Local Authority Building & Maintenance November/December 2021

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LABMONLINE.CO.UK

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY ROAD TO ZERO CARBON KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

PROJECT PROFILE Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) was established in 2017 to tackle the affordable housing crisis in the city and has achieved its target to start 500 new homes by 2022, a year early. LABM paid CIP a visit to find out more.

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CONTENTS

November/December 2021 Vol.37 No.6

REGULARS 5 COMMENT Facing the Challenges Ahead Together 6 NEWS Nottingham recognised in CDP’s Cities A List for environmental action — Clarke Willmott acts on affordable housing deal 8 PROJECT UPDATE Sandwell Council adds 90 new homes to its housing stock — plans submitted for new supported housing in Teesside 10 INDUSTRY COMMENT Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing discusses tenant engagement with net zero

The environmental credentials of timber

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Initiating the transition to net zero

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Advice on lift specification

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

SPECIAL REPORTS 12 Now is the Time for Net Zero How the use of timber in construction can help accelerate the drive to net zero 14 ACHIEVING NET ZERO HOMES Andy Sutton, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Sero, focuses on the money needed to deliver net zero PROJECT PROFILE 17 Investing in the City’s Future LABM finds out how the Cambridge Investment Partnership is tackling the housing affordability crisis in the city

Building safety and fire door specification

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28 The importance of dual certification when it comes to specifying fire doorsets 30 Product focus: Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset 32 Using digital tools to drive a better, safer industry

Sandwell Council delivers new homes

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY 20 Fire Safety Signage An overview of the current legislation for fire safety signage

ROAD TO ZERO CARBON 36 Kick-starting Net Zero Transition Initiating a transition to carbon net zero and the importance of planning

KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS 47 Future-proof Homes The need to make homes more accessible for occupants and lift solutions for new and existing homes 48 Wall Panels A guide to waterproof wall panels and the benefits they offer for local authority specifiers 50 Flooring Installations in Damp and Humid Environments Advice on ensure long-lasting resilient flooring installations in damp and humid environments 52 Dementia-approved Bathrooms A new guide to help housing associations create more dementiafriendly bathrooms

22 Bridging the Safety Gap How council building managers can mitigate risk through innovative technology

39 The Role of Insulation in Achieving Net Zero Delivering net zero and what councils need to think about when it comes to insulation specification

25 No Smoke Without Fire Fire door maintenance programmes and details of the Smoke Control Update

42 Time to Act Why councils should act now to meet 2050 carbon targets

55 Bathrooms designed Sustainably Showering solutions for social housing that can help save water without compromising on performance

35 ROUND-UP

44 ROUND-UP

56 ROUND-UP

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Editor Claire Clutten labm@hamerville.co.uk Advertisement Manager Jacob Tatum jtatum@hamerville.co.uk Northern & Midland Area Sales Eddie Wright ewright@hamerville.co.uk Group Advertising Manager Craig Jowsey Digital Group Manager Stuart Duff Digital Assistant David Molloy Design Adeel Qadri Group Production Manager Carol Padgett Production Assistant Claire Swendell Circulation Manager Kirstie Day Managing Editor Terry Smith Printed by WALSTEAD ROCHE Published by Hamerville Media Group Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts WD24 4YF 01923 237799 Email: labm@hamerville.co.uk

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Rising to the challenge As the year draws to a close, it’s an ideal time to look back and reflect on the last 12 months. Councils and Housing associations provide essential services and despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic and what has been a tumultuous 18 plus months, their work has continued, it had too. Most councils and housing associations have embraced new ways of working, adapting how they provide their services and embracing digital transformation to try and ensure the least amount of disruptions to their usual services as possible.

What’s been extremely heartening to see over the last year is the amount of work councils and housing associations have engaged in to provide additional support to their communities, to help them get through the pandemic. Many people have been hit hard, lost loved ones, lost their jobs, are struggling to get by, suffering due to isolation and it’s here where local authorities and housing associations have a vital role to play in making people aware that they are not alone, and helping them to access the support they need.

The challenges the sector faces are numerous and onerous, but as ever councils and housing associations are rising to the challenges and tackling them head on, showing real leadership. In September I was fortunate to be able to spend the day with Claire Flowers from Cambridge City Council and Tom Hill, Regional Director at the Hill Group, touring Cambridge Investment Partnership’s development sites across the city. CIP is a joint venture between the City Council and Hill Investment Partnerships created in 2017 specifically to address the housing affordability crisis in Cambridge.

The city is a hive of research and business activity, with a world-renowned university, making it an extremely popular place to live, and its population is growing rapidly. However, like many cities across the UK, it’s not a particularly affordable place to live and there are simply not enough affordable homes to meet the demand for them.

CIP set an ambitious target to start 500 new homes by 2022 and this year met that target, a year early. The Partnership has over 1,000 new homes in the pipeline and in addition to increasing the housing density on its sites, is bringing many more benefits to Cambridge, such as creating jobs and apprenticeships, delivering new community

facilities, increasing biodiversity and supporting the arts. The homes the Partnership is building are all high specification, with the health and well being of the occupants (current and future) firmly in mind. All the schemes are tenureblind. You can find out more about CIP’s projects on page 17.

CDP’s A List recognises cities “around the globe that are taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency.

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At the end of October, early November COP26 came to Glasgow and 17 exemplary sustainable projects were featured in the ‘Build Better Now’ virtual online exhibition. As part of the exhibition it was fantastic to see two council schemes represented — Bristol City Council’s Hope Rise scheme, delivered in partnership with ZED PODS, Bristol Housing Festival and Bristol YMCA, and the NCH2050 Homes — a partnership between Nottingham City Homes, Nottingham City Council, Melius Homes, Energiesprong UK, Focus Consultants, Studio Partington, Nottingham Trent University and the University of Lincoln.

At COP26 Nottingham set forth its ambition to be first carbon neutral UK city by 2028, well ahead of the Government’s target. This is incredible and it’s really pleasing to see such a bold commitment to tackling climate change. In November, Nottingham, alongside Edinburgh, London and Manchester, were named in the CDP’s Cities A List, which recognises cities around the globe that are taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency. These four cities have thrown down the gauntlet, which ones will be next.

On behalf of all the team at LABM I’d like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year!

COVER STORY: Cambridge Investment Partnership’s Cromwell Road development. Turn to page 17 for more on CIP’s projects.

N OVEMBER/DECEMBER

LABMONLINE.CO.UK

NOVEMBER/DECEMB ER 2021

LOCAL AUTHOR ITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY ROAD TO ZERO CARBON KITCHENS, BATHRO OMS & DISABIL ITY NEEDS

PROJECT PROFILE Cambridge Investmen t Partnership (CIP) in 2017 to tackle the affordable housing was established and has achieved crisis in the city its 2022, a year early. target to start 500 new homes by LABM paid CIP a visit to find out more.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

©dudlajzov/AdobeStock

Affordable housing deal National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has acted on a deal which will see a multimillion pound development of 152 affordable homes on the former site of Leeds City College in Horsforth. The plot was acquired by Vistry Partnerships Yorkshire and social housing provider Stonewater, from Luminate Education Group.

The land has remained unoccupied since Leeds City College closed the site in 2017 and the £22.5m project will include 100% affordable homes, helping to ease local housing demand. The development will be gas-free, with each home fitted with an air source heat pump.

Squire Patton Boggs acted for Vistry Partnerships Yorkshire and Eversheds Sutherland International LLP acted for Luminate Education Group.

New name in affordable housing A new era for 18,000 social housing tenants got underway in November, as three landlords in Housing Plus Group — South Staffordshire Housing Association, Severnside Housing and Stafford and Rural Homes — joined together to become Homes Plus. The creation of a single landlord took place after consultation with customers, earlier this year.

The launch of Homes Plus was celebrated with the unveiling of a new look for repairs and maintenance vehicles, including some limited edition versions featuring artwork specially created by Jon Stiff (pictured), who is Director of Maintenance and Commercial Services at Housing Plus Group and a successful artist.

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Global climate leaders Nottingham has been recognised by CDP as one of 95 cities around the globe that is taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the continued pressures of tackling the coronavirus pandemic on local and national economies and societies.

Designed to encourage and support cities worldwide to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to the CDP-ICLEI Unified Reporting System. A clear momentum in city climate disclosure and action is building; over 1,000 cities worldwide are reporting their environmental impact through CDP in 2021.

A List cities are demonstrating their climate leadership through concerted and effective action, taking twice as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List cities, and identifying more than twice as many opportunities arising from the shift to a net zero world.

Nottingham is one of 11 cities in the UK named on this year’s A List, alongside Edinburgh, London, and Manchester.

These cities are celebrated for showing that urgent and impactful climate action — from ambitious emissions reduction targets to building resilience against climate change — is achievable at a global level and in cities with different climate realities and priorities. However, this action needs to go further and faster to meet the new targets agreed at COP26.

Nottingham has an ambitious plan to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2028. An Action Plan to deliver this

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commitment began in 2020 and focuses on four key areas for action: Carbon reduction measures (including transport, the built environment, energy generation, waste and water, and consumption) Carbon removal (including local carbon sequestration, carbon capture, and large-scale carbon offsetting) Resilience and adaptation Ecology and diversity.

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City Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Sally Longford, says: “I’m delighted that Nottingham has been recognised as an A List City by CDP, alongside 10 other cities in the UK. Not only does this acknowledge the city’s efforts to be a leader in tackling the climate emergency, but it also demonstrates our vision to improve the quality of life for those who live and work in the city.

“Following on from COP26, we are keen to drive positive change within the city. Working alongside other A List cities — including Bristol, Manchester, and Newcastle — we can implement innovative technologies and share best practice. By measuring, disclosing, and understanding Nottingham’s environmental impact, with the help of organisations like CDP, we are able to take the urgent action needed to build a sustainable and thriving economy.”

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New collaboration to accelerate housing delivery The North of Tyne Combined Authority and Homes England have signed an ambitious Memorandum of Understanding — to accelerate the construction of homes as part of the region’s bold plan for postCovid growth and renewal. ©Vitalii Vodolazskyi/AdobeStock

With a focus on the strategic economic corridors of the Northumberland Line, City Centre and North Bank of the River Tyne, the agreement signals strong collaboration between Homes England and the Combined Authority, unlocking resources and expertise that will accelerate development on some of the region’s most important housing sites.

The agreement complements the strong partnership across the region’s local authorities — Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland and will build on over £60m of current investment from the Combined Authority in net zero transition, economic innovation and future skills.

Mayor Norma Redfearn, Chair of the North of Tyne Housing and Land Board, says: “Communities in our region need good quality, sustainable housing that is fit for the future. This collaborative agreement shows that we are working hard to turn words into action, building on our £24m brownfield programme and ambitious regeneration plans in places like North Shields, Scotswood and Blyth.”

Duncan Sutherland, Board Member of Homes England and Co-Chair of the North of Tyne Housing and Land Board, comments: “North of Tyne have shown

real ambition to accelerate the construction of homes and this agreement enables us to combine our resources to do just that. I look forward to us moving forward quickly, getting spades in the ground and providing the new homes communities are crying out for.”

Henry Kippin, Managing Director of the North of Tyne Combined Authority, adds: “Strong collaboration runs through everything we do as a Combined Authority. Working closely with Homes England will enable us to advance our shared goals of sustainable housing that supports inclusive growth, net zero and post-Covid renewal.”

Peter Denton, Chief Executive of Homes England, says: “This new collaboration is one of many ways that Homes England can support places to build more homes.”

DIARY DATES Next steps for decarbonising UK heat and heat networks This Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum policy conference will take place on the 13th January. The event includes speakers from the Clean Heat Directorate at BEIS, Vital Energi, The Association for Decentralised Energy, District Energy Development, Heat Trust, Solihull Council, E.ON, Savills, The UK District Energy Association and a senior speaker confirmed from UK Power Networks.

Sessions will tackle policy priorities for UK-wide heat decarbonisation and scaling up district heating rollout, as well as the latest thinking on retrofit, decarbonising old stock, improving energy efficiency standards, and utilising emerging energy technologies.

The online booking form is available here www.rdr.link/laa001

Will EESSH2 achieve net zero in social housing?

Aico is running a free ideas lab event, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Housing, on the 27th January, which will look at progress towards Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing Two (EESSH2), elements of the standard, air quality, alignment with the net zero target, and how the standard fits with changes needed across other tenures.

For more information and to book the event email events@cih.org or call 024 7685 1722.

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NEWS: PROJECT UPDATE New social housing in the West Midlands An additional 90 new-build social homes are being added to Sandwell Council’s housing stock on two sites in the West Midlands.

Construction has started on 27 new-build social homes on a brownfield site off Reservoir Road, Rowley Regis, which was formerly occupied by two high-rise tower blocks. The £5.1m development will comprise 19 two-bedroom homes and eight four-bedroom homes, including a mix of two-storey, semi-detached and detached housing.

In Tipton, 63 new social homes have been handed over to Sandwell Council. The £8.2m development, located on Strathmore Road, makes 46 two-bedroom, eight threebedroom, and nine four-bedroom houses available for affordable rent.

Seddon worked closely with Sandwell Council throughout the build stages of each

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development to design energy-efficient, affordable homes for the two sites. Both schemes make use of PVC-U doors and windows, as well as insulated floors, walls, and lofts to help meet the council’s goals to lower energy costs for tenants. The new homes in the two locations will go to those who need them most on Sandwell Council’s housing register.

Councillor Zahoor Ahmed, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, says: “We’ve invested around £70m in the last three years as part of our ongoing programme to build hundreds of new council homes for local people. So far we’ve handed over the keys to around 370 new homes with more schemes in the pipeline.”

Councillor Iqbal Padda, Sandwell’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy, adds: “This is another great example of the council working with a partner such as Seddon to increase the

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quality and choice of council homes for Sandwell residents.

“Schemes like these are part of our wider housing development programme to increase the number of council-owned homes for rent. We have a continuing demand especially for family homes and bungalows.”

Rob Moore, Business Unit Director at Seddon, comments: “We have built a close partnership with Sandwell Council throughout the planning and delivery of both developments.

“It’s great to work alongside a forwardthinking organisation that is committed to increasing the quality and quantity of affordable homes, so they are available to the people who need them most.

“We can’t wait to reveal the finished scheme in Rowley Regis once it is ready for new tenants to move in.”

The scheme is set to complete in summer 2022.

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Sustainable supported housing for Teeside Plans for an innovative retirement village and supported housing development on the edge of Redcar have been submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council. If approved, the scheme will see the construction of 75 homes designed for residents with a wide range of support needs, including adults over 55, residents with accessibility requirements and others with learning disabilities.

The homes are to be a mixture of 45 two and three person apartments, within a three-storey building, which will also contain shared social spaces, hobby rooms, a laundry and office space for support staff. There will also be six wheelchairs accessible, four person bungalows, 12 two person, two-storey homes and 12 three person, two -storey apartments.

Newcastle-based JDDK Architects submitted the application on behalf of Vistry Partnerships North East, which will construct the development and Beyond Housing, which will own and operate it.

The site, on undeveloped land just off Kirkleatham Lane

between Redcar to the North and East, and Wilton Industrial Park to the West, will form part of a larger residential development for which outline planning permission was given in 2017.

EQUANS and Rotherham council reduce carbon emissions EQUANS, part of the ENGIE Group, has delivered significant improvement works across 215 homes on behalf of Rotherham Council. A £4.2m investment, including £1m from the Government’s Green Home Scheme, allowed the council to partner with EQUANS and retrofit homes at The Lanes, East Dene — which was completed in just six months. The scope of

works included fitting new triple glazing, replacing old boilers, insulating external doors as well as re-sealing and insulating all flat roofs. Pitched roof and cavity wall insulation was topped up where necessary.

It is estimated that these improvements will, on average per household, cut fuel bills by £323 per year (a saving of more than 30%) and eliminate approximately 1.5 tonnes of C02 emissions annually.

Sean Corcoran, Regional Director at EQUANS, says: “Using EQUANS experience to support Rotherham Council’s zero carbon ambitions has been great. Our site team worked incredibly hard to ensure the project was completed in time for the Government funding deadline.”

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Amy Brookes, adds: “I’m glad we have been able to make this investment in The Lanes for its residents — the improvements will have a real impact in making their homes more comfortable and cutting heating bills. It’s good news in terms of meeting our borough’s environmental targets as heating homes is one of the biggest sources to domestic carbon emissions.”

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Net zero and raising tenants’ awarenesss Involving and listening to tenants must be major priorities for social landlords and government when delivering low and net zero carbon projects, says Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH). ccording to the Energy Saving Trust, 88% of people agree it is essential or important that the UK meets its commitment to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, but many fewer are clear about what needs to be done, or their own role in achieving this ambition. Only a quarter, predominantly in younger age groups, feel they have significant control over their own contribution to the level of carbon emissions, and most are looking to government, central or local, to take responsibility for the action needed.

This is the background against which the Government launched its Heat and Buildings Strategy in October, together with several new pots of money to support investment in insulating homes or decarbonising domestic heating. The Strategy’s assumption is that a zero carbon future is likely to rely on a mixture of low carbon technologies to provide home heating, with air and ground-source heat pumps and heat networks chief among them, and potentially also switching the gas grid from natural gas to hydrogen. But none of these technologies is yet sufficiently mature to roll out on the necessary scale.

Heat pumps are depicted as ugly and expensive, and the Government wants to make them “beautifully designed, smaller and easier to use” and 25 to 50% cheaper by 2025. The potential of heat networks is largely untapped, with a huge responsibility

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on local authorities to take forward the work of mapping opportunities and brokering solutions. The feasibility of switching the gas grid to hydrogen is a major unknown, with its feasibility unlikely to be fully tested before 2030, although the Government has promised strategic decisions by 2026.

Investment focus Understandably, therefore, the Government’s immediate focus for investment is a ‘fabric first’ approach that aims to upgrade insulation in readiness for a later switch to green heat. It remains the ambition that homes will achieve EPC Band C or better by 2035 wherever “cost-effective, practical and affordable”, and that social housing and ‘fuel-poor’ homes more generally will meet this target five years earlier.

So far as social housing is concerned, that means work to at least 1.6 million homes over the next eight years. In principle, this ambition could be met by investment in insulation alone, but the parallel ambition to test and scale up new technologies will necessarily impact on a significant proportion of these homes.

For example, the Government wants to see at least 400,000 heat pumps a year being fitted in existing homes by 2028.

From April 2022, homeowners will be offered up to £6,000 towards the cost of installing one, but the £950m fund

Raising awareness about the issues and options and “taking seriously the job of involving and listening to tenants must be major priorities for social landlords and government alike…

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announced is unlikely to support more than 100,000 such grants.

The arithmetic suggests that social landlords are expected to take a leading role in growing the market for heat pumps, especially for the next decade. But there is little indication that the Government has considered what tenants might feel about this. So far as homeowners are concerned, their rights are seen as sacrosanct, with the emphasis on incentives not compulsion. In the social sector, the Government’s incentives are directed towards landlords, leaving to them the job of ensuring tenant support or compliance with the switch to green energy.

Major priorities This is not a negligible issue. While public opinion, as summarised above, generally supports a switch to renewable energy, it is far from clear how far this extends to a switch from a gas boiler to electric heating, particularly if this goes with giving up a gas hob. And what if the cost saving is negligible because gas remains cheaper than electricity?

Also, many council estates have memories of bad experiences with unreliable and uncontrollable district heating schemes that will make tenants think twice about participating in a heat network. Raising awareness about the issues and options and taking seriously the job of involving and listening to tenants must be major priorities for social landlords and government alike if there is to be any chance of making a success of the new strategy.

www.arch-housing.org.uk

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SPECIAL REPORT: ACCELERATING NET ZERO THROUGH TIMBER CONSTRUCTION

Now is the time for net zero

The Confederation of Timber Industries’ Net Zero Now campaign outlines the benefits of scaling up the use of timber in construction

limate change is now one of the most pressing issues we face.

Without effective action to limit our impact on the natural world, extreme weather in the form of storms, droughts and heat waves will only become more common.

In August this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a stark warning that unless ‘immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions’ are achieved it may not be possible to limit global temperature rises to the critical 1.5˚C to 2˚C range. Also, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) stated that the UK’s strategy for climate resilience is not currently able to cope with the effects of increased temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

The UK has committed to achieving net zero by 2050 and set the world’s most ambitious legally binding target to cut emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. While achieving this target will require innovations and new

C David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries, explains why it is essential to accelerate the drive for net zero and how increased use of timber in construction can help.

approaches, there are changes that can be made immediately to accelerate reductions in carbon emissions — especially in the built environment.

It is estimated that the built environment is responsible for nearly half of the UK’s carbon emissions and the initial embodied carbon (the total amount of greenhouse gas associated with production of materials and the construction process) can account for as much as 30% of this.

The Net Zero Now campaign launched by the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) earlier this year outlines the benefits of scaling up the use of timber in construction to immediately begin achieving on-going carbon reductions.

The environmental case for timber Timber is a naturally low carbon material due to the fact that trees absorb and store CO2 while they are growing. In fact, for every cubic metre of timber used in construction, 0.9 tonnes of CO2e is sequestered and stored for the lifetime of the building. The

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A Stewart Milne timber frame housing development

embodied carbon emissions can account for up to 75% of a building’s total emissions over its lifespan. Therefore, adopting low carbon materials and techniques allows a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of new buildings.

The CCC estimates that using timber frame to build the 270,000 homes required per year in England would mean three million metric tonnes of CO2e could be absorbed and stored each year — the equivalent of removing 648,131 cars from the roads. Making this relatively small change to how homes are built will reduce the embodied carbon emissions of each property by 20%. This demonstrates that there is scope to utilise a larger proportion of low carbon materials and achieve greater carbon savings.

While timber frame homes are currently less common in England, in Scotland it is the go-to method for new homes. The National House Building Council (NHBC) reports that timber frame was is used in around 92% of new homes in Scotland, but only 30% of new homes in Northern Ireland, 22% in Wales and 9% in England. It would only require the other nations of the UK to follow the example set in Scotland for the type of CO2 savings that the CCC outlines to be made.

Existing capacity Furthermore, the Structural Timber Association (STA) estimates that there is existing capacity within the UK timber

For every cubic metre of timber used in construction, 0.9 tonnes of CO2e is sequestered and stored for the lifetime of the building

The CCC estimates that using timber frame to build the “270,000 homes required per year in England would mean three million metric tonnes of CO2e could be absorbed and stored each year — the equivalent of removing 648,131 cars from the roads. frame-manufacturing base to double the output and reach 100,000 or more timber frame houses per year. With investment in this established and thriving industry, the UK could achieve the levels of production required.

In addition to timber frame homes, scaling up the use of timber in other buildings such as schools, hospitals, leisure facilities and mid and high-rise residential buildings can facilitate significant carbon reductions. A report commissioned by the CCC revealed that using cross-laminated structural timber instead of concrete reduces embodied carbon emissions by around 60%.

” Climate mitigation Finally, increasing the use of wood, therefore expanding the demand for commercial timber, immediately also has benefits. A recently published study found that a forest planted today will achieve 20% more mitigation by 2050 than one planted in five years’ time. The findings also suggest that a new commercial forest can achieve 269% greater climate change mitigation over a 100-year span when compared with a newly planted semi-natural forest.

The speed of climate change means it is now an issue that requires an immediate response. While the UK’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050 and the planned future policy changes are important, there are clear benefits to accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions where possible. Timber is tried and trusted, low carbon material, the use of which can be scaled up rapidly in the coming years. It also represents an area where the public sector can lead the way and make a real difference.

■ To find out more about the Net Zero Now campaign and the work of both the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Timber Industries and the Confederation of Timber Industries visit www.rdr.link/laa002

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ACHIEVING NET ZERO HOMES in association with

Net Zero Housing – how do we do that?

How do we make UK housing net zero? Doing it is one thing.

Paying for it is entirely different. In his fourth of our series of articles, Andy Sutton, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Sero, focuses on the money. e need to talk about how we pay for net zero carbon. First, let’s put to bed the idea that net zero carbon can be paid for by public funds from government, whether devolved, national, or international.

The macroeconomics just don’t add up, even for economies that are used to carrying a much higher tax burden than is politically acceptable here in the UK. There’s a case for national debt financing, of course, but that’s just swapping one massive burden on future generations for another.

Grant funding and subsidy schemes have to focus on the two areas government money can make a meaningful difference: supporting the most vulnerable in society; and accelerating innovations that offer wider solutions after they have achieved cost reductions. The smart public money will be spent on these two areas, and in many cases at the same time. Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing and Optimised Retrofit Programmes both typically illustrate combining these objectives.

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replace a broken combi-boiler can become a planned switch to a decarbonised heat source at the end of its service life.

Secondly, as awareness of the legal Net Zero Carbon obligation rises, we will see normal commercial behaviours come to bear, with negotiations over the price of homes more likely to include the cost of works required to make a home net zero.

We’re already aware of new homes bought by a larger landlord that are having the cost of decarbonisation deducted from the purchase price, and these are likely to represent early movers for the wider housing market. If we fast-forward a decade, to hold or maximise your property value, you’re likely to need to be able to

…we need to see our “home’s journey to net zero carbon as a pathway, not a one-off cost.

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With the public purse limited to helping those who need it most, how do the rest of UK homes decarbonise?

Firstly, we need to see our home’s journey to net zero carbon as a pathway, not a one-off cost. By breaking the scale of the challenge into smaller pieces, and spreading this cost over time, it can be included as part of the ongoing repair and maintenance expenses of a home.

Whilst most owner-occupiers don’t overtly budget in those terms, every home has an annual maintenance spend, and the ‘distress purchase’ to

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show that the home has a low future cost for it to achieve net zero.

Thirdly, relevant costs will move to support net zero. In part, this will be the regrading of taxes on electricity as alluded to in the UK’s ‘Heat and Buildings Strategy’.

This will reduce the tax on the lower carbon electricity supply and increase it on the higher carbon gas supply. The resulting impact on home energy bills will affect the choice of heat source at replacement (and the more vulnerable will need to be supported during the transition).

Manufacturing scale and supply chain will, of course, be the other major cost movement here. Many retrofit measures, especially the low/zero carbon technologies, are only at the beginning of their cost reduction curves as the volume of production increases. These, with the associated efficiency innovations, will drive unit costs for many technologies down.

Combined with reduced time-per-install, such cost reductions will reduce the capital price of measures as each step on a home’s Pathway to Zero becomes needed.

Taken in combination, the increase in cost to take a home to net zero from a basic level of annual maintenance costs will therefore reduce. It will be seen in the context of preserving the intrinsic value of the home, or even improving it.

It will be measured against the reduced operational costs of lower carbon energy, and avoidance of the inevitable taxation that will be levied on carbonprofligate homes at some point.

■ More information on Sero here: www.rdr.link/laa003

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PROJECT PROFILE: CAMBRIDGE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP

Investing in the city’s future

Tom Hill, Regional Director at the Hill Group and Claire Flowers, Head of Housing Development at Cambridge City Council

The lack of genuinely affordable homes is a major issue for many cities across the UK. Cambridge’s international reputation in the fields of education and research means the city attracts a lot of people and its population is growing rapidly, increasing the need for more affordable homes. Claire Clutten finds out how the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) is tackling the affordability crisis. he housing sector faces a number of significant challenges. Demand for affordable housing outstrips supply and council waiting lists are bourgeoning. Research report, ‘Building post-pandemic prosperity’, commissioned by the Local Government Association, the Association of Retained Council Housing, and National Federation of ALMOs, reveals that ‘one in 10 households in need of housing are stuck on council waiting lists for over five years as a result of the chronic shortage of affordable homes’. The report goes on to say ‘that as a result of the pandemic, council housing waiting lists could almost double next year to as many as 2.1 million households’.

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Cambridge Investment Partnership’s Timberworks development on Cromwell Road

CIP’s Akeman Street development in Cambridge

The statistics on statutory homelessness in England for the 2020/21 financial year reflect the success of the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ strategy and the tireless work of councils to get thousands of rough sleepers off the streets during the pandemic, however, industry bodies like the LGA are concerned “that as life returns to normal, there could be an increase in homelessness cases.”

Building safety is another major challenge. The National Housing Federation says that housing associations alone are expecting to spend ‘in excess of £10bn to make all buildings safe over the next decade’. In addition to the need for greater funding to meet the costs of fire safety defects, the LGA’s Councillor Renard says

“action is also needed to address the chronic shortage of fire engineers and other competent professionals in the UK today”.

Against this backdrop there’s the added pressure of decarbonisation. Nationwide Building Society’s recent ‘Future Of Home’ report says we need to retrofit two homes a minute by 2050 if we are to achieve our climate goals. Over 300 local authorities have already declared a climate emergency.

Rising to the challenge Local authorities are under enormous pressure, but not ones to shy away from challenges, are displaying great ambition in the projects they are delivering to meet the needs of their local communities. A

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PROJECT PROFILE: CAMBRIDGE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP

prime example of this is the collaboration between Cambridge City Council and Hill Investment Partnerships. The two organisations came together to establish the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) as a joint venture in 2017. The aim — to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis by investing in and transforming councilowned land across Cambridge.

The partnership’s original target was to start at least 500 council homes by 2022, as part of the £70m Cambridgeshire and Peterborough devolution grant. A year ahead of schedule, CIP has already met this commitment and has instigated a new 10year building programme which will deliver a minimum of 1,700 mixed-tenure homes. At least 1,000 of these new properties will be council homes. As part of this new target and inline with the Council’s environmental objectives, CIP is exploring low carbon and Passivhaus building methods. Planning has been granted for 12 pilot Passivhaus council homes on Fen Road in the city.

At the end of September I was invited to take a tour of some of CIP’s development sites — Mill Road, Anstey Way, Akeman Street, Crowlands and Campkin Road — with Claire Flowers, Head of Housing Development at Cambridge City Council and Tom Hill, Regional Director at the Hill Group.

The positive impact of the commitment to collaboration and partnership working between the City Council and Hill is already bearing fruit; with project successes achieved so far going beyond housing delivery, to include wider community benefits — demonstrating

Cambridge Investment “Partnership has surpassed its original target a year early and has already achieved many important community and environmental wins for the city.

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genuine social value. These include £8m worth of S106 money being committed to local schools, parks, sports centres, NHS and The Chisholm Trail, as well as five new community centres across four different wards in the city, a new nursery in Romsey, the creation of new parks and the planting of over 200 new trees. £700,000 has also been invested in public art commissions and it was great to be able to visit some of the development sites featuring impressive local art installations, deliberately designed to pay homage to different facets of the city’s cultural and pastoral heritage.

Ironworks First stop on the tour was the Ironworks, Mill Road development, close to the city centre, which will provide 236 homes — 50% council rent and 50% private sale.

Like all of CIP’s developments, the Mill Road scheme is tenure-blind. Donning safety boots, high-vis, gloves and hardhat, we climbed up the scaffolding steps to take in the impressive views of Cambridge

View from the top of the Mill Road (Ironworks) development

Anstey Way, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire.

Solar PV panels will generate 10% of the site’s energy needs. Image ©Phil Mynott

from the top of one of the buildings. From the rooftop Tom and Claire pointed out several other CIP sites across the city, giving me a much better idea of the scale of development underway.

The final phase of this scheme is due to complete in the third quarter of 2022.

Designed by architects Allies and Morrison, the apartment blocks feature a striking brick façade and benefit from thick walls and floors, and high levels of insulation to reduce any potential for heat loss.

Energy-efficient heating will be distributed to all the apartments via a combined heat and power system and to further reduce energy costs for residents, as well as improve indoor air quality, Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery systems (MVHR) are being installed into all the apartments. Solar PV panels will be used generate electricity to light the communal areas.

The site also includes a new BREEAM Excellent community centre, underground parking, EV charging points and open public realm space. As an extra nod to the scheme’s sustainability credentials, the site benefits from sustainable urban drainage — rainwater gardens and attenuation. CIP was keen to design out the risk of any flooding due to climate change and reduce the pressure on surrounding areas.

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providing much-needed new homes for those in need on the council’s waiting list.

Solohaus

Anstey Way Next stop on the tour was where it all began for CIP — Anstey Way, a 100% affordable housing scheme designed by architect Rock Townsend. The existing 23 council rent and five leasehold properties on the site were in very poor condition. In 2017 they were demolished and the land remediated to make way for 56 new council homes for vulnerable and elderly residents. The homes were completed in 2020 and like the Mill Road scheme, benefit from a fabric first construction, high performance MVHR systems, PV panels to light communal areas, and SUDs. As well as site-specific artwork, the scheme also features sculptured brick art.

Building on brownfield or in-fill sites is a massive regeneration plus, helping to elevate areas that have perhaps become blighted or fallen into decline. CIP’s development scheme on Akeman Street involved demolishing an existing building which housed a community centre on the ground floor with four flats above and replacing it with 14 new high quality council homes (apartments and maisonettes), three commercial units (yet to be filled), a community centre and communal landscaped gardens. The scheme, designed

by Mole architects, has dramatically increased the housing density on the site,

To celebrate Hill Group’s 20th Anniversary, CEO and Founder, Andy Hill set up the Hill Foundation as a means of giving back to local communities and more specifically, as a mechanism through which to help address the homelessness crisis.

The mission, to build and gift 200 homes for free (40 per year over five years) to UK charities, providing essential ‘meanwhile’ accommodation, a roof over vulnerable people’s heads and a safe space to stay until they get back on their feet. From this the Solohaus modular housing concept was borne.

There are three Solohaus sites in Cambridge on land provided by the City Council, situated in social housing developments close to local amenities. The properties in Abbey, East Chesterton and King’s Hedges — donated by the Hill Foundation — are being managed by charity Jimmy’s. The modular properties are all manufactured to Building Regulations M4(2) (wheelchair adaptable) standards, to ensure they are safe and accessible to residents with mobility issues and come fully equipped with kitchen appliances, bed, sofa, table and chairs, as well as a change of clothes.

Campkin Road The final visit on my tour was to the Campkin Road site, where 32 ageing poor quality post war flats and garages have been demolished to make way for 75 new affordable homes, currently under construction. Despite the challenges

posed by the Covid pandemic, the existing residents were all successfully decanted in 2020. This site will feature four houses and 71 apartments and is another prime example of how CIP is significantly increasing housing density in Cambridge to help meet need. Demolition and remediation works got underway in autumn 2020 and the first homes are expected to complete early 2023. The development will also include a new community facility for the area.

Like all of CIP’s housing schemes, the Campkin Road development is being built to high standards of sustainability. It will be gas-free and benefit from extensive green biodiverse roofs. Children from a local primary school helped create the designs for the hoarding surrounding the site.

Claire and Tom are extremely passionate about what they do and what the partnership can bring to Cambridge, and their enthusiasm is infectious. It’s great to see councils engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships with organisations like Hill Investment Partnerships to deliver long-lasting changes for local communities.

Cambridge Investment Partnership has surpassed its original target a year early and has already achieved many important community and environmental wins for the city, from its commitment to boosting housing supply, promoting sustainability and biodiversity on projects, to the creation of employment opportunities and using local labour on sites, to providing homes for the homeless, new community facilities and public art. Tangible evidence that the City Council and Hill are genuinely invested in the future of the city.

The new council homes at Campkin Road

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY

Fire safety signage David Cload, Projects and Technical Manager at Stocksigns, provides an overview of the current legislation for fire safety signage, including the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and the BS EN ISO 7010:2019 relating to graphical symbols, safety colours and safety signs. taying up-to-date on the latest legal requirements regarding safety signage is crucial for any local authority facilities manager.

Not only does it eradicate the risk of fines, but also critically, it serves to diminish the risk of workplace injuries and fatalities.

According to the latest report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 142 people were killed in workplace accidents between March 2020 and March 2021 in the UK, proving there is more to be done

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in terms of alleviating risk for employees across sectors.

Signage has an important role to play in protecting workers, as evidenced by the detailed and ever evolving legislation. In 1996, the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations Act was passed, providing signage guidance ‘for employers and duty holders, and others who have responsibility for the control of work sites

and premises.’ The Act, which was updated in 2005 and is still in effect today, dedicates an entire section to the importance of signs pertaining specifically to fire safety. At the outset of the section, fire safety signs are defined ‘as a sign (including an illuminated sign or an acoustic signal) which: provides information on escape routes and emergency exits in case of fire; provides information on the identification or location of fire fighting equipment; gives warning in case of fire.’

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The document goes on to summarise the use of fire safety signs in buildings and structures, with information regarding the marking and identification of fire fighting equipment. Those responsible for local authority buildings are then given practical advice on where these signs should be displayed; but it is noted that, in many instances, ‘the enforcing authority for fire safety will determine where to locate the signs. In other cases, you should provide signs depending on the outcome of your assessment of risks to health and safety.’

The Act also states that signage should feature wherever hazards have been identified and control measures implemented, in order to alert employees

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of any ‘residual risk’ that may remain. These signs should be clearly visible, ‘properly maintained […] fixed securely and […] sufficiently large to be clearly seen’.

Current technical standard When it comes to sign specification for local authority facilities, it is crucial that all signs conform to BS EN ISO 7010 — the current technical standard for signs designed to prevent accidents, protect against fire, evaluate emergencies and provide health hazard information. Providing standardised signage, this legislation was adapted from the previously used BS 5499.

In order to comply with ISO 7010, the design and colour of each safety sign must be manufactured in accordance with ISO 3864-3 and ISO 3864-4, which provide extensive design element detail. Meeting this requirement will ensure clarity and sign consistency.

However, as ISO 7010 was only implemented in 2011, this legislation is being adopted gradually in order to avoid pressurising companies into immediately overhauling all old signage at significant expense. This means that, for now, original BS 5499 compliant signs can still be used, so long as they are not mixed with ISO 7010 compliant signage. This is because consistency is essential. As such, if any pre-existing BS 5499 signs need to be replaced, every sign on the premises must also be updated to ISO 7010.

Failing to meet these criteria can result in heavy fines, especially if an accident occurs. The publication of ‘Building a Safer Future’ in 2019 has made the consequences more severe, making the neglect of these laws a criminal offence.

Trusted supplier With this in mind, specifying fire safety signage from a reliable and established supplier is crucial. The supplier should be able to provide clear guidance and support, demonstrating that the extensive government standards are being met or even exceeded with clear, high quality products. An ideal supplier will also offer a wide portfolio, allowing local authorities to source all their signs from one place, and simplifying the supply process significantly.

Stocksigns, for example, is a specialist signage supplier that has delivered a wide variety of bespoke and standardised products since 1955. The company played an instrumental role in developing the original BS 5499 legislation that has since been incorporated into ISO 7010 and, as such, local authority specifiers can rely on Stocksigns to deliver compliant, highquality products.

Included in its wide portfolio are photoluminescent signs, which self-charge in ambient light and illuminate, offering an ideal solution when workplace conditions inhibit visibility or power failures occur. In addition, the company comprises a knowledgeable team, including a number of dedicated account managers, on hand to help local authority facilities fulfil their signage needs.

■ To learn more about Stocksigns, please visit www.rdr.link/laa006

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY

Ramtech’s WES3 and REACT in use on the Thames Tideway Tunnnel project

Bridging the safety gap Temporary fire solutions have become a crucial part of building safety for local authorities — particularly within complex scenarios and throughout construction or renovation phases.

Protection of human life is of the utmost importance, and for the public sector, it is of huge benefit if the solution is also time and cost-effective. Adam Jurka, National Sales Manager at wireless solutions firm Ramtech, explains the role of short-term fire safety measures, and how local authority building managers can mitigate risk through innovative technology. hen a permanent fire safety system fails, this presents local authority building owners with a challenge to quickly provide safety cover. This can happen when there is damage to a permanent fire alarm system that leaves it in need of repair, or unexpected malfunctions that mean a replacement is necessary.

As repairs or replacements are not always immediate due to time, financial, or other logistical constraints, by using a temporary system, this will afford local

W Ramtech testing a manual call point, part of the WES3 temporary wireless fire alarm system, on site at Nottingham Castle

authorities and public sector services precious time and peace of mind while any issues are being resolved with the permanent system.

Waking watches or ticking time bombs?

In the aftermath of the fatal Grenfell Tower fire, interim safety arrangements came into place for the hundreds of other buildings in the UK with dangerous cladding. However, more than four years on, residents in these properties are still relying on temporary measures in case a fire breaks out.

This is a no-win situation for anybody involved. Residents aren’t as safe as they should be in their homes, and while the argument rumbles on over who pays for what, short-term measures such as waking watches have ended up costing as much, if not more, than replacing the cladding in the first instance.

At its most basic, waking watch teams or fire warden patrols involve a person or team patrolling buildings, then alerting

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residents to evacuate in the event of a fire.

For large structures, a person on each floor may be required, which can soon add up. According to Inside Housing, the cost of doing this — potentially for local authority housing — can be as high as £500,000 a year per building.

Building owners must now look to pivot their approach and find more cost-effective ways of maintaining vigilance while not relying on the vagaries of human error.

Time sensitive tactics Repairing or replacing a damaged permanent wired fire alarm system can be a lengthy process. The good news is that a wireless system does not require the same sort of installation. In fact, wireless solutions can be set up in minutes and in some instances can be rented out at short notice. For instance, as the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, NHS services had to adapt quickly, often with temporary spaces created, to contain the virus and prevent the spread of infection. This was escalated with the creation of the Nightingale hospitals, such as at London ExCeL. The temporary field hospital, which was constructed in under a week, had the capacity to treat up to 4,000 coronavirus patients. To protect the temporary buildings quickly, the WES3 wireless alarm system from Ramtech was used and linked to a control panel in the security hut on site. It used best quality Category 1, Euroharmonised radio, meaning it would not interfere with other technologies used at ExCeL. Any activations were then communicated to the ExCel security suite via G4S by radio.

Ramtech’s WES3 and REACT in use on the £30m Nottingham Castle renovation project

“

A temporary wireless fire

alarm system should also be factored into the planning for use during periods of building and construction works.

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runs below the River Thames in a complex route across central London.

This highly challenging engineering project comprised of multiple construction sites and WES3 was specified by the joint venture team to deliver EN54 compliance across the West section of the Tunnel project. It was connected to the cloudbased REACT system, so the project team were able to utilise for planning emergency procedures, as well as ensuring they have real-time updates of any onsite emergencies.

Complex connections As well as for temporary structures, major public sector projects also benefit from temporary fire solutions for the duration of onsite works. During complex projects such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel, a wireless system enabled better connectivity across a large, difficult site.

The creation of the major ‘Super Sewer’ in London was designed to prevent the River Thames being polluted by tens of millions of tonnes of overflow sewage that currently flow into the river each year. The ambitious 25km tunnel

Long-term projects A temporary wireless fire alarm system should also be factored into the planning for use during periods of building and construction works. Protecting 1,000 years of history at Nottingham Castle from the risk of fire during its significant £30m refurbishment was an incredible undertaking. Ensuring that the heritage is protected for generations to come during this ambitious project that spanned three years, was vital.

On top of the practical fire safety concerns, heritage projects have the

added concern of protecting the building fabric from any unnecessary alterations to maintain its historical value. So, choosing a fire protection system that does not rely on an external power source and does not impact the fabric is another consideration.

Our solution covered the entire site and delivered exact location information should a fire have broken out. The units could span any distance by utilising their innovative ‘flooded mesh’ radio network.

Its connection with our cloud-based system also provided 24/7 coverage on the city centre site.

Taking ownership of fire safety Wireless fire alarm safety systems ensure that local authority buildings, whether residential or commercial, can continue to operate safely. This investment will offer peace of mind to the building owners and prevent delays when facing unpredictable circumstances. Not to mention how they help building owners, their contractors, occupants, and the wider public stay safe — when waiting for a permanent solution.

With the help of experienced wireless technology specialists such as Ramtech, the right temporary wireless fire alarm solution can be quickly deployed to ensure that there is never a gap in safety.

■ For more information about Ramtech and the WES range please visit www.rdr.link/laa007

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY

No smoke without fire Dave Walker, Technical Director of Distinction Doors, stockist and distributor of the fds (fire door systems), discusses the importance of effective fire door maintenance programmes and the Smoke Control Update, which in 2022 will require certification for doorsets to include smoke control. ire safety is probably the biggest housing maintenance and management concern for Registered Providers. Earlier this year it was reported that London’s biggest housing associations expect to spend almost £3bn over the next decade making safe those buildings with dangerous cladding.

The G15, a collective of London’s 12 biggest social landlords which own and manage over 600,000 homes, estimate a spend of £2.9bn on fire remediation. This will cover the cost of removing and replacing the cladding, insulation and cavity barriers on buildings taller than 18 metres.

While these figures now form part of a financial plan the knock-on for planned maintenance in existing and new-build social housing stock is significant.

Peter Benz, Director of Finance at Network Homes, says: “The effect of introducing this into our medium-term financial plan is substantial. It means we have fewer resources available to invest in our existing stock. We have recast our planned maintenance programme to ensure that sufficient resources are available to maintain our homes at a decent standard, but it has had the consequence of deferring some planned maintenance work and displaced some discretionary work.” (source: socialhousing.co.uk) This is a concern. Nowhere more so than the maintenance of other fire safety

It is essential that only tried, tested and proven fire safety products are procured and installed correctly across all housing

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LAs and HAs should seek fire door installation companies that meet the requirements of Q-Mark STD 052

has declared that in “itsSBD opinion guidance for doorset threshold testing is unacceptable in the real world…

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products, for example entrance fire doors. Due to some performance issues identified post-Grenfell, it is understood that like cladding, insulation and cavity barriers, many fire entrance doors in high-rise buildings will also need replacing, at vast expense.

With housing maintenance and management departments facing serious financial constraints it is more important than ever that only tried, tested and proven fire safety products are procured and installed correctly across all housing stock.

Trusted testing Fire doorsets, for example, should be third party tested and certificated using an independent United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited test house. Proof of independent thirdparty testing offers reassurance to all stakeholders, demonstrating that the

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY

product has been verified by an expert and is publicly available.

One Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) composite fire door system supplier has raised the bar, satisfying not just the British Standard (BS 476-22) but also the more demanding European test method standard (BS EN 1634-1). The tests were conducted in three countries, using three variations of supporting wall construction — 150mm and 225mm rigid aerated block and flexible steel stud construction.

Proven performance While fire protection is the key factor in the specification of a fire entrance doorset, it must also deliver against smoke control, security, weather, sound insulation and thermal performance. In addition to fire test evidence, procurement teams must also seek assurance for Ambient Smoke Control (EN1634-3:2004), Enhanced Security (PAS24:2016), Weather Performance (BS 6375), Thermal Performance (Approved Document L) and Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation.

Fire doorsets should be third party tested and certificated using an independent UKAS accredited test

not practicable (BS 8214). Both can lead to smoke leakage, with the latter proven to allow smoke leakage three times that of the allowance in current Building Regulations.

Smoke Control Update (SBD) It is worth highlighting that effective from 1st June 2022, SBD ‘…will require all SBD member companies with doorsets listed with us that are fire rated and that are required by UK Building Regulations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to have smoke control properties for the intended installation e.g., flat entrance doorset, to be certificated for the following attributes — Security, Fire and Smoke Control.’ (source link: https://www.securedbydesign.com/aboutus/news/certification-of-doorsets-to-includ e-smoke-control) This change follows an internal review and extensive consultation after which SBD announced that it ‘…now understand[s] more clearly the importance of asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation and that being the most common cause of deaths in flats when a fire occurs.’

SBD has declared that in its opinion guidance for doorset threshold testing is unacceptable in the real world — both the taping up method (BS 476-31.1 or BS EN 1634-3) and 3mm gap at the threshold in situations where fitting a threshold seal is

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doors. This can sometimes be the same supplier that fabricates the fire door — in reality there is no one more competent.

With the procurement and accurate installation of appropriate fire safety products, we are one step closer to a safer future. Even in the grip of financial restrictions however, Registered Providers cannot afford to forgo maintenance of these products.

Long-term, maintenance is a crucial factor in the reliable and consistent performance of a fire door, for example. As a risk to life product, it is a duty of care. A robust maintenance and auditing schedule is essential as are regular inspections if we are to avoid another tragedy like Grenfell. Of course, every entrance fire door is as important as the next but, due to the volume of people and high footfall, this is particularly important in multi-occupied residential buildings.

An effective fire door maintenance programme is fundamental, one that addresses accountability and provides transparency. This must transcend party politics and financial constraints; the supply chain, housing providers and government owe it to the British public.

Fds

Fire door testing at warringtonfire

Certified installation Some installation companies have recognised a demand for third party certification and have taken steps to achieve this. The BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Installation scheme has been ‘…designed to provide reassurance to specifiers, contractors and end users that the product they have chosen has been installed correctly and that it should perform as intended.’

Purchasing departments and building maintenance and facilities managers would do well to seek fire door installation companies that meet the requirements of Q-Mark STD 052 and demonstrate competence in the installation of fire

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fds (fire door systems) is a brand of Distinction Doors, the largest supplier of glass reinforced polyester (GRP) composite door blanks in the UK. The Neuma fds FD30 composite doorset range is a complete fire door system, meeting the requirements of Approved Document B and underpinned by a third-party certification scheme, to regulate control and deliver product consistency. The Neuma fds range is available nationwide through a network of official, third party approved doorset manufacturing partners.

■ For more information on Distinction Doors visit www.rdr.link/laa008 ■ For more information on the Neuma fds range visit www.rdr.link/laa009

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LABMONLINE.CO.UK

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

Part of the Masonite Group

BUILDING SAFETY AND THE LATEST FIRE DOOR SOLUTIONS Page 28 | Door-Stop discusses the importance of Dual Certification Page 30 | Product Focus: Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset Page 32 | Using digital tools to drive a better, safer industry

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

Dual certification offers safer, more secure housing

Hannah Mansell, Group Technical Director at Masonite UK and Door-Stop International, explains what the social housing sector needs to consider when specifying fire doorsets, and how Door-Stop’s latest product — the Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset — can help those responsible for managing fire door safety. hen we launched the Fire and Security DualCertificated Doorset last year, we wanted to provide the social housing sector with a product that they could install into the homes of residents with confidence that it would perform as intended in the event of a fire.

We spent a significant amount of time undertaking research and development testing to create the robust primary test evidence base that is used in our certification. This helps us to understand not only what makes a door pass a furnace test, but also the contributory factors that make a

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The four panel doorset in green with an arched glazed panel and TS 008 security and fire rated letter plate

The new Door-Stop Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset in grey with a one square glazed panel

product fail. It is essential that those working with fire doors in high-risk residential buildings also know what they should be looking for when choosing a new product.

Fire doorsets are complete systems, so it’s important to understand the interplay and impact that every component — even something as tiny as a screw or fixing — has

on the system as a whole. That’s why transparency, traceability and technical support are integral to our approach.

Confidence in the specification When choosing a new fire doorset, consideration must be given to how the Responsible Person and the Principal

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Roles and responsibilities Responsible Person: The person who has legal responsibility for the fire safety in a building and is in charge of overseeing the safety of all building users under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Principal Accountable Person: The person with overall responsibility for meeting the statutory duties introduced through the Building Safety Bill for the whole building introduced in July 2021.

Accountable Persons and Responsible Persons are required to cooperate with one another when fulfilling their duties to deliver a holistic approach to the management of building and fire safety risks in their building.

Accountable Person are going to manage the product throughout its lifecycle.

Stakeholders need to have access to information to be able to make informed decisions every step of the way, from initial specification through to installation and on-going maintenance. Third party certification is central to this, enabling access and traceability to the full specification of the product. Certification is a complex process, but it allows stakeholders to get the product information they need and be assured the product achieves the stated performance (more on this on pages 32-33).

Essential information for postoccupancy management Accurate record keeping of the product that has been installed and any future maintenance or refurbishment works is imperative to managing a fire safety product throughout its life.

To help stakeholders easily access information about fire doorsets,

The doorset in duck egg blue with TS 008 security and fire letter plate

a tamperproof traceability label is applied to each Door-Stop doorset that allows stakeholders to trace the specific doorset, certificate and data sheet, and download it from a publicly available register.

This unique sequential traceability also allows Door-Stop to have permanent digital traceability of the raw materials, components and production processes for each doorset.

This helps our stakeholders to confidently validate, now and in the future, that the doorset installed on site matches the certificated specification.

To help fire safety professionals within local authorities and housing associations keep on top of the latest best practice guidance, Door-Stop offer a ‘Behind Closed Doors: Managing Fire Door Safety in Purpose Built Flats’ webinar.

The presentation looks at the different types of fire doors in these buildings, the considerations when managing retrofit essential fire door safety works, and how stakeholders should interact with them

during the specification, installation and maintenance. The webinar gives insight into testing, including primary test evidence and dual third-party certification and how to navigate the complex paperwork trail that often comes with fire doors. For a copy of the webinar, please contact ukmarketingteam@masonite.com.

Founded in 2008, all Door-Stop International products are manufactured in the UK with all operations taking place at the Door-Stop head office in Nottinghamshire. Door-Stop has been part of the Masonite group since 2014.

■ To find out more about the Fire and Security DualCertificated Doorset, visit masonite.co.uk/firedoorset or contact the sales team by calling 01623 446 336 or emailing sales@doorstop.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

Product Focus: Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset The Door-Stop International Fire and Security Dual-Certificated Doorset is third-party certificated using a robust base of primary test evidence as the foundation for certification.

Its extensive testing regime goes beyond minimum standard benchmarks to account for testing variability and provide layers of assurances in the results.

Door Closer Can be adjusted to achieve various opening forces

Core A solid timber core with GRP facings

Hinges Grade 13 stainless steel fire door hinges

Frame UPVC frame with timber reinforcement

Choosing a fire doorset To support social housing providers during the specification process, Door-Stop’s online product configurator tool can be used to tailor the doorset to the required specification. Further support is on hand for those that would prefer to discuss projects with one of Masonite’s experienced specification or technical team.

Door-Stop’s 10-day lead time makes its fire doorsets suitable for a variety of scenarios experienced by social housing providers: essential retrofit works; reactive maintenance; refurbishment; and new-build projects.

Threshold Part M compliant

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Intumescent Seals Graphite based intumescent, encapsulated in red PVC

Glazing

TS008

Patented glazing system with security and fireglass

Fire rated letterplate with security cowl

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ADVERTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

Using digital tools to drive a better, safer industry

Digital systems can help to build a more transparent construction industry that is safer and better understood by the people who live in and use the buildings around us. Hannah Mansell, Group Technical Director at Masonite UK and Door-Stop International, takes us through the importance of its ‘Critical to Safety’ digital system, which is designed to ensure that every fire doorset is produced to the proper standard.

Door-Stop, our digital Golden Thread of traceability starts with “ourAtbespoke digital ‘Critical to Safety’ framework. This records the multiple production and specification checks carried out on the components and manufacturing processes of each doorset.

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ne of the key recommendations of the Hackitt Report was the creation of a digital Golden Thread of information. The purpose is to create a permanent digital record for every building that lasts for its whole lifetime. In practice, it means that all information related to a building, from design through to construction and occupation, is digitally passed along the chain to the relevant people, for example from architect to contractor.

This is so building owners and end users can understand everything about their building, including the construction methodology, the products installed, and the expected levels of quality and performance. Crucially, this information should be readily available, to help with on-going asset maintenance and to manage expectations.

The Golden Thread applies to all buildings within scope of the new building safety regime that was introduced via the new Building Safety Bill in July 2021.

Included in the scope are occupied higher-risk buildings — those over 18 metres or seven-storeys with at least two residential units. Manufacturers play an important role in providing this information in a transparent manner.

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Digital tools bring safety to the top of the agenda At Door-Stop, our digital Golden Thread of traceability starts with our bespoke digital ‘Critical to Safety’ framework. This records the multiple production and specification checks carried out on the components and manufacturing processes of each doorset.

This helps to ensure that the specification is maintained at every stage of production.

Every doorset is supplied with copies of the full certificate, data sheet and installation instructions, which list the original primary test evidence reports of our product. The label traceability affixed to each doorset means that stakeholders can not only see who the manufacturer was but can also trace their way back to the certificate and access detail of compatible components and specification limitations via a publicly available register. This is a vital link to help stakeholders manage, inspect and maintain the product throughout its lifetime.

Primary test evidence is an important factor of third-party certification. Every test sample that we manufacture is witnessed by an independent third-party observer and they verify each component and the full production process.

During this process, the independent witness permanently marks the doorset with traceability marks. These are then verified by the test house and on the sampling report that is included in the final test report. This proves that the product that was tested was the same one that was witnessed and sampled, directly from the production line in our factory.

This directly addresses one of the criticisms within the Grenfell Inquiry; that manufacturers do not provide clarity behind product specifications or around the specification that was originally tested.

Increasing understanding behind construction products This level of transparency is essential if we are to build trust back into the building products industry. So too, is that manufacturers link the gap between the doorset leaving the factory and it being installed on site.

For fire doors and doorsets to perform in line with the specification and certification, they must be installed in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. We ship detailed installation guides with every product. We also recommend using third party certified installers to ensure a level of

suitable competency and documentation is exercised throughout the installation and maintenance processes. Together, it means that the doorset should perform as intended in an emergency.

We also ship every doorset with a Resident Guide, to help improve fire door safety knowledge among end users. This is so that they are empowered to take a more active role in their own safety and can raise any issues if required. The guide includes a simple checklist that residents can use to check and understand their fire doorset, as well as links to further sources of information if they have any further queries.

The industry is trying to address this issue around transparency too. In September 2021, the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) was launched. Developed by the Construction Products Association (CPA), it sets out five core principles — that all product information must be Clear, Accurate, Up-to-date, Accessible and Unambiguous. Supported by 11 clauses around how information is created and verified, it should help to drive change in the future.

However, it is a voluntary standard.

Manufacturers should be driving a more open approach around these critical to safety products anyway. We believe that it should be the minimum requirement for any business that supplies products like these — lives may depend on it.

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Door-Stop International Fire Doorsets I E: sales@door-stop.co.uk I T: 01623 446336 www.masonite.co.uk/firedoorsets/

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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY ROUND-UP

GEZE UK RIBA-approved CPD ‘Specifying, Installing and Maintaining Ironmongery for Fire Doors’ has been completely revised and includes new visuals and updates to regulations all in the company’s new branding. The CPD explains what fire doors are, identifies their various components, how they work, the standards and regulations which surround them and why smoke is so dangerous. It incorporates the latest statistics for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including the number of people that die from smoke inhalation every year. Offering architects and specifiers invaluable advice and guidance, this updated training seminar gives a better understanding of the standards and regulations surrounding fire doors to ensure fire safety is paramount. The 40-minute seminar is included in RIBA’s core curriculum: Design, Construction and Technology and Health, Safety and Wellbeing for the General Awareness knowledge level.

■ To find out more or to book a CPD seminar visit www.rdr.link/laa010

Residential tower emergency communication solution Following the Grenfell Tower incident resulting in the tragic loss of life in 2017, and other events in residential towers, it has become clear that a method of informing residents of a situation is urgently needed. Baldwin Boxall has addressed this problem by designing a solution that has been successfully installed in a residential tower. Fire officers, council personnel and landlords were consulted and have fully endorsed the groundbreaking pilot scheme. The specially designed, networked, enhanced public address system enables fire rescue services to broadcast speech and message announcements to single floors, multiple floors or the whole building in the event of an emergency situation. Installed as a secondary measure to the building’s fire detection and traditional sounders, the system can be used to broadcast information and reassurance to the residents — including instruction as necessary.

■ For more information on Baldwin Boxall’s solution visit www.rdr.link/laa011

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ROAD TO ZERO CARBON

Successful decarbonisation demands a carefully planned and structured approach

Kick-starting net zero transition When it comes to initiating a transition to carbon net zero, planning makes perfect, says Kirti Rudra, Energy & Carbon Solutions Director with EQUANS. arbon emissions and climate change are rarely out of the headlines, and organisations of all sizes are acutely aware of their responsibilities towards the environment and future generations. The Government has set a target for the UK to be net zero by 2050, and many organisations have already set themselves even stricter deadlines.

For local authorities, tackling the climate emergency has been a priority for a number of years. All are at different stages of the net zero journey. Some already have roadmaps in place and have begun implementing decarbonisation measures, while others are still gathering the data to inform their action plans.

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Rising to the challenge of decarbonisation One of the greatest challenges for public sector bodies at any stage of the decarbonisation journey is prioritising measures to achieve the greatest impact and deliver the widest benefits across the

organisation. The challenge is made more complex for local authorities by their varied portfolio of properties and assets, each with differing ownership arrangements.

Many councils have limited financial resources to invest in carbon reduction measures and new low-carbon technologies. Various decarbonisation funding schemes are available, but it’s important to get the timing right to meet application deadlines and avoid delaying essential capital projects.

The challenges of planning, prioritising and implementing decarbonisation measures are exacerbated by a lack of time and expertise in often under-resourced

Many carbon-reduction “measures offer an excellent return on investment, enabling councils to repay any funders over an agreed period.

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organisations. However, expert support is available from facilities and energy management specialists, like EQUANS, with particular expertise in the net zero transition.

Scoping out your carbon footprint Successful decarbonisation demands a carefully planned and structured approach, beginning with an understanding of your organisation’s carbon footprint. That requires an assessment of the carbon emissions associated with your operations.

Specialist consultants can help accurately assess carbon emissions, which will include ‘scope 1’ direct emissions from fuel consumption and vehicle fleets, and ‘scope 2’ energy-related indirect emissions, including emissions from purchased electricity, heating and cooling.

Councils may also need to assess ‘scope 3’ indirect emissions, such as those associated with waste disposal, transport and employee business travel. All of these emissions combined make up the baseline carbon footprint against which carbonreduction targets will be set.

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Creating a joined-up net zero roadmap By analysing your baseline emissions, energy consultants can recommend the most effective combination of measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero over an agreed period. There is a hierarchy of measures, beginning with easy-toimplement, low-cost energy efficiency strategies, through to longer-term renewable generation and green thermal schemes that require greater capital investment. The options include: Energy efficiency — introducing energy-efficient products and services, such as LED lighting or building insulation, as well as changing operational practices to optimise energy use.

Asset conversion — transferring fleets to electric vehicles, converting oil and gas boilers to low-carbon technologies, such as electric heat pumps.

Green power — sourcing electricity from renewable generators, installing onsite or offsite renewable generation facilities (e.g. solar PV, wind), corporate power purchase agreements.

Decarbonising heat — sourcing green gas for heating, installing onsite or offsite renewable heat generation plant (e.g. biomass, hydrogen, anaerobic digestion) and local heat networks.

Offsetting — tackling residual emissions by funding certified carbon-offsetting schemes overseas, or ‘insetting’ through tree planting, green corridors and sustainable landscaping within the region. Councils often prefer such local measures, as they provide a visible demonstration of their net zero commitment to local communities.

ensures all measures complement each other and deliver the optimum benefits.

Your scheduling needs to take into account realistic delivery timescales for each project, considering the time required to plan, assess costs, achieve sign off, fulfil governance requirements, meet funding deadlines and begin implementation. Carefully planning, scheduling and prioritising your projects at the outset will enable you to set a realistic target date for reaching net zero carbon.

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Financial planning for long-term returns

Wind turbines are one example of green power generation

Detailed technical specifications and investment-grade proposals will need to be developed for each of the measures and projects.

When scheduling projects for implementation, it’s important to think about impacts across the wider organisation.

Think about linkages to other parts of the organisation and other priorities, so you can coordinate activities in a way that

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Funding options for each proposal must be identified at the planning stage, to enable timely applications to be made and to support effective budgeting. A whole range of funding options is available to help overcome budget constraints, ranging from green grants such as the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and government-backed interest-free loans, to funding directly from energy partners or other third parties.

These provide the essential capital required to get projects off the ground in a timely manner.

Many carbon-reduction measures offer an excellent return on investment, enabling councils to repay any funders over an agreed period. In fact, a significant benefit of many net zero projects is the ongoing cost savings they deliver alongside carbon reductions. So, at a time when budgets and revenues are under pressure due to Covid19, net zero carbon initiatives can help to redress the balance and improve public sector finances for the long-term.

Summary It’s important to calculate the correct mix of options that will best deliver net zero, given the demands and operational requirements of your specific properties, assets and activities. These measures can be set out in a net zero roadmap, which provides a framework and action plan for your longterm carbon-reduction programme.

As organisations across the public sector consider how best to deliver the Government’s net zero objectives, now is the time to seek specialist support to plan the way ahead and drive action forward.

Whether you are at the initial scoping stage or have already begun implementation, expert support can help you turn net zero ambitions into reality.

Planning, scheduling and prioritisation From this roadmap, detailed plans can be developed setting out the options to be implemented, year-by-year, over time.

Councils can consider ‘insetting’ through tree planting

■ For more information on EQUANS and its services visit www.rdr.link/laa012

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ROAD TO ZERO CARBON

The role of insulation Following the publication of the Heat and Buildings Strategy in October and with proposed changes to Approved Document L in England on the horizon, what do local authorities need to think about when it comes to insulation and what is its role on the road to net zero? Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL UK explores. ithout a doubt, heat pumps and the proposed approach to gas boilers grabbed headlines following the publication of the Heat and Buildings Strategy. However, the policy paper released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy states: ‘Improving the energy efficiency of the fabric of the building, the appliances used, and the heat distribution system will reduce wasted energy and therefore reduce carbon emissions.’

Despite the fabric of a building being first in this list, it could be viewed that a home’s material construction and specifically its insulation have been somewhat overlooked in the narrative. Yet to enable technologies such as heat pumps to have the intended impact on carbon emissions, we must begin with a whole house, fabric first approach for reducing energy usage in the first instance.

Or, where new technologies are retrofitted, make sure they are placed within a building fabric that’s highly effective so that their benefits can be realised.

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Starting with the fabric To reduce carbon emissions, reduce energy usage, whilst also reducing energy costs, and maintaining indoor comfort, those responsible for public housing will

The ROCKPANEL cladding façade system and a combination of ROCKWOOL External Wall and Flat Roof insulation products were installed at Portsmouth City Council’s Wilmcote House

need to take the lead on an integrated approach which firmly recognises that the fabric of the building must provide a high standard of insulation which performs consistently and effectively in use.

Encouragingly, the proposed legislative changes help drive a fabric first

approach with a focus on build quality.

Changes to Approved Document L (ADL) in England act as a stepping-stone to the Future Homes Standard, stating that all new buildings must be designed to produce 31% less carbon emissions than those built to Part L1A (2013)1. Significant

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ROAD TO ZERO CARBON

updates to minimum standards for work on existing dwellings are also anticipated.

The changes proposed to ADL in the Government’s preferred option, a ‘fabric plus technology’ approach, will target both the heating system and fabric of a new building. The proposed removal of the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standards (FEES) in the new Part L has been dropped, and this fabric first approach will remain be a significant feature of future legislation.

Building better Born out of a need to close the gap between designed and as-built performance, a further change with ADL will be greater scrutiny of build quality. In England, this will manifest itself as the introduction of a Buildings Regulations England Part L (BREL) report, along with the need for photographic evidence of compliance. While this visual documentation will support local authorities in driving up standards, performance gaps often occur in areas that can’t be seen, thus we need more stringent monitoring of the build quality and, in particular, properly installed insulation to ensure the required performance is achieved.

To fully realise net zero carbon by 2050 — as the Future Homes Standard hopes to in part achieve — local authorities and their contractors will need to do more to ensure buildings perform well into the future and key to that is the effective specification, installation and monitoring of a robust insulation solution that provides continuity of performance.

Continuity for compliance The first step in achieving this designed performance is to be certain that insulation is fitted contiguously and without gaps. Stone wool insulation makes this process easier as it is highly pliable so can be closely friction fitted to frames, without the need for impractical levels of precision cutting. This simplicity minimises the margin for error, supporting reliable and

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The composition of stone wool insulation allows individual slabs to knit together to create a seamless fit

effective thermal performance that reduces thermal bridging.

This process also applies to abutments between insulation boards, another area that can be prone to thermal leakage. The composition of stone wool insulation allows individual slabs to knit together to create a seamless fit and the workable nature of stone wool insulation supports the delivery of designed U-values.

For continuing performance, dimensional stability is key. Buildings can naturally expand and contract over time, which can lead to the formation of gaps and voids. Stone wool maintains its shape and properties over time across a wide range of temperatures, and has the resilience to accommodate building movement when fitted under compression.

It has a proven ability to provide consistent performance — shown by tests even after 55 years in use — without a drop in its thermal properties.

The bigger picture By achieving a well performing building fabric, the carbon savings that local

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authorities can deliver are significant.

According to independent calculations by the Energy Savings Trust, fitting cavity wall insulation could save up to 505kg of CO2 per year based on the combined average for a semi-detached, mid-terrace home or a detached bungalow. Showing the potential impact of positive action, multiply this saving by the 1.58m homes managed by local authorities in England2, half of which may not have sufficient cavity wall insulation3, and the savings are nearing 400 million kilograms of carbon annually.

While the road to net zero is undoubtedly challenging, starting with the fundamentals of a well built home is a significant step on the journey and one within easy reach.

1 Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government 2021 2 Gov.uk, Local authority housing statistics data returns for 2019 to 2020 3 https://www.statista.com/statistics/292265/insul ation-in-dwellings-in-england-uk-y-on-y/

■ For more information on ROCKWOOL’s stonewool insulation products visit www.rdr.link/laa013 ■ To download the ROCKWOOL Red Book visit www.rdr.link/laa014

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ROAD TO ZERO CARBON

Time to act Act now and take the shorter route to meet 2050 carbon targets, says Adam Sanford, Framework Lead at Southern Construction Framework.

The award-winning Ada Lovelace Building in Exeter

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OP26 has identified that this is a time where we all need to act — construction and the built environment have a big part to play. The summit represents a stake in the sand to take some bold decisions to transform the way we consume resources.

Creating a new-build net carbon zero building should no longer be considered a journey, we are already there and any decisions we make now for a new building will directly affect any organisation’s ability to meet carbon targets in 2050. At the same time, there are plenty of ways that we can reduce carbon use now, and not wait to the end of a building’s life.

Upgrading mechanical controls and relamping programmes are some of the most effective ways to cut emissions without large capital costs and can improve the useable life of a building.

We need a huge focus on embodied carbon. It has never been more important to engage local SMEs to help cut down

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transport, use local materials that don’t come with shipping or air miles. We need also to think about the embodied carbon already stored in an existing built environment — reduce, reuse and recycle isn’t just for household waste! We must apply the same principles to built estates.

Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves to put a cost to the carbon and be prepared and willing to consider a higher capital cost not just to save money on operations but also to save carbon in construction.

Now is the time to engage your contractor from feasibility. Main contractors have the ideas, contacts and buying power to not just to give lots of ideas but also to make low embodied carbon and net zero happen.

Sharing best practice creates new ideas and fosters collaboration. Both are essential to breed an environment of collective change and support. Here are some examples of recent SCF projects that we are proud to have been part of as we enter a new era for the built environment.

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Ada Lovelace Building, Exeter The award-winning Ada Lovelace Building is a BREEAM Excellent, net zero carbon operation development at Exeter Science Park, designed specifically for science, technology, engineering, maths and medical (STEMM) businesses. It has been named in fitting tribute to the mathematician celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace.

Over three floors this striking building is a versatile, future-proofed, commercially viable space, which is both net zero carbon in operation and a high-quality environment to work in. It meets a growing need for flexible offices, workshops and laboratories for companies working in scientific R&D, who have outgrown the Park’s incubation spaces.

The building includes a 44kWp solar PV system and enhanced insulation on the roof and walls, which achieved an A+ EPC rating with a 99% perfect score. Its energy use is 82.98kWh/m2 per year, with energy

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generated by the PV arrays stored in batteries and reused in the building. The main heating fuel is District Heating with a biomass boiler serving the complex and the building has natural ventilation heat recovery (NVHR) units, which temper the air quality and regulate thermal comfort.

If there is too much CO2 in the building the units bring in more fresh air from outside, warming it using air extracted from the building to warm air it’s drawing in, ensuring thermal control and negating the need for air conditioning, with an effective brise soleil system to control glare. The target CO2 emission rate (TER) was 14.9kgCO2/m2. The team achieved a building CO2 emission rate (BER) of -0.8kgCO2/m2, helping to deliver net zero carbon.

Stoneham Park Primary Academy

Stoneham Park Primary Academy, Eastleigh Stoneham Park Primary Academy is a 315-place primary academy for children aged 4-11, sponsored by the University of Winchester and a pilot project for the Hampshire County Council model. It sits at the heart of a housing development of 1,100 homes in Eastleigh and has been designed to encourage community use with a learning resource area at the heart of the plan.

Conceived as a lean, compact and energy-efficient two-storey form, it is modest in scale and has been built using the Streif modular system, which allowed the structural panels to be delivered to the site with external windows, doors and glazing pre-installed. This meant that they could maintain a shorter timescale of delivery and a smaller volume of deliveries to the construction site, which also minimised waste.

Its compact design is based on ‘fabric first’ principles combined with a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system to improve thermal comfort indoor air quality (IAQ) and dramatically reduce energy consumption. It also includes solar panels to generate electricity.

The innovative Streif advanced timber panel system is a robust and highly sustainable framed construction based on low carbon/energy use. This has provided numerous benefits including improved quality and running costs, significant savings on programme and preliminaries and minimises the risk of coordination errors when working internally. The whole manufacture is audited to ISO 9001 standards.

■ For more information on Southern Construction Framework visit www.rdr.link/laa015

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ROAD TO ZERO CARBON ROUND-UP

Decarbonising home heating white paper Vaillant has released its ‘Decarbonising Home Heating in the UK’ White Paper, which offers a balanced overview of the mix of heating technologies and the support available to installers and specifiers. The paper is set out into three different chapters — Heat Pumps, Hydrogen and Hybrid Heating Systems. Chapter one focuses on heat pumps, outlining the properties most suitable for this tried and tested technology, looking at the opportunities presented, addressing the challenges in growing the heat pump market, the need for upskilling and the routes available. Chapter two looks at hydrogen and highlights the current timeline for hydrogen trials in the UK. It covers the essential details of what a hydrogen-ready mandate could entail, what Vaillant believes needs to be done, the developments underway and how specifiers can prepare for the future fuel, today. Whilst chapter three covers hybrid systems, where heat pump and boiler technologies are used in tandem.

Install, grow, relocate: the green roof project on the move Two projects, one green roof. That’s the aim of a groundbreaking initiative to revamp a YMCA with a living roof removed from a development a short walk away. The Saxon Court building in central Milton Keynes has undergone a temporary transformation into a ‘live lab’, showcasing green, blue and biosolar roof applications together with vegetable growing, all installed while planning permission is gained to redevelop the site.

Green infrastructure and living roof specialist Bridgman & Bridgman is spearheading the venture — entitled The Green Roof Project — with support from Milton Keynes Council, aiming to demonstrate the benefits of retro greening urban landscapes for biodiversity, carbon capture and food production. An integral part of the plan is to train young people from YMCA MK to install the living roof and gain expertise and certification in the installation and maintenance of green roofs. Green roof manufacturer Wallbarn has supplied its award-winning modular M-Tray green roof system for the project.

■ More information on Wallbarn’s green roof system here www.rdr.link/laa017

■ The White Paper is available to download here www.rdr.link/laa016 Heat pump installation is helping Greenwich Council tackle climate emergency

Cement-free concrete block achieves Environmental Product Declaration

Works to install a highly innovative water source heating system, which will warm 95 homes at Ernest Dence Estate, Greenwich, have begun as part of the council’s ambitious target to reach net zero carbon emissions, 20 years ahead of the national target in 2030. Water source heat pumps are a low carbon and cost-effective alternative to traditional gas boilers. They work by extracting heat from water hidden beneath the ground and converting it into useful energy to warm homes.

Renewing the heating and hot water system using water source heat pump will provide a more efficient heating system producing less carbon emissions, improving local air quality and delivering 5,309 tonnes of CO2e savings over 25 years — the equivalent of growing around 87,000 trees! The installation of heat pumps at the Ernest Dence Estate are part of a wider scheme which has included building repairs and redecoration, window repairs, loft insulation, and new low energy LED lighting.

The carbon-saving potential of the world’s first cement-free alternative to OPC blocks, Greenbloc, has been ratified following the award of an Environmental Product Declaration.

The EPD is classed as a type III environmental declaration with ISO 14025 and provides transparent and credible information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its lifecycle — from material extraction, through to manufacturing, usage and end of life.

Greenbloc was developed as an ultra-low carbon alternative to traditional cement-based concrete blocks and is designed to help reduce the construction industry’s dependency upon cement — the world’s third highest source of man-made CO2 — as a key ingredient in concrete manufacturing. Manufactured to BS EN 771 – 3: (2011) from class 1 aggregates and Cemfree — a totally cement-free alternative to conventional concrete — Greenbloc also complies with Part E of the Building Regulations for Walls and Floors. It is suitable for all applications, including foundations, load-bearing walls, internal leaves of cavity walls and partition walls.

■ For more information on Greenbloc visit www.rdr.link/laa019

■ More details on the project here www.rdr.link/laa018

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Infrared heating and water heating solutions for social housing Ambion, the manufacturer of computer-controlled infrared (CCIR) space heating technology, has expanded its portfolio to include KERS water heating systems. KERS is a highly efficient indoor heat pump with an integrated mechanical extract ventilation (MEV) that works by recycling the warm air generated inside a home, such as in the kitchen and bathroom, to produce hot water. It can achieve temperatures of up to 65˚C, which is higher than standard air source heat pumps (ASHPs), without using an electric immersion heater.

As well as boosting EPC scores and helping social housing providers prepare for the Future Homes Standard, Ambion’s CCIR and KERS combination can help significantly reduce fuel poverty. As CCIR uses 60% less energy than standard convection systems, and KERS uses 70% less energy than standard water heating systems, residents’ heating bills will be significantly reduced.

■ For Ambion’s CCIR space heaing visit www.rdr.link/laa020 ■ For KERS water heating systems visit www.rdr.link/laa021

HVAC systems whitepaper tackles sustainability and overheating issues With the built environment contributing 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint and the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) warning of the dangers of overheating buildings, a new whitepaper is highlighting the importance of sustainable HVAC systems to construction professionals.

The whitepaper, from polymer specialists REHAU, identifies issues around building overheating, air quality and sustainability, and the need to decarbonise new and existing buildings to meet net zero targets. Citing UKGBC findings that heating and cooling is responsible for large quantities of buildings’ ‘in use’ emissions, it explores the impact of sustainable HVAC systems on construction.

Following CCC warnings that not adapting the built environment to changing climates could pose major risks to occupant health from overheating, the whitepaper looks into thermally activated building structures (TABS) technology’s role in resolving this.

■ To download REHAU’s new whitepaper, click here www.rdr.link/laa022

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

Future-proof homes

The most efficient and cost-effective way to manage adaptations is to cater for them during the design and build phase

With an ageing population and state care homes facing critical pressure, it is likely that future care will be a prospect in the home. We must therefore consider future-proofing new-build social housing and how adaptations can be made to existing stock, with minimal disruption, says Steve Hill, National Sales Manager at Terry Lifts. s people age and become less active and mobile, they may lose access to areas of their home, restricted by steps or narrow doorways. This can leave residents limited to just a few rooms and without access to facilities.

Rather than the more obvious and costly solution — moving the resident to another property better suited to their needs but potentially away from their community, friends and family, Registered Providers can choose to adapt the house. We’re all familiar with the vision of an older person accessing the first floor on a stair-lift but technology has

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evolved, with through the floor lifts offering a practical, life-long, affordable alternative, enabling elderly and disabled people to enjoy the freedom of their home.

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Which lift?

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Coming in all shapes and sizes, many home elevator systems cater for a wide range of mobility issues and can accommodate a variety of equipment, from wheelchairs to walking frames. Maintaining safe, smooth and stress-free access allows people to continue with their routine and preserve familiarity, for example sleep in their bedroom, use upstairs facilities etc.

The needs of the individual/s will influence the choice of home lift. There are several practical considerations including: How many passengers does it need to carry?

Does it need to accommodate a wheelchair user, now or in the future?

How many floors does it need to serve?

How much space is available for the lift?

Where could the lift be located?

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Lift manufacturers can advise and offer guidance through the selection process, with most offering a free no-obligation survey.

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Size matters

construction, future proofing can be factored in by the project architect and timber frame designer. With a through-floor home lift for example, they can design the floor structure to make it simple to cut through the floor in the future — allowing the lift to travel from ground to first floor without compromising the structural integrity of the first floor.

While an individual’s needs may dictate the type of lift required, it is also worth bearing in mind the size of the property. A domestic lift system needs a suitable amount of headroom on each floor and will typically occupy a footprint between 800 by 1,150mm and 1,600 by 1,525mm.

Any potential structural changes to existing stock will be identified during the survey conducted by the lift provider.

Building Control approval is necessary if the installation involves the alteration of the structural integrity of the property such as forming an aperture in a ceiling. A reputable lift provider will look after this if they are doing the building work but the obligation to check that the approval is in place rests with the purchaser. Planning permission is not required for the installation of a vertical lift system.

New-build Of course, the most efficient and costeffective way to manage adaptations is to cater for them during design and build.

Future proofing at this stage can save time and money in the long run. Regardless of whether the equipment is installed now or later, landlords know that the property can accommodate them in the future.

There’s one modern method of construction which is increasingly popular with housing providers and that’s timber frame. And no wonder when it offers such efficiency and flexibility. With timber frame

Fire protection

The Harmony Home Lift features safety glass vision panels and the low cabin floor profile

To comply with British “Standards, a lift must have

A through the floor lift requires an opening to be created for the lift to pass through when travelling from floor to floor. This instantly breaks the fire integrity and removes the fire protection of the first-floor structure — potentially enabling a fire to move freely between floors.

To minimise risk, it is vital that an independently certificated through the floor lift is specified. Look for a product that complies with BS 5900:2012 (Powered home lifts with partially enclosed carriers and no lift way enclosures) and is independently tested by an approved Notified Body. A compliant product will maintain the fire and smoke protection between floors, whether it is parked upstairs or downstairs.

a dedicated electrical supply and not be plugged into the nearest socket.

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When specifying a through the floor lift, look for a product that complies with BS 5900:2012

Certificated installation The installation of a through the floor lift raises some important safety considerations, that’s why it is critical that a compliant home lift is installed by a certificated engineer and electrician. To comply with British Standards, a lift must have a dedicated electrical supply and not be plugged into the nearest socket.

Some UK lift manufacturers offer training for installation and maintenance teams.

With the vulnerability of the NHS and care home system exposed by the pandemic, it is vital that we invest in future proof housing stock. The population is living longer, and demands are changing. With planning and forethought, we can design-in details for future adaptations in new-build social housing, saving time and money, and more importantly, help people to live life better and for longer in their own home.

■ For more information on Terry Lifts’ range and services visit www.rdr.link/laa023

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KITCHENS, BATHROOM & DISABILITY NEEDS

L Wall panels

ocal authorities have an important responsibility to ensure their social housing tenants are provided with a happy, pleasant and comfortable home in which to live. Being one of the most used and high-traffic spaces within a home, it’s no wonder that bathroom renovations are a significant part of maintenance and refurbishment programmes. That said, with the potential for there to be hundreds, if not thousands, of properties on a local authority’s housing stock portfolio, a special type of building product is required to help deliver the works quickly, efficiently and to a high-quality finish.

While tiles may be the go-to product for bathrooms, having been the traditional choice within the market for many years, other solutions are available which offer significant benefits. With standard tiles taking around five days to install, from the initial wall preparation through to grouting, it can cause a significant amount of mess and disruption. Specialist tools and labour can be required for their installation, resulting in higher costs, and they can be easily cracked or chipped during transportation and handling.

Tiles also require regular upkeep and maintenance to keep them looking fresh and new, with the grout, in particular, a common area to age, discolour and even become a breeding ground for bacteria. However, waterproof wall panel systems offer an ideal alternative to tiles for the social housing sector.

Selecting the right building products and materials for the job can be a challenge on major social housing refurbishment projects, with many factors to consider. Here, Scott Beattie, Managing Director at Fibo explores why waterproof wall panels present the ideal choice for local authority specifiers when renovating bathrooms.

Fibo’s waterproof wall panels are available in an array of designs, such as Cracked Cement

Need for speed As we know, a local authority may have hundreds upon hundreds of social housing properties on its system, with any planned maintenance programme becoming an incredibly large and long undertaking. As such, it’s important that building products and materials are selected which offer a quick and easy installation process, with minimal fuss. As well as enabling providers to work through the programme quicker, saving time and money, this can also help to minimise disruption to existing tenants.

Unlike tiles, wall panel systems can be installed in a matter of hours, especially those with a ‘tongue and groove’ system, meaning the panels can simply ‘click’ together. Suitable for fixing to any secure wall surface, or even over existing tiles, wall

Fibo’s waterproof wall panels in White Silk Herringbone

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panels offer minimal mess and disruption and are the ideal choice for refurbishments projects. What’s more, panels can be handled and installed by anyone with basic carpentry skills, without the need for specific tiling experience or expertise.

Built to last Another consideration for social housing providers is performance. Selecting products and materials that are durable and easy to maintain is key, helping to mitigate the need for costly repairs or additional maintenance further down the line.

Commonly manufactured from a timber core and bonded with high-pressure laminates, waterproof wall panels can be incredibly strong and long lasting, as well as being easy to clean and maintain. The absence of grout is another bonus — a common-known area for deterioration — although that’s not to say that you have to forfeit the classic look of tiles by opting for wall panels, as we will soon explore.

Fibo’s Rough Wood wall panels

Style and substance While wall panels may have once been seen as a cheap, unattractive and plastic option, this is certainly no longer the case. There are now many contemporary and stylish designs, colours and effects available, enabling local authorities to create a modern bathroom space without going over budget.

For example, local authorities can choose from simple block colours and traditional effects like marble, through to those that offer a more contemporary look and feel.

Including natural and industrial effects, such as cement, sand, stone and timber, which reflect the latest interior design trends.

There are also tile-effect panels available, should specifiers remain a little wary of moving wholly away from the tiled aesthetic, creating such a realistic look and feel that tenants will be amazed to discover they are not in fact tiles.

Fibo, the global waterproof wall panel manufacturer, offers a series of wall panels across its six collections all available with a 25-year guarantee, providing local authorities and social housing providers with additional assurances of its performance. Part of this promised durability and reliability comes from Fibo’s Aqualock tongue and groove system, developed to form a tight, waterproof and seamless join between the panels. And for those who are nervous about moving away wholly from the tiled aesthetic, Fibo can router out the grout line, creating an even more realistic and 3D tile effect.

■ You can learn more about Fibo here www.rdr.link/laa024

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

Flooring installations in damp and humid environments

Appropriate subfloor preparation is imperative to ensuring a long-lasting, professional flooring finish and to avoid floor failure

Neil Sanders, Technical Director at UK manufacturer of subfloor preparation products and floorcoverings adhesives, F. Ball and Co. Ltd., discusses the variables to consider when determining how to ensure long-lasting resilient flooring installations in damp and humid environments. looring in kitchens, bathrooms and wetrooms is exposed to varying degrees of moisture. This necessitates special consideration when installing floorcoverings in these settings to ensure that installations remain in good condition in between refurbishments.

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Subfloor preparation Water that is allowed to get beneath resilient floorcoverings, such as vinyl sheet and tiles, can attack adhesives, causing floorcoverings to blister and debond and damage subfloors that are sensitive to moisture, leading to costly floor failures and recalls.

Key to preventing this is the use of suitably moisture resistant adhesives and floorcoverings (which depends on how

much water they will be exposed to), as well as proper subfloor preparation. Appropriate subfloor preparation is imperative to ensuring a long-lasting, professional flooring finish and avoiding floor failure. Before proceeding with any floorcovering installation, it’s important to make sure that the subfloor is suitably sound, smooth and free of any surface contaminants, including old adhesive residues.

In accordance with British Standards, F. Ball recommends the use of a precalibrated digital hygrometer to measure the relative humidity (RH) levels within the subfloor as part of any floorcovering installation. If subfloor relative humidity levels exceed 75% RH, a moisture management solution, such as a liquid waterproof surface membrane, will be

required to prevent excess subfloor moisture attacking adhesives and damaging floorcoverings.

Floorcoverings Resilient floorcoverings are an obvious choice for damp and humid environments because they are not affected by moisture like other types of floorcoverings, such as wood, and can easily be cleaned.

Vinyl planks or tiles may be installed in humid environments, such as domestic bathrooms. However, the installation of vinyl sheet is recommended in wetrooms and other areas where floors will be subject to high levels of moisture, including standing water. In these situations, seams must be welded to ensure a watertight seal and prevent an ingression of water. For the

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same reason, there should be seals where floorcoverings meet drains or capping and coving at walls.

In all cases, floorcoverings and vertical flooring accessories in bathrooms, wetrooms and other environments with high levels of moisture should be installed using a suitably moisture resistant adhesive.

Adhesive selection Epoxy or polyurethane adhesives have traditionally been the recommended option for making flooring installations resistant to water, inside and outdoors, because of their high resistance to water, oil and grease. The latest advancements in adhesives technology have enabled the creation of one-part, moisture-curing adhesives for internal and external heavyduty applications, which are also solvent and isocyanate free.

These adhesives have been specially developed to provide the high bond strength required to hold a wide range of floorcoverings in place in the most demanding environments, such as in areas subject to surface water, heavy loads and high foot traffic. They are also easier to apply and faster curing than traditional alternatives,

proceeding with any floorcovering installation, “it’sBefore important to make sure that the subfloor is suitably sound, smooth and free of any surface contaminants, including old adhesive residues. requiring as little as 90 minutes to secure floorcoverings. The fast-setting properties allow welding of sheet floorcoverings to take place from as little as two hours.

Fibre-reinforced formulations are also available which, unlike traditional reactive adhesives, offer high initial grab, limiting lateral movement of floorcoverings while contractors are working, a particular advantage when installing LVTs.

Another solution The arrival of hybrid adhesives offers another solution for installing resilient floorcoverings in damp and humid environments. As well as being resistant to water, F. Ball’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS, for example, offers the familiar characteristics of pressure sensitive adhesives, making it ideal for installing luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) in these settings. It also develops the extremely high bond

Whatever type of adhesive is required, it’s recommended that contractors check the compatibility with chosen floorcoverings

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strength to hold floorcoverings in place in areas exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations (from -20°C to +60°C), which can cause tenting and gapping at the interface of adjacent tiles and planks and at the edges of floorcoverings.

Excellent resistance to plasticiser migration and high initial grab also makes Styccobond F49 an alternative to contact adhesives for installing vertical flooring accessories, including skirting, capping and coving, which are typically applied to vertical surfaces that may be subject to damp and humid conditions. This means that contractors can now use one adhesive to install both vinyl floorcoverings and accessories in these situations.

Compatibility check Whatever type of adhesive is required, it’s recommended that contractors check the compatibility with chosen floorcoverings.

For these purposes, F. Ball produces its industry-leading recommended adhesives guide (RAG), which lists adhesives recommended for use with over 6,000 floorcoverings, produced by over 200 floorcovering manufacturers. It is available on the F. Ball website and as a free app, as well as a printed booklet Alternatively, F. Ball’s technical service department is on hand to answer any questions specifiers might have about installing floorcoverings in damp and humid environments or floorcovering-adhesive compatibility. Contractors can also contact floorcovering manufacturers for advice.

■ For more information on subfloor preparation visit www.rdr.link/laa025 ■ To download F. Ball & Co’s Styccobond F49 Hybrid PS data sheet visit www.rdr.link/laa026 ■ To download the recommended adhesives guide (RAG) visit www.rdr.link/laa027

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KITCHENS, BATHROOM & DISABILITY NEEDS

A dementia-friendly bathroom needs to protect the user from scalding, falls and visual confusion

Dementia-approved bathrooms Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, a leading provider of accessible home solutions, discusses the launch of a new guide that will help housing associations create more dementia-friendly bathrooms.

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report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People1, released earlier this year, states that ‘there is an urgent need to ensure that housing is ‘dementia-ready’ from the outset.’ It also highlighted that ‘the social sector needs to grow and provide more dementia-ready and adapted housing’.

With one in 14 aged over 65 and one in six aged 80+ living with dementia2, the need is already significant.

Why are bathrooms so challenging for those with dementia?

Dementia can cause someone’s perception of danger to steadily diminish, and the bathroom can become a dangerous and confusing place. People with dementia are twice as likely to fall and these falls result in significantly higher mortality rates than for

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others in the same age group. In the standard bathroom layout hazards are numerous and include trip points, slippery floors, hot water and confusing layouts. For those with dementia the bathroom can become a challenging and sometimes frightening place that can cause upset, frustration and a reluctance to use it.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, the number of people with dementia is steadily increasing and careful planning is required to manage their care and support. AKW’s new guide to creating dementia-friendly bathrooms has been produced with advice and support from specialist dementia design advisers at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC). The aim of the guide is to offer housing associations, installers and the general public best practice guidance on designing this important space.

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Things need to change, as at present only 11.5% of local authorities mention dementia in their housing assistance policies3. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People report gives social landlords recommendations for getting prepared for dementia. As well as encouraging social networks in communities, preventative changes are suggested to help people live more independently for longer. Part of the considerations includes looking at the hard design of bathrooms that enable independence.

What is a dementia-friendly bathroom?

Importantly, a dementia-friendly bathroom doesn’t need to cost more than a standard bathroom adaptation, but the products and guidelines regarding colour etc. need to be followed to ensure maximum safety and

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comfort. A dementia-friendly bathroom needs to protect the user from scalding, falls and visual confusion. To do this a range of design techniques need to be employed: Protection against scalding — Someone with dementia may progressively lose safety awareness and as a result they will become more vulnerable to scalding. Opt for thermostatic taps and showers and use low surface temperature radiators and under-floor heating if possible.

Protection against falls — Avoid sharp edges, install a level access shower instead of a bath, include a shower seat, PET shower screens instead of glass, and shower curtains made from a breathable fabric to prevent suffocation if a person falls. Also ensure that the floor is a single colour to avoid a colour change being mistaken for a step, steer clear of shiny flooring (as this can be perceived as wet), flecked flooring (it can be seen as dirty) and dark flooring (potentially mistaken for a big hole,

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making the person with dementia reluctant to step on it).

Protection against confusion — Shortterm memory loss and forgetfulness and visual confusion are both symptoms of dementia. To help overcome these issues in the bathroom, opt for a shower with an automatic switch off, flood-proof plugs (or no plugs at all) and choose retro-style taps and flush handles. Also ensure any mirrors have a roller blind or can be covered if needed. Finally, use contrasting colours to define the shower and toilet areas so the user can locate them easily (surfaces that have a light reflectance value of 30 points of difference achieve good contrast).

Choosing the right products can significantly help those living with dementia, that is why AKW has developed a range of products that are ideal for use in a dementia-friendly bathroom. From thermostatic care showers and contrasting toilet seats and grab rails, to non-slip

flooring in a range of colours that will clearly contrast with the walls and taskspecific lighting, AKW offers a solution.

1. All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People, Housing for those living with Dementia report, February 2021 2. Alzheimer’s Society 3. All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People, Housing for those living with Dementia report, February 2021

■ For specifiers, contractors and social landlords wanting to find out more, AKW’s Guide to Creating Dementia-Friendly Bathrooms is available to download from www.rdr.link/laa028

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS

Bathrooms designed sustainably When specifying building products for social housing projects, ensuring that residents’ needs are fulfilled as well as meeting budgetary requirements can often feel like a balancing act. In addition, housing providers are also looking for ways to make their properties more sustainable. Martin Walker, CEO for Methven, discusses how these complex challenges can be met. reating low carbon homes has been high on the agenda for the past few years, but now we are starting to see a shift from the Government towards supporting homes to reduce their water consumption. Earlier this year Environmental Secretary George Eustice outlined a 25-year Environment Plan, which sets out new regulations such as encouraging local authorities to adopt the new optional minimum building standard for water consumption in all new builds where there is a clear local need, such as in water stressed areas.

In addition, the guidance sets out that new homes will see a maximum of 110 litres of personal daily water consumption as a standard. To put this in perspective, the UK is facing severe water shortages with the average household using around 150 litres of water per person per day. Climate change and population growth are two of the key driving factors for this and statistics show that water used in the bathroom accounts for 40% of a household’s daily usage.

What can local authorities and housing associations do to make their properties more water efficient and reduce their water usage? Organisations such as Waterwise work closely with local authorities to provide advice and guidance on how to manage their water consumption. Local authorities can benefit from a collaborative partnership with water companies to meet water saving

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Methven has created various spray technologies that can save up to two thirds of water when compared to a power shower

targets. These include incentives such as Severn Trent offering any new-build home £353.00 off their clean water infrastructure charge if they have built to 110 litres or less PPPD, while Southern Water is offering a total discount of £230 per property.

Simple steps a housing provider can take is by removing older, higher consumption products such as showerheads and retrofitting them with low consumption models. Historically, some water efficient showerheads, particularly those at entry level that are commonly constructed of white plastic, have gained a negative reputation for having poor performance compromising the overall bathroom aesthetic.

Flow rates and spray patterns While many of these products may have significantly reduced the flow rate of water used per minute, the overall function was so limited that individuals had to shower for up to twice as long, resulting in the same level of water usage as a normal showerhead. However, manufacturers such as Methven have introduced a new generation of high quality, visually appealing chrome showers that provide the lowest flow rates available, without compromising on functionality or aesthetics.

Methven currently holds three of the six worldwide patents for showering technology that offers water saving

benefits. These include Satinjet, Aurajet and Vjet, shower spray technologies, which maximise each individual droplet of water to make contact with the skin in the most effective way. Spray patterns are crucial to the showering experience and Methven’s technologies are designed to provide more generous coverage than conventional needle jets.

The patented designs can also help save up to 50% on energy costs and up to 55% on the cost of water used in the shower, ultimately helping to reduce utility bills.

Methven has taken a different approach to many other manufacturers by engineering the spray experience based on a desired, limited flow rate to maximise the user experience. By working with flow regulator constraints from the outset, they have created various spray technologies that can save up to two thirds of water when compared to a power shower.

While making vast changes across housing stock to minimise our environmental impact on future generations might not be achievable in the short-term, implementing simple changes across developments will help not only save money in the longer term but also protect the country’s depleting water supply.

■ For more information on Methven visit www.rdr.link/laa029

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KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & DISABILITY NEEDS ROUND-UP

Technology to promote independent living Social landlord ForHousing is installing Alertacall’s enhanced housing management technology to help increase contact with tenants in supported housing in Oldham. Tenants living in supported housing engage with the touchscreen technology to pick up any news, updates or other key information about their home or report repairs. If the tenant doesn’t press the button by an agreed time, a member of the Alertacall team will call them to make sure everything is ok with them and their property.

The company’s Housing Proactive service enables tenants to have housing related contact with their landlords at a time that suits them. The technology also helps to improve the efficiency of the service offered to tenants by identifying property and tenancy issues at an early stage. All service interactions are recorded, and made available in real-time. The core Housing Proactive service can be enhanced with WiFi, video door entry, digital telecare, sensors, video calling and smoke alarms.

■ For more details on Alertacall’s services visit www.rdr.link/laa030

Magnet’s contract division relaunches as Magnet Projects Magnet Contract Kitchen Solutions, Magnet’s B2B kitchen division, is relaunching as Magnet Projects, which will reposition the brand with a more premium offering and improved services. The fastest growing supplier of kitchens to public sector, private developers and private landlords, the division is set to implement a raft of changes to improve its services, infrastructure and product offering to further strengthen its customer first approach.

Specifiers will have a dedicated team working on their project from start to finish to ensure a seamless operation. Magnet’s stateof-the-art planning and design tools have also seen an overhaul, promising faster and more inspirational design. The division’s warehousing will be localised, ensuring stock is readily available and can be offered with more flexible delivery options — whether that’s in bulk to site or kerb-side to a customer’s property.

■ For further details on Magnet Projects please visit www.rdr.link/laa031

rdr.link Introducing rdr.link A new digital service for our readers With a wide array of online resources supporting the latest solutions – from videos to technical guides, PDFs to Podcasts – it can be a challenge to locate what you need.

To ensure you don’t miss out on these valuable resources, we are introducing rdr.link – a new, rapid service to transport you immediately to the online resources mentioned in our stories.

So, in articles you may now see things like: “To view an exclusive time-lapse video of the process use rdr.link/AA101” Simply enter rdr.link/ with the unique 5 digit code into a browser and it will take you directly to the mentioned resource – in this case the video.

Designed to help busy professionals rapidly locate more information – look out for & use

rdr.link

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The benefits of stairclimbers

Making public realm space accessible for all

New research commissioned by Habinteg Housing Association has revealed more than half of British adults believe they would have to move if they became physically disabled, because of steps and stairs. Yet, counters AAT GB, there is already equipment available that could avoid the move. Further, there would be no requirement for adaptation, with all the associated cost/structural disruption.

The equipment is a mobility stairclimber — a powered, seated climbing device that is steered and controlled by the care-giver to safely transfer the person with reduced mobility up and down stairs and steps. The variety of designs available means there is an option to suit every person, and every configuration of stairs, including turns, narrow flights, half-landings, spirals. Thus, whether a staircase in the home or couple of steps down from door to street, the person — whether adult or child — can continue to live in their home, and, importantly, still access their wider community.

Marshalls Landscape Protection has designed, developed and produced a bespoke, accessible seating installation as part of a project to rejuvenate a public space in Cookridge Street, Leeds city centre. The development set out to transform Cookridge Street from a heavily trafficked road to a communal pedestrianised space. The ambition of the project, as part of the Connecting Leeds scheme, was to increase public space within the city centre — with a particular emphasis on making the area more inclusive for those with accessibility issues.

Marshalls Landscape Protection was approached by John Sisk & Son, the contractors delivering the project, and tasked with producing two bespoke retaining walls that incorporate integral seating within the design.

Marshalls Specification Development Manager, Dominic Renney, says: “Accessibility was a major component to the brief, so we designed the walls to be at a height that made it easier for wheelchair users to move between their chair and the seating.”

■ More information on the concept and benefits of stairclimbers here www.rdr.link/laa032

■ For more details about Marshalls Landscape Protection visit www.rdr.link/laa033

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Advertisement index Here is a useful summary of all the adverts that appear in this issue of Local Authority Building & Maintenance.

Each is listed with its page number and a direct URL that will get you straight to the relevant online information Aico Ltd......................................................................(page 2 IFC) www.rdr.link/laa100

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Structherm Ltd ................................................................(page 7) www.rdr.link/laa118

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