A wake-up call that needs careful consideration
Lesley McLeod, chief executive of the Association for Project Safety, gives her views on reports that the UK Government plans to end independent Scottish...
Green shoots as housing set to be new government priority
By Andrew Donaldson, CEO, The Donaldson Group
'Get Britain building again'. The words we’ve been waiting for kicking off a positive opening speech from our...
Subsidence risk rises as Scotland’s weather wreaks havoc
David Hedley, commercial & infrastructure lead at ground engineering specialist Mainmark UK, warns that as weather remains erratic, the construction sector must stay alert...
Blending the old with the new in landmark Virgin Hotel
By Leo Shand, senior BIM coordinator at Will Rudd (Glasgow Office)
THE new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh is a flagship project that involves the...
Failing to seek permission for home improvements can be a costly mistake
By Calum Allmond, an associate and head of architectural services at DM Hall
Scotland’s housing market continues to boom with prices reaching unprecedented levels,...
Scotland’s Passivhaus schools teach construction industry important lessons
By Sarah Lewis, research & policy director, Passivhaus Trust
THERE are estimated to be 35 Passivhaus schools currently underway or in the pipeline in Scotland....
Understanding demands for ridge line ventilation
Consideration of high-level roof ventilation is a key requirement for cold and warm pitched roofs. Solutions such as dry fix ridge systems and tile...
Mind those Millennials
By Ian Eker, director of construction & property for Hays in Scotland
MANY employers know the importance of retaining good staff, of keeping them incentivised,...
Going beyond the environmental argument for retrofitting
By Moses Jenkins, sector skills manager, Historic Environment Scotland
When thinking about the retrofit of our older building stock, it is important to get the terminology...
Setting the standards for porcelain facades
Brian G Newell MBE, founder and chief executive of British façade manufacturer, Shackerley, and the technical lead for a new international porcelain cladding standard...
Training for today and tomorrow
With a more buoyant construction market, it is those firms continuing to invest in training that are best placed to help housing providers bring their homes up to modern standards.
Billy Baird, Projects Director at roofing and cladding services provider Marley Contract Services, looks at how the company has managed to maintain its skills base.
THE skills shortage is particularly acute in the construction industry and encompasses a wide range of disciplines from bricklaying through to plumbing.
A lack of...
Why the UK needs to build more, build better and build beautiful…
By Lesley McLeod, chief executive, Association for Project Safety
EVERYWHERE you turn there’s building works. And, on larger sites, there are big signs shouting out...
Funders out in force and looking for opportunities in Scotland’s commercial property sector
By Ian Woods, west of Scotland head of commercial valuation at DM Hall Chartered Surveyors
This time last year, it would have taken a large...
Adding colour to facades could be a bright idea
Colour is in vogue in lieu of recent research into colour psychology. Ben Warren, managing director at Baumit, provides five points to illustrate how...
Can we trust governments, and ourselves, to address industry’s climate concerns?
By Alasdair Rankin, managing director of Aitken Turnbull architects
As we hopefully begin to emerge from one devastating global crisis, we are able to see...
Gap in the market for medium-sized firms
THE recent demise of Muirfield Contracts felt like a throwback to the darkest days of the recession when reports of contractors going out of...
Landmark Scottish Passivhaus school is outperforming targets
Edinburgh-based architect Architype is working on a number of Passivhaus schools, including the recently completed Riverside Primary, the first Passivhaus certified school in Scotland....
Engineering sustainable urban regeneration: unlocking potential to safeguard our future
By MJ O'Shaughnessy, MD for Will Rudd Glasgow & Ireland
In the dynamic world of urban development, the pursuit of sustainability stands as a cornerstone...
Making a net zero Scotland alu-clad
By Mike Stevenson, senior manager strategic markets, NorDan UK
SCOTLAND is hoping to achieve a cleaner, greener environment by 2045 – five years ahead of...
Why getting cladding right must not cause property blight
By Eric Curran, managing partner of DM Hall chartered surveyors, based in the firm's Glasgow north office
THE Grenfell Tower tragedy horrified Britain, and our...
