Leading roofing manufacturer BMI UK & Ireland has crowned its 2026 BMI Apprentice of the Year winners, with George Mcilhiney winning the Flat Roof category and Alexander Dempsey recognised as the Pitched Roof winner. Now in its ninth year, the competition was hosted at the BMI Academy near Gloucester, where 20 shortlisted apprentices took part in two days of technical challenges and group tasks that put their collaboration, business acumen and practical skills to the test.

Building products manufacturer Glidevale Protect has supplied a range of roofing and ventilation solutions to the refurbishment of a mixed-use residential scheme in Bristol. The Charlton Hayes development is a large four- and five-storey mixed-use building with an arcade of shops and businesses at ground level as well as residential dwellings on the upper storeys. Designed in a dogleg shape, its roof is situated at three different levels and has a shallow roof pitch of 17.5°.

Matthew Sexton, Technical and Compliance Director at BMI UK & Ireland, explores the technology reducing risks while working at height. Working on roofs poses a significant safety risk. Whether carrying out inspections, repairs or full refurbishments, the consequences of falls from unsafe edges or fragile roof elements can be severe. For specifiers, the challenge is understanding where this risk can be reduced in a profession where working at height is unavoidable. To prepare

The first site development by a new luxury housebuilder is benefiting from Proctor Group’s Proctor Air® underlay on the pitched roof. Braddus Homes is a small housing developer set up by childhood friends who wanted to offer something different to the volume housebuilding companies they had previously worked for. Their first development is Priory Fields, a site of four homes, each with five bedrooms. The company has set out to deliver excellence as standard and needed to ensu

Filon has listed a selection of its roofing, rooflight and cladding systems on NBS Source, giving construction specifiers direct access to structured product information during the design and specification process. The NBS Source platform brings together information from more than 1,100 construction product manufacturers, covering over 33,000 products. Specifiers can use the platform to find product specifications, literature, data sheets, images and digital objects at differ

Pamela Howat, Senior Technical Advisor at Proctor Group, explains the similarities and differences between membrane terminology. Construction membranes have a host of applications that directly impact on building performance and the comfort of building users. As a result, a lot of terminology comes with specifying and installing membranes. Over time, the term ‘vapour control layer’ (VCL) has come to be replaced by ‘air and vapour control layer’ (AVCL). This change has been dr

Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation explores why a dual approach is needed to maximise resilience in the water sector. Our aging water infrastructure is under serious strain, with climate change and consequential extreme rainfall events becoming increasingly common. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) leaks, network spills and the resulting hefty fines mean water companies are under pressure and, with AMP8 (the eighth, and current, asset management period for the UK water industry

The Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association (MCRMA) recently welcomed around 100 professionals working throughout the metal roofing and façade supply chain to its 2026 Technical Conference, reflecting the event’s growing importance as an annual focal point for the development of technical skills and knowledge, as well as collaboration and networking. Held at the Telford Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort and sponsored by member companies Steadmans, Hambleside Danelaw, Fixing

A. Proctor Group is delighted to announce that a new Commercial Director will be joining the Proctor Group, marking another important step in the company’s continued growth across the construction and building materials sectors. Barbara Massie brings a wealth of experience, a strong commercial skillset, and a proven track record of driving growth. She will work closely with the Board to deliver sustainable commercial growth, strengthen customer and supply chain relationships,

The design and materials used in rainscreen facades can make a real difference to achieving thermal performance targets. Gary Robson, Business Development Manager at EJOT UK, explains why. Rear ventilated facades, aka rainscreen facades, have become a popular choice for external walling in all types of buildings, both newbuild and refurbishment. This is largely because they enable many of today’s most important design goals to be achieved in a single system, while offering ef

As of May 2025, construction of the new £65 million Currie Community High School in Edinburgh is nearly complete, meaning it can be assessed for Passivhaus certification. A host of schools currently being built across Scotland are aiming to achieve the standard, many funded in part through the Learning Estates Investment Programme (LEIP). As one of the first recipients of funding, and one of the first projects to reach completion, Currie Community High School will also become

The MCRMA (Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturers Association) 2026 Technical Conference will take place on 10-11 June at the Telford Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Shropshire, and will once again provide a unique platform for renowned industry experts to examine the key challenges and innovations shaping the immediate future of the metal building envelope supply chain. Reflecting the growing popularity of the event, the association has doubled the capacity this year to enable

Sam Spencer, Specification Manager at Benx Façades, explores the factors behind the growing use of colourful cladding in the modern built environment. With colour being such a powerful tool in the world of building design, why should it be reserved solely for interior schemes? Used correctly, it can be invaluable for building exteriors, helping to create a clear sense of place and identity. As well as being nice to look at, colour has been proven to have a very real impact o

Tradie influencers could play an increasingly important role in inspiring the next generation of construction workers, according to new research from Barratt Redrow . More than half (58%) of Gen Z are now watching trade, DIY and building content on social media, highlighting the growing visibility of skilled careers online. To better understand this trend, Barratt Redrow surveyed 2,000 young people aged 13–28 about their attitudes toward apprenticeships, university and caree

A collaboration between Proctor Group and one of the north-east’s leading independent training providers is helping to share knowledge about up-to-date roofing products and practices. Optimum Skills Ltd, based in Gateshead, operates three construction academies training young people in slating, tiling and flat roofing (as well as bricklaying, joinery and groundworks). They work with all major roofing contractors in the north-east, helping apprentices through pre-apprenticeshi