Sustainability

Skills gap could threaten net-zero goals

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The industry’s skills shortage means the UK could be unable to achieve a zero-carbon economy by 2050, a group of industry leaders has warned. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank has warned that policies are needed to address the 750,000 construction workers that could retire or be…

National retrofit plan ‘must replace unspent green grant millions’

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There have been calls for an expansion of the UK Government’s Green Homes Grant as it emerges that hundreds of millions of pounds are to be withdrawn within weeks. Construction minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan revealed in a parliamentary answer this week that, despite only 5 per cent of the £2bn home-improvement…

New engineering services alliance launched

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Actuate UK, a new umbrella organisation of trade bodies in the engineering services sector has been formed today. The new alliance will fill the breach left by the closure of the SEC Group at the start of this year, though Actuate UK aims to tackle a much broader range of…

HS2-style protesters tunnel under Higgins resi development

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A tunnel occupied by environmental protesters has been discovered by bailiffs at the proposed site of a six-storey housing development in Highbury, north London. The 41-home Dixon Clark Court project worth £14.78m is being constructed by Higgins Group subsidiary Higgins Partnerships for Islington Council. The proposed site includes an area…

Football bosses approve world’s first all-timber stadium

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The English Football League has given the green light for Forest Green Rovers to build the world’s first all-timber football stadium. Last week, the governing body approved proposals by the environmentally conscious and ‘100 per cent vegan’ Gloucestershire football club to move into the 5,000-seat, wooden ground, designed by Zaha…

‘Hanging Gardens of Salford’ given green light

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Planning approval has been granted for an 11-storey office block covered entirely in a living facade in Salford, Greater Manchester. Muse Developments, Morgan Sindall’s development arm, said in a statement that the building, at New Bailey, will “set the benchmark for sustainable development”. It will run solely on renewable electricity,…

Bowmer & Kirkland lands revolutionary £54m glassworks

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Bowmer & Kirkland has been appointed on a £54m glass-research centre in Merseyside. The firm was selected through the North West Construction Hub to build the facility, for which developer Network Space has just submitted a planning application. The 160,000 square foot Centre of Excellence in St Helens will be…

Wylfa: planning scrapped over lack of nuclear funding policy

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Horizon Nuclear Power has officially withdrawn its application to build the proposed Wyfla Newydd nuclear facility, dashing hopes a new investor might take over on the scheme. In December, the company, a subsidiary of Hitachi, was granted a delay to the scheme’s development consent order after it said it was…

Laing O’Rourke to turn company cars green by 2025

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Laing O’Rourke will install charging points at some employees’ homes as part of a plan to move all its company cars to hybrids or electric vehicles by 2025. The contractor said it estimates it will save up to 1,000 tonnes of carbon by switching from diesel and petrol company cars.…

Greener homes standard to be phased in next year

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Policy changes to “radically improve” the energy performance of new homes will be fully introduced by 2025, the government has said. Its Future Homes Standard will be launched in stages through updates to the energy and ventilation sections of Building Regulations, with the first stage of enforcement beginning in June…