Featured on e-architect. New order volumes in November grew at its fastest rate in six years with housebuilding a star performer, according to the UK purchasing managers’ index. The survey pointed to the strongest degree of business optimism across construction since January. Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply group director Duncan Brock, said: "The sector is moving back to strength with another solid rise in output and gaining more momentum as new orders rose last month at the highest rate [...]

Nearly a third of people thinking to move are doing so to be close to a park or have a garden, according to the building society’s latest market research. Nationwide is predicting properties within the new national parks the government is planning over the next 25 years would command premium prices. Chief economist Robert Gardner said: “Our updated research suggests a property located within a national park attracts a 20 percent premium over an otherwise identical property. This is around [...]

Market expectations and perceived building standards are holding back the country’s progress to construct net-zero buildings, according to the UK Green Building Council, UKGBC. The organization would like to see developers adjusting investor and owner-occupier expectations about green buildings and this should be set out early in a development’s narrative. It said often buildings were completely fitted out to maximize appeal during the leasing stage resulting in over-provision and waste as typically incoming occupiers removing final fit-outs. UKGBC head of [...]

Refurb grants for people to make their homes more energy efficient should be available for an extra year rather than finish at the end of March next year urges the Federation of Master Builders. The trade body is calling on the chancellor Rishi Sunak in his spending review on November 25th to bring forward a £9.2 bn manifesto pledge to make existing homes greener. The Federation of Master Builders, FMB, said this would offer a clear pipeline of work. FMB [...]

The global survey reported stronger occupier and investor demand for commercial properties with green building certificates. This translates into higher rents according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, RICS, sustainability findings within its global commercial property monitor for the third quarter. RICS global property standards director Paul Bagust said: “Whether we look at investors or occupiers, it is clear that demand for more sustainable building is climbing.” He said it would be crucial to develop accurate measurements of properties [...]

Pressure on the government to slash VAT on repairs from 20 to five percent is increasing following a decline in construction workforce numbers. The Federation of Master Builders, FMB, has called on the government to cut VAT on home improvements to boost jobs. It points to yesterday’s purchasing managers’ index, which recorded good output levels of 53.1 for October, above the 50 no-change marks, but a decline in headcounts. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply group director Duncan Brock [...]

SMEs would like the government to ensure smaller plots of land are also available when it comes to disposal of public land, according to a Federation of Master Builders’ survey. The trade body’s members would also like an Ofsted-style system for rating local planning authorities to help improve efficiency. The Federation said one in three of its members want the planning system reformed to help the smaller developer whose contribution to housebuilding has dwindled from 40 percent in the 1980s [...]