Opinion

Litigation lawyer Richard McMeeken discusses a recent decision involving a building contractor which has clarified certain aspects of the law of bribery in Scotland. In Oil States Industries (UK) Limited v "S" Limited; Lagan Building Contractors Limited (in administration); John Hansen and Stuart Ir

As part of Scotland Excel’s ‘Supporting the journey to net zero’ campaign, Ian Heron - residential specification manager, Renewable Heating at Mitsubishi Electric - writes about the need for an urgent change in the way we heat our buildings. In June 2019, the UK became the first ma

Scott Brewster reveals why Brewster Brothers has switched back to diesel to fuel its fleet just eight months after making the transition to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). The decision to switch to green sustainable fuels should be an easy one. Certainly, for our organisation, a sustainable r

The energy crisis will only worsen unless we offer a balanced smart transition where consumers decide their own energy future, says John Forster from the Forster Group. Energy prices skyrocketing, rising inflation rates and a potential year-long recession, the immediate economic picture for the UK l

Architect Bruce Kennedy says the use of biophilic design for the Heriot-Watt campus in Dubai helps bring interest and comfort into the building, particularly as it sits in such an extreme environment. When visitors cross the threshold of Heriot Watt’s new university campus in Dubai, they leave

Hazel Davies from Cruden Homes (East) discusses city living trends and Cruden's brand new stylish development - Waverley Square in Edinburgh. For the last few years, house buyers have been leaving behind urban life to seek fresh pastures in the countryside. They’ve taken advantage of changing

Andrew Diamond, partner and head of residential property at Lindsays, reveals how ‘subject to purchase’ bids hold potential for unlocking opportunities to bring more homes on to market as well as greater buying power. Contract clauses which make home sales subject to the seller buying th

Craig McClaren talks about the Royal Town Planning Institute's project to build on the strength of the nations and regions so it can better meet its members' needs. The RTPI’s nations and regions are an incredibly important part of the Institute that work within and across a diverse range of c

DM Hall property expert Calum Allmond believes it's time for a fresh look at the many ways an Energy Performance Certificate can be beneficial to property owners. In the same way that Home Reports have become an accepted part of the residential property market so have Energy Performance Certificates

As part of Scotland Excel’s ‘Supporting the journey to net zero’ campaign, Caitriona Jordan, head of retrofit programmes at Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), looks at the skills needed in the construction industry to support decarbonisation. Decarbonisation

Keith Kilburn and David Arnott outline how international arbitration can be used in the construction industry. International arbitration is a well-recognised dispute resolution process for construction projects throughout the world. It offers numerous benefits to parties, including the ability

As part of Scotland Excel’s ‘Supporting the journey to net zero’ campaign, David Pierpoint, chief executive officer at The Retrofit Academy, explores the skills gap in the retrofit sector and what’s needed to decarbonise housing stock in Scotland. Scotland, like the rest of t

Richard Hepburn, managing director at Millar & Bryce, examines the current trends observed in Landmark Information Group's Q2 property trends report. It could be argued that, compared to the England and Wales property market, the Scottish market entered Q2 at something of a disadvantage as Covid

Paul Kelly argues that more collaboration and regular communications with planning authorities is required to get projects moving. It’s no surprise to me that the number of affordable homes started in the last quarter has decreased significantly from the same period last year. For private sale

To protect customers, the UK government has introduced a new code of practice and ombudsman scheme applying to all private buyers of new homes for owner-occupation anywhere in the UK. Finlay Campbell explains the details. The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), an independent body established by Westmin