All Comment articles – Page 55
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NewsJust another day in Helmand, Afghanistan
A day in the life of the Specialist Team Royal Engineers, by Gary Sullivan, managing director of construction logistics specialist Wilson James
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CommentHomes, sweet homes
We need to get the housebuilding market moving again and the government is doing a lot to help. But it’s not just about numbers - we need to build the right kind of homes
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CommentPublic sector procurement – time to go private
Time has shown that public sector procurement needs private investment. The industry must lay its prejudices aside, says Ken Gillespie, and get stuck in
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Comment
BIM: Designing tomorrow
BIM is the word on everybody’s lips - but do we really know what it is? David Light says we won’t make the most of building information modelling until we start asking the right questions
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CommentHas cavity wall got a future in low energy building projects?
One year on from the completion of the UK’s first cavity wall, the International Passivhaus conference takes place this Saturday (28 May 2011) in Innsbuck. Green Building Store’s Bill Butcher, project leader on the Denby Dale Passivhaus, will be speaking on the subject ’Passivhaus and cavity wall construction’. Here he ...
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CommentThe commercial sector: Tomorrow's world
The commercial sector is recovering but don’t expect to see lots more Shards and Walkie Talkies. The way we do business has changed and what we build has to reflect this
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CommentAround the world in construction projects
Moscow’s in a hell of a hurry, New York is a devil for speed; while Geneva and Montana take the slow lane. On a whistle-stop tour around the world, Jack Pringle relishes the comparisons
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FeaturesConstruction statistics: Is it really that bad ?
Government statistics suggest construction contracted 5% last quarter, but it’s hard to find anyone who believes that is true. Joey Gardiner argues the reality is actually more positive and presents alternative data to back up his case
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CommentCAD images: Where have all the humans gone?
There’s nothing so seductive as a CAD image of your dream project, computer-generated visualisations of how we want the world to be. Trouble is, they’re divorced from reality
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CommentWhat's driving firms to the wall?
KPMG’s director of restructuring Martin Kelly explains why voluntary insolvency figures have jumped 20%
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FeaturesUcatt: Out for the count?
In 2009 Alan Ritchie was voted leader of Ucatt - put there by 5.3% of its membership. But now the ballot has been ruled void and the union is having to spend its time appealing the decision and salvaging its reputation. How did it get into this mess?
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CommentThe James Review: Now it's up to us
The James Review talks a lot of sense and clarifies what challenges lie ahead. It should inspire architects to use the best of their skills to meet them
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CommentGet defensive
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation could be the industry’s new best friend – at least, for those who play the game right
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CommentA lesson in subeconomics
Cost consultants whisper in their client’s ear, ’take the lowest bid’. But by the time they’ve paid for poor quality products and claims and variations, it just doesn’t stack up
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CommentWhy new build is such old hat
If you want a new building but don’t want to contend with planning permission and delays, consider refurbishment. It’s quick, low risk, cheaper and loads greener
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CommentSustainability on a shoestring
The Budget didn’t do much to raise Pascale Scheurer’s hopes for the future of the industry. Here she considers what has changed and what you can do to mitigate the effects
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FeaturesOxford Street redevelopment: designing our way out of shopping hell
Oxford Street is famous as a shopping destination but nobody really likes it there. We look at how the redevelopment will change this world renowned location, and also why now is the perfect time to give Oxford Street a makeover
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CommentThe Budget: Time to deliver
Last week’s Budget made it clear that the construction industry needs to be more responsive if it is to play an influential role in the UK’s growth strategy
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FeaturesStep 1: Standardise your public building
Efficiency has long eluded the construction industry - but now the government is demanding cuts in costs of up to 20%. So any company wanting public sector work had better think up some pretty clever ways to help make that happen
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CommentUnderstanding nature
The Japanese earthquake and tsunami have reminded us that the environment is core to contemporary architecture. The pity is, we needed reminding