Home Designer and Architect - November 2015

HOME-DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT

MAGAZINE November 2015

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Man and Machine Training Academy Man and Machine offer an extensive range of Autodesk 2015 training courses

Man and Machine specialise in Autodesk training for Manufacturers, Engineers, Architects & Product Designers.

All courses are taught with the official Autodesk courseware and includes one month’s free post training support.

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E: marketing@manandmachine.co.uk W: www.manandmachine.co.uk T: 01844 263 700

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HOME-DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2015

04 News 08 Editor’s Choice 28 Fixings & Fittings 32 Lifts,stairs & Balustrads 40 Contemporary Home 46 Doors & Windows 52 Heating, Ventilation & Insulation 58 Kitchens,Bathrooms,Washrooms

CONtact US Tony Little

Publishing Director

01843 595 818

tony@homedesignerandarchitect.co.uk

Shane Mitchell

Publication Manager

01843 581364

shane@homedesignerandarchitect.co.uk

01843 595818

jenna@homedesignerandarchitect.co.uk

Jenna Burridge Editor

INDUSTRY news

Snøhetta expands San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Some of the major components of SFMOMA’s seven-year expansion project include:

Construction of a 10-storey, 235,000 sq ft addition designed by Snøhetta, integrated seamlessly with the museum’s existing 225,000 sq ft building designed

by Mario Botta A multi-year collections campaign—the Campaign for Art—which to date has secured more than 3,000 artworks promised to the museum from over 200 donors, enhancing key areas of the museum’s holdings and providing visitors with a fuller, more textured view of the art of our time

New outward-looking architectural design weaves the museum into the city The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announced on 22 October that a thoroughly transformed SFMOMA will open to the public on Saturday, 14 May, 2016. Designed by the internationally acclaimed architecture firm Snøhetta, it will offer nearly three times the previous exhibition space, featuring 260 works from the Fisher Collection. There will also be a first showing of more than 600 artworks promised to the museum, the debut of the new Pritzker Centre for Photography and an outward-looking architectural design that weaves the museum into the city as never before.

The Pritzker Center for Photography, the largest gallery, research and interpretive space devoted to this medium in any U.S. art museum A vibrant commissioning program that will begin with works by Claudy Jongstra and Julie Mehretu and will also commission performance works Conceived to create an outward-looking and engaging SFMOMA, the design by Snøhetta begins by activating the streets around the original Botta building to create pedestrian pathways, open new entrances and integrate the museum more deeply into the South of Market neighbourhood. Craig Dykers, co-founding partner of Snøhetta and leader of the firm’s design team for SFMOMA, said, “It has been a privilege for us to work with Neal Benezra, Ruth Berson, the curatorial team and Mario Botta’s building within the context of San Francisco. Our goals

were to provide the curators with clean, uncluttered galleries that feel intimate in scale and right for the artworks, to establish new physical connections to the city that will foster social interaction, and to join with the Botta building in such a way that our expansion seems to rise like a continuation of its terraces, even while offering a new image that reflects the Bay Area’s natural setting.”

Two main entrances sit on axis to a major civic corridor running through Yerba Buena Gardens and the Moscone Center in the west and the future Trans Bay Center in the east. By setting the volume of the new building back from the Botta building, Snøhetta has created a new pathway and a glass-walled museum entrance on Howard Street.

The eastern façade of the Snøhetta expansion, inspired in part by the waters of the San Francisco Bay, comprises more than 700 uniquely shaped FRP (fiberglass reinforced polymer) panels affixed to a curtain-wall system to create rippling horizontal bands. Silicate crystals from Monterey Bay embedded in the surfaces of the panels catch the changing light and cause the façade to shift in appearance throughout the day.

The exhibition galleries designed by Snøhetta remain intimate in scale even though the project as a whole is large.

They are flexible and column-free, with hidden HVAC, electrical, security and safety infrastructure to eliminate visual clutter. The modular ceiling system diffuses ambient light evenly throughout the galleries.

Major Flood Defence And Regeneration Scheme For Derby Gets Green Light A major flood defence and regeneration scheme for Derby was approved by Derby City Council’s planning control committee.

The innovative scheme proposals are to reduce Derby’s flood risk and maximise regeneration opportunities along the River Derwent. The flood defences would be designed to protect the city against a 1 in 100 year chance of flood occurrence and provide an ideal opportunity to release the economic potential of brownfield sites along the river frontage.

Councillor Martin Rawson, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for Communities and City Centre Regeneration said: “I am delighted that Our City Our River has the agreement to go ahead. I am keen to see the benefits of this pivotal scheme delivered on the ground as soon as possible. The riverside area contains a number of sites with the potential for development but this has not previously been possible due to their location within zones of high flood risk.”

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“Planning approval for this scheme marks the start of a new era for Derby with vital flood protection measures and the significant regeneration of key development sites along the riverside. We will see the city centre re-connected to the river and the important economic and social benefits associated with a reinvigorated riverside community.”

INDUSTRY news

Hempcrete house by Martens Van Caimere Architecten

A material made by mixing hemp with lime and water forms a new layer of insulation around this house in Belgium, as part of a renovation by Ghent studio Martens Van Caimere Architecten.

Known as hempcrete, the hemp-based render was applied in thick layers to all four walls of the small house to help it retain heat and make the structure more weather-resistant. The result is a textured surface with a similar appearance to rammed earth.

According to architect Nikolaas Martens, one of the two cofounders of Martens Van Caimere Architecten, the material offers a similar but more sustainable and economical solution than concrete.

“In our projects we try finding solutions to lower the building costs,” he told Dezeen. “In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Belgians were building houses that were badly or not insulated. So renovating these houses in a sustainable way tends to be expensive.”

“Hempcrete combines the insulation and finishing in one layer, reducing building costs,” he continued. “Plus it is durable and sustainable, because it is made from a waste product.”

The material is processed in similar way to concrete. Wooden boards are used to create formwork around the perimeter of the building, and the hempcrete composite mixture is poured in layer by layer. The wood is removed once the mixture has dried.

Steel wiring can also be added to give additional strength to load-bearing walls.

Hempcrete house by Martens Van Caimere Architecten The introduction of lime to the mixture is what give the material its striated finish, which Martens compares with the landscape of Geraardsbergen – the village where the house is located.

“The look fitted with the project, because the strata in Geraardsbergen is very rich,” he said.

The bungalow now functions as a compact home for a family of three. It is predominantly single-storey, although it does have a small loft floor slotted in beneath the highest point of the roof, as well as a sunken garage.

One of the main requests from the clients was for the building to be self-sufficient in terms of energy.

The new layer of hempcrete insulation goes some way towards achieving this. The architects also integrated a wood-burning stove to provide all of the building’s heating and hot water, solar panels that generate electricity, and a rainwater filtration system that creates water for drinking and bathing.

“The clients love nature and, by renovating the house, an opportunity arose for upgrading their way of living, fitting their lifestyle,” said Martens. “The brief was quite simple; it is a sustainable low-tech house designed with sustainable materials, and above all anchored in its environment.”

A garden wall – also finished in hempcrete – surrounds both the house and its grounds, framing a north-facing terrace on one side of the building. From here, a main entrance leads through to the main living and dining space.

The rest of the building is divided up into four quadrants, comprising the kitchen, study and a pair of bedrooms. Between them, corridors circulate around the bathroom and toilet.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US ON

01249 44 33 77 DANLERS Limited, Vincients Rd, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 6NQ Email: sales@danlers.co.uk Fax: 01249 443388

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INDUSTRY news National Grid and British Gas headline forthcoming Domestic Heating Conference & Parliamentary Reception

Divčibare Mountain Home

Speakers from National Grid and British Gas are just two of the high profile industry experts announced to present at the forthcoming Future of Domestic Heating Conference and Parliamentary Reception.

Organised by the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), this is the leading event for all those involved in the domestic heating sector and will review the policies needed to both incentivise and legislate for change and identify technologies that could help make the difference whilst continuing to meet demand in an affordable way.

The conference, which is sponsored

by Baxi Heating UK, Energy Innovation Centre, Fernox and National Grid, takes place on November 25th at One Birdcage Walk in London. It is followed by a Parliamentary Reception sponsored by Baxi Heating UK and Worcester Bosch and hosted by The Rt Hon the Lord Whitty at the House Lords.

At this leading event in the domestic heating calendar HHIC will discuss the decarbonisation of domestic heat, the Holy Grail for successive governments and manufacturers – is it really achievable when it relies on millions of consumers making changes in their own homes? Delegates can also expect to hear a post-election policy and programme update, the latest on the UK’s energy future, from sources of supply to smart grids and how the industry can deliver innovation in an ever changing world.

As well as presentations from leading industry experts, the conference provides an excellent showcase and exhibition, together with outstanding networking opportunities.

To book your place visit www.eua.org.uk

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The house is located near the popular tourist resort Divčibare, on the slope of Mount Maljen in western Serbia. Although the plot has been overrun with small pine trees, it still bears the original character of the open field.To minimize disturbance to the site and as a reference to the surrounding hilly terrain, the house is built into the hillside.

the white portion of the house connects to the outside through a grand picture window, which guides the transition from the artificial to the natural. The black half of the house draws inspiration from original mountain homes. The structure is emphasized through the use of natural materials such astraditional timber shingle cladding.

Designed by combining and connecting the two main monolithic volumes, light & dark. These forms merge with the natural environment of low pine vegetation and steep rocky terrain.On the south side,

Through the duality of the house, with two main volumes; the intent was to merge the traditional and the contemporary to create a unique aesthetic and a structure sympathetic to its surroundings.

INDUSTRY news

An exercise in simplicity

Composite curtain walling

Specialist installer SEH Commercial has just completed its first major installation using the REHAU Polytec 50 composite curtain walling system.

The Suffolk based company has successfully installed a 20m high replacement curtain walling section across the common stairwell area in the high profile eight storey, 1960s Greenlaw Court apartment block in Ealing, West London. Successfully tested to the tough CWCT standards for weather performance and Passivhaus certified and approved, the REHAU Polytec curtain walling matches the aesthetics of the steel curtain walling which was in place previously, but offers much improved thermal performance and minimal requirements for maintenance.

REHAU Polytec 50, which uses a conventional transom/ mullion construction with box steel stick sections faced internally with PVC profile and externally with aluminium, was specified by Cooley Architects. SEH and REHAU’s commercial sales manager Kevin O’Neill worked closely with architect Gebina Ham, director at Cooley Architects, on the specification and recommended REHAU Polytec 50S because it could meet both the planning department’s requirement for slim sight lines and the residents association’s requirement for cost effectiveness.

David Chipperfield Architects have created a striking set of dark stone apartment buildings in a Chinese wetland park Xixi, a national wetland park located on the outskirts of Hangzhou, in China, is a built landscape and natural environment, which has been shaped by man for over a thousand years. The omnipresent relationship between landscape, architecture, and water is key to the atmosphere in Xixi. This atmosphere has been integrated into a new development of apartment buildings.

The apartment buildings, designed

by David Chipperfield Architects, are

surrounded by a water garden, which, as a reference to the wetland park, is a mostly wild landscape. In contrast to these green surroundings, the buildings appear as dark stone volumes embedded in the water garden. They are, as is typical for villages in Xixi, placed on a stone plinth that sits in the water.

This plinth forms the base of a village group with various levels, walls, and balustrades creating a sequence of exterior spaces, which enable access to the buildings. The interiors are characterised by floating spaces. Room height windows allow for natural light to flood into the apartments and provide wonderful views over the water garden.

Alongside the curtain walling, SEH also installed more than 130 windows in the 34 apartments in the Greenlaw Court block fabricated in the flush fitting REHAU TOTAL70R fully reversible window system. These replaced the original steel windows from the 1960s, replicating the overall appearance and opening options but offering the block’s residents improved thermal performance, better acoustics and greater security. The curtain walling, windows and 32 balcony doors in a REHAU TOTAL70 outer frame were all fabricated by leading REHAU fabricator Climatec, based in Southend.

The window, door and curtain walling replacement at Greenlaw Court was part of a much larger refurbishment project managed entirely by SEH which also included concrete repairs, asbestos removal, electrical and service alterations and building decoration. The feedback from the Residents Association has been very positive, not just on the performance of SEH during the refurbishment programme but also on the fact that the building is now much more air tight, with lower traffic noise and improved thermal efficiency.

www.rehau.co.uk

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Editors choice

High End Comfort Joins State of the Art Home Automation System

A prestigious and modern North London property is now benefiting from Wi-Fi controllable air conditioning that links to a state-of-the-art automated home system to provide cost effective and energy efficient comfort all year round.

O

rbital Climate Solutions, who install bespoke air conditioning and ventilation systems across London and the South, worked closely with the home automation specialists IntelliCasa, to deliver a first-class climate control system that provides discrete comfort for the homeowner whilst matching the high end refurbishment of the 5-bedroom home.

Award winning IntelliCasa specialises in home automation systems for discerning private clients and has a mission to allow customers to take advantage of the most cutting edge technology today.

“It was essential that we delivered an air conditioning system that was compatible with the sophisticated automation system IntelliCasa were installing”, explained Brett Strivens, Managing Director at Orbital.

“We listened to what the client wanted and our design team looked at all the different manufacturers to find the best solution.

“The M Series from Mitsubishi Electric proved perfect because it would deliver the right climate to the environment and offered the option of the MELCloud Wi-Fi controller which we were able to integrate into the Intellicasa control system”.

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Orbital installed the M Series outdoor unit on the roof and used ducted indoor units behind discrete plastered-in grills to deliver air conditioning to the property.

The Orbital team had to stick closely to the overall refurbishment schedule, whilst working closely around the other construction specialists on site as the refurbishment of the home was taking place.

A close relationship with both the IntelliCasa team and controls specialists at Mitsubishi Electric helped ensure that the integration of the air conditioning into the home automation system went smoothly.

“The homeowner was looking for first class climate control without affecting the aesthetic look of the high end finish throughout the property and the fact that we were able to use MELCloud to make the air conditioning work seamlessly with the rest of the high tech equipment really made the difference”, explained Brett Strivens.

Further details on the cost effective climate solutions available from Orbital, visit the dedicated website: www.orbitalclimate.co.uk.

Fabric First Principles - Delivering Optimum Performance With rising energy costs and a growing requirement for more energy efficient homes and commercial buildings, Fabric First principles are now being widely adopted, particularly within the structural timber sectors.

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For the last decade innovators in the construction sector have been developing solutions to address areas of thermal bridging which occur when there is a gap between materials and the structural surfaces. By improving the airtightness of the building fabric and the thermal performance of the structure - cold bridging can be eliminated and thermal performance enhanced - reducing heat loss, carbon emissions and ultimately, offering vast savings on energy consumption.

Numerous technologies looking to maximise offsite manufacturing, have embraced the Fabric First building principles, are now gaining traction with the end users - home owners and developers – particularly in the self-build, education, health care and social housing sectors, where sustainability and ‘whole life costs’ of the building are crucial to the specifying decision process.

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considerable experience to deliver a comprehensive programme of policy and regulation presentations, technology and project case studies.

Speakers include:

Steve Hornblow - A2 Dominion Douglas Drewniak - Bioregional Ian Loughnane - Kingspan Timber Solutions Christopher Jofeh - Arup Shaun Fitzgerald - Breathing Buildings David Alderson - Climate Energy Homes Stewart Dalgarno - Stewart Milne Gordon Evans - YOOP Architectural Practice Ross Holleron - Zero Carbon Hub Jon Bootland - Passivhaus Trust Alasdair Donn - Willmott Dixon

The latest technologies will be on show at the Fabric First Event, being held on 18 November 2015 at the Inmarsat Conference Centre, 99 City Road, London, EC1Y 1AX.

Tickets cost just £95+VAT and include entry to the conference and exhibition, plus lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

The event brings together distinguished and pioneering speakers from a broad spectrum of the industry drawing upon their

To book your place, simply go to: www.fabricfirstevent.co.uk/book.

FABRIC FIRST

ÂŁ95 Per Person plus VAT (this includes refreshments throughout the day and full access to the exhibition) If you are interested in exhibiting or for more information contact julie.richards@radar-communications.co.uk or by calling 01743 290001

CRL AND CAPITA LA BUILDING SERVICES

STRUCTURAL defects insurance provider CRL and Capita Building create a new client portal that streamlines building regulations a

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AUNCH INNOVATIVE S PORTAL

g Standards (CBS), have joined forces to and warranty services. he CBS Client Portal will provide a consolidated service for building regulation and warranty requirements to revolutionise the current building standards procedure.

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Launched at UK Construction Week in October, the ground-breaking portal will combine CRL’s ten-year structural defects insurance and Capita’s Approved Inspector building control services in a single online product for public and private sector clients.

warranty and for the first time will be available direct from the portal.

Steve Mansour, CEO at CRL Management Limited, said he’s delighted CRL were appointed as Capita’s preferred ten year structural defects provider and predicted a high level of take-up for the product.

“For CRL, this partnership means considerable growth - putting CRL directly in contact with local authorities and Capita’s Approved Inspector customers,” he said.

This combined service will not only provide the end user with the confidence that their application is progressing, but will provide a significant time saving from application submission to completion.

“The opportunity for CRL to work with Capita also brings cuttingedge technology and key strategic partners together to provide a greater service and transparency for all consumers.

At present the end user would hear nothing from submission until their application was either rejected or approved typically between five to eight weeks later.

“Our strong relationship with Capita is borne out of congruent principles of high quality services, exceptional products, innovation and a venturous spirit.

a holistic

s product

nsparent,

efficient...”

The CBS Client Portal will speed up this entire process at the same time providing it’s users with constant communication as to the progress of the application.

CRL’s ten year structural defects product was selected as the preferred

“Our offerings go hand-in-hand to provide a full building standards product that will change the face of the industry.”

“The portal will provide all clients and local authorities access to building standards related services, offering complete transparency of the building regulations application and inspection process.

“This pioneering technology not only eases the clients’ headaches with its single point of contact for all building standards needs - but allows customers greater control over their individual building projects, with the ability to view the process and progress of their individual submissions.

“We look forward to working with CRL to provide customers with a leading product offering.”

For more information about the CBS Client Portal and Capita and CRL’s products, please visit capita.dataspacelive.co.uk or contact Chris Jones at buildingstandards@capita.co.uk or call 07774175075.

To learn more about CRL’s ten year structural defects insurance products, please visit www.c-r-l.com or call CRL on 0800 772 3200.

Chris Jones, director at Capita Building Standards, added: “We have created a holistic building standards product that is both transparent, functional and efficient to satisfy the requirements of an ever-increasing competitive marketplace.

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With the rising refinement in the Self-Build and Refurbishment arena, the Brookhurst range of roof tiles by Sahtas offer unparalleled level of craftsmanship, quality and individuality.

In today’s ‘One size fits all’ marketplace, our commitment to being independent enables us to offer a genuine and authentic handmade product at affordable prices.

Our success is based on shunning mass production and remaining faithful to the time honoured methods of making a truly distinctive tile. We still use the traditional Hoffman kilns, in place of the contemporary gas ovens favoured by other manufacturers, which contribute towards producing the mature seasoned appearance of our tiles. This is merely one reason why our competitors can only aspire to replicate our tiles.

The Brookhurst tile is available in a wide range of colourways – each tile having it’s own individual shade, with a variation in size and camber. This uniqueness is synonymous with handmade products and secures its continued position as a preferred choice, not only with Self-builders and Developers, but Local Authority Building Control, Conservation & Heritage bodies too. It’s this exceptional standard of traditional craftsmanship, which will unquestionably differentiate your home as a premium product, ensuring it’s admiration from onlookers and visitors alike.

We are so confident of their performance and satisfied you will be happy with them for many years, our tiles actually carry a ‘no quibble’ 30 year guarantee.

Should you decide the only products for you are Brookhurst, we can supply in quantities to suit from a small house, right up to a large mansion and everything in between.

Why not visit our website for a more comprehensive and detailed overview:

www.sahtas.co.uk Sahtas UK Ltd, Galleon Wharf, Old Wolverton Road, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, MK12 5NL 01908 311411 - 05603 446470 ukcommercial@sahtas.com

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JAMES LATHAM SUPPLIES W TO CREATE SUPERB STA

The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest independent timber and panel product dis Latham, has supplied 2.2m3 of Super Prime Walnut for th of an elegant staircase, which is now the focal point of a lu residential property in Louth at the foot of the Linc

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WALNUT AIRCASE

The Super Prime Walnut was specifically chosen for its wonderful warm appearance to complement the striking panes of glass on the staircase which were selected to create the sense of open space.

In addition, they clad the staircase with the same Walnut planks but decided against matching nosing as they wanted to create a rustic floating appearance.

Lincs Design Consultancy (LDC) were commissioned by the owner of the property to design this luxury home and were briefed to create and build a contemporary and luxurious dwelling.

stributor, James he construction uxury new build colnshire Wolds.

The leading, multi-discipline Louth consultancy specialise in creating synergy between architecture, planning and sustainability so they were the perfect choice for this project.

Richard Clark, owner of GW Clark Joinery, chose James Latham to supply the Walnut and said: “We needed to find a company that we could rely on to provide high quality products and adhere to our timescales. I’ve worked with James Latham for many years and for us they were the natural choice. As well as providing the material on time they were also on hand to offer technical support and knowledge as and when we required.”

A key part of the design brief - set by LDC and led by Associate, Chris Burkitt - was to construct a contemporary house with outstanding joinery features. GW Clark Joinery of Hull was appointed to focus on the installation of the staircase and after two weeks of meticulous bespoke carpentry, which demonstrated phenomenal craftsmanship, they produced this stunning centrepiece to the home.

GW Clark’s brief was to ensure that the staircase appeared to have glass seamlessly pouring out of the Walnut, with all the joints and aluminium being completely concealed. The result more than achieved this and they also used a lacquered finish rather than oiled as the lacquer is harder wearing and easier to maintain and keep clean.

Mitch Jackson, Timber Sales Representative at James Latham Leeds said: “This stunning staircase is a great example of how Super Prime Walnut can be incorporated into a project to create a high quality luxurious finish. We are delighted with the end result which looks amazing and we are looking forward to working with GW Clark on future projects.”

To find out more about this and James Latham’s full range of products please visit www.lathamtimber.co.uk, email marketing@lathams.co.uk or call 0116 257 3415

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LEDs are transforming the lighting industry LEDs are fast coming the lighting of choice for architects, builders, interior designers, and an increasing number of buyers and specifiers in the commercial space.

One of the many advantages LEDs have over traditional lighting is their ability to support designers in creating luminaires with an aesthetic appeal. Traditionally, light fittings were essentially designed around a replaceable part.

With traditional lamps typically lasting around 12 months, by necessity, replacing them had to be a quick and easy process and it was this that impacted heavily on the design process.

In contrast, LEDs are smaller, more flexible, use significantly less power and last longer (on average ten-years). These properties combined with the superior lighting levels and uniformity of light LEDs deliver, have transformed the lighting industry and today, it’s design-led lighting solutions that are leading the way.

Zeta Specialist Lighting, the research-led designer, developer and manufacturer of LED and solar powered lighting systems is championing this shift. For over 25 years, the Bicester-based firm has worked with clients across many industries, designing and creating custom-made luminaires for use in a large variety of lighting applications.

Case in point: cost savings Working in partnership with Tara Signs, Zeta’s innovative LED lighting solution delivered a £10k cost saving for John Paul Construction when managing the refurbishment of an office building at Vanwall Business Park on behalf of Mercer Real Estate Partners.

One of the key architectural-led design elements specified was to include a colourchanging feature wall at the back of the building’s reception area and to create a similar effect on the front desk.

Zeta’s innovative RGB Embedded LED Panel provided an easy to fit, cost- and energyefficient alternative to the client’s original plan.

The futuristic feature wall is equipped with four DMX controllers that provide the client with the ability to access over 2,000 colour options - and it is also future-proof, providing the building’s tenants with the opportunity to add a company logo or new background to the skin if they wish, which is easily done and doesn’t require any technical support to action.

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Case in point: improved illumination Jennings, a property management company that owns and manages a number of business parks in South Oxfordshire refurbished Hampden House, its serviced office building on Monument Park, Chalgrove, utilising Zeta’s energy-efficient LED Ultra Slim Ceiling Panels.

Zeta reconfigured the existing set-up, reducing the number of panels in some offices and repositioning the new Ultra Slim Ceiling Panels in order to deliver

better illumination where it was most needed, as well as adapting the colour temperature from warm to cool and customising it at the levels which best suited the building’s occupants.

Zeta’s LED Ultra Slim Ceiling Panels give off more light, last for 39,500 hours (average rated life) compared with a standard florescent tube which has an average rated life of 15,000 hours and run at 50% of the power of the tubes they replaced, delivering substantial energy and cost savings.

www.zetaled.co.uk

Bespoke solutions

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UK design and manufacturing

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THE BELFRY HOTEL & RESORT’S SPA LAUNCHES NEW UNIQUE TREATMENT t20t

he luxurious spa at England’s Leading Resort, The Belfry Hotel & Resort has launched a new treatment, the Purva Karma four handed massage, making The Belfry the only spa in the Midlands to offer such a service.

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The treatment involves two therapists working in synchronised harmony for the ultimate in tension releasing, deeply relaxing and rebalancing massage to achieve mental and spiritual bliss.

From the 11 luxurious treatment rooms to a finishing studio with 4 nail stations and 2 pedicure thrones; everything has been wisely planned to pamper guests from head to toe. To add to the sophisticated relaxation room with the sumptuous day beds, The Belfry Spa is accompanied by an indoor pool, Jacuzzi and sauna.

Treatments are delivered by ESPA, the globally renowned spa professionals, with therapists and an experienced reception team on hand to help guide guests through their journey.

Clients will enjoy twice the experience as four hands complete this vital energy point massage of the face, body and scalp, with the use of warm oil and hot volcanic stones, lasting 120 minutes and costing £259.

In addition to a full menu of signature treatments, the spa offers a stimulating 90 minute Fire & Ice Journey through 12 bio thermal rooms with hot and cold sensations, designed to revitalise the mood and body, and invigorate the senses.

Alexandra Collins, Head of Spa & Leisure at The Belfry outlined “we are very excited to bring this four hand synchronised massage to the Belfry spa this autumn. Our teams of senior therapists will be delivering this most utterly indulgent treatment which we feel really reflects the mood of our spa.”

A spa experience can be heightened with an evening at The Belfry’s signature restaurant, The Ryder Grill and a night cap in the hotels Brabazon bar, followed by an overnight stay in one of the 319 luxurious guest bedrooms at The Belfry Hotel & Resort.

The spa at the Belfry Hotel & Resort echoes the grand décor of the hotel and is the epitome of indulgence, where guests can step into their very own sanctuary of tranquillity, set against the backdrop of 550 acres of North Warwickshire countryside.

For reservations please visit www.thebelfry.com, email enquiries@thebelfry.com or call 0844 980 0600 The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Lichfield Road, Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 9PR.

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Dear Industry Colleagues May we please introduce you to ArchitEx 2015, the Annual free-toattend 2 day Exhibition, Conference & Networking Reception for the UK Architecture & Building Design Industry.

Whether you wish to exhibit with us to sell your products and services or establish new business contacts and relationships, visit to meet potential suppliers or partners, or attend the conference to discuss and debate the hot topics in UK Architecture & Building Design, ArchitEx 2015 offers something for everyone involved in the industry.

1. The Exhibition For exhibitors, ArchitEx 2015 will provide significant sales and business development opportunities whilst also offering an outstanding networking platform. An anticipated 1,500 Architecture & Building Design Industry professionals from around the UK will converge on Liverpool, and as such represents a rare opportunity not to be missed.

Exhibitors and delegates from all the following sectors will include ...

Architects, Construction Companies, Surveyors & Structural Engineers Town, City & County Councils Local Planning Authorities, Town & City Planners Housing Associations, House Builders, Suppliers & Contractors Commercial, Industrial & Residential Property Developers Banks & Financial Institutions

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2. The Conference The full 2 day conference programme, with 24 speakers, will become the leading forum for the UK Architecture & Building Design Industry. It will bring delegates together with policy experts, real-life case studies and industry leaders, and will address the latest issues in policy and public affairs, consultation and legislation, campaigns and issues whilst at the same time, highlighting the key successes made in design, planning, building and housing.

Availability at this uniquely free-to-attend conference is limited so early delegate registration is highly recommended. To receive further information about how you can take part, or to tell us what you would like to see on the programme, please contact us.

3. The Drinks Reception / Networking Evening Free–to–attend, complimentary 2 hour champagne drinks reception & networking evening with hundreds of industry colleagues.

ArchitEx 2015 is your opportunity to join the UK’s leading Architecture & Building Design event.

The ArchitEx 2015 Team 0845 467 3303 www.architex2015.com info@architex2015.com

Architects, Specifiers, Building Designers, Surveyors & Engineers Commercial, Industrial & Residential Property Developers Town, City & County Councils, Local Planning Authorities, Town & City Planners Construction Companies, Builders & Contractors Products & Services Industry Suppliers

Bespoke Rooflight Delights Occupants 10 Years After Install This eloquent penthouse suite is situated amongst the white stucco Georgian houses of Knightsbridge, London. Surrounded by streams of private gardens, lavish restaurants and shops, the location couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more suitable for such a luxurious building design.

Whilst one floor is designed for suitable family living with a kitchen, breakfast and lounge room, the top floor consists of an open-plan space for entertainment and fine dining.

Part of the design brief was to provide an open air dining space from within the confines of the building, with the option to close this off and make the room beneath completely weather tight. Maintaining high levels of natural daylight was also an important factor, so the clients turned to architectural rooflight specialists Glazing Vision to come up with a solution.

As the layout of the flat roof above also featured a substantial length of fixed glazing to be installed very close to the proposed location of the rooflight, options were limited in terms of available space in which to safely install the product.

Glazing Vision have a wealth of experience with this type of

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project and recommended a bespoke design; this allowed a 100% clear opening by retracting two glass sections independently in a sliding stacking arrangement.

This configuration maintains a minimal footprint on the roof as the glass only takes up half of the adjacent roof space to the actual opening when fully retracted.

Originally installed in 2004, the dimensions of the rooflight measure 3544mm x 2960mm; with over 10m2 of glazing in place, the positive impact this rooflight has on the building becomes apparent as soon as you see it.

Over 10 years later, open or closed, this bespoke rooflight continues to provide a stunning focal point to complement the lavish project.

To find out more about design considerations for your project, please call our technical department on 01379 353 741 or request a CPD.

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The complete design & build solution for covered walkways & canopies U High quality, UV protected solid and multiwall polycarbonate sheet or laminated glass U Aluminium, steel, or sustainably sourced timber structures U Wide range of glazing systems available to suit different requirements U Excellent aesthetics U Low maintenance U Proven track record in the education, retail, commercial and custodial sectors U A trusted family business offering outstanding service, attention to detail and integrity since 2002

See us at ArchitEx2015 stand D4

Call us today on 01395 516001 or visit www.plasticsinconstruction.co.uk

LANDMARK REPORT INTO UK’S CREATIVE INDU BACKED BY MOBO REVEALS DEPTH OF BLACK,

Despite pockets of progress in areas such as design and IT, software key economic sectors is drawn from Britain’s minorities - when new The Creative Industries Federation, in partnership with the MOBO organisation, today launches Creative Diversity – The state of diversity in the UK’s creative industries and what we can do about it.

exceptional talent to the forefront of popular British culture. MOBO Season will be launching under the banner of “Rise with Us”, and it has been put together by MOBO who after 20 years of promoting diversity within music, are now working with partners across the creative industry of film, theatre, fashion and art. The Season will run throughout October in the lead up to the awards on November 4th.

Drawing on benchmark studies from across the full spectrum of creative disciplines, as well as a range of insights and analysis from industry heavyweights, “Creative Diversity” reaches behind the headline figures to present a detailed and compelling The review, by Federation Policy and “state of the creative nation” Research Manager Eliza Easton, narrative. shows that apparent improvements in diversity are not as good as they The study is a new analysis that look. reveals Britain’s world-beating creative industries are not as diverse Government statistics report a 12.5 as they appear at first sight. per cent increase in the number of jobs in the creative industries held It argues that while diversity has by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic been long seen as a matter of social (BAME) people between 2013 and justice, there is a hard-headed 2014. They account for 11 per cent business case for tackling the failure of jobs in the creative, which is a to capitalise on the full range of talent similar level to that in the general available and ensure that the creative working population of the UK. industries remain the fastest-growing part of the UK economy.

But when the Federation re-balanced employment statistics according to And so it provides a compendium where the jobs are held, the results of best practice by forward-looking are not so impressive. With 32 per organisations and businesses that cent of all creative jobs in London have already acted to improve the where 40 per cent of the workforce diversity of their staff. It also includes is BAME, a much higher 17.8 per case studies to show how everyone cent of the creative industries workforce should be BAME. can act now to make a difference.

advances are being reversed.

Yet evidence from McKinsey and Consulting shows that the most racially and ethnically diverse companies and organisations with more women are likely to have better financial results.

Key points in the study include: The percentage of women in the creative industries fell from 37.1 per cent in 2013 to 36.7 per cent last year, even though women hold 47.2 per cent of jobs in the wider UK workforce.

Women make up only 19.7% of the workforce in IT, software, and computer services, however, this same sector has one of the fastest growing rates of BAME employment at 54.4% compared with 18.9% growth for the white workforce (between 2011-2014).

Failing to diversify means wasted business opportunities; the BAME population will make up nearly a third of the UK’s population by 2050 and its disposable income increased ten-fold in the decade from 2001 (to £300bn from £32bn).

Women influence 80 per cent of buying decisions and by 2025 are expected to own 60 per cent of all Creative Diversity is being launched The lack of diversity across gender, personal wealth. on the eve of the MOBO Season, an disability, sexuality, age and exciting initiative featuring events socioeconomic background also Only 14 per cent of workers in the £1.7 billion video games industry and activities dedicated to raising requires action as, in some cases, t26t

USTRIES BY CREATIVE INDUSTRIES FEDERATION ASIAN & MINORITY ETHNIC EMPLOYMENT GAP

e & computer services, just 11% of the workforce in w analysis shows this figure should be much higher. are women yet they play more In 2014, there were only 9,000 than half the games. registered BAME architects, compared to 133,000 white Each industry within the creative architects sector (advertising & marketing, crafts, architecture, design: The number of white architects product, graphic & fashion, film, continues to grow, whilst the number of BAME architects has TV, video, radio & photography, IT, software & computer services, shrunk between 2013 and 2014 publishing, museums, galleries & libraries, music, performing Practical actionable advice for small & visual arts) demonstrates businesses, large businesses and potential for diverse growth in all. freelancers includes: Evidence from parts of the sector Have a hiring strategy and shows that those who attended advertise on sites likely to be seen private school earn nearly £6,000 by a wide range of applicants more than the average.

Make diversity part of the Unconscious (and conscious) company’s identity. Make having biases may currently be affecting a diverse workforce part of your employment – from ‘implicit strategy and vision stereotypes’, to ‘group favouritism’ Beware of recruiting people just & ‘homogeneity bias’. because they look like you, and Additional findings of the study for encourage your team to recognise specific sectors include: unconscious bias

“MOBO has opened doors for talent that might otherwise have remained unnoticed and our MOBO Season aims to work with other creative leaders to mobilise the industry to be part of the solution in arts.

This report arms us with some of the tools and steps to take action together and now’ John Kampfner, CEO Creative Industries Federation, said: “This study not only exposes the existing social inequalities in the creative industries workforces but shows that there are hard-heade d economic reasons for tackling them. A more diverse workforce is good for organisations and key to accelerating growth.

“ T h e m o st fo r wa rd - l o o k i n g organisations have already acted to ensure their staff more accurately reflect the population. By drawing together case studies and evidence of best practice, we show how everyone can act now to make a Architecture: Do internal audits and provide difference. It is not only a matter of diversity training social justice but crucial to ensuring An architectural education lasts the fastest-growing sector of the seven years and leaves students Make flexible working available UK economy continues to grow and with debts in excess of £50,000 thrive.”

Kanya King, CEO MOBO, said: RIBA (Royal Institute of British “Everyone, no matter who they are, For further information please A rc h i te c t s ) U K c h a r te re d should have the chance to reach contact Simran Maini at W membership includes just 17.6% the highest ranks in the creative Communications on simran@ industries as well as every other part wcommunications.co.uk or Louise women of life. By unravelling the headlines of Jury, Director of Communications Only 0.9% of people working in today’s study, it is clear that we need and Strategy at the Creative architectural businesses had no our creative industries to reflect the Industries Federation on qualifications, and 74.3% had a general population, not only for social 020 7849 3300 or 07771 598070 degree justice, but to enable it to flourish. t27t

Button-fix

the award-winning, secret fixing for panels and more…

For all architects, joiners and designers reading this, if you aren’t already using this unique fixing system, Button-fix can be used in a wide variety of situations.

As well as the original Type 1 and Type 2 Fixes there is now a Flush Fix for panel to panel connection and a Bonded Fix for where screw fixing is not possible. Buttonfix connectors will provide you with an economic, precise and strong method for attaching panels.

All versions of Button-fix click when they are snapped home giving audible feedback that they are positioned correctly.

The Button-fix range is designed to be incredibly strong, having been produced in tough nylon. Type 1 has been tested and certified by independent test house Sandberg.

As well as being very simple to attach, Button-fix allows for the panels to be removed and reconfigured at a later date.

The Button Marker Accessory Tools, make the whole process extremely easy.

With four different varieties there is sure to be a solution for your needs. To find out which is best, just visit www.button-fix.com. There is a full ‘how to’ guide and FAQ section on the site as well as videos, diagrams and photographs a detailed over view.

If you would either like to see the full product range, find out more or make a purchase simply contact Buttonfix Limited on 020 8150 7190 or visit www.button-fix.com You can also meet the team on Stand T3/120 at Timber Expo 2015

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Fixings & Fittings

Improved Colour Coating on Galvanised Steel Gutter Systems Galvanised Steel is a great product for gutters and downpipes as its stylish looks are long-lasting. It doesn’t fade. And now Rainclear Systems’ Steel Gutters, downpipes and fittings, designed and manufactured by Zambelli in Germany, come with new ‘robust’ colour coating in a choice of 5 colours held in stock for next day delivery.

The lightweight and innovative easy dry joint design of the Zambelli Steel With a 15yr product warranty and a life expectancy of at least 25 years, the New ROBUST colour coated system As the name implies, ROBUST is an innovative coating system that is comprising zinc corrosion protection, primer bonding coat and a ‘Robust’ Galvanised Steel Core Zinc / Magnesium corrosion protection layer Primer bonding coat adds further corrosion protection Steel sample box available on request: – please specify stock colour required – comes with swatches of the other stock colours The demand for steel guttering has never been higher with homeowners and selfbuilders looking for this stylish, premium quality rainwater solution

Geraint Jones, Managing Director of Rainclear Systems, explains why: ones, but the steel system looks and last better while offering clever design

Geraint Jones adds: “We were seeing increased demand for guttering systems that match in with

Our half round galvanised steel gutters are deeper than other comparable The steel system is made of highly durable, recyclable metal and comes in Black, Anthracite Grey, Dusty Grey, Grey White and Sepia Brown with next For a brochure, metal swatch book or sample of the outlet to see the quality and style for yourself, call 0800 644 44 26. To see the products and prices online and receive a 25% discount on Steel in September 2015 visit our steel guttering web page

* at time of writing 13/08/15

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lifts, stairs & Balustrades

Taking disabled access solutions to the next level at the Canada Place Mall in Canary Wharf…

The Canary Wharf Group have achieved one of the greatest ever feats of civic engineering, turning a once derelict Docklands into 97 acres of London’s, and the world’s, most sought after office and retail space.

The Group’s workforce comprises more than 1,000 people who are dedicated to one of the three sub companies. Canary Wharf Limited, Canary Wharf Contractors Limited and Canary Wharf Management Limited.

Canary Wharf Contractors PLC were creating a new walkway bridge leading to the Canada Place Mall in Canary Wharf, and required 2 disabled platform lifts to provide access to the retail and office spaces within the complex.

Challenges

The required lifts needed to be reliable, easyfunctioning and asthetically pleasing, as well as complimenting the existing platform lifts that were situated within the high specification development and the design of the new walk-way bridge.

The lifts needed to be installed within the specified time frame to allow all target development handover dates to be met without delay.

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Results Higher Elevation provided 2 low rise disabled platform lifts in a dark grey finish to compliment the stainless steel platform lifts that were currently situated within malls. The lifts complimented the external asthetics of the mall and provided a smooth transition from lower ground to ground level for the public.

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Take disabled access solutions to the next level Stylish, attractive & effective mobility lifts for your property At Higher Elevation weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re mobility lift experts.

We have 15 years experience in advising on, designing, planning and installing high quality and practical, yet attractive disabled access and mobility lift products.

Working with you at an early stage of your property planning can help address disabled and mobility access requirements and ensure that the solutions form a perfectly integrated and functional part of your building.

Call us today to arrange your FREE survey & quotation.

0333 567 1234 Alternatively, email sales@higherelevation.co.uk

www.higherelevation.co.uk

Lifts, Stairs & Balustrades

Lift the Value of Your House by up to 25% Did you know that a platform lift could raise the value of your home by up to 25%? As the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population ages, there has been a rise in the number of people who are bucking the trend to downsize, and staying in their own house longer than ever before, with the help of a lift.

A platform lift allows the home owner to make the most of the upper levels of their property. Not only does the lift enable people with impaired mobility to access the upstairs, it also adds new capabilities for the other householders. The lift can provide an aid to day to day activities such as moving laundry, lifting heavy suitcases around, even moving the vacuum cleaner upstairs.

As well as providing a practical use, the lift can potentially be used as an architectural feature of the home. Platform lifts can be offered in range of different finishes and colours to complement the building, and the use of glass in the shaft can often be a feature in itself, adding further desirability to the home.

Even when the property owners decide to move on, the lift can really open up the property market, by adding appeal to both the elderly and the disabled.

It demonstrates that the house has been future proofed, and can also be a huge benefit for people suffering from temporary incapacity, for example after an operation.

So, consider if your house could benefit from a platform lift, and talk to the experts at Invalifts to see how they can help you whilst increasing the value of your home.

About the author This article was written by Craig Merry, Director at Invalifts. Invalifts specialise in platform lifts for homes and offices. For further information on their product range, please visit www.invalifts.com or for enquiries and advice, you can call them on 0845 468 2543.

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Platform Lifts Our range of platform lifts includes the MC2000 lift (right) - a high quality enclosed platform lift with a unique chain drive, and the option of glazing on all 4 shaft sides.

With a fantastic guarantee, and small footprints available, this is a premier platform lift. platform lifts for both internal and external use.

The Platform Lift Experts

Tel: 0845 4682543 Web: www.invalifts.com

Stellar Exhibitor List for January Furniture Show

With less than 3 months to go before the January Furniture Show 2016 opens it’s NEC doors, the exhibitor list is a complete Who’s Who of UK and international furniture and furnishings manufacturers and suppliers.

The biggest names in upholstery including, Duresta, Parker Knoll, Collins & Hayes, Buoyant, Lebus and Westbridge will all be showing new designs and fabrics. Ranging from the ultra modern, geometric covered to timeless classic shapes with gentile florals, the new designs are set to surprise. Mixing fabrics will feature heavily with woven fabrics combined with leather a notable trend.

Cabinet giants Baker, Ercol, Willis&Gambier, Morris, Bentley Designs, Mark Webster Designs and Furniture Origins are among the many companies showcasing a variety of new collections with reclaimed woods, distressed painted and mixed textures a strong feature.

Emphasis on the origin of the wood and combinations of wood & glass, wood & metal and wood & leather with finishes ranging from muted matt to silky, shiny marble will emphasise the contrasts and texture combinations.

Beds and mattresses of every kind – foam, sprung, memory, motion, ottoman will all feature at the Show with previous exhibitors Vogue, Breasley, Serene and Sweet Dreams all bringing new designs and new foam technologies. New bed exhibitors Highgate, Kaydian and Bodyease are a welcome addition and are also bringing new designs ranging from snuggly TV beds to practical storage beds.

The NBF (National Bed Federation) are sponsoring a café in Hall 5, in the heart of the bed exhibitors so that will be a good place to have a coffee and plan your bed tour.

Heavyweights in interiors including Gallery Direct, Pacific Lifestyle, Stone the Crows, Dar Lighting, Swaffer, and Axminster Carpets are all like the upholstery and cabinet companies, launching new designs. The 2015 double decker Gallery Direct stand was much talked about and their 2016 stand promises to be even better and jam packed with even more tempting home furnishing delights, including complete bedroom and bedding packages.

Dar Lighting, known for their broad spectrum of designs from traditional chandeliers to large individual statement lights, are showing at January for the first time. As well as a selection of their best sellers they are bringing new designs for 2016, including some of their on-trend, industrial style domestic lights.

Another newcomer is Swaffer, showing their latest beautiful floral,

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striped and animal print fabrics, they are set to be a destination stop for anyone interested in the best available fabrics. Titley & Marr, Tigermoth and Ross Fabrics are also launching new fabrics for 2016 at the Show including crushed velvets, silks and woven textures.

International companies are set to make their presence felt with German majors, Nolte Mobel, Rauch and Weimann all taking large stands and bringing their technical cabinet expertise with a touch of panache.

Danish, Skovby will show their uniquely engineered and ever appealing dining collections and Italian leather upholstery giants Nicoletti and Italia Living are bringing new designs and soft leathers in fresh colours for 2016. For something new and different try FAMA’s original designs, full of colour, and interesting style.

The increase from this year’s 3 halls to 5 for the 2016 Show has allowed space for the introduction of more feature areas in furniture and home furnishings – accessories, lighting, flooring and fabrics. It will provide the first opportunity of the year to see the new interiors collections for 2016 - no need to wait until the Spring Fair. The January Furniture Show is now the most complete interiors trade show in the UK calendar and is the Show that definitely has it all.

To see Who’s exhibiting and to register your attendance go to www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

INDUSTRY news

Design for Social Good: Affordable Housing Projects in Paris France has a long history of providing subsidized social housing options to lowincome citizens. Beginning in the late-19th century, the first public housing initiatives were, in fact, privately funded by charitable donations.

The early to mid-20th century saw a significant expansion of social housing and a shift toward state control of the housing market. The lack of construction during two World Wars, combined with a widespread rural exodus, led to skyrocketing rents that left many French families without affordable options. The

social housing system came to be known as the HLM, “habitations à loyer modéré,” which translates to “moderate rent habitations.” HLM continued to grow as immigrants from former French colonies arrived in the City of Lights in the 1950s.

As the Parisian population continues to rise, architects play a key role in creating solutions to finding a home in a rapidly appreciating housing market. Built to accommodate many families for the lowest prices possible, the social housing projects listed below help countless low-income Parisians and newcomers afford life in the French capital.

Many incorporate design trends common in many Parisian apartment complexes, including recessed balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and patterned façades. While design isn’t the entire solution to the city’s economic challenges — the same holds true in any major urban area — architects remain aware of the political function they serve and the families they support.

FLUSH PULLS

by Halliday+Baillie

Halliday+Baillie’s comprehensive collection of modern flush pulls provides elegantly slim solutions from 4” to 20” high to coordinate with their equally extensive line of sliding door locks.

They are all offered in any of Halliday+Baillie’s fine finishes including: Satin Chrome, Brushed Chrome, Polished Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Polished Nickel, Dark Bronze, White Powder-Coated, Black Chrome. t38t

INDUSTRY news

British Ceramic Tile

British Ceramic Tile has partnered with global lifestyle brand Ted Baker to launch ‘no ordinary’ designer tile range. The fashion forward collection of tiles brings the latest trends to the kitchen, blending British Ceramic Tile’s unique manufacturing heritage with Ted’s eye for detail and appreciation for a tile with style. With the patchwork effect taking the interior world by storm, the GeoTile combines a sleek tonal grey colour palette with Ted’s favourite geometric prints. Inspired by the Edwardian tiles that lead up the pathways of London’s iconic townhouses, the eye-catching multi-use tile is made from high specification porcelain. Bring the outdoors in with the ParqTile, offering a wood-effect floor, enabling you to recreate the same natural look without the need for any special sealing or maintenance. Textured tiles are very popular at the moment, with the TacTile collection offering a 3D teardrop effect tile in grey or classic matt white colourway, in a 298x498mm size. The structured wall tiles can be combined with multi-use plain ceramic tiles from the VersaTile range, available in a variety of colours for a match made in heaven. The ArTile collection offers a range of glass splashbacks like no other. Featuring a choice of fashion-led designs including Cotton the bulldog in nude and black, distinguished rose and vintage rose.

Schluter CPD offering Schlüter-Systems offer an integrated wetroom solution, all guaranteed by one manufacturer with the added reassurance of a CE Marked guarantee.

An integrated system solution, with products that are designed to work together, should be the specifier’s first choice when selecting products to use in shower areas and wetrooms. This provides the client with a single point of responsibility should any part of the system fail. Benefits of the CPD include: benefits of integrated systems for wetrooms vs. multi-manufacturer combined offerings, how point drains and linear drains can be hidden or accent the design, requirements of waterproofing and how an integrated system offers complete peace of mind, the difference between waterproof and waterresistant tile backerboards - not all are equal. Finally, a complete waterproofing solution - the installation and compatibility benefits. For priority bookings please quote ACWR11. www.schluter.co.uk

www.projecttile.co.uk

SMITHS: Investing in the environment Smiths take recycling very seriously and because of this, they aim to produce and generate as many recycled materials as they can. Over the last 24 months Smiths have invested heavily in new state of the art plant that allows the company to produce even more top quality recycled aggregates.

The Windrush ECO range of washed recycled aggregates first came on line in 2014 and has proven very popular with customers. The range offers 10mm, 20mm and 40mm aggregates plus the washed sharp sand, which are all of the highest quality products.

Recycled aggregates are produced from a variety of construction waste products such as demolition materials, normally sourced locally, consisting of concrete,

bricks, tiles, asphalt and tarmacadam spoil. A strict policy of inspection, testing and segregation ensures that product quality is maintained throughout the production of the washed recycled aggregates.

This year has seen, in addition to the Windrush ECO range, Smiths adding IBAA to their recycling range. IBAA (Incinerator Bottom Ash Aggregate) is a by-product of raw ash produced from local nonrecyclable domestic waste, and is a sustainable and cost effective alternative for sub-base and capping aggregates.

In conjunction with Raymond Brown, the processing plant is just off the M40 in Oxfordshire, in the Ardley quarry. Here the local non-recyclable waste is burnt at very high temperatures, the resulting raw

ash is then ‘aged’, processed to remove ferrous and non-ferrous metals and then graded to meet EN and Highway Agency specifications.

Smiths are very conscious of their role in the environment and with the new IBAA available, they now have high quality products recycled from all sectors of modern life. Demonstrating not only a continued commitment to Customer Service but also to sustainable, environmentally friendly production. www.smithsbletchington.co.uk

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contemporary home

Your guide to ‘Using The Tube’… at Harrogate!

F. Ball and Co. Ltd., the UK’s leading manufacturer of flooring adhesives and flooring preparation solutions, will again be showcasing their extensive range of highspecification flooring products at the 2015 Flooring Show, Harrogate which this year will include their ALL-NEW STYCCO FLEX - Rapid Curing Flexible Adhesive.

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elivering professional results every time, Stycco Flex is the perfect solution when you need to safely secure Stair nosings, Carpet gripper, PVC cladding, Skirting Boards, Architrave and Trims. It is already proving to be an essential product for the ‘serious’ flooring professional.

Stycco Flex will be on show as part of F. Ball’s newly launched ‘Tube Products’ range, which includes Stycco Grip - a gap filling mastic adhesive; Stycco Seal – silicone sealant, and Stycco Bond PU – a rapid set polyurethane adhesive. Each of the updated ‘Tube’ range products are available in easily recognisable pack designs!

Why not come to Harrogate and visit Stand B1 in Hall B at the Flooring Show… meet with the F. Ball team and have any flooring related question answered… expertly!

You can also see the F. Ball products in action at the Demo Zone 1 in Hall B, being demonstrated by some of the flooring industry’s top installation experts.

New Stycco Flex is so good, with its high initial grab and rapid strength gain, it will generally mean that no mechanical fixings are required to suitably sound substrates. So when working on a typical stair nosing installation, using Stycco Flex means you will complete the job much faster without compromising the quality and reliability of the finished job. Stycco Flex even delivers outstanding results when affixing metal stair nosings to metal substrates! Simply visit www.f-ball.co.uk to access their Stycco Flex Product Data information or watch the video and see for yourself.

If you’ve already embraced F Ball’s Professional range of flooring products, then you’ll appreciate the working advantage to be gained from using New Stycco Flex every day. Because when F. Ball launch a new product you just know… even before you’ve tried it, that it’s going to be good… very good!

Yet another incentive to ‘Use the Tube’ and give Stycco Flex a try…

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contemporary home

Footstools & More Footstools & More is a small family company based in Yorkshire. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, family has enjoyed three generations in the furniture industry. The company offers a wide, stylish range of everyday and luxury products, available in both standard and bespoke sizes.

Whether you already have a style in mind, or are simply looking for a little bit of inspiration, www.footstoolsandmore.co.uk is a great place to start. All products are customisable, with a range of sizes, fabrics, leathers and leg options.

With all these options, it’s easy to see why customers love having the choice to order something that reflects their own unique taste.

Personalised service While the website has lots of useful ideas and information, you can’t beat a phone call or email to discuss your ideas in more detail. Footstools & More offers a friendly, personal service, and is always happy to make suggestions or talk through any questions that you may have.

“Along with high-quality products, providing a helpful service is the most important part of our business,” says a spokesperson for the company. “We make footstools every day so we always pass on any ideas and advice we think our customers will benefit from.”

It’s clear to see that this high level of customer service pays off. The long list of testimonials on the website makes for impressive reading.

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Bespoke Furniture Each and every footstool is handmade to order in a dedicated workshop, and for a particular customer. If you were to pay a visit to the workshop, you wouldn’t see stacks of similar footstools collecting dust, waiting for someone to buy them. You’d see a vibrant range of designs, colours and patterns. You might think this bespoke approach would be prohibitive, but the costs are very competitive and similar to high street stores. So whether you’re looking for a large footstool, bench stool, drum stool or coffee table stool your search is over. Each item has a two-year construction guarantee and fabrics meet fire safety regulations.

www.firmanglass.com www.firmanglass.com

Glass Excellence Established in 1975 Firman Glass is one of the leading independent glass processors in the UK, manufacturing toughened glass, laminated glass and specialist sealed units.

Based in Harold Wood Essex within 5 minutes of junction 28 of the M25 and half an hour from Central London we are ideally situated to service our ever growing and diverse customer base.

Manufacturing all forms of processed toughened glass, with comprehensive stocks of clear float, low iron, satin, body tinted, mirrors, laminated glass, acoustic laminated and fire rated glass.

With some of the most advanced capabilities in place Firman Glass is able to manufacture high quality products for all markets sectors including architectural, retail, leisure and domestic.

Products • • • • •

Toughened glass Processing CNC shaping Laminated glass Toughened and laminated constructions • EVA and Vanceva coloured interlays • Fabric and decorative interlays • Saflex DG41 structural interlay

• • • • • • • • •

Specialist insulating glass units Anti–slip glass Fire rated glass UV bonding FIRMALITE electric switchable glass Heated glass Decorative glass Sandblasting ColorfirmTM back painted glass

• • • • • • •

Staircases Treads and stringers Shower screens Shelving Glass doors Acoustic reduction Fire rated

Applications • • • • • • •

Structural glazing Glass floors Partitions Roof lights Balustrades Full height barriers Canopies

• • • • • •

Decoration Wall cladding Splashbacks Privacy Technical Support Nationwide Coverage

Further information is available from our sales and technical offices or visit www.firmanglass.com Firman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH Tel: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass.com

www.firmanglass.com

picture hanging systems ltd

STOP BANGING HOLES

IN YOUR WALL! GET A HANGING SYSTEM. SAVE TIME AND YOUR WALL

EVERY TIME YOU RE-ARRANGE.

YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID. www.picturehangingsystems.co.uk 0845 500 70 35

info@picturehangingsystems.co.uk

UV-PROTECTION OIL Maintains the natural colour of your exterior wood!

Say NO to bathroom Pull-cords

> Extremely water and dirt resistant > Reduces wood swelling and shrinkage

Sensors can be fitted behind most materials to suit your particular décor!

> Does not flake, crack, peel or blister > No sanding for future applications

Clear

Oak

Cedar

www.sensor.co.uk

Further information and local stockists can be found via:

Tel: 01548 511498 ~ Fax: 01548 511393

www.osmouk.com | 01296 481200 | info@osmouk.com

Natural

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DOORS & WINDOWS

Bespoke Doors Todd Doors’ quality timber doors can bring character and style to any home, development or office.

With a wide range of stylish standard and bespoke doors and countless options for design features, structure and character, Todd Doors are sure to provide the perfect door for your needs. The extremely robust design and quality of Todd Doors’ product brings aesthetic and functional values to your house that will endure throughout the years.

Todd Doors is the UK’s leading supplier of quality timber doors. A family run business for more than 60 years, Todd Doors boasts an industry leading range of over 450 original designs manufactured

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using the very best timber components from around the world.

Todd Doors stock a full range of door furniture and accessories too. Door handles can really make a statement and enhance your door, whilst frames, architraves and skirting can be used to blend or highlight your door with your existing decor. At the forefront of design, with an average stock in excess of 25,000 doors and with every type of timber door imaginable; including glazed doors, fire doors, folding doors, bi-fold patio doors, sliding doors, French doors,

double doors, external doors and door sets; Todd Doors really is a one-stop destination for all your door needs.

The fully bespoke service offered by Todd Doors is particularly useful for those projects requiring oversized doors or specific finishes. Door Experts are always on-hand to offer advice and can even work with you on a particular design you have of your own.

For a full range of products and services available please visit todd-doors.co.uk or call 0800 987 8667 and speak to a Door Expert who will be happy to help.

TODD

DOORS BEAUTIFUL DOORS

SINCE 1952

Inspirational doors for every home Todd Doors is the UK’s leading supplier of quality timber doors. With 450 designs and an average stock in excess of 25,000 doors, Todd Doors is at the forefront of the door design industry.

Our fully bespoke service, specific finishes and vast range of door furniture and accessories, makes Todd Doors truly a one-stop destination.

0208 839 3577 TODD-DOORS.CO.UK ESSENTIALS

®

CHARLES TODD

®

doors & Windows

GENTLY DOES IT...

Two new products to be launched in July show that Schueco’s continuing search for excellence and its determination to stay ahead of the competition, remain strong drivers for innovation.

Developed for use with Schueco sliding door systems, Schueco SmartStop and Schueco SmartClose are two new products that employ innovative technology to enhance existing systems for the benefit of end-users. Suitable for use in both commercial and residential buildings, they also underline Schueco’s commitment to safety, operational comfort and engineering excellence.

SmartClose enhances the operation of a sliding door by making the closing action effortless. It does this by converting the energy generated by the initial pull on the sliding vent into momentum that carries the vent smoothly along the length of its track until its final soft insertion into the outer frame. The action is similar to the softclosing of drawers in many contemporary kitchens.

Schueco SmartClose also makes closing the door quieter and safer and obviates the possibility of damage to the frame by the vent being slammed shut. SmartClose is unobtrusive, being mounted discreetly on the top profile of the sliding vent.

Schueco SmartStop employs a controlled braking action that slows down the moving vent gently but effectively and brings it to a stop prior to locking in the normal way.

This makes the door safer and more userfriendly. SmartStop, which like SmartClose is integrated in the upper profile of the door, is suitable for vents weighing up to 400 kg.

Both products are simple to install and are easy to adjust to suit each particular installation. They are primarily designed as adjuncts to Schueco’s ASS 50 and ASS 70.HI premium sliding doors.

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The introduction of SmartStop and SmartClose demonstrates Schueco’s attention to detail and adds yet another element of operational sophistication, further distinguishing Schueco’s comprehensive product offering from those of its competitors.

For further information on SmartStop and SmartClose or Schueco’s Contemporary Living range of aluminium windows, doors and façades, email mkinfobox@schueco.com.

www.schueco.co.uk

Form and function in perfect harmony Great design is not just about looking good, it’s about performance too.

Windows and façades that are perfectly watertight; secure entrance doors; sliding, folding and panoramic doors that open and close effortlessly.

Schueco UK’s range of aluminium residential systems has what your home needs. Superior quality, unmistakable style. Unbeatable levels of thermal and acoustic insulation. The Schueco Contemporary Living Collection: where everything works in perfect harmony. www.schueco.co.uk

Casa Santo Antonio Santo Antônio do Pinhal, Brazil Situated on the edge of a forest reserve in the mountains, the house adapt to the slope through three successive stages, focusing on different terrain situations.

The distribution of the program emphasizes the contrast between two opposite situations: the living room facing the landscape, on the upper level, and the bedroom’s patio to the forest, at the intermediate level.

The interior folds through external terraces on the roofs of the lower levels, and advances over the terrain in areas earned from the slope in order to expand the “floor” of the living spaces.

The building was designed in two complementary stages: the first stage contains the, bearing walls and floors of the workshop (lower level) and rooms (intermediate level).

The steel structure is fabricated in the site with small profiles, supported by the masonry walls.

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Hueck Aluminium Systems gets involved in £3.7billion redevelopment project in London Global supplier of aluminium building systems, Hueck, has helped deliver 165 new homes within Europe’s largest regeneration scheme.

Hueck’s high-performance Lambda 77 L windows and doors were extensively specified in the second phase of the £180million Rathbone Market project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, within the Thames Gateway.

Aside from 123 private homes, and 42 shared ownership properties, phase two of Rathbone Market, known as Aurora, also included the provision of a 10,000 sq. ft. public library and community centre, and 12,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space in the previously rundown Canning Town district in East London.

Working closely with the London-based architecture firm, CZWG Architects, the façade manager, and the acoustic consultant, Hueck has provided an excellent solution for

the specific requirements of the project with its Lambda 77mm L inward and outward opening doors and casement windows in different configurations. Handles height on windows is below 900mm from finished floor level, in line with the lifetime homes requirements, which support the changing needs of individuals and families at different stages of life.

Due to its location, in close proximity to the busy A13 road, Aurora raised a few challenges in terms of effective noise reduction, as Leon Friend, project development director at Hueck, explains: “The noise pollution from the nearby transport artery has created the need for extra sound protection. We met the architects’ demanding acoustic requirements within the commercial aspirations of the project with our Lambda 77 L windows, which provide a sound insulation level of 46 dB, ensuring excellent comfort for those living in the new apartment blocks.

Hueck’s Lambda French Balcony system has also been specified for guard rails to protect window openings on all residential

units. The transparent Lambda FB is an elegant alternative to the traditional crash-safe features, providing a technically sophisticated solution for a uniform, wellbalanced and aesthetically pleasing façade.

Leon said: “Creating large areas of glazing while maintaining accessibility and practicality was a key requirement, as a high degree of versatility was necessary in order to accommodate the varied needs of the occupants. Our products also had to be very secure and compliment the façade of the buildings, and our Lambda 77 L series and Lambda FB proved a perfect fit.

“The breadth of our product range, as well as our bespoke design service enable us to deliver the perfect solution for any project, regardless of requirements.”

Hueck’s high performance Lambda window and door systems offer an extremely wide range of design possibilities, while ensuring excellent thermal insulation. The Lambda 77 L windows can achieve u-values as low as 1.0 W/m2K, while the equivalent door system offers burglar resistance up to RC3.

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Heating, Ventilation & Insulation

HEATEC AND ELECTRIC HEATING The awareness in the UK of the damage that is said to have been caused to the environment by the indiscriminate burning of fossil fuel has led to a growing demand for electric heating.

Electricity is seen to be cleaner than fossil fuels at the point of consumption.

H

eatec have been at the forefront of conversion of standard radiators to electric for over Thirty years and many of the original Tristat controllers are still in use to this day.

Designed for use both with and without thermostats the modern Heatec controllers are of electronic design and are unlike any imported competitors. This is because the thermostatic RC12 controller has its thermostat external to the radiator and measures the air temperature in the room. Imported controllers which are mechanically operated tend to have an internal thermostat which lies alongside the heating element and therefore measures only the temperature of the liquid and the heating element.

“Electricity is seen to be cleaner than fossil fuels at the point of consumption.”

A fixed temperature controller, the RC11, designed for use with separate centralised or room thermostats is also available. The RC11 control can be factory set to a maximum temperature where this is required for use in old people’s homes, schools and other places where hazard is a problem.

A heavy duty controller, the Rc10 has been developed for use in hazardous areas. Information about this controller is available on request.

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Heatec controllers are designed and built in the North of England and are subject to rigorous testing during production.

Modern designer radiators made of Aluminium are much more efficient than the traditional steel panel radiators which are the UK standard, Aluminium radiators hold up to 26% less liquid and because of their design can convect over 30% more warm air over their fins. This leads to the much more efficient use of electricity and, if properly controlled, much reduced heating bills.

Heatec is a leader in the conversion of Cast Iron radiators to electric and has built up considerable expertise in this specialised area. Many of the Cast Iron versions have been supplied to the National Trust and other stately homes throughout the UK. Heatec offers an advice service on the use and installation of its products during normal office hours. Heatec’ products can be seen on line at www.heatecev.com Tel: 0845 8726667 sales@heatecev.com

HEATEC

®

Supplying a wide range of Modern & Traditional Style Cast Iron Radiators for Electric installation or Central Heating Systems

Bohemia Retro

Styl

All Heatec Electric Radiators are Fitted with Room Temperature Thermostat Control or Fixed Temperature Controls

Imperial Victorian

Cast Iron Heights available from 430mm – 980mm. Outputs from 550 - 3000 Watts. All Radiators Manufactured in the EU

SUPPLIER TO THE NATIONAL TRUST Also supplying High Efficiency Aluminium Radiators and Towel Rails Electric Radiator Thermostatic Control Towel Rail

Forte Plus

Forte Plus Aluminium Radiators low liquid content and intelligent design give up to 40% energy savings against conventional Radiators.

Available Heights 431mm – 881mm, Outputs 550 – 3000 Watts.

Any RAL colours. Low level Finn (Trench) Radiators also available Full Catalogue available on request Heatec EV, Unit C2, Lympne Industrial Park, Hythe, Kent, CT21 4LR Tel: 0845 8726667 sales@heatecev.com www.heatecev.com

HEATING, VENTILATION & INSULATION

PANASONIC’S

NEW BIVALENT CONTROLLER MAXIMISES ENERGY SAVINGS Panasonic has added an innovative bivalent controller to its Aquarea range of air source heat pumps. The controller will maximise energy savings in installations where the heat pump is operating alongside an existing energy source, for example in refurbishment projects, where there is often pressure to minimise investment costs.

Panasonic’s bivalent controller enables a heat pump from

In parallel mode, if the outdoor temperature is below the threshold design value, then the system starts the gas/oil boiler or another energy source, and the heat pump and the gas/oil boiler work alongside each other.

boiler and controls sequencing to minimise running costs. The controller includes three different operating modes and all necessary sensors are included in the package to operate both energy sources and a secondary pump. A thermostat can be connected to stop both the pump and the heat pump/boiler according to room temperature.

“Hybrid systems, where a new heat pump is added to an existing boiler, are a popular option in refurbishment projects,” explains Marc Diaz, UK Country Manager of Panasonic Heating and Cooling. “It is very important in such systems

period, than the gas/oil boiler is switched on. The system switches on the gas/oil boiler according to the demand.

that energy use can be reduced and running cost savings maximised. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme The three bivalent operating modes are: Alternative; Parallel; and Boost/Parallel Demand.

In alternative mode, if the outdoor temperature is below the threshold design value, then the system stops the heat pump and starts the gas/oil boiler or other alternative energy source.

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In boost/parallel demand mode, if the outdoor temperature is below the threshold design value, then the controller starts to monitor the buffer tank temperature.

In the case of buffer tank control, the user can apply a constant buffer set temperature and the heat pump is switched on if the buffer tank temperature is below the set point. If a room thermostat is installed, then the thermostat switches on or off the secondary pump and the heat pump supply to the buffer tank.

For secondary pump control, the water pump and the heat pump are activated by the room thermostat. If the room thermostat opens the contact, then the system stops both the secondary pump and the heat pump.

In all applications, summer shut down is operated so that the secondary pump (if activated) and the heat pump are stopped if the outdoor temperature is above the design set point.

For more information on the Bivalent Controller, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu

LAMBDATHERM® MANUFACTURED WITH THE NEW POLYMERIC FLAME RETARDANT

REST EASY KNOWING THE RIGHT PRODUCT HAS BEEN USED A SPECIALISED EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE BEAD FOR EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION Ŕ Ŕ Ŕ Ŕ

Increased stabilisation and thermal enhancement A+ green guide rating A product made of Neopor® backed by German engineering BASF Tested to comply with ETAG 004

Follow us on facebook and twitter

Email: company@sandbeps.com Visit: www.sandbeps.com / www.lambdatherm.com

Cavity Wall Protection

By Design

SureCav®50 is a moulded, 100% recycled, polypropylene panel with spacer protrusions, forming a 50mm cavity, allowing a stone, slate, brick and flint outer leaf to be built without the need of an additional block leaf. It is fully certificated by the British Board of Agrément.

This cavity protection system ensures clean and moisture free cavities with either timber frame or traditional construction.

SureCav®50 is 100% recycled polypropylene Instead of ending up as landfill or incineration material, SureCav®50 is manufactured by injection moulding to produce a building material that shows we care for the environment. By using 100% recycled polypropylene, SureCav®50 reduces the Embodied CO₂ (ECO₂) footprint in new buildings as well as being 100 times lighter than concrete blocks, making site management and movement of materials much easier.

SureCav®50 - a solution to the problem of wind driven rain One of the greatest threats to the integrity of the building structure come from water ingress. The incidence of wind driven rain is much more prevalent in properties closer to the western coast of Britain and any increase in moisture giving rise to wall saturation will require a managed construction. The increased effect of wind driven rain will be particularly relevant where external walls are not designed with a suitable cavity or rain screen.

The specially formed panels of SureCav®50 provide a barrier that becomes a “wall” of plastic, shielding the cavity and inner leaf from water ingress, but at the same time proving to be an excellent surface for the construction of the outer masonry leaf. The unique shape of the SureCav®50 pods directs any moisture to the outside leaf, thus protecting the fabric of the building with an approved 50mm cavity instead of the usual 75mm required in high exposure zones. The barrier formed by the panels, locked together by the joining strips, will protect the structure in even the most exposed weather conditions.

Natural stone

Dry Wall appearance

SureCav®50 – a wise choice!

Of course, you do not have to only build in high risk weather zones to experience the benefits of SureCav®50. The SureCav®50 Cavity Protection System is currently being used successfully throughout the entire country and is designed to maximise the protection of the cavity whilst providing an excellent surface on which to construct your outer masonry leaf, be it brick, stone, slate or flint.

For more information call us on 01963 34660 or see our website www.surecav.co.uk

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Brick & Flint

PROTECT THE WALLS SureCav®50 protects buildings from wind driven rain, one of the most common sources of moisture affecting buildings in the United Kingdom

Semi-dry stone walling on SureCav®50 cavity backing board

SureCav®50 Cavity spacer system If you are building using stone, slate, brick or flint, then SureCav®50 will save you time and money as well as guarantee moisture free cavities.

SureCav®50 can increase the internal square footage of the property by as much as 5% and enable you to maintain a 50mm clear cavity within any exposure zone.

The barrier formed by the panels, locked together by the joining strips, will protect the structure in even the most exposed weather conditions.

Building cavity walls with confidence!

The “wall” of plastic, formed by the SureCav®50 panels shields the cavity and inner leaf from water ingress. Proving to be an essential construction element in all exposure zones, the unique shape of the pods directs any moisture to the outside leaf, thus protecting the fabric of the building.

The SureCav®50 Cavity Protection System is currently being used successfully throughout the entire country and is designed to maximise the protection of the cavity whilst providing the best backing board available to construct the outer masonry leaf, be it brick, stone, slate or flint.

Phone: 01963 34660 Fax: 01963 32441

www.surecav.co.uk info@surecav.co.uk

CONTEMPORARY HOME DESIGN

Contemporary home design brings you the best of German produced products at the most affordable prices. When you know it’s made in Germany you know its quality, German engineering is unbeatable and lasts for a life time. At CHD we have cherry picked our German brands to ensure we provide our customers a high end quality product with a great price. Luxury living doesn’t have to be expensive with CHD, you can still have the extravagance of luxury home interior at a reasonable price. Our huge range of German kitchen brands include:- Schuller, Next125, Ballerina, Beckermann, Rational and Kuhlmann. You will not find any Kitchen studio in UK to have more than two German kitchen Brands under one roof – this is what makes CHD stand out from the rest. A German kitchen is a kitchen for life, with a warranty provided by the kitchen manufacturer you have will have nothing to worry about.

We are all different, and live in different ways, we have different tastes, ways of life, our personalities, our family, work, our friends… Therefore, each person, each couple and each family needs their own space, their own kitchen.

Each of our projects is therefore different, for people with their own perspectives and specific requirements.

That is the reason why, instead of showing you collections from which to choose from, we show you an endless number of design and technical solutions to inspire you to create your own space, your own kitchen.

CHD also offers exclusive bespoke made furniture for bedrooms and living rooms; part of the bedroom and living room range we have our Italian designer brand SMA Mobili. SMA Mobili is a leader in the furniture industry that uses the most advanced technology and qualified Italian and foreign designers.

Why not visit our website www.chduk.com or follow us on social media facebook.com/ashchd instagram.com/chd_uk for the latest news and updates on Contemporary home design.

0208 472 1144

info@design-home.co.uk 120 WOODGRANGE ROAD, LONDON E7 0EW

www.firmanglass.com

Structural Glazing Specialists

To find out more visit www.firmanglass.com Firman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH Tel: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass.com In association with

www.firmanglass.com

Kitchens,Bathrooms,Washrooms

Granite Transformations Franchise Conference Previews Brand Transformation Granite Transformations, the home improvements brand owned by the international Trend Group, held its most important and best-attended UK franchise conference ever, last month.

F

ranchise owners and their partners from around the national network, p r o s p e c t franchisees, head office support staff from Tunbridge Wells and senior corporate executives from Florida, including Trend CEO Andrea Di Giuseppe, all took out time for the conference, held at Sarah Beeny’s magnificent relaxed networking amongst colleagues, away from the dayRise Hall. to-day pressures of the office.

The event provided the launch Among the highlights of the event pad for the UK element of a major were the annual presentations global rebranding programme, to the top network performers, which will see the small yet with the coveted Franchisee Of significant brand transition from The Year title going to Ipswich ‘Granite Transformations’ to ‘Trend Transformations’, first through a year-long pilot project, then a subsequent national rollout. The Group CEO offered his personal vision for the new brand, with its wider product portfolio, while senior directors from top rebranding agency, FutureBrand, outlined the practicalities. Guest speakers included Daily Telegraph business columnist, John Timpson CBE, and top interior designer and television presenter, Julia Kendell, who business owners Steve Leech provided market insights from an and Darren Cribb, following an independent perspective. TV and extended period of double-digit newspaper property guru Sarah revenue growth. They, together Beeny hosted the event, chatting with GT Cambridge franchisees with guests and posing for pictures. Peter and Henry Morrison and GT Cheltenham/Bristol owner Chaired by Danny Hanlon, Chief Matthew Bird, received recognition Operating Officer of the UK and for conspicuous monthly sales North American operations, and achievement, with special organised by his colleague Sam President’s Awards. Early UK Gent, newly appointed European Brand Manager, the 2-day function was staged at the magnificentlyrestored hall, where Trend and Granite Transformations finishing products and craftsmanship are much in evidence. The venue was also notable for an absence of mobile phone and wi-fi links, which contributed directly to a more convivial atmosphere and

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recognising his franchise’s success in bathroom installations, Matthew Bird was also invited to talk to fellow franchisees about the additional revenue opportunities presented by interior projects of this kind.

franchise adopters Gavin and Sally Whittaker of GT Tunbridge Wells, again took the prize for highest annual revenue.

Highlighting the importance of glass mosaic and agglomerate hard flooring under the new branding

strategy, Ferhan and Aisha Rasul of GT Swansea were presented with the Cactus Award for Trend product sales, which included a major flooring installation in Cardiff. Presaging yet another tranche of additional franchise recruits, Jason and Kelly Ball of GT Banbury gained the New StartUp Award, for the most successful first twelve months. Meanwhile,

Thanks to live music, a close-up magician, top band The Ambition, conducted tours of Rise Hall, informal photo sessions and a ‘country chic’ fashion element to the gala dinner, there were lighthearted moments throughout the conference, adding to a most enjoyable occasion. Food and refreshments at the event were provided by two leading outside caterers, Dine of Leeds and Kerbedge, with culinary highlights like a ‘silver service’ DIY breakfast and an al fresco barbecue in the grounds of Rise Hall. The whole conference was filmed and the occasion was used to preview the franchisor’s latest spoof musical video, centred around Rizzle Kicks’ song ‘When I Was A Youngster’ and featuring GT personnel in fancy dress, illustrating their childhood dreams and ambitions.

Both videos can be viewed at www.gtfranchise.co.uk The conference was sponsored by sink supplier Blanco Germany, media agency All Response Media and digital marketing specialist Motionlab, with support from BA Components, SpaceandPeople, the BFA, KeraKoll, PVL vehicle wrappers and other suppliers, all of whom were allocated display space within the hall and given a chance to talk with those attending.

For further information, contact Granite Transformations, Decimus Park, Kingstanding Way, Tunbridge Wells TN2 3GP, tel 01892 509 680 or visit www.gtfranchise.co.uk .

Rieber, Great design, German quality and the timeless appeal of pure stainless steel Rieber products are designed by catering professionals to provide uncompromising high quality and value for money.

Manufactured to the highest standards of German engineering by Rieber GmbH & Co. KG – the inventor of gastronorm (GN) cookware and also the world’s largest manufacturer – Rieber quality matches and even exceeds many of the major brand names, at more affordable prices.

UK sales and customer support is provided by a dedicated team based in Wiltshire.

Find out more at www.bglrieber.co.uk FREE T eppany aki Pan with ev purchas ed befo ery Waterstatio Rieber Teppanyaki Pan. re Dece n Round mber 20 sink 15!

Thermoplate® stainless-steel teppanyaki. It seals food extremely quickly and

is perfect for quickly cooking meat, vegetables fish and shellfish with the minimum of oil, all the better for a healthy meal.

Rieber cookware features highly efficient multilayer SWISSPLY® construction. An aluminium core is sandwiched between two stainless steel layers resulting in approximately 10-times greater energy conductivity (chilling and heating) than a conventional pan.

Perfect for any type hob – from gas and electric to halogen and induction.

Round or Cubic Multi-Level Sinks Waterstation® Round has a diameter of 902 mm and provides an unusual, eyecatching, social and practical designer solution. Its 3-tier preparation area provides around 3 metres of work surface on just 0.8 m² of floor space.

Waterstation® Round can be set at different heights ranging from 920 to 1000 mm and can be situated inline, freestanding or in corners. Also available as a sink only.

Rieber’s CUBIC sink also features multi-level preparation areas in the basin,

which save space and provide great flexibility. Cubic fits a 600mm base (540 x 332 x 180mm) and is beautifully manufactured featuring small radii corners for easy cleaning.

Rieber’s Waterstation CUBIC 980 multi-functional workstation is manufactured in 1.25mm gauge brushed finish stainless steel.

Dimensions: 980 x 517 x 175mm.

www.bglrieber.co.uk

Deep aeration and soil de-compaction relieves waterlogging.

Compaction is lethal to turf and trees and, with climate change, it has increasingly become the forerunner of waterlogging and anaerobic conditions. Terrain Aeration brings a unique, proven treatment with deep aeration and the de-compaction of soil, turf, and the root zones of trees.

The only UK company using the Terralift aeration system, Terrain Aeration injects compressed air through a probe inserted one metre below the surface. The equipment, combined with Terrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wide experience, is designed to help relieve compaction problems in almost any situation. The Terralift system relieves compaction, waterlogging, and related problems on all kinds of amenity turf from golf and bowling green to cricket squares, football and rugby pitches, parks, cemeteries, race courses, college quadrangles and garden lawns. In fact anywhere thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grass (underground services and subsoil permitting) Terrain have a machine to do the job. This de-compaction service also works in conjunction with injecting direct nutrients and Mycorrhizal fungi for the stimulation of roots, as well as oil digesting bugs to digest oil spills.

Terrain Aeration www.terrainaeration.co.uk 01449 673783 t62t

THE REMEDY FOR COMPACTION, WATERLOGGING AND PANNING

One metre deep penetration aeration treatment for sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens, trees and gardens. The long term solution with immediate play.

Tel: 01449 673783 W: www.terrainaeration.co.uk

Door Entry... ...in a day!

The Telguard range of telephone and GSM based intercom systems are suitable for new build or retro fit. Telguard is a British company and we design, develop and manufacture here in the UK.

The telephone based system plugs in to a standard analogue telephone socket or phone system extension and the GSM system requires a SIM card. The only other requirement is for local power and the intercom can be installed.

Installation is not disruptive as the installation takes place at the entrance to be controlled and there is no need to put handsets into flats or houses as they are already in place – their own telephone or mobile.

The telephone numbers of the apartments/houses/businesses are programmed into the intercom system with any access codes required and the system is ready for use.

A visitor enters the flat or house number into the intercom via the keypad and then presses the ‘CALL’ button. The receiver of the call picks the telephone and can speak to the visitor and allow access by pressing a digit on their telephone keypad. This sends a signal to the intercom that activates the door lock or entrance gate and the visitor is able to gain access. If the receiver of the call does not want to grant access they simply put their phone down to end the call.

If the call recipient is on the phone when the call from the intercom is made the call will be seen on the telephone display and the user is able to hold their call and deal with an access request.

Any alterations required to telephone numbers or PIN codes can be actioned by the system installer and can be carried out remotely reducing the need for on-site attendance.

The Telguard system is not only quick to install compared with hardwired systems but also extremely flexible. Calls can be answered on cordless telephones making it possible for users to answer entrance requests while going about day to day business or it is possible for a

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mobile phone to be called for access requests.

We are able to provide systems with backlit keypads and buttons, integrated proximity access and video. The video picture can go to a dedicated monitor or into the communal TV aerial for viewing on any television in the premise. Our GSM 3g video system will send pictures to your mobile phone.

Telguard provides great flexibility where users are elderly or infirm as they don’t have to get up from where they are sitting to answer an access call as they will have their telephone or mobile phone by their side. They will also be able to hear the call clearly.

DDA systems are available with large halo illuminated Braille buttons with big letter, easy to read displays and audio and visual call progress indication.

Bespoke applications are also undertaken making it possible to provide almost any style or shape of system. It may be that we have to provide a system to replace an existing installation so we are able to manufacture our panel to fit the aperture of an old, non functional system.

We are able to manufacture systems in different finishes and colour schemes, we powder coat stainless steel so as to not impact on the vandal resistance of the panel.

As advances in technology arrive in to the public domain, we are always in a position to make the most of these advances thanks to our inhouse development team. We are also able to engineer modifications to software and hardware should a specific requirement be requested.

Our systems carry a 2 year return to manufacturer warranty which can also be extended, and our Technical Department provides installers with the very best in support.

5 YEAR <jVgVciZZ

Delivers high traffic performance, prevents peeling or flaking for 5 years

Works on new and weathered wood and for recoating old applications Protects against moisture damage, with excellent adhesion and flexibility

Available in a wide range of attractive colours to bring new life to any decking

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YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID. www.picturehangingsystems.co.uk 0845 500 70 35

info@picturehangingsystems.co.uk