Author Archives: Contributor

In a tie-up with data firm Tussell, Construction News brings you quarterly data on construction contracts awarded by the public sector. View the biggest contractors, clients, frameworks and opportunities, with analysis from Tussell. Market Overview The UK Government awarded 2,021 contracts relating to Construction in Q1 2024, worth a total…

While the overall economy grew in March, construction output went in the opposite direction, leading to some downbeat headlines. But it is difficult to glean too much about the state of first-quarter figures during rainy years. Perhaps more interesting was the official data on new orders, which showed a 15.9…

Kim Hegarty is the director of Linesight The UK Trade Skills Index shows that the construction and trade industries need 937,000 extra workers by 2032. With skills from the high-tech industrial sector in demand from the burgeoning life sciences and data centres industries, upskilling for semiconductor projects needs to start…

Pictured left to right: Fiona Lomas-Holt is director of sustainability and ESG, Mat Jones is senior director of planning, and Katy Lightbody is senior director of heritage and townscape at consultancy Turley Decarbonising buildings is critical to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but the strategy for it raises a…

Haman Manak is procurement director at contractor Stanmore Last year, Rishi Sunak’s International Technology Strategy set the UK’s path straight: we would pivot to remain at the forefront of innovation, drive success and establish ourselves as an unwavering global tech powerhouse. Unlike before, the strategy outlined the steps to place…

Charles Maurice is a partner at law firm Stevens & Bolton Businesses and individuals across all sectors are increasingly falling prey to cyber attacks. Strategies to combat these risks are of course freely available, as are various commercial products and services. But a working understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities…

The prestigious Construction News Awards 2024 is continuing its partnership with industry charity CRASH. The awards recognise and reward the people, pride and passion of the industry, and will crown winners in 24 categories at its iconic ceremony at The Grosvenor, Park Lane this summer. For 17 years, the Construction News Awards and its guests…

Martin Barnfield is head of manufacturing at Painter Brothers, part of Balfour Beatty Group In an era marked by constant change and innovation, companies in the manufacturing and construction sector face a multitude of challenges. With fierce global competition for skilled workers, combined with high domestic material costs, the stakes…

Graeme Fox is technical director of the Building Engineering Services Association  According to data from government agency Public Health Wales, poor air quality is responsible for up to 1,400 excess deaths per 100,000 each year. Compare that with smoking, which annually accounts for 180 deaths per 100,000 of the global…

As the industry awaits the Grenfell Inquiry phase-two report, Dr Bernard Rimmer asks whether the builder-developer business model needs a complete overhaul It looks as though the final report of the Grenfell Inquiry could be presented to the government this summer, so perhaps now is the time to reflect on…