Nightingale team up with Loughborough Uni to develop ‘Adaptable Futures’ toolkit

As one of our THiNK Sustainability initiatives, to improve the adaptability and flexibility of our buildings, Nightingale has signed a collaboration agreement with Loughborough University to help develop an Adaptable Futures Toolkit for use in design.

The toolkit will seek to encourage designers to think about the issue of adaptability throughout the design process and help facilitate conversations with clients and other stakeholders.

From the AF toolkit

This follows a four-year study by the Adaptable Futures group at Loughborough University on designing for adaptability. This included identifying existing good practice on adaptability and generating new insights into how buildings can be designed to accommodate change.

From the AF toolkit

The website features two of our projects: Gateway Sixth Form College (Paul Menadue) and The Golden Jubilee Wing at King’s College Hospital (Milorad Vucinic and David Rowley). Also check out the AF blog.

Gateway College, Leicester

We hope this initiative will help encourage more adaptability/flexibility on our projects.

Robert Schmidt III, Loughborough University, said: “We have had a number of collaborators throughout the life of the project and NA’s enthusiasm, advocacy and understanding of adaptability (and more generally sustainability) has made them a top-tier collaborator.”

For more information on our involvement contact David Rowley.

Golden Jubilee Wing at King’s College Hospital

Children learn best when all their senses are engaged. Nightingale THiNK is exploring this philosophy and working directly with schools to improve their environments through the implementation of our sensory research.

By helping children to understand the information their brains receive through all the senses we are able to help them understand the role the built environment has in their education. By using a whole toolbox of devices from coloured LEDs and high-frequency sonic guns, to cold green slime and candyfloss-smelling snuff boxes, children are engaging with their senses and surroundings in a new approach to school design.

Sensory workshops with kids and teachers are being used to capture their feedback in a sensory audit. Once their needs have been analysed, Nightingale can offer solutions to the problems with simple ‘design interventions’ like basic fixtures and fittings or the implementation of sounds and scents.

This was first trialled when Nightingale visited Bladon Primary School in Oxfordshire for the day. In the morning, they led a school assembly on the five senses engaging the children with intriguing facts about both humans and animal senses. This was followed by three classroom workshops and a session with the school council to get the children to engage their senses and interact with the spaces around them. At the end of the day, the THiNK team presented to the teachers who discussed their thoughts on their environment and how the children respond to it.

A lot of information was collected including drawings by the kids that depict how they feel about their school, as well as a sensory audit of part of the building carried out by teachers. This information will be invaluable as Nightingale can highlight areas where we can improve the school and the users’ experience.

Some of the points children raised included:

• Find it hard to concentrate having lessons sitting on the floor as it is uncomfortable
• There isn’t enough room on the floor
• Can’t concentrate because the room is cluttered and untidy
• Dislike artificial lights that flicker
• Would like more windows
• Unplastered walls in corridors

To further our research, THiNK is working with Salford University’s Centre for Research and Innovation in the Built and Human Environment, which is looking at sensory impacts on learning. Working with Peter Barrett and his team at Salford University the sensory research programme will help develop a new approach to school briefing and design across the practice.

The medical tourism industry is booming despite a global recession. People from all over the world are choosing to travel to other countries to fulfil their healthcare needs, particularly in Asia. But what is the appeal of hospitalisation on holiday? And what is Nightingale Associate’s contribution to the phenomenon?

Exotic destinations and high quality facilities attract patients abroad

What is medical tourism?

In recent years there has been a surge of individuals choosing to go abroad for healthcare. Travelling for healthcare services is particularly appealing because of low costs and quick treatment of non-critical conditions. ‘Medical Tourism’, as it is known, has opened up the healthcare market for private hospitals around the globe, and companies are eager to provide services for which their clients are willing to pay and travel across borders.

According to the Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, the term ‘Medical Tourism’ refers to “travel activity that involves a medical procedure or activities that promote the wellbeing of the tourist” . However, it is now common that patients wish to combine their treatment with a holiday . Consequently, there is a growing requirement for hospitals to be located in desirous holiday destinations and provide hotel and leisure facilities. To be successful, private healthcare providers must charge for their services competitively, whilst at the same time, maintain high standards of care. Also, private hospitals must adhere to strict international standards and gain accreditations where possible in order to appeal to international clients. Because of the range of facilities required and increasing numbers of private patients, many healthcare providers are commissioning new hospitals to meet the demands of these new medical tourists.

A worldwide trend

Medical tourism is flourishing across the globe

Medical tourism is a worldwide trend. According to Keith Pollard, Managing Director of Intuition Communication and commentator on medical tourism , patient flows “follow low cost airline routes with short flight times or cross border land routes. Americans flying or driving south for surgery, Brits travelling to Budapest for dental treatment, the Japanese heading west to Korea for cosmetic surgery, the Indonesians travelling to Malaysia and Singapore, Central Africans heading for South Africa” . The number of tourists is subject to great debate, one London consultancy, Tourism Research and Marketing has estimated that by 2010, 38 million trips are taken worldwide every year, and some reports claim the industry is now worth £20 billion.

Medical tourism in Malaysia

Malaysia is a well-established holiday destination that is fast becoming one of the most popular countries for medical tourists. Frequented by people from Indonesia and other parts of Asia, the country has built up a strong reputation as an affordable, multi-cultural and easily reached destination to receive treatment. The government strongly supports the influx of medical tourists, not only because it supports the country’s economy, but because Malaysia has the potential of becoming a world leader in health tourism. The government have made it easier for people to use medical services by improving the county’s infrastructure and allowing medical tourists to extend their visas if desired.

It is important that hospitals are recognised in order to maintain high standards and instil a sense of trust with new clients, therefore many are internationally accredited. The Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation is the benchmark certification for foreign hospitals that works with healthcare organisations, ministries of health, and global organizations in over 80 countries. Malaysia also has its own internal system, the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) accreditation.

Nightingale Associate’s Malaysian project

Nightingale Associates is currently designing a new private hospital in Malaysia that will cater for medical tourists. The new KPJ Specialist International Hospital will be built in the city of Johor Bahru. The 440 bed hospital will provide consultation, diagnostics and treatment, and feature six dedicated Centres of Excellence for oncology, cardiology, orthopaedics, general and elderly medicine, cosmetic and reconstructive, and woman and children. Luxury facilities include a futuristic atrium, dedicated VIP bedrooms, suites, lounges and clinics, day-care and retail facilities. In addition a hotel, wellness centre and residential facilities for older people are planned for the “Meditel” which will be built adjacent to the hospital.

KPJ International Specialist Hospital

Medical tourism has the potential to grow from strength to strength in the coming years. This demand will open up more opportunities for architects to design healthcare buildings that are tailored to the tourists’ specific needs. Nightingale Associates already has vast experience in the public and private healthcare sectors, and are taking their clinical design excellence to an international audience.

Further Reading:

Connell, John (2006) Medical tourism: Sea, sun, sand and … surgery [Online]. Tourism Management 27 (2006) 1093–1100. Available at: http://ataland.com/Files/Articles/z4.pdf

Lee, Christine (2006) Medical tourism, an innovative opportunity for entrepreneurs. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, Volume III, Issue 1. Available at: http://www.asiaentrepreneurshipjournal.com/AJESIII1Lee.pdf

Pollard, Keith (2010) Medical tourism statistics: Comparing apples with apples. Health tourism blog, [blog] June 2011. Available at: http://www.imtj.com/blog/

Cardiff University’s strategy to advance its research division is progressing thanks to the appointment of high Profile Patrons, Stephen Fry and Sir Terry Matthews. The Patrons will work to promote the new mental health and cancer Research Institutes, which will be based in the purpose-built ‘Hadyn Ellis Building’.
Research-led Institutes

The University Research Institutes (URI’s) have been created to tackle key scientific problems, with the intention of becoming world-leaders in their specific fields. Two of the institutes specifically target health conditions:

• The Cancer Stem Cell Institute will focus on examining the stem cells of specific types of cancer to gather more information on the disease, which could ultimately lead to new treatments.

• The Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute will help devise new treatments for psychiatric disorders like Schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder and attention deficit disorder, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Famous Patronage

Actor/author Stephen Fry and Technological entrepreneur, Sir Terry Matthews will promote the new Institutes. Their endorsement will undoubtedly gain the public’s attention and may even spark further interest into Cardiff’s successful science research programme.

Stephen Fry is an honorary fellow of the university and now represents the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute. The TV personality suffers from bipolar disorder and is heavily involved in raising awareness the condition.

Sir Terry Matthews is representing the Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute. The renowned billionaire was born in nearby Newport and owns the famous Celtic Manor Resort that hosted last year’s Ryder Cup.

The ‘Hadyn Ellis Building’

As well as new Patrons, the Institutes will have a brand new building that will open next year.

The two Institutes will be based in the Hadyn Ellis Building that has been designed by Nightingale Associates. Named after the late Deputy Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University, it will also accommodate the well-established Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics. New facilities include top of the range laboratory, teaching and office space, lecture theatre and cafe, all arranged around a large public atrium with exhibition space.

The new building will be constructed on a derelict railway site near the city centre. It marks the first phase of a 10-15 year plan to completely transform the disused site into a whole new university campus. The New Maindy Park Campus will become Cardiff’s centre for research, and the Hadyn Ellis Building will act as the gateway to this development.

Nightingale teams in every office took part in a cross-studio design charrette aimed to motivate and challenge the teams in a fun and engaging way.

For those who do not know what a charrette is, it is a short but intensive design exercise that promotes innovative and creative thinking. Every studio was involved in the exercise, which brought together all the different disciplines within the practice.

All the teams were assigned a brief devised by our founder, Mike Nightingale, and Advance Aid, a charitable initiative that provides strategic disaster relief in Africa. The brief asked the teams to design medical support facilities for disaster stricken countries using 40ft shipping containers .

Staff came up with a plethora of ideas, from immediate response units to long term solutions such as community hospitals. Up to six containers could be used, so they were organised into large compounds, creating a multi-crisis centre and even a disaster HQ. Containers were cleverly adapted by opening out the sides and linking up with canopies. Some responded to uneven terrain/flooded areas by incorporating adjustable hydraulic legs and leveling pads, and most of the designs came up with solutions to provide comfort in a potentially inhospitable climate.

“The THiNK charrette pushed my mind to be creative, and yet keep solutions simple and adaptable. From my own experience, I believe it helps to keep our minds fresh and I look forward to the next one”.
Stuart Roberts, Architect (Rochdale)

“The subject content was very thought provoking, especially in light of recent events, and encouraged us to push boundaries to create something worthwhile for those who truly need it.”
Abigail Amos, Interior Designer (Harwell)

‘It was a great challenge. Time constraints meant any second guessing was subordinate to design instinct and problem solving. It was beneficial to be in a team with colleagues that I had never worked with before.”
Darryl Scotsman, Architectural Technician (Cape Town)

“At first I was a bit skeptical, but in the end I really enjoyed it. The brief proved to be very abstract and topical, and was a refreshing change.”
Lindsay Gibbon, Associate (Cardiff)

As well as promoting teamwork and creativity, charrettes help with personal development. Nightingale is actively taking steps to do more exercises like this and is constantly coming up with new ways to motivate our hard working team.

Brighton Design

Cape Town Design

Cardiff Design

London Design

Chris has been working for the hospital’s for over 30 years, first as a hospital porter and then as a paramedic. So it was very fitting that, with his insider knowledge and attachment to the buildings and the people, he should capture its last few weeks. 

Edith Cavell Hospital shortly before its closure

He said: “Whoever came up with idea was very forward thinking in trying to record and preserve for posterity, what otherwise would just be memories and soon to be a pile of rubble”. 

Not the usual hospital trolly

In between his shifts, he spent several weeks wandering through the buildings recording tiny snapshots of life in the hospital. He explained; “I love street photography and approached the project as if the corridors, wards, offices and departments were my town centre where I have roamed for years”. Most of his images portray the patients and the staff; the lifeblood of the hospital. The buildings act as a backdrop, providing his shots with a sense of scale and context. 

Peterborough District's front entrance

Behind the scenes at Peterborough District Hospital

This is not the first time Chris has captured the hospital. His photos taken in the 1980s give real insight into the changes that have taken place. Looking back, the changes are most evident by the staff uniforms, early computers and interiors that seem dated and uncomfortably clinical. 

The labs in Peterborough District Hospital in the early eighties

Sister Jayne and patient Ron in A&E

Moving forward, Chris now hopes for the opportunity to photograph the new Peterborough City Hospital that opened last year. He acknowledged that “its scale and design will make my project in the other hospitals seem easy by comparison”, but joked how “the lighting should be better”. If this goes ahead, it will add to his extensive photographic record of Peterborough, depicting the social history of the city’s hospitals. 

Chris’s hobby as an amateur photographer continues to flourish. Thanks to the success of a 2010 exhibition of his work, he has been invited to stage further exhibitions in the local shopping centre. He is currently working on his third calendar and reunion project which involves recapturing shots of people he has photographed over the past three decades. He also hopes to fulfil his dream of writing a book about his family history and photography. 

Chris Porsz caught on camera

To see other photographs of Peterborough over the years, visit http://www.peterboroughinpictures.co.uk/.

Nightingale Associates is passionate about designing buildings that not only cater for the individual needs of its users, but also improve their general wellbeing.

It is imperative that a building can fulfil its function and also makes its occupants feel comfortable in their surroundings. Art-therapy is a fantastic way of expressing oneself creatively and helping an individual’s personal development. In their latest project, Nightingale Associates have combined art-therapy with interior design to create a contemporary new mental health/rehabilitation ward for St George’s Hospital, Stafford, called Stonefield House.

The stigma surrounding mental health and rehabilitation units is not unfounded. Historically, units were very clinical and unwelcoming, with limited facilities and schemes to help patients enjoy their time in recovery.

However, times have changed; hospitals and numerous charities in the UK now provide the funding to make facilities more comfortable for patients, and offer more opportunities to improve the quality of life and rehabilitation for those who need it. Nightingale Associates have been working with both NHS and private hospitals for 20 years to improve the design of hospitals to cater for patients’ special needs.

Working with the trust, Nightingale’s decided to incorporate the artistic talents of Stonefield’s users into the design to create an inviting and personalised environment. Users were encouraged to take part in a photographic competition which would be turned into wall-art for display in communal areas.
Over the course of four sessions, the users were taught how to use the cameras and were permitted to enter the building during its construction to capture interesting shots of the building process. Under the guidance of staff and occupational therapists’, they selected 12 of their favourite images to be turned into art. The images have been printed in monochrome, with certain features picked out in colour to fit in with the interior design. The striking images give a real sense of the users’ perspectives and will be mounted in the room from where they were taken to give a sense of ‘before and after’.

By letting patients go behind the scenes and actively selecting the wall-art not only helps them to feel at ease with the new facilities, but also helps to create a more comfortable and homely environment. The use of photography in this way is known as “Therapeutic Photography” – photography conducted by individuals for artistic and creative exploration. It differs from “Phototherapy” which is the use of photographs within the framework of formal therapy, for example, during counselling.

To continue this artistic venture, when the LSU (Low Secure Unit) reopens in October 2010, users will be able to take part in a weekly art group, which will be self-funded. Installing an art activity programme for users is a great way for them to get to know each other in an informal and sociable setting. Many of the users stay in the facility any time from a few days, up to 2-3 years, so there is a regular client group to work with. The majority of Stonefield users are male and are aged between 18 and 80; therefore trying to design a building and find activities to suit everyone is problematic. However, because art is generally thought of as a universal pastime, people of all ages can enjoy it. Using photography is especially stimulating to male users as it is considered as a particularly masculine-friendly art form and was a fun way to launch the scheme.

In general, artistic therapy is a worthwhile practice that can be applied to our daily lives. Developing your own artistry (in any medium, whether through photography, sculpting, drawing or painting) allows individuals to express themselves in a positive way, helping to relieve stress and increase self-esteem. And if anything, art helps people to escape from day-to-day life and focus their attention on one task, which is a difficult thing to do when juggling priorities and having so many distractions in life.

The Stonefield House ward, part of the Michael Flanagan building, along with a £30 million redevelopment project for Shelton Hospital, is Nightingale’s seventh project for their client, South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The £3.2 million ward was built as part of a two-phase project in which an existing building is being re-used as the main hub of the scheme. The colourful new ward has a contemporary feel, with wood floors, bright furniture and large windows to make the most of the natural light.

In pursuit of good design and innovation, Nightingale Associates hope to enter this project for the 2011 BBH (Building Better Healthcare) Awards for Best Use of Visual Art in Healthcare as well as Best Interior and Best Sustainable Design categories. Thanks to a strong relationship with the Trust and their commitment to good mental health design, Nightingale Associates was shortlisted for Best Interiors in Mental Health in 2008, and were also highly commended in the Product Design category for the Norbury Lounge Chair.

The photographic artwork was created with the assistance of Brighton based company, alonglines.

Richard Mazuch, director of Design Research and Innovation, will be talking about ‘Re-thinking space – Innovative approaches for inpatient accommodation’.

The last 12 months have seen unprecedented changes in our political and economic situation, making the challenges facing healthcare estates bigger than ever before. The paper will describe three innovative approaches developed by Nightingale Associates for the provision of Inpatient accommodation for both existing and new build healthcare settings.

Re-use and refurbishment within the existing estate

Developing a lean estate is now more important than ever. Trusts have to find more affordable ways of upgrading their existing accommodation.

Nightingale Associates, with partners SAS International and Billings Jackson Design, have developed the BedPod as part of the Design Council ‘Design for Patient Dignity’ programme funded by the Department of Health. To provide same-sex accommodation, the current solution involves major ward or hospital refurbishment at significant capital cost, downtime and loss of beds. By utilising existing space within wards, the BedPod provides same-sex accommodation at a fraction of the cost.

The BedPod offers a uniquely flexible solution for providing Inpatient bed space. Developed for minor or major works and as a temporary or permanent measure, the BedPod is a prefabricated, modular product that offers simplified procurement, minimal disruption and no loss of beds. Manufactured to the highest quality, its modularity enables choice in initial specification and facilitates replacement and upgrade over time to minimise obsolescence.

Moreover the BedPod aims to create a sense of patient empowerment, offering increased control and improving patient dignity. It is also designed to improve the healing environment by increasing sensory engagement and helping to control the spread of infection.

Providing the right Inpatient accommodation is about understanding the context and applying the right solution. This approach provides the Estate Manager with flexible solutions that respond to reoccurring issues, whilst making the most of any investment.

100% Single room accommodation

As the debate continues as to whether single bed accommodation is the future of the NHS, Nightingale Associates (with their Supply Chain Partner, BAM) are about to complete the first purpose designed 100% Single Room hospital in Wales.

The 96 bed hospital in Ebbw Vale for The Aneurin Bevan NHS Trust, delivered via the Designed for Life: Building for Wales Framework, will be receiving patients by October 2010. The proposed ward layouts were developed in close consultation with the Trust team, patient groups and stakeholders to ensure cost effectiveness, staff efficiency, optimal observation, patient control, as well as patient privacy and dignity. Best practice, current guidance and full scale mock-ups have been utilised during the design development process.

Multi-bed bay accommodation

Nightingale Associate’s experience in the healthcare market underlines that providing 100% single room accommodation is often unaffordable or inappropriate for the intended purpose or patient group. To address this problem, Nightingale’s havedeveloped the cruciform ward to provide a cost effective, staff efficient and patient centred alternative to current multi-bed bay models.

The cruciform ward layout is configured to emphasise individual bed heads for each patient, thereby creating a sense of personal space and controlling the spread of infection. The innovative layout provides for the integration of en-suite sanitary accommodation as well as areas for informal seating and/or patient dining. The ward can be deployed with varying percentages of single room accommodation. The cruciform ward has been successfully developed for the recently completed Phase V, Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Guernsey and the new Peterborough City Hospital due for completion in the autumn 2010.

Healthcare Estates is the largest and most influential institution in the UK. The conference is taking place in Manchester Central from 5^th-6^th October 2010.

Dan Savage and Linda Schwab have been selected to provide wall and glazing treatments throughout Peterborough’s new City Hospital, which has been designed by Nightingale Associates under contractor, Brookfield Construction (UK) Ltd.

Matthias Peretz, Elizabeth Petrovitch and Emma White discussing the project.

Incorporating art into the healing environments is more than hanging aesthetic pictures on the walls; for Peterborough & Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust it’s been a two-year long programme, providing the opportunity to create an appealing healthcare environment as well as building identity for individual departments and aiding wayfinding.

The artist selection process has come to fruition following two years of planning. Dan Savage will provide wall and glazing treatments in the children’s out-patient department, adolescent in-patient, emergency centre, bereavement suite centre and NICU.

Glazing treatment by Dan Savage

Linda Schwab will provide artwork for haematology and oncology unit, waiting area, children’s waiting day treatment unit, children’s waiting area in the head and neck unit and glazing in the faith centre. 

Artwork by Linda Schwab

The locations identified by Nightingale Associates’ architects and the Trust as priority areas for artistic embellishment were chosen according to the service they provide – or particular needs for patients, staff and visitors.

Elizabeth Petrovic

Nightingale Associates’ Interior Design Lead, Elizabeth Petrovitch, said:

“The children’s departments feature high in the priority art areas as the effect of artwork and bright colour themes upon children’s recovery cannot be underestimated.”

Freelance arts consultant, Emma Larkinson, has been employed by the Trust. She has helped put together a longlist of artists. She is also a member of the arts steering group including Trust representatives, Nightingale Associates, contractor representatives and user groups members. But it wasn’t as simple as picking the best three artists by a demographic vote; other factors had to be considered.

“There are always challenges for artists working in public contexts,” says Emma, “Within healthcare there are limitations that come with restricted use of materials.  In addition there are often strongly held identities for wards and groups of staff and patients, which means there is often a directional design brief. The best artists are those that are able to identify the opportunity for a creative response that results in a unique environment that people can relate to.’

The art needed to respond to the building’s natural lighting and design features. It needed to be engaging, potentially educational, flexible and able to respond to different environments within the hospital – as well as meeting the relevant technical specifications and infection control methods.

The new hospital offers new facilities but also a refreshed visual language for the healthcare environment.  Wayfinding and orientation are a key area of the patient experience and this has been addressed by the wayfinding and interior design strategy.  A positive contribution to a locally relevant design language has been made by Nightingale Associates in their design of wayfinding symbols.

Wayfinding artwork by Nightingale Associates

Not only do these art projects contribute to the patient experience, they have also provided the opportunity for staff to engage with arts practitioners in order to express and explore key areas of interest through art commissions – resulting in more unique work environments. 

Wayfinding artwork by Nightingale Associates

While visual arts form the backbone of the arts strategy, the new hospital’s relationship with the community it serves through the building’s art and other activities has been explored.  Students from a local school  are creating paintings for particularly areas, temporary exhibitions and installations will be incorporated through partnerships with the local museum and art gallery and even hospital staff are creating artwork for the staff spaces.

There will also be a local photography competition based around wayfinding themes and an arts film by Richard Mullane at ‘Living Projects’  using local landscapes and communities. 

“A well considered piece of art can instill feelings of hope, comfort, reflection and joy. It is a window out of the highly functional world of the hospital, a break from the thoughts and feelings associated with a hospital visit,” adds Elizabeth.

The art is planned to be installed by the end of the year but the art programme will continue through the Trust after the handover in Autumn.

UK chancellor George Osborne has announced that £1.7bn of contracts across all sectors will be delayed or stopped to achieve £6.2bn of savings.

Image used via Creative Commons licence, courtesy of Buggolo, Flickr

Even the role of architecture minister is changeable with Ed Vaizey only being in office for four days before John Penrose took over.

As architects await a government decision on the Building Schools for the Future £1.2bn second phase, as reported in BD, Building deputy editor, Sarah Richardson, commented,

“The coalition has stated that it will review spending commitments made since January using its own value for money criteria, and it’s obvious that the £55bn earmarked for schools renewal is not going to survive this process unscathed.”

Head of the British Council for School Environments, Ty Goddard, considers the newly launched coalition programme for government that shares some more detail about schools policy and the rumoured cuts to the Building Schools for the Future budget in the video below.

As part of chancellor George Osbourne’s £6.25bn savings plan, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been ordered to save £836m by reviewing several projects including investment into science facilities. This contrasts US president, Barack Obama, who committed to investing in research and development upon his inauguration last year. Concern has also arisen about targets for zero-carbon homes by 2016, which have not been included in the new Coalition government deal. While the healthcare sector has been spared in the first round of spending cuts, it’s unclear how Tories and the Lib Dems could change the NHS, as questioned by the BBC.

Beyond spending cuts, RIBA has outlined their new priorities for the new government:

• Construction sector and architecture in the new economy – the construction sector forms 10% of GDP and is the second largest in the European Union. The RIBA believes that construction, and in particular architecture, should form a principal plank of a new economy. The Government needs to ensure that we maintain the skills and expertise that make us a respected world leader and capitalise on the opportunities for growth, both at home and abroad.
• More and better homes – delivery of new homes where they are needed and a concerted effort to improve the standard of new homes to address the current market failure in housing.
• Sustainability - A major retrofit programme for both domestic and non-domestic buildings in order that the UK can meet its carbon targets. We need stringent new-build performance standards and improved post-occupancy evaluation.
• Positive localism – strengthened local government backed by the resources and skills required to deliver the great places and spaces we need. Any implementation of a more local system needs to guarantee that communities have the opportunity to help create a positive vision for their area and ensure that NIMBY-ism is not the default option

What do you think are the priorities for the new government? How will spending cuts affect the architectural industry? Tell us what you think.