News

For years, people were talking about how building control surveying was facing a demographic time bomb, with an ageing workforce and far greater numbers leaving the profession than joining as new recruits.

There were dozens of articles written and many discussions across the profession about the lack of interest in surveying generally and building control more specifically. It wasn't seen as a sexy career, and certainly not as attractive as becoming an architect or an engineer.

The survey of the parapet wall above a parade of 31 shops at Hagley Rd West in Sandwell, West Midlands was undertaken following concerns regarding the serious deterioration of the parapet wall at the rear of one section.

As access behind each section of roof behind the parapet via scaffold would have been physically difficult, expensive and taken time to arrange, the building control team decided to use the Council's drone to take photos of the rear of the parapet along its whole length as a precautionary measure in the interests of public safety.

In 2017, 5,821 people sadly took their own lives. Three quarters of them – 4,383 – were men. A fifth of all men die before they are 65 and women live on average more than three and half years longer than men. That's the stark reality of the mortality gap between men and women.

So what's behind this gap? In 2013 the World Health Organisation Europe commissioned a study by University College London to look at the social factors behind these headlines. They found:

Architects, builders and specifiers looking for a foolproof way to minimise heat loss can take advantage of a new set of Registered Construction Details (RCD) created by LABC in conjunction with insulation specialist Actis.

The new RCD, part of a selection aimed at helping builders achieve as-built performance, was launched last month.

The first 200 LABC level six surveyors have passed their fire safety competency assessments.  The test has been developed by LABC for its most experienced surveyors to demonstrate their competence in fire safety in higher risk and complex buildings.  LABC anticipates more than 1,000 surveyors across its 3,500 strong network will ultimately pass the assessment.

The LABC Northern Building Excellence Awards were held last Friday 5 July 2019 at The Hilton Hotel Newcastle Gateshead. The event attracted 300 guests from a range of industries across the three regions of Cumbria, Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear.

More than 240 guests attended the LABC East Anglia Building Excellence Awards at the magnificent buildings of The Halls, St Andrew's Plain in Norwich - on Friday 5 July 2019. Attendees came from companies across the construction industry including developers Willmott Dixon and architects BCR Infinity.

The LABC Central Building Excellence Awards returned to the Doubletree by Hilton, Milton Keynes (home of the MK Dons) last Friday 5 April 2019.

250 building control professionals and representatives from the construction industry were at the event hosted by LABC's Managing Director, Phil Hammond.

LABC awards technical design and construction skills and focuses on well-built buildings that comply with the Building Regulations - and of course the Awards are a great opportunity to network.

Speakers at LABC's recent Member conference included Dame Judith Hackitt, Claire Curtis-Thomas of the BBA and Emily Monastiriotis of the law firm Simmons and Simmons.

The LABC Construction Professionals Standards Hub held its first conference on 27 March. This highly informative one-day conference took place in Hinckley Island with over 200 delegates attending and 19 exhibitors showcasing their products and services within the construction industry. Here's what you missed: