Choose a category

What is adjudication?

Three decades after adjudication was introduced to provide a speedy resolution to construction disputes, referrals continue to rise. Associate Professor James Beckwith, Programme Leader for LLM Construction Law, examines how…
Donald Trump

Donald Trump and the case law of the Carbolic Smoke Ball

By Jason Phelps Built Environment Senior Lecturer This article examines the legal principles of contract formation and what is required to create a binding agreement between two parties. These foundational…

Construction adjudication enforcement in 2026: Key court decisions

By Associate Professor James Beckwith Programme Lead, LLM Construction Law As we reach the conclusions of 2026, we can look back and see that the last two years saw numerous…
Commerial Payment Bill article - James Beckwith, University of the Built Environment

Commercial Payments Bill: What the proposed reforms could mean for UK construction

By Associate Professor James Beckwith Programme Lead, LLM Construction Law   The UK Government's proposed Commercial Payments Bill seeks to tackle late payment practices that have long affected businesses across…

Transitional housing: The Hong Kong homes built to move

By Linda Serck Hong Kong building professional and former student Cr Sr Tang Chi Wang spoke to us about how Hong Kong is using relocatable modular homes to ease the…
The built environment needs responsible AI adoption - University of the Built Environment - BEFA

BEFA report: The built environment sector needs responsible AI adoption

Artificial intelligence is already being used across the built environment, but the sector needs to move from fragmented experimentation towards responsible, professional and accountable adoption, finds the new ‘Mapping the AI Landscape in…
Council housing

Council housing – another brick in the wall?

By Jason Phelps Senior lecturer, School of the Built Environment On Monday 29 June, the MP for Makerfield, Andy Burnham, set out his vision - should he get the keys…
Tudor house - University of the Built Environment

Professor Ashley Wheaton: ‘The average home needs to last for 1,000 years’  

By Linda Serck  How long should a house last? According to one striking calculation cited by Professor Ashley Wheaton, the answer could be around a millennium. Here we examine what…
The Importance of Client Communication in Building Surveying

The importance of client communication in building surveying

At the recent RICS Building Surveying Conference, Nicola Allen, Head of School – Construction, Surveying and Engineering, participated in a panel discussion on 'Strengthening Client Communication and Reporting'. Drawing on…
Drone on construction site

Six technologies quietly transforming construction sites in 2026

Not every change on a construction site grabs headlines. Some of the most influential technologies operate in the background, improving safety, planning and delivery without altering what the public sees.…

Why do our graduates earn more than Oxford and Cambridge University peers?

The University of the Built Environment has been recognised in The Telegraph for delivering higher earning potential to its graduates in architecture, building and planning than the Universities of Oxford,…
Bricks with space invader

Should we bin the brick?

In light of the recent news on carbon-capturing bricks, University of the Built Environment Programme Leader James Ritson raises an essential challenge: even if bricks become more carbon-efficient, is it wise to…