Category: Featured
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Waste plant fibres make compressed earth blocks stronger, study finds
Plant fibres can increase compressed earth blocks’ strength by 12%, a study by the University of Portsmouth has found. Researchers at the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying examined the fresh and hardened properties of three raw earth mortar mixes to determine the extent to which plant fibres from agricultural waste could replace the cement…
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Tender prices under pressure as new project orders dry up
A slowdown in new project orders is intensifying pressure on tender prices across the UK construction industry, consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) has warned. RLB’s latest weighted average tender price index (TPI) forecasts a 3.03% uplift for 2025, which is slightly down from the Q2 2025 forecast of 3.22%. Although Office for National Statistics (ONS)…
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HSE finds most workplaces lack essential noise protection knowledge
“If your defence against workplace noise is to give your workers hearing protection, then you need to check that it works. How confident are you that the hearing protection you have supplied is in good order, is being worn when it should be, how it should be, and that it is not stopping your workers…
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How Big Is The Guest Cottage? All The Dimensions And Floor Plans For Us To Geek Out Over
I honestly had no idea what the square footage was of our 1850s guest cottage on the property. My guess was around 2k, so I was super eager to find out how close I was. Gretchen did us a solid and took ALLL the measurements, and while it isn’t perfect and I wouldn’t hand it…
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S-5! Launches $1,500 Scholarship for Construction Students
S-5! has introduced a new scholarship program to support students pursuing construction-related education. The S-5! Scholarship will award $1,500 to one student enrolled in a trade school, community college or university program tied to construction. Eligible fields include project management, engineering, skilled trades, design and solar installation. Applicants must be accepted to an accredited program,…
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Colour capping 101: How to nail this bold new paint trend
By now, you’re probably familiar with the term colour drenching – covering everything from walls to ceilings (and even radiators and furniture) in the same, usually dark and moody, shade. But just as we’ve gotten to grips with one paint trend, another has come along in the form of colour capping. Instead of immersing a…
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Coastline Equipment Named New Trimble Technology Outlet in California, Nevada and Idaho
Trimble has named Coastline Equipment as its newest Technology Outlet, expanding access to its civil construction technology in southern California, southern Nevada and southwestern Idaho. Coastline will now sell and support Trimble grade control, site positioning systems and correction services for John Deere and Hamm earthmoving machines, as well as attachments from LevelBest/ATI and HitchDoc.…
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Why one in six couples consider splitting during home projects
A dream project can quickly turn into a pressure cooker when love and logistics collide. The 2025 UK Houzz Renovations and Relationships Report reveals that 16% of couples thought about separating or divorcing during a renovation. Renovating a home adds layers of stress over money, style and decisions that can test even the strongest partnerships,…
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Avoid Takeoff Mistakes That Cut Into Your Bid Margins
You wrap a quantity takeoff for a new school build. Big project. Tight timeline. Everything looks solid. Then construction starts and the concrete runs short. After a painful audit, the oversight pops up fast: the slab thickness was miscalculated in the takeoff. One tiny oversight snowballs into blown deadlines, rising costs, and a tense client…
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Gaming Trends That Influence Commercial Construction
Digital entertainment is evolving rapidly, reshaping consumer behavior and redefining the expectations placed on commercial spaces. For architects, developers and project managers, this shift brings both challenges and opportunities. Modern construction projects are no longer just about delivering functional spaces—they must also anticipate the demands of a digitally connected audience and create environments that enhance…