The issue of how we create better buildings often focuses on what we build next. But with the UK committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and much of the building stock we will be using then having already been built, what we do with our existing buildings matters just as much.
That theme runs throughout this month’s Specify & Build, with several articles exploring the challenge of improving, adapting and future-proofing existing buildings. From reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions to upgrading building services and making better use of the assets we already have, retrofit is becoming an increasingly significant part of the specification conversation. Our Sustainability feature, for example, looks at how proper refurbishment can extend the operational life of older buildings while reducing their environmental impact.
Housing is another subject firmly back in the spotlight. Turn to page 18 for an in-depth look at new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s ambitious plans to kick-start what he has described as the biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period. With England delivering fewer than 200,000 net additional homes in 2025/26, against previous ambitions of 300,000 a year, the scale of the challenge ahead is clear.
We consider whether changes to funding, planning, devolution and social housing policy can finally translate political ambition into homes on the ground, and whether this new administration can succeed where others have struggled.
Elsewhere, we’re also exploring overheating, embodied carbon, building safety, water efficiency, climate resilience and the changing regulations shaping specification decisions, as well as taking a closer look at some impressive buildings that have succeeded in tackling these issues. Taken together, they reinforce a point that is becoming difficult to ignore: better buildings will require us to think carefully about both what we build next and what we already have.
While some areas of construction continue to face challenging market conditions, Deceuninck Commercial says schemes backed by long-term investors are maintaining their momentum. See page 12 to find out how commercial PVC-Uwindow and door systems help combine the strong performance and durability these projects need.