EBPR - November-December 2011 Issue 6

november/december 2011 ISSUE 6 WWW.EBPR.CO.UK

THE ESSENTIAL BUILDING PRODUCT

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review THE ESSENTIAL BUILDING PRODUCT

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Contents 6 10 14 18 20 22 27 34 36 38 40 43

GALLERY 1 News GALLERY 2 walls Doors & Glazing interiors Environmental control opinion Floors Roofs Structures PROJECTS

Front cover photograph supplied by Arch Timber Protection www.archtp.com - full story page 8-9 Inside cover photograph supplied by NIBE Energy Systems Ltd www.nibe.co.uk - full story page 49

Published by: Link2Media Building Publications Ltd Editorial Office: Barn 3, Dunston Business Village, Stafford Road, Dunston, Stafford ST18 9AB Tel: 01785 711591 Fax: 0845 862 8639 info@link2media.co.uk www.link2media.co.uk

Extending The Folding Door Into Other Areas What do you look for in a company supplying products into the architectural market. Strength. Solidity.

Innovation. The folding door market is growing rapidly. Product development is vital for companies to succeed, whilst many companies can build a set of folding doors, will they meet building regulations? Will they perform and not let wind and rain penetrate? Have they been tested so that they can be sold with confidence and a guarantee? Has the wood been sourced sustainably? Does the company use water based lacquers? In most instances the answer is yes but for some manufacturers the answer is definitely no.

Folding door products made by the leading manufacturers have been designed to meet high performance targets for both thermal efficiency and door integrity. Most high quality doors are now made out of either wood (laminated) or aluminium or a combination of both. The aluminium doors use thermal breaks to eliminate cold bridging. EPDM seals maintain the doors integrity against wind and rain; security bolts provide the doors security and either triple or double glazing provide the thermal efficiency due to the large glazing surface area.

You can’t forget the carriers that move the doors effortlessly to the side and the stainless steel track. It’s all part of the complete development package that the larger companies provide. A recent example in Hitchin where Solarlux were involved in the discussions at an early stage ensured that all the glazing met the customers’ requirements.

In particular, the stepped plan of the extension ensured that when SL60 aluminium folding doors were opened they folded back onto identical dimensioned pillars, so they were in effect hidden. Shadow gaps instead of the skirting were designed to mirror the Solarlux framing.The 3m overhang of the centre section of the cantilever roof enables the owners to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors with the practicality of a protected space. Flush floor tracks, and the use of a porcelain tile on the inside that ran out onto the patio with an anti-slip surface on the external section, completed the indoor/outdoor effect.

A 20mm fall over the depth of the patio ensures water is taken away from the house.The thermal insulation of the aluminium double glazed doors is 1.1Wm2K. Many manufacturers have a range of doors to suit different applications, objectives and budgets. The most thermally efficient door available on the market today is the Solarlux SL97 at 0.80Wm2K. This is a wood/aluminium door which has been designed for strength and, with triple glazing, thermal efficiency, as well as looking aesthetically pleasing, with natural timber on the inside. The principle of folding door technology lends itself to other areas that can use the same or similar technology. Balcony glazing is one area. Here units can be installed or retrofitted to an open balcony to create an additional room, and in addition a thermal break for the flat/apartment, eliminating cold bridging and improving sound insulation as well.

The principal of the moveable glazing panel is the same; they can be slid to one side and turned, stacked at either end so that an open aspect can be enjoyed. These panels can be single glazed providing a wind and rain break or thermally insulated so that the balcony becomes an additional room or even part of the apartment. One further development that has taken place recently in Holland is the use of a combination of both the single glazed element and a thermally insulated glazed element. This concept has been used on a headquarters building where the architect was commissioned to produce an intelligent design which confronts the challenges of the future – saving energy, reducing CO2 emissions and preserving resources, in essence a downsizing concept for offices of the future.

The Comfort façade uses both the glazing element as well as the folding door element and has met with great success. The buildings’ thermal management concept is based entirely on renewable sources of energy.

Solarlux have a showroom at Welwyn Garden City that has most of the Solarlux range of products on display from wintergardens to Balcony Glazing to Folding doors as well as sliding and tilt doors. www.solarlux.co.uk Enquiry No 1

Arch Timber Protection balances protection and sustainability at the Netherlands Institute for Ecology The Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) is now housed in a purpose-built timber and glass building designed to the highest standards of sustainability, and fire retardants from Arch Timber Protection, a Lonza company, are safely protecting the building and staff at the site.

Timber is a crucial and significant element in the new building and thermally-modified Plato WOOD, produced from sustainable spruce, has been used for external beams and cladding. These components are protected using Arch’s NON-COM Exterior, a polymer-based fire retardant to provide a proven and highly effective surface spread of flame protection. Interior Plato WOOD spruce timbers used in the public areas of the building are also fire retardantprotected with Arch’s DRICON, a water-based fire retardant treatment. The timber and the DRICON treatment have been supplied by Foreco Dalfsen.

The timbers for NON-COM Exterior protection had to be accurately produced and then carefully shipped in segments to the UK, treated by Arch and then shipped back to the site for construction.

Arch Timber Protection BV general manager,Arno van Oosten, says:“NON-COM Exterior is the only leach resistant fire retardant pressure treatment available on the European market.This added an extra step to the building process because everything had to be mapped out in great detail and prepared before it could be sent over for treatment

by Arch in the UK. However, we were able to work directly with the timber supplier and builder and make sure that all the steps were as cost-effective as possible.” Claus & Kaan Architects designed the building according to the cradle-to-cradle (C2C) ecologically-sound building concept. www.archtp.com Enquiry No 2

NEWS

Dricon Reaffirmed As The Only Fire Retardant Timber Treatment Approved For Use On London Underground

BENCHMARK TAKE PANELS TO THE NEXT LEVEL A new CPD seminar approved by RIBA and the CPD Certification Service, has been introduced by Kingspan Benchmark to examine the development of prefabricated insulated panel systems within the wider context of innovations in unitised building solutions.

The new CPD seminar created by Benchmark, discusses the benefits of off-site build wall units that can be over 7 metres high by 3.5 metres wide, combined with on-site ‘dry’ construction, allowing quicker and safer installation, greater predictability in work schedules and simplifying compliance with new regulations. It looks at how insulated panel technology has developed from industrial cladding into a more advanced unitised system compatible with a large range of architectural façades from Kingspan Benchmark. Modular building approaches offer solutions to some of the key issues of modern construction, ensuing thermal performance while reducing building costs, and this CPD seminar provides an example of how one approach has developed from standard prefabricated insulation into a full “through wall unitised solution”. www.kingspanbenchmark.com Enquiry No 3

VEKA supports local apprentices VEKA plc has signed up to a new government initiative to help generate more apprenticeship programmes in the North West.

The ‘100 in 100’ campaign aims to generate 100 apprenticeship placements in businesses within the local area, and the programme will benefit not only the apprentices themselves, but also the local community and economy alike. Offering great career prospects was one of the reasons Jarrod chose VEKA for his four-year apprenticeship: “VEKA is a good company to start my career with and working for such a big company means there will be a lot of opportunities for me.”

Earlier this year VEKA donated a laptop to soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, so the troops could keep in touch with loved ones while on tour of duty in Afghanistan and they also lend out their headquarters to the local Police Cadets for their weekly meetings and practical sessions. The PVC-U system supplier recently won the Outstanding Contribution to Burnley award at the Burnley Business and Innovation Awards. Picture: l to r, Louis, Orran and Jarrod www.vekauk.com Enquiry No 4

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Dricon has been recommended for use by London Underground Limited (LUL) since 2007 but now also has a fully approved listing on its Product Register.

Dricon is at present recognised as the only fire protection to meet the stringent requirements of LUL for both underground and above ground projects due to its proven track record and unique accreditations.

Dricon is a popular choice for the fire protection of interior timbers and board products used in numerous rail and transport projects. It is the only British Board of Agrément (BBA) approved fire retardant treatment for timber, and the only UK Wood Protection Association (WPA) approved status humidity-resistant product. Non-Com Exterior, Arch’s leach-resistant treatment for exterior construction timbers, has also recently been accepted by the National House Building Council (NHBC) Building Control service for timber cladding in situations adjacent to boundaries or above 18 metres in new build projects. www.archtp.com Enquiry No 5

Wicona’s Highly Sustainable Test Centre Generates 60 Per Cent More Electricity Than It Needs For Its Own Operations In its first year of operation, the new dedicated test centre for Wicona’s façade products – one of the first energy-positive industrial buildings in Europe – has generated 60 per cent more electricity than it needs for its own consumption. The f3.5m scheme provides in-house testing facilities for new products and project-specific façade solutions which can then be independently certified to the latest European standards. The test centre is designed to be highly energy efficient and sustainable. Roof-mounted photovoltaic panels generate sufficient power for heating, lighting and operating the entire building, making it one of Europe’s first energy-positive production buildings.

A key factor in helping to reduce the energy consumption of the building to as little as 23kWh/ m2a – around the same as a standard passive house – is its highly efficient Wicona façade. www.wicona.co.uk Enquiry No 6

D&E Architectural Hardware Catalogue D&E Architectural Hardware L

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D&E Architectural Hardware has one of the most comprehensive product catalogues available to the market. To assist customers and architectural specifiers alike, we have created the D&E Product Overview. This 32 page brochure provides product information about all items in the D&E portfolio.

Ranges covered include the Liobex range of spring hinges, NHN door closers, BSW hinges, KWS Architectural Hardware, a full door viewer range, as well as a wide selection of ancillary items. The brochure allows easy cross-referencing to the full D&E catalogue, as well as the current price list. To obtain a copy, telephone 01733 896 123, or download the pdf version at www.DandE.co.uk Enquiry No 7

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NEWS

TTF Welcomes Weyerhaeuser Products as New Member

Sika Launches Online Waterproofing Specification Tool

Weyerhaeuser Products Limited, the European operation of international forest products company, Weyerhaeuser, has been approved as an Overseas Associate Member of the Timber Trade Federation (TTF). This latest course of positive action comes just weeks after the company announced its Lumin™ plywood range is PEFC certified, demonstrating Weyerhaeuser’s further commitment as a responsible and sustainable supplier to the UK market. Having previously supplied evidence of a Responsible Purchasing Policy (RRP) to TTF members, Weyerhaeuser will now formally provide this information as an associate member of the TTF. Moreover, as the majority of its UK customer base is already part of the TTF, membership also provides a strategic opportunity to further align the company and its activities with this network.

Weyerhaeuser is globally recognised as both sustainable and ethical, with the environmental credentials of its South American product ranges Lumin plywood and Lyptus hardwood confirmed with third party certification. As a member of the TTF, Weyerhaeuser will have access to the latest legislation and market developments in the UK and Europe, available through the organisation’s advanced statistics and data banks. www.weyerhaeuser.com

SikaSpec, the innovative online specification tool, has been enhanced with the addition of functionality for the creation of comprehensive waterproofing specifications. The tool has been designed to offer an efficient, accurate and reliable method of producing specifications for the complex refurbishment of existing basements, as well as new build structures, to meet Grades 1 to 3 of the BS 8102: 2009 Code of Practice. The new waterproofing option extends the technical ability of the solution, whilst building on a proven formula by providing architects, specifiers and contractors with additional functionality.

SikaSpec, found at www. sikaspec.co.uk, comprises a comprehensive database that allows the user to choose from a series of options to create a bespoke waterproofing specification. For a limited time only, new SikaSpec waterproofing project registrations will be entered into a prize draw to win an Apple iPad 2.

For a chance to win – whilst gaining access to the new, fast and efficient way of creating and storing waterproofing specifications – simply try the waterproofing specification tool at www.sikaspec.co.uk. www.sikaconstruction.co.uk

Enquiry No 8 Enquiry No 9

WINTER FIRE SAFETY ALERT The prospect of another cold winter, combined with high energy prices, presents many householders with real difficulties – particularly society’s most vulnerable. But one danger that is often overlooked is the failure of smoke alarms to operate properly at low temperatures.

Kidde’s TEN-4 battery powered smoke alarm is more tolerant of low ambient temperature - with an operating range starting from 0degC - compared with competing smoke alarms with a higher range start.

Very low temperatures can drag down the voltage of a smoke alarm battery, recovering when the heating comes on. With many alarms this may well induce a regular ‘low battery’ warning beep, typically in the middle of the night when temperatures are lowest and, of course, sound most disruptive.

In contrast, Kidde’s TEN-4 smoke alarm has a unique ‘silent night’ early warning feature for low battery level with a flashing LED - but no sound. Just one press of the ‘Test/Hush’ button resets the alarm to normal operation. In it’s ‘silent night’ state, TEN-4 is still operational as an alarm and will sound as normal if smoke is detected.

After 30 days of visual warning, the alarm will then ‘chirp’ for 30 days more to reinforce its end-of-life state. This important feature avoids unnecessary, disruptive warning sounds resulting from very low temperatures – and the temptation for householders to interfere with smoke alarms and put their lives at risk by disabling them.

TEN-4 is ideal for local authority and housing association use, particularly as it can be quickly installed by the maintenance team. With its sealed-in, whole-life battery and base plate locking option, it minimises tampering issues, providing continuing protection. It is a high quality, BSi ‘Kitemarked’ product, subject to the most stringent quality control procedures supported by a full 10-year guarantee from a major company. Kidde’s competitive pricing will meet any Best Value criteria, making TEN-4 the responsible choice for social housing. ten4.kiddefyrnetics.co.uk www.smoke-alarms.co.uk Enquiry No 10

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NEWS

Neaco Introduce Lifetime Guarantee on Entire Product Range Yorkshire-based architectural metalwork specialists Neaco have introduced a new Lifetime Guarantee across their entire range of handrail, balustrade, balcony, aluminium open grille and assisted bathing products.

Purchasers of Neaco products can now visit Neaco’s website to register for the Lifetime Guarantee and obtain full Terms & Conditions relating to their order. Neaco’s national sales manager, Richard Richardson-Derry, commented on its benefits: “As Neaco approach our 40th year in the construction industry the time is right to add an official seal of quality to our well-earned reputation for excellence in design and manufacturing. I believe that no other rival product range offers a Lifetime Guarantee that bears comparison with the terms provided by Neaco’s. It will provide peace of mind to architects, developers, contractors, specifiers and end users across the UK.” All Neaco products are precision engineered at the company’s factory in Malton, North Yorkshire, with full delivery and on-site installation services provided. The company’s diverse portfolio includes assisted bathing facilities, aluminium open grille systems, solar shading, modular handrail and balustrade systems, Juliet balconies, step-out balconies and structural glass. www.neaco.co.uk Enquiry No 11

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NEWS

BEWARE OF THE MISUSE OF FIRE PROTECTION PRODUCTS, WARNS NULLIFIRE Just as most insurance policies are never subject to a claim, the majority of passive fire protection installations are, mercifully, never called on to perform. Whether this fact inspires complacency in some contractors and specifiers is open to discussion, but there is no doubt that fire protection and in particular fire stopping is often not given the serious attention it deserves. Perhaps it is partly because passive fire protection is seldom visible in the finished building and, being out of sight, is also out of mind. But perhaps it is also because some people don’t understand how these products work and don’t appreciate the skill and knowledge required to install them properly.

Cutting corners on fire protection is not only reckless, it is also a false economy. One good example of this is a new building recently surveyed by Nullifire, the UK’s leading producer of passive fire protection products, on behalf of the building’s owner. The client’s facilities manager had noticed what he suspected was inappropriate use of expanding foam to fill service penetrations in walls and ceilings in the basement area. Special foams are used in fire protection, but they are formulated to harden into a solid layer when exposed to fire, thus preventing the passage of smoke, flame and hot gasses. Moreover, they are designed for sealing narrow linear joints in ceilings and partitions – not for large openings and service penetrations. This building had been handed over by the main contractor and signed off by Building Control. And yet the fire protection was totally inadequate. The outcome of this case is that a qualified, third-party accredited installer was then tasked with retrofitting Nullifire products throughout the building. Because the building is now furnished and occupied, the work is slower, and the costs higher, than if the fire protection had been installed prior to completion. This mirrors the fact that one of the largest costs associated with fire stopping is the repair or replacement of substandard works. www.nullifire.com Enquiry No 12

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A Pure Spa Experience Is The Order Of The Day In Britain’s Only Natural Thermal Spa

The minute you step into this tranquil mixture of historic grandeur and cutting architecture nestled right in the centre of the stunning City of Bath, you are enveloped in a sense of well-being.

This sense extends throughout the building and is assisted in three areas by a Stannah Microlift or dumbwaiter. This service lift vitally moves fresh, exciting and healthy foods from the third floor professional kitchen through three floors of the building. Directly below the kitchen on the second floor is a function room with catering included, so the lift ensures delivery with no fuss and on time. The firstfloor restaurant is the final stop for the lift and is absolutely crucial to customer service satisfaction.

Peter Rollins, Sales and Marketing Manager at Thermae Bath Spa, explains:‘When the building was opened to the public five years ago we didn’t initially have the facility of a dumbwaiter.

How I wished we had. Since installing the Stannah Microlift this year the movement of food from the kitchen has become so much easier and reliable.The lift was installed very quickly and neatly, with most of the work being completed overnight so our routine was only minimally disrupted. We were very pleased with the process of purchasing the lift and even more pleased to have the benefits of it every day.’

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The City of Bath has three principal natural springs. The King’s Spring supplies the world-famous Roman Baths. Thermae Bath Spa uses the natural hot spring water from the Kings, Hetling and Cross Springs in all four of its thermal pools. It’s amazing to think that this water fell as rain around 10,000 years ago, heats naturally beneath the earth’s crust, emerges at a temperature of 45 degrees centigrade and contains 42 different minerals.

The Microlift 50CBD with bottom drive, just one product in the Microlift range, is serviced by the Bristol branch of Stannah Lift Services, a nationwide network providing 24 hour, 365 days a year support.This covers service, repair, modernisation and refurbishment of all types of lifts, stairlifts, escalators and moving walkways – not only those from the Stannah product range, but also other lift manufacturers’ equipment. Stannah also offers a bespoke lifts service, custom-building lifts to meet customers’ specific requirements.

Find out more about the Thermae Bath Spa experience at www.thermaebathspa.co.uk www.stannahlifts.co.uk Enquiry No 13

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Shackerley ceramic granite adds extra sheen to landmark healthcare building Gleaming ceramic granite ventilated facade systems supplied by Shackerley have provided an exceptionally high standard of aesthetic finish, inside and out, at the UK’s first dedicated organ transplantation centre.

The new state-of-the-art Institute of Transplantation at Newcastle upon Tyne’s Freeman Hospital, built by BAM at a cost of over £25m, is one of only four such medical centres of excellence in the world.

Shackerley’s Sureclad ventilated cladding has not only helped Ryder Architecture to deliver a landmark healthcare building for The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: the facility to install thermal and acoustic insulation within the air cavity behind the facades has also helped the project team to achieve a BREEAM standard of ‘Very Good’ for their client.

Polished ceramic granite was specified as an exterior cladding finish for the building because of its premium aesthetic qualities and its durable hardwearing and low maintenance characteristics. Ryder’s architects had employed Shackerley’s Sureclad facade systems to great effect on other prestigious projects, and the Trust also had previous experience of using ceramic granite at the hospital.

A highly polished white ceramic granite facade panel was selected to clad the enclosed courtyard at the heart of the facility which provides an oasis for staff and visitors and a pleasing aspect for the patients being treated in the surrounding clinical spaces. With its reflective ceramic cladding and pastel tinted fenestration the appearance of the courtyard is continually changing in response to the prevailing weather conditions.

The same highly polished white ceramic granite panel has also been used ‘frame’ the main entrance to the building, and to provide visual continuity the architects have used the same panel and facade system to provide sleek , reflective ‘floor to ceiling’ wall cladding. A contrasting ceramic granite panel, again with a highly polished finish but this time in charcoal black, has also been employed to clad adjacent elevations and lift lobbies on each floor of the building, providing maximum dramatic effect.

All the exterior and interior ceramic cladding was installed on behalf of BAM by roofing and facade installation specialist Keyclad, part of the Bowmer & Kirkland Group.

Ryder Architecture Associate Mike Melia said: “The Trust was determined that the new building should leave staff, patients and visitors in no doubt that this is a world leading healthcare facility providing groundbreaking medical treatment and unrivalled standards of patient care. We were not constrained by preconceptions of how a hospital should look, and were urged to specify premium quality materials throughout.

“We knew that we could rely on Shackerley’s ceramic granite to deliver a high quality finish for internal and external elevations, but when we saw the finished results we were really pleased how attractive it looked, particularly in the reception and courtyard.”

Steven Bannister, Director of Estates and Facilities for the Trust agreed: “Ryder Architecture understood our requirements intimately - in terms of space, light, finishes and standards. I am delighted to say that they have exceeded all our expectations, especially where the interior and exterior cladding finishes are concerned.

“Our new facility really is top class. It makes a bold and unequivocal statement about the confidence and pride the Trust has in its world leading transplantation services and the quality of patient treatment and care we are able to offer.”

For further information please contact Shackerley on 0800 783 0391, email info@ shackerley.com or visit on www.shackerley.com/cladding Enquiry No 14

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Walls

Rotational Movement Through Cavity Wall Openings

Arts & Media Campus gets Ash & Lacy treatment Kendal College, a further education college in the Lake District, has recently undergone a significant investment in the form of a new Technical Studio.

The purpose-built performance space cost £1.1million and Ash & Lacy was involved from an early stage. Ash & Lacy worked alongside architects Taylor Young with the initial concept stage through to the supply of the slate and honeycomb panels to ensure the feasibility of the design. ‘The Black Box’, as the new performance space is nick-named, is situated on the Arts & Media campus of Kendal College where all the art, design, media and expressive arts courses take place. ‘The Black Box’ is a twisted cube shape that is covered in slate composite panels fitted to the exterior, which creates a dramatic visual impact for the visitors to Kendal College.

As well as contributing significantly to the design of the building, Ash & Lacy supplied Lingrid 3 slate and honeycomb panels and Aerostone backing structure.

Traditional materials such as slate and limestone have been used with impressive results. The slate was quarried locally from Burlington Stone in Cumbria using two different finishes to create a striking two-tone effect. www.ashandlacy.com

Timber-frame construction requires the designer and builder to be aware of and make provision to accommodate differential movement between the external masonry skin and the internal timber skin. The extent of total movement increases as the building gets higher and also as the cavity width gets wider.

Wherever there is connection between inner and outer skins there is potential for movement conflict to manifest as cracking. The most common connection areas are window and door openings. (Reveals and sills). The way in which the reveal is closed can reduce the potential for cracking. There are now Caviclosers with integral movement provision.

The WCA Cavicloser (WCA stands for wide cavity applications) uses accompanying ties to secure it to the outer masonry skin.

The side of the closer nearest the inner leaf has a friction fit relationship with the rest of the closer body. This side can be screwed or nail directly into the timber inner leaf through the face flange. The arrangement can thus benefit expansion and contraction provision. www.cavitytrays.co.uk Enquiry No 16

Enquiry No 15

RockShell Celebrates UK Launch at Passivhaus Conference 2011 RockShell, the low energy and external load bearing wall system from Rockwool, celebrated its recent UK launch at this year’s UK Passivhaus Conference. Held at the Barbican, London (24th – 25th October 2011), the conference provided the ideal platform from which to formally introduce the Passivhaus certified system to UK architects, developers and energy managers.

Exhibiting as main sponsors at the event, RockShell UK showcased a model of the wall system to demonstrate simplicity of build and speed of construction. This gave conference delegates the opportunity to see first-hand how RockShell is constructed of I-shaped steel profiles encompassed in heavy Rockwool insulation with an OSB lining on the inside – a patented modular structure which delivers a low energy and highly thermal efficient wall buildup. Another first for the UK Passivhaus Conference 2011 was the broadcasting of a new technical installation video, which illustrates how RockShell is constructed to achieve a typical U-value of 0.143W/m2K while keeping wall thickness to a minimum.

By simplifying installation and manufacturing the system to an exact specification, RockShell offers increased air tightness and minimised thermal bridges, as compared with traditional building methods. www.rockshell.uk.com Enquiry No 17

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Install Glass with Ease...

Door Hardware W Shower Hardware W Railing Hardware W Glass Fittings & Supplies W

Enquiry No 18

GENERAL CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION ADMISSION

Conforms to

BS 6180:1999 & BS 6399-1:1996

The TAPER-LOC™ System is the simple way to install glass railings and balustrades*.

Rapid

t 2VJDL 4JNQMF *OTUBMMBUJPO 50% faster to install than traditional alternatives

Re-adjustable

t 4BWF 5JNF .POFZ The horizontal taper-loc design allows the system to be adjusted, dismantled and re-set.

Reassured

t 5FTUFE Meets the strictest building code requirements BS6180:1999 and BS6399-1:1996.

For information call FREE on 00 800 0421 6144 e: CRL@crlaurence.co.uk f: 00 800 0262 3299 w: crlaurence.co.uk Patented

*For toughened/toughened laminated glass from 12mm-25.52mm thick

Doors, windows & Glazing

Staple Hill Primary School, Bristol Alu-Timber and their approved fabricator, Alliance Design Limited, recently worked on a new build school in Bristol which replaced an existing school building. Alu-Timber, from The Parkside Group Ltd., was specified due to the flexibility it offers. All profiles are kept in stock which means challenging site deadlines can always be met. The extensive range of profiles create options for large glazed framing areas which integrate seamlessly with Alu-Timber windows and doors. The complete Alu-Timber range includes casement, tilt & turn windows, open-in and open-out doors, framing and curtain walling. All Alu-Timber approved fabricators are required to have the technical expertise to attend pre-site meetings and provide detailing. Alliance Design liaised closely with the specifiers to provide design advice and detailing which ensured the project ran smoothly and met site deadlines. www.alutimber.co.uk Enquiry No 19

TECHNAL LAUNCHES NEW FAÇADE PRODUCTS AND DESIGN CONCEPTS AT BATIMAT 2011 Architectural aluminium façade specialist, Technal, has launched a series of new curtain walling, window and door products at Batimat 2011 in Paris. It also presented some innovative new concepts which look to the future of façade design. The Technal stand had the appearance of a continental villa with a tree-filled patio and façades that had a series of opaque aluminium louvres and contrasting translucent bands of glazing, with a dark, midnight blue exterior. A number of new Technal façade products were launched at Batimat, which will be available in the UK and Ireland in 2012. As part of Technal’s commitment to research and development, the stand also featured three innovative façade design concepts. www.technal.co.uk Enquiry No 20

TORMAX 4-wing revolving entrance gives easy access for all Reflecting the ethos of Kent County Councils’ new Ashford Gateway building, the four wing revolving entrance system from TORMAX is combined with an iMotion® automatic swing side door, providing easy and efficient access for all potential visitors to the vast array of public and voluntary services housed at this town centre location.

The doors are driven by the latest in cutting edge technology, combining longevity with optimum operation to ensure low energy consumption at all times. Driven by the powerful TORMAX 5201 Universal operator, the aesthetically impressive revolving door offers low maintenance operation combined with a high level of functionality. Minimising the heat loss whilst maintaining the internal ambient temperature, a self-explanatory menu on the service computer allows door speed to accurately reflect external weather conditions as well as changing levels of foot traffic. Giving visitors an alternative access route, the automatic swing door incorporates the iMotion 1301 synchronous motor. iMotion technology is entirely wear-free, delivering outstanding reliability yet requiring only minimal maintenance over its life. Incorporating an intelligent microprocessor control system, door movement is continuously being monitored and adapted to minimise energy consumption. www.tormax.co.uk Enquiry No 21

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Doors, windows & Glazing

Vertical daylighting Kalwall translucent systems do not always need to have standard, rectangular grids. Providing the area is large enough, variations of size, shape and layout are possible. A recent example is installed at the JCB Academy near Uttoxeter where a new sports hall is lit with Verti-Kal featuring a ‘brickbond’ vertical variation of the diffused daylighting system. This can also be used horizontally.

The JCB Academy is the first of a brand new type of school, focused on delivering high quality engineering and business education. Architects Lacey Hickey Caley were responsible for the conversion and development of this former Arkwright Cotton Mill, turning it into a new state-of-the-art Academy School. Kalwall is the unique system of diffusing natural daylight through walls or roofs. The ‘museum-quality’ natural light is ideal for sports halls because it eliminates stark contrasts of light and shadow and creates ideal playing surface.

Even on cloudy days, the calming and attractive daylight floods the interior and overcomes any need for curtains or blinds.

Importantly, because the system is highly insulating, energy costs are reduced. U values as low as 0.28W/m2K, equivalent to a solid wall or opaque roof, can be achieved by including translucent Lumira aerogel within the panels. www.stoakes.co.uk Enquiry No 22

VICAIMA DOORS TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN BRAZILIAN THEATRE Vicaima’s fire resistant and acoustic Portaro® door kits have recently been selected for the Feevale Theatre, the largest in Rio Grande do Sul and one of the most contemporary cultural spaces in Brazil. Designed by the architect Alan Astor Einsfeldt, the theatre combines comfort and modernity. The cultural centre occupies a 10.500 m² area and has a maximum capacity for 1.826 spectators.

Vicaima doors have been used throughout its impressive interior, including the concert halls, entrance to dressing rooms, offices and in other general areas within the complex.

The Italian style stage has a projected area of over 500m² and is surrounded by Vicaima Portaro® door kits, which discreetly blend into the architecture of the concert hall. The doors, mainly with EI30 AC42dB performance, single or double leaf, have been designed to meet the requirements of this project in terms of comfort, acoustic reduction, security, durability and accessibility. In addition prevision has been made for people with reduced mobility in terms of extra wide door widths.

In keeping with the overall design theme of lighter shades,Vicaima Dekordor HD (Heavy Duty) in Oak were selected, a finish that reproduces the natural beauty of wood, but provides extra durability and so is ideal when fitted in places of intensive use.

Vicaima provide Interior door and frame solutions to a multitude of leisure facilities, hotels and public buildings throughout Europe and the UK. With specialist knowledge of this sector,Vicaima offer a wide range of quality product options to specifiers and developers looking for innovation and performance. www.vicaima.com Enquiry No 23

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interiors

MX Launches New Thermostatic Mixer Shower Collection MX Group has launched its impressive new Atmos range of thermostatic mixer showers into the marketplace – with most models carrying TMV2 approval. All fully thermostatically controlled and with separate flow and temperature controls, they are all suitable for high and low pressure systems. This new range is impressive both in looks and performance and provides an excellent choice of showers for any bathroom, with a selection of very traditional and modern, innovative designs to complement exactly the look of any bathroom or wetroom. www.mx-group.com Enquiry No 24

Steel butterflies reflect Golf Cabriolet launch When Volke Kommunikations-Design GmbH was commissioned to design and construct an installation for the Volkswagen Auto Museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, Chempix (decorative division of Precision Micro) was proud to be selected as a manufacturing partner, supplying etched profiles in a short timeframe. The installation, intended to mark and coincide with the launch of the new VW Cabriolet at the Geneva Motor Show, comprises a canopy of leaves interspersed with butterflies… all profiled out of sheet metal. Precision Micro processed no less than seventy sheets of 0.25mm stainless steel, each of which was 1600 x 650mm in size and not easy to handle. The Company undertook the entire photo tooling and etch processing inhouse and is thought to be one of the few etching operations in Europe that can accommodate such large individual pieces. “In this instance time was of the essence,” said Günter Klossek of Precision Micro Germany. “The entire project was delivered less than 10 days after receiving the order, so that the installation could be carried out to schedule.” www.chempix.com Enquiry No 25

WHITE & WHITE LONDON HAS THE FLOORING SOLUTION FOR OFFICE FIT-OUT White & White London were delighted to be appointed by one of the UK’s premier office fit-out and refurbishment specialists, Ibex, to supply and install the flooring at the new UK headquarters of multinational biopharmaceutical company, Celgene Europe.

The project, which was located at the prestigious location of Stockley Business Park near Heathrow in West London required an extensive fit-out programme, including Open Plan Office Areas, Cellular Offices and Booth Areas, Meeting Rooms, IT Build Room, Post Room, Archive Room, First Aid Room and Café.

White & White London have an impressive portfolio of previous flooring installations throughout numerous commercial locations including offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets. For this prestigious installation, they supplied and installed Prime Grade European Engineered Oak Plank, which had a bespoke stain applied prior to finishing witha matt oil. Aswell as delivering aesthetic appeal, the specified flooring is highly durable and easily cleaned, making it the perfect choice for use in high foot traffic areas. www.whiteandwhitelondon.com Enquiry No 26

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interiors

BE CREATIVE - FLEXIBILITY CAN BE THE KEY TO HOTEL ACCESSIBILITY Creativity can be the key to ensuring that hotels match the same high levels of service in their accessible ensuite facilities as they do elsewhere in their establishment.

“Accessible bathrooms no longer have to be cold, bland and merely functional affairs,” says Andrew Lowndes, UK and Ireland sales manager at Pressalit Care.

“By incorporating facilities for disabled guests into a bathroom design from the onset, accessible bathrooms can be made functional, flexible as well as attractive.”

Hotel facilities are required to meet Part M regulations that state one in twenty rooms must provide bathroom facilities which are accessible to wheelchair guests. Pressalit Care is totally committed to ensuring that its bathroom equipment meets all the needs of disabled users. The flexibility of Pressalit Care’s specialist products means that they can be designed into a bathroom, with some elements easily removed when not in use, a feature particularly beneficial for hotels.

By incorporating Pressalit Care’s horizontal track system into the bathroom design, elements such as grab rails and hinged toilet support arms can be added or moved away as required. The track system allows products to be moved horizontally in a bathroom, allowing individual users to choose the position which suits their individual situation most appropriately. Hotels are required to provide facilities that allow all guests to wash or bath independently or with assistance from others.This means ensuring the bathroom layout can accommodate wheelchair access, with elements including disabled toilet, drop down arms, adjustable shower seats and grab rails. Pressalit Care has a long history of working with disabled users and providing facilities that meet their exact needs. www.pressalitcare.com Enquiry No 27

Venesta Provide Outstanding Solution for House of Waterford Crystal The iconic brand of Waterford Crystal is coveted around the world. Now, the company has opened a brand new manufacturing facility, retail outlet and new visitor experience in the heart of Waterford City, Ireland. The new development is part of a 25 million euro redevelopment of the city’s historic area, designed to attract tourists and new businesses into the area.

For such a high profile development, it was fitting that Venesta supplied one of its most prestigious washroom ranges, Oxygen, to perfectly complement the new visitor experience. To create a luxury look and feel, both male and female washrooms were fitted with Black glass cubicles. The sheer impact of the cubicles themselves was enhanced by Oxygen’s stylish and intelligent details like the stainless steel fittings and pivot door system.

The washrooms’ innovation continued with the installation of the pioneering pre-plumbed system, IPS, used extensively throughout all facilities, and chosen for its quick and easy installation.

‘This new visitor experience is a flagship for the Waterford brand and a huge investment for the future, so it was important that we chose a washroom solution that would reflect our brand’s luxury status. I’m proud to say that Oxygen is an outstanding solution for an outstanding new visitor experience.’

David McCoy, Commercial Director, Waterford Crystal. www.venesta.co.uk Enquiry No 28

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interiors

Unique Trend Wallpaper For Distinctive Mosaic Effects After years in the wilderness, wallpaper is back in style, say design experts. Trend Wallpaper is something else again, however, because it’s made from genuine Italian glass mosaic tiles. It has all the visual appeal of classic paper or silk wallcoverings, complete with repeat pattern structure, and it even comes in rolls.

But it’s made from hardwearing, hand-cut mosaic tiles and can be laid virtually anywhere; on the walls, the ceiling, the floor, in humid surroundings like bathrooms and kitchens, even swimming pools and external facades. The textured surface of the tiles, with their finely chamfered edges, catch the rays of the sun or the gleam of electrical lighting like no other wallpaper, creating a magical shimmering effect.

For an extravagant interior, an exotic decorative effect or eyecatching splashback feature, there is nothing like Trend Wallpaper on the market. It is also now available on Trend’s ground-breaking Smart2Go pre-grouted tile laying system designed for quick and easy coverage of large surfaces, enabling greatly reduced working times and installation costs.

Trend Wallpaper is part of an innovative and exciting collection of authentic glass mosaics, now available to tile retailers and specifiers from Trend GB in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The collection is backed by de luxe tile sample boxes, lavish range brochures and modular showroom displays, to promote this distinctive Italian brand to clients. Retail prices start from £185 per square metre.

Consisting of pixelated patterns composed from individual glass tiles, in either 2cm (¾”) or 1.5cm (5/8”) squares, there are four Trend Wallpaper themes, inspired by textile, decorative or artistic trends. Academic draws upon collegiate symbols or bold floral graphics; Euphoric comprises colourful patterns that are fresh and vibrant; Nature evokes images of flowers, leaves and sparkling notes; while Classic reinvents designs from the past, some interwoven with gold.

Trend’s Italian design studio has created 16 distinctive patterns within each Wallpaper theme, each of which has two colour interpretations and one monochrome rendition, giving a total of more than 200 different colourways. For the eco-conscious client, 26 of these colourways are composed entirely from Trend’s Feel translucent, recycled glass mosaics, made from at least 80% postconsumer recovered material, like glass bottles and containers.

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Elsewhere, the individual Wallpaper tiles are drawn from Trend’s extensive palette of modern mosaics, such as coloured glass Brillante, iridescent Shining and Sunshine, semi-transparent Vitreo, deeply opaque Lux and rich 24 carat gold Aureo.

The latter are woven into 12 designs, imparting the lustre and unashamed luxury of yellow, white or coloured gold. Like wallpaper itself, each pattern module comes on a roll of backing material, pre-grouted and ready to fix onto interior or exterior surfaces, even over existing tiles. A growing number of 2cm designs are also now available on Trend’s unique Smart2Go laying system, which comprises pre-grouted tiles mounted on a 63cm x 126cm polyurethane mattress backing.

Each Smart2Go mattress holds 1800 individual tiles and makes it much quicker and easier to cover large surface areas, ensuring that even intricate Wallpaper patterns can be laid with the speed and precision of a master tiler, at the same time cutting installation costs and eliminating material wastage. The complete collection can be previewed online at www.wallpaperintrend.com Enquiry No 29

interiors

Introducing Trackit, A New Suspension System From The Shopkit Group TracKit, is an extremely versatile track suspension system providing mobility and flexibility to the presentation of banners and graphics, sliding panels/room dividers, shelving and clothing displays. Trackit can facilitate different types of elements to be hung at different heights along straight or curved sections of track and repositioned easily and is proving to be a popular display solution for Receptions, Galleries, Retail interiors, Window displays, Home, Hotels and the rest of the Leisure industry.

TracKit can be wall or ceiling fixed and is available with a choice of single, twin or triple tracks, enabling the design of multi-track installations, giving displays the potential for depth and innovation.This system offers static and mobile suspension options, via a roller wheel, which allows for easy re-positioning of complex displays and shelving as well as large panels and room dividers etc, by simply sliding the roller wheels along the track.

The suspension track is available in both aluminium and stainless steel and there are six different support methods that can be hung from the track, each with a vast array of accessories and Shopkit can help determine which is most suitable for each application.

Made to Measure and Installation options available The dimensions and material finishes of the different suspension systems and accessories can be varied to suit clients’ requirements and Shopkit can deliver and install all elements within this range - quotations will be supplied on request. www.shopkit.com Enquiry No 30

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interiors

Doncaster Royal Infirmary Children’s Ward Moves to 21st Century Facilities

Interior Film from David Clouting – Complete Room Transformation without the disruption David Clouting Ltd are launching a range of unique self-adhesive, decorative interior films for commercial and domestic applications. Interior Film, manufactured by LG Hausys is so versatile it can be applied to almost any substrate including wood, metals, plaster board, plastics, painted surfaces and melamine. This allows interior elements such as walls, doors, furniture, skirting and architrave to be attractively and quickly transformed. Air free application has been developed to enable a quick application with the benefit of a superb finish. The Interior Film range is available in 50 exciting finishes including: Traditional and Exotic woods, stunning Leather effects, Decorative Prints with artistic designs and textures, Metallic’s, High Gloss, Solid Colours and for that extra special effect Stone or Marble. The High Gloss range is the world’s first fire retardant high gloss interior film achieved with a special surface treatment.

Interior Films are quick and easy to apply, fire rated, highly durable and are ideal for a wide range of refurbishment applications. www.davidclouting.co.uk

Doncaster Royal Infirmary’s youngest patients have taken up residence in brand new wards. Main contractor, Togel Contractors Limited, specified doorsets from Leaderflush Shapland’s Designer, Extended Performance and Plasform ranges for the project to meet performance characteristics of 60 minutes fire resistance and 30 RwdB sound reduction. With hygiene being such an important consideration in hospitals, all Leaderflush Shapland veneered doorsets incorporate Hygienilac as standard into the wood lacquer.

Hygienilac is Leaderflush Shapland’s highly effective antimicrobial finish which kills most species of bacteria including C.diff, Salmonella and E Coli reducing the potential risk of such bacteria causing Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs).

Plasform gives flexibility for many applications with tremendous scope for demonstrating flair through colourful or simple, contemporary designs. Doorsets were constructed using EnduraCor, Leaderflush Shapland’s exclusive engineered performance core whose severe duty rating makes it especially suitable for busy hospital environments where doors are subject to frequent passage of heavy trolleys, beds and other bulky items. www.leaderflushshapland.co.uk Enquiry No 32

Enquiry No 31

Photograph shows on right Don Theobold (Commercal Director, Talon) on left Neil Ellwood (MD Solarpack)

TALON GIVES A NEIGHBOURLY COVER UP Neil Ellwood, Managing Director of Solarpack, recently completed the decoration of his brand new showroom in Rochester in Kent.With his solar panels displayed on the walls against a warm background décor of cinnamon and gold, the effect was warm and tasteful but somewhat spoiled by unsightly electric terminals and cables. That was before Talon Manufacturing, based just up the Medway valley in Gillingham, became involved. Talon’s Commercial Director, Don Theobald had an instant answer to the problem since his company’s products include a range of Cover Profiles that could have been made for the job. For the main part of the ‘cover up’ a uPVC box cover 200 x 200mm was installed horizontally at ground level, raised further by the insertion of an extension strip 50mm high and firmly fixed by a joint strip. The box’s standard 3 metre length was increased by a further metre by the addition of another cover simply sawn to the required size and almost seamlessly finished with a stop end. The resultant boxed cover not only concealed all exposed cables but also provided unobtrusive siting for several electrical sockets on the vertical face as well as forming an excellent display shelf on the horizontal surface. Talon’s products include skirting covers designed to conceal piping, vertical pipe boxing, corner boxes and boiler covers as well as the simple pipe fixings and accessories for which the company is well known countrywide. www.talon.co.uk Enquiry No 33

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environmental control

A GUIDE TO DIRECT FIRED HEATING UNITS FOR COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS Where air is extracted from a building either for process or environmental reasons a supply of heated replacement air is required to balance the system and maintain comfort. If make up air is not provided the extract system will perform inefficiently at reduced capacity and a negative pressure will be created.This results in cold air being drawn in around the perimeter of the building and causing cold spots and unpleasant draughts.

For new installations the supply of heated make up air can often provide the required ventilation without the need to install additional extract units. Where matching extract is required this can be integrated in the same unit to supply both input and exhaust with the option of heat recovery from the extract air.

Direct gas firing provides a highly efficient method of providing heated replacement air with thermal efficiencies of 100% (based on NCV) and fully modulating burner control withup to 20:1 turndown ratio. Variable air volume or air recirculation units allow systems to be matched to constantly changing extract rates or to provide full space heating in applications where reduced winter ventilation rates are required.

In heating mode the news Stokvis Econo-Air units provide controlled amounts of fresh air to slightly pressurise the building and the supply air temperature is constantly monitored and adjusted via a fully modulating burner control to optimise the heat input to match the precise building requirements. Close control of the air discharge temperature virtually eliminates heat stratification, whilst slight building pressurisation ensures very even distribution both laterally and vertically over large areas, eliminating the requirement for extensive ductwork distribution. The amount of fresh air automatically adjusts to meet the ventilation requirements of the space.

The units provide the ideal solution to large areas with variable occupancy or industrial heating applications where ventilation rates may change throughout the day. In summer mode the units provide 100% fresh air with the large primary air volumes providing improved air change rates for optimum ’free cooling’. Optional evaporative cooling modules may also be added. www.stokvisboilers.com Enquiry No 34

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environmental control

Independent Energy Savings Report for Stormdry A new report is available from the environmental management consultancy, Giraffe Innovation, which was co-funded by MAS South East and Safeguard Europe Ltd. It has established the energy and carbon savings that can be achieved by treating walls with the breathable water-repellent, Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream. This has used a full lifecycle approach (from cradle to grave) to analyse the total carbon use for the production and application of a Stormdry treatment. An estimate is given of the energy and carbon savings that can be made from lowered space heating requirements following treatment of masonry walls with Stormdry.

Key findings are that: treatment with Stormdry can produce energy savings and a carbon reduction of up to 27% (excluding additional benefits from reduced evaporated cooling); the carbon footprint of a Stormdry application is 0.73 kg CO2e/m2 (i.e. driving a small car for 2.4 miles, or less than 1% of a UK person’s average carbon footprint); the average “carbon payback” for a Stormdry treatment is one month; the monetary investment (including materials and labour) is recovered in 6 years and that over Stormdry’s lifetime of 20-30 years, it can potentially save between 24 and 37 tonnes CO2e in total.

Stormdry is applied directly to masonry and penetrates deeply before curing. An invisible, breathable, water-repellent barrier is formed that resists rain penetration. The original look of the building is conserved. www.stormdry.com Enquiry No 35

Innovative method successfully used to insulate historic house At a recent trial in Aberdeenshire, an internally-lined solid masonry wall was successfully insulated without causing any damage to the wall’s historic features.

Water blown foam, created specifically for injecting into delicate structures, was developed by Icynene. The foam expands slowly putting little pressure on the fragile inner wall and, being 100 percent water blown contains no harmful blowing agents. Its open cell structure allows the wall to breathe which assists in controlling moisture movement.

Dr. Amar Bennadji, from Robert Gordon University said, “The heat loss through the wall was reduced by around 50 per cent. This project opens the door for historic buildings to finally retain their warmth, reduce their energy bills and contribute to curbing global warming.”

“This success is significant for registered social landlords, who have old housing stock with cavity walls, as well as owners of historic houses,” said Icynene’s Simon Falkner-Lee. “It shows that Icynene’s insulation can be introduced into the wall cavity enabling our old and our historic houses retain their heat and fully preserve their original features.”

The technique called for a bead of Icynene’s foam to seal the cavity along the bottom of the wall. Once the cavity was closed, the pour foam was carefully injected from above. For further information email simon.falknerlee@btconnect.com or call 01380 730 668 www.icynene.com Enquiry No 36

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environmental control

RENTING CAN BE COST EFFECTIVE Mandatory testing procedures proliferate especially when safety is concerned and the instruments that make them possible are becoming increasingly expensive and technically involved. For a small or medium-sized business [or even for a large company if an infrequently used process is involved] the cost of purchasing such equipment and training staff to operate it often becomes prohibitive. As Alan Gilbert of BSRIA Instrument Solutions explains, the option of hiring from experts who fully understand the testing equipment and are used to its calibration and operation is frequently preferable, not only preventing heavy outlay in machinery that is only occasionally used, but also saving staff time in producing speedy, accurate results.

One example would be the availability of a sound level meter, necessary for several testing functions in the manufacturing and construction industries. Alan Gilbert explains “A middleof-the-range Class 1 meter with octave bands costs upwards of £3,000 and it may only be needed very occasionally. From a company such as BSRIA Instrument Solutions it will cost you around £150 to hire this instrument for a week, ample time for the necessary testing procedures.

On top of that you know that it will be set up by professionals ready for use on delivery, that calibration certification is readily available and that the instrument has been properly maintained and not produced from the back of a cupboard having been last used a year ago. Hiring gives peace of mind as well as saving capital outlay.”

In these days when regular contract monitoring is still evolving and the changes in it can involve updating or even replacing testing equipment, the rental services offered by responsible companies such as BSRIA Instrument Solutions can be invaluable. Since it is their business to stay abreast of, or even ahead of, legislative change hiring test equipment can often be most attractive proposition, providing up-to-the-minute expertise as well as saving a one-off investment in equipment whose use may change in the medium term. www.bis.fm Enquiry No 37

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environmental control

WILO SMALL CIRCULATING PUMPS ‘AHEAD OF THE GAME’ Wilo’s new Stratos PICO and Wilo-SmartA small circulators have proved to be the stars of the Wilo range in 2011. The Wilo Stratos-PICO – the most energy efficient small pump you can buy, offering up to 90% energy savings over a standard pump - and the new Wilo-Smart A energy saving pump, offering up to 80% energy savings over a standard pump have captured the imagination, especially as low efficiency, uncontrolled pumps will be banned in the EU from the end of 2012. From 2013, low efficiency and standard stand-alone circulators will be banned from the marketplace. As of 2015 the minimum requirements will be tightened further and their scope extended to include boiler integrated circulators as well – those sold as part of a combi or system boiler set up. Both of Wilo’s new super stars are ‘A’ rated small circulators with five year ‘A label warranties’. www.wilo.co.uk Enquiry No 38

Faber bring a new dimension to external shading solutions Specialist external roller blinds that have been a common feature on commercial and public buildings across Europe, have become increasingly popular with UK architects looking for innovative ways to control the solar heat gain on building’s with large glazed areas.

Faber Blinds the UK’s leading supplier of internal and external systems for the control of light and glare, manufacture and supply a wide range of external roller blind solutions that are suitable for both contemporary or classic buildings. They have a wealth of experience in solar shading solutions and manufacture an exciting range of external blinds that are designed for ease of installation, long lasting durability with a discreet design to complement a wide range of external facades. www.faberblinds.co.uk Enquiry No 39

Hard Water Harms Heat Pumps – Harvey Softener The Cure Heat Pump Installations (HPI) designed and installed an air sourced water heating system in a property in Windsor, an area notorious for hard water. Unfortunately after only four months the householder concerned complained that his water was no longer hot and that there appeared to be no circulation in the system whatsoever.

MCS, knowing that the heat pumps were completely reliable, immediately checked the whole system and discovered the villain of the piece, limescale that had completely blocked the inlet pipe leading from the heat pump to the hot water cylinder. When examining the cause HPI disconnected the super-insulated stainless steel hot water storage cylinder that had been installed as part of the heating system and in it found to their amazement an opaque semi-liquid with the appearance and consistency of thin porridge.

Apparently stainless steel, unlike copper, resists the cling of limescale to its surface leaving the calcium carbonate to form into a sludge only too ready to coat pipes with a concentrated deposit in very short order. Fortunately, once the sludge had been removed from the tank, a permanent remedy was a simple matter since HPI has an excellent relationship with Harvey Softeners.

A Harvey water softener was installed on the mains supply to the dwelling preventing any limescale build-up and will also in time remove any deposits that are already in the system. www.harvey.co.uk Enquiry No 40

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environmental control

NIBE Exhaust Air Heating For Swindon’s ‘Zero Carbon’ Homes Swindon Borough Council recently completed the building of 13 ‘zero carbon’ houses, bringing to only 132 the national total for these super ecohomes. Designed by architect Nigel Grainge of HEARTHuk a part of the NPS and conforming to the stringent requirements of Level 5 in the Code for Sustainable Homes, the new development at Malmesbury Gardens consists of two, three, four and five-bedroomed houses to a pleasantly traditional design that conceals the amount of new technology that has gone into the remarkable energy conserving and generating qualities they contain.

Allied to the very latest insulation techniques including innovative ‘hemcrete’ external walls, the homes have photovoltaic panels for generating electricity and solar panels to partly provide the hot water that is stored at the comparatively low temperature ideal for under-floor heating. The energy conserving features and particularly the ultimate reduction of emissions to achieve ‘zero carbon’ status, are completed by the inclusion of an exhaust air recycling process designed by NIBE Energy Systems and powered by a NIBE F410 Heat Pump. The theory behind NIBE exhaust air heating is remarkably simple.

The final emissions into the outside atmosphere are at a temperature very close to freezing and therefore virtually free of CO2 and other harmful gases. Early reactions from the residents of Malmesbury Gardens to their new homes are very positive. As an example Nikolai Stone and his partner Helen, who have moved from a one bedroomed flat, report that their monthly electricity bill has shrunk from £50 down to £30 despite the fact that they have now have efficient under-floor heating and a very much larger home.

“The fact that the bills are so low will help a lot of tenants” said Nikolai “But it’s also great that we are living in a house that is so environmentally friendly”. The ‘zero carbon’ rating is also very much to the liking of Swindon Council, who benefited from a major grant from the HCA and of the Government itself who provide such funding to aid local authorities in achieving the major carbon savings that are necessary if the UK is to achieve its stated emission targets. www.nibe.co.uk Enquiry No 41

The air, carbon rich and fully heated by the ufch plus background warmth from human and other sources, is harvested at roof level before it reaches the ‘vented void’ ventilation system in the house’s roof. This heat is passed down to the NIBE F410 unit where a sophisticated and super-efficient heat exchange process squeezes every last vestige of energy from the exhaust air and raising its temperature by compression before feeding it back to boost the hot water system.

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environmental control

Timoleon Takes Care Of New Farm’s Heating Northcombe Farm situated in deepest Devon has an absolutely brand new farmhouse. The building consists of a 182 sq. metre two-storey two bedroom dwelling including an office.

Designed in pleasing but thoroughly modern style by architects the Louis Hawkins Practice, the new farmhouse has been built using the latest energy conserving insulation techniques including triple glazing and although heating is initially by an oil-fired boiler, the system has been designed for ready conversion to ground- or air-sourced heat when and if required. Under-floor central heating was specified throughout and Timoleon Ltd., Exeter based and so ideally situated for the Northcombe Farm project, was called upon for the design, manufacture and supply of all the necessary components for the system.

Timoleon’s holistic approach to home heating was much in keeping with the architect’s aim of creating a total energy effective package for the new home and office combination. It was decided that for optimum energy return for input, different under-floor systems should be used on the solid concrete floors downstairs and the chipboard base employed on the first floor. For the office and the ground floor of the house Timoleon’s ClipPlate system proved ideal, being very easy and quick to lay.

The 15mm flexible polybutylene heating pipe slotted securely into the castellated pattern in the ClipPlates that had already been simply interlocked onto the concrete sub-floor. A 10mm EPS insulation layer in each ClipPlate adds greatly to the system’s efficiency.

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The pipes were pressure tested at that stage and remained under pressure when the top screed was applied. Upstairs the Toron Flooring System was applied, designed specifically for suspended floor constructions. The Toron Chipboard Panels, with channels on the upper side to take the PB pipe, were laid directly on the joists and continuous pipe [in this case 10mm] was then literally walked into the preset design.

The ends of each circuit droppng into the joist space for connection to a common flow and return. Once complete, an aluminium strip was placed directly onto the heating pipe, spreading the heat and also providing a method of detecting the pipe if any future work on the floor was necessary.

The owner who installed the heating system at Northcombe Farm worked closely with Timoleon throughout and praised the standard of product used, the ease of installation and the workmanlike and sympathetic attitude of the Timoleon staff employed on the project. The under-floor systems installed will be ideal for use with alternative energy sources, so that may give a bonus for the future to add to an energy-efficient present. www.timoleon.co.uk Enquiry No 42

environmental control

Solarpack Package Powers Saddlery Showroom When Barrie and Lynda Mortlock set up in business as B&J Saddlery in 1974 they could hardly have foreseen the success story that was to follow. Now trading as the Ingatestone Saddlery Centre, they were awarded the title of Mail Order Retailer for 2009 and were runner-up for the Large Retailer title for the same year and their business in supplying all types of horse related supplies continues to thrive. With the success has come expansion of premises and the company had moved twice already before settling ten years ago at Margaretting, still in the Ingatestone area, on a large site with excellent access and parking for over 200 cars. The latest enlargement has been the rebuilding of an indoor riding school that now serves as an airy modern Showroom.

With an eye to the future, the Mortlocks decided to minimise electricity bills for their new showroom by the use of renewable energy and called on GB Solar for the best system for this large structure built in profiled steel. GB Solar in turn asked Solarpack [UK] Ltd., a company that specialises in putting together solar power packages using the finest components from leading manufacturers, to design a system and supply its components.

Solarpack’s proposal underlines the international nature of their business, for the three major components of the final system come from Portugal, Germany and China respectively. The Portuguese input is the 128 Photovoltaic Modules [each containing 60 cells of monocrystalline silicone] to a super-efficient design offering an output of 31.36 kWp. Fixing for the panels comes from the German manufacturer Contecta, whose Diconal P40-EV1 Mounting System is a premium product in anodised aluminium for lightness and longevity of service to justify the ‘Fix once – fixed forever’ solution. The package was completed with two SL15KTLA1 Grid Tied Inverters from Samil Power, one of the leading solar specialists in the Peoples’ Republic of China. These remarkable, S59 certification products are compact, well presented in stainless steel frames, offering over 98% maximum efficiency and give reliable protection against overvoltage, overload, overheating and short circuit.

The total package from Solarpack was chosen to offer not only optimum energy generation but also total reliability and a long and trouble free life. It also proved extremely simple to install as EES Ltd, sub-contracting to GB Solar, will bear witness. EES were also impressed with the flexibility shown by Solarpack when they were asked, soon after installation had started, if the design could be changed from four rows of 32 photovoltaic panels to 8 rows of 16 panels. An email to Germany resulted in the amended Conteca fixings being couriered to Essex just 36 hours later. It is too early to have accurate running costs of the newly installed Solarpack system but preliminary reactions from the Ingatestone Saddlery Centre are that they have been harnessed to a highly effective solar power package. www.solarpack-uk.com Enquiry No 43

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OPINION|fire protection ALL SMOKE ALARMS ARE NOT THE SAME Neil Perdell, National Technical Manager, Aico Ltd In the domestic smoke alarm sector there have traditionally been three alarm types: Ionisation, Optical and Heat. Each has its pros and cons in terms of what types of fire it detects, where it can be used and what can possibly cause it to false alarm. As a result, specification and installation requires a good level of knowledge and some intelligent guess work. But what if you could make the process easier? What if one alarm could actually combine the benefits and remove much of the negatives?

How many times have you heard the saying that there’s no single solution to a problem? And how many times have you hoped that just once that wasn’t true?

In the fire industry, the idea that one alarm type could be used pretty much anywhere in a property is an ideal that can seem difficult to achieve. Each property requires a risk assessment and decisions have to be made on number of alarms, alarm location, type of alarm, alarm interconnection and whether it’s by hard wiring or radio frequency, accessories required... and the list goes on.

In a rented property this is all the more difficult as a risk assessment isn’t solely about the property; it’s also about the people that live in it and in rented accommodation this will change. Smokers, for example, are at greater risk as smoking materials are more likely to be the cause of a fire. The elderly and the young are also higher risk as they are often less able to vacate the property quickly, so need as earlier a warning as possible. And then there are those with disabilities, including the hard of hearing whom may require a specific alarm with a visual strobe light warning.

So, no, one fire alarm does not fit all.

However, what if you could reduce the number of criteria to take into account when designing a fire alarm system without compromising the integrity of the system and the safety of the residents? In fact, what if you could reduce the number of criteria to take into account and also actually improve the fire alarm system?

Let me introduce you to the Multi-Sensor. This alarm combines two traditional sensing elements – optical and heat - but has a level of intelligence built in which enables it to not only monitor the signals from both sensors, but also to interpret those signals. Before we go any further though let’s recap on the different alarm types, just so you can see how clever the Multi-Sensor really is and why it makes fire alarm specification and installation that much easier. There are three alarm types used in the domestic field: Ionisation, Optical and Heat, the first two of which detect

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smoke and the latter detects temperature.

Ionisation alarms feature a sensor chamber containing a minute – and completely safe radioactive element that ionises the air within and causes a small current to flow. If smoke enters that chamber, the balance of the current is disturbed and the alarm sounds. Ionisation alarms are normally the cheapest type and therefore often chosen as a matter of course over the other alarm types. They certainly work and are less likely to false alarm from dense tobacco smoke, excessive dust and insect ingress, but they are very sensitive to fast flaming fires and sadly to cooking fumes. If you put an Ionisation alarm anywhere near a kitchen, then you’re in high risk of false alarms.

Optical alarms use a completely different sensing method and actually look for smoke using a pulsed light beam in the sensing chamber. They are most effective at detecting smouldering fires with large particles, such as produced by burning furniture, and are less likely to react to the type of invisible smoke produced by cooking fumes, so are ideal for circulation spaces such as hallways close to kitchens and landings. However, they can react to steam, so should not be located too close to bathrooms.

Lastly there is the Heat alarm, which doesn’t detect smoke at all, but instead reacts to temperatures of 58ºC or over. A Heat alarm should only be used in a kitchen or garage and only as part of a fire alarm system that also includes smoke alarms. Furthermore, all of the alarms must be interconnected.

The Heat alarm is very straightforward in terms of its location suitability, but the real problem comes when determining where to use Ionisation or Optical. Even a highly experienced risk assessor can get this wrong as he / she may not be aware of all the factors. Maybe the resident is regularly burning food; maybe they are heavy drinkers and smokers; these are not the sort of questions you ask, even if you have the opportunity!

A Multi Sensor helps take the guess work out of alarm specification and installation. As mentioned previously, a Multi Sensor uses both Optical and Heat sensors and interprets the signals to get a better understanding of what’s really happening in the immediate environment. Due to this, it benefits from a quick response to both slow smouldering and fast flaming fires yet is virtually immune to kitchen fumes and contamination.

This makes it the ideal choice for all rooms in a dwelling except a kitchen.

Robert Shaw from Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has witnessed the benefits of the Multi-Sensor first hand in a sheltered

accommodation site featuring 41 bungalows with warden call facilities. The bungalows were fitted with a smoke alarm in the hallway and a heat alarm in the kitchen, but problems were being encountered from false alarms. “Whilst the heat detector in the kitchen caused no problems, we found the smoke detector in the hallway kept going off from smoke caused by cooking vapours.

This was happening every two months. The Fire Brigade has been really helpful trying to educate the residents about their cooking, but many of them are quite elderly and are used to doing things a certain way. After 18 months of this, we decided enough was enough and we had to do something.

OPINION

“We already use Aico fire and CO alarms, so when I received their newsletter containing details of a new Multi-Sensor alarm which reduces false alarms, I got in touch immediately. We did a trial of four of the alarms in the bungalows and we didn’t get a single false alarm in four months.”

The Multi Sensor is also ideal for problem areas that you can immediately see will be more prone to false alarms with a single sensor alarm. Take for example a property such as a flat that has the bathroom and kitchen close to each other. The alarm clearly needs to go in the hallway between these but choose an Ionisation alarm and it may react to cooking fumes, whereas the Optical alarm could cause similar problems from steam from

the bathroom. This exact situation was found by Northwards Housing at Manchester City Council’s recent development of 32 new purpose built two bedroom bungalows. One Aico Multi-Sensor has been fitted in the central hallway between the kitchen and bathroom in these new bungalows and false alarms have been avoided altogether.

Aico Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, Europe’s leader in residential fire and gas detection. All alarms are designed and built in Europe - specifically to meet UK standards and regulations. www.aico.co.uk

The Multi Sensor is far from a ‘one solution’ alarm and no one would suggest that. However, where there is doubt about the best alarm type, where you know there could be a potential for false alarms and in rental properties where there are changing tenants, the Multi Sensor reduces the risk and helps make the job of alarm specification and installation that much easier.

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floors

Milliken makes a move at SKM Milliken’s performance carpet tiles have been used in a fit-out designed to encourage collaboration and communication at the Manchester offices of Sinclair Knight Merz, a leading projects firm. The functionality and style of the Fixation design and a plain tile in striking Acid Jazz colour were selected by Claremont Group Interiors to provide the interior with a floor covering to create a sense of movement and to support a flexible approach to working. Housed in Salford’s first BREEAM Excellent rated construction, the Metro Building, the new offices bring together all of SKM’s locally-based operational staff from recent mergers and the existing engineering business to an open plan space with flexible meeting, touchdown and breakout facilities. The requirements of the open plan working spaces were handled by Fixation, using a smart neutral colourway in its linear stripe to create a sense of motion, while a plain tile in the striking green of Acid Jazz from Milliken’s Colour Express service provided a pop accent in touchdown, meeting and breakout spaces.

“The floor was one of the first finishes to be confirmed by SKM,” comments Matthew Holmes, interior designer, Claremont Group Interiors. “The team felt the floor covering would play its part well in the overall scheme of the interior. One of the client’s main concerns, given the amount of staff, was that the open plan space would create a ‘sea of desks’. We dealt with this by using the stripe of Milliken’s Fixation to create a sense of movement, leading the eye down the linear plan and then breaking it up with furniture of varying heights, gradually rising to the back of space.”

Fixation is available in 40 colours, ranging from smart neutrals to richer slab colours, providing designers with the flexibility to deliver clients on-trend style and endless possibilities. www.millikencarpet.com Enquiry No 44

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floors

EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN & EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE FROM FORBO Forbo’s new Eternal Project Vinyl collection offers inspirational and well balanced floor covering ranges, providing specifiers with more choice than ever when it comes to design excellence and distinctive looks for health, education, retail, leisure, hospitality or office environments. The colour palettes and structures flow seamlessly throughout the collection and beyond to other Forbo ranges, providing the opportunity to mix and match according to differing colour schemes and performance requirements.

In the extended Eternal Wood range, authentic natural designs such as oak and beech, sit comfortably with contemporary and abstract wood types which are perfectly in tune with linear design trends. The Eternal Stone range now includes new visual effects such as concrete and slate providing design options only previously available in tile format. Abstract metallic finishes have also been introduced. Eternal Palette and Contrast present ranges of unique solid graphic designs, with highly contrasting scattered sparkling effects in trend shades which will make colour statements in any environment.

Eternal’s high tech wear layer and PUR Pearl lacquer are key to the collection’s ability to appear ‘as new’, delivering long lasting looks and durability, even after years of intensive use. The manufacture of Eternal Project Vinyl meets the highest European standards and REACH (Registration Evaluation Authority and Restriction of Chemicals) compliance. With 40% reused content in the backing, the use of water based inks and 100% green electricity used throughout manufacture, Eternal Project Vinyl boasts impressive environmental credentials. www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/moreinfo Enquiry No 45

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Roofs

Dow Building Solutions announces improved thermal conductivity for STYROFOAM-A insulation Specifiers and contractors selecting STYROFOAMA insulation from Dow Building Solutions will benefit from improved thermal conductivity across the product range thanks to the latest in a long history of manufacturing improvements. Thermal conductivity of STYROFOAM-A which includes ROOFMATE-A, FLOORMATE-A and PERIMATE DI-A products – has been improved by 0.002W/mK, enabling the construction industry to achieve lower U-values from the same thicknesses. For example FLOORMATE 300-A – which has seen a recent boom in below-slab residential applications - now offers improved thermal conductivity of 0.033W/mK compared to a previous 0.035W/mK in a 75mm thickness. insulation demands, or for areas where structural support is also required. STYROFOAM-A materials are available in single extruded thicknesses of between 50mm and 200mm for ease of handling, and use carbon dioxide as the major blowing agent, ensuring a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of less than five. www.styrofoam.co.uk

IN SAFE HANDS The safety of workers at height is of paramount importance, so Kingspan Insulated Panels offers a unique fall protection system to complement its range of metal insulated roof panel systems, and to provide complete peace of mind this safety fall protection range now also carries the additional benefit of a comprehensive guarantee, when used in conjunction with Kingspan panel systems.

The Kingspan Saferidge fall prevention system offers superior displacement of the dynamic loads produced during a fall restraint, transferring them evenly across the roof structure to prevent damage to the integrity of the roof. The Kingspan Total guarantee offers 25 year structural and thermal panel performance and up to 40 years coating guarantee, and Saferidge is the only system approved by Kingspan for inclusion as a branded product within that guarantee. www.kingspanpanels.com Enquiry No 48

Rainline Specified For Stylish Woodland Development Project The Flimwell Phase 2 project consisting of eight workshop/offices is part of an impressive eco development spearheaded by Woodland Enterprises Ltd in Flimwell, East Sussex. Lindab’s Rainline rainwater system was specified for the project primarily due to its durable and sustainable qualities.

Manufactured from high quality galvanised steel, a high percentage of which is recycled material; Rainline offers minimal thermal movement and UV stability. It will not crack, fade, blister or peel, is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance free. Available in 10 stylish high build polyester colours, the finish of which is guaranteed for 15 years, Rainline is also available in a natural copper finish, plain galvanised and Aluzinc. Rainline at the end of its natural life can itself be totally recycled further underpinning its carbon footprint and whole life costing credentials. www.lindab.co.uk

Enquiry No 46

Enquiry No 49

Safe healthcare on the roof

Sika Liquid Plastics has provided a Decothane Delta 25 system to coat the lead rotunda roof at the renowned Tate Britain gallery in London - a particularly complex project due to the difficult detailing over the existing lead rolls. The current roof had been in place for many years and had begun to deteriorate, leading to the need to install a new waterproofing system.

The Sika Liquid Plastics system is also completely cold applied, allowing works to be safely completed whilst the building was in use without causing any risk of fire from hot works. Decothane cures to form a completely seamless membrane free from any potentially weak areas such as joints and seams, once installed it meets the highest fire ratings available for a roof system and is guaranteed for 25 years. www.liquidplastics.co.uk/Waterproof-Membranes

Crossgrip walkway matting, manufactured by Plastic Extruders Ltd, has recently been specified and installed over some flat rooftops of Epsom Hospital.

Crossgrip is designed as a very safe and easily loose laid solution for rooftops, gantries and high level walkways. It provides a slip resistant surface and protects of the roof membrane. Due to its flexible construction, the matting will contour over uneven surfaces and imperfections and provide a permanent and safe walkway for service staff and wheeled equipment.

Because the matting is raised 14mm by its underbar construction, it will maintain an efficient and drier path over puddles and ponding. An important benefit is its PVC composition which will resist bacterial growth and is impervious to temperature extremes including frost, ice and snow, making it ideal for use on the most exposed areas and in the most extreme environments. www.crossgrip.com

Enquiry No 47

Enquiry No 50

Artistic Roof For Tate Britain

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ROOFS

Klober Ventilation Products Help Breath New Life Into Derelict Victorian Hospital Klober has supplied a range of ventilation and dry fixing products to the Stone House Hospital redevelopment project near Dartford. Conversion and refurbishment of the Grade II Listed Victorian former hospital is being undertaken alongside new build within the 15 acre site. 260 homes and apartments for private sale will be provided alongside affordable housing, all to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Klober accessories were used to meet differing roofing requirements, most notably in respect of ventilation. Other products supplied included the Roll-fix dry ridge system, 25 mm fascia vents, underlay support trays, loft vent trays, roll out rafter trays and Uni-Plain tile vents. The original hospital was opened as the City of London Lunatic Asylum in 1866 on the insistence of the ‘Commissioners of Lunacy’ to accommodate ‘pauper lunatics’. www.klober.co.uk Enquiry No 51

‘TOP NOTCH’ RAINWATER GOODS GET THE GREEN LIGHT Polypipe’s new Elegance Ogee rainwater system – a uPVC cast iron ‘lookalike’ system that includes rainwater goods and a range of soil and vent products – has really taken off since its launch towards the end of last year, with installers and specifiers giving the new system the green light.

Whilst specifiers are drawn to the new system because of its quality and aesthetic benefits – it’s ideal for use in refurb projects on older buildings and in conservation areas or in areas where older style homes predominate – installers have welcomed the ease of installation and the lightweight of the system. The Elegance range has been designed in such a way that each profile in the range utilises a common downpipe, making installation and ordering very simple. The new soil and vent range is based on the Polypipe 110mm soil pipe, supplied in 3m lengths with a selection of sockets, bends and a vent terminal. The system uses Polypipe’s popular and simple push-fit system, again for quick and easy installation. www.polypipe.com/elegance Enquiry No 52

Enquiry No 53

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structures

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structures

Portakabin Delivers Highly Innovative And Sustainable Modular Solution At Hull Royal Infirmary A new modular building at Hull Royal Infirmary providing state-of-the-art hospital facilities for up to 90,000 patients each year has been delivered by Portakabin using a highly innovative and sustainable construction solution to the benefit of patient care.

Portakabin was appointed design and build contractor by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust to construct a 3,000sqm permanent outpatients and training facility as part of a £7m investment. This complex three-storey building was manufactured, fitted out and handed over after just seven months on site – despite exceptional winter working conditions – to help the Trust meet increased demand for its services.

The project required a highly flexible and innovative approach to its construction, combining 50 specially manufactured steel-framed modules with 50 units from another modular building on the hospital site that had become surplus to requirements. Portakabin recycled and fully refurbished the structure of a two-storey ward block which included stripping out each module and installing new windows, upgrading the floor structure and re-lining internal walls.

This approach to recycling and re-using an existing modular structure for a completely new, purpose-designed facility made the project highly sustainable and cost effective – and demonstrates the flexibility of modular construction when a building is no longer required.

The Portakabin solution also reduced the programme time which in turn minimised disruption to patient services – a key issue for the Trust because of the close proximity of the new facility to the main hospital.

Commenting on the project, Duncan Taylor, Head of Estates at the Trust, said, “Speed was the principal reason for using modular construction for this project, which enabled us to reduce the programme time by around six months. The Portakabin solution also allowed us to re-use the structure of an existing modular ward building, minimising both cost and waste sent to landfill. The result is a really excellent scheme with facilities we are very proud of. Feedback from staff and patients has been extremely positive since the building opened.”

Robert Snook, General Manager of Portakabin Sales, said, “This building was the most complex design and build project that we have ever undertaken in terms of logistics, design and timescale. It demonstrates our ability to deliver projects of this scale – from initial

concept and planning to ground works, off-site manufacture, M&E design and installation, and final commissioning – to a challenging programme, on a very constrained hospital site, and our flexible approach to meeting a client’s project-specific requirements.”

The 200-room facility accommodates the ophthalmology department on the ground floor with dermatology services on the first floor, allowing the Trust to consolidate services on one site as well as to increase capacity. On the upper floor, a new Clinical Skills Centre provides high quality education and training facilities for doctors, with facilities including a simulated ward, critical care unit and theatre suite.

Some areas, such as operating theatres, feature the Portakabin high performance preinstalled concrete floor system which is designed to accommodate highly sensitive medical equipment.

In addition to its partially recycled structure, the scheme has a number of sustainable elements, including a central atrium which runs the full length of the building, maximising natural light and ventilation and reducing the reliance on artificial lighting whilst creating a high quality patient environment; solar shading, a partial heat recovery ventilation system; movement and daylight sensors to control high frequency lighting; and air source heat and cooling pumps for the first floor. The building is also controlled by a building management system.

The striking, contemporary exterior aesthetics for the building comprise stone-coloured horizontal aluminium cladding panels to the ground and first floors, with vertical blue multi-panels providing a contrast at high level. The end façade of the stair tower features square-cut stone blocks with recessed detailing to complement adjacent buildings on the hospital site. Full height curtain walling encloses the stair core, creating a light and welcoming reception at each floor level. The building was designed in line with NHS guidelines, including Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs) and Health Building Notes (HBNs). www.portanews.co.uk Enquiry No 54

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structures

LASER-OPTIMISED STRUCTURAL PROFILES EXTEND THE SCOPE OF SCHUECO JANSEN’S STEEL FAÇADE SYSTEM

UK’S LARGEST PRIVATELY-OWNED CONTAINER TRANSPORT OPERATOR CHOOSES MODULAR BUILDINGS FOR NEW DEPOT FACILITIES

A range of laser-optimised structural profiles from leading steel systems specialist Schueco Jansen greatly extends the architectural scope of the company’s tried and tested VISS steel façade system.

The new VISS Ixtra profiles use innovative connecting technology to provide the structural strength needed to allow mullions to run continuously over more than one storey. In addition, they give architects greater overall scope for creativity by significantly widening the design possibilities open to them. VISS Ixtra has six basic profiles that can vary in width from 50mm to 100mm and in depth from 30mm to 300mm, with a maximum length of 15 metres. Shapes can be laser-cut into the profiles before welding to add visual interest and webs and flanges can be specified in a range of depths ranging from 5mm to 30mm. Profiles are fabricated by laser cutting and welding with corner radii of only 0.5mm. Whatever the thickness of the profile, the laser-weld-seams are minimal when compared to conventional seams and the result is a precision-engineered look with sharp, modern lines. www.schueco.co.uk

The UK’s largest privately-owned container transport operator, Maritime Transport, has chosen high quality refurbished modular building solutions from Foremans Relocatable Building Systems to meet its requirements for new depot facilities. Foremans has provided two modular buildings at Maritime’s transport hubs in Leeds and Southampton, and a third project to relocate and extend an existing building is in progress at Trafford Park in Manchester. Foremans has developed a standardised building solution with Maritime for its depot facilities, which can be replicated quickly and easily on different sites. The building comprises air conditioned open plan office work space, a meeting room, high specification toilets and larger showers with enclosures for privacy, and a dedicated rest room where drivers can relax and eat – key requirements for Maritime. www.foremansbuildings.info

Enquiry No 55

Enquiry No 57

NEW PURPOSE-BUILT HAEMODIALYSIS UNIT AT PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTED OFF SITE, EXCEEDS PART L 2010 BY 90 PER CENT Yorkon has handed over a new purpose-built satellite haemodialysis unit for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. In independent tests for air permeability, the building exceeds Building Regulations Part L 2010 by 90 per cent without any adaptation to the standard Yorkon building system. The 954sqm singlestorey building was constructed to a challenging programme and comprises 27 steel-framed modules which were craned into position in just four days.

Designed by Yorkon, the centre features cedar wood cladding to the main entrance elevation, a blue fascia with co-ordinating blue doors and windows, and white render to the other façades. www.yorkon.info Enquiry No 58

Ancon Awarded Prestigious ‘BuildingConfidence’ Accreditation

Sika Supply Durable Solution for Recycling Centre Sika, working in partnership with Hanson Concrete, supplied steel fibre reinforced concrete to the new purpose built recycling centre that has recently been built for Cambridgeshire County Council. This new state-of-the-art centre replaces the old and smaller existing open-air site at Grunty Fen. Groundwork’s contractor, Steve Hill Construction were looking for a cost effective solution to construct a strong, durable base slab, without using traditional steel mesh reinforcement. Hanson Concrete were able to offer a concrete mix which included Sika® Viscocrete liquid admixture as a water reducer and superplasticiser, and Novocon HE1050 steel fibres to produce a tough, durable concrete slab with increased crack, impact and abrasion resistance, fully able to withstand the rigours of a working recycling site. www.sikaconcreteadmixtures.co.uk Enquiry No 56

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ANCON has been awarded the construction industry’s highest accolade for supplier excellence, the BuildingConfidence accreditation. Assessed by leading supply chain specialist, Achilles, BuildingConfidence is fast becoming the industry’s most trusted pre-qualification scheme.

It enables construction buyers to identify suppliers which meet the standards required for their projects. Ancon’s accreditation was confirmed following a thorough and independent audit of its business operations. A skilled auditor from Achilles examined Ancon’s health and safety procedures, quality management, environmental performance, employee development plans, CSR credentials, ethical policies and corporate governance. www.ancon.co.uk Enquiry No 59

PRODUCT PROjects NEWS

Gamma’s LED downlights and LED emergency lighting are chosen for the new Greggs moment coffee shop Located in its North East heartland, Greggs moment is a new style coffee shop from Greggs, designed to meet the requirements of customers wanting a sit down coffee shop experience, as different from Greggs food on the go shops. Research showed that there was a need for a warm, friendly and inviting environment that had an element of fun but incorporated a British feel. Working with Philip Watt Design, Gamma Illumination proposed an ambient lighting scheme that would be sympathetic to the creative lighting brief yet provide the right amount of ambient lighting as well as an LED emergency lighting and signage solution.

Greggs wanted a low level ambient lighting scheme that didn’t sparkle or distract from the decorative light fittings as they were keen to create a cosy, relaxing and homely atmosphere.

Gamma’s TTX LED downlight, powered with the Xicato LED module, was selected. The 1000lm output, 3000K TTX fitting with a brushed aluminium bezel and dimming option provided discreet lighting that also offered the flexibility to increase or decrease the amount of light output to suit a change in requirements throughout the day. In addition to the ambient lighting Gamma also supplied the LED emergency solution which incorporated a number of graphite satellite heads offering the freedom to be positioned independent of the TTX downlights they were integrated with. LED exit signs were also used in strategic areas.

These LED emergency solutions offer dramatically improved reliability over conventional emergency lamp types. www.gamma-uk.com Enquiry No 60

AWARD-WINNING HOTEL SHOWCASES SYNERGY FLATPLATE The Zetter Townhouse, a trendy new boutique hotel located in St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, London, has become the first building in the UK to feature Legrand’s Synergy Flat Plate wiring accessories. The hotel’s unique look has been masterminded by interior designers Russell Sage Studios who paid close attention to every detail, wiring accessories included. When they approached Legrand for ideas, the world leader in wiring accessories suggested Synergy Flat Plate – a popular product in Europe that hadn’t been seen in the UK before. Flat Plate, as the name might suggest, has an ultra thin profile that lends a simple elegance to switches and sockets. It is available in antique brass and brushed steel finishes and, like all products in the Synergy range, is far more than aesthetically appealing; all Flat Plate accessories are high quality, durable components incorporating several innovative features. Large angled terminals and compact mechanisms make installation quicker and easier, while 3-pin safety shutters and large contoured rockers make them safer and easier to use.

Flat Plate is part of Legrand’s Synergy family of wiring accessories that also includes Modern, Traditional and White. Synergy is a range combining style and functionality that has been developed to provide interior designers with accessories that complement every conceivable décor, while meeting the practical and safety needs of installers and end users. www.legrand.co.uk Enquiry No 61

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PROjects

THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM – LEGACY OF A GEORGIAN GENTLEMAN Following his family’s naval tradition Sir William Holburne (1793 – 1874) was just eleven years of age when, as a midshipman, he took part in the Battle of Trafalgar. After the untimely death of his elder brother, William inherited the family’s Scottish estates and fortune and, together with his three unmarried sisters, settled in the genteel spa resort of Bath.

Holburne Museum. Although the interior was substantially altered by architect Sir Reginald Bloomfield when it became the Museum the original high, wide façade was retained. In 2007 the Museum was closed for three years during which time the exhibits were cleaned and restored to their original glory and the building was expanded, refurbished and renovated.

It is thought as an antidote to the horrors of his early life at sea, William dedicated his adult life to collecting objects of beauty, amassing priceless and somewhat eclectic collections of porcelain, glass, furniture, bronzes and paintings – including some by Turner, Gainsborough and Stubbs – all of which were eventually gifted to the city.

The £11.2m building works also included architect Eric Parry’s much discussed and admired three-storey glass and ceramic extension designed to provide a number of intimate state-of-the-art galleries and visitor café.

In 1916 the stunningly ornate Grade 1 listed eighteenth century Sydney House Hotel was purchased to accommodate William’s collection and was to become The

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The main original part of the building now houses two magnificent galleries of majestic proportion; including what was once the ballroom of the Sydney House Hotel and now known as “The Ballroom Gallery”

The Museum’s Curator Amina Wright is on record as saying: “The central displays in our Ballroom Gallery are deliberately extravagant” and include silverware, porcelain and china collections housed in glass cases; bronze statuettes sited on each of the window ledges and oil paintings hanging alongside the room’s monumental windows and floor-to-ceiling balcony doors.With windows to three sides, The Ballroom Gallery is light and airy, capturing the sun throughout the day, presenting perfect viewing conditions but is potentially detrimental to the sustainability of the room’s exhibits.To help alleviate this hazard and to provide much needed added security, main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine consulted with the UK’s leading secondary glazing specialist, Selectaglaze. With a wealth of experience within Listed and historic buildings.

PROjects

Royal Warrant Holder Selectaglaze was uniquely placed to understand the very special nature of The Holburne’s requirements.

In order to protect the exhibits from the harmful rays of the sun, Selectaglaze proposed a single hinged casement to each window incorporating Anti-UV glazing. And to provide an acceptable level of security the windows incorporated a multi-point locking system accredited to “Secured by Design”.

Other design considerations included a paint finish to match the surrounding décor and maintenance of clean lines through the use of flush hinges and a flush lock.The finished result is secondary glazing which blends imperceptibly with the Ballroom’s monumental sash windows with no additional sight lines to mar the spectacular views of this stunning Georgian city.

Additional advantages were gained through the high level of sound insulation afforded by a double window system and the inclusion of a low emissivity coating to the glass which markedly reduces heat loss – an important factor for building owners and managers wishing to reduce energy usage and so manage costs and environmental impacts.

Since the Museum’s re-opening in May of this year the refurbished Ballroom Gallery has proved so popular it is now available to hire for weddings and corporate events. www.selectaglaze.co.uk Enquiry No 62

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PROjects

KINGSPAN INSULATED PANELS BRING ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO MORRISONS’ DISTRIBUTION Morrisons’ South West Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) in Somerset, is raising the bar for energy conservation, with an exemplar scheme that uses innovative solar PV and insulated panel technology from Kingspan Insulated Panels. One of the challenges was to transform unproductive roof space into the facility’s own power plant. At the ‘Goods in Warehouse’, FK Construction installed the Roof PowerPanel Laminate System using Topdek KS1000 TD, a single ply insulated membrane roofdeck which had the PV laminate adhered directly to the surface on site.

Using 1,548 modules, this system will provide a single-source, insulated, roof and solar PV power source delivering a total peak output of over 220 kWp and an estimated 197,279 kWhrs of energy per annum.

Externally, the Frozen Warehouse has a highly insulated building envelope comprising: Kingspan KS1000 MR Micro-Rib architectural wall panels, and KS1000 RW insulated roof panels, which provide a support structure for the 1,194 Kingspan Roof PowerPanel crystalline PV modules mounted onto the south facing elevations to convert the sun’s energy into electricity for refrigeration. With the addition of Kingspan Multideck MD60 high performance galvanised steel deck for the composite floor slabs; Multibeam purlins and side rails and other finishing touches such as gutters, top-hats, flashings and Safetraxx, an off-ridge fall protection system, Morrisons RDC represents a huge vote of confidence for the investment Kingspan makes in developing innovative solutions.This project had the innovative use of tied portal frames where the ties were Multichannels – This was specified by the engineer to deliver a frame system that incorporated a lower steel content by taking advantage of the high strength of the Multichannels. www.kingspanpanels.com Enquiry No 63

Enquiry No 64

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PROjects

MISSION NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR D R SERVICES French window contractors said the job was absolutely impossible but when a lighting engineer called D R Services in to have a look at a tricky problem at a house in Bordeaux, a solution was soon discovered. The French contractors were saying it’s only possible to have double glazed units more than 3.5 metres and the British couple who were the clients, wanted a one piece 4.2 metres high for a window. D R Services said we can do it, no problem.

“We managed to work out a method to manufacture the frame,” said D R Services director David Jarvis. “So they asked me to do the entire project: survey the site, manufacture the window, ship it to Bordeaux and fit it. It took us two days to fit the frame and the glass. It went in like a dream first time and the client is very happy indeed and they want us to do anything with respect to glass on the rest of the building. We did what they were told by the French contractors was impossible. At the end of it I had to get assistance from at least four of the local contractors to just move the big, heavy packing cases around. To do a double glazed unit 4.2 metres high is difficult but it certainly isn’t impossible.”

D R Services took the entire existing window out and replaced it with a new frame and double glazed unit. “It was just so simple,” said David Jarvis. “It was physically hard work because you’ve got a double glazed unit weighing nearly a third of a tonne, about 290 kilogrammes including the frame.” D R Services used an SLK cantilevered Genie lifter that held the MRT4 glass manipulator. The limit on this combination was 300 kg and at times there was a load of 295kg. “All the other glass in the building is very typically domestic stuff and a piece of glass this size is commercial,” said David Jarvis. “The French said it couldn’t be done and installed it in two pieces which upset the client immensely because they had been instructed to do it in one piece. The clients were a couple from southern England, much travelled international people who knew what they wanted.

D R Services removed the existing window and replaced it with the new one. This had solar reflective glass: SunEnergy a very high performance insulating glazing on the outside and a low E glass on the inside. The main idea was to solve the problem of solar gain since Bordeaux is a long way south and the window faced south west. The lighting engineer who brought D R Services in, has used the company to solve complex problems in the past with DRS supplying specialist glass for the contractor in Majorca and Ireland. The lighting system throughout the Bordeaux house is incredible.

The whole thing is controlled by a computer system and the clients can choose a mood setting. You don’t just turn the light on, you turn the light to a mood setting.

In Bordeaux D R Services got involved in the entire glass project solving various problems. “I was coming in with cheaper prices than the local contractors even taking into consideration the cost of sending a team from London to Bordeaux,” said David Jarvis. “It seemed mad that I could be so economic but I know I am because they’ve repeatedly called me back. The client loved it and invited the company to come back and do all the other glass work,” said David Jarvis.

As a result D R Services have won the contract for balustrading, creating custom made showers and installing a high level Makrolon screen at the Bordeaux house.

Makrolon is a thick transparent plastic that weighs in at 1.25 tonnes a cubic metre.

Glass is 2.5 tonnes a cu metre. The result is something that looks like a glass roof but the supporting structure does not need to be as massive. www.drservices.co.uk Enquiry No 65

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PROjects

BENCHMARK AT THE HUB OF THE COMMUNITY The new Broughton Hub in Salford has formed a colourful landmark for regeneration within the region thanks to Benchmark’s range of architectural façades. Benchmark’s façades are available in a variety of standard and bespoke colours, textures and finishes; providing near limitless possibilities for exterior building design. Architects Urban Vision Partnerships Ltd used these options to full effect on the Community Hub, combining six different colours of satin finish Trespa Meteon panels, installed using a face-fix system to the Karrier panels using matching coloured rivets, to create a stunning upper level to the building. The 8mm Trespa facades which were pre-fabricated from Kingspan’s Sherburn facility were selected in Sun Yellow, Pacific, Cyclam, Lavender Blue, Mineral Blue and Spring Green, installed in a portrait format to create a chequered effect. The construction of the £7.3 million facility was overseen by main contractors Laing O’Rourke and forms part of Salford City Council’s wider plans for redevelopment within Higher Broughton, with the Hub aimed at providing a centre point to the local community by offering a range of social and sport services. Advanced Roofing were responsible for installing the 650m2 of panels on the Hub. The panels not only provide the Hub with a vibrant exterior but help to form a resilient outer surface which is extremely weather resistant and virtually maintenance free. They are also highly thermally efficient, contributing towards the buildings BREEAM rating and boosting its green credentials. Broughton Hub houses a range of community facilities including a library, Children’s Centre, café and several meeting rooms. It also provides a number of sports facilities including two grass pitches, a flood-lit all weather games area and the only purpose built trampoline hall in the north of England. www.kingspanbenchmark.com Enquiry No 66

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PROjects

NIBE AIR SOURCE & SOLAR HEAT FOR NEWTON HALL Newton Hall is a magnificent early Georgian mansion standing in nearly 200 acres of parkland and woodland. Completely secluded, although still handily close to the Great North Road, the estate was for centuries owned by the Widdrington family, landowners with Northumberland connections going back to the 12th Century. Unfortunately the last Widdrington owner passed away in 2009 and, after being empty for over a year and somewhat neglected for some years before that, Newton Hall was bought by Paul Hindaugh, Managing Director of Hindhaugh Homes, with a view to restoring it to its former glory as a Country House for his family.The house covers some 9,000 square feet of ground space and has large, high reception rooms boasting the ornate mouldings and the huge windows nearly to ground level that make Georgian interiors so attractive.

Unfortunately, since the Hall is a Listed property, replacing the original single glazed sash windows was not an option and the opportunities for insulation were limited, so one of Paul’s first priorities was to find an efficient heating system that would not be ruinously expensive to run. He calculated that, even with the latest technology, oil or LPG fired systems would cost over £2,000 a month to maintain at the even 21 degrees temperature he desired, so he handed the problem over to HT Energy Ltd of Northallerton, experts in renewable energy systems, winner of NIBE’s Installer of the Year Award in 2010 and a company with whom he already had an excellent professional relationship. In consultation with Paul Hindhaugh, HT’s Howard Tribick immediately opted for an underfloor system to give evenly spread warmth throughout the large area required – no hot spots, no cold corners.

The next question was the optimum renewable heat source. Their first thought was of a ground sourced system but that was discarded due to the horrendous disruption that would be caused to Newton Hall’s beautifully kept formal gardens by drilling the ten boreholes required.

Instead HT designed an air sourced system powered by four NIBE F2015 Air/water heat pumps running in a cascade system which heated water and stored it in a super-insulated NIBE VPB 500 litres capacity cylinder

supplying hot water for the several bathrooms and washrooms plus the kitchens. The VPB500 was backed by another 500litre tank used entirely to source the under-floor heating throughout the house and maintain a steady 21 degrees regardless of other hot water demand. One of the advantages of NIBE’s heat pumps is that they are specifically designed to work in parallel with solar power and it was decided to install three NIBE Solar FP215 P/PL panels on the slate roof of the Hall, sited on the South side of an interior courtyard and therefore invisible from ground level. These were fed via a pump sited in the plantroom and a potable heat exchanger directly into the VPB cylinder and therefore required no separate control. A solar controller with a memory card to store historical data was, however, installed and the results when the whole system was working were remarkable. During April and May this year the three panels generated around 1,000 kwh to the hot water raising the water temperature to 65º degrees during the day. Since the air sourced heat pumps automatically cut out at this temperature, the savings in energy and therefore fuel costs were slashed!

Although it is early days to judge the total fuel bill for the water heating and central heating of Newton Hall, present indications are for a monthly cost not exceeding £300, quite a reduction from the £2,000 previously estimated.

The four NIBE F2015 Air/water heat pumps are controlled by an SMO10 and each room is linked in to the central system via its own thermostat.

The Hall has open fires in most of the rooms, but these are for comfort’s sake, rather than a direct heat source and the effects of this variable heat are evened out by the rooms’ thermostats. The Hindhaugh family has been delighted with the working of the heating system in their beautiful new home, none more than Paul himself. www.nibe.co.uk Enquiry No 67

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PROjects

Amica’s Platinum collection joins the set of Hollyoaks Amica’s Platinum collection has been installed as part of a major refurbishment on the set of 1 Stockton Lane, better known as the accommodation above The Dog in the Pond, the public house in Channel 4’s award-winning youth drama, Hollyoaks.

The brand new kitchen, refitted by producers Lime Pictures and currently used by the Costello family, contains two ovens and a microwave from Amica’s Platinum built-in collection as well as Amica’s beautiful 77cm Inari induction hob, which sits in a central island unit.

The Dog in the Pond has been at the centre of the show’s setting since it began almost 16 years ago and has witnessed plenty of disasters including an explosion in 2006, which destroyed it and killed five regular characters.

Having changed hands several times, the current owners - Carl Costello (played by Paul Opacic), a self-assured former footballer and his wife, former glamour model Heidi (played by Kim Tiddy); along with their eldest son and aspiring footballer Riley, over-protected daughter Jasmine (now known as Jason) and Jasmine’s twin brother Seth - first came to our screens just before Christmas 2010.

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Simon Freear, country manager for Amica in the UK, said: “We are delighted that the producers of Hollyoaks decided to install Amica appliances in the Costello’s kitchen set. Our Platinum built-in collection and Inari hob exactly fitted the brief for a fully integrated, co-ordinated and sophisticated finish to match the well-polished family. We supplied a 1143.4TfYX multifunction fan oven with 12 heating functions, 24 pre-set recipes and an LCD touch control programmer as well as a 1143.4TsYDX multifunction fan oven with eight heating functions, LCD programmer and retractable knobs; each featuring our unique Aqualytic self-cleaning system; along with an AMM25BI 25l microwave with five power levels and 95 minute timer, and a gorgeous 77cm Inari ‘open zone’ induction hob.”

Hollyoaks is known as the ‘fourth British soap opera’ after Coronation Street, Eastenders and Emmerdale, and is broadcast at 6:30pm weekdays on Channel 4 with an omnibus edition on Sunday mornings. www.amica-international.co.uk Enquiry No 68

PROjects

Gilgen provides bespoke sliding doors for checkpoint security at Manchester Airport Leading door manufacturer and supplier Gilgen Door Systems, has developed and installed bespoke sliding doors for new checkpoint security lanes at Manchester Airport. Gilgen installed the unique sliding doors that form part of new security gate systems. A total of ten gates have been installed five in terminal 1, three in terminal 2 and 2 in terminal 3 and form part of departure security systems that allow passengers to pass from landside to airside.

The new security checkpoints direct passengers through a turnstile and a magnetic body scanner leading to a glass pod, when a passenger passes the security check, one of the Gilgen sliding doors opens allowing the passenger to continue through to reclaim belongings scanned by baggage scanners. If they do not pass the security check the adjacent sliding door opens directing the passenger through to an area where further security checks are undertaken.

Each gate required two sets of two single sliding automatic doors. Each door set is mounted on a single header operating system, but operate independently ensuring only the correct lane is opened enabling the closed door to form a screen to prevent passengers from walking through the wrong lane. The doors operate in conjunction with security gate system and provide an orderly and controlled security checkpoint that optimises passenger throughput and security personnel resources.The system is also able to perform random security checks as required.

The bespoke SLX sliding door systems use intelligent Communication Bus (CAMBus) technology unique to Gilgen to enable remote interfacing with the security gate system. This system also ensures safe, reliable operation of the doors, exceeding current industry legislation.

Gilgen Door Systems has over 80 years international experience in the design, manufacture and installation of a leading range of commercial and industrial door systems. With regional centres across the UK, Gilgen also offers a nationwide repair and maintenance service. The company is a member of the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA). www.gilgendoorsystems.co.uk Enquiry No 69

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PROjects

Arch’s fire retardant helps Kettering go CarbonLight Arch Timber Protection, a Lonza company, is playing a part in the fight against climate change by providing fire protection for the wood cladding in two new zero carbon homes.The buildings, in Kettering, Northants, are roofed and clad with Western Red Cedar shingles that are protected with Arch’s leach-resistant, polymer-based Non-Com Exterior fire retardant treatment. As well as being environmentally-friendly, the two wood-clad buildings are elegant and striking.

The three- and four-bedroom semi-detached CarbonLight Homes are part of VELUX’s Europewide Model Home 2020 project. The open-plan houses are designed to be energy-efficient and sustainable, with high levels of daylight, natural ventilation and renewable technologies, as well as being attractive, practical and affordable for both residents and housebuilders. The CarbonLight Homes are thought to be among the first built to the UK government’s definition of zero carbon, delivering a 70% reduction in carbon emissions on-site, with the remaining 30% of carbon emissions offset by allowable solutions.

The buildings were designed by HTA Architects, and the shingles were fitted by Reed Roofing Midlands. John Brash’s Western Red Cedar shingles are 100% heartwood, 100% edge grain and 100% clear, with a guaranteed lifespan of around 40 years. This makes them lightweight yet robust. These houses are more than just prototypes – they will be sold on the open market after six months of public viewing and a further 12 months of post-occupancy performance monitoring. www.archtp.com Enquiry No 70

A Royal Tribute Two long bronze friezes over 3m long on a famous London statue are dramatically lit using Roblon Fibre Optic fittings supplied by the Light Projects Group.

Sculpted by Paul Day, they grace either side of the Queen Mother Memorial on The Mall.

Following similar illumination of his Battle of Britain Memorial on London’s Victoria Embankment, Paul Day again decided that Fibre Optics would provide the ideal lighting. This high quality and effective solution was chosen because it is subtle and discreet and the small fibre end points do not detract from the imagery within the frieze as they illuminate the panels from the top in a specially designed pelmet.

The correct lux levels were determined using Roblon’s Lux Calculator. This clever programme offers lighting designers and specifiers a free and simple method of calculating lux values for any scheme, including the correct specification of light generator and fittings together with fibre type, length and quantity. This information can then be exported as an IES file.

For this scheme, a mix of 40mm diameter and 76mm diameter recessed eyeball fittings with flange and wide optics were used along with 4.5mm glass PMMA fibre attached to two 150W Metal Halide projectors. This created a stunning, clear white light with high colour rendering which ‘digs’ into the monument and pulls out the painstakingly-created three dimensional relief and accentuates the depth and details of the image from the back to the front.

The two friezes depict very different scenes. One shows the King and Queen visiting Londoners bombed out of their homes during the Blitz; the other illustrates different interests of the Queen Mother’s life, such as meeting veterans, horse-racing and Castle Mey. Roblon Fibre Optics using both traditional light sources and LEDs are exclusively available in the UK from the Light Projects Group. www.lightprojects.co.uk Enquiry No 71

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PROjects

Howe Green’s HG100 Channel Drain Keeps The Beer Flowing From Surrey Hills The Surrey Hills Brewery is an independent brewer with an award-winning portfolio of beer and real ale. The company recently relocated to the prestigious Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking where over 20 metres of Howe Green’s HG100 linear channel drain was installed when existing estate buildings were refurbished and a new extension built on the site of the UK’s largest single estate vineyard.

Biwater, the international water and wastewater specialist, managed the project and was responsible for overseeing essential drainage works. They specified the Howe Green HG100 channel drain in a custom-designed fermentation area to collect water from the many cleaning operations that happen throughout the production process.

“All brewing processes involve water in some way,” explains Ross Hunter, Surrey Hills Director “Most of the work is cleaning the equipment between each brew, which produces waste water. Reliable drainage was an essential requirement for our new premises and the Howe Green product is doing a good job and performing very well for us”.

Made from stainless steel with a heavy duty anti slip ladder grating, Howe Green’s HG100 Channel Drain was installed at the new Surrey Hills plant with a 9mm sloping polyurethane screed floor with non-slip chips added for additional safety. The HG100 is suitable for a wide range of applications including changing rooms, shower areas, spas, kitchens, laboratories, veterinary surgeries and other areas that demand durable and effective drainage.

A fully modular system, the HG100 range is available in 304-grade or 316-grade stainless steel with both sloping and level channels. With a selection of 90º bends, Tjunctions, stop ends and outlets, plus a selection of application-specific gratings, it represents a complete linear drain channel solution. It is suitable for all types of floor finishes, including ceramic tiles, resin and PVC, and with a load bearing up to 3 tonnes. www.howegreen.com Enquiry No 72

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Enquiry No 73

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