Author Archives: Adam Branson

From bricks made of mushrooms to energy-generating paint, Construction News takes a look at some of the innovative building materials and products set to transform the industry Bio-concrete The Global Concrete and Cement Association says that concrete can self-heal to a degree. But one way to increase concrete’s self-healing ability…

Safety and environmental pressures are leading to a wave of innovation in materials development – but what are the barriers to getting new products to site? Innovation is, of course, desirable in any industry at any time. It enables companies to improve their products or services, thereby better serving their…

Construction News looks at the technological innovations that are helping make work at height safer How the world has changed. In October 1932, the above photograph, entitled Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, was published in a New York newspaper. It depicted eleven ironworkers sitting on a steel beam some 260 metres…

The new system for registering building-control inspectors comes into force in April. Earlier this month, CN revealed worries that there will not be enough qualified staff to deal with applications. Today, CN talks to two apprentices and an experienced inspector about how they’re preparing for the change.   Ezra McKenzie,…

With less than two months to go, the new system for registering the competence of building-control inspectors appears to be in chaos. Construction News investigates How easy is it to make the move from an unregulated profession to a regulated one? When it comes to building inspectors, we’re about to…

Will the government’s extra £6bn in funding turbocharge energy efficiency in buildings – or is it just another headline-grabber? Adam Branson reports Whisper it, but at long last the government might just be starting to get at least vaguely serious about improving the energy efficiency of the nation’s buildings. In…

With inflation, skill shortages and energy prices contributing to a rise in administrations, Adam Branson considers the construction industry's prospects of weathering the winter months The economic headlines just keep getting worse. In August, the Bank of England forecast that inflation would hit 13.3 per cent in October, up from…

Firms must address skills gaps caused by a post-pandemic rise in early retirement. Adam Branson investigates

Experts assembled for a Construction News roundtable to assess whether the spread of digital payment technology might finally accelerate construction’s notoriously slow cashflow. Adam Branson reports

In a roundtable chaired by CN editor Lem Bingley, industry experts discussed the ups and downs of ongoing supply chain constraints. Adam Branson reports