SPECIFY & BUILDSEPTEMBER 2026 THE TEAM EDITOR JENNIE WARD T:

LETTER FROM THE EDITORT he issue of how we create better

New homes generate £60bn of community investmentNew homes built in England and Wales last

Demand for airconditioning tripled as heatwaves hitRequests for airconditioning installation skyrocketed during the recent

New home registrations fallFigures from the National House Building Council (NHBC)

NFRC calls for climate resilience as standard in roof designAs the UK experiences increasingly extreme summer temperatures,

Schlüter-Systems strengthens UK leadership teamSchlüter-Systems, the provider of tile and stone installation

‘Building Safety Levy will make more sites unviable’As the industry prepares for the Building Safety

Valcan enters new era following MBOValcan has entered a new phase following a

BMI Redland reignites UK clay tile productionRoofing specialist BMI UK & Ireland has completed

FIXING THE 85% BLIND SPOTAs the need for greater understanding of the Building Safety Act persists, Nicola John , Managing Director of FDM Training & Development, clarifies its crucial responsibilities and implications.

SENIOR CONFIRMS NEW LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTSSenior Architectural Systems, one of the UK’s largest

HYBRID HEATING IS THE SMART APPROACH TO NET ZERORinnai Director Chris Goggin explains why the adoption of hybrid heating and hot water systems can help reduce fuel costs and benefit the environment.

CPD EXPLORES PATHWAY TO LOW CARBON HEATIdeal Commercial Heating has launched a CIBSE-approved CPD

PROCTOR AIR FITS THE BILL FOR ROOF REBUILDA substantial roof reconstruction project at a standalone

GLIDEVALE PROTECT LAUNCHES NEW CPD ON FIRE-RATED MEMBRANES FOR BUILDING SAFETYGlidevale Protect has developed a comprehensive new CPD

CAN THE NEW PM BUILD HIS WAY OUT OF THE HOUSING CRISIS?Every new Prime Minister has a ‘to-do’ list of key policies and aims, and new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has wasted no time in putting housebuilding at the top of his agenda, but will he be able to deliver? Jamie Hailstone explores the issue for Specify & Build .

WHAT ENGLAND CAN LEARN FROM SCOTLAND’S HOUSEBUILDING INDUSTRYPhotograph courtesy of Kirkwood Timber Frame. Drive north

VENT-AXIA HIGHLIGHTS OVERHEATING CHALLENGEWith the UK experiencing four heatwaves so far

DESIGNING WITH CONFIDENCEEJOT UK’s Gary Robson explains why its range of fully tested and supported components, plus its complete CROSSFIX substructure system, helps to create facades with greater engineering certainty.

DELIVERING WHOLE-HOUSE RETROFITA retrofit project for Cambridge Housing Society saw the improvement of 118 homes across Cambridgeshire and Essex. Specify & Build reports.

CONTINUOUS FLOW HOT WATER IS STILL PART OF THE FUTURERinnai explores the continuing role of natural gas and alternative gases in the current energy offering.

INCORPORATING LOFT ACCESS INTO DESIGNAre you trying to achieve a clean minimalist

THE HIGHLANDS’ FIRST PASSIVHAUS SCHOOL FEATURES OFFSITE WRAPTITE INSTALLATIONIn the Highlands north of Inverness, students aged

DELIVERING HERITAGE STYLE AND MODERN PERFORMANCEWelborne in Hampshire is a new sustainable garden

REDEFINING HOSPITALITYSteve Molloy , Daikin ’s Sustainability & Commercial Solutions Manager, explains why hospitality retrofit is an opportunity for specifiers to rethink climate control systems.

GREEN SPACES AND THE LINK TO MENTAL HEALTHGreen spaces where people can connect with nature offer a natural solution to the work/life balance, says Sol Russell , Specification Team Leader at Kinley .

PARADISE: WHERE TIMBER MEETS INNOVATIONLocated in Lambeth, Paradise SE11 is a six-storey office

THE VALUE OF EPDSStephanie Palmer , Head of Sustainability for wienerberger UK and Ireland , explains why EPDs are becoming an essential tool.

POOR ACOUSTIC DESIGN IS COSTING UKPLC £40BN A YEAROscar Acoustics hosted a round table with RIBA

FIREFLY APOLLO SPEEDS FIRE PROTECTIONA fully compatible selection of FIREFLY barrier products

PYROGUARD DELIVERS SAFETY GLAZING FOR REDEVELOPMENTPyroguard, a leading independent provider of fire safety

KEEP BATHROOMS SAFE AND COMPLIANTLegionella risks can be mitigated through good design and proactive management, says Gary Nicholls , Managing Director of Swiftclean .

SMARTER SPECIFICATION CAN MEET BATHROOM ESG GOALSKirstie Manning , National Specification Manager at Wilsonart , explains how selecting the right bathroom surfaces can help meet ESG and compliance requirements.

WATER CONSERVATION IN INCLUSIVE BATHROOMSStuart Reynolds , UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW , explores how to comply with water efficiency standards while delivering accessible bathrooms.

BUILT TO LAST AFTER 50 YEARS IN THE UKAs Ubbink UK celebrates its 50 th anniversary, Specify & Build looks back at the last five decades and asks what specifiers need as the industry enters another period of rapid change.

BLACK TILED FAN FOR MODERN BATHROOMSManrose has launched its new Black Tiled Fan,

COMPLIANCE IN A CHANGING WORLDJon Ponting , Future Homes Standard Policy Lead at AES Sustainability , explores which Part L requirements apply to different developments, and when.

BETTER HEATING WITH THE RIGHT DELTA TAndrew Phillips , Managing Director at IRSAP and Chairman of MARC , explains how to ensure the correct specification of radiators.

THE FOUR PILLARS OF URBAN RESILIENCEPolypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation explores how specifiers can support climate adoption through sustainable infrastructures.

IDEAL ENTERS COMMERCIAL HOT WATER MARKETHEATING, PLUMBING AND VENTILATION Ideal Commercial Heating has launched

ALTECNIC RELEASES UPDATED CPDAltecnic has refreshed its CIBSE-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

ESBE VALVES EMPLOYED AT LONDON UNIVERSITYA major energy refurbishment project at a University of

A PRACTICAL HEATING SOLUTIONDimplex has collaborated with Keepmoat Homes to breathe new life into a brownfield site in Nottingham.

A TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK FOR COST-OPTIMISED DECARBONISATIONPete Seddon , Head of Technical at Rinnai , looks at how to get the maximum performance and economy from a hybrid heating hot water system.

ROOM-BY-ROOM FLOORINGSimon Brown , National Housing Sector Manager at Furlong Flooring , explains what developers should specify for today’s homes.

GOING BEYOND STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCEJonathan Lynch , UK Building Products Manager at EGGER UK , explains how the right sheathing board can help meet strength, installation and fire safety compliance.

ENDLESS COMFORT AND DESIGNDonna Hannaway , Head of Marketing UK & Ireland at Forbo Flooring Systems , explores the rise of digitally printed flooring.

REMOTE FIRE MONITORING PROTECTS UNIVERSITYThe University of West London (UWL) is benefitting

MULTIBOARD SPREADS THE LOAD FOR WALL FIT-OUTA nationally renowned flooring specialist is using Marmox

ARE ‘IT DEPENDS’ THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT WORDS IN CONSTRUCTION?Iain Fairnington , Technical Director at Proctor Group , gives his take on why complexity is important, and how manufacturer technical support can mitigate the risk of needing a convenient answer.

WHAT NEW TECH WILL WE SEE WHEN THE FUTURE ARRIVES?Rinnai Director Chris Goggin discusses the potential next generation of energy technology for residential and commercial properties.