Tracey Jackson, Business Development Manager for Howells Patent Glazing, looks at the importance of natural light in combatting the ill-effects of the pandemic and how rooflights will be an important architectural tool in designing happy, healthy buildings.

There is a growing urgency for efficient infrastructure and sustainable strategy when it comes to lowering the impact of construction on the environment by shrinking its footprint. It has become less of a buzzword and more of a shared responsibility amongst contractors, as urban construction becomes a common, fixed part of our everyday scenery – our homes, offices, marketplaces and coffeehouses.

The building envelope makes a significant contribution to overall energy usage – therefore, tighter U-values in walls, floors and roofs is absolutely key. It’s why getting the design right from the outset is far less costly than retrofitting later. Here, Ben Cheetham, Specification Manager at Keystone Lintels, looks at the benefits of a one-piece thermally-efficient lintel including low thermal conductivity performance, buildability, improved SAP calculations and why they are up to five times more thermally efficient than standard lintels.

With social distancing still vitally important in the fight against COVID-19, open-plan offices have never been a scarier place to work but return we must – for our mental health as much as our livelihoods, but could this be actually adding to our stress? Soundtect investigates.

Architects and interior designers are always looking for novel approaches to create inviting spaces. Amongst these approaches, we are seeing an increase in the use of metal meshes both from the point of view that they are generally made from recycled material in the case of aluminium and steel – but also the style and look of them has that upcycled feel that we are all trying to be more conscious of, writes Anthony Millington, Business Development Manager at Amron Architectural.