Author Archives: Belinda Smart

Tightening budgets mean road maintenance specialists are finding new ways to keep costs down.

Recent government decisions have effectively placed the maintenance of ageing roads infrastructure at the top of the national transport agenda for the foreseeable future. Last November transport secretary Mark Harper announced a 10 year, £8.3bn budget for…

An outcome-led approach to data capture could revolutionise the way infrastructure assets are constructed and managed over their lifecycles, but barriers persist.

Digital tools for capturing data are increasingly seen as a vital component in the building of infrastructure and the management of assets over their life cycles. To date, the…

National Grid president for strategic infrastructure Carl Trowell is no stranger to big energy schemes. He has led major projects spanning marine offshore infrastructure and engineering and services in the oil and gas industry for many years.

His record as a heavyweight is one reason he was appointed to his role…

Innovation agency Innovate UK has launched a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) funding competition to accelerate the commercial adoption of low carbon concrete solutions.

The competition is supported by the Concrete Commitment Cohort (CCC), an alliance of concrete users that was established alongside the launch of the programme. CCC is formed…

Wavin has published a guide for civil engineers on mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) in UK housing developments.

As of February 2024, sweeping changes to the Environment Act are set to reshape the landscape for housing developers in England, making Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) mandatory. “This seismic shift aims to not…

US nuclear energy venture Westinghouse Electric Company has joined forces with Cumbria based venture Community Nuclear Power (CNP) to deploy four Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in North Teesside.

The agreement announced 8 February “marks a first step in the private delivery of advanced, proven SMR technology to the UK,” Westinghouse said…

Barhale has been awarded mains replacement contracts under Thames Water’s seventh asset management period (AMP7) Conditional Allowance Trunk Main Schemes at sites next to Victoria and Euston stations.

The civils and infrastructure specialist said it will use innovative methods to minimise disruption to busy urban areas affected by both schemes. At…

The findings of an appeal case concerning the carbon emissions of three major Norfolk road schemes could see significant changes to carbon emissions calculations and data transparency for UK infrastructure.

Environmental campaigner Andrew Boswell and his supporters’ latest challenge in the ongoing case was heard in the Court of Appeal on…

The planned £1.35bn Aquind Interconnector between the UK and France has hit another delay following concerns raised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Aquind is a privately financed, subsea and underground high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable between Normandy in France and Lovedean Substation in Hampshire. According to project promoter Aquind…

Designing the UK’s lowest carbon new office building has produced net zero lessons for the wider industry.

Something ground breaking is set to unfold at Didsbury Technology Park in south Manchester. It could soon become home to what is claimed to be the UK’s lowest carbon new build office development. The…