DAYLIGHTING Magazine - pilot issue November 2016

Pilot issue November 2016

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY FOR BETTER BUILDINGS

Daylighting in heritage buildings PLUS INDUSTRIAL ROOFLIGHTS POLYCARBONATE GLAZING THE DAYLIGHT FACTOR BOMB-RESISTANT GLAZING AND MUCH MORE!

more than just a rooflight

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The beating heart of these products, the motor and drive system, has been completely redeveloped with power being transferred to the front and rear of the unit simultaneously to ensure a smooth glide when opening and closing.

We’ve made it prettier too by perfecting glass to glass interfaces and minimising visible framework, the fit and finish is almost jewel like.

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It’s more than just a rooflight, it’s an architectural sculpture in glass and metal and the key to achieving a view you never thought possible.

CONTENTS

REGULARS

FEATURES

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A warm welcome to DAYLIGHTING Magazine

Damage limitation: John Mardaljevic and Stephen Cannon-Brookes outline a pioneering daylight study at the National Trust’s Ickworth House, plus we take a look at some other interesting heritage projects.

Editor’s Comment

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Industry news

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New Projects

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NARM Daylight Diary Updates from the UK’s influential trade association for rooflight manufacturers

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Daylighting in heritage buildings

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Industrial rooflights Mark Winstanley of Hambleside Danelaw discusses the importance of asking your client what kind of daylighting they require: direct or diffused?

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SHEV: an open and shut case Chris Lister of Jet Cox on why we need to prepare for an increasing number of SHEV installations.

Twitterings

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What’s trending on social media?

The daylight factor Paul Bennett looks into its history and asks why its use in daylight calculations is decreasing.

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Daylighting icons The Reichstag Dome, Berlin

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Jim Lowther & David Law of Xtralite make the case for changes to safety standards in overhead glazing.

More about DAYLIGHTING Magazine Forthcoming features and information for advertisers & contributors

Changing standards

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Polycarbonate glazing Thermoplastic, fantastic! What makes polycarbonate glazing a popular choice? We look at applications.

42

Specialist solutions Wrightstyle pioneers glazing to resist lorry bomb attacks.

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Walk-on rooflights Michael Clark of Roofglaze discusses the creative options and outlines safety standards.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

DAYLIGHTING is published by: Bennett & Partners Pure Offices Lake View House Tournament Fields Warwick CV34 6RG United Kingdom TEL: +44 (0)1295 770833 EDITOR Paul Bennett paul@daylightingmag.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833 Mobile: 07900 895110 AD SALES Miki Bennett adsales@bennettand partners.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833 DESIGN/PRODUCTION Jemma Pentney jemma@bennettand partners.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833 WEBSITE www.daylightingmag.co.uk CIRCULATION Daylighting is available by email, free of charge to subscribers. Our database currently numbers over 6,000 UK architects, specifiers, contractors, consultants and roofing professionals.

Full details are available on our website. www.daylightingmag.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the consent of the publisher. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content, the publisher does not accept liability for errors.

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

This publication contains editorial photographs which may have been supplied and paid for by suppliers. Full terms and conditions can be found on our website.

Front Cover: National Museum of Scotland – glazed roof restoration

by Lareine Engineering

November 2016

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EDITORS COMMENT

Hello!

Welcome to this, the pilot issue of DAYLIGHTING Magazine. A friend recently asked: “Are you going to have enough to fill six or more issues a year on such a specialised subject?”

However, there’s another topic that’s put daylighting at centre stage today’s world of construction and development: energy and emissions reductions.

The truth is, right from the moment I and my colleagues hatched the idea for this publication, I have been in no doubt that there would be little shortage of interesting material to engage our readership – and so far, I’ve been proved right!

As the world continues to warm up under humanity’s questionable stewardship, a growing body of opinion is forming – that better buildings are the easiest, fastest, most efficient and least expensive means of reducing greenhouse gases...and better daylighting design is arguably the biggest contributor to better buildings.

From stunning glass facades in millionaire ‘Grand Designs’ style private homes, to light-diffusing GRP rooflights for factories and warehouses, brilliant daylighting design and technology is around us everywhere in the built environment.

It contributes to healthier lifestyles and improved performance among students and workers.

It simply makes buildings more pleasant to spend time in.

Paul Bennett paul@daylightingmag.co.uk

Right now, daylighting design is more important than it’s ever been.

It’s also more diverse and more fascinating. I hope you agree and that you’ll enjoy reading this issue.

Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to those who have supported us with this new and exciting venture: our contributors and advertisers.

Your input, support and feedback will continue to be greatly valued.

Brett Martin welcomes new DAYLIGHTING Magazine “All of us at Brett Martin want to extend our congratulations to Daylighting on its first issue. As a company that specialises in and recognises the importance of daylighting solutions, we wholeheartedly welcome the introduction of a magazine dedicated to the topic and wish it all the success for the future.”

Tom Ogilvie Managing Director of Brett Martin Daylight Systems

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

November 2016

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Roofing & Rooflighting trade associations join forces NARM, the National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers, has become a member organisation of NFRC, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, in a move that cements what is already a well established working relationship between the two organisations.

This new arrangement will facilitate close and regular communication, with the goal of creating a more ‘joined up’ UK roofing industry in which product manufacturers, designers and installers are able to speak with a more unified voice to regulators.

NFRC Director James Talman, said: “I am very pleased to welcome NARM members to NFRC. NARM and NFRC have worked well together in the past, but this formal link will strengthen the ties between these two active and influential trade associations to the benefit of the whole Roofing Industry.

I look forward to working more closely with NARM to address the challenges

we face today to maintain practical standards and effective regulation in a fast changing world and to ensure we have a workforce competent to deliver safely the quality we need on-site.”

NARM member organisations will now be listed as Supplier Members of NFRC. NFRC will adopt NARM guidelines on all matters relating to rooflights and conversely, as members of NFRC, NARM member companies will abide by NFRC rules as well as NARM rules. NARM will have a permanent seat on the NFRC’s Roofing Suppliers’ Group, which reports directly to the main board.

NARM Chairman Jon Shooter said: “This is another step in ensuring our position as the recognised voice of the rooflight industry both domestically and in Europe. We look forward to working closely with James Talman and the team at NFRC.

Jon Shooter NARM Chairman

www.narm.org.uk www.nfrc.co.uk

Wrightstyle recognition for glazing to withstand bomb attack Wrightstyle Limited has been named winner of the Outstanding Innovation category at the 2016 Global Business Excellence Awards.

advanced steel and aluminum glazing systems that are designed to protect commercial buildings from terrorist or ballistic attacks and fire.

The Devizes-based company designs, fabricates and installs advanced steel and aluminium glazing systems, and exports worldwide.

“The Global Business Excellence Awards are one of the world’s highest profile awards and winning this accolade speaks volumes about the quality of their work.

The award was made for Wrightstyle’s significant contribution to public safety in the development of glazing systems able to withstand lorry bomb attack, and for designing the world’s first unlatched fire door.

Tim Kempster, Wrightstyle’s managing director, said that, “everyone at Wrightstyle deserves to share in this award.”

The chairman of the independent judging panel said: “Wrightstyle is an internationally-renowned designer, fabricator and installer of

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Details of Wrightstyle’s new explosion-proof glazing can be found on page 42.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

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CPA predicts mixed fortunes for UK construction

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In its Autumn forecast 2016 document, the Construction Products Association paints a mixed picture for the construction industry over the next two years, due to uncertainty following the EU referendum result.

Overall, construction activity for the next two years is expected to continue at broadly similar levels to the pre-Brexit period. However, this is likely to result from differing performance across various sectors, balancing against each other.

The report states that “From the second half of 2017 there is likely to be a clear division between the fortunes of privately funded construction sectors such as commercial offices and industrial factories, where the current uncertainty is likely to have a major effect and those that are largely unaffected by post-referendum uncertainty, such as education and infrastructure projects which are either publicly funded or in regulated sectors”.

Sunsquare announces Henkel partnership

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF DAYLIGHT Coxdome Flat Glass is a unique roooight distinguished from other modular units by way of an uninterrupted glass surface, offering pure natural daylight and clear panoramic views internally, whilst providing clean continuous lines on the external roofscape.

From simple one-off installations to the most challenging of residential designs, Coxdome Flat Glass provides the ultimate in roooight technology.

East Anglia based rooflight manufacturer Sunsquare has announced a partnership with bonding specialist Henkel, to provide a new glass bonding solution for its rooflights.

Sunsquare is now using the single-part, polyurethane TEROSON® direct glazing adhesive, developed for use in the safety-critical automotive industry.

Filon sponsors NFRC Scotland Awards GRP rooflight manufacturer Filon Products played a part in this year’s NFRC Awards in Scotland, as sponsor of the Roof Sheeting category. Pictured here, left to right, are: George Brownlie and Ian Brownlie (Filon Sales Agents for S cotland), Mark Wilcox (Filon Products), TV presenter Hazel Irvine, Ritchie Walker a nd Keith Burrell (Procladd Scotland Ltd - the winning contractor).

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November 2016

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NEW PROJECTS Roundwood Youth Centre, Brent Kalwall insulating diffuse light transmitting cladding and skylighting contributes to the building’s carbon reduction credentials and its ‘Very good’ BREEAM rating.

Contractor: Morgan Sindall Architect: Saunders Boston www. structura-uk.com/kalwall

Private home extension, Shrewsbury Glazing elements supplied by Designer Range allow maximum light and an uninterrupted view.

The extension looks perfectly at home next to its traditional house.

Contractor: KRM Contractors Architect: Base Architects www. designerrange.co.uk/

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NEW PROJECTS Lidl Distribution Centre, Runcorn Over 3700m2 of Filon Monarch F GRP barrel vault rooflights have been installed at the Lidl Distribution Centre in Runcorn, Cheshire.

These provide diffused lighting to avoid localised heat build-up in this food warehouse environment.

Contractor: Ascot Property Maintenance www.filon.co.uk

St. Dunstan’s Court, City of London Glazing Vision’s one wall box rooflights have been incorporated in this prestigious, high specification residential development comprising 76 luxury private apartments, a residents’ lounge and library.

Contractor: Taylor Wimpey Architect: HLM Architects www.glazingvision.co.uk

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

November 2016

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NEW PROJECTS Bishop’s Hatfield Girls School Lareine Engineering supplied and installed these northlights at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls School: a new secondary school which is part of seven new schools in the Hertfordshire area which is under the Government’s Priority Schools Building Programme and is due to open in January 2017.

Lareine Engineering supplied rooflights to all seven schools.

Contractor: Interserve Construction www. lareineengineering.co.uk

Ashford School, Kent An 8.3m span Marvault HF barrel vault by Brett Martin optimises natural daylight whilst reducing glare and the risk of solar overheating, at Ashford School. The overall impact is a diffused natural light in the school cafeteria area, creating an ultra modern light, bright, well ventilated social area.

Contractor: Baxall Construction Architect: Miller Bourne Partnership www.brettmartin.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE

daylight diary What exactly does a rooflight trade association do for you as a specifier?

In this regular column, we’ll keep you up to date with our work Climate change, globalisation and countless other local factors are continuing to drive huge change and innovation across the construction industry. This is particularly true in the UK’s rooflighting sector, where past and forthcoming revisions to Part L of the Building Regulations have an important bearing on rooflight specification.

NARM, the National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers, offers an authoritative independent source for advice and support on compliance with Part L – as well as other standards covering Fire, Health & Safety and Product Quality.

NARM is a highly active and influential industry association, representing a complete cross-section of currently available rooflight technologies, including glass, thermoplastics and GRP profiled sheets. The membership of NARM accounts for the majority of rooflights manufactured in the UK, as well as high quality imports mainly from Europe.

Established over thirty years ago, NARM is a member of CPA, the Construction Products Association and represents the rooflight industry in consultation with the Government and its subcontractors, CIBSE, AECOM and the BRE, on issues relating to Part L. NARM plays a key role in providing information to ensure that legislation is based on best practice.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

NARM is also represented on relevant BSI committees for all rooflight product standards and through this position the association also represents the UK industry with reference to European standards.

NARM commissions independent research into rooflight-related issues, via authoritative sources including De Montfort University and Oxford Brookes University. Our research findings are available free of charge to specifiers, on NARM’s comprehensive website at www.narm.org.uk. The website also contains a mine of detailed information for specifiers, plus profiles on all member companies.

NARM is a founder member of ACR, the Advisory Committee for Roofsafety and has played a major role in working with ACR and the HSE in interpreting and clarifying Health & Safety regulations.

Download NARM Technical Documents at www.narm.org.uk NARM has also published a RIBA approved on-line CPD Seminar entitled An introduction to daylighting with rooflights. BOOK NOW.

November 2016

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@Daylighting_Mag

Twitterings Every issue, we’ll be bringing you a few highlights from our Twitter account. Predictably Donald Trump and his views on climate have featured heavily this time, but there’s also been lots to inspire...

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#daylighting

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November 2016

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3 Close working with client teams and conservation groups

3 Choice of ventilation and glazing options available.

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HISTORIC CONSERVATION

HERITAGE BUILDINGS

Damage limitation John Mardaljevic and Stephen Cannon-Brookes outline a pioneering daylight study at the National Trust’s Ickworth House, to inform the Trust’s ongoing strategies for conservation of light sensitive exhibits such as paintings and textiles.

Since the 1960s, when the quantification of damage to lightsensitive materials became an issue of concern in the management of historic properties and museums, understanding of actual daylight performance in interiors has progressed relatively slowly. Advice from the conservation profession on material sensitivity and the use of handheld illuminance meters has led to changes in practice, with most highly light-sensitive objects in museums being placed in non-daylit interiors.

This precipitated the abandonment of daylighting in the majority of sidelit galleries, and the development of toplit buildings with elaborate systems to provide ‘controlled’ daylight to less sensitive objects, notably oil paintings.

Inevitably this placed owners of historic buildings in a dilemma, since much of the atmosphere of such buildings comes from their use of daylight. In Ickworth House: few institutions have the resources to monitor more than a many, notably those owned by the few locations in each room and so data is patchy National Trust, there is no widespread provision of electric lighting to and blinds, not only to make use of illuminate all the areas of significance, the daylight for viewing, but also to in the interests of suggesting a historic control light exposure. Compared to atmosphere that in many cases other environmental factors, such as predates electrificiation. temperature and relative humidity, acquisition of illuminance data for Through practice and a large amount daylight in interiors is challenging as of monitoring, as well as reference the variation across room surfaces can to historic patterns of house be substantial, and levels also need to management, the National Trust and be monitored continuously over long other heritage building owners have periods. generated site-specific regimes for the opening and closing of shutters Few institutions have the resources for

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TWITTERINGS

HERITAGE BUILDINGS monitoring more than a few locations in each room and so illuminance performance data is patchy and much has to be estimated, relying on observation and experience. The placement of data loggers or light dosimeters to evaluate exposure is often based on risk analysis, with meters located adjacent to the lightsensitive objects in areas likely to receive the highest exposures, typically close to windows. As a consequence, our understanding of how much daylight is incident across areas such as walls is slight, and while we are increasingly familiar with isolux contours superimposed on these and other surfaces as a product of building simulations, we have little or no assurance that these are what actually occur.

A few large field surveys, such as that recently of the Great Hall at Hampton Court, by Historic Royal Palaces, have been made using tens of data loggers, but the cost of such exercises and their presence in visually sensitive interiors has proved a major disincentive to undertake more widespread assessments.

It is perhaps curious that we have been ready to accept such a lack of understanding for so long. In part this is due to a persistent reliance on the prediction, largely without validation, of relative measures of daylight illuminance through the proxy of the daylight factor. Such an approach is of little service to buildings with lightsensitive collections and fabric where it is absolute measures of illumination over long periods that are required.

CBDM informs daylight management of display environments The growing use of climate-based daylight modelling (CBDM) and the search for new metrics for daylight illumination has brought a fresh

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perspective to how daylight exposure may be used in display environments.

Work undertaken by the authors on the extension to the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg drew attention to the potential for predicting annual daylight exposure in rooms used for displaying light-sensitive collections. This further emphasised the dichotomy between predicted performance, presented in false colour plots, and the piecemeal monitoring of actual daylighting performance.

With a large number of properties where daylight is the principal source of light for visitors to see the interiors and contents, the National Trust initiated a research programme in 2013 to better understand daylight performance. The programme seeks to bring together the latest illuminance capture techniques with climate-based simulation to refine and develop its systems of daylight management, typically relying on the manipulation of shutters and blinds by both in-house staff and volunteers.

Simulation is being used to explore the consequence of changes in the opening hours on the patterns of cumulative annual daylight exposure experienced by surfaces in the Smoking Room at Ickworth House in Suffolk. For sidelit spaces the prevailing daylight exposure is particularly sensitive to the window orientation and the opening schedule, in other words the periods when the shutters are opened. For example, increasing the opening period from, say, five to six hours a day could result in a significantly greater than 20 per cent increase in cumulative daylight exposure due to the increased propensity for the ingress of low angle sunlight.

An ‘atlas’ of daylighting performance The Smoking Room is also used as

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HERITAGE BUILDINGS very sensitive to the precise schedule of their operation.

While the room-specific operational schedule in National Trust properties is adhered to, in the main, with enviable rigour, any mechanism dependent on human agency will invariably fall short of the ideal.

The prediction of relative performance indicators (for example, the effect of extending opening hours) does not necessarily require an absolutely faithful representation of reality in the simulation model. In contrast, the prediction of absolute measures, such as the cumulative annual daylight exposure, requires a highly accurate model of building properties (3D geometry and surface reflectance/ transmittance values), together with a reliable operational schedule for blinds/shutters. The creation of a faithful simulation model for a modern, rectilinear office space presents a reasonable challenge. For a heritage space the challenge is significantly greater.

The Smoking Room (top), and image showing the derived daylight illumination field for one moment in time

an exemplar space to explore the effect of glazing aspect on cumulative daylight exposure, for example, for eight window orientations at 45-degree increments. This generates an ‘atlas’ of daylighting performance that can be used to inform the management of daylight exposure for similarly proportioned spaces with any arbitrary orientation. A highly detailed 3D model of the Smoking Room was created specially for this study.

For any space subject to the operation of blinds or, as is the case with many heritage buildings, a combination of shutters, blinds and curtains, the cumulative daylight exposure will be

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Pioneering HDR Imaging It is unlikely, therefore, that the necessary resources will become available to, say, model in 3D all of the rooms at Ickworth House to the same degree of faithfulness achieved for the Smoking Room. Given these practicalities, this study has pioneered the use of high dynamic range (HDR) imaging as a measurement tool to derive the daylight illumination field across wall surfaces in the Smoking Room. The illumination field is something that previously could only have been determined using simulation or, at considerable expense and disruption, a large array of illuminance loggers – at present impractical for the majority of spaces, except those of singular significance, such as the Great Hall at Hampton Court.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

HERITAGE BUILDINGS The DSLR camera installed in the Smoking Room is tethered to a ‘headless’ Mac Mini computer (no screen or keyboard). Every 10 minutes the computer initiates a controlled sequence of exposures taken with progressively longer shutter duration (with a fixed aperture). Following each capture sequence the computer ‘compiles’ an HDR image from the multiple exposures. Each pixel now contains a measure of scene luminance in cd/sqm.

The accuracy of the luminance values in an HDR image is typically better than ±20 per cent, often in the range ±10 per cent, with calibration against a spot measurement with a luminance meter.

Additionally, with wide-angle lenses, vignetting correction is applied to compensate for light fall-off away from the image centre. The photograph of the Smoking Room shown is one of the actual HDR image captures.

Knowing the luminance and reflectance of a surface, it is then possible to derive the incident illuminance, provided that the surface finish largely approximates a Lambertian reflector.

The wallpaper in the Smoking Room matches this criterion, however it does contain two distinct shades in an elaborate pattern. Image analysis carried out on a section of wallpaper was used to determine the minimum sample dimension which, when positioned randomly, always returned the overall average reflectance for the wallpaper

derived daylight illumination field (in lux) for one moment in time – the electric light contribution has been subtracted. Cumulative daylight illumination fields will be compiled from multiple HDR exposures taken over several weeks/months. The Smoking Room (top), and image showing the derived daylight illumination field for one moment in time – the electric light contribution has been subtracted.

Cumulative daylight illumination fields will be compiled from multiple HDR exposures taken over several weeks/ months.

The Ickworth House project is believed to be the first use of the HDR technique to measure the long-term light exposure in historic buildings, and is managed by Katy Lithgow (head conservator) and Dr Nigel Blades (preventive conservation adviser) of the National Trust.

John Mardaljevic, FSLL, is professor of Building Daylight Modelling at the School of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University.

Dr Stephen Cannon-Brookes, FSLL, is principal of Cannon-Brookes Lighting and Design, and lecturer at the Bartlett, UCL. WATCH JOHN’S INFORMATIVE VIDEO

This information was used to inform the size of wallpaper ‘patches’ distributed across the HDR image that would behave as homogeneous (diffuse) reflectors for the interpolation of the incident illumination field across the two main walls.

The accompanying image shows the

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HERITAGE BUILDINGS In the Egyptian Gallery at London’s British Museum, Lonsdale Metal Company installed an external light weight Brise-Soleil system with adjustable blades to provide solar shading at any time of day to prevent the priceless exhibits below being exposed to harmful UV.

www.lonsdalemetal.co.uk

In this daylighting project by Lareine Engineering, maintaining the integrity of the original design was paramount in the refurbishment of the glass roof on the Grand Gallery at Scotland’s National Museum in Edinburgh. The new glazing needed to be carefully integrated with the ornate ‘birdcage’ ironwork of the supporting structure.

To match the profile of the original glazing bars a new die was designed specifically for the project.

The new replacement aluminium glazing bars maintain the aesthetic appearance of the original rooflight, whilst providing thermal performance to meet modern standards.

OKALUX insulating glass elements with capillary inlays was specified to diffuse the daylight deep into the room and simultaneously provide excellent sun and glare control – critical in an environment housing valuable exhibits and artefacts. www.lareineengineering.com

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HERITAGE BUILDINGS Somerset House, London This rooflight replacement project was carried by Whitesales, using a bespoke rooflight using their Em-Glaze system. The project involved the removal of the existing rooflight and supply and install of the replica rooflight with smoke vent panels. Daylight levels and interior aesthetics were greatly improved, as well as safety for anyone needing to access the roof area. www.whitesales.co.uk

Georgian wired polycarbonate is a new alternative to Georgian wired glass, from Twinfix.

This 6mm solid sheet combines the appearance of Georgian wired glass with all the material benefits of polycarbonate. It is incredibly tough and durable and will withstand all that the British weather can throw at it without cracking and breaking.

Having been approved for use in Grade II listed buildings, GW Polycarbonate is now being installed at traditional 600mm centres as rooflight glazing in many refurbishment projects.

The Georgian wired polycarbonate glazed lantern lights shown here are at Chester’s City Baths. www.twinfix.co.uk

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INDUSTRIAL ROOFLIGHTS

ADVERTORIAL

Direct or diffused – the importance of asking your client what kind of daylighting they require

BY Mark Winstanley, National Specication Manager at Hambleside Danelaw The role of natural daylight in the energy efficient operation of buildings has been the subject of much discussion for years. Most Specifiers apply a ‘rule of thumb’, 10 per cent or 15 per cent of floor area, that’s been accepted wisdom throughout their careers, but does that still stand up to scrutiny? More recently, and particularly with the advent of more sophisticated building modelling systems like IES, the industry has begun to focus more on the quality and type of light rather than the simple percentage.

When Mark Winstanley, National Specification Manager for Hambleside Danelaw decided to transfer his 25 years of experience in roofing and cladding to the field of rooflights, he was surprised at the specification process for Industrial rooflights: “Looking at this element of a roof to some extent with ‘new eyes’ it has amazed me that the most basic question often isn’t asked. So consequently a pivotal performance requirement frequently isn’t mentioned.”

Armed with a bank of data from a physical testing regime at the National Physical Laboratory, Winstanley spoke to Architects, ME, SBEM and BREEAM consultants about the complexities of the performance of rooflights. He aimed to explain how the key performance criteria of light transmission, g-value, U-value, nonfragility and embodied carbon interact and combine to produce the optimum rooflight specification for the client.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

The surprise was that almost every specifier Winstanley spoke to simply assumed that they would automatically be getting evenly distributed uniform internal illumination.

“Most people asked ‘why would I want anything else?’ but generally – and certainly in industrial buildings - this assumption is not reflected in the final performance specification. It struck me that many specifierswere simply not clear on how to specify the uniformly distributed daylight they expect to see in their completed project.”

Direct light

Diffused light

Keen to understand why this should be the case, Winstanley concluded that some rooflight manufacturers themselves are partly to blame for the lack of understanding. He found that the industry focus on simply showing light transmission percentages offered by different types of rooflights can divert attention away from a much more important issue – the quality of the light delivered into the building.

“Percentage seemed to be the main point of discussion for clients, Specifiers and manufacturers. In our own CPD Seminar ‘Low Carbon GRP Daylight Solutions for the Metal

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INDUSTRIAL ROOFLIGHTS Building Envelope’ we talk about the percentage of light transmission, lots of Architects were telling me at these sessions that they cover this in their specifications already. And, to a certain extent, that’s fine but in terms of the quality of illumination levels within the building, however, it misses the key point. The really important thing is not how much light is allowed through an opening, it is how it is distributed when it’s delivered into the building” Those of you in the know on this subject are aware that this is not particularly new in the field of rooflight performance and daylight planning. The question is: Why is it so important now?

Winstanley believes a clearer understanding of this question is required to comply with increasingly sophisticated performance and environmental targets BS5427:2016 “Code of Practice for the use of Profiled Sheet for Roof and Wall Cladding on Buildings” makes specific mention of the value of diffused, rather than direct light:-

Looking at this element of a roof to some extent with ‘new eyes’ it has amazed me that the most basic question often isn’t asked “Rooflight layout and area should be designed to provide the best internal illumination levels.”

Hambleside Danelaw Rooflights Hambleside Danelaw Rooflights

Hambleside Danelaw Limited Long March, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4NR Telephone: 01327 701920 Fax: 01327 701929 Hambleside Danelaw Limited Long March, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4NR www.hambleside-danelaw.co.uk email: sales@hambleside-danelaw.co.uk

4NR

Telephone: 01327 701920 Fax: 01327 701929 www.hambleside-danelaw.co.uk email: sales@hambleside-danelaw.co.uk

“The distribution of daylight within a building should also ensure that there are no dark areas and no direct solar glare; use of diffusing rather than transparent rooflights is recommended for this reason.”

Designers understand that the most important function of a rooflight is to let daylight into a building, but they are assuming that this automatically gives them evenly distributed uniform light. It doesn’t. If they want diffused light – and after all, in Mark Winstanley’s experience, that is what they expect - then they need to clearly specify it. The benefits of daylight are

well established, but another key consideration is the visual comfort of building occupants.

“In these days of system guarantees, it’s important to ensure that manufacturers respect your wishes rather than offer a product that may meet or even exceed the light transmission requirement but fails to deliver an evenly distributed uniform light. Equally, if the requirement is for direct pools of light with glare, dark areas and shadow then specify a transparent rooflight that delivers direct light.

This isn’t a case of the world according to Hambleside Danelaw, if it was

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INDUSTRIAL ROOFLIGHTS I’d be talking about our unique low embodied carbon solutions. It’s much more basic than that; this relates to the material the rooflights are made from.

GRP offers diffused evenly distributed uniform light in its basic form. Its use as a daylight solution automatically contributes to designing out glare at no additional cost.

It’s a simple specification point, but it’s often missed – ask your clients what kind of internal illumination they want, direct or diffused, and then specify it! Don’t let someone else make that decision for you.”

Telephone: 01327 701900 www.hambleside-danelaw.co.uk

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GRP or thermoplastic rooflights?

It’s ‘horses for courses’. < At this equestrian centre, GRP rooflights provide even light distribution with no harsh shadows – perfect conditions for this environment and others, like factories and warehouses.

At this similar facility, thermoplastic rooflights allow light to pass directly through, giving harsh, uneven lighting which isn’t suitable for this kind of application. >

Find out more about Filon rooflights at www.filon.co.uk

Factory Translucent Assembled GRP profiled Insulating sheeting Rooflights

GRP (Glass Reinforced Polyester) or thermoplastic rooflights? At Filon, we’ve been manufacturing rooflights for almost 60 years, specialising in profiled in-plane rooflights for factories, warehouses and agricultural buildings.

We use GRP exclusively for our rooflights - for a number of reasons: • Filon GRP is a highly diffusing material, giving high light transmission and even distribution • GRP has a low co-efficient of linear thermal expansion - so when used for in plane rooflights, it’s not subject to potentially problematic expansion and contraction • GRP is strong, allowing non-fragile specifications to be met – and has a working life expectancy of thirty years or more.

Filon Products Ltd, Unit 3 Ring Road, Zone 2, Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffs WS7 3JQ

• Designed Completeto range provide of GRP compliance profiled with rooflights Building to Regulations suit a wide range Part Lof (England applications and Wales) and Section 6 of the SBSA Technical Handbooks (Scotland) • Can be supplied to match all current roofing • Wide profiles range andofmost profiles discontinued and glazing ones configurations to suit all requirements • 25 - 30 years life expectancy • Optional ‘Supasafe’ top sheets for applications where • Impact resistant and durable there may be a risk of mechanical damage • Compliant with Building Regulations for • 25 - 30 years life expectancy fire safety • Fire performance documented under BS 476

For details please call

01543 687300 sales@filon.co.uk

SHEV

SHEV: an open & shut case For years, European Building Regulations have stipulated the inclusion of Smoke & Heat Exhaust Ventilation (SHEV) systems, as standard in new buildings. As the UK becomes increasingly inclined to follow suit, General Manager of Jet Cox, Chris Lister, explains why the Building Industry needs to prepare for a growing number of SHEV specifications.

The greatest immediate danger to building occupants in the event of a fire, is the smoke rather than the heat.

Only 20% of fire deaths in the UK are caused by burns whilst 61% are related to smoke inhalation.

Smoke contains components that can each be lethal in its own way: • Particles that can lodge in the lungs, eyes and digestive system • Vapours that can poison if inhaled or absorbed through the skin • Toxic Gases (eg carbon monoxide) The principal aim of SHEV systems is to lead smoke, gases and heat out of burning buildings, whilst also keeping escape routes free of smoke and toxic fumes, allowing occupants out and emergency services in.

In addition to fire safety, SHEV systems provide controllable natural daylight and ventilation – and can positively impact on long-term running costs.

Whether UK Building Regulations are permanently changed to include the specification of SHEV units for all new build commercial and industrial premises, remains to be seen; but within the very near future, it’s likely that building owners and insurers will need to work more closely together, in reaching suitable solutions. Therefore, building owners should instigate this process wherever possible, to ensure their obligations are met. To attain this ideal European model, it is recommended that the specified SHEV

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system should meet the following European Technical Specification: • CE EN12101-2 Certified • Certificate 1368-CPD-C-002/2009 (I.F.I Institute, Germany) • Aerodynamic Free Area up to Aa2.74m² in accordance with DIN EN12102-2 • Snow Loads up to 2400N/m² • Wind Loads up to 1500N/m² • Low Ambient Temperature T(-15°) • Heat Exposure B300 • Reaction to Fire Class E • Opening Speed of less than 60 secs SHEVs are a significant component of a building’s safety strategy, therefore correct commissioning and maintenance is absolutely crucial to ensure correct operation in the case of emergency. By drawing on the success of Europe’s experience UK building planners, designers and SHEV manufacturers can now work together to produce safer, healthier buildings.

www.jet-cox.co.uk

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DAYLIGHTING ICONS The biggest: the best: the most awe-inspiring; the most outrageous; the most influential...

In this regular feature we will be indulging ourselves and our readers with images of daylighting projects throughout the years, that simply deserve a double page feature...

The Reichstag Dome Our first daylighting icon, is Norman Fosterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reichstag dome. An imposing glass structure with a 360 degree view of the surrounding Berlin cityscape.

The debating chamber of the Bundestag is below. A mirrored cone in the centre of the dome directs sunlight into the building, and so that visitors can see the working of the chamber. The dome is open to the public and can be reached by climbing two steel, spiraling ramps that are reminiscent of a double-helix.

A large sun shield tracks the movement of the sun electronically and blocks direct sunlight which would not only cause large solar gain, but dazzle those below.

Completed in 1993, the futuristic and transparent design of the Reichstag dome makes it a unique landmark and symbolizes Berlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move towards a future with a heavier emphasis on a united, democratic Germany.

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DAYLIGHTING ICONS

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TECHNICAL

Whatever happened to the Daylight Factor?

The daylight factor, a measure of the illuminance within a room relative to the total amount of light available, has been around for over half a century. It is still the most common measure found in daylighting guidelines and recommendations worldwide. So why are daylight factor calculations becoming the exception rather than the rule in so many of today’s building projects? Paul Bennett finds some answers in recent research.

The dawn of the daylight factor It appears that the daylight factor, or at least its precursor, was first proposed in 1895 by Alexander Pelham Trotter (1857-1947). However, its origins are somewhat hazy and it is generally accepted that it was not consolidated or recognised as contributing to guidance until the post-war period.

In the late 1940s and 1950s, planning guidance proposed that cities be rebuilt according to scientific principles. Mathematical tools were devised to determine built form and daylight levels within buildings were to be evaluated using a metric called the daylight factor.

The daylight factor which was established at this time – and to which we refer today – is a measure of the illuminance within a room (usually on a horizontal plane), relative to the total amount of light that would be available under an unobstructed hemisphere under a heavily overcast sky, expressed as a percentage.

Recommendations on daylighting were expressed in terms of daylight factors in post-war guidance. However, statutory daylighting standards for dwellings were not introduced at this time. Instead in 1952 the Ministry

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of Housing and Local Government introduced permissible height indicators, for use by local planning authorities in evaluating new housing.

These indicators offered a means of assessing whether there was sufficient space between buildings to permit rooms to receive adequate daylight, based on assumptions regarding the typical size of windows. Similarly, standards affecting daylighting in dwellings, incorporated into the

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TECHNICAL Building Regulations introduced in England and Wales in 1966, controlled the space around buildings rather than daylight levels within buildings.

Up to the present day The range of methods available to building designers, for calculating daylight factors expanded over the course of several decades.

Developments in calculation methods can be charted in successive British Standards documents on daylighting.

The 1949 British Standards provided tables setting out the maximum distance from a window a given skyfactor-contour penetrates into a room, for a range of different window sizes.

However, this and other methods referred to, took no account of internally or externally reflected light.

More sophisticated methods were soon devised to evaluate the daylight factor at a point which took interreflected light into account. These were incorporated into the 1964 British Standards document and a further development was the introduction of the average daylight factor formula, which simplified the calculation process, and which was incorporated into the 1992 British Standards document, BS 8206-2: 1992 Lighting for buildings – Part 2: Code of practice for daylighting.

The daylight factor is still the principal metric used in guidance on daylighting, including in the current British Standards.

Who is using the daylight factor in specifications?

Previous studies indicate that few architects undertake daylight factor calculations when designing housing.

A survey conducted in 1966 showed that 33% (27 of 82) of architects used calculations to predict daylight levels in rooms at the design stage, but only one respondent reported calculating the internally reflected component. In a

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similar survey conducted in 1994, 42% (14 of 33) of the architects surveyed claimed to assess the sky component, but again only one respondent mentioned calculation of the internally reflected component, while only 9% (3 of 33) used the simpler average daylight factor formula.

Recent research indicates that many new-build housing schemes do not comply with recommended daylight factors. This is a cause for concern given the proven health benefits of daylight - but why are specifiers averse to the daylight factor? …and why do some argue that it is now obsolete?

Alan Lewis of the University of Manchester has undertaken research on this subject. His paper explores whether non-statutory daylighting standards, based on the daylight factor, have been effective in promoting good daylighting in housing in England and Wales. The study draws on archival material, and on interviews with practising and retired architects and lighting consultants.

The interviewees reported that many of the daylight prediction techniques developed around the daylight factor were difficult and time consuming to use. For example, the methods developed in the 1950s by the BRS for calculating daylight factor at a point, and which were incorporated into the British Standards, required a three-stage process; the externally reflected, internally reflected and sky components had to be calculated separately. In describing the time and effort required to calculate the sky component alone, one retired architect said: “My God, it took time… clients couldn’t understand where the time went.” Even architects who had received good training in daylight prediction methods reported that pressures on time made it difficult to undertake lengthy daylight factor calculations.

“The fact is, today and for many decades now, the time and skill required to undertake daylight factor calculations, preclude their use in the majority of projects.”

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TECHNICAL

The fact is, today and for many decades now, the time and skill required to undertake daylight factor calculations, preclude their use in the majority of projects, except where required by funding bodies or Local Planning Authorities. However, daylight prediction methods developed around the daylight factor have been useful in establishing objective standards.

Also, crucially, architects who became familiar with such techniques often developed a robust understanding of the science of daylighting, even if they did not calculate daylight factors for every building they designed.

Loughborough University’s School of Civil and Building Engineering, envisages an “overlap” period in standards/guidelines during which either the cumulative illuminance approach or CBDM could be used to demonstrate compliance. Then, at the end of that period, only evaluations founded on CBDM would be permitted.

Such a provision would encourage software houses to invest the time and resources to develop end-user CBDM tools (currently the preserve of lighting simulation experts/researchers) in the certainty of a guaranteed market for the product by a due date.

So what’s the future for daylighting calculations?

Further reading:

It is proposed that current standards based on daylight factors should be upgraded as soon as possible to evaluations founded on the annual occurrence of an absolute value for illuminance (e.g., 300 lux) estimated from the cumulative availability of diffuse illuminance as determined from standardised climate files. This is not what could be termed a true climatebased daylighting solution but it does prepare the ground for a transition to eventual, software-based CBDM (Climate Based Daylight Modelling) evaluations.

Professor John Mardaljevic of

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“Daylight Standards: Some lessons from history” Dr. Alan Lewis, University of Manchester

“Architects who became familiar with such techniques often developed a robust understanding of the science of daylighting, even if they did not calculate daylight factors for every building they designed.”

“Rethinking daylighting and compliance” Professor John Mardaljevic, SDAR* Journal of Sustainable Design & Applied Research Video: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2015/november/daylightexposure-in-heritage-buildings.html “Introduction to daylighting with rooflights” On-line CPD seminar, NARM The National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers

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Daylight & Ventilation Solutions Book our FREE Certified CPD seminar http://dvsltd.co.uk/book-a-meeting/

PR60 rooflight installation at Plymouth School of Creative Arts, Devon

• UK expertise, plus Europe’s finest rooflights • From modular rooflights to glass roofs • BIM ready solutions • UK’s first supplier of Passivhaus certified rooflights • Complete design to installation service • NEW CPD Seminar ‘Specifying glass roofs and skylights’

Daylight & Ventilation Solutions is sole UK Distributor for Lamilux – Europe’s leading rooflights, glazed roof systems and ventilation solutions

Find out more at www.dvsltd.co.uk or call us on 01284 749051

TECHNICAL

Changing Standards Jim Lowther Sales Director, and David Law Technical Manager at Xtralite lobby to raise the minimum standard requirements in overhead glazing for public safety.

Xtralite is a leading manufacturer of rooflights and during recent routine testing the company found that the current British Standards level for overhead glazing no greater than 13m above the floor is fine to be specified with toughened and toughened glass. However, this is something the company believes could prove to be dangerous to building users. A more sensible specification should always comprise a laminated glass as an inner leaf in a double glazed unit.

Toughened glass, once broken, has no ability to support its own weight; let alone the weight of persons who may have fallen onto it. It is often regarded as safe, due to the way it is designed to fail, and fall as small ‘dice’; however, this is not always the case, and physical testing carried out by Xtralite has shown that toughened panes can fall as one large section of glass. The term “safety glass” when applied to toughened glass relates to its ability to avoid severe laceration in low level vertical glazing in the event of a person accidentally falling against the glass, it does not mean that it is “safe” for overhead glazing.

Jim Lowther commented: “To say that this is acceptable up to a certain height is not right, and we urge fellow industry professionals to recognise the impact this could have on building users and maintenance staff and support our call to action.”

Why use laminated glass Laminated glass upon fracture is held together by the interlayer(s) between the panes, holding the broken shards

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preventing injury to those below the rooflight. Furthermore, dependent upon the thickness of the panes and type / thickness of the interlayer selected, laminated panes will not only support their own weight and remain in situ if broken, but will also have the ability to hold a load lying on the glass, such as an injured person; something which is required to be tested under TN 67.

And, with more and more glass being installed in school roofs for example, to specify anything less than the standards we are calling for could pose a real risk to the children passing below.

With such conflicts being discussed in the industry it may be tempting to move away from the specification of glass in overhead rooflights, particularly as technology has brought alternatives to market such as polycarbonate. However, consumer and end user benefits should be considered with glass still delivering myriad of benefits for users including, but not exclusively, better acoustic properties, reduction of sound transmission and optical clarity.

“Safety should always be paramount... whilst the use of toughened and laminated delivers a marginal cost increase, we believe the cost is negligible in comparison to public safety.”

Responsible specification Nothing less than a change in industry standards will ensure the safety of those that pass under, and those that work on roofs around rooflights. Safety should always be paramount when rooflights are specified, and whilst the use of toughened and laminated delivers a marginal cost increase, we believe the cost is negligible in comparison to public safety.

www.xtralite.co.uk

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Bringing your

vision to life

Xtralite has developed a universal, structural glazing package for bespoke installations, offering architects complete design freedom and meeting the widest set of technical requirements.

Our experienced designers can bring your vision to reality, incorporating: A suite of interchangeable profiles Internal water management systems Custom engineered connections Bespoke closures Custom designed flashings Glass units tested to CWCT Class 2 Non Fragility 20 year warranty

Public Service

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1930â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House Renovation

Providing safe and secure solutions to public spaces

Bringing older buildings into the modern world

Education

Leisure

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Adding a natural daylight element to a thriving environment

Call us on Email us on Or visit

01670 354 157 sales@xtralite.co.uk xtralite.co.uk

Satisfying thermal, acoustic and fire requirements

POLYCARBONATE GLAZING

Polycarbonate: thermoplastic, fantastic...

Polycarbonate glazing offers strength, durability and other important benefits in daylighting applications. Paul Bennett looks at options and applications for polycarbonate sheet.

The term ‘thermoplastic’ covers a huge variety of materials, some of which have been used as an alternative to glass in rooflights and other glazing applications since the 1950s and 60s. In recent years, increasing expectations in terms of performance and regulatory compliance, have led to many thermoplastic materials being discontinued by rooflight manufacturers.

The notable exception is Polycarbonate, which has been developed to provide excellent properties for all kinds of rooflighting applications.

Polycarbonate is a versatile material, available in three sheet forms: • Solid sheet – Flat or Domed • Profiled sheet – to match metal roofing & cladding profiles • Multiwall insulating sheet Key properties The key properties of polycarbonate are common to all forms – exceptional impact resistance, high levels of light transmission, good workability and good fire rating. All are commonly available in clear and tinted options, with clear and most tints providing direct light, while clear patterned and opal tint provides diffused light and gives a soft quality to the light. Coextruded UV protection eliminates up to 99% of UV radiation, protecting materials and people beneath it.

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Each form also has its own particular characteristics and properties.

Solid polycarbonate offers good optical clarity and superb workability.

It can be cold curved on site and is suitable for use with a variety of glazing bar systems. Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic material, so it can be easily formed into 3D shapes, making it the ideal choice for domes, pyramids and barrel vaults.

Profiled polycarbonate matches profiled roof cladding and allows the sky above to be seen through a corrugated material, a feature popular with many designers. It has very good profile accuracy and is available in a growing profile range. Extrusion and vacuum forming techniques allow a huge variety of profiles to be produced.

All forms of ploycarbonate glazing offer exceptional impact resistance, high levels of light transmission, low weight compared to glass, good workability and good fire rating.

Multiwall or structured polycarbonate is an insulating glazing material.

Thicker sheets with more walls achieve the highest thermal performance, typically 1.6W/m2K for a 25mm five wall sheet. Structured polycarbonate is commonly used in domestic and many commercial conservatories, as well as other rooflighting and cladding applications. Like solid polycarbonate it can be cold curved on site, although to a much lesser degree. It can be used in a variety of glazing bar systems, and has a very high strength to weight ratio making it ideal for the creation of glazing features.

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POLYCARBONATE GLAZING Surrey Sports Park, Guildford Brett Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marvault polycarbonate rooflight system provides natural daylight to this swimming pool area.

The system includes an elegant aluminium framing system which can maximise natural daylight.

Marvault is a high specification system that is particularly suitable where aesthetics are important. It is widely used in schools, public, commercial, industrial and leisure buildings. www.brettmartin.com

Craig Park Youth Centre, Enfield, London Translucent multiwall polycarbonate cladding panels from Rodeca have helped transform a youth centre in a deprived area of London into a green development for the community. The light weight of the cladding means structures like this can be kept lean and save costs. Translucent polycarbonate allows up to 66% transmittance, making a significant contribution to energy savings and creating interesting options for night time back lighting effects. www.rodeca.co.uk

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POLYCARBONATE GLAZING

East Croydon Railway station Opal polycarbonate glazed Multi-Link panels

by Twinfix, provide just the right level of diffused light transmission on to the platforms below.

The fact that this rooflight is nonfragile when tested to ACR(M)001:2014 was of great importance as its use helped Network Rail meet some of their CP5 safety goals.Off-site construction allowed quick installation – disruption at this busy station needed to be kept to a minimum www.twinfix.co.uk

From walkways to waiting areas ...we’ve got it covered • Bespoke design & build service for all kinds of glazed structures including walkways, canopies, rooflights and more • Unique push-on glazing bar system is attractive, easy to fit and virtually maintenance-free • Solid or multiwall polycarbonate and other glazing materials to suit your application • High quality personal service from start to perfect finish

Plastics in Construction Telephone: 01395 516001 www.plasticsinconstruction.co.uk

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Twinfix Georgian Wired Polycarbonate Non-Fragile Rooflights Twinfix is a family run business.

As experienced innovators they offer a range of well-engineered glazing products, many of which are fitted on the roofs of Rail Stations and Depots.

The Multi-Link-Panelinstalled installed an aluminiumThe Multi-Link-Panel byisStory Contracting framed, modular rooflight system, designed with a at Stirling Station in Scotland is an aluminium-framed, unique method that results with in incredibly modularfixing rooflight system, designed a unique quick fixing method thattimes. results in incredibly quick installation times. installation In order todrive driveefficiencies efficiencies within their work in rail order to within their work in rail Twinfix haveutilised utilised up-to-date printing to aid Twinfix have up-to-date 3D3D printing to aid product innovation employing this this innovationand anddevelopment, development, employing new technology to view a 3D model of a revised new technology to view a 3D model of a revised MultiMulti-Link bar design for use in future applications.

Link bar design for use in future railrail applications. thethe Multi-Link-Panel is available For ease easeofofspecification specification Multi-Link-Panel is as a BIM object for download in IFC and Revit formats available as a BIM object for download in IFC and Revit from the from Twinfix formats thewebsite.

Twinfix website.

The Twinfix collaboration with Story Contracting This application is a great example of Twinfix on Georgian Stirling Station is a great example of Twinfix Georgian wired effect polycarbonate in their Multi-Link Nonwired effect polycarbonate in their Multi-Link Non-Fragile Fragile panel.

The polycarbonate glazing looks the panel.

The polycarbonate glazing looks the same as the same as the traditional Georgian wired glass but will traditional Georgian wired glass but will not break. not break.

The benefits of this system are: • Safe in use: All Multi-Link-Panels pass the ACR[M]001:2014 drop test, in accordance with HSE recommendations, with a ‘B’ designation.

• The Twinfix Georgian wired grade solid polycarbonate is particularly popular as it mimics Georgian wired glass.

• Polycarbonate absorbs vibrations without cracking, crazing or breaking.

• The aluminium framework can be powder coated to a RAL colour to suit your project.

• The light weight of the finished product results in less stress to the fabric of original buildings.

• Sleek in-line access hatches (developed at the request of Network Rail) offer unobtrusive and safe access through the glazing for maintenance purposes.

• Factory manufactured rooflight panels means no costly mistakes on site.

For more information contact us on:

Tel: 01925 811311

Email: enquiries@twinfix.co.uk

www.twinfix.co.uk

Bringing you high performance lighting solutions A wide range of polycarbonate roof and wall lighting solutions featuring; 

Excellent light transmission



Low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient



Non-fragility tested



Variety of lighting solutions for all commercial applications and roof pitches



Suitable for integration with our wide range of insulated roof and wall panel solutions

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Supported by an industry leading 25 year guarantee.

Roof Solutions

Kingspan Day-Lite Trapezoidal

Kingspan Day-Lite Upstand

Wall Solutions

Kingspan Day-Lite Architectural

Kingspan Day-Lite Klick

Kingspan Day-Lite Vault

Learn More Telephone: +44(0) 1352 716101 Email: technical@kingspanpanels.com Download the Kingspan Daylighting Brochure Watch the ZEL animation

How can rooflights save you money and energy?

By introducing ZerO Energy Lighting (ZEL) to your business. A unique blend of daylighting, LED, Rooftop Solar PV and fully programmable automatic controls to optimise building energy performance.

Talk to us about ZerO Energy Lighting today on +44(0) 1352 716101 or email technical@kingspanpanels.com.

SPECIALIST SOLUTIONS

Glass, terrorism and “making the world a safer place” Wrightstyle Limited has been named winner of the Outstanding Innovation category at the 2016 Global Business Excellence Awards, primarily for the development of glazing systems able to withstand a lorry bomb attack.

It’s easy to assume that high explosive alone is the main cause of death and injury when a bomb detonates. But in urban areas, between 80-85% of all secondary blast injuries are caused by flying glass.

When a bomb detonates, it produces gases at very high temperatures. This in turn leads to a rapid expansion of air and the creation of a shock wave travelling at supersonic speeds.

The shock wave lasts only a few milliseconds and is then followed by an equally sudden but longer-lasting drop in pressure. It’s the enormous impact of the shock wave and the subsequent suction that shatters the glass and distorts the framing.

Overall, blast injuries result in mortality ranging between 7.8% in open air to 49% in a confined space. A majority of victims (70%) will sustain soft tissue injury, and traumatic amputations will occur in approximately 11% of cases.

Most people killed or badly injured in a blast involving high-order explosives (HE) are affected by either primary or secondary blast injuries. Primary HE blast injuries are caused by highpressure gases from the explosion rapidly expanding to produce a supersonic blast wave.

Secondary blast injuries caused by flying objects, for example glass fragments, are much more common than primary blast injuries and are the

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The explosion test was carried out at an independent UK test facility inside a secure RAF base

most usual cause of death in blast victims. The penetrating injuries occur most often in the exposed areas of the body such as the head, neck, and extremities.

However, what many architects and specifiers don’t fully realise is that the glass and glazing industries have been fighting back, to rewrite the rules on stand-off distances and, specifically, on the danger posed by flying glass.

Wrightstyle has devoted considerable resource to developing and testing systems designed to withstand ballistic or bomb attack. These have been tested as one integrated assembly because, if the worst happens, the glass will only be as safe as its framing system – and vice versa.

Real testing is important because

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SPECIALIST SOLUTIONS computer simulations can only tell you so much. Much better, if you’re testing a glazing system against a bomb attack, to put a bomb beside that system, blow it up, and see what happens.

strength was achieved through a glazing technique that bonds the glass to its framing support, so that in an explosion the components work together to safely absorb the shock and retain the glazing elements.

That’s what Wrightstyle did, at an independent UK test facility inside a secure RAF base. First they detonated a charge of 500 kg of TNT-equivalent explosive adjacent to the glazing system. That’s the size of a lorry bomb.

Also importantly, the Wrightstyle system looks exactly the same as ordinary curtain walling – making it impossible to tell if a building has been bomb-proofed.

That was immediately followed by a simulated car bomb attack (100 kg of TNT). The lorry bomb was detonated 75 metres from the test rig and the car bomb was detonated at a distance of 20 metres, producing a higher loading on the façade. Both tests were equally successful.

Reinforcing the importance of integration, the Wrightstyle system’s

The glass and glazing industries have successfully achieved new levels of fire, ballistic and bomb safety, and are therefore making our built environment safer and more resilient.

Wrightstyle’s systems are increasingly being specified internationally, underlining their significant investment in design and manufacturing technologies – and all to make the world a slightly safer place.

www.wrightstyle.co.uk

Inspiring Architecture All great architecture starts with a simple idea. Then comes the inspiration to turn it into built reality.

At Wrightstyle we work with architects around the world, bringing to life even the most challenging ideas.

We aren’t just one of the world’s most innovative suppliers of complete and guaranteed steel and glass systems. We’re also world leaders in reinventing what glass and steel facade systems can do.

From large-span or fire-resistant glazing to curtain walling able to withstand a lorry bomb, we are at the forefront of our technologies, pushing the boundaries of what glass and steel are capable of achieving.

Our interior and exterior systems can be found worldwide, and we have a portfolio of examples to illuminate and surprise.

Our systems don’t simply protect buildings against the full range of threats. The inherent strength of steel and our opticallybrilliant glasses allow architects to think in new ways.

So if you’ve got a design idea, talk to us.

We’ll help provide the inspiration to make it happen.

www.daylightingmag.co.uk 17944 Wright Style Advert 210 x 145.indd 1

High Performance Steel & Glass Systems

T +44 (0)1380 722 239

E info@wrightstyle.co.uk

•

Complete & Guaranteed

W www.wrightstyle.co.uk

November 2016

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27/06/2013 17:15

WALK-ON ROOFLIGHTS

Walk-on rooflights: a guide Flat glass rooflights can be supplied to walk-on specification for roof terraces and internal applications. They provide an attractive and creative solution for introducing daylight into areas of a building that would otherwise be dark, such as basements and cellars for example. Michael Clark of Roofglaze believes that this trend is set to continue, especially in the domestic and high-end residential sectors.

Applications & Benefits If you want to let larger amounts of beneficial natural daylight into your home or office building, all while still providing a secure overhead platform, then walk-on flat glass rooflights are a great solution. These rooflights are an ideal solution for flat roof terraces, where they are most commonly installed using decking. This is to achieve an aesthetically-pleasing finish that is flush with the rooflight, as an upstand is still going to be required here.

Walk-on specification rooflights are suitable for both internal and external purposes. So whether you have a roof terrace that incorporates glass or a basement that would benefit from natural light, a leading rooflight manufacturer will be able to provide you with the right solution for your project.

Internal applications are generally supplied as single glazed units and can add to the light flow of a building, allowing daylight to penetrate between floors. These internal units are most often used to bring natural daylight into basement conversions, providing a focal point for the room and additional value to the property.

Safety & Loadings Of course, any aesthetic benefits that these rooflights provide cannot come in any way at the expense of safety.

Any reputable rooflight company will be able to calculate the specification

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of glazing required for taking regular foot traffic, ensuring the safety of the user and the watertightness of the unit.

They will generally utilise a software program, such as MechInfo, to ensure that these units comply with the loadings stipulated by Eurocode 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BS EN 1991-1-1:2002, which will meet the necessary building codes for both residential and commercial building types.

Slip-resistant Finishes As always, due care and attention should be taken when walking on wet glass. You may wish to consider adding a slip-resistant finish to your rooflight, which can also be combined with obscurity if a sandblasted option is chosen. Most rooflight companies will offer a dot matrix of ceramic frit that provides anti-slip properties, whilst also allowing natural daylight to penetrate through.

www.roofglaze.co.uk

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

DAYLIGHTING MAGAZINE

The future looks bright!

DAYLIGHTING is published by:

We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading this, the pilot issue. In 2017 we will be running features on just about every daylighting-related topic you can think of – and some you may not have... We’ll also be offering a wider range of opportunities for advertisers, including low cost product and project feature advertorials, a product finder and an email delivery service, allowing clients access to our email contacts database.

Bennett & Partners Pure Offices Lake View House Tournament Fields Warwick CV34 6RG United Kingdom TEL: +44 (0)1295 770833

2017 Editorial Programme

AD SALES Miki Bennett adsales@bennettand partners.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833

REGULAR FEATURES: Industry News & Comment, Technical Focus, Daylight & Energy Saving, Daylighting Standards JANUARY / FEBRUARY • Patent Glazing • Daylighting & Health • Suntubes • Rooflights & non-fragility • Passivhaus

JULY / AUGUST • Domestic Daylighting • Controlling Heat & Glare • Daylight in Agriculture & Horticulture • Architectural Glass SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER • Daylight for Dramatic Effect • Daylighting in the Retail Sector • Refurbishment • Modular Rooflights • Daylight Harvesting NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

MARCH / APRIL • Vertical glazing • Daylighting in Education • Translucent GRP • Calculating Rooflight Areas • Daylight & Ventilation

• Daylight & Renewable Energy • Daylighting in Factories & Warehouses • Lighting Controls • Translucent Cladding • Roof Windows

MAY / JUNE • Tensile Membrane Structures • Glass Rooflights • Daylighting in the Workplace • BIM • Climate-based Daylight Modelling

Media Information Pack Our Media Information Pack gives details of circulation, advertising rates, 2017 features and editorial policy.

Copies can be downloaded at: www. daylightingmag.co.uk

@Daylighting_Mag

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EDITOR Paul Bennett paul@daylightingmag.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833 Mobile: 07900 895110

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Jemma Pentney jemma@bennettand partners.co.uk Tel: 01295 770833 WEBSITE www.daylightingmag.co.uk CIRCULATION Daylighting is available by email, free of charge to subscribers. Our database currently numbers over 6,000 UK architects, specifiers, contractors, consultants and roofing professionals.

Full details are available on our website. www.daylightingmag.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the consent of the publisher. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content, the publisher does not accept liability for errors.

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.

This publication contains editorial photographs which may have been supplied and paid for by suppliers. Full terms and conditions can be found on our website.

Front Cover: National Museum of Scotland – glazed roof restoration

by Lareine Engineering

www.daylightingmag.co.uk

n D io ts K O W CP uct fligh BO O IBA rod oo N R nt r e n i it h lin A w n- r: g O ina htin m lig Se a y d to

NARM represents suppliers of glass, polycarbonate and GRP rooflight systems for daylighting applications across every sector.

Specifying rooflights?

Look for the logo that means peace-of-mind NARM, the National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers, is the influential trade association representing the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooflight industry. We are closely involved in developing and implementing legislation affecting UK rooflighting. Choosing rooflights from a NARM member company is the simple and certain way to ensure adherence to standards and legislation. You can also gain access to a wealth of free and objective specification information on our website.

www.narm.org.uk