More Focus – Page 130
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FeaturesInterview: John McManus
Architect BDP has had a miserable few years, with offices closing and a good many staff redundancies. But as John McManus, the new chief executive, takes over the reins, things are finally looking up - just don’t expect any sudden changes
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FeaturesCost model: Private healthcare
The reforms to the NHS are likely to lead to more work for private providers - and their construction teams. Mark Robinson of Aecom highlights the main design considerations for private hospitals and breaks down the costs
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FeaturesAgenda 15: Spending priorities
As part of Building’s Agenda 15 campaign to influence the national political debate ahead of the next election, we launched one of the biggest consultations ever undertaken in the industry. This week we want you to tell us where future government spending should be prioritised. To help get you thinking, ...
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FeaturesInterview: Ian Sutcliffe
Countryside is set on a rapid path to growth, announcing its merger with Millgate Developments last week. Joey Gardiner talks to the boss, Ian Sutcliffe, about aligning his agressive expansion plans with the Cherry family tradition of quality housing
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FeaturesParking problems on housing developments
Few things outrage the driver’s innate sense of entitlement more than not being able to find a car parking space near to home. Yet planners and designers are still grappling to reconcile the need to placate the resident with the desire to minimise the impact of the car
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FeaturesLead times: October - December 2013
While there is little movement in lead times so far, increased enquiries and workload may signal significant increases to come. Brian Moone of Mace Business School reports
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FeaturesSustainability: Zero carbon costs
The cost to housebuilders of meeting the Zero Carbon Standard for new homes continues to fall. Here, Adam Mactavish of Sweett Group and Nicola O’Connor of Zero Carbon Hub present the key findings of the Zero Carbon Hub’s recent cost analysis of the proposed standard
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FeaturesProcurement: Facing the consequences
For five years some clients have been taking advantage of the downturn by dumping risk on contractors and screwing them down on price. But now things are on the up, is the supply chain hitting back?
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FeaturesThis is why they’re supporting Building’s Agenda 15 ...
At the start of the year Building launched its Agenda 15 campaign - an attempt to pull together a manifesto for construction in advance of the next election. In reaction, the industry’s largest organisations have sent us messages of support, highlighting important issues for the political parties to address
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FeaturesWhat to specify: Education products
They say you can tell what a school is like by the state of its loos. Well, it’ll certainly be worth spending a penny or two on this week’s educational products …
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FeaturesInterview: Guy Austin
Property and construction consultancy Ridge works for clients who build, test and race the world’s fastest cars. And with turnover for the business as a whole rising by 20% last year, you’d expect it to be happy to just cruise along. But partner Guy Austin has other ideas
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FeaturesA case for biodiversity offsetting?
Biodiversity offsetting is the government’s answer to the conundrum of how to speed up development while safeguarding the country’s woodland and other environmental habitats. The idea has come under fire from all sides - but also enjoyed some unexpected support
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FeaturesBuilding Awards 2014 finalists revealed
The shortlist for the Building Awards 2014 has been announced today
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FeaturesBrussels delivers blow to £16bn Hinkley nuclear project
European Commission’s initial report questions whether deal between EDF and government addresses genuine market failure
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FeaturesInterview: Emma Reynolds
Housing is shaping up to be a key election battleground for Labour, and new shadow minister Emma Reynolds will be leading the charge. She tells Joey Gardiner why she is not afraid to take on the big housebuilders. Photography by Astrid Kogler
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FeaturesCareers: Should I stay or should I go?
For young UK construction professionals looking with gloom at this country’s embattled industry, overseas work has long seemed a tempting prospect. But as work here picks up, can the UK retain and even regain its skilled staff? Mike Brown reports
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FeaturesTracker: December 2013
Activity fell across the board, reaching its lowest level for a year, with residential in particular dipping to 49, the lowest value for nine months. Experian Economics reports
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FeaturesHow to make an airport fly
Boris Johnson’s plan to build an airport from scratch in the Thames Estuary may be no nearer to securing government backing, but it refuses to go away. We look at similar projects from around the world to try to work out if the idea has wings
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FeaturesBetter all the time
Last week Barbour ABI launched the second of its monthly Economic Construction Market Reviews. Here are highlights, including sector and regional statistics, with a focus on the commercial and retail sector
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FeaturesGreen Deal: One year on
The Green Deal is one year old this week but the celebrations are, to put it mildly, subdued. We look back on a year of disappointments for the energy efficiency retrofit market