What progress has been made since Grenfell?

Hannah Mansell, from the Masonite group of companies in the UK, outlines findings from research into how the public sector approaches fire safety and the biggest challenges facing organisations looking to safeguard resident wellbeing in high-rise buildings In 2017, the... View Article

Good ventilation practice in social housing

Poor indoor air quality and ventilation in general current housing stock has always been a huge challenge for social housing bodies. Roy Byom from Titon explains Houses, flats and apartments built over several decades have had differing ideas and applications... View Article

Outside spaces that work

Jack Potter from Ground Control explores how the housing sector can unlock the value of green space, and help the next generation to reap the benefits of their natural world While biodiversity recovery is often seen as second in priority... View Article

Futurebuild targets retrofit at scale

With 27 million domestic buildings in the UK, the majority of which require significant energy efficiency improvements, it has been calculated by the UK Green Building Council that 1.8 homes per minute will need to be retrofitted to deliver the... View Article

Safe, inclusive bathrooms are the future

Bathrooms can be a danger zone and entirely unsuitable for disabled people in many homes across the UK. Stuart Reynolds from AKW, explores the challenges facing both landlords and tenants and considers solutions to the problem When is a house... View Article

Heating from the ground up

Craig Edwards of WMS, explains how to incorporate affordable warmth into the very fabric of a home with underfloor heating Rising energy bills in the UK are set to push even more households into fuel poverty this winter. The stakes... View Article

Setting the standard for certification and compliance

Marcus Parnham from Profab Access, discusses the importance of specifying fire integrity products to ensure the suitability and safety of a building for its entire lifecycle Focused on improving the safety of high risk residential buildings, the Building Safety Act... View Article

HOMES UK is bigger and better

An unmissable event for asset management, development and sustainability professionals, HOMES UK returns on the 23-24 November 2022 to the ExCel in London Now in its eleventh year, HOMES UK is the largest free-to-attend conference and exhibition of its kind.... View Article

Key considerations when specifying smoke vents

Mark Baird from Bilco UK discusses how NSHEVs can be utilised to ensure the highest standards of safety for social housing and the key considerations that should be addressed to ensure successful specification Natural Smoke and Heat Exhaust Ventilators (NSHEVs),... View Article

A guide to the correct paint specification

The finishing touches to a project can make all the difference to the sustainability and safety of dwellings. The Dulux Decorator Centre team looks at how the correct specification of paints and coatings can drive up building efficiency, improve fire... View Article

Closing the green skills gap

Elaine Gilligan of K Systems argues why reversing the skills shortage could quicken the race to net-zero Addressing the skills gap in the construction sector could bolster the industry’s efforts as it seeks to help the UK reduce carbon emissions.... View Article

Air exchange targets

Richard Poole from Siegenia addresses how and why housing managers should meet the new air exchange targets The updated new building regulation Approved Document F covering ventilation came into force on 15th June 2022. Part F concerns construction projects that... View Article

Reducing fire risk across the entire building envelope

Will Wigfield from ROCKWOOL UK explains why above ground level amenities such as roofs, balconies and terraces need greater consideration to mitigate fire risk Fire safety is critical in any home but has a particular significance and complexity when it... View Article

Timesaving solutions for flooring installations

Flooring installations in social housing settings often face pressure to be completed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, certain processes and combinations of innovative new products can dramatically cut the time this takes. Neil Sanders from F. Ball and Co. Ltd.,... View Article

Housing returns to Manchester this June

Housing, the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual conference – and what is said to be Europe’s largest housing festival – returns to its usual timeline and will take place 28-30 June at Manchester Central. In 2022, there is more to... View Article

Raising the roof for social housing retrofits

Stuart Nicholson of Marley discusses some of the ways a full roof system, incorporating solar PV, can have a positive impact on rising energy prices. The social housing whitepaper outlined the Government’s commitment to review the Decent Homes Standard to... View Article

Controlling Legionella

The Legionella Control Association (LCA) discusses the control of the disease in housing, as well as its risks, and emerging trends. Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a potentially fatal type of pneumonia, a bacterial lung infection. LD is contracted from bacteria... View Article

A best practice approach to fire safety

Simon Jones from life safety manufacturer Kidde Safety Europe looks at upcoming changes to Scottish fire safety regulations, and how these will impact the requirements for domestic dwellings across the UK According to recent research, 27% of UK renters revealed... View Article

Multi-generational bathrooms

Yiota Toumba at Ideal Standard shares her thoughts on how to create residential bathrooms that cater to everyone, regardless of age or mobility The UK’s population is ageing, and around one in five people are now 65 or over. With... View Article