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Designing Buildings is the construction wiki. An industry-wide, cross-discipline forum for finding and sharing knowledge about the planning, design, construction and operation of built assets.
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You can write about any subject related to the construction industry, including research, publications, organisations, theories, news, products and practices. All we ask is that articles are factual (not adverts) and are encyclopaedic in style (not blog posts).
Designing Buildings includes 6 microsites - mini wikis about specialist subjects. Created with our partners, they provide easy access to curated knowledge about particular aspects of the built environment:
Features and news
From mud bricks to smart concrete
A brief history of building materials.
Building automation and control systems market study
BSRIA 2024 North America BACS software & services.
Impact of digital technology on productivity in construction
New CIOB academy guidance for companies of all sizes.
Demolition and retrofit approaches in Planning Policy
MHCLG survey informing potential government updates.
Expert taskforce to spearhead new, new town generation
Sir Michael Lyons given 12 months for recommendations.
Government policy statement on new towns
A coded vision for a new generation of new towns.
AT Principal Designer exemplars published
Supporting clear and comprehensive demonstration of the skills required.
Homes England goes to TOWN for co-housing project
Marmalade Lane developer selected for Northstowe neighbourhood.
Cohousing and related approaches to solve housing issues
Different forms of community housing explained with examples.
Alternative and off-grid housing communities in the UK
From Hockerton Housing Project to Tinkers Bubble.
Skills gap highlighted to Minister for Industry
Key opportunity in mission for economic growth and net-zero.
Specifying XPS in masonry cavity walls below DPC level
Moisture requirements, DPCs and third party certification.
Types of rigid foam insulation
A brief description and some of the main construction types.
Metal composite material panel systems MCM and MCP
Sandwich finishes, forms, details, core and their impacts.
Cumbria's vernacular architecture
A history of building impeded by unsettled times.
CIOB and MMC Ireland announce strategic partnership
For better working conditions, and a more productive construction sector.
Around the web
Oracle to use three SMRs to meet ‘crazy’ electricity needs of AI datacentres.
Key proposed changes in Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
Draft for Public Consultation from now to 3 November 2024.
Significant NPPF and planning system changes. Consultation ends 24 Sept.
Germany will have to invest €120bn to make public buildings carbon neutral by 2045.
IHBC London Branch Day Conference 1 October.
Untouched parts of England’s green belt at risk amid housing target pressure.
Community Land Trust Network, 10 Sept
Autumn budget proposals after four years of zero funds for community led housing.
Codesign and Cohousing: Creating Better Places Together.
We cannot rely on paper-based certification post-Grenfell, says CARES.
New report; Cultural Heritage, Creativity and the Creative Economy.
A construction library is needed post-Grenfell for product data.
Ensuring Fire Safety in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
Construction Management, 9 Sept
‘Limited’ pool of candidates for chief construction adviser role.
Cladding: thousands living in unsafe buildings.
International Retrofit Conference.
Retrofit Reimagined: The Future Is Already Here.
"The shadow of Grenfell Tower's burnt-out husk will follow the refurbishment architect forever".
University of Queensland, September
Cladding materials library.
The O&M and handover process is broken: let’s fix it.