Walking the talk: Best practices for digital construction It’s no secret that digital innovations can improve productivity and help the construction industry navigate disruptions and mitigate risks. And in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many project owners have been forced to step up their use of technology to enable their teams to work and

This is how we can get real value from infrastructure COVID has been a cruel teacher, yet we must heed its lessons. If we want to ‘bounce forward’ and build a better world post-pandemic, then we must up our game on systems-thinking in every sector, and definitely in the built environment. And if we think

Public-private partnerships: lessons from COVID-19 The CBI’s latest report Public-private partnerships: lessons from COVID-19 celebrates the successful partnerships between government and industry that have helped tackle the pandemic and ensure communities have had continued access to vital public services. Building on dozens of case studies from UK businesses, the report argues that there are lessons

Making flexible working work in the long term The Covid-19 pandemic has been, and continues to be, a trying time for everyone. For businesses, the imposed lockdown has been a crash course in remote working, setting up suitable arrangements for people to carry on being productive from home, adopting new technologies to connect and adapting

Let’s focus on the good guys There is a lot of doom and gloom out there at the moment. From news about the domestic implications of a second wave of covid-19 to its on-going global economic impact, it is all very sober reading and watching. As I scroll through the stories, it is not lost on

Why WFH isn’t necessarily good for women By altering attitudes toward working from home (WFH), COVID-19 may have forever changed the way we work. According to a new MIT study, half of those who were employed before the pandemic are now working remotely. As company executives see for themselves that excellent work can be achieved, and productivity heightened,

UK scientists begin study of how long Covid can survive in the air It is the question scientists around the world are trying to answer: how long can the coronavirus survive in the tiny aerosol particles we exhale? In a high-security lab near Bristol, entered through a series of airlock doors, scientists may be weeks

Michelle Ogundehin on the imperative need to diversify design From the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to looming economic uncertainty and issues of systemic racial bias, this year has already seen us tested, and questioning, as never before. The combined impact is such that even in the hitherto sedate world of interiors, the burning topic of conversation

Microsoft to become water positive by 2030 Microsoft’s new commitment will aim to address water availability, access and quality in the locations where it operates. By 2030, Microsoft will aim to replenish more water than it uses across water-stressed basins. Around 40 highly stressed water basins located near Microsoft operations will be prioritised, while replenishment

Cape Town almost ran out of water. Here’s how it averted the crisis Cape Town’s water crisis got so bad last year that there were competitions to see who could wash their shirts the least. Restaurants and businesses were encouraging people not to flush after going to the toilet. The city was just 90 days

Natural flood management Wetlands aren’t just great for wildlife and people to enjoy, they also serve an essential purpose as part of nature’s flood defence system. The problem Climate change is likely to mean more frequent and intense flooding for the UK. WWT has been working to develop a more sustainable and efficient way to

Dual-flush toilets ‘wasting more water than they save’ Toilets specially designed to save water are wasting more than they conserve, the UK’s largest water firm has warned. Campaigners have warned for years that dual-flush toilets, introduced as more efficient alternatives that were expected to use less than half the amount of water per flush, are

Report: UK’s domestic heat ‘extremely unlikely’ to reach net-zero without policy overhaul Some 10 million homes will need to have their fossil fuel heating systems replaced by 2035 if the UK is to meet its net-zero target – but the rate of government-supported upgrades is just one-fifth of this level, a new policy briefing has

New head of UKGBC promises ‘climate action’ Sunand Prasad, incoming chair of the UK Green Building Council, said he plans to use the position to champion climate action in the property and construction industry and inspire the industry to adopt practical solutions to making buildings truly sustainable and regenerative by design. He is also passionate about the

Planning changes would drastically cut affordable homes, councils say Close to half of affordable homes in some of the most expensive areas of England will not be built if ministers proceed with changes to the planning system, analysis by councils suggests. The government’s proposal to scrap the duty of developers to build affordable housing on

Energy performance in buildings is key to meeting 2030 emissions target Ursula von der Leyen and Frans Timmermans have pledged to kick-start a renovation wave across Europe. This is a management challenge with three aspects that have to be met, write building industry CEOs. Fine words renovate no building. But President Ursula von der Leyen’s

Safe, secure, and successful events to restart at ExCeL London Following the announcement that business events and conferences can restart from 1st October, ExCeL London has outlined its reopening plan, for safe, organised events. Jeremy Rees, CEO, ExCeL London: “We are delighted that the government has confirmed the timetable for when business events and conferences

AEO, AEV and ESSA secure go-date for exhibitions. A combined group of members from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), led by the associations, has today secured the long-awaited go-date for the exhibitions industry for the 1st October 2020 subject to completion