Sir Peter Trench
Sir Peter Trench CBE, TD, BSc., Hon FCIOB, Hon FRIBA was a trained economist, builder and industrialist who worked to modernise the post-war construction industry in the UK. He was awarded an OBE in 1945, a CBE in 1964 and was knighted in 1979.
He was born in London on 16 June 1918, son of Lt-Col. James Knights Trench an American-born entrepreneur and managing director of the Sandoz Chemical Company Limited, and his Scottish wife Grace Sim of Bradford. He studied at the London School of Economics, London University and St John’s College, Cambridge and served in the Queen’s Royal Regiment from 1939 to 1946. He married Mary St. Clair Morford in 1940.
Peter Trench fought Bradford Central as a Liberal in 1945 but finishing third and did not stand again.
He was Managing Director of Bovis Ltd, 1954-59; Chairman of the Construction and Housing Research Advisory Council, 1973-79 and Chairman of Y.J. Lovell Holdings plc, 1972-83. He was also a member of the Council of the CBI, president of the National House Building Council and Director of the National Federation of Building Trades Employers, 1959–64.
He died on 10 September 2006 aged 88.
[edit] Papers by Peter Trench on Designing Buildings Wiki include:
Featured articles and news
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.