ARCHIVE CIOB competition winners
THIS COMPETITION HAS CLOSED 
Drum roll please.
After a lot of reading, a lot of learning, a bit of editing and a great deal of deliberation, the winner of the 2013 Chartered Institute of Building article competition is…
Mark Wilson for his article insulation specification. Mark is principal at the Leeds-based practice, Design Office Architectural Ltd, and developer of BuildingDesignExpert.com. He is a Chartered Architectural Technologist with a passion for building design technology and innovation. His article looks at the realities of insulation, how installations on site rarely achieve manufacturers’ published performance standards, and what sort of insulation is appropriate where.
The four runners-up are:
- Norman McIntosh from Roundhouse Architecture, for his detailed and practical guide to conical roof slating.
- Charles Hippisley-Cox, Senior Lecturer in Building Conservation at the Department of Architecture & 3d Design at Huddersfield University for his extraordinary article on the use of spiders to eradicate woodworm. Woodworm and spiders.
- Rachael Browne, sixth year MArch student at The Robert Gordon University Aberdeen for her beautifully written article about the history and regeneration of the Ballymun high-rise development in Dublin. Ballymun mass housing and regeneration.
- Oliver Latimer, a 2013 graduate in Civil Engineering MEng from Loughborough University for his article on the relative merits of a dynamic rather than static briefing process. Dynamic briefing.
Congratulations to them all. Certificates will be in the post shortly, and a cheque will be on its way to Mark. You will be hearing more from Mark in the future, as he's been invited to write a guest blog post for our home page. Thank you to everyone who took part in the competition, we received a truly exciting and varied selection of entries, each and every one of which will help develop the ever-expanding knowledge base that is Designing Buildings Wiki.
Now you have the hang of it – keep writing. Why not start by having a look at our list of articles required?
--CIOB
Featured articles and news
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
A brief description of a smart construction dashboard, collecting as-built data, as a s site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure bill oulined
With reactions from IHBC and others on its potential impacts.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Building Engineering Business Survey Q1 2025
Survey shows growth remains flat as skill shortages and volatile pricing persist.