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Northcot Brick factory in the Cotswolds
I recently visited the UK’s most historic brickworks to see why their business is booming. Northcot Brick use nearby Jurassic clay from the Cotswolds to make beautiful traditional bricks. Some were used to build the original Battersea Power Station which is now the focus of a major regeneration project on the south bank of the Thames near my home in London. Great to see master brickmakers successfully combining craftsmanship with new technologies.
I was also invited to the Foamglas manufacturing facility in Belgium to see why this fascinating cellular glass insulation, made mainly from recycled glass, is increasingly specified as a sustainable insulation system for the complete building envelope. You can make your own factory visit via the video with this story.
Last week’s FABRIC FIRST event at the NEC was an opportunity for me to get away from ‘EcoBling’ and get back to the basics of what will truly impact buildings, both new and refurbished, to deliver significant energy efficiencies. My report below includes just a few of the highlights plus a link to all the presentations
Finally, a warning about women. New research shows that they make 93% of purchasing decisions, including on home improvements – ignore them at your peril.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced that an additional £25M of funding will be allocated to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This article features comment from James Chaplen, Head of Production at heat pump manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric…
Posted in Articles, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Facility Management & Building Services, Heating Systems, Controls and Management, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, news, Pipes, Pipes & Fittings, Plumbing, Posts, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
HMG Paints, a leading manufacturer in the coatings industry, has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards at the National Family Business Awards 2025. HMG are finalists for the North and Northern Ireland Family Business of the Year award.
Posted in Articles, Awards, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Innovations & New Products, Interior Design & Construction, Interiors, Paints, Paints, Coatings & Finishes, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
To help with the design of low and zero-carbon buildings, leading ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has completed its embodied carbon calculations on its product portfolio.
Posted in Air Conditioning, Articles, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Facility Management & Building Services, Heating Systems, Controls and Management, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning - HVAC, Posts, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report shows builders’ merchants’ value sales in November were down -4.6% compared to the same month in 2023.
Posted in Articles, Bricks & Blocks, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Civil Engineering, Concrete, Cement, Admixtures, Hand Tools, Hard Landscaping & Walkways, Health & Safety, Information Technology, Innovations & New Products, Interior Design & Construction, Interiors, Landscaping, news, Paints, Paints, Coatings & Finishes, Plant, Equipment and Hire, Power Tools, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency