What Specifiers Want 2017 articles

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 came into force on 6 April 2012 (superseding the 2006 version) leading to additional requirements involving how asbestos-related work is notified and recorded and setting out a new need for 'medical surveillance'.

Top-down environmental protection strategies can have unintended ecological consequences. We explore how to mitigate the risk.

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) finally came into force in England on 27 March 2012 following a high profile battle between pro-development stakeholders and environmental campaigners. This programme looks at the NPPF and its likely impact.

Thoughts on what BIM means for health and safety and the CDM Co-ordinator.

The Will Alsop-designed Peckham Library won the 2000 Stirling Prize, wowing the judging panel with its ‘eye-catching’ design. We revisit the library to see how it was built and to remind ourselves of the design ethos behind its Alsopesque features which include the now familiar wonky columns, cantilevered floor spaces and pods. And we ask, 12 years on, does the library continue to have that ‘wow’ factor that so impressed the 2000 Stirling Judges?

This programme looks at the different types of green roof and examines how they are made and maintained.

Facade retention – the removal and renewal of a building's innards, walls, columns and floors while retaining its original front or outer walls – plays an important role in preserving the architectural character and historic fabric of many city centres. It can, however, be a complex and expensive exercise. This programme takes a look at some of the technical aspects of facade retention through the outline design sequence.

This programme will look at the general processes of façade design, issues to consider when designing as well as some glazing types.

A key aim of the Government's new Construction Strategy is a push for truly collaborative project procurement; however project insurance remains one of the most potentially divisive issues facing the project team. This programme examines a possible solution called Integrated Project Insurance or IPI where one policy covers the entire scheme.

Which UK buildings deserve a gold for sustainability? We look at some best practice examples.

Our guests – Giles Meredith from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and James Ritchie from the Association of Project Safety (APS) – discuss the role of CDM coordinators, including how and when they should be appointed, how one judges competency, and how existing risks such as lead paint should (and should not) be handled.

One of the many undoubted benefits of BIM is its inherent ability to reduce the potential for disputes arising from clashing programmes and design details. However, by highlighting a landmark case in the USA, Eversheds construction lawyer Michael Conroy Harris discusses the legal implications of what can happen when BIM-generated mistakes occur on site.