Opinion 鈥� Page 366
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Supporting innovation in a downturn
Help is at hand for those firms looking to capitalise when market conditions improve. For eco inventors in the East of England, BRE has set up an enterprise hub to offer advice to innovative SMEs on bringing sustainable technologies to market. Meanwhile in Wales British Gas is opening a centre ...
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Small steps
鈥淪he鈥檚 so good she should have been a bloke.鈥� That was the comment from the chief executive of one of the industry鈥檚 largest companies after a meeting a super-smart analyst. It was a throwaway remark, but it鈥檚 redolent of the culture that survives in an industry that is still overwhelming ...
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CIPS talk of optimism is baffling
The CIPS appeared to be putting a rather positive spin on its July figures for construction activity on the back of a slowdown in the pace of decline and swelling optimism among its respondents.The press release reads: "Optimism about future activity levels in twelve months' time continued to increase in ...
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Now is the time to protect the specialist
Much of my time as the owner manager of an architectural mouldings contractor is spent with clients and architects helping them realise their dreams.We are always expected to do this for free. When I first entered the industry in the early eighties we would get fully-designed finishes that required us ...
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Why contractors can't help suicidal bidding when the workload turns down
The most concerning issue now facing construction as it dives deeper into recession is that of firms taking on work at less than cost.This is not sustainable business behaviour.More than falling workloads, falling prices defined the chaos that ravaged the industry during the recession of the 1990s.Worryingly, there are the ...
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A question of honour
Chris Cole, chief executive of WSP, was careful not to be drawn on the thorny subject of bad debt in the Middle East, as he announced the engineer鈥檚 half-year results this weekWhen asked about his talks with UAE developers and the possibility of fee cuts, he wisely offered a 鈥渘o ...
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CommentHansom: The butterfly effect
The law of unintended consequences demonstrates its power, as the simplest of actions dooms nasal cells, the reputation of architects, two counties and millions upon millions of aphids
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Comment
A game of risk
Housing minister John Healey says the government is looking at a different kind of housebuilding model (17 July, page 12), 鈥渓ess development-based, and almost contractual鈥�, which is designed to overcome 鈥渉ousebuilders鈥� reliance on the development land market鈥�
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Comment
Forget the umbrellas
The government would be better off not tying all educational projects up in massive, cumbersome framework packages
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CommentHelp the aged
Regarding the news that Part L may or will force historic buildings to be energy efficient (24 July, page 38), I am a director of estates for a university and therefore have to deal with the dilemmas of conserving listed buildings while complying with the burgeoning legislation from the eco-warriors ...
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Stirling pounded
The Stirling prize is an inward-looking, self-congratulatory lovefest for architects and other associated luvvies to cuddle up to each other
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Big is beautiful
The article about David Fison downsizing from Skanska to Osborne (24 July, page 30) was interesting. We have gone through a similar process over the past few years
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Comment
Money management
As a keen supporter of, and a specialist in, all things NEC, I am biased, but Rudi Klein鈥檚 article is excellent (24 July, page 45)
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CommentIt's all in the game: Adjudication
Parties in a dispute set all sorts of rules and try all manner of tactics on each other, but adjudicators need to resist the temptation to join in the game
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Don't be absurd: Challenging a contract
If the meaning of a contract term is unclear, can it be challenged? A recent House of Lords judgment said yes 鈥� but there may be conditions
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CommentJustice for all: Cost of litigation
Lord Justice Jackson is worried about cases in which the legal costs are so disproportionate that small firms are denied access to the High Court. So he鈥檚 got some suggestions
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How do I... call on a performance bond?
In the second in our series of practical tips for taking control of your legal affairs, Geraldine Laing explains how and when to call on a performance bond
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CommentWould I have been blacklisted, too?
It鈥檚 completely understandable that firms want to do a spot of 鈥榙ue diligence鈥� when hiring workers. It may also mean that they lose out 鈥� Michael Gove makes the case for selective amnesia
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CommentIs the construction industry all white, male and middle-aged?
Two reports draw attention to the fact that the construction professions are as white, male and middle-aged as they were 70 years ago. It鈥檚 not good enough