Thermal breaking in cladding and modern construction

With the European Commission for Energy stating that buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in Europe, it has never been more important for architects to look for energy efficient solutions when designing buildings.... View Article

Including a new WOW factor in workplace design

Professor Alan Hedge, a leading ergonomics expert and consultant with office furniture manufacturer Humanscale, explains how workplace design that encompasses new ways of working is essential for worker well-being. Where do you work? When do you work? It may not... View Article

Giving architects the tools to keep sustainability on track

Alan Yates, technical director, sustainability at BRE Global looks at how the BREEAM assessment method can assist architects in optimising building design, while keeping their clients happy too. The commercial property sector is a fiercely competitive and fast-changing environment where clients... View Article

From home to office, fast

Architect Alireza Ravanshad is the creator of Dandi Space, a whole new architectural approach to combining work and living space through smarter design. Here, he makes the case for challenging the traditional spatial divide between working life and home life.... View Article

Using oak, with confidence

Oak-framed buildings are enjoying a renewed popularity due to the material’s strength characteristics. Ed Hamilton of Oakmasters explores why green oak has a place in modern construction and addresses structural questions. Centuries-old barns, houses and churches all prove that oak can... View Article

Site lines – BRE’s James Fisher

The BRE’s James Fisher describes how commercial clients are seeing the need to analyse and improve the environmental impact of their buildings in use, to increase asset value. For many businesses, operating their buildings presents a major cost overhead, often... View Article

Future watch – Norman Hayden looks at Building Biology

Norman Hayden looks at how Building Biology, an established design methodology for creating healthier environments, is seeing a comeback as architects look to increase user wellbeing. Creating green buildings, but also being able to accurately assess their environmental properties, is... View Article

Different strokes for different folks

Swimming pool designs can successfully combine safety with creativity, but also need to be closely aligned to the particular requirements of users. Specialist pool industry association SPATA provides some design advice. The design of a swimming pool, whether indoors or outdoors,... View Article

Turn down the volume

Adrian Pargeter of Kingspan Insulation describes how ‘lower lambda’ insulation can be the architect’s friend, as more efficiency means less volume is needed to achieve regulations compliance. Building Regulations have recently become more demanding when it comes to insulating properties... View Article

Sophie Nguyen, Architect

“Playing around with visual ideas is my motivation.” Architect Sophie Nguyen is a one-woman powerhouse of ingenuity. Based in a west London studio, which she designed and built, she is the go-to architect for homeowners in need of clever ideas... View Article