Snow causes biggest drop in UK construction since Brexit vote
The latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the construction sector has revealed that the industry suffered its largest drop in activity since the 2016 Brexit vote in March due to severe weather disruption from the 'Beast from the East'
Latest version of 3D Repo software enhances BIM capabilities
3D Repo has announced the release of the latest version of its cloud-based building information modelling (BIM) platform. The company said that 30 enhancements had been made to the software, including support for the most recent open standard Building Collaboration Format (BCF) and live base map integration
McGoff Construction goes heart safe with onsite defibrillators
By introducing onsite defibrillators, Manchester-based Principal Contractor, McGoff Construction, has initiated a companywide strategy to become a ‘heart safe’ business
Calls for change to the apprenticeship levy intensify as numbers drop...
Leading utilities and construction training provider, Develop Training, has added its voice to calls for changes to the Apprenticeship Levy
New government plan to considerably reduce rough sleeping
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid set out a bold cross-government plan of action to significantly reduce the number of people sleeping rough as the Homelessness Reduction Act comes into force this week
BIM&CO adds ETIM to its classification systems and communications standards
BIM&CO, the BIM content platform, is introducing the international classification standard ETIM to its platform
Bristol set for 15,000 new homes to combat housing shortage
Earlier this year, Bristol City Council committed £57m to an Affordable Housing Fund giving grants to housing associations to build new homes for affordable rent. Housing association Liverty says they now have the capacity to develop at least 15,000 new homes in the South West over the next 10 years
Recycle cost data to save on future projects
The construction industry generates a wealth of valuable cost data on projects, but most of it is not systematically captured for re-use on future projects
Renters & leasehold homeowners to benefit from new crackdown on rogue...
Around 9 million households in England’s private rented and leasehold sectors are to benefit from stronger protections against rogue letting and managing agents as a result of new government proposals announced on 1 April
Inquiry launched into off-site manufacture for construction
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry into off-site manufacture for construction
Exploring the potential of digital technology
Transformation is happening all around us and while other industries have been quick to make the digital leap, the construction industry has been slower out of the starting blocks. Steve Thompson of EOS Facades shares his views on the positive impact technology will have on today’s construction industry
Estimating for the FM maintenance sector
Inflation in resource costs for building maintenance work has risen between 2% and 5%, however, the picture is not the same across all trades
CIBSE 2018 symposium to address built environment challenges
Climate change, the environment, security and digitisation are all challenges facing built environment professionals and will be addressed in several presentations at the 2018 CIBSE Technical Symposium on 12-13 April, hosted by London South Bank University
Rural communities to benefit from £2m Historic building restoration Grant
A new grant scheme titled the Historic Building Restoration Grant is being piloted this year in five National Parks, offering funding for land managers to restore their historic farm buildings
Accelerator programme launched to bolster construction technology
Contractor Colmore Tang Construction has joined forces with Virgin StartUp to launch a construction technology accelerator programme
The factors behind external wall insulation failures
With cladding under the spotlight, Paul Valentine, Technical Excellence Director at the British Board of Agrément, discusses the factors behind external wall insulation failures and how they can be addressed
Sheffield strives to build thousands of new homes each year
Sheffield City Region (SCR), a combined authority of local councils including Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster has produced 6,200 new homes in the past year under their Housing Compact.
FMB says delivery plan needed to address construction skills shortage
In response to the Migration Advisory Committee’s Interim report, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said the industry requires a serious delivery plan in place for post-Brexit skills and immigration policy
NHS services get funding boost for building modernisation
Forty NHS hospitals and community services are set to receive £760m to modernise and transform their buildings and services in the year of the NHS’s 70th birthday
BCIS updates its tender price forecast
Tender prices rose sharply in the first half of 2017, but are expected to fall over the year to Q4 2018. This is against a background of new work output remaining static in 2018, and uncertainty about the effect of Brexit negotiations in the private commercial sector
Council powers boosted to bring empty properties back into use
Thousands of long-term empty properties across England could be returned to use as the government introduces new legislation to allow councils to charge double the rate of Council Tax on homes left empty for years
PCA members offered Chartered status from CABE
Members of the Property Care Association (PCA) are now able to achieve Chartered status through a collaboration with the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
Communities to benefit from £36m flood scheme boost
Communities across England are to benefit from a government funding boost that will protect thousands of homes from flooding, enhance the environment and strengthen economic growth and tourism
CIOB and CIAT renew their Memorandum of Understanding
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) have reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration and partnership by renewing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
2018 Bluebeam Extreme Conference attendees to receive hands-on training of Revu...
Industry professionals and thought leaders from top European architecture, engineering and construction firms are meeting in London from 18-19 April for the 2018 Bluebeam Extreme Conference Europe
Migration Advisory Committee report highlights industry fears over migration restrictions
A report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has warned that restricting migration after Brexit could limit the UK’s productivity and economic growth