Industry News

What if our buildings could adapt in real-time, or be built from materials that actually heal our planet? It’s a thrilling time to be in this industry. I want to share five material categories that I believe are fundamentally reshaping what's po

For too long, the construction industry has been seen as a significant consumer of virgin resources and a generator of waste. But imagine a world where every piece of demolition waste isn't just discarded, but is instead seen as a valuable resource, ready to be reintegrated into new projects. The good news, it's happening right now, most powerfully through the recovery and reuse of aggregates, particularly recycled concrete aggregates.

For too long, building exteriors have been, well, just that… exterior walls. Beautiful, often iconic, but fundamentally static. Now, imagine a building that can respond to its environment, that can adjust to the intensity of the sun, shield itself from the wind, or even interact with the people around it. This is the thrilling reality of kinetic facades, and it's rapidly becoming an integral part of modern architectural design.

I’ve had countless conversations recently about the future of construction, and one word dominates: sustainability. It’s a fantastic, vital conversation to be having. But I’ve noticed a trend that I find slightly concerning. There’s a growing belief that achieving true sustainability is an overwhelmingly complex puzzle, solvable only through futuristic, high-tech, and often astronomically expensive "eco" solutions.

For those who aren't familiar, 3D printing in construction, also known as additive manufacturing, involves using a specialised printer to build structures layer by layer, directly from a digital model. Imagine a giant robot squirting out concrete, creating walls, columns, and even entire buildings! The primary methods include extrusion (typically of concrete or cement), powder bonding, and additive welding (for metals). It sounds like something futuristic , but it's already h

Traditional materials like brick, while offering durability, can be limited in terms of design flexibility and often require significant supporting structures. Concrete, while strong, can be heavy and prone to cracking. Even timber, when not properly treated, can succumb to the UK’s damp conditions. These limitations drive up costs in the long run and often restrict architectural vision. But the good news is, the industry is waking up, and innovation is booming.