Sustainability

Willmott Dixon will reuse 100 tonnes of 1930s steel salvaged from the former House of Fraser on London’s Oxford Street for an office retrofit near Tower Bridge. Developer FORE Partnership is removing the steel beams from the former department store, claiming it is the first time pre-Second World War steel…

The heads of two construction trade bodies have hit out after the High Court ruled that the Mayor of London’s planned expansion of the capital’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) was lawful. Following the ruling last Thursday, the expansion of ULEZ into all London boroughs will go ahead as planned on…

National Highways is aiming to make one of the UK’s largest-ever purchases of low-carbon hydrogen, to power construction machinery on the site of the planned Lower Thames Crossing (LTC). It said that the £50m purchase of the production, delivery and storage of hydrogen – revealed in a tender notice yesterday (Tuesday)…

The first of more than sixty 240-metre-deep geothermal boreholes has been completed on the Salisbury Square development in the City of London. According to the City of London Corporation, the Salisbury Square scheme – which has an estimated value of £596m – is the first development in the Square Mile…

Data revealing the potential pothole damage caused by electric vehicles has strengthened the case for concrete roads, according to an industry body. Analysis by the University of Leeds shows that the average electric car more than doubles the wear and tear on roads, increasing the risk of small cracks which…

Ministers must create a hard-hitting taskforce to drive construction of a zero-carbon power network and step up the fight against global warming, a key report has urged. The Climate Change Committee report says the government needs to create a high-level infrastructure delivery group to take “swift action” to boost building…

The Scottish Government has said it is exploring what policy and financial incentives it could use to encourage the wider adoption of retrofit and other measures supporting net-zero carbon emissions in construction. A paper supporting plans to transition to net zero suggests discussion about what levers the government could use…

An influential group of MPs and peers has demanded a major government crackdown on carbon emissions from construction. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries called for a raft of policy changes to boost demand for wood by focusing on sustainability requirements for building materials. In a report…

As the Zero Diesel Sites Route Map is launched, CN asks if it will be a rocky road to follow The construction sector is seeking operational dividends by introducing green onsite plant to align with the government’s net-zero 2050 commitment. However, implementing change is complicated by the variety and complexity…

Mace is calling for the industry and government to adopt a presumption in favour of retrofitting and a requirement that explanations are given for proposed demolitions of non-domestic buildings. In a new report, the contractor and consultancy calls for a “consideration of retrofit” for every major planning application that involves…