PSBJ June 21

Public Sector Build Journal June 2021

Healthcare

Education

Leisure

psbjmagazine.com

Issue 106

BALANCING DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE CS looks at the factors to consider when specifying louvres as part of a building’s ventilation solution

Housing

Ethical standards to look for when sourcing or specifying bricks

Managing the risk of legionella within public toilets and washrooms

Wallbarn takes a closer look at the growing green roof market

Introducing Pilkington SaniTise™, a world-first in glazing. Coated with a layer of titanium dioxide, the glass provides antimicrobial properties. Tested by leading universities it helps protect against enveloped viruses.

Pilkington SaniTise™. For a healthier, cleaner, safer world.

For further information visit pilkington.co.uk/sanitise

WELCOME NOTE

Editor

Hannah Woodger

hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Jim Moore

jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

Construction Specialties (CS) looks at the factors that need to be taken into consideration when specifying external louvres as part of a building’s ventilation solution. See page 32.

jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Digital Design Manager Matt Morse

matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Accounts

Rachel Pike

rachel@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Sales Support & Administrator

Klare Porter

klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Publisher Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Published by

Cross Platform Media Ltd.

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Welcome to the June issue of PSBJ...

If the recent pandemic gave us one thing to be thankful for, it was time. The time to stop, reflect and appreciate a slower pace of life. While work on the ground temporarily came to a standstill, it seems that the industry took advantage and went on a fact-finding mission to capture the thoughts and opinions of a sector that would previously have been unattainable due to being on site and immersed in live projects.

It is now, at PSBJ, that we are noticing the fruits of these companies’ labour, with a series of studies coming to the fore, helping to guide the sector forward throughout the next challenging period ahead. Take, for example, the long-term implications of IR35. Turn to page 22 where you’ll read the latest findings from Search Consultancy, where more than half of managers in the construction industry are concerned about how the legislation will affect its workforce and if it will widen the skills gap.

Moving into the housing sector, turn to page 16 and you’ll read how Wienerberger’s latest study with 150 decision-makers in the social housing sector has enabled the company to better understand their priorities, problems and future challenges.

Elsewhere in this edition, we talk to DELABIE about managing the risk of legionella in public washrooms, WJ Timber Treatments discusses the crucial questions you need to ask your timber supplier in order to specify your fire-treated timber correctly, and we also shine a light on architectural louvres with Construction Specialties, guiding readers on balancing design with performance.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can also access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information on PSBJ’s user-friendly and engaging website. Fully responsive, the website allows you to read all the latest stories on-the-go either on your phone or tablet. Simply visit www.psbjmagazine.com.

Hannah

Hannah Woodger • Editor • hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Find us on Social Media:      @psbjmagazine

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CONTENTS

06 News

A round up of the latest industry news, including charity events, awarded contracts, completed projects and much more.

08 Upfront

Work on a brand-new £7m specialist STEM and creative further education centre, which will provide some 400 new pupil places at a college in Bristol, is now complete.

12 Leisure

Global construction specialist ISG explains why the leisure industry must play a key role in a post-pandemic future, as the country focuses again on health and wellbeing.

08 18 Bricks & Blocks

22 Legal & Business

Sypro Chief Executive Simon Hunt discusses why digital software needs to be a standard aspect of the project toolkit.

Any public sector organisation planning works involving bricks should ensure its contractors and suppliers meet or exceed a stringent set of standards.

16 Housing

20 Lighting & Electricals

24 Education

14 Healthcare

To understand the current challenges facing those involved in social housing construction, John Harris at Wienerberger unpacks the manufacturer’s latest research.

Public sector buildings are both a workplace and a public interface visited by members of the public, so lighting has many functions to perform, as Ansell Lighting explores.

Research into the implications of IR35 shows that more than half of managers in the construction industry are concerned about how they will affect their workforce.

Assent talks about the benefits of offsite construction in education and how Building Regulations need to adapt to accommodate these modern methods of construction.

Specifying a CFA member for your next flooring project could mean the difference between success — or a flooring failure. Most of the UK’s largest and best known Manufacturers, Distributors, Contractors and Consultants are CFA members, and for good reason.

• CFA members promote high standards, knowledge and expertise • Specifying CFA members will maximize your investment and minimize costly flooring failures • CFA members have to pass a strict vetting process

Tel: 0115 941 1126

www.cfa.org.uk Email: info@cfa.org.uk 04

CONTENTS

24

12 26 Talking Point

WJ Timber Treatments explores some of the confusions around standards and documentation when it comes to firetreated timber.

28 KBB & Washrooms

Reducing the risk of legionella contamination in public buildings poses specific challenges for user safety and system design. DELABIE explains more.

16 30 Technical Focus

Wallbarn discusses some of the current key issues surrounding green roofs – fire performance, substrate composition and the importance of green roof maintenance.

32 Facades & Rainscreen

Construction Specialties looks at the factors which need to be taken into consideration when specifying external louvres as part of a building’s ventilation solution.

28 34 Product Showcase

A dedicated focus of industry news, products and case studies to help specifiers and local authorities make informed decisions.

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NEWS

INDUSTRY UPDATES Each month PSBJ rounds up the latest public sector construction updates, from new contracts to industry awards.

Pelham Waterside shortlisted for national housing award Stockport Homes chooses Civica’s digital housing software Stockport Homes has agreed a new five-year, £1.2m contract with Civica, a global leader in software for public services. Civica will supply its cloud-enabled Cx Housing, Asset Management, Contractor Workforce and Abritas software to streamline the customer experience and increase automation and mobile services across the organisation. Stockport Homes was formed in 2005 to manage housing stock on behalf of Stockport Council. The organisation manages 12,000 properties, including social and affordable rent, shared ownership and leasehold properties and has around 600 employees.

The Cx Housing platform will support Stockport’s ambitious vision to consolidate all online processes and move to a more customer-centric model. It will enable a single view of people, property and asset data on one mobile-enabled system, and will also support Stockport’s plans to grow its commercial business arm alongside the social housing portfolio. This latest contract follows recent customer wins including London Borough of Redbridge, Harrow Council, One Housing and Places for People. Across the UK, Civica works with 400 UK social housing organisations, serving more than 5.3 million customers, with tenants accessing 500,000 cloud-based services.

Triton completes Derby school rescue project Triton Construction has completed the transformation of vacant office premises in Derby to provide a temporary new school for St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy following a devastating arson attack. The deliberate fire destroyed the primary school building in Darley Abbey last October and St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust undertook a procurement process to assemble a team able to replace the teaching facility as soon as possible with a medium-term solution until a new school could be built. Along with the consulting team which included GNA Surveyors and CBP Architects, Triton managed to renovate three floors at St James House off Mansfield Road in Derby to deliver new classrooms, toilets, canteen facilities and play space for 350 children in just 15 weeks from start to finish. Ian Chapman, Construction Director at Triton Construction, said: “This really was a Challenge Anneka-style rescue project where value engineering played a significant part in being able to deliver a speedy solution with budget restrictions. *

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New residential housing development, Pelham Waterside has been shortlisted for ‘Best Urban Development Outside London’ at the Inside Housing Development Awards 2021. The 73home scheme, which is located near the banks of Nottingham’s River Trent within the Waterside Regeneration Zone, has been designed by CPMG Architects to embrace sustainability, community and nature, bringing new residents to the riverside location. Owned by Pelham Homes, the site is the largest residential development for the home-builder in more than a decade and has been shortlisted alongside some of the UK’s top new-build schemes – with more than 300 entrants. Allan Fisher, Director at Pelham Homes, said: “This is an incredible recognition for the Pelham Waterside team on a national stage.

The interest in the development since its launch has been fantastic and over 80% of the homes in phase one have already been sold or reserved, with completion expected by summer 2021. Phase two has planning agreed bringing a further 12 houses and 27 apartments starting on site later this year.” The development has seen the regeneration of a brownfield site and has sustainability integrated into the design, incorporating a thermally-efficient building fabric and the use of low-energy fittings throughout.

£3.9m expansion completes at Staffordshire secondary school Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has handed over construction works for the £3.9m expansion and renovation of King Edward VI School in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Delivered on behalf of Staffordshire County Council, under the Staffordshire Construction framework, the works comprised an extension to an existing building and the construction of a new modular building for the school. Construction works at the co-educational comprehensive began in May 2020, and the extension and refurbishment will now allow the school, which takes on pupils aged 11 to 18, to increase its intake by 30 places a year, providing an additional 150 places in total. The new three-storey extension, which was phase one of the works, was constructed on the site of a former swimming pool that had been closed for over 10 years.

It now houses enhanced teaching and auxiliary spaces, as well as an administration area on the lower ground floor that features a new student services area. Phase two, which completed in October last year, involved the installation of a brand-new, standalone modern modular structure to provide enhanced science laboratory teaching facilities, which replaced existing accommodation and obsolete pre-fabricated buildings at the site.

NEWS

Work begins on new facility at NHS Lothian’s Western General Hospital Work has begun on a new linear accelerator (LINAC) treatment facility at NHS Lothian’s Western General Hospital (WGH) in Edinburgh, designed by HLM Architects and being delivered by RMF Health (a consortium of Robertson Construction and FES). The two-storey, stateof-the-art centre is part of an Oncology Enabling Works programme that will retain capacity for oncology services at the Western General site until a new purpose-built Edinburgh Cancer Centre is delivered. It features new radiation shielded bunkers, a cancer assessment unit and oncology administration offices. One of the key design features is to remove the clinical feel of the building as much as possible, while still providing a compliant healthcare facility. This helps to reduce patient anxiety while being cared for or receiving treatment within the service.

The LINAC treatment rooms include a ceiling grid resembling a bright sky with trees overhead that encourages patients to mentally remove themselves during treatment. The rooms are designed with calming colours and timber accents, as well as warm tones to provide as much comfort and tranquillity as possible.

Roythornes appointed to whg legal framework Real estate law firm Roythornes Solicitors has secured a place on the whg framework to support with legal expertise on its affordable housing services. whg is the largest provider of high-quality affordable housing in the West Midlands, owning and managing more than 20,000 properties across the borough of Walsall and surrounding area. whg houses approximately 40,000 people, which is almost one fifth of the borough’s population. Roythornes has been appointed to whg’s property and development legal panel to support with site development and assembly, development agreements, planning and construction advice and a variety of residential property instructions. The team will be led by Partner and National Head of Real Estate, Bhavesh Amlani, as well as Ben Smith and Emily Danson, both Partners at the firm. Bhavesh said: “We are very pleased to be appointed on to the whg legal framework.

Our property and development team has gone from strength to strength with a number of new client wins, so we’re delighted to be building on our relationship with the team at whg and look forward to working on future property projects with them.”

Plans revealed for new mixed-use regeneration development in Brighton

Wates Construction wins second phase of Camden community regeneration project

Following the recent planning approval of a new mixed-use student accommodation development in central Brighton, developer McLaren Property reveals what the local community can expect from the scheme. Located on London Road, within Brighton’s regeneration area, the development will see an outdated building being replaced with new sustainable retail units and student apartments. McLaren Property is working alongside Morgan Carn Architects and engineering consultancy Howard Ward Associates (HWA) to deliver the five-storey build, which will feature 156 student bedrooms with a reception area and communal interior and exterior spaces. New retail units will make up the ground floor of the development, presenting an entirelyrefreshed shop frontage which holds a prominent position among London Road’s high street stores. As part of the environmentallyfriendly design, the building will achieve a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating of ‘Excellent’ and will feature solar panels on a green roof.

National contractor Wates Construction has been appointed to deliver the latest phase in a three-phased regeneration project near Abbey Road by the London Borough of Camden. The £10m project, procured through SCAPE, will create a two-storey structure on designated open space off Belsize Road to house a new community centre on the ground floor, including a dedicated garden, creche, hall and various spaces for classes, as well as a state-of-the-art healthcare centre on the first floor. The building’s design will use brick, timber and glass to ensure it complements its surrounding green open space, which will be carefully landscaped and include a new play area. The scheme will be targeted to a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’, and its unique timber glulam facade will be manufactured using offsite engineering. The works form phase two of a wider regeneration programme currently being spearheaded by the council – The Abbey Area Masterplan – which aims to bring 241 energy-efficient homes, including new council and affordable homes, and revitalised community facilities to Camden.

07

UPFRONT

All images ©Hewitt Studios

SUSTAINABLE STEM FACILITY TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS IN BRISTOL Work on a brand-new £7m specialist STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and creative further education centre, which will provide some 400 new pupil places at a college in Bristol, is now complete.

Gloucestershire S outh and Stroud (SGS) College – where the Brunel Centre is located – is one of the newest colleges in the country, formed by the merger of Filton and Stroud Colleges in February 2012.

The college’s aim is to “change people’s lives positively and add value to the social and economic wellbeing of our communities” – something which is reflected throughout the design of the building.

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The three-storey building, which is located on the college’s Wise campus to the north of the city, provides purpose-built teaching and learning facilities for students in a building where sustainability and wellbeing are cleverly integrated into the design throughout, with a number of key features prominently incorporated.

The new building, which is set over some 1722m2, will provide increased capacity in Bristol and the South West for the

next generation of scientists, technicians, engineers and creatives, and will inspire them to push harder to achieve their educational goals.

The building has been funded by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.

The purpose-built facility also plays an important role in the region’s post-COVID economic recovery as it equips young people

with the skills and qualifications necessary for changing workplaces and providing opportunities for many people across the west of England.

Leading independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, provided cost management services throughout the project, working closely alongside the project manager Provelio, the main contractor Willmott Dixon and architecture firm Hewitt Studios.

UPFRONT

Environmental credentials Sustainability was a key consideration for the design of the Brunel Centre from the outset and played a significant role in the build, not only to ensure optimum energy and carbon performance levels but also to integrate it into the building’s aesthetics, to allow its sustainability credentials to be front of mind for its users day-to-day.

It was also vital that the project was delivered on time and on budget.

As a result, the building features a number of prominently-displayed sustainable features, designed to inspire those students using the teaching and learning spaces and allowing them to understand how their behaviours and usage affect the building’s performance.

Initial designs allowed for a traditional steel and concrete structure, but this was reviewed during the pre-construction stage.

The project team took the decision that a switch from a steel frame to a timber frame would support the client’s sustainability objectives better, so a CLT (cross-laminated timber) frame was used instead.

In making the switch to a timber frame, the project team was able to achieve significant carbon savings. It is estimated that the switch from a traditional steel and concrete structure to CLT prevented 445 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere and contributing to global warming – equivalent to flying from Bristol to New York and back 517 times in economy or heating 250 typical homes for eight months *.

The project team adopted a ‘kit of parts’ design approach for the Brunel Centre, in line with circular economy principles. This enabled quick and efficient construction processes, waste reduction, simplicity of detailing, and ensured that key building elements can be easily replaced and recycled at the end of life.

The building also features a ‘passive design’ thanks to excellent levels of natural ventilation and lighting throughout. Air source heat pumps are in use, while the fabric-first approach to the design and build ensures it is highly insulated and sealed – resulting in a reduction in heat loss and better energy performance overall.

Showcasing sustainability Sustainability and wellbeing were at the core of this project and it was essential that students using the Brunel Centre day-to-day are easily able to see and interact with the various sustainability features included within the design, encouraging and inspiring them through their teaching and learning spaces.

The building’s exterior perfectly encapsulates this sustainable approach.

The building is clad in timber, metal composite cladding and includes glazed curtain walling, while the brise soleil incorporates a renewable energy source.



09

UPFRONT

“Sustainability and wellbeing were at the core of this project and it was essential that students using the Brunel Centre day-to-day are easily able to see and interact with the various sustainability features included within the design”

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UPFRONT

Rather than installing solar panels on the roof of the Brunel Centre as is often the case, an 11.1kW photovoltaic system was integrated into the brise soleil on the southern elevation to help showcase the importance of renewables within the building and instantly showcase the commitment to sustainability. The stunning installation also includes a number of LED lights, making an artistic feature of the brise soleil at night time for users to enjoy.

Inside the building, the design also reflects a sustainable approach. Many of the internal walls and ceilings will remain exposed, showcasing the CLT frame to students using the building. Ceiling heights have been specifically designed to be high, improving the health and wellbeing of the students using the learning environment.

The building’s management system is also a key feature for its students. The building’s foyer features a ‘live’ monitoring panel which allows students entering and leaving to see exactly how much energy, water and services are being used within the building at any one time. This allows them to conceptualise the building’s performance and understand how its day-to-day use impacts on its energy usage.

Outside, the project also saw the replacement of some 400m 2 of car park and tarmac transformed into dedicated wildflower meadows aimed at encouraging increased biodiversity on the site.

Building through a pandemic The project presented the team with various challenges, not least the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated changes to the ways of working on site. Working in close collaboration, the team was able to ensure that the scheme was delivered on time and on budget, despite being required to adapt quickly to new ways of working.

The change to the design and decision to use a CLT frame, an approach that is aligned with the modular construction approach, actually meant that fewer people were required to be on site during the installation compared with more traditional construction projects.

This made it much easier for the project team to comply with the new Public Health guidelines and the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operating Procedures put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This also offered efficiencies in terms of the build programme as the CLT frame is also quicker to install, reducing time spent on site.

The Brunel Centre was handed over to the client in spring 2021 and will offer students access to high-quality, sustainability-led teaching and learning spaces for STEM and creative studies for many years to come.

Pick Everard was appointed via the NHS Shared Business Services framework.

Based on 250 houses producing 2.7 tonnes of carbon each a

*

year (average UK)

 www.pickeverard.co.uk

11

LEISURE

BRINGING THE LEISURE SECTOR BACK TO HEALTH The leisure industry must play a key role in a post-pandemic future, explains Danny Leigh, Project Manager – Frameworks, at ISG. we watched the one-year A sanniversary of the nation’s first national lockdown come and go, we still yearn for the everyday activities we once took for granted – despite the gradual easing of restrictions now starting to take place. Not immune to the shutdowns needed to keep our communities safe, the leisure and fitness sector, which plays a key role in the health of the nation, came to a relative standstill for much of the pandemic.

Over the last three lockdowns, some people have been able to maintain the focus on their health, exploring home workouts and alternative forms of keeping fit. While for others it has had the reverse effect, making it near impossible to exercise due to living circumstances and the closure of facilities. In fact, according to Sport England, COVID-19 has massively disrupted people’s ability to exercise,

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and in the weeks following the first lockdown the proportion of adults classed as inactive increased by 7.4%, representing over 3.4 million more inactive adults.

Inactivity is estimated to cause one in six deaths and costs the NHS around £1bn per year, according to Government figures. This alone shows the vital importance of the recovery of the fitness and leisure sector, which spans both public- and private sector-managed facilities.

Local authority leisure centres alone see 12.8m people across England get active and drive 36% of all physical activity.

Pre-COVID-19, the leisure and fitness industry was going from strength to strength, with no signs of slowing down. The 2019 State of the UK Fitness Industry report revealed the UK had more gyms, more members and a greater market value than

ever before. This is a trend we saw clearly, as a contractor partner to developer Alliance Leisure, which supports local authorities as they transform their estates into thriving and profitable amenities, designed to serve and support their communities. A wave of change had seen centres revived and improved, though COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions and lockdowns have brought about the new challenge of needing to attract people to return to leisure activities and, in some cases, expediated the drive to modernise.

Working behind the scenes, leisure providers are adapting in alignment with COVID-19induced behavioural changes.

A huge focus will address how to make people feel safe while in these spaces, as 64% of people agree they are worried about exercising close to other people,

according to Sport England data. Reassuring people while also enabling them to get the most out of their fitness spaces will be crucial in order to welcome back longstanding and new members.

These fundamental changes to leisure and workout spaces have been in the making for several years, with COVID-19 simply speeding up the process. While it was once the trend to exercise inside and queue for the latest equipment, many are moving to activity-focused fitness regimes. From embracing team-based workouts, such as bootcamp-style classes and experimenting with climbing walls and zip-lining activities, more emphasis is being put on the need for open spaces in leisure and fitness facilities.

The pandemic has forced mechanical and electrical engineers to reassess the design of building services.

The pandemic has made people more aware of their hygiene and interaction with others. Whether looking at the health, fitness and leisure industry or hospitality and office spaces, few building amenities have been scrutinised as much as a building’s ventilation systems.

LEISURE Ventilation rates have been increased where possible, and natural ventilation systems specified to ensure plenty of fresh air is supplied and stale air extracted, all of which passing through modern heat recovery systems which reduce energy use, lower operational costs and help save the environment. Additional handwashing stations are also being provided throughout buildings, particularly where food is likely to be consumed.

This has been particularly important for fitness and leisure spaces, traditionally seen as musty and stuffy as a result of mass exercising or group activities.

The industry has been using this time from the pandemic to upgrade, adapt and prepare for the long-term future, such as transforming large open-plan spaces, like underutilised sports halls, and redeveloping them into gyms to allow for a huge number of stations, whilst maintaining space and social distancing.

Or undertaking some deeprooted maintenance work.

For example, repair works to swimming pools, which may involve draining the tanks, replacing critical elements of the filtration

systems, replacing finishes and accessing any high-level equipment above the pools which would ordinarily require the closure of facilities for weeks.

Although the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted the leisure and fitness industry, it has also highlighted the importance of our health and wellbeing, and forced individuals, local authorities and leisure operators to think about improvements they can make. From the perspective of the local authorities,

whilst they are clearly facing unprecedented challenges they realise, more than ever, the need to provide facilities that improve the health of their communities and invest in their leisure portfolios.

Health has also taken precedent on the Government’s agenda, with steps taken to further incentivise and encourage healthier lifestyles in the aftermath of the pandemic to protect the alreadystrained health service

from another health crisis, centring around inactivity and obesity. Furthermore, with the widespread dissemination of the vaccine in full swing, minds are turning to life returning to some sort of normality for the long term and while there have been some adaptations and upgrades during the pandemic, all signs indicate the leisure and fitness industry is set to boom. 

www.isgltd.com

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HEALTHCARE

DIGITAL SOFTWARE, EMPATHY AND FLEXIBILITY CENTRAL TO THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF HEALTHCARE CLIENTS Sypro Chief Executive Simon Hunt discusses the all-important need for flexibility in our support of healthcare clients, and why digital software needs to be a standard aspect of the project toolkit. the pandemic, D uring tech platforms have come into their own – but looking beyond the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams in keeping us connected while working remotely, digital tools and software have proven themselves invaluable. In the past year, Sypro’s Contract Manager software has been used for a number of NHS Nightingale and COVID-19 ward transformation projects around the country.

What COVID-19 has proven to everyone in business is that the use of technology is going to be a de facto step for every business. Being able to remain connected and productive has only been possible thanks to our quick deployment of different tools, but it has also proved that ‘working from home’ does not translate to ‘not working’.

This is only going to be a positive thing moving into the future, as those who were previously anti-tech or

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anti-remote working have seen the real benefits to both over the past year. As we move towards what resembles normal life again, many of these tools will remain part of our everyday lives. While we are all yearning to get back on site and to in-person meetings, we have also seen the productivity benefits of no travel time – and expect there will be a blended approach to meetings in the future to ensure better, more efficient use of time.

We have all had to approach our work – no matter what we do – from a place of empathy and humanity, knowing that everyone in the working world has had their personal and professional stresses to deal with thanks to COVID-19. Time has certainly been one of the biggest challenges facing anyone working with healthcare clients over the past year – especially NHS Trusts.

Being part of a support mechanism has been invaluable, and, at Sypro, this empathetic approach has driven how we have been working particularly with our healthcare clients, from offering more one-to-one sessions, holding meetings at unusual times to support clients’ timescales and providing overall flexibility of our service.

This is also where specialist software can allow construction experts an extra level of flexible support for these clients, to make their lives as easy as we possibly can during the most challenging of times.

Our own contract management software, Contract Manager, is one such tool that clients have really benefitted from during the pandemic, being able to administer their contracts from wherever and whenever they need to. And it has clearly proved itself a valuable part of the project toolkit, with our overall volume of contract requests so far in 2021 rising by more than 50% on the same time in 2020 – and the total project value of those projects has risen by more than 350%.

However, certain sectors are set to remain under great pressure for many months and even years to come – healthcare. Those working within this sector – particularly NHS Trusts – have understandably been under the biggest amounts of pressure they will ever have faced, and as the fallout of coronavirus continues, it will bring with it new challenges and pressures.

Estates teams have had to re-deploy services within their existing stock to make way for COVID wards and have had to re-examine and re-distribute budgets for capital projects. But the pandemic recovery will stretch far beyond the end of wider restrictions on the public, and will change the way healthcare projects are approached forever.

HEALTHCARE These changes will no doubt bring additional pressures to our healthcare professionals who have been under continual stress since the outbreak of COVID-19, with no break. There will be a huge backlog of treatments and medical needs for the wider public that the NHS will need to keep up with, and with that will come the requirement for more schemes requiring the redevelopment of existing spaces or the provision of new facilities.

This will include moving services around, re-fitting existing buildings for different purposes and introducing elements to help tackle future pandemics, such as improved ventilation systems. And this is all against a backdrop of working to meet targets for netzero carbon set by Government and future treatment needs.

By embedding digital software, like Contract Manager, within project toolkits, healthcare estates teams will be able to adopt a much smoother and more adaptable approach to their projects. And for built environment specialists, it’s crucial that our consultancy and tools heighten accessibility and accelerate processes – but also that we ensure our services stem from the allimportant human angle of empathy too. 

www.sypro.co.uk

15

HOUSING

TAKING THE PULSE OF SOCIAL HOUSING CONSTRUCTION Designing, building and managing social housing is complex and multifaceted, and even more so against a changing dynamic of safety standards, housing demand, environmental targets and build quality. To explore the current challenges facing those involved in social housing construction, John Harris, Head of Sales – Housing at Wienerberger, unpacks the manufacturer’s latest research.

2

020 brought change in many ways and the social housing sector was no different. What’s more, forthcoming policy and regulatory changes, a drive to be more sustainable, the demand for affordable housing increasing – and of course, a global pandemic – the challenges faced by those in the sector became even more intricate and multidimensional.

To understand these evolving challenges and, importantly, how they can be overcome, in late 2020, we completed an in-depth study with 150 decision-makers in the social housing sector to better understand their priorities, problems and what the future looks like.

The pathway to sustainability Within our research, the environmental performance of social housing was one of the biggest causes for concern. Although the targets set by Government to reduce the carbon emissions from buildings to just a fraction of what they were in 2018 by 2050 felt somewhat ambitious to many involved, most respondents were more apprehensive that the pathway to reaching these figures is currently unknown.

In fact, nine in 10 social housing construction professionals surveyed said the sector needs new guidelines from the Government if it’s to meet sustainability targets. Delving

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HOUSING deeper, this need, many respondents felt, was due to a lack of understanding in the sector around what constitutes a sustainable home and how best to build to reduce carbon consumption.

Respondents were also concerned around timescales, with 88% agreeing that the sector cannot wait for the pending Decarbonisation Fund and Decent Homes Standard review to define how it is going to become more sustainable – it needs this detail now.

Summing up the problem, Nick Gornall, Head of Development at Great Places Housing Group, who was involved in the research, said: “The industry has no guidance on the standard of products that will be required to meet the targets, so we don’t know if the housing stock we’re building or the changes we’re making to existing stock will be good enough to meet future sustainability standards.”

While concerned about the lack of clarity, those involved felt that with a clear, strategic and collaborative approach, reaching these targets is doable. “The industry has time,” said Phil Pemberton, Director of Asset Strategy and Delivery at Riverside. “It just needs a strategic plan for how to get there.”

Overhauling ownership Within the research, another Government target causing sleepless nights is how to create 300,000 new homes per year by 2025.

Over half of the social housing experts in our study said that as with sustainability, a lot more centralised guidance and support is required if the sector is going to meet this ambition.

Before COVID, it seems the industry was on the right track, with the number of new homes built at an 11-year high in June 2019.

Yet with lockdowns causing some housebuilders to down tools or be short on contractors, and as the eviction ban lifts increasing the demand for affordable housing, the gulf between supply and what’s available is only likely to widen.

In our research, this thought was echoed, especially by architects who felt that 300,000 should be the minimum to cater for this new and historic housebuilding deficit.

Exploring the causes of housebuilding delays, planning was commonly cited, with respondents calling for reform to speed up the construction process and to make it quicker to access land in the right places.

While the recent loosening of permitted development rights may have helped with this process, the inquiry launched in March 2021 to examine the change in policy may see an end to the relaxation that allows further development of housing blocks and change of use from offices to homes.

As part of the research, stakeholders also stated that alternative tenures should be better explored. “The majority of housing is delivered by the private sector on a homeownership basis and responds to ‘demand’,” said Mark Murphy, Land, Planning & Development Director at developer MLN. Shared ownership and affordable rent, for example, would help to broaden options for consumers. Similarly, offsite construction represents a more responsive and faster way to meet demand.

Echoing the need for a change in tenure, Michael Swiszczowski, Director at architectural practice, Chapman Taylor, added: “We’re focusing too much on people buying homes. We need to start viewing build-to-rent as a viable approach – a more liberal and European attitude towards rental will help us.”

Size, style and substance As well as agreeing on a need to overhaul our approach to housing in the UK, those surveyed also shared a belief that quality standards, energy performance and our understanding of what makes a ‘decent’ home need to be reviewed.

Echoing Nick Gornall’s view that the industry has no guidance on the standard of products required to meet the targets, Swiszczowski feels the focus is too much on size, rather than an outcome-led approach to design. Instead, he feels we should be constructing buildings based on “how the building will be for the person who ends up living in it”.

To meet the challenges of quality, quantity as well as sustainability, our findings were unanimous: collaboration is needed across organisations and disciplines. “We need to look down the supply chain – everyone needs to step up…early conversations need to happen more,” added Michael.

As we emerge from the pandemic and ahead of the publishing of the revised Decent Homes Standards and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy decarbonisation research, the sector mustn’t rest on its laurels. Instead, it must take a proactive approach, setting the standard for Government to follow.

Armed with mutual thinking and shared goals, our findings suggested we will be able to move homes beyond ‘decent’ to good and even great, as well as explore new construction methodologies, products and solutions. Likewise, engaging the whole supply chain, including manufacturers, can go a long way in creating better quality, more sustainable homes for residents. 

www.wienerberger.co.uk

17

BRICKS & BLOCKS

ETHICAL STANDARDS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SOURCING OR SPECIFYING BRICKS Jason Hughes, Managing Director of Imperial Bricks, looks at why bricks are used again and again in public sector projects, and the importance of an ethical supply chain. around any town, L ook city or village in the UK, and you’ll see buildings made of bricks; schools, libraries, council buildings, health centres and more. Practical, strong and incredibly durable, brick construction is a longestablished build method in the UK, dating back to Roman times.

Today, traditional handmade, extruded and pressed bricks are more popular than ever, and with good reason. The right brick can add kerb appeal and value, ensuring a refurbishment or extension blends in seamlessly with original brickwork, or that a new build sits well alongside existing architecture. This is even more important in conservation areas, of course.

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Sourcing and specifying bricks that meet the requirements of your projects and are reliably available at the quality and quantity required – not to mention, the budget – can be difficult.

Location, location, location Shades, sizes and styles of bricks vary considerably across the UK. The availability of local clay is what gave different regions of the UK their distinctive variations in brick colours. Southern England tends to have more soft reds, London clay is distinctly yellow, while east coast clays are gault or buff, and the Midlands and North

predominantly produce oranges and darker red bricks.

In some areas of the UK, local clay is no longer available in the volume required to meet demand and, therefore, bricks are sourced from overseas.

Brick manufacturing in the UK totals around 1.9 billion bricks a year, but demand outstrips this by around 500 million. The shortfall is primarily imported from Europe and Asia. But whether bricks are made in the UK or abroad, it’s vital to ensure they are made and supplied ethically, tested for UK weather conditions and meet recognised standards for quality and environmental management as a minimum.

Many other products are imported into the UK for construction and other industries; food, clothing, cars, consumer goods, construction materials and more. Without these our economy would not survive.

In the past decade or so, there has been a greater (and welcome) focus on the supply chain to ensure that products are made to commonly-recognised standards and requirements.

This is particularly true in the construction industry where there has been an increased emphasis on correct product manufacture, testing and supply following the Grenfell fire disaster in 2017.

BRICKS & BLOCKS Others, such as Imperial Bricks, operate by partnership with carefully-selected factories that meet at least four of the highest internationallyrecognised standards, as follows: UKCA/CE Mark – CPR Compliance in clay brick products SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) Report Anti-Modern Slavery Policy ISO 9001 Business Quality Management System BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing ISO 14001 Environmental Management System ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management System.

The ongoing consultation and creation of the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) will put quality assurance processes under even more scrutiny. Indeed, there are a small number of unprofessional companies and distribution agents in the UK brick market working with factories in and outside of Europe, issuing copycat products without the necessary quality assurance testing.

But no industry – and no country – is infallible. For example, fast fashion retailer, Boohoo, cut ties with 64 factories in Leicestershire last year following ‘modern slavery’ accusations, with workers undertaking long shifts for as little as £3.50 per hour.

Where a product is made matters less than how it is made and supplied. Being able to evidence this with independent audits and internationally-recognised standards is a must.

What accreditations should I look for?

Given the commitment of British companies, and the public sector, in particular, to stamp out modern slavery and ensure sustainability and ethical employment practices, assurance of methods of manufacture and working conditions are vital. The Brick Development Association recently established a Brickmakers Quality Charter, with manufacturers who have signed up scoring between one and three stars depending on the certification met.

Imperial is able to stipulate these standards as a requirement thanks to the long-term, exclusive trading relationships with our partner factories.

Our bricks are made to our exact specification, using our own expertise and that of our manufacturing partners’, working in a similar way to M&S and Dyson, who are also SEDEX members.

As a legal minimum, UKCA/CE marking and testing should be met by any product being sourced or supplied for UK construction projects.

For example, Imperial’s bricks are tested by the leading independent third-party certification body, Lucideon, for freeze-thaw, water absorption, dimensions, soluble salt content and compressive strength. Such testing ensures products are suitable for the UK market and can withstand all that the British climate can throw at them.

Any public sector organisation planning works involving bricks should ensure its contractors and suppliers meet or exceed an equivalent set of standards to those outlined above. In this way, supply chains, procurement practices and policies supporting ethical standards and employment practices can be demonstrated and assured. 

www.imperialhandmadebricks.co.uk

19

LIGHTING & ELECTRICALS

THE IMPORTANCE OF SMART LIGHTING IN THE WORKPLACE Public sector buildings often suffer with outdated legacy lighting systems that can compromise the safety and comfort of employees and service users, as well as being expensive and inefficient to maintain and operate. With people returning to offices and adapting to new ways of working, Anthony Parkinson of Ansell Lighting looks at why smart lighting is not just for the home.

many people W hile have a reasonable understanding of how to minimise lighting energy use at home, achieving a similar understanding of how to optimise lighting energy use within the workplace is more challenging. Add to that the plethora of old and often outdated systems in public sector buildings and the challenge of keeping staff safe, while providing them with visual performance.

In the public sector, as in all workplaces, legislation provides recommended illuminance requirements

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to meet health and safety regulations, as well as enabling staff to carry out tasks effectively and efficiently.

If the requirements are not built into the implementation of the lighting installation it can result in high energy usage which fails to meet sustainability requirements.

Smart lighting systems can eliminate all these issues, by offering a solution which allows the building to control when lights should be on, based upon an automated system. Usually, a change this revolutionary would necessitate expensive upgrades or building work to achieve, but

one of the best things about smart lighting solutions, such as OCTO, is that the system is very easy to install and commission.

Systems, such as OCTO, are controlled and hosted on the cloud, so there is no hub or wiring to install, and many of the units are simply installed like a normal light bulb or switch – making it very easy to retrofit into existing buildings.

Smart lighting systems can ensure that the workplace provides the right quality and quantity of light for staff, without control to their discretion of staff. In order to achieve this, there are numerous systems which can be implemented across a building or site to meet these varying requirements.

Daylight harvesting systems allow buildings to maximise the availability of natural lighting, thereby reducing the need for electric lighting during periods of highlevel daylight and ensuring adequate and uniform illuminance across the space.

For example, in a space with significant levels of natural daylight, the need for electric lighting will be less, compared to areas deeper into the space where the natural lighting is either reduced or non-existent.

Careful consideration of this ever-changing scenario as the natural component of the combined lighting increases and reduces can maximise the energy-saving benefits of the artificial lighting installation.

With a move to flexible working patterns and reduced capacities within workspaces likely to remain prevalent post-

pandemic, intuitive presence and absence detection lighting is also a key function alongside corridor functionality, which is another highly-efficient way of reducing energy consumption. In places where light is required over longer periods – or even 24/7 – a corridor function uses motion sensors to increase output to 100% when needed in an energyefficient and cost-effective way – so perfect for public buildings, care homes and some areas within hospitals, as well as pedestrian underpasses etc.

Smart lighting systems in commercial premises can also be programmed to operate areas of just a single individual.

Staff wellbeing and productivity has been shown to be improved by changing the colour aspect of light throughout the day to match natural circadian rhythms. Using natural, cool or warm light at different times of the day can help to focus employees and improve their sleep patterns – resulting in happier, healthier staff.

Public sector buildings are both a workplace and a public interface visited by members of the public, so lighting has many functions to perform. It must create a comfortable and productive workspace, be a safe and well-lit place to visit, all whilst keeping a sharp eye on current and future costs. Very few public sector buildings are new build, so solutions, such as smart lighting which can be retrofitted and have a huge impact on energy use with minimal disruption, cannot be ignored. 

www.anselluk.com

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LEGAL & BUSINESS

WILL IR35 WIDEN THE CONSTRUCTION SKILLS GAP? New research into the long-term implications of IR35 shows that more than half of managers in the construction industry are concerned about how the legislation will affect its workforce. Paul Kynaston, Managing Director of Construction & Property at Search Consultancy, explains more. the UK’s A cross construction industry, 83% of managers believe there is a persistent skills gap. It’s already hindered the Government’s pledge to deliver 300,000 homes by mid-2020 and looks to affect plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. While efforts to draw more people to the industry are underway, over half of the managers Search Consultancy spoke to believe the IR35 reforms will cause significant damage.

Contributing £90bn to the annual GDP and employing over 2.93 million people, the sector suffers from an ageing workforce. Currently, 15% are over 60 with a further 750,000 set to near retirement age over the next 15 years, showing the risk faced by the industry if new solutions are not found.

With the IR35 deadline now passed, businesses have inherited the responsibility of assessing off-payroll employees and determining if they fall inside or outside the new reforms. Research from Search Consultancy found 56% of managers within the

22

industry believe the changes will immediately widen the skills gap, as employers veer on the side of caution when recruiting contractors.

The initial confusion created by the legislation, combined with a more cautious approach to finding talent, is leaving companies with a smaller talent pool to choose from.

This issue is only being worsened as candidates move to more stable sectors offering competitive pay.

It is impossible to determine the impact changes to IR35 legislation will have on the industry just yet. However, the concern we have with companies going down the route of a low-risk blanket ban on personal services companies (PSC) means there could be restricted access to particular unique skillsets. Workers could also be panic-pigeonholed into PAYE when they might legitimately continue to operate through a PSC. Employers’ concerns are not unwarranted, HMRC has already fined the NHS £4.3m. The Government department

can investigate the compliance of any business operating within the UK to ensure off-payroll contractors are legitimate. This is to cut down on those working through a limited company, but are treated as an employee, allowing them to save on National Insurance contributions.

A disguised employee is defined by criteria that asks the questions: Substitution – can someone else be sent to do the work in their place?

Control – does the employer control the workload and how it’s carried out?

Risk – can the contractor make a profit or loss?

Mutuality of Obligation – is the contractor obliged to accept work?

While this does make hiring contractors riskier, the construction sector can’t afford to lose top talent and alienate a section of the talent pool. While

Paul Kynaston is Managing Director of Construction & Property at Search and has been instrumental in growing Search’s construction and property business across the UK. Having worked with some of the biggest names in construction for over 20 years, Paul is an expert in understanding the business needs of organisations within the sector and shares this knowledge to ensure businesses are able to grow and develop with the right people at the helm.

staying compliant is essential to avoid fines, having a firm understanding of the changes will allow employers to avoid taking a conservative approach to contract recruitment.

Search Consultancy is a multi-discipline recruitment agency. We provide expert consultancy to businesses and workers to help them understand how IR35 reforms will affect them. To find out more about IR35 and for curated advice from tax professionals, take a look at our Ask the Expert Hub. 

www.search.co.uk/ir35

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Information will be updated when the need arises. Please ensure you have an up to date copy. All products are produced by independently owned and operated wood processing facilities. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Koppers Performance Chemicals, Protim Solignum Limited, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1LS. Visit: www.kopperspc.eu, Email: kpc@koppers.eu, Call: +44 (0)1628 486644, Fax: +44 (0)1628 476757. Registered in England 3037845. © Copyright 2018.

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23

EDUCATION

BUILDING CONTROL LESSONS LEARNED IN OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION

All images: ©Portakabin

Here, John Miles, Technical Manager at Assent Building Control, talks about the benefits of offsite construction in education and how Building Regulations need to adapt to accommodate these modern methods of construction.

I

n January 2020, the Department for Education (DfE) launched the £3bn DfE offsite framework, also known as the modern methods of construction (MMC1) framework, marking the next step in the evolution of offsite construction for the education sector.

there is less chance of items being damaged and having to be replaced. Offsite building designs often exceed the minimum requirements for thermal efficiency, delivering a better performance than a traditional build.

A step forward for education

This step forward in the evolution of offsite has meant that the building control sector is having to make some changes to its traditional processes in order to adapt. Current Building Regulations are written for traditional buildings and offsite has generally had to fit in around them.

When it comes to building for education, some aspects – such as the foundations and groundwork – can still be approached from a traditional perspective, however, regulations around fire resistance, acoustics and energy efficiency are all dealt with in the factory. This has meant changing our focus to frontload input at the design stages as early as the original proposal.

This can take up to five meetings before even reaching

The MMC1 framework is a positive step forward for the construction of educational buildings and facilities. Using MMC, such as offsite, brings with it many benefits that are specific to the education sector. Speed of delivery and reduction of time on site means minimal disruption to schools and children’s education – a consideration that is even more important as we move towards the end of the pandemic and schools finally getting back into the swing of teaching.

There are also huge sustainability benefits to offsite construction. Buildings aren’t susceptible to weather during construction and can be made watertight within just a few hours, meaning

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A new way of working for building control

the manufacturing stage, and is a stark difference to traditional builds that sometimes appoint an Approved Inspector (AI) as late as two weeks before going to site.

Working with offsite construction leaves very little room for error and AIs must be confident that the building has met regulations before it even reaches site. Instead of carrying out site inspections to interrogate the building as it is built, AIs have to take careful considerations during factory audits and carry out QA checks during the manufacturing stages.

These audits provide a holistic view of the build – during just one visit AIs can see the building frame of one unit at the same time as seeing another that is ready to be delivered to site.

New benefits for building control Being involved in such early stages of the design means that we never have to play catch up and it gives us an audit trail that is not possible with traditional builds.

Offsite manufacturers look for consistency. Working from a static factory means they

are using the same teams for almost all of their builds and they want to mirror that with the AIs that they use.

For this reason, building strong relationships is key to delivering the best service.

This means understanding systems and processes, and building an approval procedure around them.

Offsite is a fast-paced industry and manufacturers look for AIs that can offer consistent assurance in a small space of time. This means skillsets within the building control industry are developing, as AIs become more established in understanding these methods and delivering key skills and specialisms in modular construction that can be shared back to the manufacturer.

Strengthening our knowledge allows us to advise in a more holistic approach, improving the service and becoming more focused on what is needed. The process-driven aspect of offsite, as well as the specific skills that come with it, mean there is potential for it to attract new people into the industry from different backgrounds, such as manufacturing.

EDUCATION Offsite has definitely carved out a place for itself in the education sector, as well as other sectors. It lends itself well to city-centre locations that lack the space for site offices and material stores, and there is definitely a bright future for it, backed by frameworks like MMC1.

However, there is a need for Building Regulations to work better with offsite construction – we need more dynamic regulations to allow freedom in the design process and, ultimately, improve it. Right now, Building Regulations are extremely linear, aligning with traditional methods of construction, and while offsite is still a relatively small section of the construction industry, it’s seen accelerated growth over the past 12 to 18 months that I can only see continuing on an upward trajectory.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Primary School We recently worked with Portakabin, a market leader in modular construction, to deliver a new primary school under the DfE MMC1 framework in Somerset. The modern, two-storey building comprises a large modular hall, studio, library and canopied areas outside classrooms. We were appointed by Portakabin in September 2019 having established a relationship with them over previous years, meaning we already understood the company’s systems and were

able to provide them with the consistency of compliance that they needed.

We worked with Portakabin to set out a plan for how they would meet regulations and requirements, long before the building modules left the factory and went to site. The plan involved bespoke compliance trackers that aligned with modular construction methodology.

Site inspections began in late January 2020 but were soon put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

Due to national lockdown restrictions, we were unable to complete factory visits

for this project. Instead, we liaised closely with the Portakabin team, gaining QA information and reports remotely. We also gave the option of carrying out remote video inspections if needed.

The project was completed in October 2020, taking just nine months, despite delays caused

by COVID-19.

The bespoke process created during this project has set up a streamlined process for other projects with Portakabin since, allowing our team to produce accurate compliance reports without having to re-learn any of their systems.

The biggest achievement was delivering the project across three locations – with the Portakabin manufacturing and design team based in York, their site operatives and our site inspectors in Somerset and our plan-check and systems operation at our head office in Wakefield. It has also been great to work with such a reputable leader in the offsite construction space and share in the industry-wide effort to transform perception of MMC from cold, metal boxes to structurally-sound and energyefficient, modern buildings. 

www.assentbc.co.uk

25

TALKING POINT

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE-TREATING YOUR TIMBER CORRECTLY? Worryingly, the answer to this crucial question is not clear. In fact, some fire-treated timber entering the supply chain might not be correctly treated. You must know what to ask your supplier to get your specification right. Mark Eggleston, Managing Director of WJ Timber Treatments, explains more. is a fabulous T imber construction material. It’s ecologically superior through its carbon-capture properties and is aesthetically appealing. Timber’s popularity is clear to see.

Lives depend on correctly specifying and installing fire-retardant timber – just like other popular building materials. And yet, there’s no monitoring system in the UK – I find this incredible.

As a specifier or contractor, you must select the right materials. You must be confident they’ll perform as you require. But there are serious knowledge gaps across design and construction when it comes to fire-retardant timber, and these gaps can result in significant errors.

If your supply chain doesn’t deliver a product that’s fit for purpose, who’s responsibility is it?

26

Let me explain where my concern comes from, and how you can handle this to specify fire-retardant timber correctly with your supply chain.

One regulation, two interpretations It starts with the Construction Product Regulation (EU no.

305/2011). This requires the manufacturer or company placing the product on the market to CE mark it.

At WJ Timber Treatments, we fire-treat timber with Burnblock. An eco-friendly Danish product, we adhere to the EU’s interpretation of the CPR – the timber treater is responsible for CE mark provision (and the traceability this demands).

Here’s the anomaly. The UK interprets the CPR differently.

They state the company placing the treated timber for sale is

responsible for CE marking and documentation provision.

But how does a layman trading timber truly understand the specific fire-treatment process – and whether it’s fit for your purpose?

Official bodies in the UK believe the timber treater only needs a Factory Production Control document, audited in line with a quality management standard like ISO 9001. So, the treater could have a thirdparty audited process, with no reference made to the relevant product harmonised standard.

And no documented traceability back to BS EN 13501 fire classification report (Euro B or C).

Fire-treating timber significantly alters the performance of it. That’s manufacturing, surely? We therefore maintain the EU’s stance and provide full treatment traceability.

Business Owner and Managing Director Mark Eggleston formed WJ Group in 2007. Mark is committed to campaigning for high, ethical standards in timber treatment, ensuring the industry delivers the best quality products that perform as intended.

We don’t have to do this.

The UK’s interpretation of the CPR says we’re not the business placing the product on the market. Nor are we the manufacturer. But we believe we should be doing this. It’s our moral responsibility to provide people like you with total confidence.

Understand the testing to specify correctly Walking you through the process, you’ll see the importance of understanding the detail behind the Declaration of Performance that’ll accompany your firetreated timber.

Unlike many treaters, we provide a species-specific Declaration of Performance to accompany every fire-treated product. We don’t have to do this, but we think it’s right.

TALKING POINT

Did you know?

Fire-retardant treatments are timber species-specific. The chemical supplier determines this in their fire classification report. Each report has been tested to EN 13501 and is given a classification to confirm the process achieves Euro B or Euro C standard.

Smoke level is then classified as s1 or s2 (s1 is best – the least smoke) and burning droplets by a d measure (d0 confirms very few burning droplets).

This results in a speciesspecific classification like this: B-s1-d0.

Going back to the CPR, it states products in the ‘reaction to fire’ category must be CE-marked (CE marking will become UKCA in 2022).

To achieve CE marking for timber cladding, for example, BS EN14915/2013 is the correct harmonised standard to meet. This states the AVCP (Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance) must be Class 1 for reaction to fire products. AVCP1 requires continual auditing by a notified body. WJ uses Finetrol.

The notified body then provides a Constancy of Performance, renewed after every annual audit. Only then

can your supplier issue a species-specific Declaration of Performance.

It’s complex. And that’s why it’s vital to ask your fireretardant timber supplier the right questions.

Questions to ask your supplier When selecting the right firetreated timber for your building project, ask your supplier these three questions. By doing so, you’re understanding the evidence behind the paperwork – and that’s what leads to a fit-forpurpose specification. In other words, timber that will perform correctly in the event of a fire.

1. Does your treater issue the CE mark and Declaration of Performance?

This is rarely the case (aside from WJ). So, how can your provider sufficiently understand the testing and third-party auditing required to create these documents?

2. Is the Declaration of Performance specific to the timber species?

Reputable treaters have a Constancy of Performance that summarises the fire classification report for each species. Robust auditing will be in place by the notified body that issued the fire

classification report on behalf of the fire-retardant chemical supplier. A generic Declaration of Performance is, quite frankly, dangerous.

3. If you’re supplied with a Factory Production Control document, was it audited against the correct harmonised standard?

For example, that would be EN14915/2013 for cladding. As the CPR doesn’t make this clear it’s easy to have a disconnect between an irrelevant standard and the control document.

Another risky situation. 

www.wj-group.co.uk

27

KBB & WASHROOMS

MANAGING THE RISK OF LEGIONELLA IN PUBLIC WASHROOMS Are public washrooms ready to re-open?

Having adapted rapidly to lockdown conditions, re-opening facilities is more complex. Whether buildings have been partially or fully closed, legionella prevention is a major concern. lockdown, many D uring toilets, sinks and showers were out of action, and with social distancing, this will continue for the foreseeable future. Any mothballed point of use has an increased risk of legionella contamination.

Occurring naturally in water, legionella bacteria develop in standing water that has a source of nutrients, such as biofilm in pipes or rusted water storage tanks. They multiply at 20 to 45°C and can be harmful if inhaled in aerosol form.

Flushing away pathogens The solutions are simple: prevent water from reaching temperatures where bacteria can multiply (see table 1) and limit water stagnation. If there is evidence of contamination or stagnation, and if the hot and cold water have not been used for a long time, Health and Safety Executive guidelines state that the system should be cleaned, flushed and disinfected.

28

Subsequent regular flushing will minimise the risk of further contamination. However, manual flushing is labour intensive and expensive.

Hot water is the typical method for controlling legionella bacteria in nondomestic buildings. Health and Safety Executive guidance states that hot water must be produced and stored at or above 60°C, and circulated at 50°C. At these temperatures, 90% of the bacteria die within two minutes. If the temperature falls below this guideline, the risk of bacterial growth increases.

Complex systems lead to temperature drops and increase the contamination risk, so pipe runs should be kept to a minimum (ideally <3m). Lagging pipes prevents heat loss and, where cold and hot water pipes run side by side, insulation will stop heat transfer, preventing the cold water temperature rising above 20°C where legionella bacteria are no longer dormant (see table 1).

Temperature:

Legionella development:

<20°C

Dormant

24-45°C

Multiplies

50°C

90% die within two hours

60°C

90% die within two minutes

Table 1

Technical solutions in the fight against legionella The key is controlling bacterial development while ensuring user safety. For example, hot water should be blended to a safe temperature using a thermostatic mixing valve (TMV). Typically, leisure centres will install group TMVs, which can serve up to 40 individual outlets. To ensure user safety, the mixing valve must failsafe, i.e. the hot water must shut off if the cold water fails and vice versa.

Water controls featuring a pre-programmed automatic duty flush will prevent stagnation and bacterial development. With DELABIE’s electronic controls, an automatic rinse activates every 24 hours after the last use, running for 60 seconds. The solenoid valve is piston-operated, removing the need for a diaphragm which can trap water and harbour bacteria. Moreover, it is possible to install one electronic control at the end of a pipe run without switching to electronic controls throughout: for example, a battery-operated tap or shower that is easy to install and automatically flushes the pipework to prevent stagnation. Touch-free electronic controls are also more hygienic, preventing the spread of germs by hand.

Controlling contamination Direct flush toilets also contribute to washroom hygiene. The flush mechanism connects directly to the water system, removing the need for a cistern and eliminating standing water. Consequently, there is no limescale or build-up of impurities and nowhere to support bacterial growth.

If water contamination occurs due to prolonged closure of the installation, point-of-use water filters can provide a temporary control measure, keeping the washrooms operational until a permanent, safe solution is in place. DELABIE’s anti-bacterial filters are available for both basin taps and showers. Featuring hollow fibre technology, they have a large filtration area with high resistance to clogging, all within a very compact housing.

The importance of legionella prevention has long been high on the public health agenda. Reducing the risk of legionella contamination in public buildings poses specific challenges for user safety and system design. By understanding the risks and installing products specifically designed to meet these challenges, the risk of contamination and scalding can be easily overcome. 

www.delabie.co.uk

TECHNICAL FOCUS

GREEN ROOFS: FIRE PERFORMANCE, MAINTENANCE AND SUBSTRATE SCIENCE The UK green roof market is, quite literally, growing at an increasingly fast pace. System manufacturers are reporting that interest has never been stronger, and Wallbarn is sure it isn’t alone in achieving its strongest sales ever this year.

All of which make them perfect for a wide variety of public sector projects and a logical step in delivering the Government’s sustainability agenda.

A shining example of what can be achieved is the Boston Medical Centre in Massachusetts, which has a 2500ft 2 rooftop garden growing more than 25 crops producing 6000 US pounds of vegetables every year for use in the centre’s kitchen. This is an aspirational, trail-blazing project but the vast majority of UK installations are intensive (more garden-like with shrubs, small trees etc.) or extensive (with smaller sedum or wildflower planting). It’s this type – extensive – that is dealt with here.

Key specification decisions

a green revolution being I t’sdriven by real commitment to sustainability from clients and their development partners, from smaller-scale domestic projects to vast commercial installations and everything in between.

This month, World Green Roof Day (6th June) celebrates all that’s great about living roofs around the world, with British manufacturers and experts taking centre stage in the event.

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The benefits of green roofs are welldocumented, from aiding biodiversity and creating habitats for flora and fauna (a study of green roofs in London recorded more than 20 species of bee foraging) to urban cooling, rainwater management, improving air quality, sound and thermal insulation and extending the lifespan of waterproofing membranes.

Planners working with the Mayor of London have also identified their worth in making locations more attractive to investors.

The first consideration is the load-bearing capability of the structure being greened.

For new-build projects, structural integrity can be designed in; for retrofit, consulting with a structural engineer is advised. Once load-bearing capabilities are confirmed, clients have a choice between traditional roll-out green roofs, where all elements (protection layer, root barrier, drainage layer, geotextile filter, growing medium and sedum plants) are installed as separate elements, or pre-fabricated modular solutions, which contain all elements of the green roof, including established plants, within handmaneuverable cassettes.

TECHNICAL FOCUS There are pros and cons to both approaches, and specifiers and clients are advised to think carefully about what they want from their green roof and the features that are important to them.

Modular systems offer unique advantages: They allow access to the roof deck postinstallation, future-proofing the project should roof maintenance or improvement works be required at any point in the future Installation is possible on hard-to-reach roof areas Cassettes are pre-fabricated, arriving on site planted and established. Offsite production ensures high levels of quality control and complete standardisation of key ingredients, from the substrate to the seed mix, ensuring every batch performs in a uniform manner, including fire performance.

The cassettes are quick, easy and clean to install (and remove, if necessary) with no specialist roofing experience required Minimal wastage on site Key decisions made in advance and variables designed out. The whole system arrives on site in one delivery to provide an instant, established green roof.

Maintenance Green roofs are low maintenance but not no maintenance, and all successful projects have an agreed maintenance plan in place, ideally pre-installation to enable irrigation systems to be factored in if required, working-at-height safety precautions to be planned etc. Twice yearly inspections to assess the roof, remove weeds and debris, check the watering system and general health of the plants and apply slow-release fertiliser (ideally during March or April) are sensible measures.

Substrate and fire performance Increasingly, manufacturers are striving to achieve BRoof (T4), the highest European fire rating for roofs. The key to reaching this standard lies chiefly with a system’s substrate which, as laid out in the DCLG’s document ‘Fire Performance of Green Roofs and Walls’ should be at least 80mm thick and contain a maximum 50% of organic matter. The new Green Roof Organisation (GRO) Code of Best Practice, formally launched to tie in with World Green Roof Day, goes further and recommends a 20% by volume maximum organic matter content.

Furthermore, Wallbarn advises clients to avoid substrates containing peat, which is flammable and its extraction environmentally damaging.

Achieving the perfect substrate is a fine balancing act that takes into account the key factors of nourishing plants to ensure

they flourish, ensuring appropriate moisture retention and drainage and achieving optimum weight. Consideration is also given to chemical composition, PH and particle size to provide roots with sufficient air but prevent the substrate from draining too easily. Substrate depth is also crucial – Wallbarn recommends a minimum of 100mm to ensure long-term plant health.

Wallbarn has been producing green roofs for many years and has a huge amount of experience in what works and what doesn’t. It has seen the market evolve – demonstrated by the launch of its M-Tray modular solution – and welcomes the greater focus on fire and environmental performance, but believes there is still work to be done to establish a ‘comprehensive’ green roof fire standard that unites all current guidance. 

www.wallbarn.com

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FACADES & RAINSCREEN

ARCHITECTURAL LOUVRES: BALANCING DESIGN WITH PERFORMANCE Andy Moul, Technical Manager at Construction Specialties (CS), looks at factors which need to be taken into consideration when specifying external louvres as part of a building’s ventilation solution. it comes to the W hen design and delivery of public buildings in a post-pandemic world, the importance of maintaining a healthy indoor environment for occupants and visitors cannot be understated.

Adequate ventilation is part of a mitigation strategy for all multi-occupant buildings, but its design is a balancing act between delivering a high quality of air and thermal comfort for building users, whilst maintaining energy-efficiency standards and noise control.

Ease of maintenance and long-term operational costs of running the ventilation systems add to the complexity.

As a means of providing airflow into a building,

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external louvre systems have an important part to play in ventilation strategies and their performance characteristics need to be taken into consideration alongside aesthetic requirements.

Louvre types There are three main types of louvre systems available, offering different performance characteristics.

Simple and economical, screening louvres utilise a flat-blade profile to provide airflow into a building and some rain defence. These are typically used at the top of buildings to hide unsightly HVAC systems or perhaps in car parks to allow for ventilation of exhaust fumes.

Ventilation louvres are chosen when airflow is a key consideration. They may provide adequate rain defence in light rain, but their performance generally falls short in winddriven rain conditions.

When potential rain penetration is an issue, specifiers should consider rain defence louvres with integral water collection and drainage. These systems are designed to stop wind-driven rain entering a building, whilst allowing efficient passage of air. This is achieved through either a complex single-blade profile extrusion to give a slim louvre depth or a deeper, multi-bank system.

Performance Traditionally, louvres were specified based on a simplistic, physical ‘free area’, which simply

relates to the gaps between the blades in the louvre design that facilitate airflow, but this does not quantify airflow efficiency.

Therefore, specifiers should be placing more importance on the design pressure drop and aerodynamic airflow efficiency.

This is a true indicator of a louvre’s performance, which ensures mechanical equipment has the required airflow to optimise function.

When it comes to the selection of a rain defence louvre system, third-party test data should be examined to ensure a project’s functional requirements will be met. BS EN 13030:2001 standard is used for evaluating louvre’s effectiveness against rain penetration, as well as its airflow characteristics, and enables specifiers to directly compare the performance of the different weather louvre systems available.

All performance considerations, such as required airflow, the maximum acceptable pressure drop and the degree and depth of acceptable water penetration, should, therefore, be balanced with the building’s envelope design – hence the need for a ‘form and function’ approach.

FACADES & RAINSCREEN

Other things to consider A site’s location and the position of louvres on a building is another important consideration in louvre selection, as exposure to prevailing weather conditions – in particular wind direction – will affect the amount of potential wind-driven rain penetration. In addition, Building Regulations Approved Document F recommends that ventilation intakes are positioned away from the direct impact of air pollutant sources, such as parking areas, loading bays or busy roads, while exhaust locations should be chosen or designed to minimise re-entry of exhaust air into the building.

Aesthetics Louvres are available in a wide range of designs, finishes and colours to suit any application. A louvre system that uses hidden mullions, for example, gives continuous, architectural lines because the support system is behind the blades, making the mullions almost invisible. Louvres with visible mullions, on the other hand, can be used as a design feature to line up with

joints between exterior wall panels or with windows. These systems are typically supplied in a pre-fabricated modular form and are available in designs offering horizontal or vertical blade configurations.

Other design options include models utilising varying blade depths for added interest, or hidden behind decorative features such as perforated panels – which can also act as bird screens. Specification should always be supported with performance test data as such features can potentially increase louvre’s resistance to airflow.

Desired looks CS’ range of architectural louvre systems provide creative freedom to specifiers without sacrificing airflow performance. High strength and lightweight, the CS louvre range is superbly effective for ventilation, screening and rain protection.

Due to their complex, extruded blade design, CS rain defence louvre systems are thinner than those relying on multiple banks of simpler blades and additional drainage, whilst offering

some of the best combination of rain defence and airflow performance in the market.

An excellent way to address air quality and ventilation challenges in all multi-occupant public sector buildings, louvres can improve

a building’s energy efficiency, lowering power consumption and thus reducing carbon emissions. They can also have a positive, creative impact on a building’s exterior design. 

www.c-sgroup.co.uk

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FLOORS, WALLS &HERITAGE CEILINGS

St. Peter’s Church, Burnley, adopted DELABIE’s sensor technology for its recent washroom refurbishment

TEMPOMATIC TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE WASHROOMS AT ST. PETER’S Electronic technology is not the first thing that springs to mind when refurbishing a place of worship, but at St. Peter’s Church in Burnley, it proved the ideal solution.

St. Peter’s normally hosts a wide range of community groups, including a well-attended Sunday school, a local music society and various choirs, plus an over 55s lunch club. The design brief for refurbishing its washrooms, therefore, had to cater for this broad spectrum of users, reflecting all age groups and differing mobility levels.

Sustainability was another key element of the specification, to minimise environmental impact and future-proof the facilities.

The Parochial Parish Council of St. Peter’s opted for DELABIE’s sensor controls for the taps and urinals as they met, and surpassed, the design brief.

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TEMPOMATIC 4 non-touch taps prevent the spread of germs

Waste prevention As Treasurer of St. Peter’s, David Smith was very aware of the sizeable utility bills. When presented with a solution to reduce water consumption, he immediately recognised the benefits of self-closing taps. Unlike the original cross-head taps, TEMPOMATIC 4 electronic taps are sensor-activated, meaning water flows only when movement is detected. The water delivery (pre-set at three litres/minute) is split into wetting, soaping and rinsing, so while the user is soaping their hands, there is no flow.

This fractional delivery will also pay dividends post-lockdown, as hand hygiene continues its vital role in public health.

HERITAGE The TEMPOMATIC urinal valve adapts to usage patterns and reduces water consumption

Improved efficiency The intelligent technology of the TEMPOMATIC 4 urinal valve also appealed to St. Peter’s specification team, given the usage patterns i.e., periods of intense activity followed by lulls. The electronic unit detects busy periods and adapts its rinse accordingly to ensure the most hygienic flush whilst optimising water consumption. During busy periods, the bowl is rinsed between users and at the end of the busy period, a complementary rinse occurs, cleaning the bowl and preventing crystallisation of uric acid in the pipes.

contact, providing a significant barrier to the spread of germs. They are also easy to operate regardless of age or mobility levels. Part of their appeal is a hygienic duty flush (on both taps and urinals) which occurs every 24 hours after the last use to prevent stagnation and urine crystallisation in the pipework, avoiding conditions where bacteria can develop. This has practical benefits in a church facing varying activity levels; and even more so for washrooms that are temporarily moth-balled. Benefits that no specifier could have foreseen even 12 months ago.

Future-proofing

Minimal maintenance

Originally, Overton Architects of Ilkley – a specialist firm in heritage projects – specified a non-concussive push-button tap. However, as the pandemic took hold, the hygiene aspects of the TEMPOMATIC 4 technology proved very persuasive. The nontouch sensor controls require no physical

The final aspect of the design brief was to reduce an onerous maintenance regime. The previous domestic-style taps were not designed for intensive use over long periods and required frequent repairs to keep them in service.

With no full-time maintenance staff,

David was keen to install hard-wearing taps. Again, TEMPOMATIC controls proved ideal, with solid brass bodies, durable mechanisms and standardised components, all designed for commercial applications. Both the urinals and taps are battery-operated, with the electronic unit integrated within the body, making them easy to install and easy to access if maintenance is required. The battery life of three to six years (350,000 operations) also appealed.

Refurbishing the washroom facilities at St. Peter’s was a major undertaking, especially during a national pandemic.

TEMPOMATIC 4 technology offered the ideal solution for the complex needs of a community-based facility that demands reliable, hygienic and sustainable washrooms for its users.

www.delabie.co.uk 01491 824449

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ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION

BRETT MARTIN ANNOUNCES ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS One of UK’s leading suppliers of rooflight systems, Brett Martin Daylight Systems (BMDS), is delighted to announce Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for two of its siteassembled and one of its factory-assembled rooflights.

In order to support customers with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its most popular products, Brett Martin approached the highly-respected Building Research Establishment to commission two site-assembled and one factory-assembled EPDs. For configurations not covered by the EPDs, Brett Martin is able to generate a configuration-specific assessment. This also means that the embodied carbon of Brett Martin’s industrial rooflight systems is available for specifiers and building owners to respond to enquiries from the market.

Commenting on the EPD verification scheme, Bill Hawker, Technical Director at Brett Martin Daylight Systems said: “As we head to a low-carbon future, the importance of transparent and independentlyverified environmental data is increasingly valued. For a company committed to supplying sustainable products and one which constantly invests to make its products and manufacturing processes more sustainable and efficient, this is a great advance.”

All of Brett Martin’s products are designed, developed and manufactured in the UK in its own ISO 9001 quality-accredited and ISO 14001 environmentally-accredited factories. With BBA certification and CE marking throughout the range, Brett Martin has built up a reputation for providing the best rooflight product, backed by full technical support, to suit every application.

ROCKWOOL DELIVERS TOTAL INSULATION PERFORMANCE FOR CLARIN COLLEGE Priority Roofing installed over 7500m2 of ROCKWOOL HARDROCK Multi-Fix Dual Density for the new school development at Clarin College, Athenry. In supplying the non-combustible insulation solution, ROCKWOOL enabled the roofing contractor to deliver against a complex specification requiring thermal and acoustic performance without compromising on fire safety. A non-combustible insulation solution, ROCKWOOL HARDROCK Multi-Fix Dual Density met fire safety requirements while delivering against thermal and acoustic targets. Clarin College’s flat roof achieved a U-value of 0.15W/m2K and met or exceeded the 35 db IANL requirement across the general building and gymnasium. To combat reverberation and improve acoustic environment in the gymnasium, ROCKWOOL Acoustic Infills were laid in the troughs of the pre-finished steel deck. The warm flat roof build-up was finished with a Bauder Thermofol PVC layer.

Kevin Ryan, Director at Priority Roofing, said: “The combination of the availability of the products and the technical backup received was superior to any other system that we have worked with.”

01656 868400

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www.rockwool.com/uk/clarin-college customersupportcentre@rockwool.co.uk

Brett Martin is the UK’s only manufacturer producing GRP, PVC and polycarbonate sheets, and its extensive range of pitched and flat roof daylighting products, including glass, are used by roofing contractors in diverse projects in every sector.

Brett Martin’s EPDs can be accessed via the following link to the Green Book Live: https://www.greenbooklive.com

024 7660 2022

www.brettmartin.com daylight@brettmartin.com

HOSPICE RECEIVES INSULATION SOLUTION FROM STO A new hospice building in the Midlands has shone the spotlight on Sto’s ability to provide an integrated package of proven insulation products. The company’s StoTherm Classic M system was specified for the new day hospice building at Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge. Sto products were originally used on the extension and refurbishment of an in-patient unit, which represented phase one of the hospice’s ongoing development. The new day hospice building represents phase two of the project, and was designed by KKE Architects of Worcester. The StoTherm Classic M external wall insulation system features EPS insulation boards and entirely cementfree components that provide an impact resistance of 60 joules, which is up to 10 times greater than other comparable options. It carries BBA certification, and its efficient singleleaf construction delivers excellent thermal performance.

Installation of the insulation system was completed by Sto authorised applicators, McEwan & Co Exterior Renders.

“We’ve worked with the StoTherm Classic M system on previous projects and find it very straightforward to install,” adds Stewart McEwan.

www.sto.co.uk

0141 892 8000

info.uk@sto.com

ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION

ROCKWOOL UNVEILS INTERACTIVE CITY FOR EASIER SPECIFICATION AND PRODUCT VISUALISATION ROCKWOOL has further enhanced its range of resources for specifiers, contractors and building owners with the launch of the ROCKWOOL Interactive City, a 3D environment that makes visualising, specifying and learning about its noncombustible stone-wool insulation even easier.

Intuitively designed using cutting-edge augmented reality, the ROCKWOOL Interactive City allows users to explore its solutions across the whole of the built environment from housing and offices, to transport hubs and education in a single simulated space.

Through features like zoom, 360º views and pan-able application build-ups, the city provides a virtual ‘hands-on’ experience when it’s not possible to touch, see or hear products in practice. Featuring a wide variety of applications, the tool can also be used to explore the versatility of ROCKWOOL’s solutions, understanding where its non-combustible products can enhance thermal, acoustic or fire performance in places users might not expect.

As well as saving specifiers’ time and aiding building design, these capabilities lead to smoother, faster decision-making and a more collaborative process for project stakeholders.

“The Interactive City takes product specification to the next level,” said Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL. “As the whole of the built environment is covered, you can quickly and easily find out how to achieve any desired

outcome with our stone-wool insulation, whether that’s improved patient experience, increased student attainment or a safer, warmer quieter home.

“It’s also been created for complete flexibility. You can either browse the city or jump straight to the area or building you need, delving into substrate build-ups and system designs.”

www.rockwool.com/uk/interactive-city 01656 868400 customersupportcentre@rockwool.co.uk

Specified A fully permeable and durable resin bound surfacing, brought to Hayling Island using SureSet’s 6mm Winter Gold.

For more information, please contact SureSet:

0800 612 2083

www.sureset.co.uk

mail@sureset.co.uk 37

FLOORS, WALLS & CEILINGS

F. BALL ACHIEVES 100% AT TOP LONDON SCHOOL Specialist floor levelling compounds and adhesives from F. Ball and Co. have been used to install a mixture of hardwearing, stylish textile and vinyl floorcoverings at Hampton School in South West London, befitting of the independent school’s prestigious status.

Starting in the sixth form areas, contractors from Teddington Carpet Centre made a feature of the long and narrow atrium by mirroring the footprint of the mezzanine floor overlooking the breakout area onto the floor below, using a 50/50-split of Calgary Cement and Grey Forbo Flotex carpets.

To achieve this, the old fibre-bonded carpet in the 250m2 room was first removed, revealing a sound, dry, concrete subfloor, which was primed using diluted Stopgap P131 general-purpose primer before the application of F. Ball’s Stopgap Green Bag levelling compound. The fast-setting, low-odour product was selected for its high strength, making it suitable for an area which will be subject to high levels of wear for years to come. Once the levelling compound had cured, Styccobond F44 acrylic adhesive was used to secure the PVC-backed carpet.

Over in the maths corridor, contractors had to remove fibrebonded carpet tiles affixed to wooden parquet blocks, leaving behind old bitumen adhesive residues. To prepare the subfloor, F. Ball’s Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound, which is suitable for use of over old adhesive residues, including bitumen and carpet tile tackifiers, was applied.

Once cured, Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane was applied as a moisture test had indicated the presence of excess subfloor moisture, with relative humidity levels exceeding the

75% threshold for the project to progress without a moisture management solution.

With the non-absorbent surface now in place, Stopgap P141 primer was used to promote the adhesion of a subsequently applied second layer of Stopgap 1200 Pro. Finally, the 100m2 area was finished with wood-effect luxury vinyl tiles, creating a warm environment, ready for eager students to traverse again.

01538 361633

www.f-ball.co.uk mail@f-ball.co.uk

SETCRETE JOINS THE IBC BUYING GROUP Leading manufacturer of high-performance floor preparation products and levelling compounds, Setcrete has become a supplier member of the IBC Buying Group. IBC Buying Group’s 200-plus merchant members can now purchase the entire Setcrete range at specially-negotiated IBC buying terms, including best-selling levelling compounds Setcrete Exterior for outdoor areas such as terraces, patios, garages and walkways; Setcrete Deep Base for raising floor levels up to 50mm; Setcrete High Performance, designed to go over flexible subfloors such as plywood; and Setcrete Rapid Set 30 – a superfast-setting levelling compound. IBC members can also take advantage of Setcrete’s merchant support.

www.setcrete.co.uk

01538 361633

lisa.shirley@f-ball.com

SIKA LAUNCHES NEW FIBRE SOLUTION FOR BEAM AND BLOCK FLOORS In a bid to provide a cost-effective, ‘no-fuss’ alternative to steel mesh-reinforced structural topping installations, Sika has launched a new steel fibre solution. SikaFiber-1050 B&BA HF enhances concrete topping durability, reduces shrinkage cracking and is ideal for block and beam floors. Recipient of BBA certification (No. 21/5872) together with NHBC Acceptance for a dosage of 11.5kg/m 3, SikaFiber-1050 B&BA HF is also compliant with EN 14889-1:2006. Safe and easier to use than traditional reinforcement, SikaFiber-1050 B&BA HF reduces construction time because it can be pumped into place with concrete; completely removing the need for costly and laborious mesh installation.

www.sikaconcrete.co.uk

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0800 292 2572

concrete@uk.sika.com

KEEPING SPORT SURFACES SAFE AND ON BUDGET Education budgets continue to be tight and fewer new schools are being built.

Schools that are being built tend to be in accordance with a standard Department of Education template. The notion of every sports hall design being based on its needs is eliminated by having standard specifications copied and pasted from previous projects. Point elastic floorings are well-suited to both the new building and refurbishment of educational facilities.

However, as a specialist in flooring for education, Gerflor is seeing a great deal more refurbishment with safe, yet costeffective solutions being needed. Point elastic vinyl floorings have been designed by flooring manufacturers to provide shock absorbency but perhaps more importantly impact protection.

www.gerflor.co.uk 03332 412901 contractuk@gerflor.com

Complete door systems that improve safety and reduce risk.

Seclusion

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Find out how Kingsway can help de-risk your mental health environment

Call +44 (0)1322 610 470 Email sales@kingswaygroup.co.uk

NEW

FOCUS & INNOVATION

PREMIER MODULAR DELIVERS WARD BUILDING AFTER JUST SIX WEEKS ON SITE Premier Modular, one of the UK’s leading offsite construction specialists, has delivered a new, purpose-designed £1.7m ward building at North Middlesex University Hospital, reducing the programme to just six weeks on site to help the trust rapidly expand ward capacity to restart elective care services. As part of the hospital’s centenary celebrations and as a tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore, the trust has named the new ward after the army veteran who left a wonderful legacy through this charity work. The Captain Sir Tom Moore Centenary Ward was designed to maximise clinical space in line with the latest COVID-19 infection control requirements. It accommodates 20 beds for patients recovering from surgery and has been configured as six three-bed wards and one two-bed ward.

www.premiermodular.co.uk

0800 316 0888

info@premiermodular.co.uk

FIRE BARRIER EXPERTISE ON SHOW AT FIREX TBA Firefly’s senior sales and technical staff will be on the manufacturer’s stand (No. FX13) during this year’s Firex exhibition at London’s ExCeL Centre, from 12th to 14th July, to offer contractors, consultants and other visitors unrivalled expertise in the field of flexible fire barriers. The well-proven and independently-certified Firefly product range provides effective and economic solutions to prevent fire, smoke and heat spreading through buildings unchecked: facilitating safe evacuation and assisting the emergency services in tackling blazes. Systems such as Apollo, Phoenix, Zeus and Titan Lite are widely used in the healthcare, education and social housing sectors, as well as across industry. Applicable to new-build and retrofit situations, they are particularly effective in creating compartmentation within roof spaces and floor voids.

www.tbafirefly.com

01706 758817

www.cfjliveexpo.co.uk stuart.bourne@kick-startpublishing.co.uk

NEW STS202 TEST STANDARD FOR TD68

Advanced’s latest line of EasySafe low-voltage, LED emergenc y luminaires and exit signs offers higher performance and greater energy-efficienc y benefits than ever before. All EasySafe products are designed to work with LuxIntelligent , Advanced’s emergenc y light testing system. Powered directly from the LuxIntelligent panel, Advanced’s EasySafe devices require no local power supply. All devices are compatible with any existing LuxIntelligent luminaires and exit signs, enabling the easy installation of devices onto existing wiring to form a single, comprehensive intelligent emergenc y lighting system.

The low-voltage lights offer quick and easy fitting and ser vice, with a simple ‘twist and click’ installation onto a first-fix base. EasySafe has been designed to offer true scalability, with just one LuxIntelligent panel supporting up to 200 EasySafe devices alongside an additional 796 locally-powered devices. Switching to EasySafe’s lowenergy LED emergenc y lighting is quick, simple and will, on average, deliver 20% energy-efficienc y savings compared with fluorescent alternatives.

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The flooring industry is preparing for CFJLIVE – its first official event in over a year – which takes place on Thursday 1st July. The free-to-attend global exhibition is the UK industry’s first-ever virtual event, bringing together over 100 global exhibitors. It will be broadcast live from a main stage – at FITA’s training centre in Loughborough – and from exhibitors’ showrooms, offices and factories around the world. Fast registration can be accessed now at www.cfjliveexpo.co.uk. CFJLIVE will bring together the industry in real time; crucially, visitors will be able to connect, share knowledge and discuss issues with industry experts within live meeting rooms, and via chat and individual meeting requests. The main stage will present live demonstrations and, within the exhibition rooms, key events will include an industryfirst sustainability forum.

technical@tbafirefly.com

DISCOVER THE BENEFITS OF ADVANCED’S LATEST LINE OF PRODUCTS

0345 894 7000

FLOORING INDUSTRY COUNTS DOWN TO CFJLIVE

uk.advancedco.com jmountain@advancedco.com

The TD68 thermal commercial door from Jack Aluminium has passed STS202 – BR2 testing with flying colours, with a new hardware offering on a 2.5m-high double doorset. It gives architects and specifiers a large, remote access control double doorset option with this premium security accreditation, as part of Jack Aluminium’s expanded range of high-security, standard door combinations for the market. STS202 – BR2 is a very thorough test that accredits doors for protection against continuous attacks using hand tools and levers, focusing on the glazing, beading and locking systems. Sales and Marketing Director, Jeff Pearson, says: “By expanding our range of fully-tested commercial door options to meet today’s market demand, we can give architects and specifiers a full suite of highperforming door options that provide the excellent levels of security necessary for high-specification commercial projects.

The TD68 continues to perform and pass testing standards, remaining one of the most secure and robust aluminium commercial doors available. It is the perfect option for projects where a higher security standard door is specified.”

0247 646 7449

www.jackaluminium.co.uk sales@jackaluminium.co.uk

PROTECT YOUR GARDEN HOUSE Gardening is an enjoyable pastime for many people and has only increased since lockdown. It works wonders for your health and wellbeing, and you can even burn up to 400 calories an hour. With more and more homeowners taking up gardening as a hobby or renovating their outdoor space, there is a larger need for external storage space that can house garden furniture, tools and equipment.

FOCUS & INNOVATION

But how do we protect these wooden structures to ensure they withstand the summer and winter weather, as well as provide an aestheticallypleasing feature in the garden? Alia, a London homeowner, explains how Osmo County Colour helped her achieve this.

Once Alia had completed the internal renovations on her new house, the garden became her next big project.

With large sliding doors at the back of the house looking into the garden, she wanted a modern alternative to a standard garden shed, so she invested in a log cabin.

The cabin is made of interlocking softwood logs, so it was really important to ensure the logs were well maintained as warping could cause gaps between the logs and would damage the structure.

“We weren’t aware of Osmo before this project, but as it was on the shortlist of approved manufacturers and after conducting our own research of all recommended companies, we decided to pick Osmo,” commented Alia. “We wanted a clean and modern look for the cabin that would brighten up a relatively dark corner of the garden, and Osmo had the colour choices that we wanted.”

Alia opted for Country Colour White for the main structure, Country Colour Anthracite Grey for the window and door frames, as well as the roof trim, and Country Colour Light Grey for the interior.

The Country Colour range promises premium durability and a rich colour, hiding the natural colour and grain of the wood yet maintaining the wood’s natural texture. The solution not only rejuvenates the wood but leaves it protected against the unpredictable British weather. It can be applied to a range of wood species, including oily and exotic materials. Based on natural vegetable oils, the finish allows the wood to breathe. Requiring only two coats, it can be applied using a roller or brush and has an approximate drying time of eight to 10 hours.

“We applied two coats of County Colour, and it has provided a solid, smooth finish and superior timber protection,” continues Alia. “We were told that it doesn’t crack or peel and is easy to apply and maintain, which I can confirm, it was. We are really happy with the end product. The cabin looks really special, and we’ve had lots of compliments on it.”

www.osmouk.com 01296 481220 info@osmouk.​com

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

PROTEUS FACADE DESIGNS BAND TOGETHER AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY A careful combination of A2 fire-rated soffit panels, rainscreen cladding and mesh screens from Proteus Facades has helped band together the impressive new £42m Sciences Centre at Durham University.

Creating a bright space for students, staff and visitors to meet and relax, Proteus Facades manufactured striking 2.0mm aluminium Proteus IP interlocking planks with a PPC Traffic White Matte (RAL 9016) finish for use on the facades of the four internal courtyards.

The Proteus IP panels, installed by Longworth Building Services, were fixed in a band-like design that reflects the aesthetics of the external facade facing onto the campus. In order to maintain this ‘banding’ effect, the planks continue behind the glass curtain walling systems, which required exacting tolerances.

Proteus Facades also manufactured 3.0mm aluminium large-format Proteus SC soffit panels with a PPC Interpon D1036 RAL 7016 Matt Finish, for installation above the ground floor, first and second perimeter stepped soffits.

Specified with an A2 fire certification, which prevents the use of traditional subframe bonding methods, the soffit panels were manufactured with a bespoke stiffening system and fixed to achieve the required rating, as well as structural integrity and an optically flat surface.

Proteus Facades worked closely with Longworth Building Services to guide them on the most suitable material for use on the soffit panels that would achieve the desired aesthetics whilst meeting budgetary expectations.

Aluminium was chosen as it provided a cost-effective solution and one that was available in optimum coil sizes that allowed fabrication of the 2m-long soffit panels. The PPC Interpon D1036 RAL 7016 Matt Finish was specified to complement the band-like copper cladding on the building’s main facade.

www.proteusfacades.com 0151 545 5075 info@proteusfacades.com

ANSELL LIGHTING EXTENDS WARRANTIES ON LITHIUM EMERGENCY PRODUCTS Ansell Lighting has announced upgrades to its product and battery warranties on its Lithium Eco and Lithium Pro emergency ranges. Ansell has now increased the battery and product warranties on its Lithium Eco product range, which includes the Kestrel suspended exit sign, the Panel Pod Emergency and the Three Circuit Legion, from three years to five years. The Lithium Pro range – which includes the Watchman, the Razzo and Monarch bulkhead – has also received a warranty upgrade increasing from five to six years on both product and battery warranty as standard.

www.anselluk.com/products/emergency

02890 77375

LEDVANCE LIGHTS THE WAY IN HEALTHCARE UV-C SOLUTIONS sales@anselluk.com

SIKA UK APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER Global building product manufacturer, Sika, has appointed Tom Forsyth as General Manager, a role that will see him build on the continued growth of the company across its multiple UK markets. Tom joined Sika in 1992. Based at the Welwyn Garden City Head Office, he has a breadth of experience in sales, marketing and product management, joining the management team in 2007 as the Business Unit Manager for the concrete division. Further to the successful management of this part of the business, he assumed responsibility for the waterproofing division in 2013. In 2018, Tom assumed additional responsibilities for managing the Everbuild brand. The new appointment will see him build on the already well-established Sika brand in the UK.

www.sika.co.uk

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07770 443670

douglas.cheryl@uk.sika.com

Ultraviolet lighting solutions provide extremely effective disinfection for air, surfaces, objects and water, without chemicals or toxic compounds, benefitting medical facilities. UV-C is able to kill bacteria, viruses and fungal spores, ensuring spaces and equipment are fully disinfected in minutes. The LEDVANCE T8 UV-C and the Linear Housing UV-C sensor can be installed in a wide range of spaces to make employees and patients feel safer. The LEDVANCE IR sensor safety kit gives a 30-second delay at start-up and switches off the lamp as soon as people are detected.

www.ledvance.co.uk 01925 465000 csc.uk@ledvance.com

FOCUS & INNOVATION

GET SUMMER READY WITH DR. SCHUTZ Now that the days and evenings are becoming brighter, brown patios, green fencing and grubby outdoor furniture are just some of the sights we’re beginning to see.

To aid the dreaded task of exterior cleaning and maintenance, Dr. Schutz showcases three of its most popular products, perfect for transforming outdoor spaces.

Wood Refresher Restore the natural colour of outdoor wood with an intensive cleaning agent for all wood surfaces, which have turned grey, with Dr. Schutz Wood Refresher. The product has good adhesion and a non-drip formula, making it easy for any surface to be refreshed.

Stone Care Stone Care is a concentrated cleaner for the removal of dirt, grime, grease and other micro-organisms on stone and tile floors. This product benefits from a high coverage of 1000m2/litre.

Intensive Cleaner This product is a thoroughlyeffective and powerful deep cleaner for the removal of dirt, grime, algae, moss, grease and micro-organisms from any outdoor surface. Garden furniture, decking, fencing,

stonework, brick walls, garden ornaments, steps, driveways, paths, patios and concrete are just some of the surfaces which can benefit from using this cleaner.

Stay on top of cleaning and maintenance this summer with Dr. Schutz.

www.drschutz.co.uk 01296 437827

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