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Craftsmanship and collaboration shine at LCA’s Annual Seminar and Murdoch Awards 2025
The enduring tradition of craftsmanship took centre stage as members of the Lead Contractors Association (LCA) gathered for their annual Technical Seminar and Murdoch Awards. Hosted by LCA Chairman Alasdair White, the event attracted more than 190 delegates - a record turnout - at its new Kenilworth venue.
Opening the day, Holmes & Hills Solicitors presented an interactive exploration of “A Journey Through a Payment Dispute,” offering attendees a practical view of contractual challenges that can affect their projects. Historic England followed with a presentation celebrating its ongoing work to protect historic buildings, while inviting feedback from LCA members on areas where additional technical guidance would strengthen the sector.
Read more: Craftsmanship and collaboration shine at LCA’s Annual Seminar and Murdoch Awards 2025
Cutting corners costs more: lessons from ECO4 for the conservation retrofit sector
When the government launched its latest wave of retrofit initiatives, from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) to the Great British Insulation Scheme, the goal was admirable: improve the energy efficiency of the nation’s housing stock and accelerate progress towards net zero. Yet, the recently published audit findings paint a very different picture. Paul Trace, director of Stella Rooflight, explains.
According to data analysed by Refurb & Retrofit, an astonishing 92% of external wall insulation installations inspected under ECO4 were found to have major technical non-compliance issues, with 27% of internal wall insulation projects suffering similar failings. In some cases, poor workmanship or inappropriate materials have left homeowners facing damp problems, trapped moisture, and damaged building fabric, the very issues these schemes were meant to prevent.
Read more: Cutting corners costs more: lessons from ECO4 for the conservation retrofit sector
21st century sound for places of worship
Univox Audio have added the unique Activo Speaker series from Fulgor Service to their product range.
Ken Hollands, director at Univox Audio said: "With speech intelligibility at the core of everything we do, we are pleased to bring the unique speaker technology from Fulgor Service to the UK to help transform the service that our pro audio installers deliver to their customers."
Lighting project awakens hidden gem
The Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Church in Exeter is part of the Plymouth Diocese and was completed in1884 to cater for the growing Catholic population in the city at that time.
The church, in South Street, sits close to the Anglican Cathedral. It is Grade Two-listed and was built in the Gothic Revival style, designed by Leonard Stokes who was one of the leading figures of the freer interpretation of Gothic in the late 19th century.
As the oldest remaining architectural work by Stokes, it is fortunate to survive, as this part of Exeter was heavily targeted and hit during the Second World War.
Delayed, derailed and devalued: Paul Trace at Stella Rooflight discusses how the UK's planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing
A recent Freedom of Information request to Cornwall Council has revealed an extraordinary case of planning delay - a single residential application that took 1,114 days to gain approval. That’s not a typo; that’s three full years! While this is an extreme example, it is far from unique.
Planning delays are nothing new, but they’re getting worse. Across the country, developers and contractors are being forced to sit tight while local authorities work through backlogs, staff shortages, and ever-growing red tape. While we wait, the world moves on. Material and labour costs rise, client budgets shrink, and value engineering takes centre stage.
Re…Order of the Day
Towards the end of last year Creative Audio-Visual Solutions were commissioned to install and optimise a new audio-visual system as part of the substantial re-ordering of St Cadoc’s Church in Caerleon, South Wales. The renowned church, with parts dating back to the 12th century, needed a system to both fit aesthetically within the church’s updated interior and also provide a high level of audio-visual quality for both in-house and online production.
Wesleys’ ‘home’ church has new loops installed
Brothers John and Charles Wesley were the prime movers behind what is now the Methodist Church: the largest Protestant denomination in the English-speaking world. The term ‘Methodist’ came about because of the way ‘method’ was used in religious affairs. However, the Wesley brothers did not intend to start a new church: in actual fact, they were firmly against a break with the Anglican Church; what they wanted was reform.
It was only after the death of Charles Wesley in 1788 and John in 1791 that their followers broke from the established Anglican Church to create what would become the Methodist Church.
ISCVEx 2026 Coombe Abbey Hotel, 17-18 March 2026
Professionals working in the sound, communications and audio-visual industries are invited to attend ISCVEx 2026, the two-day Exhibition and Seminar Event, organised by the Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE), taking place at the prestigious Coombe Abbey Hotel, Warwickshire on 17-18 March 2026.
The two-day event brings together experts, manufacturers, distributors and installers to showcase the latest technologies and innovations in the industry.
With a packed schedule of seminars, discussions and networking opportunities, ISCVEx 2026 is a must-attend event for anyone working in the world of Sound, Communications or AV.
Are you considering improved lighting? Discuss the options with Anthony J Smith (Glos) Ltd
St Wilfrid’s RC Parish Church in Preston city centre is a Grade Two*-listed Jesuit church which draws a substantial number of worshippers throughout the week. It is basilican in form and Italianate in style, with a particularly ornate and impressive interior carried out in exotic materials. Frank Roberts of Preston-based Francis Roberts Architects said of the interior: “Ranks of giant columns of polished Shap granite, topped with gilded composite capitals, define the nave, which terminates in a semi-domed and coffered apse. The aisle walls are lined in rich marbles and mosaics and there is an impressive display of stained glass.”
Churches and heritage buildings now have a sustainable solution to pigeon fouling
The mess created by pigeons is not only unsightly but, left unchecked, can also cause blockage of gutters and damage to timber and plaster finishes.Churches and heritage buildings are particularly susceptible to pigeon infestations due to their ornate architecture and decorative facades, which provide ideal nooks and crannies for nesting and roosting.
That presents two challenges when it comes to pigeons: the first requirement is a long-term sustainable solution that will not harm the pigeons; and secondly, because such buildings are often listed, a solution that will not detract from the aesthetic appearance of the architecture is essential.
Read more: Churches and heritage buildings now have a sustainable solution to pigeon fouling
Relighting project adds to cathedral’s inclusivity while reducing its footprint
Salisbury Cathedral has recently completed a transformative relighting project, harnessing innovative LED technology from leading manufacturer ERCO. The initiative has elevated the cathedral’s visual and spiritual presence, aligning with its commitment to sustainability and accessibility. The new lighting solutions have significantly lowered the cathedral’s carbon footprint, reducing internal energy use by over 80% and saving approximately 30 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Rev Kenneth Padley, Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral, described the outcome as: “simply spectacular…The cathedral is better lit than at any time during its 800-year history.”
Read more: Relighting project adds to cathedral’s inclusivity while reducing its footprint
Historic church embraces LED technology
The church of St Mary the Virgin stands immediately beside the beautiful Tudor mansion house of Layer Marney Tower in Essex. The church as we see it today was built at the same time as the house, around 1523, and using the same red-brick – possibly made locally.
Though the majority of the church is early 16th century, it incorporates fragments of an earlier 14th-century collegiate church; William de Marney founded a chantry chapel here in 1330, with provision for two priests under a warden. The current building consists of a nave and chancel, west tower, south porch and a north aisle with a chantry chapel and priest’s lodging.
Reinforcement work helps direct the Word
Specialist installer Vanti Stage have recently completed the installation of antenna reinforcement for the radio microphones at Westminster Cathedral. Here Vanti Stage’s service manager for the South, Paul Beales, explains some of the technical challenges the project involved.
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