Author Archives: Lem Bingley

Many challenges in construction and engineering involve dealing with complex information out in the field or on site. Away from the clean confines of an office, it can be difficult to ensure the right things are done in the right place at the right time. David Pinches, chief product officer…

Civil engineering contractor Bam Nuttall has promoted Richard Prime to the role of managing director of major projects. Prime moves into a vacancy left by Ian Parish, who was appointed interim managing director of the civils firm a month ago. This followed the departure of previous boss Adrian Savory, who…

The government has published a shortlist of five sites in the running to host a prototype fusion power plant – a green energy project it is backing with initial funding of £222m. A longlist of 15 sites was published in June this year and the secretary of state for Business,…

The Japanese have a concept called wabi-sabi, which (as I understand it) refers to the beauty of imperfection. The notion is similar to the appreciation of patina in antiques or classic cars – the idea that wear and tear might add value rather than subtract it. But the Japanese version…

National Highways is to begin trials of asphalt incorporating graphene, to learn if adding the high-strength nanomaterial might help make road surfaces more durable. Graphene is a form of carbon in which individual atoms are arranged in flat sheets, each firmly linked to its neighbours by molecular bonds in a…

Bam Construct has collaborated in the production of an emotive new video that aims to raise awareness and understanding of suicide risks in construction. The short film (embedded below), called On the Edge, was recorded at a site in Whitechapel, London, where Bam Construct is working on a £78m, 12-storey…

The national shortfall in haulage capacity has become the biggest concern for suppliers of construction materials and builders’ merchants, according to data collected by the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF). The trade body said a snap survey of its members found 67 per cent of builders’ merchants and 86 per cent…

Wates Group has appointed Esther English as corporate development director, reporting to group chief executive David Allen. English’s remit will include strategic planning to make the group “sustainably profitable”, Wates said in a statement. She will oversee the group’s environmental goals as well as its diversity and inclusion programme, and…

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has announced funding for three brownfield regeneration projects. The projects will provide 300 new homes in Wolverhampton city centre, a new 56,000 square foot hotel in Nuneaton, and 94 new homes in Coventry. In a statement, the authority said the investment decision “will now…

The majority of employers in construction have “fallen short in taking further actions” to prevent modern slavery, according to research carried out by the University of Nottingham together with CHAS, a specialist health and safety accreditation-scheme provider. In a report setting out the preliminary findings of the study, research fellow…