CIAT News September 2012

• 2012-09a
  
  Good news: The deadline for The Environment and Energy Awards 2012 has been extended to Friday 20 January.
• 2012 09b
  
  The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has launched the theme ‘Housing and Construction’ as part of its Red Tape Challenge.
• 2012 09c
  
  Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors will be carrying out an intensive inspection initiative during February and March 2012. These inspections will focus on the refurbishment/building site risks that make construction one of Britain’s most dangerous industries – working at height safely, good order on site, and the risks associated with the removal of asbestos.
• 2012 09d
  
  Members in the Republic of Ireland are advised that the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government is currently reviewing Part B of the Building Regulations 1997-2011 and it is envisaged that Part B and the associated Technical Guidance Document B will be amended by mid 2013.
• 2012 09e
  
  The one millionth planning application has been processed by HM Government's planning resource website, a site that has now delivered savings of approximately £285 million to applicants and councils, Planning Minister Bob Neill announced today.
• 2012 09f
  
  78% say that BIM is the 'future of project information' but is it the present?
• 2012 09g
  
  A Guide to Understanding the Embodied Impacts of Construction Products has been published by the Construction Products Association (CPA). It outlines a consistent and established way for measuring embodied impacts and this will assist those in all parts of the construction industry to deliver more sustainable buildings with less environmental impact.
• 2012 09h
  
  The new, simplified planning framework for England was published this week by Planning Minister Greg Clark. The new 50 page document, which replaces over 1,300 pages of inherited policy in 44 separate documents delivers on the Coalition Agreement's commitment to ‘publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and setting out national economic, environmental and social priorities’ by April 2012.
• 2012 09i
  
  The Building Control Alliance has presented the government with two research reports on Building Control compliance and customer opinion.
• 2012 09j
  
  The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 came into force on 6 April 2012, updating previous asbestos regulations to take account of the European Commission's view that the UK had not fully implemented the EU Directive on exposure to asbestos (Directive 2009/148/EC).
• 2012 09k
  
  ‘Self-healing’ concrete is being developed by researchers at CIAT-Accredited Northumbria University which could see cracks in concrete buildings become a thing of the past.
• 2012 09l
  
  A guide outlining the Green Deal Opportunities for Industry has been published jointly by the Construction Products Association Green Deal Project Team and the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes.
• 2012 09m
  
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is re-drafting the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations for reissue in 2014.