Facilities designed to be visited or occupied by people who are extra sensitive to the effects of bacteria and contamination need to pay careful attention to several design and maintenance factors to provide a safe environment with optimised hygiene levels.

Matt Hollis from Commodore Design, the specialist in quality kitchens for residential developments, discusses the role of future trend analysis in aligning kitchen specification with style influences that appeal to buyers when properties are ready to market.

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.