Building Design.’s Post

As the construction industry prepares to implement the Future Homes Standard in 2025, our survey results shed light on the challenges posed by changes to Parts F, L, O, and S. Our survey found that 55% of professionals working in architecture and building design have found responding to the new regulations challenging or extremely challenging. Find out more about how these new regulations are impacting projects: https://lnkd.in/eaZy8EWQ #Survey #FutureHomesStandard #BuildingControl

Did you know that more than a quarter* of high-rise residential buildings in London still have dangerous cladding, six years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy? On March 13, 2022, the Cladding Remediation Contract became mandatory for all housing developers, requiring them to improve fire safety by replacing the cladding with approved materials. This is a crucial step towards ensuring the safety of residents. Since 2022, we have been helping RSLs and private owners and working with Tier 1 contractors to move towards making homes safe. In addition to introducing crucial safety improvements, cladding remediation projects offer opportunities to explore retrofit options to improve the environment, reduce energy costs, and create healthier, more comfortable homes for tenants. Get in touch to discuss your project. info@cowan-architects.co.uk *source: Inside Housing #architecture #cladding

When focusing on the construction of secure and durable buildings, a vital yet sometimes neglected component is the incorporation of fire-resistant walls and barriers. What are they? Fire-resistant walls and barriers are structural elements specially designed to withstand high temperatures and prevent the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases within a building. They act as a defensive line, compartmentalising spaces to give occupants time to evacuate and firefighters time to control the blaze. Here’s a quick overview of some examples: ➡️Fire Curtains and Fire Doors: Essential for creating fire-resilient escape routes and compartmentalising spaces. ➡️ Fire-rated gypsum Board Walls: Common in both residential and commercial buildings, offering various degrees of fire resistance. ➡️Concrete Walls: Known for their durability and high fire resistance, widely used in high-rise buildings. ➡️ Masonry Walls: Built from bricks, blocks, or stone, providing natural fire resistance. ➡️ Fire-Resistant Partition Walls: Designed to compartmentalise spaces and prevent fire spread. ➡️ Intumescent barriers: Coatings and materials that expand to protect structural elements like steel beams. ➡️Fire-rated Glass Walls : Allow visibility while ensuring safety, ideal for modern commercial spaces. 🔥Did you know? Fire-resistant walls and barriers can withstand temperatures exceeding 1,00 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 4 hours! Investing in these structures not only enhances safety but also significantly limits property damage in the event of a fire. 🔥 Your role as a building professional: Architects, builders and facility managers- investing in fire-resistant barriers is an investment in the future safety and resilience of your structures. Stay informed about the latest technologies and standards to protect lives and assets. #FireSafety #PassiveFireProtection #BuildingSafety #ConstructionInnovation #FireResistantMaterials #SafetyFirst

When focusing on the construction of secure and durable buildings, a vital yet sometimes neglected component is the incorporation of fire-resistant walls and barriers. What are they? Fire-resistant walls and barriers are structural elements specially designed to withstand high temperatures and prevent the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases within a building. They act as a defensive line, compartmentalising spaces to give occupants time to evacuate and firefighters time to control the blaze. Here’s a quick overview of some examples: ➡️Fire Curtains and Fire Doors: Essential for creating fire-resilient escape routes and compartmentalising spaces. ➡️ Fire-rated gypsum Board Walls: Common in both residential and commercial buildings, offering various degrees of fire resistance. ➡️Concrete Walls: Known for their durability and high fire resistance, widely used in high-rise buildings. ➡️ Masonry Walls: Built from bricks, blocks, or stone, providing natural fire resistance. ➡️ Fire-Resistant Partition Walls: Designed to compartmentalise spaces and prevent fire spread. ➡️ Intumescent barriers: Coatings and materials that expand to protect structural elements like steel beams. ➡️Fire-rated Glass Walls : Allow visibility while ensuring safety, ideal for modern commercial spaces. 🔥Did you know? Fire-resistant walls and barriers can withstand temperatures exceeding 1,00 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 4 hours! Investing in these structures not only enhances safety but also significantly limits property damage in the event of a fire. 🔥 Your role as a building professional: Architects, builders and facility managers- investing in fire-resistant barriers is an investment in the future safety and resilience of your structures. Stay informed about the latest technologies and standards to protect lives and assets. #FireSafety #PassiveFireProtection #BuildingSafety #ConstructionInnovation #FireResistantMaterials #SafetyFirst

As I familiarize myself with building regulations in the UK, I realize that understanding these regulations is essential for creating a safe and sustainable building. Udex Architecture provides valuable insights in their article, so be sure to check it out! #PropertyDevelopers #realestateinvestors #constructioncosts #propertyinvestments #ukpropertymarket #PropertyInvesting #BuildingCosts #LondonProperty #InvestmentOpportunities #DevelopersUK #InvestmentStrategy #ConstructionInsights #UKPropertyInvestment #RealEstateDevelopment #Architecture #Architect

How can external blinds help architects meet Part O regulations? What impact is Part O having on large residential projects? And what challenges will architects face with regards to Part O?🤔 With the help of our Technical Director, Russell Keegan, we delve into this topic in our latest blog by discussing these four key areas: - A summary of Part O - The challenges architects face in meeting regulations - Specification considerations for external blinds - The benefits of external blinds Let us know your thoughts on the piece, Part O and external blinds in the comments below👇 #buildingregulations #architecture #construction #externalblinds

Australia's National Construction Code is set for significant change in 2025. The NCC 2025 Public Comment Draft will be released on May 1 and will propose significant building code changes in six areas. A summary of the changes can be seen in the article below, which is based on an interview which I conducted with Australian Building Codes Board CEO Gary Rake last week. The changes will be less disruptive compared with those in NCC 2022 but will deliver important improvements that will have a substantial and positive impact on new building construction. #construction #australia #buildings #property #nationalconstructioncode #architecture #engineering David Chandler OAM Stephen Kip Kristin Brookfield Bronwyn Weir Prof (Adj) Kim Lovegrove FRSN, MSE, RML. https://lnkd.in/gFFXen3r

Residential Building

ECD Architects worked on a pioneering high-rise retrofit project for Portsmouth City Council, which aimed to reach #EnerPHit levels of performance through significantly improved airtightness, outstanding levels of insulation and triple glazing.    Prior to retrofit, residents in the three blocks were typically not keeping their homes warm, with more than 50% of maisonettes failing to reach minimum WHO acceptable indoor temperatures. An 80% reduction in space heating demand was aimed for, based on 20 degrees internal temperature, as common in energy modelling. Using Ofgem postcode data, a clear reduction of 39% of overall energy use (heating, hot water and appliances) can be observed from 2013 to 2021. The percentage reduction would have been greater if the residents had heated their homes to WHO levels before the retrofit. Deep retrofit is a huge step towards national #netzero targets, while also allowing residents to improve their comfort and helping to eliminate fuel poverty, as has been done in this building. In 2023 the project was selected for inclusion as a case study in the Retrofit Revisit programme sponsored by Innovate UK and Historic England. Building performance evaluation was undertaken on one of the apartments, revealing that these particular residents were able to achieve almost 21C average temperature without putting any heating on. The study also analysed moisture management issues and provided feedback on some of the post-occupancy evaluation techniques used. Watch this space for further updates, as the summary report on all of the case studies is about to be published by CIBSE and Studio PDP. This will no doubt be an essential reference for all those seeking to apply lessons learnt to future retrofits. #Bigenergysavingweek #energyefficiency #architecture #design #retrofit #fuelpoverty #enerphit

Residential Building