The hot topic

With the UK breaking temperature records while homes become increasingly air tight, James Healey from the Institute of Acoustics looks at hitting the tricky balance between overheating and external noise This summer saw the hottest temperatures the UK has ever... View Article

A robust case for timber windows

Today’s timber windows are vastly improved on their predecessors, but a recent survey and round table found that specifiers’ misconceptions are still making them wary, says Tracy Pomfret of George Barnsdale Rishi Sunak’s U-turn on attending COP 27 came to... View Article

The embodiment of low carbon

Craig Edwards from WMS Underfloor Heating gives his views on why the latest embodied carbon data on heating systems shows that underfloor heating is the option to consider for specifiers pursuing low emissions The total carbon emissions from a building... View Article

Rising to the refurb challenge

Renovating older buildings requires a delicate balance of facilitating disability access while remaining sensitive to a building’s original character, says Sean O’Sullivan from The Platform Lift Company A visit to a local market town or high street provides stark evidence of... View Article

A small victory

As an owner of a company that designs and builds furniture, Hamish Forbes wasn’t initially daunted by a full renovation of his one bedroom cottage in the west of Scotland. However, he soon realised small doesn’t always mean simple TEXT... View Article

John forges the right result

When John Wilkinson took the decision to buy a run down former blacksmith’s cottage just outside York, he wasn’t quite prepared for the renovation journey that lay in front of him TEXT HEATHER DIXON IMAGES DAVE BURTON John Wilkinson felt... View Article

Ask the Architects: George Aboagye Williams & Priya Nahal

Newly-qualified architects George Aboagye Williams & Priya Nahal discuss what they enjoy about being at Perkins&Will, who recently merged with Penoyre & Prasad and have invested in a programme to foster young talent within the practice What made you want... View Article

Back to the Futurebuild – on the path to net zero

Futurebuild is doubling down on its sustainability goals with a promise to bring inspiring ideas on how the industry can reach net zero, with “innovative solutions and knowledge sharing” at London’s ExCel on March 7-9 Now in its 17th year,... View Article

A new gateway for Newcastle

As part of a large-scale regeneration of Newcastle’s city centre, its Victorian station is undergoing a revitalising refurbishment. Here, Alex Vafeiadi of Atkins tells Jack Wooler how the firm was able to bring all the stakeholders together to uplift this... View Article

Building good bones

A new healthcare facility by global architecture practice HKS transformed a business park in an Atlanta suburb, and set the precedent for the care provider to invest $1bn in developing the wider site. Roseanne Field reports on this LEED Gold... View Article

Stop costs running away

Collecting rainwater for domestic use is nothing new; it’s been done since Roman times and is still used today in modern, sustainable homes. Jae Lester from RainWater Harvesting looks at how technology has changed, though the principle remains unchanged In... View Article

The rising trend in lifts

People today are generally moving houses less often, indicating they are buying and building homes to live in for many years to come. Alastair Stannah from Stannah looks at how futureproofing your house with a lift can ensure you can... View Article

Unleaded benefits

Water ingress may damage your property or cause wet and dry rot. Nick King from Klober explores the reasons behind choosing lead-free flashings for maintaining a watertight roof, and outlines the installation considerations to be aware of The roof is... View Article

Home Styling: Saving gracefully

Reusing and recycling materials can save huge amounts of energy, as well as costs. Looeeze Grossman explains why refurbished kitchens can be attractively sustainable options There’s no doubt about it, kitchens are expensive. They’re also, usually, the heart of the... View Article

Retiring – but far from shy

Realising their Victorian house would be unsuitable as they approached retirement, Elaine and Tom Devine decided to take matters into their own hands and tackle a new build in their garden, but their timber-framed project faced some planning battles TEXT... View Article

Overheating is out

TuffX’s Paul Higgins explains what the new Part O of the Building Regulations means for glass and glazing in new homes The new Building Regulations Approved Document Part O is designed to tackle overheating in new residential buildings. As the... View Article

Ask the Expert: Insuring peace of mind

Jake Fitness from Self-Build Zone answers some FAQs on how to choose the self-build insurance you need WHEN DO YOU NEED TO INSURE YOUR PROJECT?  As soon as you have completed the conveyancing and bought your plot. The moment you... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

We are Laura and Jamie Currie from the Isle of Wight, and we recently embarked upon our first renovation in Gurnard near Cowes, which we are project managing around our day jobs!  We’ve always lived on the island, but in... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Eco Products

As we all continue to pursue more sustainable ways of living, here we have rounded up some products that combine elegant design with eco-friendliness, which we hope will prove inspiring in your project decision-making 1. LifestyleGarden’s Bistro Dining Furniture has... View Article

The best laid plans

Getting a contemporary bungalow design in south London through planning proved to be a nightmare for Giancarlo Rubano. However, with a combination of his dogged determination, support from parents and architects, and some design compromises, he succeeded TEXT TOM BODDY... View Article