I recently visited the UK’s most historic brickworks to see why their business is booming. Northcot Brick use nearby Jurassic clay from the Cotswolds to make beautiful traditional bricks. Some were used to build the original Battersea Power Station which is now the focus of a major regeneration project on the south bank of the Thames near my home in London. Great to see master brickmakers successfully combining craftsmanship with new technologies.
I was also invited to the Foamglas manufacturing facility in Belgium to see why this fascinating cellular glass insulation, made mainly from recycled glass, is increasingly specified as a sustainable insulation system for the complete building envelope. You can make your own factory visit via the video with this story.
Last week’s FABRIC FIRST event at the NEC was an opportunity for me to get away from ‘EcoBling’ and get back to the basics of what will truly impact buildings, both new and refurbished, to deliver significant energy efficiencies. My report below includes just a few of the highlights plus a link to all the presentations
Finally, a warning about women. New research shows that they make 93% of purchasing decisions, including on home improvements – ignore them at your peril.
The Joint Competency Initiative (JCI), in which the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) is involved, is finalising its first framework for installers within the door, gates and shutter industry.
Posted in Access Control & Door Entry Systems, Architectural Ironmongery, Articles, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Continuing Professional Development (CPD's), Doors, Facility Management & Building Services, Health & Safety, Innovations & New Products, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Security and Fire Protection, Site PreparationThe latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report shows builders’ merchants’ value sales were down -4.7% in February compared to the same month a year ago.
Posted in Articles, Bathrooms & Toilets, Bathrooms, Bedrooms & Washrooms, Bricks & Blocks, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Civil Engineering, Concrete, Cement, Admixtures, Drainage, Floors, Hard Landscaping & Walkways, Interior Design & Construction, Interiors, Landscaping, news, Paints, Paints, Coatings & Finishes, Plant, Equipment and Hire, Plumbing, Posts, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy EfficiencyOrigin’s Soho External Door is the first launch in its new generation of products, setting a higher standard for the fenestration industry.
Posted in Access Control & Door Entry Systems, Aluminium Products, Architectural Ironmongery, Articles, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Systems, Doors, Innovations & New Products, Posts, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Security and Fire ProtectionMitsubishi Electric welcomes a new code of conduct on energy smart appliances which the European Union (EU) announced yesterday at the Hannover Fair in Germany.
Posted in Air Conditioning, Articles, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Exhibitions and Conferences, Facility Management & Building Services, Heating Systems, Controls and Management, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, Plumbing, Retrofit & Renovation, Seminars, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency