ‘Streamlining Construction and Competency.’ Nick looks at why competency has become the current industry buzzword for the new more robust specification framework post-Building Safety Act, and how technology is helping to end the performance gap and produce safer buildings.
James Parker speaks to architect Trevor Morriss, who designed his first building at 17, and founded his own practice, SPPARC in 2007. He reveals his enthusiasm for conserving London’s heritage architecture as shown in various masterplans, how involving the community can pay dividends for designs and designers, and the important of curiosity and investigation.
In this episode of Building Insights, in association with Sapphire Balconies, James Parker speaks to Nick Haughton, head of ESG at the company, on the crucial topic of elevating the fire safety of facades, post-Building Safety Act, how it might support a new look at laminated glass balustrades, and how the firm is going ‘beyond compliance’ in its projects.
This episode collects some of the highlights of our recent industry round table, 'Exploring Solutions for Residential Deep Retrofit', held at London’s Building Centre on 22 May 2024, and sponsored by WMS Underfloor Heating and Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK. A cross-disciplinary panel including renowned retrofit experts delivered practical insights and knowledge on enabling retrofit at scale of the UK’s 27 million existing homes, including learnings for the incoming Government.
James Parker speaks to Debbie Waddington, group head of HR at Keepmoat, to find out how the Top 20 UK housebuilder is putting the work into attracting a new generation of onsite and offsite staff in a difficult construction skills environment. She explains how selling the benefits of a career in a more ‘people-centred’ industry to new entrants is one of the factors behind the company’s enduring success in a challenging market.
In association with Bjelin, James Parker speaks to Emanuel Lidberg, head of design at Bjelin’s sister company, Välinge Innovation. In a very entertaining discussion with the timber flooring design specialist, James discovers why keeping up with fleeting trends may not be as crucial as timeless design and sustainability.
In association with VMZinc, this episode features Jonathan Lowy, operational marketing marketing manager at the company. Jon’s held several roles in 27+ years at VM, but maintains a really infectious enthusiasm for all things zinc. We explore how the material – the roof covering of choice in Paris in the mid 19th century – is now an increasingly popular specification on aesthetic and functional grounds for UK architects.
James Parker, editor of Housebuilder and Developer, speaks to Chris Carr, who has run his family SME housebuilding company in Grimsby for many years, but has recently seen his industry profile going through the roof as President of the Federation of Master Builders. He is a key figure advising and lobbying Ministers on what needs to change to ensure that SMEs are able to deliver all of the Government and industry targets for housebuilding. He’s also a master of pragmatic, creative thinking to get over the major stumbling blocks such as those around planning. A podcast in association with the FMB.
In March 2024 we hosted the third Building Insights LIVE round table, which was a multi-disciplinary discussion around the impact of the Building Safety Act & the Golden Thread on future construction.
We brought together architects, developers, IT experts and product suppliers at the Building Centre in London, to identify the challenges and solutions for navigating the new regime for professionals. Creating safer high-risk buildings post-Grenfell means taking greater accountability, but with added professional risks for architects and contractors.
The event explored these issues, as well as how product specification could be made more robust, and the standards that are needed. It was a key debate full of unique insights, and some of the highlights are presented in this special podcast.
Richard Banham, national key account manager, Bjelin UK Ltd, speaks to James Parker about how the company has promoted innovation in flooring for decades, and what makes their hardened flooring products innovative. They also discuss new products in the pipeline, and how receptive the UK market to innovations in flooring.
James Parker speaks to Tom Slater, who founded T2S Architecture during the pandemic and is driving the agenda around retrofit as beneficial for the urban context, developers’ business cases, and sustainability.
In this episode of Builders’ Voices, James Parker speaks to Jeremy Gray, head of policy at the Federation of Master Builders. Jeremy discusses the key takeaways from the FMB’s 2023 House Builders Survey, a key snapshot of the shared challenges across the sector.
In this first episode of Building Insights in association with wood flooring innovator Bjelin UK, James Parker speaks to Simon Darbyshire, managing director of Bjelin UK. He explains how the firm has evolved from pioneering a method of installing wood flooring without using glue.
In the run-up to Futurebuild at London’s Excel (from 5-7 March) James Parker, editor of Architects’ Datafile and Housebuilder and Developer, speaks to Martin Hurn, event director at Futurebuild. Martin explains how, as part of its continued focus on realistic as well as sustainable solutions to construction industry challenges, this year the show’s spotlight is firmly on grappling with retrofit.
This is a special episode of Building Insights which captures some of the key highlights from our October 2023 industry round table, ‘Solutions for Stormwater Management.’ The sponsored event held at the Building Centre in London saw a multi-disciplinary group sharing vital knowledge on best practice for achieving SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) in new housing. Chaired by James Parker, editor managing editor of Housebuilder and Developer and Architects’ Datafile, it was a well-timed gathering, with SuDS about to become a mandatory legal requirement in all new developments.
This episode of Building Insights (in association with Samsung Climate Solutions) features a genuinely inspiring UK talent in the low carbon heating sector. As business development manager at Samsung Climate Solutions, Aimee Holloran is accelerating heat pump installations and apprenticeships across the country, however she cut her teeth as a plumber, winning the Young Plumber of the Year Award in 2010. With gender diversity still a major challenge, she’s a powerful role model for any young woman considering plumbing as a career.
Sam Eden, director of the FMB’s London Hub, has been in touch with dozens of SME builders grappling with the new Ultra Low Emissions Zone in their day to day business. He tells James Parker why ULEZ could ruin plans to deliver the capital’s energy retrofit goals by penalising such firms, and how the FMB is pushing for an urgent rethink.
Getting a building fabric’s design up to the demands of a Passivhaus is all about meticulous attention to detail. However achieving an air-tight but breathable envelope that benefits both the occupants and the building need not be overly complicated – even in high-rises. James and Iain of Proctor explain all the ins and outs to James Parker.
In this episode of Building Insights, which is again sponsored by AkzoNobel, Laura Shadwell from netMAGmedia speaks to Duncan Lochhead, commercial sustainability manager at AkzoNobel. They explore how important air quality and VOCs are in the social housing sector, and best practice tips for specifying the increasing ranges of low-VOC paints.
Rita Singh is head of public affairs at Kingspan Insulation. She’s also a passionate advocate for sustainability and is key to the company’s efforts to roll out greener approaches across the organisation. She discusses with James Parker how a fabric first approach works in practice, why retrofit first should be the overriding aim, and how supply chain rigour is creating better products.
This episode of Building Insights, in association with Samsung Climate Solutions, we are joined by architectural designer and TV star Charlie Luxton, who looks at how our lower energy house designs will naturally be better places to live, and tackles head on some of the common myths about their ‘liveability.’
In this episode of Building Insights, James Parker hears from Jeremy Gray, head of policy and public affairs at the Federation of Master Builders on the FMB’s new industry survey findings, and how firms are negotiating tough times. He shares some stark truths about the realities of construction for SMEs in 2023, as RMI joins the housebuilding and commercial sectors’ downward trajectory.
James Parker speaks to Kevin Smith, director at Nottingham-based architectural practice Marchini Curran, and finds out how this versatile studio has gone from strength to strength in challenging times, following a management buy out.
In our latest episode, sponsored by A.Proctor Group, James Parker, editor of Architects’ Datafile magazine discusses specialist membranes for high rise building design with James Johnston, head of facades at A.Proctor Group and Will Jones, business development manager at A.Proctor Group. The in-depth discussion looks at why we need air-tight high-rises, how specifying the right membrane is key to fire safety, and how the performance gap can be avoided.
In this episode, brought to you in association with AkzoNobel, James Parker, editor of Architects’ Datafile magazine speaks to Lee Crossland, National Sector Manager for Leisure at Dulux Decorator Centre, Lee paints a picture of how his career managing paint stores has helped him in his current role tackling wider leisure sector challenges for Dulux.
James Parker, managing editor of Architects’ Datafile, speaks to Jon Ducker, head of regulatory affairs at Kingspan Insulation. He reviews the recent changes in legislation covering building performance, and how they have positively affected the industry. He also offers some predictions around what may be contained in the forthcoming Future Buildings Standard.
Brought to you in association with Samsung Climate Solutions, this episode features TV architectural designer Charlie Luxton, who’s an ambassador for Samsung and a strong advocate for levering sustainability in our residential designs. He gives some frank opinions on what is urgently needed in the industry now to drive uptake of heat pumps, given our daunting environmental challenges.
Our first Building Insights in association with the A.Proctor Group features Will Jones, Head of Business Development & Adam Salt, Business Development Manager for modular and offsite at the Group. They speak to James Parker, managing editor of Architects Datafile and Housebuilder and Developer, about the keys to correct specification of high performance membranes in offsite construction.
James Parker speaks to Ally Lambie, sales director north for Kingspan Insulation, about how the industry is developing innovative new types of insulation for a diverse range of customer needs, across different sectors
Alli Gay is managing director of an award-winning SME housebuilder in Bristol, CHI Homes, which focuses on producing high quality private homes.
She harnessed her skills as a business consultant to found a housebuilding company with her partner 20 years ago, and has a strong desire to increase the reputation of the industry as well as increasing diversity within firms. She also explains how important the Federation of Master Builders is, both for her firm and through being a regional FMB board member.
The third episode of Building Insights sponsored by AkzoNobel takes an in-depth look at how sustainability and wellness can be positively impacted by the right choice of paints and finishes in social housing projects. James Parker, managing editor at netMAGmedia speaks to Peter Howard, sustainability and CSR lead at AkzoNobel, about how paint formulation is continuing to innovate to meet sustainability goals, and can even benefit tenants’ wellbeing.
This is the second instalment of a series of podcasts from Building Insights, brought to you in association with AzkoNobel. In this episode, Jayne Roughan, National Sector Manager Education & Retail at AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade Paints) discusses key considerations when designing education spaces with James Parker, managing editor at netMAGmedia. She gives her experience from supporting school clients in projects about how colour, space and light can be carefully specified to help provide the effective and inspiring learning environments of the future.
Nic London founded high-end housebuilder N. London Construction in 2004, focusing on north London, as the name suggests! A former bricklayer, this qualified construction manager is a strong advocate for quality in housebuilding, and attracting a new generation of builders. He is a member of the Home Builders Group at the Federation of Master Builders, and has been a troubleshooter called in by local authorities to remedy sub-standard construction on a range of housing schemes.
This episode of Building Insights is the first of a series of podcasts in partnership with Dulux, in which we interview a range of specialists about how colour can be judiciously applied to benefit building users. The first episode looks at the particular needs of dementia sufferers when it comes to interior design, and how a careful approach to colour can help people continue to maintain safe and enjoyable lives.
Adrian Swan left David Wilson Homes, after a long stint with the firm, to found Swan Homes in Nottingham in 2009. He is a housebuilder who takes immense pride in the quality of the work his firm produces, embodied in his chairing the Home Builders Group at the Federation of Master Builders. James Parker, editor of Housebuilder & Developer, spoke to Adrian about his drives and challenges going forward in a revealing interview.
Architect Bill Dunster OBE is a leading light in sustainable design globally, having pioneered several zero carbon developments in the UK since the 1990s, including the Stirling Prize-shortlisted BedZed residential scheme in south London.
After working at major firms including Hopkins, and teaching at the AA, he founded ZedFactory and produced a range of energy-positive schemes, as well as key prototypes like the Zero Bills House at the BRE. Now working under the name Zed Power, his award-winning completed projects are seen across the residential, mixed use, public, education and workplace sectors. In 2018, RIBA published his book, ‘Zed Life: How to Build a Low-Carbon Society Today.’
Bill Dunster remains a fearless advocate for a ‘fad-free,’ uncompromising approach to the low carbon buildings we urgently need, and this podcast is a fascinating delve into his ethos.
Nigel Ostime is a partner at Hawkins\Brown architects and is a key figure in sharing knowledge and improving best practice, including taking part in various research within the practice and working within RIBA’s Client Liaison Group. This has included work around the post-Hackitt fire safety agenda, and the potential of the Building Safety Act to increase the role of architects in achieving more robust procurement for accountable, fire-safe designs for high-risk residential schemes, in the wake of Grenfell.
In this podcast Nigel discusses the impact of the recent Building Safety Act, introduced to bring a range of improvements in building procurement to help ensure greater safety in future. He explains how although many of the provisions won’t be in force until secondary legislation is produced, there is a changing picture already in terms of a potential larger role for architects as the Principal Designer on high-risk projects.
He believes robustness is sorely lacking – but that there are improvements within the Act - such as the new gateway approach to checking designs as they progress. Nigel comments on the findings of our recent white paper on fire safety and design accountability, and ponders whether the act will be clear enough on Design and Build contractors’ responsibility, for example.
Ostime admits the agenda is very challenging for the wider industry, but also that more information is needed for architects throughout the various stages of the design process, as they are likely to be, or are already, given a large amount of responsibility for areas such as fire safety in projects.
He has some key insights on this new agenda for safer future buildings. Given the severity of the potential risks of getting things wrong, as highlighted so tragically at Grenfell Tower, Costume believes that architects simply have to ‘roll up their sleeves and do it.’
Thanks to Siderise, Kingspan Timber Solutions, Pilkington, ROCKPANEL, Promat and Morley Glass for sponsoring this episode.
Kelly Worrall got the bug for construction in 2015 when she began renovating properties with her partner, who’s a builder. They enjoyed it so much that they set up a development company, NH construction, specialising in masonry and stonework in home improvements, with her husband being a trained stonemason.
Kelly has had a successful career as a marketer, and formed Yorkshire Marketing Consultants in 2019, which soon began to focus on construction trades and home improvement firms. Her experience and interest in housebuilding has given her the inside knowledge to on marketing success in construction, particularly the benefits of using social media, and online advertising. She has some great insights for housebuilders on the do’s and don’ts of marketing your construction business.
As online marketing, like social media itself, continues to evolve fast, keeping on top of it in a tough market can be challenging. Bearing that in mind, this Builder’s Voice is very much worth a listen.
Thanks to the Federation of Master Builders for the collaboration on this podcast.
In the seventh edition of Building Insights, and the first to feature a self-builder, editor of Selfbuilder and Homemaker magazine James Parker speaks to Diane Newbery, who has two projects under her belt, both challenging but for different reasons.
They discuss her most recent build, which was designed for low carbon emissions, as well as to provide her with a ‘forever home’ with ample space and light.
She was an ideal subject for the first Building Insights episode dedicated to self-build, because she was very clear on what she wanted, and very focused on getting it.
The conversation has some great knowledge for anyone looking to follow in Diane’s footsteps, and also touches on Selbuilder and Homemaker’s recent reader survey on creating a low carbon home.
Thanks to Samsung, Epic Insulation, Mitsubishi Electric, Marley, and West Fraser, for sponsoring this podcast.
Builder’s Voices is a new podcast which we think is pretty unique in the market.
In 2021, netmagmedia, which publishes Housebuilder & Developer magazine, launched our Building Insights podcast to speak to key voices in the industry and delve into the big issues.
The podcast has been a big success, including with our sponsors. Builder’s Voices is a new strand however, giving a rare platform for SME housebuilders to share their ideas and experiences.
To bring these 'Builders' Voices' to you, the editorial team at Housebuilder & Developer magazine has collaborated with the Federation of Master Builders. The largest trade association in the UK construction industry, the FMB represents the interests of small and medium-sized building companies, and is committed to quality in UK housebuilding.
In this episode, Jack Wooler, deputy editor of Housebuilder & Developer magazine, talks to Rob Bailey, MD and co-founder of Swallow Hill Homes, about life running a small firm in 2022.
Swallow Hill is a small but highly regarded housebuilder based in Nottingham, and a member of the FMB. In this first episode, he really grabs the opportunity to share his thoughts on the business case for making a quality product, not just the cheapest product. However he also candidly expresses his worries on the current inflation storm hitting the industry.
Huge thanks to the Federation of Master Builders, who are working closely with us to bring you some of the best Builder’s Voices out there.
James Parker, managing editor of Housebuilder & Developer, speaks to Sue Illman of Illman Young, a well-established practice of landscape architects, about how sustainable urban drainage systems can help futureproof developments against rising incidences of flooding.Although there have been some major recent shocks to the UK, from Covid to now increasing international security worries, the issue of floods has not gone away. While increased flooding events might be an intermittent problem, they are on the whole, becoming more severe, and more damaging for livelihoods and businesses.
The climate is changing, the UK is 7% wetter than it was 40 years ago, and at the same time, there's a target to build 300,000 homes a year. They have to go somewhere, and unfortunately in many cases, that means building on flood plains. Building homes, roads and car parking often contributes to the problem, affecting how surface water behaves and overloading drainage systems.
There are established ways to help developments mitigate the effects on local drainage of the floods that will inevitably hit them. One of the most well-regarded approaches is a collection of solutions known as SuDS (or Sustainable Urban Drainage). However, should you use it, and how difficult is it to install?
Housebuilder and Developer magazine recently surveyed readers on their knowledge of SuDS, and their attitude to it, in the light of the fact that Government guidance advises developers to adopt the approach. We wanted to discuss the results of this Industry Viewfinder white paper with an expert in the field.
We decided to speak to landscape architect Sue Illman, a passionate SuDS advocate, to give her reactions to our report, give you some practical approaches, and comment on the developer’s role in futureproofing schemes against climate change. A former president of the Landscape Institute, we managed to catch her in a week in which she had been discussing with Defra, and the Department for Levelling up, Communities and Housing, just what the regulatory framework should look like, to drive SuDS forward. One of the many insights she revealed in an excellent conversation was that regulation had been somewhat fudged in the past, but the centre is finally putting SuDS at the top of the agenda.
In this episode, Jack Wooler, deputy editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine, speaks to Jack Dangerfield of the Town and Country Planning Association, or TCPA, about the omission of legislation around the health of a home, as well as the state of planning in the UK as a whole at present.
Discussing our recent research on what landlords and housing professionals believe makes up an exemplary healthy home, the most important elements of such a property, and the barriers to the adoption of these elements – in which a shocking lack of respondents would describe even their own housing stock as healthy – Jack Dangerfield discusses how the TCPA’s Healthy Home’s campaign is one route forwards.
Thanks to Glidevale, Mitsubishi, Envirovent, Cornerstone, Aico and FireAngel for sponsoring this episode.
In the fourth instalment of Building Insights, architect Alina White of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios speaks to the managing editor of ADF, James Parker, about sustainability and wellness in commercial buildings. Thanks to Hambleside Danelaw, Methven, Reynaers, Kestrel Aluminium Systems, and James Latham, for sponsoring this episode.
Alina is an architect who joined Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios in 2002, and was made an associate in 2017. She has worked in both Bath and London for the practice, and has focused on commercial projects, as well as some high-profile residential and schools.
She recently led on a major office scheme now underway in the centre of Birmingham which really illustrates some of the key themes of recent research we’ve undertaken into sustainability and wellness in commercial projects. As well as aspiring to be a low carbon building (both in terms of emissions and embodied carbon), the architects believe Three Chamberlain Square delivers a new level of wellbeing for staff – in a post-Covid world where employees need to be encouraged back to workplaces.
Architects Datafile conducted an Industry Viewfinder audience survey of architects on Sustainability and Wellness in Commercial Buildings, on this very hot topic currently. Alongside wellness, staff are increasingly aware of the contribution of buildings to climate change, and want to work in premises and for organisations that are explicitly reducing their footprint.
And with staff costs representing around 80%-90% of many organisations’ expenditure, any solution that limits extra recruitment costs, and increase retention, is a core business benefit that is making clients keen to invest in design. Attracting the best staff now means creating environments, in retail and industrial settings as well as offices, that offer health benefits to staff, as well as lower emissions.
Clients are increasingly seeking to measure and coordinate those design efforts, for example using established international standards like WELL
They are also seeking out firms like FCBStudios, and architects like Alina, for these often demanding projects, so it’s great to have her insights for the podcast.
In the third episode of Building Insights, Antony Wood, executive director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), speaks to the managing editor of Architects' Datafile, James Parker, about the future of tall building design.
9/11 was supposed to be a watershed – when our global fascination for building tall towers came to a halt. However the opposite was true, globally the pace of tall buildings construction has increased exponentially in the 21st century. While China has made some interventions in the past few months to limit its race to build tall, the pandemic has only made a slight impact on development, and climate change less still. However, building owners now need to bring workers and residents back to city centres, post-pandemic. As Architects Datafile’s recent survey of architects showed, the emphasis is shifting to more attractive, more sustainable mixed use buildings – which offer spatial qualities not seen before in dense city clusters.
Antony Wood is an architect with a fascinating career, trained in the UK and having designed tall buildings in the far east before returning to the west to head up the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Chicago. From being enamoured by science fiction and future visions of cities from an early age, he remains a devotee of high-rise density in urban settings. However he has some strong views about the free-for-all planning that has held sway over recent decades in many cities, which has given urban centres a homogenous feel that’s damaged the reputation of tall buildings.
Speaking to Antony gave some great insights into the need to make such designs more context specific, how high-level, horizontally-connected structures might be part of the answer, and whether timber is going to be a key structural material. He also explained how the Council on Tall Buildings is taking this agenda forward globally. With the urbanisation of the global population on an inexorably upward trajectory, architects and planners have to quickly grasp the potential to create the healthy cities of the future we need.]
Thanks to OnLevel, Siderise, Construction Specialities, and Ash & Lacy for sponsoring this episode.
In the second instalment of Building Insights, Dr Gavin Dunn of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers speaks to the managing editor of Housebuilder & Developer, James Parker, about how the Future Homes Standard can be delivered.
The Future Homes Standard is probably the most far-reaching and onerous set of quality requirements which housebuilders have had to confront, certainly this century.
The aims are laudable, to shake up Building Regulations to improve the efficiency performance of all new homes, and help drive the UK towards our 2050 net zero carbon targets. The standard includes big efficiency improvements to meet an updated Part L (covering thermal performance), but also Part F (ventilation). But it’s not all about the 2025 deadline. With 20 per cent of our carbon emissions coming from new and existing homes, there’s an interim step too, which is now looming.
Currently CEO of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, Dr Gavin Dunn trained as an architect, and after working as a director at the BRE for several years, including overseeing the BREEAM standard, he joined the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC) at what was then the DCLG. In 2018 he moved to chair BRAC’s Future Homes Standard Working Group, and so was instrumental in developing the standard, and the consultation process with the industry. He is the ideal person to speak to on what housebuilders need to do to achieve compliance, and he duly provided some clear insights during our revealing chat.
Thanks to our sponsors WMS, Recticel, Epic Insulation, LG, Schock and Mitsubishi Electric.
In the first episode of Building Insights, James Parker, editor of Architects' Datafile Magazine, interviews Sarah Lewis, architect and research and policy director at the Passivhaus Trust.
Passivhaus is being hailed as the UK construction industry's best hope for achieving zero carbon in 2050. Sarah Lewis is a key advocate of the low-energy building design approach, having spread the word far and wide via her work at the UK's main body promoting the method – the Passivhaus Trust. Takeup is still relatively low in the UK, however, as ADF magazine's recent reader survey and White Paper confirmed.
In a revealing and in-depth conversation, Sarah gave some candid insights into the likely reasons, but also put the positive case for Passivhaus going forward.
Thanks to our sponsors, Lamilux and Schock.