Darren Brennan, Specification Director at Siderise, answers readers’ questions on passive fire protection for the building envelope.
Designing play spaces for all seasons
USA SHADE discusses how shade structures and climate-responsive design can support safer, more resilient playgrounds throughout the year.
School of Specification – Specifying Colour
Dawn Scott, Senior Colour Designer & Inclusive Design Lead at Dulux, has produced a School of Specification module on specifying colour. Here she discusses colour theory and perception, as well as the benefits of using the Dulux colour notation system.
Rethinking insulation for housing
STEICO explores the environmental and performance benefits of specifying wood fibre insulation on large housing developments.
Delivering education buildings in 2026
With education estates under increasing pressure to do more with less, this roundtable discussion, hosted by AT in partnership with IKO, explored how more intelligent approaches to procurement, manufacture and retrofit can help future-proof the next generation of schools, colleges and universities.
Future-proofing education estates: Why roofing strategy is critical for CIF and MAT programmes
Roofing can play a pivotal role in the funding success and future-proofing of education estates. AccuRoof’s Rob Edwards and Ian Dryden, in conversation with AT’s Technical Editor John Ramshaw, discuss how to get it right, from strategy to specification.
The colour of clay
Michelmersh explores how pastel, traditional and monochrome clay bricks shape architectural identity, helping designers balance context, character and contemporary expression.
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Westwind
Architect Madeleine Kivell’s reworking of her London home demonstrates how VELUX roof windows can create a ‘lightbox effect’, drawing daylight deep into the plan to support privacy, wellbeing and family life.
Expanding the palette
HIMACS introduces 15 new colours to its solid surfaces portfolio for 2026, offering architects greater aesthetic freedom alongside proven performance and sustainability credentials.
Sound, light and air
Watch the AT webinar, in partnership with Oscar Acoustics and The Rooflight Co, exploring how architects and construction specialists are balancing environmental comfort with performance and inclusivity.
The cost of compliance
New research from wienerberger highlights the need for greater product transparency as architects navigate the careful balance between creativity and compliance.
The power of colour
wienerberger explores why colour remains the primary driver in brick selection, and how architects are balancing visual identity with durability and embodied carbon in today’s evolving specification landscape.
Low-carbon craftsmanship
A long-held commitment to environmental responsibility, underpinned by rigorous quality control, informs Optima’s manufacture of glazed partitions and door systems.
Reframing colour as a tool for architecture
Crown Paints discusses Colour Insights 2025/26, its latest research into the evolving role of colour in the built environment.
Futureproofing commercial roofs for PV integration
Designing commercial roofs with solar in mind is fast becoming a commercial necessity. Edward Cooke, AccuRoof National Sales Manager (Solar & Renewables) discusses how early-stage PV integration, technical coordination and warranty-led thinking can help specifiers deliver long-term value with confidence.
Sownd Certification
Oscar Acoustics explores Sownd Certification, a world-first framework that enables architects to specify, evidence and communicate inclusive acoustic performance.
in partnership with SIG Design and Technology
Ask the Expert: Acoustic design for audio-inclusivity
Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics, answers readers’ questions on how architects can design audio-inclusive spaces that support communication, connection, and focus.
Stronger together
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London are uniting in 2026 to create the UK’s built environment super event.
Breathing space
As indoor air quality rises up the agenda for architects, Johnstone’s Trade discusses how smarter paint and coating specifications can contribute to healthier buildings long after completion.
School of Specification – Fire Safety for Principal Designers
Simón Santamaria, Technical Development Director at Stantec, has produced a School of Specification module on fire safety for principal designers. Here he explores the distinction between compliance and conformity, as well as the tools for evaluating competence and quality in fire safety design.
Building financial resilience
Seasoned CFO and CEO George Panos outlines how better forecasting, realistic pricing and consistent billing can create more resilient practices.
Freetown International Airport
Set against Sierra Leone’s tropical coastline, Freetown International Airport relies on Şişecam’s Duosol T 50 glazing to balance solar control, thermal performance, and visual clarity in one of West Africa’s most demanding climates.
Ask the expert: Navigating Whole Life Carbon Assessment for flat roofs
Louis Weir, Sustainability Manager at IKO, answers readers’ questions on how whole life carbon assessment is shaping the design and specification of flat roofing systems.
Materials library: tp bennett
Carmen Wochner explains how the practice’s carefully curated materials library blends product inspiration and tactility with a desire to educate and inform.
Intelligent specification
How can the construction industry accelerate the transition to net zero? And where do the main challenges and opportunities lie in relation to intelligent design and specification? These questions were addressed by a panel of experts at a round table discussion in London hosted by AT in partnership with IKO.
Futurebuild 2026
Connecting ambition with action is the focus of Futurebuild 2026, which takes place at Excel London from 3rd-5th March.
Blaise Diagne International Airport
At Senegal’s Blaise Diagne International Airport, a combination of Şişecam’s high-performance Solar Low-E glazing and advanced laminated safety glass mitigate intense climatic conditions, while also ensuring high levels of transparency, comfort and security.
School of Specification – Materials Passports
Rachel Hoolahan, Associate Director at Orms, has produced a School of Specification module on Materials Passports. She considers the advantages and challenges of implementing materials passports as well as how project teams can start using them.
Istanbul Airport
High-performance glass from Şişecam delivers energy efficiency, acoustic comfort and safety, across one of the world’s largest transport hubs.
Wood fibre insulation explained
STEICO answers questions on wood fibre insulation, exploring its suitability for housebuilding and its role in addressing embodied carbon, overheating risk, moisture control, acoustic performance and indoor air quality.
School of Specification – Introduction to Specifications
Nick Schumann shares some of the lessons learnt from a career as a leading expert on design management and specifications, particularly how they relate to costs, purchasing, risk management, and various construction contract types.