Refurb Renovation News - Issue 44

Issue 44 2020

De Rosee Sa Architects

renovate Somerset barn and build timber clad guesthouse

SELECTAGLAZE

SUPPORTS £4 MILLION RESTORATION OF MUCH LOVED LOCAL LANDMARK

VATRA HOUSE PROJECT

Space saving techniques to incorporate in your home

by Naturalmat

VICAIMA

LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE STRENGTHENING THE USER’S EXPERIENCE

Bona

Improved Floor Hygiene

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LOCHANNA KITCHENS CELEBRATES 100,000TH SALE AS IT GETS BACK TO BUSINESS

Snickers Workwear - Cool and Smart this Summer Lightweight Shirts, Shorts and Trousers make working on site a breeze this summer.

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VICAIMA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE STRENGTHENING THE USER’S EXPERIENCE

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£4 MILLION RESTORATION OF MUCH LOVED LOCAL LANDMARK: SELECTAGLAZE SUPPORTS

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ALFRESCO FLOORS INTRODUCES THE A1 FIRE-RATED DECKING PEDESTAL SYSTEM, THE A-PED™

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ECOMERCHANT: THIS IS THE ONLY QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A BUILDING MATERIAL

Everyone needs to be cool, dry and safe at work this summer - to maintain wellbeing and working efficiency on site. That’s why Snickers’ new Topwear will make work this summer a real breeze!

There’s also brand new LITEWork Trousers and Shorts, plus special offer ‘Two-pack’ 100% Cotton T-shirts. Choose from three different easycare colour and design options to compliment whatever you’re wearing at work or play.

There’s also new Hoodies, Sweatshirts and Hi-vis ProtecWork protective wear in a range of styles and colours that are super-light and quick drying with advanced ventilation to keep you cool when it’s warm.

They’ve all got superb, body-mapping designs for an amazing fit, outstanding functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day.

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SPACE SAVING TECHNIQUES TO INCORPORATE IN YOUR HOME - BY THE EXPERTS AT NATURALMAT

Getting information on the Snickers’ Summer Workwear range is easy. You can call the Hultafors Group Helpline on 01484 854788.

You can check out the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email sales@hultaforsgroup.co.uk

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21/07/2020 10:07:16

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PERMAROOF ACHIEVES TWO MONTHS OF RECORD-BREAKING SALES IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19

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SHOUTING FROM THE TREE TOPS: THE BENEFITS OF TREE PITS

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PROJECT: DE ROSEE SA ARCHITECTS RENOVATE SOMERSET BARN AND BUILD TIMBER CLAD GUESTHOUSE

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PROJECT: VATRA HOUSE

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BONA: IMPROVED FLOOR HYGIENE

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7 WAYS PLANTS CAN RELAX YOUR MIND - BY FOREST HEALTHCARE

Contents Lapthorn Media Ltd

Editor Maria Lapthorn editor@rrnews.co.uk

Designer Laura Whitehead laura@rrnews.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Francesca Amato editorial@rrnews.co.uk

Website Content Russel Goldsmith russel@lapthornmedia.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Georgina Baxter georgina@rrnews.co.uk

Circulation Manager Leo Phillips subs@rrnews.co.uk

Tel: 01843 808 102

Sales Manager David Valentine david@rrnews.co.uk

Accounts Richard Lapthorn accountsdept@rrnews.co.uk

www.rrnews.co.uk

Sales Assistant Jane Parker jane@rrnews.co.uk

Publishing Director Paul Attwood paul@rrnews.co.uk

5-7 Ozengell Place Eurokent Business Park Ramsgate CT12 6PB

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Issue 44 - 2020

very effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Refurb & Renovation News however, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufactures or contributors.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

Company News APPG ON HYDROGEN’S REPORT CONFIRMS UK’S HYDROGEN LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, SAYS BAXI HEATING Following the All Part Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hydrogen’s latest report, the UK has a clear opportunity to become one of the first nations to integrate hydrogen into the future energy mix, say Baxi Heating.

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eff House, Head of External Affairs at Baxi Heating, explains: “While there is a consensus within the report that clean hydrogen will be an essential part of the future energy mix, a plethora of UK case studies used in the report, including the work Baxi Heating

has been carrying out with its own prototype hydrogen boiler, as well as trial projects like HyDeploy and Hy4Heat, demonstrates that the UK is in a strong leadership position.”

Jeff, continues: “Although other nations are now setting out ambitious and coherent hydrogen deployment strategies, the report demonstrates the UK’s strength when it comes to current hydrogen research and development, in addition to its importance when encouraging a smooth transition to low-carbon hydrogen-based heating.

The exemplary work going on in the UK at present sends a clear message that there is an opportunity for the UK to maintain leadership into the deployment of hydrogen as a future fuel.

Jeff, concludes: “This is an exceptional position to be in and shows how with the right Government support, the UK will be able to be a frontrunner when it comes to accelerating the development of a hydrogen economy.”

BUSHBOARD LAUNCHES ‘RESTART TOGETHER CLUB’ TO HELP RETAILERS GET BACK TO BUSINESS SMOOTHLY Bushboard, the market leader in laminate kitchen and bathroom surfaces, worktops, upstands and splashbacks, has launched its Restart Together Club campaign to support kitchen and bathroom retailers in their return to business in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

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aunched on Wednesday 1st July, the initiative enables both existing and prospective suppliers of Bushboard surfaces to quickly and easily apply for new or updated instore displays and marketing support via an exclusive digital resource centre.

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By having everything available at the click of a mouse, Bushboard aims to help businesses ensure they have access to all they need to optimise their instore displays and ultimately to drive new sales.

The resource centre will also host image libraries designed for use on social media and websites as well as new digital brochures for essential contact-free marketing support to retailer’s customers. Retailers will also be able to order or update showroom stands for the brand’s Options, Omega and Nuance ranges including samples at no extra cost, and get a striking full-size worktop display for free.

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To join Restart Together Club and enjoy a whole host of benefits, simply sign up here. The Restart Together Club campaign will run for a limited time only, throughout the summer months.

WOODSAFE TIMBER PROTECTION FROM SWEDEN SETS SAIL FOR BRITAIN Woodsafe Timber Protection, one of Scandinavia’s leading companies in fire-retardant wood surface layers and fireretardant wood products, is establishing in the UK.

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ith 30 years of experience mainly in fire retardant wood cladding and fire retardant wood surface layers, Woodsafe Timber Protection now travels across the sea for new business opportunities in the UK. The company uses a method where a special blend of components is impregnated into wood or wood panels using a vacuum / pressure process. The wood product becomes one with the agent and takes on longterm inherent fire retardant properties.

Treated wood products for both indoor and outdoor environments receive effective fire retardant properties on all sides and edges with long-lasting properties; this provides additional protection against pests and increases sustainability.

“The UK is the largest market in Europe in terms of fire retardant wood products,” says Thomas Bengtsson, CEO of Woodsafe. “We are a company with CE-marked products and requisite standards, which is why we are able to meet the demands of the market” In the fall of 2019, Woodsafe became the first company in Scandinavia to be certified by the Wood Protection Association, WPA, in the United Kingdom. Also members of TDCA and TTF in the UK. “We are experiencing a strong demand for our services,” says Thomas Bengtsson. “We are actively seeking collaboration partners.

We have a solid and competitive product to offer.”

Now the investment is starting to generate more collaborations, and Thomas Bengtsson is optimistic. He knows the value of the company and trusts in the products. Woodsafe already has one previous partnership in the UK with Sodra Wood Ltd. For 30 years, this Swedish based company has developed a high-quality production to ensure reliable and long-term fire retardant wood products in many countries.

Cederhusen in Stockholm, Mall of Scandinavia, Turning Torso and the world’s tallest wooden building (85m), Mjöstornet, in Norway are some of the well-known examples in Woodsafes portfolio.

Company News LOCHANNA KITCHENS CELEBRATES 100,000TH SALE AS IT GETS BACK TO BUSINESS As a result of COVID-19, every part of the kitchen industry has been impacted. For every brand, manufacturer, dealer and installer, the pandemic has left everyone worried and wondering. Like most businesses, LochAnna Kitchens closed its doors at the end of March, not knowing when the business would reopen.

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owever, there is light at the end of the tunnel as LochAnna is back to business and even celebrated its 100,000th delivery which was shipped to Cotswold Kitchen & Bathroom Solutions from its Bolton headquarters in June.

Paul Jenkinson, Founder and Managing Director of LochAnna Kitchens comments: “We are really excited to be back working, doing what we love and have been really pleased with the positive response and order levels since we returned. It has been a difficult time for everyone but it’s more important now than ever that we understand where one another’s businesses are heading. We have some exciting things lined up for the rest of 2020 and look forward to sharing these with our customers who have remained so supportive during the last few months.”

RADIATOR TRADE BODY LAUNCH CONSUMER CAMPAIGN TO STAMP OUT POOR QUALITY The Manufacturers Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC), is committed to product satisfaction and consumer assurance. Members pledge to raise standards and compliance, through a series of initiatives the first one being a targeted consumer campaign.

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aunched 2nd July 2020, the ‘You are what you Heat’ campaign represents that it is important to have quality, *CE marked radiators, in order for heating systems and homes to be fit and healthy, which applies to all products sold into the construction industry, including those purchased online.

Isaac Occhipinti, Head of external affairs, MARC said; “MARC members are committed to driving change. Members are proud of their brand and what it stands for. The ‘You are what you Heat’ campaign has been created to ensure that consumers are aware of the importance of having quality, radiators that conform to current standards, installed in their home. Installing radiators that do not conform could result in cold, expensive and inefficient homes. MARC wants to protect consumers and ensure industry wide compliance with the Construction Products Regulations, which applies to all products sold into the industry, including those purchased online. For us, that means working across the whole industry to ensure that all companies comply with the regulations, and that their marketing materials and product performance data are correct.

Inflated heat outputs on product packaging defraud consumers. False claims leave consumers cold, out of pocket, and with a bitter taste which reflects badly throughout the industry.

LochAnna Kitchens has received amazing feedback from both new and existing customers after a hugely successful exhibition at KBB Birmingham earlier this year. LochAnna’s stand drew a lot of attention thanks to its innovative design concepts which have now been solidified and will be launching later this year. LochAnna Kitchens has a wide offering with a mix of traditional British kitchens and more modern European Germanic style collections, all built in Britain.

LochAnna will soon be launching brand new colours and design concepts, all while adapting to new ways of working.

Jenkinson says: “Consumers are more savvy than they have ever been and this will only grow now that people have had more time to look at their kitchens while working from home. Investing in home improvements will become a top priority for a lot of people and we’ll be there when they decide to take the plunge.”

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“It’s not just the consumer who is affected. The environmental effects are considerable. Poor quality radiators simply don’t last long, and lead to bigger carbon costs as they need replacing more often. In addition, a radiator that has overstated its heat output will lead to a boiler that can’t condense properly.

It will, therefore, burn more fossil fuels and cause higher amounts of carbon to be released into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, many consumers are not aware of what they need to be looking for when purchasing a radiator. Which is why we have produced a ‘Consumer guide to Buying the right Radiator’. One guaranteed way that consumers can have product assurance is to look out for MARC membership! All members of MARC must provide proof of product performance (CE marking), together with test certificates.”

“Consumers are more savvy than they have ever been and this will only grow now that people have had more time to look at their kitchens while working from home. Investing in home improvements will become a top priority for a lot of people and we’ll be there when they decide to take the plunge.”

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Project News Spiral UK wins contract for celeb stairs Bespoke staircase manufacturer Spiral UK’s latest contract win is for a feature staircase in the Royal Albert Hall. The company, based in Helston Cornwall, is looking forward to providing the artist’s bar with a glamourous new staircase.

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he Royal Albert Hall is being refurbished and restored ahead of the grade 1 listed building’s 150th birthday celebrations in March 2021. This work has included the Great Excavation.

A project involving a two-storey expansion to create a back-of-house area with new multi-purpose space for artists, schools and community groups.

Job done for Rainton homes A major makeover for homes in West Rainton that was delayed by the coronavirus outbreak has now been completed, to the delight of residents.

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ork to replace roofs, repairs walls and improve footpaths on more than 100 believe housing homes in West Rainton has been completed. The £1.8m project covered affordable homes in streets including Fair View and Prospect View was halted when the coronavirus pandemic began.

All the homes were quickly made safe and secure, when lockdown began. But just three weeks since work was able to restart, the last of the homes has now been completed by contractors ENGIE. One of the residents who has received a new roof, alongside repairs to her footpath and walls, is Margaret Dandy. Margaret, who has lived in her bungalow on Prospect View for 20 years, said: “They did a good job, the new roof and insulation has helped. I’m really happy with the work and it’s improved the look of the whole estate.

“Everyone’s been lovely, if I had any questions they were answered straight away.

The stylish staircase Spiral UK have been contracted to design, manufacture and install is part of the artist bar and dressing room fit out. The feature wall and curved stair combination will lead from a mezzanine area down to an exclusive bar especially for those backstage and performing at the venue.

Restoration of England’s only elliptical church recognised at regional awards Kapex Construction, part of The Morton Group, has been recognised in North East RICS Social Impact Awards for its work on England’s only elliptical church.

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he RICS Social Impact Awards North East awards ceremony was held online on Friday 1st May, showcasing the very best regional built environment projects and their positive and transformational contribution to society.

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The outstanding shortlist of pioneering initiatives were featured across nine different categories, including All Saints’ Presbyterian Church in Newcastle showcased in the heritage category.

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The 18th century Grade I listed building had been unused as a place of worship for over 40 years. It was listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register until it was transformed by The Morton Group’s project delivery company Kapex Construction.

Working alongside the local congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales, Kapex Construction was appointed to bring this sonically impressive structure back to life with a full refurbishment in keeping with

the site’s heritage. The work was funded by Historic England and Gateshead Presbyterian Church.

Following a 15-week comprehensive and sensitive restoration, All Saints’ Church has now re-opened its doors to worshippers and services for the first time in decades.

Originally designed by Presbyterian architect David Stephenson, the elliptical structure of All Saints’ Church is central to the ethos of Presbyterian services, which are based around singing.

“There’s been no problems at all.”

Other residents were equally quick to praise the staff at believe housing and ENGIE who have been carrying out the work, complimenting them on their caring approach to working with customers during the coronavirus pandemic. believe housing is following a staged approach to gradually reintroduce more services for customers when it is safe to do so, and government guidance allows.

Charles Tyers, Building Surveyor at believe housing, said: “When we started this project in January, we obviously had no idea of the delays we’d face due to the coronavirus pandemic. I can’t thank our customers in West Rainton enough for their patience and understanding.

“Now that outdoor work on homes can be carried out safely within government guidelines, we’re looking forward to seeing some serious progress with our improvement programme.” believe housing’s 10-year, £138m improvement programme is designed to make homes cheaper to run and ensure high-quality affordable housing provision in communities stretching from rural Weardale to the Durham coast. In addition to the home improvements, environmental work is also being carried out in many areas. The whole refurbishment project is being carried out in partnership with specialist contractors Engie.

After the church was deconsecrated, the Newcastle city centre building was used for events by the Royal Northern Sinfonia orchestra for a number of years before flooding damage left the building in a state of semi-disrepair by 2011.

Principal contractors Kapex Construction led on the external works, which included new leadwork, windows and stonework. It also liaised with the client on internal works, consisting of a full mechanical and electrical installation, kitchen refurbishment, office space, marble and parquet flooring, bespoke seating and installing a new sound system.

The innovative construction project was delivered Kapex Construction in close collaboration with Minister Bill Schweitzer of the All Saints Presbyterian Church, Historic England, Tyne and Wear Preservation Trust, in addition to the council and Kevin Doonan Architects.

Finished to a high standard, this historic building was brought back into modern use with the latest audio-visual facilities, thermal underfloor heating, energy efficient measures and disabled access.

The ‘All Saints Hard Hat Tour’ event showcased the church to the public during Newcastle Heritage open weekend in September 2019.

Doors, Windows & Fittings

Mirror Door Systems Ltd Made to measure and Bulk quantities of Sliding Door Systems to the trade and public nationwide.

All systems incorporate anti-jump safety features and have been designed to accept the choice of safety backed mirror, opaque glass (BS6206 Class B) and/or panels.

The full range of now extends to 5 superb systems with nearly 40 different colours including woodgrains to choose from: Solitaire & Topaz

Steel systems with painted & vinyl finishes

Diamond

Aluminium (dual) systems anodised and a powder coated finish mid-rails to match

Pearl

Aluminium system with woodgrain finishes plus midrails to match and option soft door closers

Cerroni

A unique small aluminium profile with track system and door closers

Tuscany

An aluminium system, with classical and elegantly designed profiles and selected modern colours and features with door closers

UTILITY BY DESIGN Our STANZA range is designed to be both elegant and modern with the affordability to suit both consumer and contractor.

Tel: +44 (0) 1268 573357

Web: www.mirrordoor.co.uk Email: salesmds@mirrordoor.co.uk

For further information on this range visit our website or call one of our friendly sales team.

A range of designer zinc levers available on rose and backplate, chrome plated to achieve long performance and great aesthetic appeal.

T : +44 (0) 1228 672 900 E : sales@zoo-hardware.co.uk W : www.zoohardware.co.uk STANZA is part of Zoo Hardware Ltd.

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SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME – THE FLEXIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO SQUARE ACCESS PANELS 30/06/2020 14:21:32

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Illusion, a new multi-shaped Access Panel from Ceildoor Products, provides the perfect alternative to square panels for bespoke interiors.

The Illusion Access Panel is designed for customers who want a special face shape, such as round or hexagonal, to suit the aesthetics of the room or building as often seen in hotels, car showrooms and bespoke homes.

Whilst circular Access Panels have been available in the industry for some time, expensive tooling restrictions have limited the

sizes produced by manufacturers to 300mm, 450mm and 600mm diameters.

Ceildoor’s new Illusion Access Panel resolves these barriers as it is designed using the ‘round peg in a square hole’ metaphor; Ceildoor created a shaped plate frontage, for example circular, attached to a standard, square frame.

This means contractors no longer have to cut-out a time consuming circle or bespoke shape in the wall or ceiling to accommodate the frame; they simply cut a standard square opening.

It also means Ceildoor can manufacture any shape and size, providing customers with the Access Panel they want and the only Access Panel they need!

Manufactured in the UK from zintec steel, the Illusion Access Panel (patent pending) is fitted with their unique Cap-lessTM sliding lock hole cover as standard, which also removes unsightly plastic caps which typically fall off and need replacing. It also means the lock hole cover can be painted the same RAL colour as the rest of the panel.

Ceildoor Products, who have been manufacturing Access Panels in the UK for 30 years, are renowned for thinking outside the box and creating innovative yet simple solutions, such as their patented UniHatch® reversible Access Panel door & 360o hinge system and Cap-lessTM lock hole cover.

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For more information about the Illusion Access Panel visit: https://www. ceildoorproducts.co.uk/products/illusionaccess-panels-for-walls-and-ceilings/, call the Team on 01902 733645 or email sales@ceildoorproducts.co.uk.

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VICAIMA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE STRENGTHENING THE USER’S EXPERIENCE

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Always aiming to build the perfect online experience for its customers and partners, Vicaima, one of the largest European players in the production of sophisticated solutions for interior doors, wardrobes and panels, has just launched a new website, which aims to improve the ease of navigation for its users, providing spontaneous and differentiating interaction with all features and tools. Yet another innovation, from a company which is continuously investing in a close, modern and intuitive digital footprint.

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“After many months of work and dedication by our entire team, we are very pleased with the launch of the new Vicaima website. This latest step reflects the company’s ability to anticipate trends, innovate, propose complete and exciting proposals to the market.”

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mong the new features, Vicaima highlights the speed of the platform and the contemporary, functional and responsive redesign, strategically created to facilitate the search process for users, in line with their intentions, needs and desires.

Thus, the new website is characterized by dynamism, accompanied by carefully selected content, as well as a wide range of products, performance and

solutions, with a view to boosting the digital presence of the brand in the national and international arena.

This redesign includes aesthetic improvements allowing for more immersive experimentation and improved navigation, which allows visitors to easily find the information they need.

“After many months of work and dedication by our entire team, we are very pleased with the launch of the new Vicaima website. This latest step reflects the company’s ability to anticipate trends, innovate, propose complete and exciting proposals to the market. With the new website, the user can easily and intuitively

access the commercialized products, news, catalogues, technical information, projects and news, as well as request the download of BIM solutions from Vicaima, quickly and effectively. We believe that we will strengthen our position as one of the dominant players in the market. With the new design, we expect an increase in the number of visitors and consumption of content on our page. We look forward to feedback and the new and exciting developments to come “, stresses Antonio Moutinho, Director at Vicaima Group.

The new Vicaima page thus highlights the company’s willingness to invest in a digital sphere that provides the best user experience for its customer. The renewal follows, precisely, the thought provoking attitude of the brand towards the different markets in which it operates. This is also related to an integrated multichannel strategy, which reconciles the company’s multiple digital tools, placing it, once again, at the forefront of the sector.

For further information, visit the Vicaima website www.vicaima.com

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Vicaima is currently one of the biggest European players in the design and production of sophisticated solutions for interior doors, technical doors, frames, wardrobes, panels and furniture parts.

Its positioning is based on the ability to develop integrated and customized solutions, oriented to different sectors, namely housing, hotel, health, education and commercial. Innovative and trendsetter, Vicaima has a constant concern for sustainability, being the first Portuguese company in the sector to obtain FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification. Founded in Portugal, it has a direct presence in countries such as the United Kingdom and Spain and exports 95% of its production to markets ranging from Europe to the African continent, passing through the United Arab Emirates and the American continent.

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Doors, Windows & Fittings Comar Launch the ECO LT Window & Door Systems Comar profiles have thicker walls providing extra strength and durability for the British market, ensuring that Comar performs.

Designed specifically for the British Market and offering a truly British engineered solution.

Comar ECO LT is a newly launched aluminium window and door system designed for the trade and installer market, where a competitive price yet the highest installed performance is required.

Sightlines have been minimised whilst not sacrificing product performance. Large sizes come as standard from the same range of profiles.

With low U-values, energy ratings of A++ and Document Q compliance with Secured by Design status this is a feature rich system which guarantees a quality installation. BS6375 Weather performance is unquestioned with the high ratings.

Comar ECO LT is a lightweight version of the ECO range, but the aluminium profiles wall thickness has not been sacrificed, ensuring guaranteed long-term performance. Due to Comar’s robust British design the size and weight limitations surpass the competition on a size by size basis.

5P.I ECO LT - Aluminium Window System Comar 5P.i ECO LT Aluminium Casement Window System has both internally and externally glazed options. With the resurgence of slim aluminium

high security externally beaded with sloped beads minimises the sight lines and maximises daylight.

The square chamfered profiles are a distinctive feature of this system, keeping the square look of a truly aluminium solution.

For Ovolo feature the ECO range seamlessly suites in: No matter the situation Comar 5P.i ECO LT delivers.

7P.i ECO LT - Aluminium Door System Comar 7P.i ECO LT Aluminium Door System has both inward and outward opening options in single or double door combinations. There are two thresholds available high weather performance and low-rise for seamless balcony terrace integration. Comar 7P.i ECO LT door has been designed to provide high performance solutions for today’s specification demands.

Utilising Comar’s trademark P.i. (Polyamide Insulation) thermal break technology, it delivers superior thermal performance with an aesthetic edge.

Aesthetics come from its slim 55mm profiles, seamlessly integrating with the Comar 5P.i ECO LT casement window system. Comar 7P.i ECO LT has been tested to BS 6375 which ensures the door performs well against the rigours of the British weather, reducing draughts and providing excellent weather proofing.

Security concerns are alleviated with the Comar 7P.i ECO LT door exceeding the requirements of PAS 24:2016.

For further information about Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, please visit www.comar-alu.co.uk, call 020 8685 9685 or email projects@parksidegroup.co.uk

P C HENDERSON DONATES HARDWARE TO ASSIST SCHOOL REBUILD IN NEPAL Sliding and folding door hardware manufacturer, P C Henderson, has recently donated materials to help with the rebuild of a primary school in Nepal after it was left devastated by an earthquake in 2015.

Situated on a picturesque mountainside, the village of San Bhorle was left in ruins when the 7.8Mw earthquake hit, levelling every one of its 43 houses and primary school. All but one resident survived, but the community was left to rebuild their lives with no materials, tools or machinery.

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Learning Planet, a charity which helps remote communities design, finance and construct new schools, stepped in to help. As the only communal building in the village - and the only one which would have permanent power and internet access - the local community required a school building which could also be used for other events such as village meetings and celebrations.

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In order to achieve this level of flexibility, large bi-folding doors were needed in the centre of the building. This would allow the area to be used as a classroom when closed off or put to other uses when opened up. A folding partition wall was also to be installed in one of the classrooms, allowing teachers to create a private office space when necessary.

Justin Wickham, Co-Founder and Executive Director at Learning Planet, commented “I was RRN720013 PC Henderson HP.indd 1

looking for a really solid system which would work faultlessly in a very remote location, for years, with minimal maintenance. After some research, I got in touch with the team at P C Henderson. I was really moved when they offered to donate all of the hardware free of charge. It was extremely heartening to get such a positive response”.

P C Henderson’s Securefold system was identified as the best solution for the project.

Carrying ten solid hardwood doors measuring 225cm high x 50cm wide - it was important that the system could comfortably cope with a heavy load - whilst still allowing for effortless and safe opening by adults and children.

P C Henderson’s Husky Folding door hardware was also specified for the internal partition wall required in the classroom. With only a few small pieces of building work required to get the project completely finished, the school should hopefully be in full use in the near future.

Stephanie Lee, Marketing Manager at P C Henderson, commented “Each year P C Henderson commits to supporting charities on a local, national and international scale. We were delighted to support such a fantastic cause, it’s great to see how our hardware can be used to create flexible solutions which have a huge impact for local communities”.

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£4 MILLION RESTORATION OF MUCH LOVED LOCAL LANDMARK: SELECTAGLAZE SUPPORTS Constructed in 1923 by architect F.G. Newnham, The Fellowship Inn was the first ever pub on a London housing estate - The Bellingham Estate. It was developed to ease inner city crowding following WWI, and in later years was a training base for Sir Henry Cooper as well as hosting performances by Eric Clapton and Fleetwood Mac.

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t was Grade II Listed by Historic England in 2013, as an example of a remarkably complete inter-war public house. Despite the Listing, parts of the building fell into a state of disrepair. In June 2019, after extensive refurbishment, the space was relaunched providing different leisure and entertainment uses, as well as a home for the charity ‘Lewisham Music’.

One of the major issues to address during the refurbishment was the acoustic efficiency of the original crittal single glazed windows which could not be removed due to conservation restrictions.

Architect Thomas Ford and main contractor Ash Constructing contacted Selectaglaze, for a solution to ensure a reduction of noise ingress and breakout from the building. High level insulation was required to create an undisturbed movie experience for film goers and to ensure student’s concentration levels during music lessons in Lewisham Music’s upper floors were not compromised by the busy thoroughfare on Randlesdown Road.

Selectaglaze installed a total of 32 units across all four floors of the Inn.

Selectaglaze installed a total of 32 units across all four floors of the Inn. The original curved windows in the cinema were treated with Selectaglaze’s Series 15 units, combined with Series 40 curved fixed light units. The Series 40 lends itself well to shaping and curving, so these were formed to create the top portion of the windows and then transom coupled to the Series 15, which created access to the primary windows for ventilation and maintenance.

Near to an external staircase serving as a fire escape, Series 40 fixed lights offering 30 mins fire integrity were installed to protect the route in the case of an emergency.

The Series 15 horizontal slider was specified for windows in the performance venue on the ground floor, the rehearsal and music production rooms to ensure maximum noise insulation during recordings, rehearsals and performances.

The inclusion of secondary glazing to support the successful renovation of this Bellingham landmark will ensure it becomes a thriving and acoustically efficient community hub with a multitude of uses for years to come.

Contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271, email: enquiries@selectaglaze.co.uk or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk

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With fifty years’ experience, and Royal Warrant holders since 2004, Selectaglaze has vast experience of working with the intricacies of Listed buildings.

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Latest News NHIC WECOMES CHANCELLORS ANNOUNCEMENT SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION TALENT RETENTION SCHEME

NORTHUMBRIA PARTNERS IN €4.8M EU HOUSING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT Northumbria University has been chosen to participate in a €4.8 million project to tackle the issue of renovating residential buildings in Europe to make them more energy efficient.

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ore than three-quarters of European residential buildings were constructed before 1990.

Many are thermal inefficient and of poor quality, and with the hot and cold extremes of European weather, making their homes thermally comfortable can leave residents in energy poverty.

The EU-funded RINNO project has been devised to find radical new ways to reduce the costs, timescales and disturbance involved in ‘deep renovation’ and triple the current rate of such renovations in Europe.

While a standard renovation can achieve energy savings of up to 30%, a deep renovation can reduce a building’s energy use by more than 75%.

Over the next four years, the RINNO project will develop new ways to make it easier to increase a building’s energy efficiency, environmental performance and occupant satisfaction.

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The RINNO project will investigate novel technologies, processing and business models, to develop solutions to enable the construction industry to make significant improvements to energy inefficient buildings around Europe.

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Researchers from Northumbria University will join experts from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Spain to investigate new building systems, the use of robots and ‘cobots’ for assembly, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and Blockchain-enabled crowd equity funding to improve current processes relating to building renovation.

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Northumbria’s departments of Mechanical

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) welcomes the announcement from the Chancellor confirming support for the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.

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ormally launching later this month, the Construction Talent Retention Scheme is a partnership between industry and Government to secure essential talent in the UK’s construction sector.

and Construction Engineering and Computer and Information Sciences will be working to advance the development of state-of-theart software systems that monitor the way buildings operate.

Announced by the Chancellor in the statement, the scheme is run by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) which is made up of trade and business associations from across the supply chain.

The team will use their Smart Connected Homes tool which shows how residents use electricity, light and move around their homes, as well as internal room temperatures and levels of humidity. The tool, which was developed in collaboration with BIM Academy and funded by Innovate UK, will help them to live more comfortably and be used to influence the design of buildings to better reflect the requirements of residents.

The online portal supports redeployment of staff at risk of redundancy from across the sector, while also enabling temporary employee loans between businesses. It also gives displaced workers from other sectors a route to find new employment in construction, while offering businesses a platform to find the skills they need.

The Northumbria team will also develop a project collaboration platform that will integrate the actors and workflows involved in the deep renovation of buildings. This will build on the experience gained by Northumbria’s researchers from their involvement in the BIM Toolkit, which was developed to enable a digital plan for work for the UK construction sector.

The RINNO project will run for four years and is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme. The solutions developed by RINNO will be demonstrated in four real-life renovation projects in France, Denmark, Greece and Poland.

The not-for-profit programme has funding secured until the end of April 2021, providing a free online platform for any business or organisation looking to hire, while ensuring that candidates’ skills and experience are given a prominent platform within the wider industry.

Businesses and employers interested in finding out more are encouraged to register their interest at: www.trs-system.co.uk/construction “We welcome the announcement from the Chancellor confirming support for the Construction Talent Retention Scheme. It is a crucial tool for keeping skills within the sector and will make a huge difference to construction workers and their families that have been affected by redundancies or job losses due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The Talent Retention Scheme has the full backing and support of those working in the RMI and Home Improvement Sector” said Anna Scothern, Chief Executive NHIC As a key member of the CLC’s Refurbishment, Maintenance and Home Improvement workstream, the NHIC are working behind the scenes with other stakeholders to launch the website as soon as is possible and we will keep you informed of progress on our website and across social media.

Latest News PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (PMI) LAUNCHES UK NATIONAL PROJECT AWARDS 2020 INCLUDING RECOGNITION OF THE UK’S MOST INFLUENTIAL COVID-19 RESPONSE PROJECT PMI UK, in association with PwC, is delighted to announce the 2020 National Project Awards. In addition to eight award categories including; ‘Project of the Year’, ‘PMO of the Year’ and ‘Project Management for Social Good’, PMI is seeking nominations for the UK’s most influential Covid-19 response project.

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hris Field, President of PMI UK part of the world’s leading project management professional body explains “We are launching the awards at a particularly challenging time for business and recognise the importance of highlighting the outstanding work that the project profession has undertaken this year, particularly around Covid-19. We recognise that working life is changing; our recent Covid-19 survey of the profession in the UK indicates that up to 85% of project managers are working from home during the lockdown period with just under 45% saying that productivity has increased as a result of homeworking.”

Jessica Parthezius, Partner at PwC: “We are thrilled to support the PMI UK National Project Awards 2020 providing the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the projects, individuals and teams that have excelled within the project management profession. These awards and recognition will be a platform to emphasise the value of project management and its contribution to our economy and wider society.”

Peter Glynne, PMI UK Project Awards lead, explains: “We had an amazing reaction to our inaugural awards last year, with entries across all categories highlighting fantastic projects up and down the country. It’s a great opportunity to recognise excellence”. “This year we want to recognise the contribution of project management to responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our recent Covid-19 survey of the profession highlights that just under 60% of respondents believe that large scale project management to be absolutely critical to responding to and addressing Covid-19”.

The PMI UK National Project Awards are open to any organisation, team or individual, without the need to be a PMI member.

Projects can be of any size, type and from any

industry. The judges are looking for superior performance through the application of project management; organisational results and/or positive impacts on the community.

To apply to one (or more) of the award categories, please find the eligibility criteria, judging process and key dates here: https://pmi.org.uk/awards2020 • Project of the Year [Large Private Enterprise] • Project of the Year [Public Sector] • Project of the Year [Small & Medium Enterprise] • PMO of the Year • Project Management for Social Good • Early in Career Project Professional of the Year • Project Professional of the Year • PMI UK Volunteer of the Year • Special Project Award: Best UK Covid-19 Response Project (public vote) The deadline date for entries is 25th September 2020 with winners announced at a black-tie gala award ceremony in March 2021.

PMI is the world’s leading professional body for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession.

Through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research, PMI work to prepare more than three million professionals around the world for the Project Economy: the economy in which work, and individuals, are organised around projects.

PMI UK has a thriving, ever-growing community of over 3,000 members welcoming project management practitioners from across industry sectors. PMI UK provide professional development and networking opportunities through events (live and virtual), mentoring and volunteering. For more information or become a member visit www.pmi.org.uk

THE PRIME PROPERTY POCKETS WHERE STAMP DUTY HITS £1.6M, EVEN WITH A STAMP DUTY HOLIDAY The latest research from high-net-worth mortgage broker, Enness Global, has revealed that in some parts of the high-end London market homebuyers are still looking at a stamp duty bill of £1.6m, despite today’s announcement.

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he chancellor has scrapped stamp duty on property transactions up to the £500,000 mark, a move that will be welcomed by the average home buyer who stands to save nearly £2,500 on their purchase.

Of course, this saving will be more notable in some parts of the market, with the average London homeowner due to save over £14,000 on their transaction. With this stamp duty holiday also applying to the first £500,000 for purchases above this threshold, high-end buyers will also enjoy a considerable saving of as much as £15,000.

Enness Global analysed the current median sold price in London’s most prestigious property postcodes for transactions over £3m so far this year. They then looked at the current stamp duty tax cost and what it will be now with the discount considered.

Across these postcodes, the median sold price for transactions above £3m is £4.9m so far this year. At this price threshold, the stamp duty owed would be £504,394, falling to £489,394 with today’s discount considered.

The N2 postcode is home to the highest stamp duty bill. With a median sold price of £14.1m so far this year, homebuyers would usually pay over £1.6m in stamp duty, although with the discount applied this falls to £1,595,250.

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The W1K postcode is also home to a stamp duty bill in excess of £1m. Pre-discount, the median sold price of over £9.2m would have racked up a bill of £1,021,050; however, with the discount applied this falls to £1,006,050.

Continued >

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Latest News

DANGER OF HOT WORKS DURING BUILDING RENOVATION HIGHLIGHTED The dangers of fires caused by hot works such as welding and grinding was highlighted recently in a fire at a school in Derbyshire.

Continued > The W1G, NW8, SW1W, N6, SW1A and SW3 postcodes are also home to a median sold price between £5.6m-£7.5m so far this year, meaning even with today’s reduction, stamp duty will still set these high-end homebuyers back by between £570,000 and £800,000.

Group CEO of Enness Global Mortgages, Islay Robinson, commented: “It is fair to assume that the average homebuyer needs a more significant financial boost than those buying in the very top tiers of the UK property market. However, it’s also fair to say that the government has mostly ignored the top end of the market in recent years which has had a detrimental impact on demand and property values in the prime London market, in particular.

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This latest announcement has been much of the same and although high-end homeowners will enjoy some form of discount where stamp duty is concerned, they certainly won’t be getting any richer thanks to Rishi.

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In fact, this archaic tax continues to leave a bad taste in the mouth of prime buyers who are paying huge sums in addition to the value of their chosen property and it’s about time this government money grab was abolished completely.”

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ires caused by hot works on construction or renovation sites are of course not new. There are however ways to potentially prevent such a fire incident, that can quickly become out of control. Tragically, the fire destroyed the Harrington Junior School in Long Eaton in late May, although fortunately there were no serious injuries.

“This fire really highlights the dangers of hot works,” comments John Newbury, Product Innovation Director at Ramtech, whose headquarters are based only a few miles away from the school. “It’s so sad that this situation led to the destruction of an entire school when there are ways of early detection that could have made the fire more manageable. Timing is crucial in these types of fires.”

Group manager Dean Gazzard, the Officer in command during the school fire, commented to the media that: “Workers carrying out the refurbishment of the school did everything they could to contain the fire and prevent its spread before the arrival of firefighters…”. It is clear from this statement that the on-site workers tried to stop the fire once it had started, however the sooner a potential fire is detected the more chance there is to stop it spreading.

“It’s so sad that this situation led to the destruction of an entire school when there are ways of early detection that could have made the fire more manageable. Timing is crucial in these types of fires.” many false alarms if using a standard smoke detector in a construction environment. These automatic detectors can be supported by manual call points, which once pushed can give a warning of potential emergencies early.

WES systems have been used on many renovation projects in the UK, such as at the University of Bristol and Great Scotland Yard in London. “WES has been specifically designed to be easy to install and move around, so it’s ideal for renovation projects as the units can be relocated simply – they are wireless so don’t need any complex installation and they are ready to go very quickly. In fact, you can have a fully functioning, paired system in under 15 minutes,” says John Newbury.

Commenting after the school fire, Kumu Kumar, Head of Risk Engineering at insurance firm Zurich, said: “As the recent blaze that destroyed Harrington Junior School in Long Eaton highlights, hot work remains a constant threat, and more action is needed to tackle the problem.

Although the construction industry has wellestablished safeguards in place, hot work fires are continuing to break out with alarming regularity.”

That is where a system such as Ramtech’s WES system can help. Ramtech’s WES wireless fire and emergency alert system includes automatic heat detection. Typically mounted on a ceiling or stand, the heat detector units trigger automatically when abnormal heat levels are detected, giving an early warning of potential fires.

Zurich takes the situation so seriously that they have published guides into hot works safety.

In their own data, Zurich1 claim that 15% of all fires in commercial and industrial properties are caused by hot works, so this is clear evidence that the risk is high, especially during construction when hot works such are welding and grinding are commonplace.

In addition, the system also includes a dust resistant smoke detector, a unique feature of the WES solution. The dust resistant smoke detector differentiates between dust and smoke which would ordinarily lead to

The sad reality of this is that devices such as the WES system, thermal imaging and training can help to dramatically reduce the potentially risk of fire from hot works – which could save lives and save potentially millions of pounds.

Editor’s Choice ALFRESCO FLOORS INTRODUCES THE A1 FIRE-RATED DECKING PEDESTAL SYSTEM, THE A-PED™ In response to the government’s ban on combustible materials on the external faces of buildings above 18 metres, the new A1 rated pedestal system, the A-PED™, offers a strong, sustainable and fully adjustable platform to be used for paving and decking.

With the industry now acutely aware of the need to provide a solution driven by safety, the A-PED has been developed to meet the high volume of requests from architects and main contractors to deliver their visions for external terraces, balconies, roof and winter gardens.

Built to exceed a 2000Kg loading per pedestal, your external project will be well-equipped to meet the rigorous demands of a public space, whilst offering the very best in non-combustible fire safety.

As well as the A-PED™ decking pedestal, Alfresco Floors provides accompanying surface materials made from porcelain, natural stone, concrete and aluminium decking, allowing the architect and main contractor to deliver a fully fire-rated paving and decking solution.

For more information, contact one of the experts at Alfresco Floors today using the contact details below.

info@alfrescofloors.co.uk 020 8977 0904 RRN720010 Alfresco Half Page.indd 1

29/06/2020 13:26:31

Cinderella Incineration Toilets the Burning Questions Answered by LeeSan

What are they: Cinderella incineration toilets burn biological waste at high temperatures, leaving only an insignificant quantity of fine, harmless ash, amounting to the equivalent of about one teacup for four people during one week of use. The toilet may be used around 70 times before emptying is required.

Cinderella incineration toilets are currently installed by over 60,000 users worldwide.

How Do they work: Waste is burned in an integral combustion chamber. The harmless gases from this combustion are dispersed through a vent pipe. In contrast with other toilet systems, incineration toilets eliminate all waste on site without the need for connection to the main sewer or a septic tank.

RRN120074 Lee San HP.indd 1

Power Requirement: Cinderella incineration toilets use either 240v electricity or gas as the combustion energy source.

LeeSan are the sole UK distributors for Cinderella Eco Solution incinerating toilets.

Phone: +44 (0)1295 770000 Website: www.leesan.com 13/12/2019 14:06:58

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Correctly used, Cinderella incineration toilets are odourless, hygienic and safe, providing a user experience similar to a normal domestic system. The user simply inserts a paper bowl liner, uses the toilet then presses a button or lever to evacuate and incinerate the waste.

Cinderella toilets are suitable for all ages including children.

Where can they be used: Available around the world for decades, incineration toilets are a commonly used alternative in residential and commercial applications without easy access to public utilities. These include mountain cabins, remote areas, tiny homes, off-grid structures, mobile homes, boats and many more. They do not require a water supply or septic system.

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THIS IS THE ONLY QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A BUILDING MATERIAL Most of us are not trained to buy but we buy from people who are trained to sell….so we are always at a disadvantage, predictably we often end up making assumptions and filling in gaps. We succumb to advertising claims, we read reviews, we take people on trust, we buy what’s readily available in short we cut corners and don’t ask the right questions. We all seem to value convenience but maybe we don’t know what the right questions are…but there’s one question you can always ask that will get you closer to choosing the right material the first time.

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sking the right questions is important, not because all product manufacturers or merchants are charlatans hoping not to be uncovered but rather that the sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. In any application there can be hundreds of viable options; manufacturers work hard to distinguish their products from others, but without in-depth technical knowledge choosing can be a minefield. Most clients paying for a building will employ professionals to work on their behalf, they work for you and require a brief which can include broad requirements such as energy efficiency, indoor air quality and non-toxic materials the brief will orientate their choices made on your behalf. Choosing building materials is a combined effort but you need to get what you want and not just to abdicate the decisions to others without some form of agreed context or understanding, so we asked Ecomerchant for their take about what to ask when buying building materials.

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Put simply any benefit or feature of a product should be specifically relevant to your needs, it must have a tangible benefit. We choose a material because it appears to meet our needs, so put simply if it’s thicker, stronger or more flexible for example then you should ask the one important question which is ‘which means?’ and keep on asking it until you are sure of the suitability of the product, if the answers aren’t of any use to you then choose another one. This does leave the thorny issue of price but we’ll come to that in a minute.

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ABOVE Steico Special wood fibre insulation board use as roof sarking on a new build

Most clients paying for a building will employ professionals to work on their behalf, they work for you and require a brief which can include broad requirements such as energy efficiency, indoor air quality and non-toxic materials the brief will orientate their choices made on your behalf.

Back in the day when we could meet customers face to face, especially at trade shows, we were surprised how often we were asked questions that seem to lead nowhere in terms of matching performance, features and benefits, we seldom encountered the ‘which means?’ question or worse weren’t asked about more than one feature of a material or product and that one thing everyone asked about was the price!

To illustrate the point at the last regional building show where we exhibited targeted at self-builders we were promoting natural building materials our stand had a large display of wood fibre insulation flexible batts and boards. During the show, we encountered the regular use of the ‘comparison question’ a frequently asked example was “how does rigid wood fibreboard compare with xxxxxx? - the customer referred to a well-known foil backed PIR board brand!.

You might think this is a simple question, and in some respects, it is but when asked like this it is anything but because it relies heavily on assumptions……assumptions that need to be correct; assumptions that would be tested by using the ‘which means?’ question.

We could have replied to anyone asking this question with a comparison question of our own such as “Tell me how does lino compare to carpet?” they are both floor coverings but that is where the comparison ends, the same applies to insulation. This form of loosely defined comparison question exposes an ‘assumption flaw’ when used to choose materials and needs to be followed up with the ‘which means?’ question to uncover exactly how suitable the product is for what you have in mind.

To help to find out if only asking a comparison question is a good way to choose a product,’ we decided to see if we could uncover some of the thinking behind the question and possibly a little of the psychology as well. So we ran a little sales experiment to try and find out some answers, we decided to test some assumptions on visitors to our stand; the assumptions we wanted to test were.…

1. Price is often the principle buying motivator 2. Performance is set by others, for example, Building Regulations, meeting Regs is often enough to select a product ergo customers tend not to set their own performance targets, making the ‘which means?’ answer ‘compliance’.

3. All insulation is more or less the same 4. Natural insulation is always more expensive than synthetic 5. People don’t read manufacturer literature 6. People don’t understand the quoted performance figures 7. The most readily available materials are the best 8. Customers assume that architects and builders build the best they can for their clients In one exchange, when asked how Steico Special (a rigid wood fibre sarking board) compared to the price of a branded foil backed PIR board, we said (to test some of the assumptions) “its 3 times cheaper…does that matter?” Yes said the customer “we’ll be using the Steico product”. Not one question about where or how the insulation was to be used or if the Steico product would be suitable. Does this confirm assumption 1.

Well…yes it does it also confirms assumption 3.

We told the slightly disappointed customer the real answer which is that we wouldn’t be able to tell them unless we had more information, for example, it depends which PIR board they were comparing it to (they weren’t aware there were options) where it is being used on the building and specifically what performance criteria were they seeking to meet.

We also wanted to know if they had any personal preference about toxicity or environmental impact. In the end, we gave them the rule of thumb that to meet the same U value allow approximately 1.7 times the thickness when using wood fibre insulation. In this case, by using Steico Flex between the rafters and Steico Special Dry on the outside the cost uplift could have been around £6.00 per square metre to use wood fibre over a general-purpose PIR board at 100mm depth. But this is simply a price comparison, no allowance was

made for performance, ease of installation, environmental and health benefits or disposal costs all factors that change the cost rather than the price.

you end up with a useable, comfortable room at any time of the day or night and not a room that is stiflingly hot after a sunny day, particularly relevant if it’s a bedroom.

As it turned out the price difference was much smaller than the customer had anticipated plus their house was a large extension to an existing much older building and the thermal, diffusivity and hygroscopic benefits were easy to explain and make relevant, and subsequently for them to attach a value to, when they asked the ‘which means?’ question they could attach a real value to the answers meaning the comparison was now based on performance and real benefits not the unit price at compliance only i.e. by only meeting building regs and not exceeding them.

The ‘which means?’ rule is a very good way to cut through techno-speak, jargon and formulae that may make sense to others but have no meaning for you. What customers are interested in is what it gives them, not necessarily how it does it.

The difference in performance between the two products provides the reason for the difference in price, what might appear to be a more expensive choice could be cheaper in reality, as the cheaper product doesn’t provide extra benefits. In this case, with a 140m2 roof, we were negotiating the cost-benefit of £840 within a total insulation material cost of around £7,500. To improve matters they could also lose around £300 in membrane costs (not needed with the wood fibreboard) bringing the price difference down to around £3.80 per square metre more for wood fibre over synthetic. They have since ordered wood fibre boards for their roof.

To sum up, this is broadly what we discovered and learnt about the assumptions we tested in our little ad hoc sales experiment.

Part of the added value demonstrated by the ‘which means’ question is shown in the illustration above right as you can see all the sections have the same U value of 0.13 (Building Regs 2010 New Dwellings) however a benefit or value provided by different construction methods is the phase shift, a measure of how long it takes for the maximum temperature recorded on the outside of the structure to be recorded on the inside of the structure in hours, this feature is not a part of the current Building Regulations. Simply changing the insulation extends the resistance to the passage of heat through the structure meaning its more comfortable inside. Wood fibre delays heat for twice as long as PIR and more against mineral wool and glass wool.

Assumption: Performance is set by others, for example, building regulations, meeting this is enough to select a product Reality: The old chestnut, Building Regs are a minimum standard not a guarantee of performance or quality, we are constantly amazed at how many people get this but still default to Regs for large parts of the build.

Again the value rule applies, use the ‘which means?’ test to expose the REAL benefit of any claim, pay for features that you will benefit from and don’t pay for benefits that you don’t need.

The benefit of increased phase shift is best illustrated by rooms that are directly affected by solar gains, such as a room in the roof.

Extending the phase shift will create a more comfortable space simply by extending the phase shift beyond the time the outside surface is exposed to a direct heat source, in this case, sunlight.

Always use the ‘which means?’ rule.

The ‘which means?’ rule is designed to give answers to any claim about a product feature. Try this one. One feature of Steico Special Dry shown in the technical data is described like this SHC= 2,100 J/ (kg * K)], an important feature but do you know what it means?

In this case ‘using wood fibre gives a phase shift of 16 hours largely due to its high Specific Heat Capacity ’ which means’ that

Assumption: Price is the main buying motivation Reality: Often this is where it starts, we acknowledge that price is important but it’s part of a value judgement, we encourage customers to eliminate erroneous comparisons and focus on applications where the benefits stack up in their favour.

We also encourage customers to price in real performance benefits over and above compliance i.e. Building Regs

Assumption: All insulation is more or less the same Reality: We can prove it isn’t, it’s always ‘horses for courses ‘no one type of insulation will be suitable for every job, expect to use a mix of insulation types.

Assumption: People don’t read manufacturer literature Reality: If they do it’s often cursory and the reader may well not understand the implications or benefits anyway. Part of this conversation needs to be in plain English.

Real areas of interest we experience from customers are handling (irritation etc.) ease of use, disposal, off-gassing, toxicity (what it’s made from) and occupant health. During the show, customers would continually play with the samples whilst we chatted, we pointed out they wouldn’t do that with mineral wool or polyisocyanurate board (PIR) this was a clear illustration of the benign nature of many of these materials which immediately addressed some of the top concerns they have.

Assumption: People don’t understand the quoted performance figures Reality: There are too many metrics, SI units and norms (BS, EN DIN for example).

Information from different countries and testing bodies are complicated by differing national, local and international regulatory requirements, this can be a minefield it’s no wonder that the average builder and even architects can struggle to make any meaningful performance comparison. This needs a plain English approach. Always remember there can be a huge difference

ABOVE Insulation choice can make the difference between a useable room and an unusable overheated one, all four sections have the same overall depth and U value.

In this case, with a 140m2 roof, we were negotiating the cost-benefit of £840 within a total insulation material cost of around £7,500.

To improve matters they could also lose around £300 in membrane costs (not needed with the wood fibreboard) bringing the price difference down to around £3.80 per square metre more for wood fibre over synthetic.

They have since ordered wood fibre boards for their roof.

between compliance and performance. Good enough for Regs might not be good enough for you.

Assumption: The most readily available materials are the best Reality: Considering insulation as a specific group of products their popularity is evidenced by their availability (indeed it may even be the other way round) but not their efficacy, often there isn’t any real supervision over their specification and installation.

Trades make up a substantial sector of the market and little is done to offer a wider choice or explain any limitations to them so the same products get used ubiquitously often with no real understanding of their suitability.

The aim must be to make specification simple and clear, ditto installation hopefully we do our bit in helping customers broaden their options and making all our products easy to buy and readily available.

Assumption: Customers assume that architects and builders build the best they can for their clients.

Reality: This is nothing to do with questioning the skill of architects or builders, building projects are complex they rely on interconnected disciplines working together, however, if the client is not aware of options then they won’t necessarily ask, leaving the others to use either well established, commercially advantageous or just good enough solutions, which may be incompatible with the desired outcome.

Better informed clients will demand better solutions, more demand will encourage more supply-side capacity, and crucially will move projects into using Building Regs as a start point, not the endpoint; fortunately, this appears to be where we are moving to.

Website: www.ecomerchant.co.uk

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The answer is it is a measure of the Specific Heat Capacity of the material which is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of the material by 1K (or by 1oC). A good insulator has a higher Specific Heat Capacity because it takes time to absorb more heat before it heats up (temperature rising) to transfer the heat.

High Specific Heat Capacity is a feature of materials providing high levels of phase shift (see fig top right).

Once you have an understanding of the benefit brought by using a different insulation material then the comparison becomes much more realistic. With such understanding, the value can be attached eliminating comparisons that serve no useful purpose.

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SPACE SAVING TECHNIQUES TO INCORPORATE IN YOUR HOME Each home holds a different size, whilst some people view theirs as too narrow, others are tired of their low ceilings making the room look smaller in size. If you decided that it is time to renovate your house to make it look spacious you should hold off and think about these clever alternatives in space saving.

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here are many quirky but stylish options available which ensure you are making the most out of the space in your house, from beds which have optimum storage solutions to unique shelving ideas, there is something for every room in every home.

To help you see which is right for you, the experts at Naturalmat have whittled down 7 space saving techniques that can be implemented in your home today, so put that hammer down and be ready to get the clutter free space you want in, for a fraction of the price.

1) Pull out tray tables Working from home has become a normality in many households, so a home office might be a necessary addition. If you don’t have the extra room to convert a space into an office, then it might be wise to insert a sliding table somewhere in your house. This is a cost effective and space saving way to have a portable office, simply add your chair in when you need to work and push the table in and place the chair away when you don’t.

2) Make use of the unusual shapes If you have spaces in your home that you find are too small due to bigger amenities such as a sofa taking up most of the room, this is a great opportunity to grow your space. A custom-made bench would fit into micro spaces and plus create extra seating when you host parties by filling up an unused gap in the room. It is an efficient way to add a subtle accessory whilst also opening the room.

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3) Hang your cookware Pots and pans take up a lot of space in the cupboards and can create a lot of hassle if they are stacked up tight in a small area. To avoid this, you can add a wall unit which allows you to display your cookware.

This is a great space saving technique for storage and adds a chic

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© Contemporist aspect to your kitchen. Ensure your kitchen appliances are of the same colour to avoid any colour clashes.

4) Under bed storage It is a problem when you end up purchasing more clothes and items than your storage space can maintain, especially if your bedroom is small. A perfect solution for this is under bed storage, this maximises spaces and minimises mess. An ottoman bed is key to a tidy life, the Eva Bed has an ottoman style base which lifts completely to reveal ample under bed storage.

5) Pull out beds Once restrictions are lifted, sleeping over might become a popular favourite again.

Pull out beds are space savers that look great tucked away but can be instantly transformed to provide your guest with a comfortable bed. The Tarka Trundle bed is a single child’s bed accompanied with a foldaway guest underbed; the trundle bed slides out effortlessly with its attached castor wheels and sturdy legs that snap into place.

© Testzon

6) Space saving trolley You would be surprised at just how useful a trolley can be! You can use them to organise anything in your house such as stationary supplies, glassware, beauty products and even fruit and veg. The bonus is the wheels, you can bring it out only when you need to, maximising the space in your room when you don’t need it!

7) Bedside organisers Personal items such a car keys, mobile phone and wallets tend to be in your bedroom during the night. Instead of opting for nightstands and large bedside tables which take up a lot of space, opt for organisers that fit snug to your bed and take up zero extra space. Avoid bulging pockets by storing everything in size order.

This will always look neat and tidy and fits perfect beneath any bedding.

Editor’s Choice

Heat From Stone Stoves EccoNatural Design 2022 Stone built wood fired stoves providing clean, natural heat Emissions ready through much more of the home than traditional stoves.

Stone built wood fired stoves Store heat for up to 12 hours after the fire has gone out providing clean, natural heat while through much more of thedistributing balanced heat. home than traditional stoves.

Free heat plan estimates available for your home.

Store heat for up to 12 hours after the fire has gone out while distributing balanced heat.

● Eco Design Ready 2022

● Unparalleled Heat Distribution ● Stone Stoves sales@eccostove.com | eccostove.com | 01527 857814 ● Natural Heating

More than just a stove, Wraps your Home in Warmth

Ecco Stove Ltd | RRN720011 ECCO Stove HP.indd 1

Panasonic’s Aquarea J Generation Air to Water Heat Pump: Now Available in Monobloc

01/07/2020 11:59:50

● Heat Storage

Panasonic Heating and Cooling is pleased to announce the latest addition to its innovative Aquarea Air to Water Heat Pump Range – the extremely efficient J Generation Monobloc with R32 refrigerant. Ideal for new installations and low energy homes, the heat pump packs a highperformance system into one compact outdoor unit.

Adapting to the needs of any space The advanced outdoor system provides residential projects with both hot water (DHW), heat for radiators and underfloor heating. With a range of capacities available, from 5kW to 9kW, the J Generation Monobloc offers lower operational cost options than other solutions.

Built to stand the test of time

Compact, space-saving design Thanks to the Monobloc’s neat design, it only takes up a small space outside the property, with the refrigerant sealed in the small outdoor unit, therefore only requiring water pipes inside.

Ecco Stove Ltd | sales@eccostove.com | eccostove.com 01527 857814

The environmentally friendly solution With sustainability at the forefront of Panasonic’s innovations, the Monobloc offers substantial benefits to the end-user and their impact on the environment.

Furthermore, it can also be connected to the Aquarea Service Cloud to allow installers to remotely access their customer’s heating and cooling systems, which can increase customer satisfaction by reducing response times as the installers can act and connect from anywhere, thereby saving time and money.

Panasonic’s state-of-the-art, compact Aquarea J Generation Monobloc unit can be combined with numerous high efficiency accessories for even higher energy savings. To find out more, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu.

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Remotely control heating and cooling The system is also compatible with the Aquarea Smart Cloud for end-users to remotely control the full range of heating and cooling functions, including monitoring energy consumption for both energy and cost-saving possibilities.

19 RRN720018 Panasonic QP.indd 1

13/07/2020 RRN319038 15:53:13 Application Engineering QP.indd 1

18/02/2019 14:04:52

Company News NEOLITH® ACHIEVES CARBON NEUTRAL STATUS Market-leading surfacing brand goes carbon neutral

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oday, Neolith®, the pioneers of Sintered Stone, announces it has achieved carbon neutral status.

In 2019 the brand recorded no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from gate-to-gate emissions.

It’s a significant milestone in the company’s objective to become an internationally recognised green manufacturer, producing one of the most sustainable and ecologically-friendly materials available to architects, specifiers and end users alike.

Working out To attain the highly-prized carbon neutral status Neolith followed the internationally recognised Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) and implemented a dynamic, innovation-led sustainability strategy coupled with tactical, high value carbonoffsetting.

Fundamentally, Neolith is an organisation with eco-friendly and sustainable practices at the heart of the business.

Making a difference In terms of carbon offsetting, Neolith has also undertaken a number of environmental projects, in line with its wider sustainability strategy. These projects compensate for and absorb a specific quantity of CO2e. Chief amongst these is an exciting, upcoming project in Central America to protect and maintain the unique biodiversity of the Guatemalan Caribbean Conservation Coast.

Specifically, the Guatemalan Caribbean Conservation Coast project will see Neolith working to protect the unique biodiversity within the remaining forests in the region.

The brand will help to address the drivers of deforestation through effective law enforcement, land use planning, education, economic opportunities and sustainable agroforestry initiatives.

As a direct result of the project activities, over four million tCO2e will be avoided by 2021, the equivalent of taking over 440,000 homes off the grid for a year. When considering the lifetime of the project over 30 years, the tCO2e avoided will be closer to c. 22 million.

There are also important biodiversity benefits, protecting over 400 species of birds have been documented in the project and the habitat of an abundance of mammals and reptiles, including 30 High Conservation Value (HCV) species.

This has led to carbon neutrality across the entire business, significantly seeing the brand receiving 100% of its electricity in 2019 from renewable energy sources.

This measure removed a massive 7,690 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Furthermore 90% of the waste generated

by Neolith is recycled and given a second life either with company operations or through authorised 3rd party players. This demonstrates a robust commitment to the circular economy.

Neolith’s surfaces also embody these principles, with up to 48% of slab composition obtained from recycled material.

Plant machinery has been upgraded to improve energy efficiency, particularly the 3rd line’s furnace which has benefitted from the installation of an O2 and pressure control system, significantly reducing the amount of gas consumed.

This is complemented by a 40% reduction of forklift truck diesel consumption and a 20% decrease in hazardous waste.

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A policy to reduce the amounts of single-use plastic used has also been implemented. A small, but significant step towards carbon neutrality, demonstrating Neolith’s commitment to sustainable business.

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All these measures directly meet GHG’s reduction objectives, which include: direct emissions company activity (e.g. natural gas, gasoil used in forklifts, cars in property), emissions from electricity used and other indirect emissions, generated from other day to day company activity.

BOOSTING EUROPE’S HOME BUILDING PROGRAMME POST-COVID Build Europe, the leading EU trade association for developers and house builders, launched its strategic response to Covid-19. Housing: A European Challenge sets out a route map to help EU decision makers create the right regulatory framework to deliver affordable housing quickly in a financially weakened post-Covid Europe.

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uild Europe, whose members account for more than 60% of EU homebuilding capacity, believes Covid lockdowns and self-isolating have confirmed that housing is the number one priority of most EU citizens, a priority that is not being addressed. The EU needs to agree a long-term project that properly reflects the diversity of its Member States and citizens, and attaches a greater priority to the role of smaller cities.

Although recognising the need to increase the density in large cities, Build Europe urges the EU to invest in its future, by boosting industries, infrastructures and, most of all, housing.

In the short term and in order to deal with this unprecedented economic crisis, the EU needs to implement demand-side as well as supply-side reforms, which must be supported by exceptional investments. The EU needs urgently to: • Engage in a comprehensive and energetic policy of deregulation, and suspend for at least five years any new regulations that would adversely impact prices;

• Extend the application of reduced VAT rates to enable the delivery of much needed affordable housing; and • Stimulate private funding to increase the supply of social housing, so to complement the activities of public operators Marc Pigeon, President of Build Europe, said: “The Covid-19 epidemic has underlined the importance of housing in the livelihood of every EU citizen and has further underlined how housing could reveal social inequalities within the population. There is an issue that is becoming increasingly difficult to solve: providing decent and affordable housing for all European citizens.

Costs have risen by more than 10% since 2010 and revenues have fallen dramatically. Quick fixes from EU legislators aren’t enough to address the serious and pressing housing problems facing Europe’s housing tenants and owners, post-Covid.

“The plans we are announcing today will deliver a secure and sustainable future for all of us, and I urge the European Commission and European Parliament to work with us to deliver the recovery that Europe needs.”

Company News PERMAROOF ACHIEVES TWO MONTHS OF RECORDBREAKING SALES IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19 PERMAROOF, the UK’s leading importer and distributor of Firestone RubberCover, is celebrating its most successful May and June in its 19-year history despite the nationwide challenges faced by all businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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ith a 26% increase in sales in May 2020 compared to 2019 and a staggering 86% increase when comparing June 2019 to 2020, it’s been two amazing consecutive months for the Derbyshire-based team with the likelihood of a healthy July too. This follows reports of 2019 being its most successful year to date with 24,000 orders completed: the highest figure in its history.

Adrian Buttress, managing director of Permaroof, attributes the success to a fast response to Covid-19, investment in an already solid team, and diversification into new services and products.

Adrian said: “Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic – such as supply issues, merchants closing, and roofing projects being delayed or put on hold – our team has managed

to buck the trend and deliver amazing results that are a true testament to the service they offer, as well as the strong relationships we have with customers nationwide.”

After increasing its warehouse capacity in 2019, as well as broadening its offering by acquiring The Skylight Company and becoming the sole distributor of Permafence, the team met the challenges posed by coronavirus rapidly and decisively.

Additional stock had already been purchased in preparation for Brexit, ensuring ample supply to meet any level of demand from contractors, many of which still needed to fix damaged and leaking roofs in need of urgent maintenance.

New products were also added to Permaroof’s portfolio including a disinfectant spray to help customers work safely, while investment in the team was crucial with a strong focus on marketing and a new marketing co-ordinator recruited to push out a formal communications strategy.

FOUR FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS SECURE SUPPORT FROM MADE SMARTER Four furniture manufacturers have secured support from Made Smarter, the movement helping SMEs join the Industry 4.0 revolution.

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use Contract Furniture (Blackburn), Integral Surface Design (Skelmersdale), Starlight Bedrooms (Bolton) and Inscape Interiors (Chorley) have begun working with the North West technology adoption pilot to help them introduce digital tools and technologies to help boost productivity and growth, as well as navigate the impact of Covid-19.

Almost 950 SME manufacturers have secured support, including specialised advice and £2.5M of funding, since the launch of Made Smarter 18 months ago.

104 of the businesses have now secured matched funding for 115 projects and are forecast to deliver an additional £100M in gross value added (GVA) for the North West economy over the next three years.

By adopting cutting-edge technologies, these businesses benefit from improved productivity and revenue, increased exports and job creation, an upskilled workforce, lower energy bills, and a reduced carbon footprint.

Rob Barrows-Langford, Operations Director for Starlight Bedrooms, said:

“We are thrilled to have the support of Made Smarter in driving forward a technology project which will bring real value to our company and customers. The project will unlock growth potential and deliver enhanced resource efficiency and employment opportunities.”

Adrian continued: “Clear communication to both staff and customers has been vital. Pushing forward with marketing has allowed us to do this while reinforcing our brand and putting out messages of stock availability at a really important time. I have no doubt that this has been crucial to breaking our sales records during the UK lockdown.

“I hope that our success proves that there is still opportunity out there for UK SMEs and that the building and construction sector is ready to bounce back and thrive. We’re certainly committed to supporting both the contractors and merchants we work with and hope that the next quarter is as positive for them all.”

Permaroof offers products and services that provide “permanent solutions to age old problems.” They offer this through a variety of products – its central offering of Firestone RubberCover EPDM roofing – as well as artificial grass through its Permalawn brand and maintenance free fencing via Permafence.

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This support includes expert, impartial technology advice, digital roadmapping workshops to help manufacturers take their first steps to transform their business, leadership development programme developed in partnership with Lancaster University, and funded digital technology internships.

Some manufacturers are developing projects using technologies which enable them to integrate systems, capture and analyse data, and even create simulations of their plants and processes. Others are using 3D-printing, automation, and robotics to solve business challenges and meet increased demand.

At the same time, Permaroof adapted its offering to work closely with modular companies for the first time, supplying fast flat roofing solutions to four emergency NHS projects in the first month of lockdown.

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Outside of the main house, the pool was refurbished alongside an existing out-building to create an elegant setting for outdoor living. The swimming pool outhouse was roofed with terracotta tile and a timber veranda was installed, alongside an in-built natural stone seating area and an outside shower constructed from a striking black timber cladding.

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De Rosee Sa Architects renovate Somerset barn and build timber clad guesthouse with views across Glastonbury Tor

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London-based architects De Rosee Sa have completed the extension and extensive refurbishment of a converted barn, together with the completion a new build guesthouse in Wells, Somerset. Known as Kilnwood, the property is located on the edge of the Mendip Hills with an extensive view overlooking Glastonbury Tor.

he brief for the project given to De Rosee Sa was to ensure that the renovation and new build share the same local vernacular and architectural language as that of other nearby farms and rural buildings, such as pitched roofs and black ship-lap timber boarding. With the main house, a converted barn, De Rosee Sa designed an impressive and welcoming entrance. The practice created a new external entrance porch which dually functions as a boot room, and within what was the original hallway, they relocated the staircase.

Moving its footprint allowed for a double-height hallway, successfully opening up the space and creating a dramatic interior. Located centrally, the hall renewed a sense of symmetry to the layout of the barn’s spatial design.

Original beams were exposed and local slate was laid underfoot. A tonal palette of earthy hues were employed throughout Kilnwood, echoing the property’s rural surroundings. In the hall, a deep velvety green was applied to the stairwell with accent furniture in natural wood tones.

Outside of the main house, the pool was refurbished alongside an existing out-building to create an elegant setting for outdoor living.

Continued >>

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De Rosee Sa’s work at Kilnwood also saw the practise refurbish the living room and snug within the main house.

Featuring bespoke joinery in a classic elegant blue with a natural seagrass carpet, the larger living room has a wood burning stove with a deep showcase window seat with lush valley views. The snug, which is just off the main hallway, is cosy and relaxed but undeniably chic.

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The swimming pool outhouse was roofed with terracotta tile and a timber veranda was installed, alongside an in-built natural stone seating area and an outside shower constructed from a striking black timber cladding.

Replacing an existing external garage on Kilnwood’s property grounds, De Rosee Sa additionally designed and built a one-story new build named ‘The Pottery’ to act as a guesthouse.

Utilising the practice’s signature use of black timbre, the construction detail is simple, yet crisper and more contemporary than the rural vernacular.

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Highlights of the new build include the kitchen, which features exposed beams in the pitched roof, bespoke shaker-style cabinetry in a black inky hue, reconstituted stone worktops and traditional terracotta tiles in a contrast of luxurious textures and tone.

In the family bathroom, glossy white metro wall tiling is paired with rustic hexagonal terracotta flooring. The addition of a curvaceous freestanding bath allows guests to bathe whilst taking in the stunning Glastonbury Tor. Materiality has always been of key importance to the practice and its designs. Materials and colour were selected to evoke an atmosphere of timelessness, simultaneously blurring the boundaries between the new and old parts of the project. The result is a refurbishment and new build that remains sympathetic to the project’s countryside surroundings.

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On the project, co-founder and lead architect Max de Rosee comments: “The property’s rural settings and spectacular view of Glastonbury Tor make Kilnwood a very special design project for the practice. We wanted to achieve a sensitive renovation of the former farm buildings, using natural, organic materials with polished finishes, all of which take inspiration from the property’s agricultural surroundings. We sought to create slightly different atmospheres for each room at Kilnwood, from the welcoming yet rustic interiors of the main barn to the more contemporary calm of The Pottery.”

Project:

Kilnwood Barn

Client:

Private Residential

Architect:

De Rosee Sa

Location:

Wells, Somerset

Area:

Barn - 246 sq mtrs, Guesthouse - 89 sq mtrs

Year:

2019

Photo credit:

Alex James

People on the move Daniel Baker Appointed as New Managing Director for Origin The UK’s leading manufacturer of premium aluminium windows and doors, Origin, has appointed Daniel Baker as its new Managing Director, UK.

the business inside out and am looking forward to hitting the ground running, building on Origin’s significant success, whilst continuing to deliver the fantastic products it has become renowned for.”

Neil Ginger, Founder and CEO at Origin, said: “We would like to thank Andrew for his huge contribution towards the business and wish him all the best with his next challenge. Over the past ten years, Origin has grown and changed exponentially. In just a decade, the business has matured from a designer and manufacturer of an award-winning bifold door, to a global systems designer and manufacturer with products installed in over 20 countries world-wide. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the business, and we are confident that Daniel’s wealth of knowledge and experience will support the Origin’s growth and development for the next ten years and beyond, ensuring that the business realises its full potential. Whilst Daniel’s appointment signifies the next step in Origin’s growth, the business that our customers and partners have come to rely on is not going to change, and we will continue to strive to design, manufacture and deliver, on time and in full, the best aluminium doors and windows possible. As demand continues to rise, we are looking forward to progressing with momentum, confidence and enthusiasm.”

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aniel, who has been a non-executive member of the Board of Origin since 2010, has been instrumental in supporting the goals and visions of the business since he joined the company 10 years ago. Following a successful career as an Angel Investor, Non-Executive Director and Management Consultant, Daniel brings with him extensive experience of delivering the development and maturation of businesses like Origin.

The appointment comes at an exciting time for Origin and signifies the company’s continued growth, as the business looks to explore the ongoing strategic opportunities available, both in the UK and across the globe.

Commenting on his new role, Daniel said: “I’m extremely pleased to be leading the Origin team at what is a key time for the business. Following ten years on the board of directors, I already know

Building control surveyors expand into the south with new office and director appointment Respected Approved Inspector, Ball & Berry, has taken the next step in its national expansion programme, by opening a new office in the south of England.

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ollowing the opening of its Birmingham office 14 months ago, the move by the Chartered Building Control Surveyors will lead to the creation of new jobs within the business, including that of a new Regional Director, a role which has been filled by Stuart Martin.

Prior to entering the sector, he spent many years serving in the military where he used

his time as a Combat Engineer to develop his skills and understanding of the construction industry. Now with 17 years’ experience in building control, Stuart has played an integral role in several Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes in Kent, as well as many domestic, healthcare and leisure developments across the south.

The new serviced office at Mabledon Place, Bloomsbury, is a fully refurbished, stately period building offering spacious meeting and conference rooms, and places Ball & Berry within a stone’s throw of the capital’s main transport hub of London Euston.

Opening a fourth office continues Ball & Berry’s strategy of driving collaboration and growth between its specialist Building Control Surveyors, support staff and clients, as it delivers an increasing volume of major projects. Ball & Berry is currently appointed to a number of retail, office and leisure fit outs across the south, as well as a series of new build residential projects and apartment refurbishments.

Director Paul McNeill explains: “The opening of an office in the south of England has been a long-term aim of ours, and something which we have inched towards as we have expanded our service offering across the country. For many months, members of our team have been travelling to the capital to meet clients and help their projects progress, but an influx of contracts and a buoyant market made it the right time to set up shop and take a permanent presence in London. While the move will enable us to work in closer proximity with our southern clients, the recruitment of Stuart as our new regional director will mean we can truly showcase our

position as the most experienced and specialist Approved Inspector in the country. Though the construction market has experienced unsettlement in recent months as a result of the pandemic, we have full confidence the sector will recover and have more momentum than ever, and we are available to support that.”

Regional director, Stuart Martin, said: “Despite the challenges the last few months have presented, Ball & Berry has continued to come to the fore as the trusted Approved Inspector across the UK, and I feel privileged to have been selected as the one to continue expanding that service in the south. There are a wealth of exciting projects already underway in the region, and we have our sights set on making our new London office a prosperous hub of activity as the industry recovers further from the pandemic.”

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Stuart will lead the firm’s charge in the city from a new London headquarters to cement Ball & Berry’s presence in the south as additional team members are recruited, as well as acting as the point of contact for architects, developers and clients to agree solutions to building control challenges.

Daniel will replace Origin’s previous Managing Director, UK, Andrew Halsall, who will be stepping down from the role after over ten years with the company.

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IMPROVED FLOOR HYGIENE Do your floors need to be kept REALLY clean? Every day a significant amount of dirt and micro-organisms accumulates in the scratches and joints of busy flooring surfaces. Reducing this type of contamination is essential if the floor is to be kept scrupulously clean. Using traditional methods to remove it is almost impossible but, using Bona’s latest deep cleaning and recoating methods, floor owners can considerably improve the hygiene levels of their floors.

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he Bona concept is to periodically deep clean and seal the floor’s surface, ideally from the time it is installed, to produce a smooth, homogenous surface which can be easily and efficiently cleaned during its lifetime. The sealing treatment fills any fine cracks and scratches, as well as the joints between LVT panels - to eliminate the possibility of dirt and micro-organisms building up on the surface, and making daily cleaning easier and more efficient.

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Using safe, non-hazardous products from Bona’s Commercial System range, the deep cleaning and recoating process also enables you to maintain the beauty of the floor and prolong its life – with minimal downtime during treatments.

Recoating involves superficial sanding with a Bona FlexiSand machine using Bona Diamond Abrasives for a perfectly smooth surface. This is followed by an application of Bona Pure, a hard wearing, non-yellowing, clear PUR coating specially formulated for the treatment of resilient floor coverings. Floors treated with Bona Pure also meet the DIN 51130 (R9) standard for slip resistance.

Tried and tested: To prove the hygiene performance of the Bona recoating system, we commissioned a study of its use on LVT flooring – the type typically

used in hygiene sensitive areas such as hospitals.

The test, carried out in conjunction with the IFR Institute in Germany, was to verify that a smooth, joint-free LVT surface can be created by overcoating with Bona Pure, achieving a surface that met the standards required by the internationally recognised TRBA 250 (Technical Rules for Biological Agents in Healthcare and Welfare Facilities).

The test involved coating one half of a new LVT wood effect plank floor with Bona Pure, while the other was left untreated. A solution containing flourescent pigments was then applied daily across the whole floor and cleaned using the Bona PowerScrubber and Bona Deep Clean Solution. Daily contamination with the pigments, followed by cleaning, was carried out over a period of 8 weeks. At the end of the test period, UV lights were used to expose the levels of contamination on each part of the floor.

The part of the floor not treated with Bona Pure showed high levels of contamination. The part treated with Bona Pure showed hardly any. The LVT planks were then removed to examine for signs of contamination below the surface. On the untreated area, a high level of contamination was found below the planks due to penetration through the joints – and almost none on the part treated with Bona Pure.

The sealing treatment fills fine cracks, scratches and joints between LVT panels - to eliminate the possibility of dirt and micro-organisms building up on the surface.

By applying a coat of Bona Pure on an LVT floor, Bona therefore meets the criteria defined in the TRBA 250 regulations. Its sealing power creates a barrier against residual germs and micro-organisms, making it easier to keep the floor scrupulously clean.

In addition to recoating with Bona Pure, the Bona Commercial System offers a range of cleaning and long-term maintenance treatments for all types of resilient and wood surfaces. For example, there are options enabling the total transformation of a resilient floor by using Bona Pure Colour PUR based paint (available in any RAL colour), and the inclusion of graphics or logos etc below the final clear top coat.

The Bona Commercial System not only allows you to improve floor hygiene, but also to totally transform the look of your existing floor without replacing it.

Download our brochure for the full story.

Bona Limited info.uk@bona.com bona.com Tel 01908 525 150

SHOUTING FROM THE TREE TOPS: THE BENEFITS OF TREE PITS The specification of trees within an urban area can provide many benefits, including improving inhabitants’ mental and physical wellbeing, to filtering urban pollutants and aiding the offset of carbon emissions.

Here Chris George, Business Development Manager at Howe Green, explores the wide ranging benefits tree pits and tree grilles offer and the key elements specifiers should consider.

requirement for slither cuts of stone, which often leads to recurrent and often costly breakages.

However, the structural integrity and design of a stainless steel tree pit shouldn’t hinder safe access to the tree root ball. Here, specifiers should consider solutions that utilise lifting keys, facilitating easy ongoing maintenance of the tree root ball without any additional budget, time or resources.

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xternal tree pits and tree grilles present a popular choice as they can successfully alleviate the potentially negative effects an urban environment can have on a living organism, whilst simultaneously providing inconspicuous access to electrics, valves, pumps and water features.

Tree pits and tree grilles also prevent any potential damage to the urban environment as the tree roots are securely managed within the tree root ball. This eliminates the opportunity for the roots to spread up and across the landscape, where they could cause damage to the flooring and present a dangerous trip hazard.

This style of tree pit also aims to eliminate the requirement for slither cuts of stone, which often leads to recurrent and often costly breakages.

When specifying tree pit covers for upcoming landscaping projects, professionals should consider solutions manufactured of stainless steel as they provide long term resistance to rust and corrosion. The addition of a top edge seal also prevents dirt, grout or grinding waste ingress for increased longevity and resilience. This style of tree pit also aims to eliminate the

Custom made specifications and orientations will best meet the specific requirements of each individual project, rather than a standard ‘off the shelf’ offering. Solutions that offer additional elements, such as up lighters, should also be considered to add another dimension to the installation.

A bespoke offering will also ensure the type of stone used and the modules or pattern formations featured within the hard landscaping are seamlessly integrated into the covers, providing the highest quality finish available.

By working closely with a manufacturer from the very initial specification stages, landscaping professionals can not only achieve the successful implementation of trees into hard landscaped areas, but ensure their long term growth and maintenance whilst achieving the desired visual aesthetic.

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For further information on Howe Green’s complete range of tree pit covers and tree grilles, visit www.howegreen.com or call 01920 463230.

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The marble floor accentuates the shades of the room, complementing the soft sofa and armchairs by Italian manufacturers. A six-meter fireplace reaches the ceiling with metal lace. It is the core of the house and a source of the family fire (vatra).

VATRA HOUSE Vatra (Ukr. ватра) — is a guardian fire. It is a source of warmth and a symbol of home. It is a sign that calls for safety and wisdom. It is light to go toward.

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atra is a family house. Here the childhood will settle and memories will be born. Here is the place to come back to again and again to feel the power of home.

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Living room Living rooms are demanding — they always want space and we give it. The color scheme is spread all over the walls with deep black, white, and rich wooden hues.

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Kitchen The kitchen is made in warm shades of brown. The canvas of the light floor allows to play with colors and combine seemingly hostile shades, from cinnamon to chestnut one.

The naturalness of the space and its elements encourages the experiments: black weaving in a white wall, ceramics in a metal reduction technique, Serhii Radko’s canvas, and the golden sun instead of ordinary lighting.

Terrace The terrace has chased after two hares: one is in the forest stretching over the horizon, and the other one is in the yard guarding apple and pear trees.

All ceramic rabbits are born at the Sergey Makhno Architects workshop to become home talismans and family guardians.

Instead of ordinary pots, there are wall cache-pots. They are to host some dill and parsley, blossoming petunia, and aubrieta. And in the evenings, the stars will be scattered above listening to the hares jumping in delight.

“The Vatra House is an organic pile of boxes with two exits to the yards. On both sides, there are balconies and terraces with forest views. The house must face things natural: forests, lakes, rivers, or trees at least. When the windows of the house face the green, it seems like the house is alive. It breathes with nature”, — says Serhii Makhno.

“The Vatra House is an organic pile of boxes with two exits to the yards. On both sides, there are balconies and terraces with forest views. The house must face things natural: forests, lakes, rivers, or trees at least. When the windows of the house face the green, it seems like the house is alive. It breathes with nature” — says Serhii Makhno.

Son’s bedroom In the son’s bedroom, his hobbies live: sports, music, and reading. Little dreams are born here and one day they will get big. Behind the door, there is a playground room where brother’s and sister’s elements meet to immerse into fun and childlike joy.

Daughter’s bedroom The little one’s hobby is still undecided, so the space is waiting to be filled. The coral headboard became the main focus of the room. Little doors lead to where the older brother and the joy of being together are.

Home SPA The home spa is made in the best relaxation traditions: swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and lounge zone. The light here is adjustable depending on the type of swimming: children’s bomb jumping, a pool party, or a solitary morning swim. The windows face the garden. The garden faces the windows. Everyone is at home.

Office The office is devoid of any abundance. The table is without drawers, but with a granite block that holds it. There are no shelves because all you need to hold and take here is dignity and responsibility. The business advisor is the ceramic art toy DIDO ISHO, who is always ready to give advice and share experience.

Type:

Private house

Area:

490 sq.m

Location:

Kyiv, Ukraine

Team:

Serhii Makhno, Oleksandr Makhno, Artem Meshchankin, Julia Siriak, Anton Siriak

Photos:

Serhii Kadulin

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Master bedroom The master bedroom is a love ode to the black color. Black walls with black wooden panels. Black glass wall lamps above the darkness of the bed. Black on white. Black on black. There seems to be no light in all this ubiquitous blackness. But in fact, the light is even greater here, because only in the dark it becomes volumetric.

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7 WAYS PLANTS CAN RELAX YOUR MIND

Houseplants should be integrated in your house to create mindfulness. An environmentally rich addition to you house will ease stress levels and relax your mind. In this current climate it is normal to feel anxious and overwhelmed, creating a plant space or filling each room with plants will subtly ease you into meditation.

Active plant care is a small but effective way to look after your mental wellbeing.

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y bringing your attention to caring for your plants, you can focus solely on the present moment and distract your brain from anxious thoughts. Plants are also a great way to take a much-needed technology break, focusing on your plants even if it is a few minutes a day, forces you to stop. To help you learn just how effective plants are, the experts at Forest Healthcare have described the 7 ways they can relax your mind.

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1) Reduces background noise If you live in a busy area, you might be constantly hearing sounds of cars and passers-by, this makes it increasingly difficult to relax and rejuvenate. Creating a stress-free indoor plant sanctuary will help to reduce noise levels indoors. This is because large plants carry a large surface area, making it more effective at absorbing sound and providing tranquillity. Place your larger plants around the perimeter of your rooms so the sound bounces from the walls straight into the surface area of the leaves.

2) Eliminates harmful toxins and improves air quality Plants are natural air purifiers and help to remove toxins from the atmosphere.

Depending on your exposure, chemicals in the air could lead to negative health

“Geraniums are great in the Winter. Before the first frost, bring them in from the garden and they all sit together and continue to flower until Christmas!

Plants create another beating heart in the house and bring colour and scent.

Go for plants which match the décor of your room, smaller rooms tend to look better with delicate flowers and bigger rooms with larger centrepieces.”

effects depending on your exposure.

Plants can take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce oxygen which improves the air quality. They also have properties which help to reduce airborne dust levels and increase air humidity so you can eliminate coughing, fatigue and itchy eyes.

3) Increases productivity Research has proven that people perform better at attention-based tasks when surrounded by plants. Everyone has certain days in which they spend a lot time staring at a screen, unable to be productive, all you need to solve that is plant therapy. A research study conducted at Exeter University found out that indoor plants can improve concentration, productivity and staff well-being by 47%.

These effects come from stimulating plant colours, calming aromas and oxygenating abilities. Since many of us are working from home, when the weather isn’t great, we spend several hours indoors and are being exposed to high amounts of CO2, which make it harder to concentrate and think clearly. The oxygen that is created by indoor plants helps to balance the level of CO2 in our bodies.

4) Helps you sleep We all need enough sleep to have a positive effect on our health and be productive for the day ahead. Plants can help you get a good night’s sleep by purifying the air in your bedroom and producing a scent that helps you to relax.

Plants such as aloe vera give out a lot of oxygen at night that help you to breathe better as well as removing the toxins from the air.

5) Reduce the risk of headaches Plants have air-purifying properties that can counter headaches. Research has revealed that plants can help to remove benzene, trichloroethylene and

formaldehyde from the air. Formaldehyde is a gas that is used in the production of leather and wood products, which is why its present in many indoor environments, it is a common cause of headaches due to the strong odours.

6) Brings in nature Many of us live in busy cities contacting the modern world every day but have very little interaction with nature. By bringing the nature into your home, our minds can sub consciously benefit from the soothing effects of greenery. This provides a great opportunity to switch off from your daily tasks so you can enjoy nurturing your new plant sanctuary. Adding a potted plant to a bedside table for example, can instantly make your space look more appealing.

7) Relieve stress and anxiety Taking care of your plants as you finish your day can help reduce any feeling of stress and anxiety. Even a simple gesture such as touching the leaves of your plants for 2 minutes can have a positive impact on your stress levels. House plants for anxiety help alleviate symptoms because they promote higher quality air. Plants have a lot of stress relief benefits that deliver natural healing right into your home. Pothos are a great house plant for beginners because they’re easy to maintain and help to cleanse the air around you.

Interior designer, Vanessa Arbuthnott, shares her top tips on houseplants: “Geraniums are great in the Winter. Before the first frost, bring them in from the garden and they all sit together and continue to flower until Christmas! Plants create another beating heart in the house and bring colour and scent. Go for plants which match the décor of your room, smaller rooms tend to look better with delicate flowers and bigger rooms with larger centrepieces.”

Whatever the job, Norbord has a wood panel for it!

Norbord’s new fully interactive engineered wood panels product guide is proving to be an invaluable online resource for housebuilders, specifiers and architects. A simple click on the tabs at the side of the guide opens up the chosen product, application or technical information. Whatever the project, the easy-to-navigate guide makes choosing the right product simple.

The product guide contains all the information needed on panels in the SterlingOSB Zero, CaberFloor and CaberWood MDF portfolios, including detailed technical product data and installation advice. In addition to this, Norbord’s booklet highlights different applications, including roofing, flooring, walling, timber frames, hoarding, shopfitting, and furniture among others such as moulding and packing.

The guide, which also encompasses contact information for general enquiries and technical expertise, is the ultimate tool for specifying panel products in the building and construction industries. The guide can be downloaded from the housebuilders’ page on Norbord’s website, or if a paper copy of the guide is preferred this can be ordered here.

For further information, call RRN116048 The Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page 11 RRN116048 The Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page 11 01786The 812 921 or visit www.norbord.co.uk RRN116048 HP:RRN Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 1 RRN116048 The Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page 4/2/16 16:40 RRN116048 The Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page RRN116048 The Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page Page 1 RRN116048 TheStonyard Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page Page 1 RRN116048 TheQuarter Stonyard HP:RRN Quarter Page Template Template 4/2/16 16:40 Page 1 RRN720012 Norbord Half Page.indd 1

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RRN917065 The Stoneyard Half Page.indd11 1 RRN519075 The StoneHalf Yard HP.indd RRN917065 The Stoneyard Page.indd RRN917065 The Stoneyard Half Page.indd RRN917065 The Stoneyard Half Page.indd 11

11:22:01 07/09/2017 05/04/2019 08:51:42 11:22:01 07/09/2017 11:23:17 11:22:01 07/09/2017 11:23:17 11:23:17 11:22:01 07/09/2017 11:23:17

RRNews - Issue 44

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