According to the most recent figures, output in the UK construction sector increased for the first time since May, with housebuilding leading the way. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbed above the 50.0 no-change value for the first time in four months, reaching 52.3 and well above July’s seven-year low in the

According to an organisation that awards MBS scholarships to engineering students, the engineering industry needs to tone down its use of images of men in hard hats if it is to inspire more young people to pursue a career in the industry. According to surveys conducted by Sainsburys Management Fellows (SMF) among second and third

The Construction Industry Training Board’s latest round of funding boosted a total of 15 industry-led projects (CITB). The successful bids in the Flexible and Structured funding scheme include training to jump-start the careers of under-represented groups, a programme to use drones to reduce health and safety risks in roofing, and middle management upskilling to boost

A development in Somerset exemplifies why mixed-use development is the way of the future. At least, that’s what its creator believes. Do residential and commercial structures coexist well? Carl Haley, managing director of Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, agrees. The construction company is heavily involved in the development of a new enterprise area, where one of

A local government-owned company has partnered with Warwickshire County Council to build the UK’s first “Sunesis” school. Work on the UK’s first “Sunesis” school began in January. Sunesis is a partnership between Willmott Dixon and Scape, a Nottingham-based local authority-controlled company that works to reduce the cost of public-sector building procurement. Its goal is to

Tim Rook, Chairman of Woodpecker Energy UK, explains why biomass could be the answer to carbon-neutral heating and low-carbon living. Biomass heating is a no-nonsense solution to carbon neutral heating, as well as an effective way to provide low-carbon, affordable warmth while adhering to building and environmental regulations, so it is encouraging that the coalition

Leading British companies, engineers, and experts will join forces in a new national innovation centre in Wales focused on compound semiconductors, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced today, bringing vital investment and jobs to the region. On a visit to Cardiff University ahead of a major speech on the UK and Welsh economies, Osborne

With rising oil demand, it is estimated that the Earth will reach its full capacity for oil consumption within the next 20 years. This is despite the fact that oil production is decreasing, and the construction industry is no exception, according to Niftylift. The construction industry relies on crude oil production for low-cost energy resources

The industry has reacted negatively to chancellor George Osborne’s’mixed-bag’ budget announcement, claiming that it falls short on housing and energy efficiency. Terrie Alafat, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Housing, expressed concern that some of the measures announced today will make it more difficult for people to keep a roof over their heads and reduce

According to the Chartered Institute of Housing, the government should set a national target for house construction and build more homes for social rent to help address the housing crisis (CIH). Grainia Long, chief executive of Housing 2014, said today at the organization’s annual conference and exhibition in Manchester that the government must work with

According to David Frise, Head of Sustainability at the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association, specialist building services contractors risk falling behind in the sustainability race as new competitors flood into the market as opportunities for retrofitting existing homes and offices grow (HVCA). More commercial landlords are willing to invest in making their properties more energy

At a time when the industry is facing a skills shortage and young adults are considering their next steps in their careers, Joanne Holmes wonders, “Where are all the girls?” The notion that you can’t be ‘feminine’ in the construction industry must be dispelled, and ‘women in construction’ aren’t always females wearing hard hats –

A foreman died after an excavator bucket full of concrete fell on him at a London construction site, resulting in fines totaling £18,700. Gerry Fox, the general foreman of Euro Earthworks Ltd, was crushed by an excavator bucket that fell from the arm of a colleague’s 12 tonne excavator. Following the August 2007 incident, the

I was invited to the launch of Lord Heseltine’s proposal for the government to deal with growth in the UK, along with many other businesses from across the country. Many people can find fault with any argument for change. This is only my opinion, but I believe it is shared by a number of other

Hemel Hempstead, July 30, 2014 – BAM has been designated as the preferred bidder for four priority schools in Hull and East Riding. The group of schools, worth around £38 million in total, consists of two secondary schools and two primary schools, and will provide learning spaces for 3,230 students. The schools are Withernsea High

A training and work experience programme designed to entice women back into the workforce and into the construction industry has completed its first year of operation. From its inception in 2008 to July 2011, the ‘Women into Construction’ programme, run by BeOnsite and supported by CITB-ConstructionSkills, the Industry Training Board, and the Sector Skills Council,

Prime Minister David Cameron announced today a £40 million package to rebuild and improve flood defences in the aftermath of Storm Eva. And he promised that the government would match every pound of the first £2 million raised by charities assisting those affected by the Boxing Day deluge. The money brings the total investment in

According to the Federation of Master Builders, in-demand bricklayers are commanding salaries of £60,000 as small building firms continue to struggle with a growing skills shortage (FMB). According to the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for the first quarter of the year, more than half of the small construction firms polled believe wages will rise

The chairman of the Structural Precast Association, Shaun Brown, explains how the ancient material of concrete is delivering ultra-modern buildings. We owe a lot to the Romans, but their greatest contribution to today’s construction industry is without a doubt the invention of concrete. There is no other material that compares in terms of versatility, mouldability,

We look at how an off-the-shelf approach to construction benefited a newly built primary school. When Warwickshire County Council was looking to combine two local schools into one new building and needed absolute certainty over both the build cost and schedule, they turned to the Sunesis formula’s ‘off-the-shelf’ solution. Sunesis, a joint venture between Scape

The Vinden Partnership’s managing director, Peter Vinden, examines how the Autumn Statement can affect the north of the country. A lot can happen in a year, especially for an economy that is on the mend. As 2014 comes to a close, the Autumn Statement provides an opportunity to reflect on the year’s progress and assess

Future roads will be shaped by solar roadways, self-healing concrete, and the “Internet of Things.” According to the Future of Highways report from global engineering and design consultancy Arup, future highways will be made of self-healing, glow-in-the-dark materials and governed by sophisticated technologies that communicate with cars, road infrastructure, and GPS systems. The report, which