Topics / All outputs
Browse the published library.
Use filters when you know the kind of output or part of the project journey you need. Each card is designed for direct reading and comparison.
Library index
88 published outputs
Filter by stage, type or keyword.
Article
Creating Neighbourhoods
How new buildings can respect their context and help people create a shared sense of place.
Read outputArticle
Designs to Compliment the Neighbourhood: An Interview with Richard McCarthy
For architects, defining a vision for the neighbourhood is a crucial part of designing buildings. Simply depositing a residential building on a site without consideration for the surrounding area, its buildings and people can mean it quickly becomes a useless misfit.
Read outputArticle
Respecting Heritage in Building Design
Historic buildings are an integral part of the history and heritage of an area, whether it be a large city or a small country village.
Read outputArticle
Virtual Reality's Role in Construction
Many people still see virtual reality (VR) as a gimmick, best kept to the gaming industry. However, there is a lack of understanding of the capability and possibilities of VR. No longer do we design with only paper and drawings. With the increasing need for a more immersive experience to look at how a design works, many are calling for VR to be adopted in the design and construction industry as a standard part of the process.
Read outputArticle
Saving Time, Money and Delay with Configurators
Digital tools are incredibly important for today’s construction industry, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The more you are able to provide your customers with comprehensive and detailed information on products and their variants, the higher the qualified leads and success rate for your business. The trend towards self-service in sales means that 3D, augmented reality and virtual reality configurators are being used by companies, large and small.
Read outputArticle
Planning to Mitigate Risk
There are many risks to consider in construction, none so pressing as those that Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted. But the industry has been known for failing to plan ahead for possible risks. Not all risk can be foreseen, but for issues that can be mitigated against, it is vital in the current climate to plan for the future while reducing risk.
Read outputArticle
Setting Sustainability Goals for a Building During Construction and Occupation
In May 2019, the UK Government became the first national government to declare an environment and climate emergency with 70% of UK local authorities doing the same. Many professional bodies have also launched programmes in the face of climate change.
Read outputArticle
Healthy, Green and Biodiverse Buildings
There are so many interpretations of what it is to be green and sustainable which presents major challenges in creating truly green buildings. We have always had the triple-bottom-line of sustainability - profit, planet, people. Sustainability, which used to have a strong meaning, seems to have lost that because the concept is so widespread and overused to the point of dilution. Most organisations have a ‘chief sustainability officer’ but again that has lost all its meaning and is everchanging as companies struggle to define the role with any accuracy.
Read outputArticle
Energy Efficient Balconies
The increase in urbanisation and economic growth in cities leads to a disproportionately high population density compared to suburbs and countryside. Having such a concentrated number of people in a small space has a consequence on the environment and the carbon footprint of a city. Most notably, a high level of air conditioning in high-rise buildings, due to it being very difficult to ventilate at height. Emissions are only set to increase as environments heat up.
Read outputArticle
Balancing Design Standards with Residents' Needs
The principles Peabody looks for in any new development in the city starts with meeting the London Plan standards. For anyone who is part of a residential building design, though, work doesn’t have to stop there. Peabody have their own design guide standards, which are more prescriptive in areas, and this way of working can be adopted by anyone.
Read outputArticle
Lifetime Homes - Setting the Standard for Later-Life Living
The concept of Lifetime Homes was developed in the early 1990s to address the concerns of inaccessible homes and inconvenient interiors. For a large section of the population, home design didn’t consider that the occupants would grow old in their homes and would therefore need adaptations, sometimes at enormous costs. So, a group of housing experts, associations and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation developed a set of design standards to encourage better living environments for everyone.
Read outputArticle
Designing Homes for Every Stage of Life
Housing Associations were set up to make housing affordable to anyone in the UK. Many are not-for-profit and work alongside local authorities for the benefit of the community. Most offer a range of different housing options for residents, from high-rise apartments to family houses.
Read outputArticle
Designing Buildings for London
London Housing Design Guide was published in 2010 by the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. It forms a common set of housing design standards across all of London that are applied through the London Plan, London Plan Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) and the London Funding Standards Framework
Read outputArticle
Designing Balconies for Disabled People
Approved Document M (ADM) gives guidance on how to comply with building regulations when designing visitable dwellings, accessible and adaptable dwellings and wheelchair user dwellings. It also highlights the need for accessible dwellings now and in the future. We are an ageing population and we should be looking at access that accommodates the lifespan of a resident’s occupancy.
Read outputArticle
Defining the Right Aesthetic to Give a Building Identity
As architects, we need to understand the difference between the brief that the client has given us and what residents need to create a home. There needs to be a more concerted effort to focus on the customer in residential real estate, where it has, for too long, been largely absent. This we can do by telling the story of the community in the fabric of the building.
Read outputArticle
Aluminium: A Sustainable Choice for Buildings
Aluminium, the third most abundant element on the planet and the most plentiful in the earth’s crust brings significant benefits to the world of construction. It is used in many areas of a building, often incorporated into complex assemblies, such as windows and curtain walling. With the everincreasing need for responsible, sustainable and low waste construction, aluminium has a well-earned place in the future of construction.
Read outputArticle
Facade Design Principles
Façade design is a complex process. The designer must evaluate the whole project taking into account, every part of the structure and the various different interfaces throughout the building.
Read outputArticle
Integrating Balconies into the Facade
In the years since the Grenfell disaster, more people in the industry are understanding the importance of consulting façade designers at an early stage. It is key to getting the façade aspect of the building design right in the first instance and keeping residents safe upon occupation. A holistic approach is so important to achieve a safe, secure and well thought out building.
Read outputArticle
Improving Standards in the Home Building Industry
With the increased demand for housing in the last decade, how we create and maintain higher quality homes is reliant on several factors, most notably skills and experience. Over the years the industry has suffered from poor workmanship. The shortage of good quality trades and professional staff has highlighted the need to recruit and invest heavily in the workforce.
Read outputArticle
Getting the Light Right: Designing with Windows in Mind
When it comes to designing windows for a residential building, many people think that the bigger the window the better - that it invites more natural light into apartments and offers more opportunities for ventilation. However, although this is partially true, there are many more factors to consider – both in terms of practicality for installation and in meeting all regulations and safety requirements.
Read outputArticle
Accounting for Wind in Building
Local planning authorities in the UK require developers to demonstrate that their new development doesn’t create an adverse impact on the local environment. In particular, they are concerned about the public space surrounding the development. This could mean anything from parks and pavements to terraces, balconies and patios.
Read outputArticle
Effective and Efficient Drainage
Effective and efficient drainage within any system attached to the external envelope of a building is a key requirement. Properly designed and maintained systems have a direct influencer on the long-term integrity of a building. This also impacts residents’ expected performance and avoidance of insurance claims.
Read outputArticle
Fire Safety Throughout the Life of High-Rise Buildings
Before the disaster at Grenfell Tower, the unsafe practices in the built environment including midand high-rise buildings had been increasing for years with respect to fire safety. Even with new legislation and the will of developers to design and build safe residential buildings, it will take years to get back to a place where our buildings are of a high standard that goes beyond the minimum regulations.
Read outputArticle
The Pros and Cons of Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced concrete (RC) is one of the most widely used building materials in modern construction. Beams and columns make up the RC frames commonly used in low-, mid- and high-rise buildings. The relative ease at which these can be part-manufactured offsite is a major factor in their popularity, as well as their resistance to both gravity and lateral loads. The RC frame, however, doesn’t come without issues and pitfalls.
Read outputArticle
The Challenges of Inset Balconies
A traditional inset balcony is recessed into the façade and has three sides enclosed into the building. The remaining side fitted with a balustrade. In the past, they have most commonly been made from concrete, but designers and architects are increasingly expressing a preference for lightweight metal balconies for various reasons.
Read outputArticle
Options for Cladding as Part of the External Envelope
Designing the exterior of a building has always been more complicated than it first appears to passers-by.
Read outputArticle
Brickwork in Modern High-Rise Buildings
Brick is such a universal material that we almost take it for granted. In the UK especially, it is deep in our everyday psychology and portrays safety and stability. The phrase “bricks and mortar” is used in everyday speech to express the robustness of an idea or concept. And it’s true - bricks have been used in the UK for 2,000 years and have a minimum life of 150 years. Many houses last so long that they can pass down from generation to generation.
Read outputArticle
Brickslips - The Future of Construction
With the explosion of new buildings going up in the last few decades, the construction industry is always looking for faster, more efficient and cost-effective ways of creating high-rise buildings that don’t compromise on aesthetics. The traditional brickwork way of building may still be popular, but too time consuming for some projects. This is where brickslips come into their own.
Read outputArticle
Understanding the Modern Methods of Construction
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is a fairly modern term. It was first used in 1926 and applies to a wide range of different construction techniques, products and methodologies.
Read outputArticle
Making the Most of MMC in Balcony Design
Balconies have been designed and manufactured using MMC methods for some time. It lends itself well to balcony design and installation to reduce costs at manufacture as well as time and money spent onsite. But it comes with its unique set of challenges to overcome.
Read outputArticle
Light Gauge Steel - The Modern Solution
Our global public health crisis has confirmed the urgent need for a new way of building homes, offices and public buildings, using smart construction to tackle design problems, inefficiency, outdated techniques and environmental challenges.
Read outputArticle
Improving Safety, Costs and Quality with Unitised Facades
One of the key design issues to look for at the outset in any potential construction scheme is its repeatability and potential standardisation of similar elements. Façades are one of the most significant areas where the opportunities for standardisation of elements for off-site construction can be seen. It is important however that the original scheme aesthetic is suitable for standardisation for without boundaries on façade design, clients may experience higher costs and lower quality in the design and installation of their building façade than anticipated.
Read outputArticle
Precast Wall Panels - The Future Is Sustainable
There is an increasing desire in concrete design and manufacture to move towards a more sustainable way of constructing buildings and having a positive impact on waste and energy efficiency. Sustainability is becoming more and more important too, with the design, function and manufacture of buildings needing to be low carbon.
Read outputArticle
Creating Beautiful Spaces with Cross-Laminated Timber
There is an ever-increasing push for sustainability and offsite manufacture in the construction industry. Coupled with the desire to make comfortable and safe living environments, many clients are asking questions about the materials being used in residential buildings and whether they match up to these particular specifications. There are many modern materials that can be used in sustainable, low-carbon buildings and cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a good example of prefabricated material that offers flexibility in design.
Read outputArticle
How Residential Construction Can Master MMC
Clients often come to us with the express wish to implement MMC on their project without really understanding why, or the impact it will have upon their business. We always promote the importance of starting with understanding the ‘Why?’ establishing clear drivers, desired outcomes and seeing MMC as an enabler to meet those goals, not the answer to the question.
Read outputArticle
Choosing the Right Materials for Balcony Design
It is not always easy to define the best metal to use in balcony construction. Stainless steel, aluminium and mild steel have all been used in the past for different elements of a balcony, but in recent years galvanized steel has been specified by many designers in the UK.
Read outputArticle
Designing Right with Glass at Height
When it comes to building design, glass is a much used and pleasing architectural feature. It looks great and creates a strong solid barrier which doesn’t impair the view or cut out light. As technology in glass has improved, so have the safety features it can offer and it is a regular feature in balconies and balustrades.
Read outputArticle
Weighing Up Cost Options for Balconies
Digital tools come with many benefits for the construction industry. They save time and valuable resources of course but one, sometimes undervalued, advantage of the digital era is its role in helping to compare and reduce costs. This is especially true for applying savings in balcony design without compromising on quality.
Read outputArticle
How Fire Behaves in High-Rise Buildings
Significant fires in low to medium-rise residential buildings in recent years have shared many key features. There have been full building fires, such as the high-rise Grenfell Tower in London and mid-rise The Cube in Bolton and in each we would normally anticipate the fire being restricted to one or two rooms. When a fire spreads in a mid- or high-rise residential building, however, it can quickly engulf the external envelope. This happens because a fire will always spread vertically.
Read outputArticle
Effective Building Element Design for Fire Safety
From small components to the finished building, learning how everything performs in a fire is crucial information for designers, clients and end users alike.
Read outputArticle
How High Is the Cladding Risk? The View from 2021
Following the publication of the Hackitt Review in May 2018 the Government amended the Building Regulations to restrict the use of combustible materials in and on external walls and specified attachments, including balconies. This came into effect in December 2018 with the Government committing to review the effectiveness of the ban after one year.
Read outputArticle
A Holistic Approach to Quality and Performance
Building quality can be seen as subjective – in that the client’s idea of a quality building is the standard we have to meet. When you enter a building, a high-end hotel, for instance, there is an air of quality it exudes – from the doors to the floor to the design of the toilets – because money has been invested in the quality of the products. However, that doesn’t necessarily equate to those products having a high level of performance. You can get quality products for a building, but they don’t always perform as they should, especially in terms of safety. As an example, you may have a high-quality door but if it doesn’t perform in terms of security, fire resistance, privacy and safety, the building is at risk in cases of emergency.
Read outputArticle
The Case for Laminate Glass
Under the 2018 ban laminate glass balustrades were banned in the UK, although it is permitted in doors and windows. The amendment to Approved Document B banned all combustible materials on the whole of the façade of buildings over 18 metres tall (11m in Scotland). The materials must be compliant with fire classification A2-s1 or A1 in accordance with BS EN 13501-1:2007 and A1:2009.
Read outputArticle
Planning for Fire Safety in Residential Building
Passive and active fire protection systems are at the heart of fire safety design in residential buildings. So, it’s important to know how fire behaves and how that can be addressed to manage and quell a fire as soon as possible.
Read outputArticle
Creating a Firestop Health Check
How do you know if the fire seal you are looking at on site is fit for purpose? It is not a comfortable feeling when you consider that these seals are essential to life safety.
Read outputArticle
Saving Lives and Property with Cavity Barriers
Cavity barriers are fire stopping systems installed in buildings in the UK and beyond that are required to be fitted by law. The UK Building Regulations require that they be designed and fitted to delay the spread of fire throughout a building, via unseen or hidden “cavities”.
Read outputArticle
Smoke Control Systems and Fire Safety
The fire safety industry is continuing to change rapidly and meeting the industry requirements for a smoke control system has become an ever-changing challenge. Research and development and design are essential elements for ensuring that required standards for new products as well as upgrades to existing ones meet the most up-to-date British Standards.
Read outputArticle
The Role of Thermal Breaks
A ‘thermal bridge’ occurs when an element or a structure penetrates the external envelope of a building, causing a break in insulation.
Read outputArticle
Minimising Heat Loss in Residential Buildings
With the ever-increasing spotlight on the thermal performance of a building, it has become more and more important to address issues of heat loss. This need is heightened in the face of climate crisis around the world. Thermal performance in buildings is hugely important, particularly in the drive to reduce a building’s carbon footprint in both construction and operation.
Read outputArticle
Solving Condensation Issues in Balcony Design
When it comes to façade design, the addition of balconies is one area that needs to be looked at in detail to ensure all prone areas are as free from condensation as possible. Condensation problems on balconies arise in a few key areas, mainly at the point where the building façade joins with the balcony.
Read outputArticle
Structural Aspects of a Well Designed Balcony
A resident standing on the edge of a balcony doesn’t want to feel movement underfoot. We often use a 2kN point load test to verify our designs (rather than the difficulty of trying to measure natural frequency on site), which gives a very good indication of what the balcony will feel like to the residents when they walk on it. Where possible, the balconies are designed so that deflection under this load should measure no more than 3mm at any point in the balcony, so significantly better than the 5mm recommended by BS8579. This, of course, becomes
Read outputArticle
Considerations for Structural Thermal Breaks in High Rise Living
Balconies are an essential part of modern high rise living. However, these structural living space extensions - whilst well established and simple in concept - come with some complex requirements to meet today’s building standards. In high rise buildings, balcony connections are one of the biggest areas of potential thermal bridging when done incorrectly.
Read outputArticle
BS8579 - The New Standard for Balcony Design
The new British Standard for design of balconies and terraces, BS8579, was published in August 2020. With the construction industry using so many different interpretations of national standards it was felt there needed to be guidance to clear up some differences in approach. The aim of the standard is to have a unified set of ideas relating specifically to the design of balconies and terraces.
Read outputArticle
Using Digital Tools to Improve Quality Control
Quality control is an essential part of the management of products and services. It ensures that companies comply with regulations to manufacture safe and good quality products. Each individual manufacturer’s quality control process is their calling card that proves their commitment to getting it right for their suppliers.
Read outputArticle
Digital Traceability - The Key to Success
Traceability and control over production of any construction components is vitally important to reduce costs and achieve high quality products. In the past, paper records have typically been used but issues such as human error, missing paperwork and onsite bad weather impact the effectiveness of the records.
Read outputArticle
The Digital Golden Thread
The ‘golden thread’ is a term used for an up-to-date live record of data used on a project. It is a concept identified in the Hackitt Report as being particularly important in residential construction. But what does that mean?
Read outputArticle
BIM - From Design to Build, to Occupation, to End of Life
BIM has rapidly become a ubiquitous acronym across the whole of construction. The government, keen for the UK to be a world leader, have written a strategy that outlines its potential for the industry.
Read outputArticle
Successful BIM Implementation
The key drivers for implementing BIM are the efficiencies and cost savings it brings to design and construction. It also has the capability to encourage collaboration throughout the supply chain and ensures all relevant policies and regulations can be monitored and complied with. The need for BIM applications in construction has been accelerated by findings of the Hackitt Report and, in a post-Grenfell society, all contractors should be actively responding and changing their procedures to have a full understanding of what COBie data they require to ensure the safety of all buildings.
Read outputArticle
BIM in Practice
BIM also helps to answer the big questions asked in the industry, such as: how do we do what we do for less? and how do we create information which is easily interpreted, used and acted upon across a whole scheme of work? BIM is the link from the digital representation of a scheme to the physical assets that the project becomes, capturing the flow of data in real time.
Read outputArticle
Delivering Better Results for Clients Using BIM
The UK has set the standard for Building Information Modelling (BIM) since 2012 and has been world-leading in its implementation. The development of the BIM level 2 requirements and standards that were produced, were innovative and have been adopted globally. The UK BIM agenda has influenced and contributed to the new international standard; ISO 19650.
Read outputArticle
How BIM Is Inspiring Construction
BIM (building information modelling) is a 3D modelling process that enables efficient planning, design and construction of buildings and infrastructure.
Read outputArticle
The Role of Configurators in Building Design
Configurators are digital interactive tools that allow both customer and manufacturer to engage in real time to choose and design products from concept stage to finalisation. They help manufacturers explain their products while allowing customers to have input without too much interruption in the design and manufacture process.
Read outputArticle
Supply Chain Collaboration
We are no doubt all aware by now of the unprecedented times we experienced in 2020 and the differences it made to our lives and work. This is also true for the construction industry and particularly the experiences of the supply chain within it. As we move into the future, we must face one fundamental issue – supply chain collaboration isn’t what it used to be. Contractors and clients alike are realising that they didn’t have as close a relationship with the supply chain as they thought they had in terms of product availability, material supply and labour.
Read outputArticle
The Benefits of Standardisation in Construction
There are many ways architects, designers, manufacturers and builders can save money during any phase of construction. Standardisation has a major role to play in reducing costs throughout construction, from design to finished product. Reducing the variations of design elements saves time and cost in five major ways.
Read outputArticle
Optimising Scaffolding Erection on Site Through Intelligent Delivery
There are many methods to scaffold a building, but they all start with one premise: nothing is left to chance. Of course, safety for tradespeople using the scaffolding is key, but so too is everyone on site. Everything is done to avoid accidents, but it is possible to drop something and, as it drops, it can fall a lot further away from the building than you might imagine.
Read outputArticle
Managing Construction Sites Safely
Accidents that occur on construction sites often happen because of an oversight that can nearly always be avoided. It might be that a product hasn’t been packed correctly or stillages that have been used that don’t support the site conditions.
Read outputArticle
The Role of CDM in Project Safety
There is an element of risk in every part of producing a building, but timescales and deadlines pressures can often have the biggest impact on risk on site.
Read outputArticle
Combining Speed and Safety at Install
There is a common misconception that speed isn’t compatible with safety on the construction site. Although that might be true in its simplest form, there are steps that we can all make to ensure safety as well as efficiency.
Read outputArticle
Cost Consultancy in Construction
Construction industry clients need to satisfy themselves and their investors that they are achieving the best value. That means they require their consultant team to exhibit confidence and a degree of certainty that estimated construction costs are robust and not vulnerable to unexpected change.
Read outputArticle
The Impact of Non-Combustible Materials in High-Rise Buildings
Since the Grenfell fire in 2017, the UK government amended the building regulations, banning the use of combustible materials on new high-rise homes. They also gave support to all local authorities to carry out emergency work to remove and replace unsafe cladding.
Read outputArticle
How Residential Construction Can Build Better and Safer
Assessing for risk in high-rise residential buildings is multi-faceted.
Read outputArticle
Understanding CDM at Every Stage of Construction
Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations apply to all types of construction, from new build through to demolition. They manage the health, safety and welfare of everyone involved throughout the project. They also ensure that the right people are involved in the planning and implementation of procedures at every stage of the process.
Read outputArticle
Low Maintenance Does Not Mean Maintenance-Free
Modern glass is often billed as a great, low maintenance material to use in buildings. A regular wash and polish and it is ‘as good as new.’ That can generate a false sense of security about glass, however, and the fallacy that it needs no maintenance at all.
Read outputArticle
Maintaining Balconies
Good balcony design must always consider easy maintenance and regular safety checks. These checks should be carried out systematically with maintenance done in line with manufacturers’ recommendations. To facilitate this, balcony manufacturers should provide an operations and maintenance manual which includes a schedule for cleaning and maintenance. Checks should include identification of premature ageing, deterioration, material build up from the environment, component tightness and damage.
Read outputArticle
Snagging and Safety - The Need for Change
Snagging is a necessary part of the building process to ensure any minor fault issues are dealt with, especially in new buildings. Unfortunately, there isn’t the same management structure for risk in construction as there is in other regulated industries.
Read outputArticle
Moving Deck Refurbishment Beyond Compliance
Residents, government and other bodies all have vested interests in improving building safety. After the Grenfell tower fire, which led to significant changes in regulations, specifically for the external envelope, a big push began to refurbish residential buildings. Some were driven by updates to building safety standards and regulations but, for many, this goes beyond mere compliance.
Read outputArticle
Facade Cleaning: Begin with the End in Mind
Cleaning and maintaining the external envelope of any building effectively can be quite a precise science. It becomes more difficult if the design has not been carefully considered with the end in mind.
Read outputArticle
Involving End Users in Resident Safety
A responsible construction industry will have safety at the heart of every new design it starts. Regulations abound during every phase of the project’s process and we know that a successful builder will look to exceed those safety rules. But at the end of the project, how do Housing Associations and private landlords educate the residents or end users on the safe use and occupancy of their apartment or house?
Read outputArticle
Summer Safety in High-Rise Living
Summer is prime time for balcony use as people take advantage of their outdoor space to enjoy warmer weather. We’ve conducted research into how residents make use of their balconies to help guide balcony design and specification to ensure the safety of residents. For the vast majority, the main use of balconies is for leisure. It is an extension of the home and, in warm weather, can be used extensively.
Read outputArticle
Fire Safety Knowhow for Balconies
With the recent updates in safety legislation, all balconies are now constructed using non-combustible materials. The guidance doesn’t prohibit the storing of combustible materials on balconies, however, even though this can also increase the risk of fire. So, what can residents do to be more safety-conscious when making their balcony their own?
Read outputArticle
Resident Fire Risk
Although there has been a significant drop in deaths due to residential building fires, the cost of fire – both human and financial continues to increase for the economy, businesses and communities. In modern buildings especially, we are reliant on the fire safety system working effectively as a whole for the building to remain safe. So, if one part of the system fails, others might too.
Read outputArticle
A New Approach to Managing and Mitigating Risk
As an industry, construction should approach British Standards and Regulations in a different way. In the past, they have been seen as a target to meet - rather than a minimum to exceed. We are merely ‘doing our job’ if we meet a British Standard or a building regulation. Driving change, improving quality and mitigating long term risk requires going beyond.
Read outputArticle
Anticipating Foreseeable Risk
Construction is one of the most highly regulated industries across the many disciplines it covers. Because of this, sometimes it appears we can get lost in all the required paperwork. This is especially true when it comes to fire safety.
Read outputArticle
The Role of In-Situ Testing
During the development of a build, many different parties will get involved in the process and will be responsible for various aspects of the project as it progresses. These aspects can largely be broken down into two main areas including design and execution. Ensuring the design meets all fire safety requirements requires close communication between architects, designers and fire engineers in order to establish the fire safety objectives, identify acceptance criteria, the running of various fire scenarios and finally reaching conclusions on the fire safety aspects. All these procedures form part of the Qualitative Design Review (QDR).
Read outputArticle
Improvement and Innovation for Fire Safety
The Golden Thread concept created from the Hackitt Report will, now and in the future, affect the way products are designed. It also shapes research and development which has the overall aim of achieving the best outcomes for a company in line with its goals. When well executed, the Golden Thread sees teams aligning themselves with the goals and passing information through every team member to create a company-wide vision.
Read outputArticle
Preparing a Safety Case for High-Rise Buildings
The proposed new Buildings Safety Bill, presented to Parliament in July 2020, has several changes intended to reform the regulatory system of building safety. For any building considered to be high-risk, this includes the preparation of a safety case.
Read outputArticle
Making a Balcony Part of a Home
With the increase in urbanisation in the last few decades the rate of residential apartment construction has risen sharply – with a current estimate of up to 2.5 billion apartments globally. As more and more people choose to live in cities for work, the fight for living areas has become an issue that designers and architects are regularly addressing. With that has come the need to make the most of the space available and that includes balcony space. But in the UK especially, many balconies are forgotten spaces. Most are used for storage or as dumping grounds. So how can residents make balcony life more enjoyable?
Read outputArticle
Designing High-Rise Gardens
Residential high-rises are relatively new in the UK (the first being ‘The Lawn’ in Harlow in 1951). So, the concept of gardening at height is also new. People often struggle to know what to do with their balconies, so they are often underused and underappreciated.
Read output