Energy Efficient Scotland
Back in May this year, the Scottish Government launched the Route Map and consultation on Energy Efficient Scotland (EES). The consultation proposed a range of measures which are designed to improve energy efficiency in Scotland’s building stock and to meet the Scottish Government’s key policy aims of eradicating fuel poverty and meeting decarbonisation targets. So, […]
Life of a Building Surveyor – Part 6
At the end of September I attended the RICS Matrics Annual Dinner in Edinburgh. The evening was great, with good food, entertainment and best of all good conversation. I used to find networking daunting and tedious but over time my opinion on it has changed. I first came across networking at university where we would […]
Life of a Building Surveyor – Part 5
When working beyond the central belt, it is not uncommon to find yourself passing large country estates. These estates and the buildings within are shining examples of Scotland’s architecture and can be well maintained with the grounds groomed to perfection. In contrast to these buildings of grandeur, other historic, traditional buildings within rural areas have […]
Pens, Single Use Plastics & Modern Construction
Having recently read a few Philip Hesketh books, an anecdote of his about a fountain pen made me think. For anyone technical, or who likes brands and design, pens always hold an allure, particularly expensive ones. The technology, although simple compared with many walks of life, is basic but often elegant. The different variations on […]
What is the collective noun for clergy?
You will be bored by now with us spamming you about St Comghan’s Chapel and the various awards it has been shortlisted for but last week was a very significant event. On a construction project, completion is marked in various ways – by certifying Practical Completion, the local authority accepting the completion certificate, by […]
The Life of an Architect – Part 2 : It’s in the Detail
I’m often asked why I chose a career in Architecture and my response goes something like this… Throughout my time at secondary school I thought I was pursuing a career as an interior designer, and it wasn’t until a careers advisor highlighted that my interest wasn’t in decoration, fitting and furnishings, but it was the […]
The Life of A Building Surveyor – Part 4
There are several contract suites used within the UK, each of which produce several different contracts for different types of construction project. Many of these contracts require the role of a Contract Administrator (CA). Put very briefly the CA impartially manages the contract between two parties, the employer and the contractor. Typical duties include chairing […]
GLM welcomes a familiar face back to the team
Aythan has re-joined Team GLM and we’re delighted to have him back. Ian McKee, Managing Director, said : “It is fantastic having Aythan back on the GLM Team. With his unique ability to combine design sensitivity and understanding with the commercial imperatives of time and cost, Aythan’s approach to project delivery is in stark contrast […]
The Life of a Building Surveyor – Part 3
Although there are many routes into the building surveying profession, the one I took was through academic studies at university. Although university gives you a solid knowledge base and teaches you the basics, I found that the real learning begins once in the work place and it never actually stops. It was stressed throughout university […]
The Life of an Architect – Part 1 : Communication
As Architects we are passionate about our profession – we must be, as becoming an Architect takes a long and demanding period of study and practical training before we can legally use the title. Architects understand the process of building but our role extends much further than design. We need to be great communicators. We […]