Building Insights

Rita Singh is head of public affairs at Kingspan Insulation. She’s also a passionate advocate for sustainability and is key to the company’s efforts to roll out greener approaches across the organisation. She discusses with James Parker how a fabric first approach works in practice, why retrofit first should be the overriding aim, and how supply chain rigour is creating better products.

This episode of Building Insights, in association with Samsung Climate Solutions, we are joined by architectural designer and TV star Charlie Luxton, who looks at how our lower energy house designs will naturally be better places to live, and tackles head on some of the common myths about their ‘liveability.’

In this episode of Building Insights, James Parker hears from Jeremy Gray, head of policy and public affairs at the Federation of Master Builders on the FMB’s new industry survey findings, and how firms are negotiating tough times. He shares some stark truths about the realities of construction for SMEs in 2023, as RMI joins the housebuilding and commercial sectors’ downward trajectory.

James Parker speaks to Kevin Smith, director at Nottingham-based architectural practice Marchini Curran, and finds out how this versatile studio has gone from strength to strength in challenging times, following a management buy out.

In our latest episode, sponsored by A.Proctor Group, James Parker, editor of Architects’ Datafile magazine discusses specialist membranes for high rise building design with James Johnston, head of facades at A.Proctor Group and Will Jones, business development manager at A.Proctor Group. The in-depth discussion looks at why we need air-tight high-rises, how specifying the right membrane is key to...

In this episode, brought to you in association with AkzoNobel, James Parker, editor of Architects’ Datafile magazine speaks to Lee Crossland, National Sector Manager for Leisure at Dulux Decorator Centre, Lee paints a picture of how his career managing paint stores has helped him in his current role tackling wider leisure sector challenges for Dulux. 

James Parker, managing editor of Architects’ Datafile, speaks to Jon Ducker, head of regulatory affairs at Kingspan Insulation. He reviews the recent changes in legislation covering building performance, and how they have positively affected the industry. He also offers some predictions around what may be contained in the forthcoming Future Buildings Standard.

Brought to you in association with Samsung Climate Solutions, this episode features TV architectural designer Charlie Luxton, who’s an ambassador for Samsung and a strong advocate for levering sustainability in our residential designs. He gives some frank opinions on what is urgently needed in the industry now to drive uptake of heat pumps, given our daunting environmental challenges.

Our first Building Insights in association with the A.Proctor Group features Will Jones, Head of Business Development & Adam Salt, Business Development Manager for modular and offsite at the Group. They speak to James Parker, managing editor of Architects Datafile and Housebuilder and Developer, about the keys to correct specification of high performance membranes in offsite construction.

James Parker speaks to Alistair Lambie, Head of Sales (North) for Kingspan Insulation, about how the industry is developing innovative new types of insulation for a diverse range of customer needs, across different sectors 

Alli Gay is managing director of an award-winning SME housebuilder in Bristol, CHI Homes, which focuses on producing high quality private homes. She harnessed her skills as a business consultant to found a housebuilding company with her partner 20 years ago, and has a strong desire to increase the reputation of the industry as well as increasing diversity within firms. She also explains how import...

The third episode of Building Insights sponsored by AkzoNobel takes an in-depth look at how sustainability and wellness can be positively impacted by the right choice of paints and finishes in social housing projects. James Parker, managing editor at netMAGmedia speaks to Peter Howard, sustainability and CSR lead at AkzoNobel, about how paint formulation is continuing to innovate to meet sustainab...

This is the second instalment of a series of podcasts from Building Insights, brought to you in association with AzkoNobel. In this episode, Jayne Roughan, national sector manager of education & retail at AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade Paints), discusses key considerations when designing education spaces with James Parker, managing editor at netMAGmedia. She gives her experience from supporting school...

Nic London founded high-end housebuilder N. London Construction in 2004, focusing on north London, as the name suggests! A former bricklayer, this qualified construction manager is a strong advocate for quality in housebuilding, and attracting a new generation of builders. He is a member of the Home Builders Group at the Federation of Master Builders, and has been a troubleshooter called in by loc...

This episode of Building Insights is the first of a series of podcasts in partnership with Dulux, in which we interview Andrew Cleaver, National Sector Manager for Healthcare at Dulux Decorator Centre on a range of specialists about how colour can be judiciously applied to benefit building users. The first episode looks at the particular needs of dementia sufferers when it comes to interior design...

Adrian Swan left David Wilson Homes, after a long stint with the firm, to found Swan Homes in Nottingham in 2009. He is a housebuilder who takes immense pride in the quality of the work his firm produces, embodied in his chairing the Home Builders Group at the Federation of Master Builders. James Parker, editor of Housebuilder & Developer, spoke to Adrian about his drives and challenges going...

Architect Bill Dunster OBE is a leading light in sustainable design globally, having pioneered several zero carbon developments in the UK since the 1990s, including the Stirling Prize-shortlisted BedZed residential scheme in south London. After working at major firms including Hopkins, and teaching at the AA, he founded ZedFactory and produced a range of energy-positive schemes, as well as key pro...

Nigel Ostime is a partner at Hawkins\Brown architects and is a key figure in sharing knowledge and improving best practice, including taking part in various research within the practice and working within RIBA’s Client Liaison Group. This has included work around the post-Hackitt fire safety agenda, and the potential of the Building Safety Act to increase the role of architects in achieving more r...

Kelly Worrall got the bug for construction in 2015 when she began renovating properties with her partner, who’s a builder. They enjoyed it so much that they set up a development company, NH construction, specialising in masonry and stonework in home improvements, with her husband being a trained stonemason.  Kelly has had a successful career as a marketer, and formed Yorkshire Marketing Consultant...

In the seventh edition of Building Insights, and the first to feature a self-builder, editor of Selfbuilder and Homemaker magazine James Parker speaks to Diane Newbery, who has two projects under her belt, both challenging but for different reasons.  They discuss her most recent build, which was designed for low carbon emissions, as well as to provide her with a ‘forever home’ with ample space and...

Builders' Voices is a new podcast which we think is pretty unique in the market.  In 2021, netmagmedia, which publishes Housebuilder & Developer magazine, launched our Building Insights podcast to speak to key voices in the industry and delve into the big issues. The podcast has been a big success, including with our sponsors. Builder’s Voices is a new strand however, giving a rare platfo...

James Parker, managing editor of Housebuilder & Developer, speaks to Sue Illman of Illman Young, a well-established practice of landscape architects, about how sustainable urban drainage systems can help futureproof developments against rising incidences of flooding. Although there have been some major recent shocks to the UK, from Covid to now increasing international security worries, the is...

In this episode, Jack Wooler, deputy editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine, speaks to Jack Dangerfield of the Town and Country Planning Association, or TCPA, about the omission of legislation around the health of a home, as well as the state of planning in the UK as a whole at present. Discussing our recent research on what landlords and housing professionals believe makes up an...

In the  fourth instalment of Building Insights, architect Alina White of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios speaks to the managing editor of ADF, James Parker, about sustainability and wellness in commercial buildings. Thanks to Hambleside Danelaw, Methven, Reynaers, Kestrel Aluminium Systems, and James Latham, for sponsoring this episode.  Alina is an architect who joined Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios...