Blogs

Faced with a predicted 38% drop in new housing starts over the next two years. Public sector frameworks offer shelter from recession. They traditionally operate on four-year cycles, and present better industry access and cost consistency for the public sector. Furthermore for contractors and suppliers, they bring more predictable pipelines of work.

Due to the extent of cyber-attacks on businesses, the Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) is helping small and medium sized companies in the South West to protect themselves against cyber-attacks. This scheme was launched in 2020 by the home office. They plan to support Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Wiltshire and Dorset.

It was an exciting and illuminating visit to Offsite Solutions in Highbridge last week by the CESW Smart Construction Theme Group. Offsite Solutions are one of the major UK manufacturers of bathroom pods providing a range of designs from basic to high-end luxury and offering a range of light gauge steel and GRP framed standard designs or bespoke solutions.

The UK is currently suffering from an unprecedented increase in energy prices and has an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions to save our planet. Therefore, the government's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is crucial for us to make a difference in how we live for economic and global reasons.

This Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was created in partnership with Constructing Modern Methods and Bristol Housing Festival enabling all publicly owned bodies in the South West to access suppliers and contractors capable of providing low carbon solutions.

Tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, and even more recently the Whitechapel tower block blaze in East London, have highlighted the need for comprehensive reviews of existing building safety standards. This includes evaluations of whether regulations are adequate to protect the people living inside high-risk buildings such as high-rise flats.

Fire doors are an essential aspect of fire safety for any property. They’re designed to stop the spread of fire and smoke in a building for long periods. This ensures escape routes are protected so people can evacuate a building safely and provides more time for firefighters to extinguish a fire.

Windows and doors play a big part in the look of a building, and due to their continuous use, they need to be fit for purpose. It is therefore essential to consider the quality of material used to produce these windows and doors because this will impact how long they can last and reduce the amount of upkeep required.

Since the start of the pandemic, material prices in construction have risen sharply, and now, factors such as the war in Ukraine and inflation have only exasperated things.  

Timber, steel, concrete, and tiles for roofing have seen the biggest increases. However, other materials have seen significant increases, too, such as plastics, quarry, and other metals such as aluminium, lead, cast iron, and copper.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is increasingly recognised as a key solution to solving the UK’s housing crisis. In recent years it has carved a place in government policy, with Homes England placing it at the forefront of future housing development.