The built environment will play a crucial role in the nation’s net zero target. Amid COP26 and increasing government attention in this area, we can only expect conversations around improving the energy efficiency and sustainability of our buildings to continue – and many in the industry will stand to benefit from initiatives that support them in this space. NABERS UK enables building owners, operators and managers to better achieve their net zero targets. The scheme is an ada

Construction is heading for a perfect storm and needs to make itself more attractive to new entrants or face some potentially difficult consequences. Flexible working has a leading role to play, according to Carol Massay, head of construction at The Access Group In Q1 this year, there were 2.1m people employed or self-employed in construction, according to ONS data. It won’t come as a great surprise, but 86% of those were male and research confirms the demographics to be disp

A scaffolding company has been fined £160,000 after a crane operator was fatally electrocuted when the crane he was operating struck an overhead powerline Scaffolding company, ASL Access Scaffold Limited has been fined after the crane operator was fatally electrocuted whilst operating a lorry mounted crane. Cardiff Crown Court heard how on 17 May 2016, ASL Access Scaffold Limited employee Martin Tilby was fatally electrocuted when the crane he was operating struck an overhead

Birmingham Highways, the company formed to finance, rehabilitate, operate and maintain the city’s highways, is preparing to start the contest for a contractor to take on Amey Highways ill-fated project. The new subcontract should be worth up to £1.2bn running through to the expiry of the PFI deal in June 2035. Bidding is due to start for the mega-upkeep job in January, with a successful bidder named to start work in August 2023. Amey pulled out of the loss-making deal it sign

Sunderland City Council has approved plans for the UK’s first at-scale battery manufacturing plant at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) The £450m battery manufacturing plant will form part of a £1bn partnership with Nissan UK to create an electric vehicle hub supporting next-generation EV production. Envision AESC’s investment will create 750 green jobs and safeguard 300 jobs from its existing Sunderland plant. Construction of the new building on IAMP is du

Construction growth slowed in September, as a ‘perfect storm’ continues to hamper availability of materials and labour across the UK September PMI data revealed another growth slowdown in the construction sector, with output volumes rising to the smallest extent for eight months. At 52.6 in September, down from 55.2 in August, the headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI® Total Activity Index dropped further below the 24-year high seen in June (66.3).

Muse Developments has received consent from council planners to bring forward the latest phase at Stockport Exchange – one of Greater Manchester’s most connected and accessible business hubs Following the scheme’s approval, partners Muse and Stockport Council aim to get on site early in the new year, with a contractor to be announced in due course. Both the council and Muse secured £4.2m of funding from the government’s Getting Building Fund through Greater Manchester Combine