Opinion

Kicking off a regular Chartered Institute of Building column for Scottish Construction Now, Jocelyne Fleming reveals the organisation's priorities in Scotland. The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is the world's largest and most influential professional body for construction man

Ryan Cossar from the Scottish Futures Trust argues that the whole life performance of new affordable homes must be at the forefront of net zero calculations. Recent Government data shows that as much as 80% of the carbon emissions from buildings can be attributed to housing.

Construction lawyer Andrew Boccoli believes that a question mark hangs over the continuation of fixed-price arrangements. For the past 20 years, convention in the construction trade has been that contractors take on much of the financial risk when they tender successfully for projects. But, as the w

As part of Scotland Excel’s ‘Supporting the journey to Net Zero’ campaign, Professor Sean Smith, chair of Future Construction and director of the Centre for Future Infrastructure at the University of Edinburgh, speaks of the importance of accelerating energy efficiency of buildings

Following a recent meeting of the FMB Scotland Board, director Gordon Nelson shares some feedback from local building firms across Scotland. The juxtaposition of the ‘ugly’ topics of insurance premiums and increasing business overheads with the beautiful surroundings of Speyside, struck

Following her first three months as Homes for Scotland CEO, Jane Wood is astounded that there is so much that people don’t know or value about home building. Transitioning into a new sector is always challenging, not only in terms of needing to learn at pace to support your leadership thinking

With over 65s set to account for a quarter of our population in 20 years, Steven Simpson from Cruden Homes believes we need to plan ahead to shape the future of housing to meet this growing mature market. In just 20 years from now, a quarter of the UK population will be aged 65 or over. That&rs

Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on Saturday, Lighthouse Club CEO Bill Hill reveals why he thinks the day should be scrapped, what the charity is doing to make suicide preventable and how important it is for the industry to stand together and make life-saving changes. World Suicide Prevention D

Whether you’re just starting out or planning on handing the financial controls over to a family member, Paula Fraser says AAB can support you. The Chinese proverb that ‘wealth will not pass beyond three generations’ is likely to send a shiver down the spine of those who run a famil

Heather Bryant, director of health, safety and environment, explores how Balfour Beatty is taking an active approach to designing out risk across its operations. It is no secret that our industry is inherently dangerous and getting our people home safely every day is one of our biggest areas of focu

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