Damon Schünmann 
In the wake of COP26 and a boosted focus on low carbon construction, conventional concrete with its high embodied carbon payload remains a crucial material globally. Yet at almost 1 tonne of embodied carbon per 1mᶟ of Portland cement, suppliers are under pressure to develop mixes with a reduced impact on the environment. By and … Read more
Offsite and modular building construction is evolving at pace in an industry that’s often slow to adopt new practices. With a relatively small number of contractors set up to fully embrace it, this month we look at the experience of early adopter Laing O’Rourke and ask where next for this disruptive methodology. “Our view on … Read more
Last week we examined the Circular Twin initiative that’s seen Morgan Sindall leading on redesigning the project delivery model to embrace all elements of the supply chain from inception. This week we look at Costain’s work on setting out a pathway to enable net zero emissions by 2035 and some of the things the industry … Read more
With COP26 nearly upon us, this first of two articles on low carbon construction features a Morgan Sindall-led initiative that aims to shake up how projects are delivered. Next week we will take a look at Costain’s Climate Change Action Plan and some of the industry issues encountered when devising it. Lowering construction’s carbon footprint … Read more
Bam Construction’s Southampton general hospital project saw two distinct innovations that could have far reaching consequences for health and safety. The recently completed job entailed the delivery of a new five-storey extension, including a large expansion of the hospital’s general intensive care unit. Bam project manager Matt Crookes explains that the first of these was … Read more
Meeting the government’s 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions commitment presents an unprecedented engineering challenge. Not only is it legally binding, but the existential threat of climate change provides one of the greatest imperatives for humanity, let alone the construction sector. Sizing The Challenge However, the sheer scale of what will be required is breathtaking. Stop … Read more
Noble Francis is economics director at the Construction Products Association (CPA) as well as Professor of Construction Economics at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL. It’s safe to say that he knows a thing or two about input costs and forecasting. But even with nigh on 20 years’ experience in the field, he admits … Read more
While we all know construction needs to up its game when it comes to gender parity, equally it must allow a level playing field so that women in construction can reach the senior positions where they are so under-represented. For this Q&A, I talked to Louise Williamson who leads Bam FM’s hard services and integrated … Read more
The Devil is in the detail/the proof is in the pudding. Whichever cliché you pick, this Budget above any in living memory will be judged by its outcomes rather than its announcements. But it was certainly good to hear the rubber stamping of the widely expected extension of stamp duty exemption, and its much-needed support … Read more
Damon Schunmann, Strategic Consultant at Barbour ABI interviewed Chris Davies, joint MD at DRS Bond Management. As an organisation that specialises in broking contract guarantee bonds as an alternative to bank guarantees, it typically takes a deep dive into its clients’ finances before making a decision on providing a bond arrangement. Carried out across multiple … Read more
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Place of registration: Barbour ABI Limited Company number: 13427982, Registered office: 5th Floor, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX
