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This November the #Townmore team is on a mission to walk 5 million steps in order to raise awareness of the important work undertaken by Accessible Counselling Tullamore (ACT) and to raise much-needed funds for the charity. Show your support and donate ...

Over the past week, the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a report on Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment.  This Oireachtas report was prepared in response to the “urgent need to address climate change in the property and construction sector”.

Part of the ‘Help inside the hard hat’ is about raising awareness of the Construction Industry Helpline, which is a free and confidential 24/7 helpline offering a variety of supports for the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of everyone in the Irish construction industry and their families. This helpline can direct people to over 3,000 accredited support services and self-learning for further assistance. Also, for people who might not wish to speak with someone on the telephone, the helpline resources can be accessed by text, just text the word HARDHAT to 50808.

Help inside the hard hat Earlier this week, the Townmore HSEQ team hosted a Toolbox Talk on the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing, both on and offsite.

Six years on from the incisive Farmer Review of the UK Construction Labour Model, and uptake of MMC principles at scale have stalled. While MMC promises to make construction greener, safer, quicker, and more reliable, the sector still largely opts for traditional methods.

The Digital Academy for the Sustainable Built Environment - or DASBE - is a partnership between the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Atlantic Technological University (ATU), along with industry partners the Irish Green Building Council and Tipperary Energy Agency. The body has launched its new online hub aimed at upskilling Ireland’s construction sector, offering AEC professionals a range of programmes and blended learning in the critical areas of energy efficiency, circular economy and digitalisation.

The UK Green Building Council, or UKGBC, has published its long awaited study on circularity in delivering net zero buildings - How Circular Economy Principles can Impact Carbon and Value. This study explores the smart application of circular economy practices and how these have the potential to significantly reduce carbon across the built environment.

Changing user demand, climate change, industry carbon reduction targets, organisational ESG metrics, construction materials shortages and so many other factors are driving changes right across the built environment.  These changes impact what buildings are being built, and, critically, how they are being designed and built. Smart buildings have evolved beyond simple connectivity; healthy buildings have evolved beyond indoor air quality and ventilation; and BMS systems have evolved well beyond intelligent control.

After two years of stepping up to the plate in response to the pandemic, 2022 marks a period of reflection for the cleanroom industry, its importance is well and truly cemented. While cleanrooms have been instrumental in the battle against the pandemic, demand elsewhere is still rising, particularly for lab and pharmaceutical applications.