Windows

In an era where housing associations face increasing demands for quality, efficiency, and sustainability, Sidey stands out as an example of excellence. With a rich history of delivering top-class services and products tailored to the unique needs of housing associations, Sidey has solidified its position as a trusted partner in the industry.

Callum Thornton, the Fenestration Product Manager for SFS UK, explains why specifiers and property managers should consider continuity of insulation around window openings as a priority in both new build and retrofit situations.

Howard Trotter, business manager of window and fire door manufacturer Shelforce, discusses stricter regulations and controls for property improvement and maintenance – and why landlords must meet them.

The Government published the consultation on the Future Homes and Building Standards last month. John Duckworth, Director of Commercial Sales, Deceuninck, argues that while at face value notional u-values have stayed the same, the ramifications for housing providers may be far reaching.

The need for new homes continues to rise, with an average of 240,000 new houses being built each year. This increase has resulted in added pressure being placed on construction companies and their supply chains to keep up with demand.

One solution which is aiding the industry and enabling houses to be built more quickly is the off-site manufacture of prefabricated building component products. Chris Pearce, Sales Director at Stormking, a UK-based manufacturer of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) prefabricated products for the construction industry, explains how building off-site can benefit the new home construction supply chain and keep projects on track:

ISO Chemie’s UK sales and operations manager Andy Swift, who has been speaking at a new Air-tightness in Construction CPD event,* explains why keeping a tight seal on things is so important.

As every housebuilder and developer in the UK knows, designing homes is as much about designing an efficient heating system as it is about anything else. In a country where heating bills constitute one of the largest outgoing expenses in the average home, it is paramount that new homes offer the conditions to maximise the comfort level achieved per pound. Indeed, comfort is king when it comes to housing.

The increased cost of living continues to highlight the need for energy-efficient social housing, leading to greater scrutiny of the thermal performance of building components in new and existing buildings. With legislation also continuing to tighten in the wake of the Future Homes Standard, Russell Hand, Head of Product Management and Technical at REHAU Windows, explains how implementing Passivhaus-informed performance criteria in window specification can ensure properties remain sustainable and efficient.

The state of UK housing is in a profound sense of flux. Rising energy costs are further underlining the need for thermally efficient homes, especially for older properties. This is especially a concern in social housing, as the majority was built between 1945 and 1980 . Consequently, pressure is on building specifiers to select thermally efficient components when retrofitting existing homes or building new developments.