Blogs

School design can play a vital role in supporting our children’s mental and physical health and well-being, an issue that was foregrounded by the Covid pandemic. From the relationship of the school within its wider community and the design of the external landscape to the design of the interior spaces, the nature of the school environment can also impact academic, social and creative performance, of both students and staff. 

Tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, and even more recently the Whitechapel tower block blaze in East London, have highlighted the need for comprehensive reviews of existing building safety standards. This includes evaluations of whether regulations are adequate to protect the people living inside high-risk buildings such as high-rise flats.

Fire doors are an essential aspect of fire safety for any property. They’re designed to stop the spread of fire and smoke in a building for long periods. This ensures escape routes are protected so people can evacuate a building safely and provides more time for firefighters to extinguish a fire.

Windows and doors play a big part in the look of a building, and due to their continuous use, they need to be fit for purpose. It is therefore essential to consider the quality of material used to produce these windows and doors because this will impact how long they can last and reduce the amount of upkeep required.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is increasingly recognised as a key solution to solving the UK’s housing crisis. In recent years it has carved a place in government policy, with Homes England placing it at the forefront of future housing development.

A fire door is an internal door built to slow down the spread of fire or smoke throughout a building, allowing more time for evacuation should a fire incident occur on a premises.

Due to their importance in protecting lives, it’s crucial they’re suitably fitted and regularly inspected. This article will explain how a fire door should be fitted to ensure maximum safety, from the types of materials used to staying on top of maintenance.

The climate and biodiversity crises combined with the cost-of-living increase and its impact on fuel poverty has highlighted the importance behind the need to retrofit our existing buildings. The second wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund opening will enable some of this work to get started and offers great flexibility to upgrade your housing stock to achieve EPC ‘C’, as part of the journey towards Net Zero by 2050.

Since the start of the pandemic, material prices in construction have risen sharply, and now, factors such as the war in Ukraine and inflation have only exasperated things.  

Timber, steel, concrete, and tiles for roofing have seen the biggest increases. However, other materials have seen significant increases, too, such as plastics, quarry, and other metals such as aluminium, lead, cast iron, and copper.

On the 27th of June 2019, the government declared the net zero emissions law. This required the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and achieve net zero by 2050. However, for this to happen, significant changes must be made. For example, in their heat and building strategy, the government has outlined that they require high-efficiency, low-carbon buildings to help meet their target.

Modern methods of construction (MMC) are increasingly viewed as a way to deal with the UK’s housing problems, thanks to increased production speed and the quality of the final product. LHC interim Managing Director, Elaine Elkington investigates how this approach also supports the Government’s levelling up agenda.