Conor Hughes, Turley Associates

The social housing sector remains the largest and most tangible expression of new build activity in the Northern Ireland housing market and housing associations have made a significant contribution in sustaining our local construction industry.

By Jonathan Marvin, Sheridan Gold LLP

Sheridan Gold have written previously in these pages on the topic of “privilege”. In the English legal system, parties are obliged to disclose not only the documents on which they rely but also those that adversely affect their case.

Keith Riddle, Managing Director of VELUX

Like many others I’ve devoted a lot of time to talking about the Government’s flagship energy efficiency policy, the Green Deal, and since last writing the scheme has finally launched. But, to applause or criticism?

By Kim Teichmann, Construction Senior Associate, Thomas Eggar LLP

There have been several high profile cases in the Court of Appeal recently which have looked at the legal nature of guarantees and bonds. The use of performance bonds and advance payment bonds are common place in the construction industry and the recent economic challenges have seen an increase in their use.

Mark Farrar, Chief Executive CITB-ConstructionSkills

Mark Farrar, Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills looks back over the two years since the launch of the Cut the Carbon Campaign. He explains the progress that has been made to bridge the low carbon skills gap, and the action that is still needed.

Neil Smith, Group Research and Innovation Manager, NHBC

Until now, the majority of UK homes have not given cause for concern with regards to overheating, with temperatures inside remaining acceptable for homeowners even when outdoor temperatures peak. However today, with a new generation of highly-insulated homes and greater weather extremes, the phenomenon of overheating in new homes is of increasing concern.

Sean Clemons, Associate Partner, Robinson Low Francis

The bleak economic climate the UK has suffered over the past five years has had a major impact on a number of industries and sectors across the country. The era of austerity ushered in under the Coalition Government has seen budgets slashed and major infrastructure projects halted in a bid to reduce the deficit and put the financial system on some kind of even footing. One sector in particular that continues to feel the severity of these cuts is, of course, education.

Peter Vinden is a practising adjudicator, arbitrator, mediator, expert and conciliator.

Human beings are incredibly complex. Now there is an understatement if ever I heard one! We have evolved considerably from our “cave man” past but the traits needed for survival are still ingrained in our DNA, whether we like it or not.

Will Nicol, Head of Sales, AEC, Autodesk

With asset owners seeing increasingly tangible benefits and the government’s impending requirements for public sector projects, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is now emerging into the spotlight of mainstream acceptance.

BAM Construct (www.bam.co.uk), one of the UK’s largest construction companies, serves a wide range of market sectors including education, retail, health, law and defence.
Being an innovative construction company, BAM are always looking to use the latest platforms to improve their communication with staff, suppliers, customers and local communities. Consequently, they commissioned digital agency Cyber-Duck (www.cyber-duck.co.uk/) to create a number of bespoke Facebook pages for them with the aim of improving internal communication between regional departments and external communication with customers, key stakeholders and the public.

Mark Jones, Group Head of House-Building Standards NHBC

Raising standards for homeowners has been at the very heart of NHBC since its inception over 75 years ago, and will remain pivotal as we look ahead to 2013 and beyond. Here, Mark Jones, Group Head of House-Building Standards, explains how the depth of data collected by NHBC and its analysis to inform future standards is crucial to achieving this objective

By Angus Walker, Bircham Dyson Bell

Coinciding with a Bill in Parliament to speed up planning, last autumn the government launched two Planning Act-related consultations, which could herald important changes to the existing regime.

By Jonathan Marvin, Sheridan Gold LLP

Section 4 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 provides that:
where under a contract for the transfer of goods, the transferor transfers the property in goods in the course of a business; and the transferee, expressly or by implication, makes known to the transferor any particular purpose for which the goods are being acquired; there is an implied condition that the goods supplied under the contract are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether to nor that is a purpose for which such goods are commonly supplied.

By Kim Teichmann, Construction Senior Associate, Thomas Eggar LLP

We all understand that adjudication is about pay now argue later, that it is rough and ready justice. However, there is a growing opinion that the justice can sometimes be a bit too rough and ready, leaving it an entirely unpredictable dispute resolution process.

by Patrick-Watson - Adopting a more collaborative approach to risk mitigation

For far too long, the UK construction industry has suffered from the inability of those overseeing the procurement process at the start of a build project to coordinate and consolidate both materials and labour.

by Gareth Moores

Gareth Moores, Managing Director at Lytag Ltd discusses the importance of material choice in bringing together sustainability and innovative design, while meeting ever important time and cost constraints....