“The UK has made "significant" progress in the field of green construction, but more needs to be done, according to a new report.

In an update about its Strategy for Sustainable Construction, the Department for Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform stated that the country is on target to reduce emissions by 34 per cent under the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan.

Construction minister Ian Lucas, said: "I am pleased to see we are making steps towards reaching these targets, but there is further work to be done to build on these achievements and reach the overarching goals of the strategy."

Ian Pearson, economic secretary to the Treasury, added that the challenge will now be ensuring that the Climate Change Act targets for 2020 and 2050 are met. Read more »

“The construction industry campaign to persuade the government to introduce a boiler scrappage scheme now has cross -party support as well as cross industry-support and its own website.

The scheme petition on the Downing Street website now has 816 signatures and the campaign website features supporting messages from Martin Horwood MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Minister, who says: "What a brilliant idea. As a green counter-recessionary measure this is far more likely to save significant carbon emissions than a car scrappage scheme.

"We urgently need to tackle emissions at local and household level and this would make a real difference while helping to protect threatened jobs as well."

Mark Lazarowicz, Labour MP for Edinburgh North & Leith is also supporting the campaign: "Rising fuel prices and the need to help families heat their homes affordably are serious issues that I have worked hard to address, as well as pressing for more rapid progress against climate change," he says. Read more »

“A rise in government-funded public projects has helped stabilise the flow of new starts in the construction sector, it has been claimed.

According to analyst Glenigan, the year-on-year decline in public spending on construction projects was nine per cent last month, an improvement on the 30 per cent annual decline in May.

Project starts during the three months to August increased in the east of England, the north-west and Yorkshire and the Humber, although London and the Midlands experienced falls in August.

Glenigan’s economics director Allan Wilen commented that in the coming months the pace of decline in the private sector is set to slow, while, in contrast, the recent increase in public sector project starts is likely to lose momentum during the second half of 2009.

"More encouragingly new renewable energy projects and spending on rail and road infrastructure will sustain the increase in civil engineering project starts throughout the remainder of 2009," he concluded. Read more »

“A continuing reduction in on-site skill levels is driving the change to easier installation, leading to more flexibility of application amongst pipes and fittings, according to a new report.

This is one of a number of major trends impacting the UK pipes and fittings market, according to the AMA Research report.

The report on the ‘UK Pipes and Fittings market for 2009-13′ states the market is estimated to be worth £729 million, at manufacturers selling prices in 2008.

The market being analysed in the document, includes domestic and light commercial plumbing pipe systems, rainwater goods and soil & waste products.

Within this sector there has been a consistent shift away from copper pipe and fittings, which have traditionally dominated these markets. The report says flexible plastic pipe systems have now obtained a reputation for reliability, with improvements in manufacturing technology and ongoing material development. Read more »