More Focus 鈥� Page 133
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FeaturesLead times: October - December 2013
While there is little movement in lead times so far, increased enquiries and workload may signal significant increases to come. Brian Moone of Mace Business School reports
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FeaturesSustainability: Zero carbon costs
The cost to housebuilders of meeting the Zero Carbon Standard for new homes continues to fall. Here, Adam Mactavish of Sweett Group and Nicola O鈥機onnor of Zero Carbon Hub present the key findings of the Zero Carbon Hub鈥檚 recent cost analysis of the proposed standard
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FeaturesProcurement: Facing the consequences
For five years some clients have been taking advantage of the downturn by dumping risk on contractors and screwing them down on price. But now things are on the up, is the supply chain hitting back?
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FeaturesThis is why they鈥檙e supporting 黑洞社区鈥檚 Agenda 15 ...
At the start of the year 黑洞社区 launched its Agenda 15 campaign - an attempt to pull together a manifesto for construction in advance of the next election. In reaction, the industry鈥檚 largest organisations have sent us messages of support, highlighting important issues for the political parties to address
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FeaturesWhat to specify: Education products
They say you can tell what a school is like by the state of its loos. Well, it鈥檒l certainly be worth spending a penny or two on this week鈥檚 educational products 鈥�
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FeaturesInterview: Guy Austin
Property and construction consultancy Ridge works for clients who build, test and race the world鈥檚 fastest cars. And with turnover for the business as a whole rising by 20% last year, you鈥檇 expect it to be happy to just cruise along. But partner Guy Austin has other ideas
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FeaturesA case for biodiversity offsetting?
Biodiversity offsetting is the government鈥檚 answer to the conundrum of how to speed up development while safeguarding the country鈥檚 woodland and other environmental habitats. The idea has come under fire from all sides - but also enjoyed some unexpected support
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Features黑洞社区 Awards 2014 finalists revealed
The shortlist for the 黑洞社区 Awards 2014 has been announced today
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FeaturesBrussels delivers blow to 拢16bn Hinkley nuclear project
European Commission鈥檚 initial report questions whether deal between EDF and government addresses genuine market failure
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FeaturesInterview: Emma Reynolds
Housing is shaping up to be a key election battleground for Labour, and new shadow minister Emma Reynolds will be leading the charge. She tells Joey Gardiner why she is not afraid to take on the big housebuilders. Photography by Astrid Kogler
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FeaturesCareers: Should I stay or should I go?
For young UK construction professionals looking with gloom at this country鈥檚 embattled industry, overseas work has long seemed a tempting prospect. But as work here picks up, can the UK retain and even regain its skilled staff? Mike Brown reports
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FeaturesTracker: December 2013
Activity fell across the board, reaching its lowest level for a year, with residential in particular dipping to 49, the lowest value for nine months. Experian Economics reports
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FeaturesHow to make an airport fly
Boris Johnson鈥檚 plan to build an airport from scratch in the Thames Estuary may be no nearer to securing government backing, but it refuses to go away. We look at similar projects from around the world to try to work out if the idea has wings
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FeaturesBetter all the time
Last week Barbour ABI launched the second of its monthly Economic Construction Market Reviews. Here are highlights, including sector and regional statistics, with a focus on the commercial and retail sector
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FeaturesGreen Deal: One year on
The Green Deal is one year old this week but the celebrations are, to put it mildly, subdued. We look back on a year of disappointments for the energy efficiency retrofit market
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FeaturesInterview: Brendan Kerr
In 2010, Keltbray, the company Brendan Kerr had bought and built into the UK鈥檚 biggest demolition contractor, was in a very tough place. Now it鈥檚 poised for its busiest year ever. So what went right and what鈥檚 Kerr got up his sleeve next? Joey Gardiner reports
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FeaturesDear next prime minster 鈥�
Agenda 15 is 黑洞社区鈥檚 campaign to influence the next government by telling politicians what construction needs to be able to thrive. To get you thinking, we鈥檝e asked four senior figures in the sector what single policy change they would most like to see adopted by the next government
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FeaturesWhat to specify: Cladding
A round-up of some of the latest envelope systems, as seen on a Cornish showground, schools in Stockton-on-Tees and Carmarthenshire, and the Jewish Museum in Berlin.
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FeaturesFunding affordable housing with private sales
Government policy is still pushing social housing providers to develop and sell private homes in order to fund affordable ones. So what happens the next time that prices crash?
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FeaturesRise of the machines
Quadrocopters, wall-making machines, multi-dimensional laser scans 鈥� These futuristic technologies may be coming soon to a building site near you