Opinion

Mary Alexander, the deputy regional secretary for Unite the Union Scotland and co-chair of The Fair Work Convention’s Construction Industry Inquiry Group, is looking to find out how fair is work in the construction industry. The construction industry should be a great place to work. What could

Four years after the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, BLM partner Shirley Wyles lays out the legal landscape regarding fire and smoke alarms in Scottish homes. While the catastrophic blaze that ripped through Grenfell Tower in the early hours of 14 June 2017 with the loss of 72 lives is the subje

Digital agency director Frankie Healy reveals why his business and others won't be ditching their office spaces post-pandemic. My digital agency turns five years old this month and I am proud of everything we have achieved in half a decade. Little did I think we would be faced with operating in a gl

Burns & McDonnell projects director, Jason Chandler, looks at the advantages and safety improvements delivered by wearable technology which has been used widely in the US in construction sites during the pandemic. For utilities, safety has long been the utmost priority. Now, as the ong

Construction law specialist Roddy Cormack on the shortages of construction materials and the impact this may have on the sector.  Remember when there was no toilet paper on the shelves in the supermarket? I’m still not very clear on what triggered the run on the roll, but excessive demand

Burness Paull's Kathleen McAnea looks at the implications of the current shortage in construction materials and offers suggestions for companies who may be impacted. In March there was much industry chatter about the materials shortage in construction and the impact on housebuilders.

Andrew Tolmie and Stefanie Johnston outline the current legal landscape in Scotland regarding who pays the remedial works necessary to bring residential buildings into line with new fire safety standards. On 14th June 2017, a fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block in west London, causi

Lucy Black from Construction Scotland Innovation Centre believes that 5G has the potential to support and accelerate efficiencies in the construction industry. Recently, the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre held an on-line event that looked at the potential impact of 5G on construction,

Kevin Reid, chief executive of the Cruden Group, looks at meeting the challenges of using more green energy and sustainable building in new homes. Later this year the delayed UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, will take place in Glasgow and it will come at a time when the pandemic has focused atte

Housebuilders have a responsibility to ensure new-build homes are future-proofed, which is challenging given the rapid evolution of digital connectivity. Queensberry Properties’ sales and marketing director, Hazel Davies, takes a closer look at the ‘Internet of Things’ and the exci

Will Rudd (Glasgow) managing director MJ O’Shaughnessy details the conservation expertise required to regenerate the historic Advocate’s Close site in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is coming alive again as lockdown eases and people can visit once more. It is a city that thrives on

Paul Reilly, director in the Glasgow office of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, says the residential property market in the West End of Glasgow is losing none of its allure, with quick sales and rising prices. The west end of Glasgow is, in normal times, variously described as busy, buzzing, vibrant and

Speaking exclusively to SCN, Lesley McLeod at the Association for Project Safety focuses on mental health issues in the construction industry.  Construction focuses on physical accidents and injuries – and of course, there is still a lot to do. But it needs to focus on mental health and w

As workers begin to return to the workplace, Alasdair Rankin, MD at Aitken Turnbull Architects, pens this exclusive blog for SCN which asks what next for the 'normal' office? For many, the return to the office can’t come soon enough. Well over a year of lockdown and staff unable

Paul Hillard, managing director of Irvine Housing Association, reveals why better homes are needed to tackle Scotland's housing crisis. Our housing system in Scotland is in crisis.