wienerberger begins construction on world’s first fully electric roof tile kiln at Broomfleet
wienerberger UK & Ireland has begun construction on the world’s first fully electric tunnel kiln for the manufacture of clay roof tiles at its Broomfleet roof tile manufacturing site in East Yorkshire, marking a major milestone in the company’s long‑term decarbonisation strategy and its ambition to transform heavy clay manufacturing. The electric kiln in “Factory e” will replace the conventional natural‑gas-powered firing processes with a 100% electric, renewable‑powered system. Once operational, the new kiln is expected to reduce Scope 1 carbon emissions from this factory production line by 75%, saving 4,700 tonnes of CO₂ per year, while maintaining product quality and performance. The project represents a £37 million investment in UK manufacturing, with £4.3 million funded through the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), which supports industrial fuel‑switching and energy efficiency projects to help decarbonise hard‑to‑abate sectors. By removing natural gas entirely from the roof tile firing process, Factory e will play a critical role in supporting wienerberger’s transition to net‑zero carbon emissions, while strengthening the long‑term future of roof tile production at Broomfleet. Factory e will replace a disused factory line at Broomfleet, during which the old manufacturing equipment will undergo complete replacement, enabling the move to electric firing to be delivered without interrupting ongoing product. Construction activity is now underway on site, with the former factory building cleared and extensive civil engineering works in progress. Key equipment has begun arriving on site in preparation for installation. Keith Barker, Chief Operating Officer at wienerberger UK & Ireland, said: “The start of construction at Broomfleet represents a pivotal step in our journey to decarbonise heavy clay manufacturing. Factory e demonstrates how electrification can deliver substantial carbon emission reductions while maintaining product quality, operational resilience and long‑term competitiveness. Alongside our hydrogen brick kiln project at Denton, it underlines our multi‑technology approach to achieving net zero and our commitment to building for what’s next.” Mark Brook, Operations Director at wienerberger UK & Ireland, added: “Factory e will fundamentally change how roof tiles are made at Broomfleet. We are installing the first electric kiln of its kind for clay roof tiles, alongside modern automation and control technology that improves safety, efficiency and consistency. The same raw materials will be used, and extensive trials and testing give us confidence that product quality will remain unchanged. We are also investing significantly in our site workforce, creating development opportunities as we upskill teams to use the latest technology.” The Factory e project is planned to be completed in 2027, reflecting the complexity of delivering a fully electric tunnel kiln and the associated upgrades required to power the new factory line. As part of the transition, production and engineering teams are being trained and upskilled to operate and maintain the new, more automated equipment. The electrified line will primarily manufacture plain tiles and related accessories, fully replacing the existing gas‑fired kiln previously used for this production. The Broomfleet electric kiln forms a key part of wienerberger UK & Ireland’s wider decarbonisation programme, alongside its hydrogen‑fuelled kiln project at Denton brickworks. Together, these investments showcase a multi‑technology pathway to reducing industrial emissions and accelerating the transition to low‑carbon manufacturing across the company’s UK operations. To discover more about wienerberger’s ambitions to decarbonise operations as part of its sustainability strategy, please visit www.wienerberger.co.uk/sustainability. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Henry Boot Eyes Growth Despite Market Uncertainty
Property and construction group Henry Boot has reported a strong start to 2026, with resilient demand across its residential land, industrial and logistics developments, and premium housing divisions, despite growing concerns over global instability and domestic political uncertainty. Providing a trading update ahead of its AGM, the Sheffield-headquartered business said Hallam Land has either sold or agreed terms on more than 2,600 residential plots so far this year, while its development arm HBD has seen more than 231,000 sq ft of industrial space either let or under offer. Meanwhile, Stonebridge Homes has continued to deliver stable sales performance, with customer demand remaining in line with both expectations and last year’s figures. Chief Executive Tim Roberts said the company continues to benefit from strong structural demand across its key markets, although recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and political uncertainty in the UK are beginning to impact confidence levels. He noted that buyers are becoming increasingly cautious, with larger transactions taking longer to complete, while higher energy and material prices are creating renewed inflationary pressures across construction supply chains. Despite these headwinds, Henry Boot said it remains on track to achieve profit before tax in line with 2026 market expectations of £20.2m. The group’s strategic land business, Hallam Land, continues to benefit from what it described as a “highly favourable” planning environment. The business is targeting the submission of planning applications for a further 10,000 plots during 2026 and has increased its total land bank to more than 108,000 plots following the acquisition of two new sites. In the industrial and logistics sector, HBD’s £66m development programme remains on schedule and within budget, with particularly strong interest being reported across the Origin joint venture portfolio. The developer also confirmed continued progress at its flagship £1bn Golden Valley scheme in Cheltenham, adjacent to GCHQ, where detailed planning consent was recently secured for Phase 1, including the National Cyber Innovation Centre. Henry Boot added that long-term fundamentals across residential, industrial and urban development markets remain positive, positioning the business strongly for medium-term growth. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
FHS technical uncertainty a concern for a quarter of industry professionals
A poll of industry professionals attending a Future Homes Standard (FHS) webinar held by heat network experts, Power On, reveals that 25% of respondents believe the biggest challenge in delivering homes compliant with the new FHS is technical and compliance uncertainty. The poll asked: With the first aspects of the FHS coming into force on 24th March 2027, there is clearly a long way still to go for the industry to be ready. Timelines and requirements for planning and local authorities are seen as a challenge by one in five (21%) of those polled. With this and the uncertainty surrounding technical and compliance requirements, Power On is encouraging the industry to act sooner rather than later to prepare for the FHS. Neil Fitzsimons, Managing Director for Power On, says: “It is easy to be lulled into the false sense of security that the FHS is still a year away. In fact, the industry needs to be acting now to embrace the transition to net zero. Solutions like networked heat are already being delivered in the UK and we encourage builders and developers to look at these now so that they are already on the road to delivering FHS compliant homes.” The FHS is a major update to England’s Building Regulations designed to ensure new homes produce 75–80% less carbon than those built under 2013 standards. It covers low-carbon heating, fabric performance, ventilation, and renewables, and forms part of the UK’s commitment to reaching net zero by 2050. Whilst the FHS does not specifically state what can and cannot be used to heat homes, it shifts solutions away from individual, carbon-intensive systems towards networked, low-carbon heat solutions. To meet the targets, oil, gas, biomass, CHP and (arguably) direct electric heaters are almost certainly impossible. The solutions likely to be implemented and already being delivered include low carbon heat networks, centralised heat pumps, ambient loop systems, individual air source heat pumps (planning permission depending) and systems designed for future network connection. More information is available from: www.poweron-uk.co.uk/heat-networks/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New NBS LCA platform to transform construction project carbon reporting
Today, NBS (part of Hubexo), the platform for connected construction information, launches NBS Lifecycle Carbon Assessment (LCA), a cloud-based carbon assessment platform purpose-built for everyday construction projects. NBS LCA is designed to help professionals understand, quantify and report on the carbon impact of building materials, products and systems as projects develop. Tackling market pain points Professionals have historically been forced to choose between time-intensive, spreadsheet-led approaches to carbon measuring, or complex, specialist software. NBS LCA provides an accessible, practical and reliable solution at an affordable cost, built specifically for UK construction workflows. The platform addresses the shortfall in readily available, high-quality and easy-to-use carbon data, as identified in AECOM’s 2025 report for The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on ‘The practical, technical and economic impacts of measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings’. NBS LCA provides high-quality data from raw material extraction through to system level and whole-building elements, for both generic and proprietary content. With more than 50 years of industry experience connecting specifiers and manufacturers, and specifications with design decisions, NBS is ideally placed to launch a trustworthy LCA platform to market. Construction’s carbon reporting revolution Three-fifths of construction professionals now track upfront embodied carbon, while over half use digital tools for lifecycle analysis. Design teams are recognising the competitive advantages of providing accurate carbon assessments from project inception, with clients, regulators and investors increasingly valuing extensive sustainability data. Key features of NBS LCA (developed alongside partners BDP and Circular Ecology) Built for everyday projects Unlike specialist LCA tools for complex assessments, NBS LCA enables proportionate carbon evaluation across everyday projects, allowing design teams to make informed decisions early in the development process without relying on labour-intensive or manual calculations. Dr Lee Jones, Head of Sustainability, Hubexo, says: “We often hear from architects and engineers that they’re spending hours manually compiling carbon data in spreadsheets or facing challenges with complex software for what should be the core part of the design process. NBS LCA puts carbon assessment capabilities into the hands of the professionals making decisions every day, providing tangible efficiency benefits alongside commercial advantages as the industry continues to take carbon reporting more seriously.” Julia Yao, Associate, Sustainability Consultant, BDP, added: “A major factor in low carbon construction and design is the availability of transparent, consistent data, as well as carbon metrics that a multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, contractors and sustainability specialists can work towards. Without this, it is difficult to measure performance or have a meaningful impact. Collaborating with NBS on the development of this new platform, and the Guide to Embodied Carbon Calculations, has enabled us to establish that shared, cross‑disciplinary understanding of data benchmarks, and make real progress with access to quality data.” Dr Craig Jones, Founder & Managing Director, Circular Ecology, says: “With a wealth of EPD data and pre-calculated generic assemblies, the NBS LCA platform empowers project design teams to find clear and actionable environmental savings.” Regulatory winds of change NBS has launched NBS LCA, as well as a comprehensive guide to embodied carbon calculations, at a time when new UK regulation on carbon reporting is fast-approaching. With the Government outlining its commitment to responsible carbon reporting through its Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, NBS LCA offers a user-friendly solution for construction professionals preparing for anticipated regulatory shifts. NBS LCA is available now, with flexible subscriptions designed for all professionals. For more information, visit the website here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Kent County Council reappoints Telent to maintain one of the UK’s largest traffic signal networks
Long-standing partnership renewed following competitive tender, with focus on continuity, safety and minimal disruption Kent County Council (KCC) has reappointed Telent to maintain its traffic signal network following a competitive tender process, extending a partnership that has supported the county’s roads for more than two decades. As one of Telent’s largest traffic signal maintenance contracts, and one of the most significant of its kind in the UK, the renewal reflects the Council’s confidence in Telent’s ability to deliver consistent high quality, reliable services at scale, whilst minimising disruption to road users. Traffic signals play a vital role in keeping Kent’s roads moving safely and efficiently. Any interruption to service can lead to congestion, delays and increased risk for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. By reappointing Telent, KCC ensures continuity of service, with the same experienced engineering teams, local knowledge and established processes remaining in place from day one. Under the renewed contract, Telent will continue to provide proactive and reactive maintenance services for traffic signal junctions, pedestrian crossings and associated roadside technology throughout the county. The network includes a significant proportion of complex and legacy infrastructure, requiring specialist expertise to maintain performance, resilience and long-term reliability. Kent is also among the largest users of Telent’s Optima Hub smart city platform, with 469 sites connected, representing over 60% of its crossings and junctions. This includes a substantial number of legacy and multi-vendor installations, demonstrating Telent’s ability to manage diverse and ageing infrastructure through a single, unified platform. Optima Hub provides real-time visibility across the network, enabling rapid fault identification and response, helping to minimise disruption for residents, businesses and commuters. Telent’s reappointment was supported by its strong health and safety record and consistent service delivery, with no major incidents across the lifetime of the contract. Its collaborative approach and deep understanding of the county’s infrastructure have also enabled it to support additional projects and evolving technology requirements beyond the core maintenance contract. Paul Owen, Director – Traffic Technology at Telent, said: “Maintaining a network of this scale requires not only technical capability, but deep local knowledge and a team that understands the infrastructure inside out. Being reappointed by KCC is a strong endorsement of our ability to deliver safely, consistently and with minimal disruption. Retaining the same expertise and processes ensures continuity from day one and allows us to continue supporting the county with reliable, responsive services.” Peter Osborne, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport said: “Keeping Kent moving safely and smoothly means having a traffic signal network people can rely on. Telent has consistently done a great job maintaining our infrastructure and stepping in quickly when something needs fixing. We’re really pleased to be continuing this long-standing partnership, helping make sure journeys across the county stay dependable for everyone who uses our roads.” The renewal further strengthens Telent’s position as a trusted partner to local authorities across the UK, underpinned by a strong record of contract retention, safe delivery, and long-term collaboration. To learn more about Telent’s Traffic Signal Control & Maintenance solutions, please visit: https://telent.com/solutions/control-automation/traffic-signal-control-maintenance Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
120 Sunbelt Rentals teammates complete Cumbrian Challenge in support of veterans
120 teammates from Sunbelt Rentals UK and Ireland successfully completed the Cumbrian Challenge in the Lake District, held across Friday 15th – Saturday 16th May, raising £19,000 to date for Walking With The Wounded. As headline sponsor of the charity’s flagship fundraising event, the business joined organisations, businesses and individuals to take on the challenge in support of veterans and their families. Now in its 6th year of participation, Sunbelt Rentals continues to demonstrate its commitment to the armed forces community through this event. Colleagues from across the business took on one of three routes: Across all routes, teams navigated challenging terrain and conditions, demonstrating strong collaboration and determination throughout. The Cumbrian Challenge brings participants together each year for a team-based event in the Lake District, raising funds to support veterans as they transition back into civilian life. Funds raised contribute to employment support, mental health services and care coordination. Leanne Casey, Project Lead Cumbrian Challenge, said:“It’s been a privilege to lead such a committed and collaborative team at the Cumbrian Challenge. Working alongside Walking With The Wounded, colleagues have not only taken on a physical challenge but also made a meaningful contribution to a cause that truly matters – an achievement I’m incredibly proud of. A huge thank you to everyone involved for your dedication, teamwork and support in making this such a success.” Joel Oxberry, Chief Operating Officer, Walking With The Wounded, said:“The support shown by Sunbelt Rentals throughout this year’s Cumbrian Challenge has been nothing short of outstanding. Not only did they come on board as headline sponsors, but they also brought an incredible 30 teams to the event and helped raise nearly £20,000 in support of veterans and their families across the UK. Their energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the Armed Forces community was visible throughout the weekend, and we are hugely grateful for the partnership, generosity and team spirit they continue to show Walking With The Wounded.” Participants supported one another throughout, with a strong sense of camaraderie from start line to finish. Sunbelt Rentals is proud to support Walking With The Wounded and the work they do to help veterans and their families move forward, and looks forward to supporting the challenge again in the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals