The 2025 Higher Level Construction Studies paper presents a strong balance of traditional construction knowledge and modern sustainable practices. It reflects the curriculum’s ongoing shift towards energy efficiency, environmental awareness, and regulatory compliance, especially in the context of dwelling design and construction.
The paper began with a scale drawing task focusing on a strip foundation, concrete floor, timber frame wall, and window cill. Students who maintained focus on the drawing component—though Question 1 was not compulsory—would have welcomed this familiar challenge. It offered a solid opportunity for those confident in their technical drawing skills.
Question 7 included a chimney detail on a 30-degree roof, with part (b) testing knowledge of weatherproofing by asking students to “show typical design detailing to prevent penetration of rainwater between the chimney stack and the adjoining roof.”
The remainder of the paper covered a broad range of relevant topics:
- Health and safety culture and risk assessment
- Redesign of an adjoining garage
- External wall construction and materials
- U-values and thermal efficiency
- Environmental sustainability and airtightness
- Electrical safety and energy consumption
- Passive design considerations, including overheating
With five questions to be answered from a total of ten, students had considerable choice. However, the detailed nature of the questions meant that careful selection and time management were key.
A standout question on U-values focused on a 1970s single-leaf hollow concrete block wall. Students were required to calculate the thermal performance of this outdated detail, determine annual heat loss cost, and finally, calculate the required thickness of external insulation to meet an improved U-value.
Question 3 presented a well-structured design brief that required the internal reconfiguration of a house, incorporating an adjoining garage. The task involved adding a bathroom and an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space while maximising daylight. Students needed to produce annotated internal layouts and external design revisions.
Overall, the 2025 paper reflects a mature evolution of the Construction Studies course—successfully marrying traditional construction skills with the demands of modern, energy-efficient design. Well-prepared students across both theoretical and practical domains would have found the paper fair, with rewarding opportunities to demonstrate depth of understanding, technical knowledge, and drawing ability.
