News

The 2021 consultation set out proposals for comprehensive reform of legislation that contributes to building safety in Wales.

This week (7-13 February) marks the 15th Annual National Apprenticeship Week. CABE is committed to apprenticeships and wants to take the time to celebrate its own apprentices. Building Engineer takes a closer look at what inspired them in the first place.

The Government’s Building Safety Bill proposes significant reforms to the building control profession in England. The Bill will introduce a new framework for the registration and regulatory oversight of the profession, setting new requirements and standards that will apply across both the public and private sector, levelling the playing field for the first time.

The Construction Leadership Council has released guidance for sites operating during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Circulars for Parts L and F and introducing new Parts O and S and updated or new Approved Documents are available.

Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew and the Museum of Architecture (MoA) have launched an international design competition to create three treehouses across RBG Kew’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of a larger Treehouses at Kew exhibition that will run from April to October 2023.

I feel my year in office is flying by; I’m now getting ready to chair the Association’s AGM later this month, where we will discover who will be joining the board in June and who will be the next Vice-president.

UCEM, in collaboration with the Climate Framework, has released a free Energy and Carbon in the Built Environment course. It explores how net-zero carbon can be achieved through optimised building design, sustainable material selections, and efficient construction.

The annual drinking water quality report, published by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), shows drinking water in England and Wales is safe, reliable and meeting the DWI’s stringent high standards. However, it also shows many properties can still be affected by lead pipes, mostly found in older homes, and lead solder, which some plumbers are using illegally.

A group of 12 young professionals from the built environment and construction sector have formed an alliance to make sure the voices of the next generation are heard in creating an inclusive industry that is fit for the future.

As part of a national Compliance Plan for Scotland, this consultation seeks to obtain the views on the development of a new Compliance Plan Manager role within the building standards system which will apply to specific high-risk building (HRB) types, the definition of these HRBs and the level of fines where work is not carried out in accordance with the regulations.

The CIC has urged young construction Industry professionals to share what they would like the industry to look like in 2050. Will Arnold, CIC 2050 Group Chair, says; “The 2050 Group acts as a conduit between current and future leaders of the profession, and we intend to use the survey results to set a vision for our work over the next two years.”

HMRC has announced changes to the aggregates levy. Legislation will be amended to ensure all borrow pit aggregate dug for use in construction will be taxed under the levy. The HMRC will explore the scope to replace specific exemptions from the levy with a general one for aggregate extracted unavoidably as part of a construction project.

NBS’ annual Digital Construction Survey (formally BIM Survey) has revealed that 80% of respondents think adoption of digital technologies is delivering a better-built environment, with 75% agreeing that it offers sustainability benefits.

The National Digital Twin programme and partners produced a film and interactive app for COP26 showcasing the role of connected digital twins in adapting to the climate emergency.

The new EN1004-1 product standards will ensure all mobile access towers comply to create a safer working at height environment, and came into force in November 2021.

The Engineering Brand Monitor report focuses on STEM secondary school teachers’ knowledge and understanding of engineering and the extent to which they feel able and are motivated to provide related careers guidance and activities to their students.

The government’s long-awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy, published in November 2021, aims to reduce household heating and buildings emissions. Grants worth £5,000 per household will help ensure that low-carbon heating systems such as heat pumps are no more expensive to install and run than fossil fuel boilers. A total of £450m will be earmarked over the next three years for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, part of more than £3.9bn of funding for decarbonising heat and buildings.

NHBC, the UK warranty and insurance provider for new homes, has launched the 2022 edition of its technical standards

Manufacturers of construction products will need to start sharing their data digitally to support a safer and sustainable construction industry.