Opinion

We often think of flight to the suburbs as a modern phenomenon, but a conflict has raged for centuries between urban and suburban living. Cruden Homes’ sales and marketing director, Hazel Davies, explores this eternal dilemma. Travel out of any British city and you’re likely to find new

Sarah Alexander, senior associate at Dentons, discusses the intricacies of the NEC3 subcontract. With fewer than 10 reported decisions from the Court of Session on the interpretation of NEC3, any guidance from the court is welcomed with open arms. This is particularly so while the NEC suite of contr

In discussing conservation engineering and the work structural engineers do to repair, protect and conserve our building heritage, Gillian Ogilvie talks specifically about her own work at The Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Conservation engineering is about repairing and preserving what is there. Howe

The construction industry is confronted with historic challenges, as well as great opportunities in meeting the target of net zero, including a projected need for up to 300,000 new jobs. As last week marked the first Green Jobs Taskforce meeting, CITB’s sustainability and innovation lead, Rich

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity CEO Bill Hill reacts to the recent suicide figures published by the Office for National Statistics. As well as the word unprecedented, we are now hearing the words mental health every day. That’s good because it means people are talking about the i

Scottish Futures Trust's Paul Devine responds to the Scottish Land Commission's report which highlighted that 11,000 hectares of land lies vacant or derelict.

Solicitor Ramsay Hall outlines the cost of fraud to the construction industry and reveals how businesses can minimise risk. Fraud has been estimated to cost the construction sector £8 million a year. The impact of COVID-19 suggests that cost will rise significantly. The consequences for constr

Neil McKay highlights the importance of social housing and building communities as a key factor in helping Scotland recover from the COVID recession. A new report released by housing and social research charities demonstrates that not only could the construction of affordable and social housing help

As we begin the year-long countdown to COP26, Lindsey Mitchell takes a look at how the education building sector can play its role in sustainable design. Scotland has ambitious environmental goals. It is five years since the Paris agreement. The race to zero emissions is a driver for new types

Stewart Dalgarno discusses the achievements so far at the mid-way point of the Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) project. In 2019 the annual housebuilding target was missed by 138,978. The UK Government wants 300,000 new homes built a year — a number not hit

Throughout history, pandemics have changed our approach to the built environment. Abigail Brownlow explains how Wemyss Properties has responded to new demands from today's homebuyers. The news that the iconic Changing Rooms is making a return to our screens after a 16-year break follows a resurgence

Noting the increased demand for a manageable home working environment, Fergus Adams offers top tips for creating the perfect home office. As we gaze into the mists of the crystal ball to see what the New Normal will look like this week, one aspect of the post-COVID future is becoming increasingly cl

Wallace Hume is a senior project manager at Kier and he is currently working on the refurbishment of The Burrell Collection in Glasgow. Here, Wallace talks about his career within the built environment, his passion for heritage projects and his pride at winning three Considerate Constructor Scheme A

While considering whether Edinburgh can meet its pledge to be a zero-carbon city by 2030, Stephen Tucker takes a broader look at how to achieve zero-carbon at scale from a planning and design perspective. It seems like every day the world is being forced to deal with a new crisis. But long term, the

Liz Mallon looks at the important role first time buyers need to play in the changing new homes property market. Recent research carried out by Savills shows that the Scottish new homes market has seen a steady recovery since the market re-opened in the summer, and properties in Glasgow and Edinburg