Building weekly digest - 28 March 2025
Building Magazine
The UK's leading magazine for construction professionals featuring the latest industry news, expertise and intelligence.
This week we speak to the new construction boss at BAM UK & Ireland , hear from industry leaders on sustainability and building safety, visit HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd 's Old Oak Common with aspiring engineers and Build UK , plus plenty more.
Get into all the details below.
What does the Spring Statement mean for the sector?
The government will invest a further ￡13bn in capital infrastructure over the next five years, Rachel Reeves announced in this week’s Spring Statement.
The chancellor committed to spending ￡2bn on infrastructure each year over the course of this Parliament above the ￡100bn promised in last year’s autumn Budget.
Sparing construction from a raft of spending cuts focused on welfare payments and the civil service, Reeves said she was boosting capital investment in public sector projects to “drive forward the economy”.
‘I’m here as a change agent’ – Bam’s construction boss on Co-op Live, doing the right things and… dealing with snakes
Australian Kim Sides took up the hot seat at ￡800m contractor BAM UK & Ireland a year ago. In this interview she tells Dave Rogers how things have gone so far. Here's a sneak peek of the piece.
“It’s risk assessment of a kind, if you like.” Kim Sides is recalling the time when she was forced to jam a special stick behind the head of a snake that had found its way into her path.
She was a young girl and the snake in question was a taipan – and for anyone who knows anything about snakes, they are not to be trifled with, given they are widely considered to be among the most venomous in the world.
One bite from the inland taipan has been estimated to release enough venom to kill 100 humans. Sides was six or seven when she stuck the snake stick – which has a V at its apex – behind the taipan’s head.
“You jam it behind the head and call for a parent. You have to respect the snake,” she says.
Beyond sustainability: what we need now is regeneration
The industry’s focus has to move from just trying to conserve natural resources to building in a way that actually repairs the planet, Philip Watson at HLM Architects says.
Here's a snippet of the piece:
For 30 years – my entire career in the construction industry – like many others, I have promoted an environmentally sustainable approach to building. Educating myself, and sometimes influencing clients, to do what’s right for the planet.
While the environmental sustainability agenda has become mainstream in this period, we have also entered an era of climate emergency. So it is easy to feel as though the argument for an environmentally sustainable approach to construction has been lost.
Championing sustainability began with a focus on saving natural resources. This argument, while understood as well-meaning, was too abstract for the vast majority of clients making infrastructure investment decisions.
Why most new homes are still being built to old standards
Almost two in three new homes are still being built to regulations that applied in 2013, over a year and a half after the end of the transition period for the new part L and other requirements. How has the government got its projections so wrong, and what can be done differently when the Future Homes Standard rolls out this year? Tom Lowe reports
For construction product reform, the direction of travel is clear – it’s time for us all to act!
Alongside the anticipated regulatory reform, a change in behaviour is required which sees industry players take greater responsibility for products and materials and be more accountable and transparent, says Amanda Long
Here's a snippet of the piece
The government response to the Grenfell phase two inquiry report and last month’s publication of the green paper confirms its commitment to bring forward system-wide reform of the construction products regime. This removes any doubt about the intention to drive permanent and lasting change in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The political will being shown to see this through should be applauded. The tougher stance on compliance and enforcement is much needed and welcomed.
The green paper underscores construction product reform with the intention to support a regulator with more powers and greater monitoring and effective sanctions. Firms that play by the rules, embrace responsibility and accountability and that deserve a future in the construction and built environment sector embrace this and some are already tangibly doing the right thing.
Open Doors: aspiring engineers visit HS2’s Old Oak Common Station
Students from a Berkshire college got a close-up view of the largest station development in HS2’s project pipeline as part of Build UK ’s recruitment initiative. Alex Funk went along to see what it was all about. Here's a snippet from her piece:
As young people enter the workforce, they may have a pivotal moment or event to thank that led them to their chosen career – perhaps a conversation with someone inspiring or a week of work experience at university. Last week, at Build UK’s Open Doors event, the students overlooking HS2’s Old Oak Common site under blue skies may well have experienced theirs.
As part of industry body’s scheme, which aims to attract new talent to the industry, level three engineering students from Slough and Langley College in Berkshire were invited to inspect the progress being made at the largest railway infrastructure project in Europe.
How carbon retrofit and improved building safety can be combined for greater efficiencies
Sustainable and safe construction is essential, so tackling both requirements together makes good sense, says Kingsley Clarke of SCF Frameworks .
Here's a sample of his comment piece:
Reduced central funding and the rate of inflation mean the local built environment is facing continued budget constraints, with the Local Government Association revealing that ?councils in England face a ￡2.3bn funding gap in 2025/6, rising to ￡3.9bn in 2026/27.
At the same time, the introduction of the Building Safety Act (BSA) alongside the increased focus of the public estate to meet net zero goals, mean that cost pressures are only getting higher.
Significant investment is required to both retrofit existing buildings and ensure they are safety compliant.?So, the question is, why not do both together?
? Nominate your rising star in the built environment!
After an overwhelmingly positive response to our 2024 list of 40 talented individuals under 40, we are consulting the industry once more to select our 2025 cohort.
We are looking for?high achievers who can demonstrate success in their chosen trade or profession – from?site managers to planners to sustainability consultants to digital tech experts, and every role in between.?
Read more here ?? https://lnkd.in/eJPbi4-5
??Nominations close 2 May 2025.
Nominate now: https://lnkd.in/eDzp7mtk
Events update
Risk & Regulations Live
Next week join us for four free, CPD accredited webinars taking place on the 1&2 April.
Panels will cover: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 response, Procurement Act 2023, Regulator of Social Housing Consumer Standards & Building Control Gateways System.
ESG Live
We're excited to introduce ESG Live, a new webinar event designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the evolving landscape of environmental, social, and governance factors in the built environment.
Join us from May 7th for a series of insightful sessions across two days, tackling crucial industry challenges. These sessions will provide valuable insights for construction leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to driving positive change.
Interested in partnering with us on ESG Live?
Contact Cameron Marshall at [email protected]
For speaker opportunities contact Jordan Marshall at [email protected]
Entries are open the 2025 Building Awards
This year’s event will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 November.
This year’s 20 awards are open to more firms than ever before, and recognise both business and project excellence.
Last year’s winners included?CPC Project Services, Mace, RLB and Reds10, while?UCL Marshgate won Building Magazine Project of the Year and Dan Labbad claimed the CEO of the Year category.
The deadline for all categories is 30 May.
CPD Highlights
Understanding and improving a building’s energy performance is critical in addressing the climate emergency. This module, sponsored by Vectorworks , explores how architects can integrate early-stage performance modelling into their workflow to create more sustainable, energy-efficient designs.
Deadline for completion Friday 9 May 2025.
Sponsored by Tobermore, this module explores the design considerations, applications and benefits of specifying segmental retaining walls in residential developments. Covering key aspects from initial planning through to construction, it highlights how solutions can address site-specific requirements.
Deadline for completion Monday 28 April 2025.
This weeks top picks
Sponsored by Tobermore, this module explores permeable paving as part of a sustainable drainage system solution for housing developments, highlighting the benefits and challenges, alongside best practice guidance for design, construction and maintenance.
Learn how to meet ventilation compliance standards while ensuring air quality and energy efficiency in modern homes. Sponsored by Xpelair by Dimplex, this module outlines the key ventilation requirements and explores the role of MVHR in meeting modern standards.
Sponsored by BCSA - British Constructional Steelwork Association, this module?covers critical insights into fire-resilient design strategies, material selection, and?industry standards to enhance safety and compliance in steel construction.
Interested in sponsoring a CPD? Click here to find out more.
From the newsdesk
Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!
Senior Structural & Architectural Draughtsman with 3D Modeling
3 天前Thanks for sharing