Construction industry diary 2015
This is an archive of key events in the construction industry in 2015, such as changes in policy, legislation etc. The oldest items appear last.
For current and future events see Construction industry diary.
For the 2014 archive see Construction industry diary 2014.
End of the year - Publication of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment report on flood resilience and mitigation.
End of the year - Design Commission inquiry into design and behaviour in the built environment was due to report, but did not.
17 December 2015. Closing date for submissions to the Economic Affairs Committee inquiry into the economics of the housing market.
December 2015. The first cycle of flood risk management plans, will be published.
HCFCs banned in existing equipment.
November 2015. Chief Construction Advisor position scrapped.
October 2015. Inspection of Minor alterations to the London Plan.
6 October 2015. End of CDM transitional period after which a principal designer must be appointed.
6 October 2015. End of call for written evidence by House of Lords Select Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment.
2 October 2015. Apprenticeships levy consultation closed.
1 October 2015. Government removed pre-accreditation for all new participants in the Feed-in Tariff scheme.
1 October 2015. New edition of Approved Document M came into force.
1 October 2015. New edition of Approved Document G came into force.
1 October 2015. Approved document Q came into force.
23 September 2015. ISO 9001 revised.
September 2015 - revision of ISO 14001.
September 2015. An assessment of the skills required to deliver the National Infrastructure Pipeline will be published.
1 September 2015. Low emission zone for non-road mobile machinery introduced.
1 September 2015. UK Contractors’ Group (UKCG) and the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) became Build UK.
31 August 2015. PAS 1192-2 consultation closed.
7 August. End of consultation on Housing Design SPG.
August 2015. End of pilot for new ways to publicise statutory planning notices.
6 July 2015. Planning (Wales) Act was enacted.
July 2015. Publication of BS 8536-1:2015 Briefing for design and construction. Code of practice for facilities management (Buildings infrastructure).
29 June 2015. Consultation closed for Business Improvement Districts.
26 June 2015. Closing date for Bowen Jenkins Legacy Research Fund
22 June 2015. Consultation ended on Minor alterations to the London Plan
June 2015. Builders were be able to sign up to the Home Quality Mark.
31 May 2015. PAS 1192-5 came into effect.
May 2015. Planning (Wales) Bill voted through.
6 April 2015. Changes to SuDS came into effect.
6 April 2015. CDM 2015 came into effect.
1 April 2015. English Heritage split into English Heritage and Historic England.
26 March 2015, Modern Slavery Act received Royal Assent.
25 March 2015. Timeline published to implement changes to the prompt payment code and a new prompt payment code website went live.
25 March 2015. PPS5 guidance was cancelled and replaced with Historic environment good practice advice.
19 March 2015. Consultation on Section 106 agreements closed.
11 March 2015. Consultation closed for display energy certificates.
8 March 2015. The BIM Toolkit was released in a public beta form for testing.
2 March 2015. Consultation ended for PAS 1192-5:2015.
March 2015. Budget set out proposed changes to the compulsory purchase regime.
March 2015. HSE Land Use Planning Pre-application Advice service fully rolled out.
March 2015. The Energy Company Obligation was extended to March 2017 as ECO2.
February 2015. Green deal home improvement fund funding released.
February 2015. Starter home initiative consultation closed.
February 2015. Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Bill 2014-15 introduced to House of Lords.
January 2015. Northern Futures initiative working group to report.
January 2015. Prospective buyers can register for the starter home initiative.
31 January 2015. Consultation on English Flood Risk Management Plans closed.
30 January 2015. Buy to leave consultation ended.
29 January 2015. Consultation on statutory consultees for planning (including SuDS) closed.
7 January 2015. Consultation on zero-carbon homes small sites exemption closed.
1 January 2015. The use of HCFC’s was prohibited in any form, even for maintenance.
Early 2015. DECC intend to publish more detailed water source heat map.
For older events, see Construction industry diary 2014.
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.