Opinion

Ahead of the expected announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves that £1.4 billion will be spent to fix 'crumbling schools' in tomorrow's Budget, Isla Jackson, director of the Glasgow office at engineering firm Civic Engineers, outlines how this should play out following Scotland's RAAC crisis

Euan Clark, president of the Scottish Building Federation, warns that the construction industry in Scotland is facing a daunting combination of challenges. Within the Scottish construction industry, we are growing increasingly concerned about the constrictions facing the sector.

Michael Ross, CEO of hub South West Scotland, discusses the need to collaborate if we can deliver the decarbonisation goals in public sector infrastructure. As Scotland faces increasing economic challenges, the need for innovation and collaboration in public sector infrastructure has never been grea

ESPC CEO, Paul Hilton, discusses the rising popularity of this traditional property and asks why more aren’t available to satisfy growing buyer demand. When you imagine the kind of property young buyers want to live in, you’d be forgiven for thinking immediately of glossy city apartments

Edison Group CEO Calum Melville shares his thoughts about the continuing practice of retentions in the UK construction industry, which he argues has been a source of conflict for too long and calls for governments to act. Is there a strategy within the construction industry in Britain to drive contr

Campion Homes joint managing director Dougie Herd believes last month's Housing and Social Care Accessibility Summit will result in a step forward for accessible homes in Scotland. On 26 September, I had the privilege of speaking as part of a panel at the Housing and Social Care Accessibility Summit

Business consultant Paul McDevitt has produced this interesting fact file on why construction companies should focus on staff engagement. Improving staff engagement in the UK construction industry is crucial for enhancing productivity, safety, and overall project success. This article explores key s

Sarah Bolton, CEO of the Lighthouse Charity, writes on the occasion of World Mental Health Day. World Mental Health Day always brings a focus on what more could or should be done to support our industry’s workforce. Greater awareness of some of the issues can only be a positive thing, but for

Stewart Macleod, managing director of the property business within AtkinsRéalis, outlines the importance of responding to the Scottish Government's policy consultation on a Passivhaus equivalent standard. The Scottish Government’s Passivhaus equivalent policy is currently out for consul

John McGuire, partner at Thomas & Adamson, writes that while embodied carbon is a big focus for designers and occupiers in both commercial and residential property and construction, legislation as it stands means it is costly and slow to get innovative designs and materials signed off.  Wit

As the Prospecthill Court Retrofit Project comes to an end, River Clyde Homes' head of energy & sustainability Duncan Smith shares the challenges and benefits of bringing multi-storey blocks up to a modern standard.

Clare Booth from Aberdeenshire housebuilders Coldwells Build explains why the company is embracing the Passivhaus standard. The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a consultation on a policy to introduce a Scottish Passivhaus equivalent for newbuild housing across Scotland. The internationa

Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, the Grenfell Inquiry’s Final Report (also called the Phase 2 Report), was published in September. It paints a bleak picture of years of failures by government and others in the construction industry and calls for far-reaching reform

On the eve of the Housing & Social Care Accessibility Summit, Dougie Herd from headline sponsor Campion Homes says housebuilders are ready to build more accessible homes if the government provides the necessary support. Scotland is at a pivotal moment in addressing the need for accessible housin

Scott Brewster, managing director of Brewster Brothers, explains how important it is to include the carbon footprint of the materials we use in the construction of our built environment, as well as the carbon footprint of its operational life. Almost 20 years after the first Scottish Government repo