More Focus – Page 309
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FeaturesJust what is it like to live in an Ecohome?
Sustainable housebuilding is all well and good, but it means little without sustainability-minded houseowners to back it up. Lydia Stockdale visited three ecohomes to see how the residents have adapted to a greener lifestyle
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FeaturesA different beast
Aintree’s makeover doesn’t have much in common with the troubled Ascot redevelopment – or any other stadium for that matter. Martin Spring checks out the view from BDP’s flamboyant grandstands
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FeaturesWhat has the RIBA ever done for me?
... asks architect Tarek Merlin, in the latest in our series of head to heads with leaders of the professional institutes. RIBA president Jack Pringle endeavours to provide some answers
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FeaturesMoney isn’t everything
Don’t let your choice of frame be determined by cost alone. Other factors, like ease of construction, fire resistance and sound performance can benefit you far beyond the bottom line, says Andrew Minson, director, technical services and head of structural engineering at The Concrete Centre
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FeaturesSheds: a new approach
Concrete industrial buildings are now an attractive and cost-effective alternative to the ubiquitous metal box, says Jenny Burridge, The Concrete Centre
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FeaturesEconomic sense
An independent study for The Concrete Centre has found that concrete-framed buildings can cost up to 5% less than their steel-framed equivalent. Also, the frames have a lead time of four to six weeks compared with up to 18 weeks for steel, and they save money in cladding and internal ...
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FeaturesSmart grey matter
Much of the drive for innovation in housebuilding is focused on increased efficiency and reduced costs. Recognising this, the concrete industry is delivering a range of construction approaches that are cost-effective and efficient but still provide the traditional, inherent benefits of concrete. Jeff Dyson, head of housing solutions at The ...
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FeaturesGood form
Working on high-rise developments demands two major requirements: the provision of a safe working environment and the reduction of weather-related downtime. A new generation of enclosed formwork meets both needs. Andrew Minson, director, technical services and head of structural engineering at The Concrete Centre, reports
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FeaturesDoing the rounds
Developer Asticus chose concrete for a cylindrical London office block. The results were beautiful – and saved money. Guy Thompson, head of architecture and housing at The Concrete Centre, reports
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Features
Set for life
Embodied energy is only one part of a building’s impact on the environment. Specifiers should look at the bigger picture, reports Andrew Frost, sustainability manager of The Concrete Centre
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FeaturesGo with the flow
Climate change could make floods more frequent, and traditional hard landscaping can worsen them. Fear not: permeable concrete paving can help replicate natural drainage, reports Alan Bromage, head of civil engineering at The Concrete Centre
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Features
Top of the class
Now pay attention at the back – the government has made it clear that design is not to be neglected in its ambitious school building and refurbishment campaign. Swotting up on concrete’s advantages in education buildings could get you top marks, says Andrew Minson, director, technical services and head of ...
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FeaturesClass values
New independent research confirms that concrete offers big cost advantages to the schoolbuilder. On the different designs tested, concrete beat steel for cost and lead times every time, reports Francis Ryder, head of costs at The Concrete Centre
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FeaturesThe final analysis
Tessa Jowell has now given us the final, definitive, official budget for the London 2012 Olympics, and it’s a huge increase on the 2005 figure. Or is it? Mark Leftly crunches the numbers
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FeaturesThe dream towers of Mipim
It was the year of the tall building down in Cannes, with Eric Kuhne’s V building in the vanguard
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FeaturesCountry focus: Germany
In the first of our country-specific economic profiles, we look at Germany, where the market has grown for the first time in 10 years. Meinhard Rudolph and John Atkins of EC Harris report
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Features
The big ask
In our series of head to heads, new members of professional institutes put tough questions to their leaders. Here, Andrew Link asks Michael Brown, deputy chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Building, about the old boys’ network and why anyone should join the CIOB
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FeaturesNow all this is the client’s problem ...
As Building’s many health and safety blunder photos show, the UK’s construction sites remain hairy old places to work. What has changed is that the CDM regulations are about to put more responsibility for policing them on the employer. Katie Puckett finds out just how much – and how five ...
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FeaturesCalling all green gurus
Zero waste, carbon negative buildings and throw in a flood contingency plan while you’re at it – sustainable construction has become a thriving industry within an industry. Its pioneers are shaping the future and their skills are much in demand. Building asked a selection of the industry’s leading lights to ...