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Recycled Glass Worktops Are Green By Design One of the hottest interior design trends is recycled glass worktops, made from recovered post-industrial and post-consumer waste material. Recently, Granite Transformations launched its Trend G Recycled worktop surfaces, containing up to 72% post-consumer recycled glass, and now it has raised the style stakes by introducing two new green finishes, Dream Green and Azzuro Prato, made from used lager, wine and mineral water bottles. Both designs display their environmental credentials by featuring green glass fragments bonded together with a clear polymer resin, to create worktops that are extremely tough, heat, stain and scratch resistant, and made from sustainable material. The darker finish, Dream Green, is described as a lush carpet of crushed crystals and verdant green, while Azzuro Prato is seen as pale morning mist streaked with veins of brilliant emerald. Also new to the Trend G Recycled range are soft and subtle Bianco Spizzio, with its shards of sun-bleached blues and greys, and Beige Supremo, setting fragments of golden brown against a soft white ground. These recycled glass materials are equally at home in the bathroom, shower, wet room, lobby or outside living area. Made with 100% recycled glass, including a high percentage of post-consumer content, these Trend G materials have better environmental credentials than most, making them a truly ‘green’ alternative to granite and engineered stone. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 1 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Some of the colour photography used in Building Innovations is provided and paid for by contributors towards the cost of production. Whilst every effort is made by the publishers to ensure that the content of the articles appearing in Building Innovations is accurate, the publishers do not accept liability for errors that may appear in the publication. Building Innovations is published quarterly, free of charge to a carefully selected readership under the publishers control. Copies are otherwise available on request at cost of £3.75 per single issue including postage. Yearly subscription rates are £12.50 including postage. The views expressed by contributors in this publication are not necessarily the views of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording in any storage or retrieval system without the consent of the publisher. Published by: Link2Media Architectural Publications Limited Editorial Office: 16 Parker Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford ST18 0WP Tel: 01785 330635 Fax: 0845 862 8639 e:david@link2media.co.uk www.link2media.co.uk
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Doors, Windows & Glazing
“The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.� Frank Lloyd Wright
Doors, Windows & Glazing
v!news Archial Architects Appoints Chris Wood As Operating Director In Plymouth
CJ Partnership Provides Sustainability Expertise For Shanghai Regeneration Project
Chris Wood, formerly project associate on the £46.5 million Plymouth Life Centre, has been appointed Operating Director at Archial Architects’ Plymouth office. In his new position, Mr Wood assumes overall responsibility for the development of projects within the sport and leisure sector, including close liaison with national governing bodies for sport, such as Sport England. Following graduation with an Honours degree from South Bank University, Mr Wood began his career in architecture in a Londonbased private practice in 1988 and has worked on a number of significant sport and leisure projects over the years. He is currently working on the Plymouth Life Centre, a state-of-the-art facility which the City Council acknowledges will be the best leisure centre of its kind in the region and one of the country’s leading centres of aquatic excellence.
Rochdale-based CJ Partnership Architects has been selected to provide conceptual design and consultancy services for the £1 billion regeneration of the former French Concession area in the Jing An district of Shanghai, China. CJ Partnership Architects is providing strategic urban planning and conceptual designs for the development headed by Tongji University (www.tongji.edu. cn/english) and the Shanghai government (www.shanghai.gov. cn). Known as Media Street, the prestigious project is set to be completed in three phases over the next five years. Phase one, which includes the creation of two subway stations, a four floor underground retail and parking zone, demolition and rebuilding of some existing buildings and the regeneration of existing heritage architecture, is due to be completed by 2012.
[w] www.archialgroup.com
RMJM Design Is The Hub For A New Learning Centre At University Of Sheffield A sympathetic yet challenging design from international architecture firm RMJM has been granted planning approval from Sheffield City Council. The design is for a new Learning Hub within the existing Grade II listed Edwardian wing of the University situated on the wider Jessop Hospital site, which ultimately connects the two separate nodes of the University campus as set out in the RMJM development framework of 2002. Students will be able to access central learning and teaching support facilities to enhance their personal development. The architects from RMJM’s Cambridge studio were faced with the dual challenges of conversion and conservation. Both the refurbishment and the new extension aim to unite the variety of the surrounding buildings, contemporary and historical, whilst establishing unequivocally the building’s own architectural identity. [w] www.rmjm.com
[w] www.cjpartnership.com
Living Space For Students
Another Award For The Grand Mosque
Tonkin Liu’s Dover Esplanade Gets The Go Ahead
This compelling scheme designed by Stock Woolstencroft, for the UNITE Group, provides 87 student apartments a communal lounge, and a courtyard garden. The location of the site presented the design team with several constraints, however, the design seeks to take advantage of the opportunities of the site – the parkside location and views; the potential to reinforce the ‘green and leafy’ character with a corner marker; the development potential to the rear of the site – and the buildings’ footprint maximizes the available space. The scheme comprises three elements: two buildings hinged around a vertical circulation core. A ‘heavy’ structure, developed as a response to the adjacent Victorian villas, sits into the ground and is made up of studio rooms at all levels; whilst a “light” third form, enveloped in a woven steel mesh, responds to the weave of the surrounding treescape and floats over a series of entrance and communal spaces at ground level providing a heart for the complex.
Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque has picked up another award for its lighting design: the Germany-based Professional Lighting Designers’ Association presented it with a Recognition Award for Best New Project. Others have included the IALD Award of Merit, IES Award of Excellence and two Middle East Lighting Design Awards for Project of the Year and Best Public Building Lighting Project. It has also been shortlisted for the ESTA Rock Our World Awards, to be announced later this month at LDI in Orlando. The lighting for the building has been designed as a mimic of the moon’s phases, so at a full moon, the building is white, and for the new moon it is blue; every day there is a change. In addition to the colour change sequence, ‘clouds’ scud across the building as though they were moving from west to east, clearing from Mecca. This was achieved using a series of building-mounted and totem-mounted rigs 20m off the face of the building, from which light is projected.
Kent County Council has received planning permission from Dover District Council for a radical overhaul of the esplanade on the seafront of the busy port and seaside town of Dover. Architects Tonkin Liu’s scheme for Dover Esplanade is the winning entry in a design competition organised by the Landscape Institute on behalf of Dover Harbour Board, Dover District Council, Kent County Council, SEEDA and English Heritage, earlier this year. SeaChange is a government initiative led by CABE to drive cultural, creative regeneration in seaside towns. Tonkin Liu’s proposal The Lifting Wave, the Resting Wave and the Lighting Wave has now been approved by the local council and will be implemented with anticipated completion in summer 2010. [w] www.tonkinliu.co.uk
[w] www.stockwool.co.uk [w] www.pld-a.org
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The Gap House - Winner of RIBA Manser Medal 2009 The Gap House, a narrow new-build terraced London townhouse, designed by Pitman Tozer has won the RIBA Manser Medal 2009, the annual prize for the best one-off house or housing designed by an architect in the United Kingdom. The house, which is sited on a plot only 2.3m wide within a conservation area in West London, proves that sustainable architecture is achievable without compromise on the tightest of urban sites. The house incorporates a number of green strategies including passive solar gain, high levels of insulation, a ground coupled heat pump and rainwater harvesting to minimize its carbon footprint. With a street frontage of only 8 ft/2.3 m wide the house sits within a narrow slot, originally the side alley and rear garden of an adjoining property. The challenge was how to create a Low Carbon Building and make a comfortable 4-bed family home, maximising light and space within the constraints of a tight and awkwardsite. held as a piece of sculpture off the walls brings daylight deep into the centre of the plan on eachfloor. [w] www.pitmantozer.com
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Archial’s Award-Winning Pollok Civic Realm Wins Special Recognition From Civic Trust Awards The award-winning Pollok Civic Realm in Glasgow, designed by Archial Architects, has received special recognition from the Civic Trust Awards National Panel as a strong community initiative and for the positive impact it has had on the people it serves. Russell Baxter of Archial Architects is delighted with this latest recognition for the building which recently won a Royal Institute of British Architects Regional Award. Built between the newly expanded Pollok Health Centre and the Pollok Leisure Centre, the £6.7 million Pollok Civic Realm is Glasgow’s first facility with truly integrated health and social work and leisure facilities. Forming part of the overall Pollok Town Centre regeneration, it houses a café, library, museum, child-care facilities and other specialist social and healthcare related services. The Civic Trust Awards are given annually to projects that are culturally, socially or economically beneficial, and make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the built environment. [w] [w] www.archialgroup.com
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Reardonsmith Reveals Unique Subterranean Hotel Scheme For London’s Green Belt A scheme for a unique, sustainable and innovative luxury hotel and spa, designed by international hotel and resort architects, ReardonSmith, has been revealed by public exhibition prior to the submission of a planning application in the new year. The proposed development, at Hersham Golf Club in Surrey, is within London’s Green Belt and the architects’ response to the area’s strict planning guidelines has been to place all 200 plus guestrooms underground around landscaped courtyards, leaving just one level of public areas at grade. The proposal is topped by a living green roof that mimics the undulating nature of the golf course and merges it into the surrounding landscape. In total, the ReardonSmith scheme represents in the region of one third less built-up hard surface than the existing club houses and car parking. Hersham Golf Club stands in an area of woodland and the proposal respects and reflects this. Car parking, which is currently above ground, will be relocated underground. The existing golf clubhouse and car park will be demolished and replaced by a new clubhouse integrated within the hotel. A dedicated new access road, carefully woven into the landscape, will better manage the flow of traffic 12
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onto the site. The proposal also includes provision for extensive on-site re-vegetation and improvements to local public footpaths to further enhance the site. “Our concept integrates hotel, spa and golf facilities into a single architecturally exciting and organic composition below and above ground,” explains Matthew Guy, ReardonSmith’s project designer. “The design fulfils the requirements of the brief for a bespoke five star hotel while returning hard standing to the Green Belt and improving the physical layout and visual attraction of the entire site. It represents a commercially viable solution to developing in the Green Belt and is, we believe, a world-first.” The two underground levels of the hotel comprise three “rings” of guestrooms, each built around large 800m2 garden courtyards, allowing light to permeate the fully glazed façade. Public spaces, including high quality restaurants, will be contained within a single level at grade. Contouring mimicking the undulating nature of the course will conceal this level and merge it with the natural landscape. The entire development is set back from the local
residential area and is positioned within an enclave of existing woodland in such a way that it is hidden from view for local residents. Carefully framed views from all the hotel’s public areas of the golf course and woodland will make for a unique dining, hotel and golf club experience. The total area of the hotel and new golf club will be approximately 16,500 sq metres.
Both hotel and spa have been designed to minimise their carbon footprint by using combined heat and power generation, heat exchangers and ground source heat pumps together with grey water recycling and rain water harvesting. It is confidently anticipated that the building’s resource demands will be significantly reduced in comparison to conventional five star hotels.
Reflecting on the implicit challenges of the brief, Patrick Reardon, executive chairman of ReardonSmith, says: “The question was how to design a hotel of significant size that would not disturb the Green Belt environment. In fact, our solution attempts not only to preserve the essence of Green Belt amenity but also to improve it by the removal of existing and highly visible buildings and hard standing parking zones. The process required to achieve this proposed hotel will be expensive. But, the client accepts this and is to be congratulated for his willingness to invest in a solution which clearly responds to environmental, as well as commercial, imperatives.”
Mr Cahit Atasoy, CEO of Arkin Group, the owner of Hersham Golf Club, says: “Our vision is to create a stunning boutique hotel and spa destination that will be truly unique and prestigious. It will blend into the natural woodland setting and enhance and increase the level of green landscape.” [w] www.reardonsmith.com
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opinion! this months contributors : Derek Guy, General Manager, Itho Ventilation
building innovations
Brian Newell, Chairman, Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited
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Doors, Windows & Glazing
Mike Williams, General Manager, Portakabin Hire David Arendell, Managing Director, Klober Toby Makin, Technical Advisor, SRS Limited
“Get the habit of analysis- analysis will in time enable synthesis to become your habit of mind.� Frank Lloyd Wright
Doors, Windows & Glazing
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Who Will Be The New Energy Efficient Police? By Derek Guy, General Manager, Itho Ventilation SAP Q has been providing specifiers and housebuilders with guidelines on energy efficient products to meet standards. However is there any point if customers are unwilling to employ ‘competent’ installers? If you ran a Formula 1 racing car, but hired in a local, unqualified mechanic to service it, would you really expect it to perform to its full potential? To cover himself, the mechanic ticks off questions on a checklist confirming he has done all that is expected of him. But who is to say he has done this correctly and the car is at peak performance? We all, surely, have the commonsense not to hire in this type provider for our most important services, and yet this is the scenario that is being utilised in the installation of energy efficient ventilation products that have been tested by SAP Q. The product should perform fantastically and meet or exceed the necessary requirements, but if it’s installed incorrectly, who’s to know whether it’s reaching the standards? SAP is the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings. It is adopted by Government as part of the UK national methodology for calculation of the energy performance of buildings and is used to demonstrate compliance with building regulations for dwellings - Part L (England and Wales), Section 16
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6 (Scotland) and Part F (Northern Ireland) - and to provide energy ratings for dwellings. Appendix Q allows the energy performance of new technologies and advanced versions of existing technologies to be evaluated for inclusion in SAP assessments. At present, SAP Q (www.sapappendixq.org.uk) provides an Installation Guide and Checklist, but in the next Approved Document Part F of the Building Regulations, the Government is looking to include installation guidelines. This is all well and good, but who is going to ‘police’ the installations? Surely it cannot be the installer, so whose responsibility will it fall too, to ensure that the installer is ‘competent’ to install the product? At some point along the line we must trust that the installer has the competency to install the ventilation system correctly, following the new Guidelines thoroughly, to ensure that the system performs at its peak level and provides the most energy efficient ventilation. It seems the logical choice to expect the manufacturer of the products to provide trained Design Install Partners, who know the product in depth, understand the intricacies and details of correct ducting and installation, and understand how to test and measure the output of the system. But how many manufacturers provide this back up service? Says Chris Marriott, of air management company ADM Systems: “We support the idea of Installation Guidelines being incorporated into the Building Regulations. End users can purchase the best product in the world, but if it’s installed or maintained
incorrectly, they needn’t have bothered. Cutting corners and costs when it comes to the installation results in shoddy workmanship and poor quality ancillaries. It is this lack of attention to detail that often leads to noisy systems or poor performance.
Itho Ventilation is one company that definitely embraces the ethos of training the installers fully from day one. The company invests a great deal of time in providing free training workshops to installers and on site support to any installer of the system.
“Unfortunately, the end user often does this unknowingly. They think they are getting a better deal by shaving some cost off the contract, but they do not know what is being compromised to give them this discount. There is some naivety that it’s a ventilation system and will do as it says on the box, when in reality it’s not just about the system, but the correct installation of it that is an important part of the project.”
The company also advocates understanding at an early stage and runs three 1 hour CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses. Energy Efficient Ventilation and the Future of Ventilation Systems covers the growing need for energy efficient ventilation systems, how these are being developed, up-to-date industry news and a look at future requirements. This course is relevant to anyone involved in the planning, design, construction and marketing of new homes as well as for those renovating older dwellings to a high standard of permeability.
He adds: “By including the Installation Guidelines in the Building Regulations, this should educate the industry and Building Control.”
Duct It Right covers the all important subject of the correct positioning of the units plus how the terminations and ducting of a ventilation system need to be installed to achieve the maximum energy efficiency. This course covers the different ventilation strategies available and how they work, the importance of installation practice versus system performance, the critical elements that ensure maximum system performance, installation guidance, planning, design and commissioning. Design Considerations covers how ventilation systems are now an integral part of living, eco designs and must be thought about at the very first stage of design. Unit location, ducting routes and the correct placement of terminations - all need to be given careful consideration before the build begins.
Each of these is run in-situ, but all three can be combined into a hands-on one day course at Itho’s Headquarters in Burton on Trent in their fully equipped training facility. Attendees receive a CPD certificate at the end of the course. No doubt the recommendations for Installation Guidelines in the Building Regulations need further thought. It is the end user who is currently not necessarily getting the most efficient performance from their ventilation system, so it falls to the manufacturers to ensure the customer gets the very best of service. [w] www.itho.co.uk
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opinion! (Image courtesy of Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited)
and the UK Slip Resistance Group is the Pendulum Test. Originally designed in the US in the 1940s, pendulum testing apparatus was refined at the UK Transport Research Laboratory in the 1960s for the testing of road surfaces and was later adopted as by the HSE as a standard method of assessing the slipperiness of different types of pedestrian trafficked flooring surfaces in both wet and dry conditions.
but it is often assumed that the scale begins at zero whereas it actually begins at R9. This can result in R9 rated products being mistakenly perceived as having a high level of slip resistance which is not the case. Then there is the Tortus Test, popular in Italy, in which a sled-style trolley moves across the flooring surface, measuring the coefficient of friction. This method can give over-optimistic slip resistance readings on wet, polished or glazed surfaces and is not generally viewed in the UK as being reliable. Because each of the above methodologies is based on different physical principals, it is almost impossible to correlate one against another satisfactorily across a range of surfaces.
Specifying Slip Resistant Flooring – An End To Confusion? As various different methods of measuring slip resistance have been adopted across the EU, it can be a laborious, and in some cases, impossible task for UK specifiers and contractors to ascertain whether flooring products tested in other countries have an acceptable slip resistance rating for floor areas where this type of surface is required. However, as Brian Newell, The Tile Association’s representative on the SlipSTD PAS consortium and Chairman of Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited reports, international experts in this area have reached consensus on a new way to approach this longstanding problem..... Failure to agree a consistent means of evaluating the slip resistance and classification of hard floor coverings has made it difficult for any Europe-wide progress to be made on safety standards, including CE Marking. The confusion resulting from the lack of satisfactory correlation between the test methods used in different countries around the world has also undoubtedly led to inappropriate flooring being specified and installed on numerous occasions. In an attempt to resolve this longstanding contentious issue once and for all, the Slip STD consortium was established. This brought UK slip experts from the Tile Association (TTA), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and CERAM, together with their counterparts from universities, manufacturers, businesses and research facilities across Europe. Partial funding was granted by the European Commission for a project to devise and develop a new and reliable method of designing and assessing slip resistant flooring which could be used by manufacturers, and which could 18
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be easily understood by specifiers and their clients across the whole of the EU. This project took three years to complete but the consortium has finally developed a new validation tool which can be used to design and assess the slip resistance of hard flooring products in a consistent manner. Furthermore Slip STD has now published the SlipSTD Publicly Available Specification (PAS) to help designers, architects, contractors and their clients to specify and maintain hard flooring with confidence. This detailed document is now available for download via the TTA’s website at www.tiles.org.uk. You may ask why a completely new system was required. The answer is that different countries have become very firmly wedded to their favoured slip resistance testing methodologies and rating systems. None of the tests currently in use are perfect. They all have benefits but they also have their own flaws and disadvantages. Here in the UK the preferred method of testing, recommended by prominent expert bodies such as the HSE
A key objective of the Slip STD Consortium was to overcome vested national interests and reach consensus on a new harmonised and unbiased means of evaluating floors and slip resistance based purely on objective information relating to the intended use of the floor, and where necessary to set out design principles for a flooring surface’s intrinsic topography. Floor tiles from across Europe are being tested by experts at Shackerley using the company’s in-house Pendulum equipment to determine equivalent slip ratings. (Image courtesy of Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited)
A Pendulum Test Value (PTV) is produced by suspending a representation of a standard rubber soled heel on the pendulum, swinging it through an arc over a test surface until the base of the foot makes contact, and then measuring the ‘follow through’ after contact. The test is used to give a slip rating for a floor in dry conditions or can be used with lubricants such as oil or water to test for slip resistance in contaminated conditions. The equipment is fully portable so it can be used to test flooring in situ, however it doesn’t always accurately measure certain types of heavily profiled surfaces.
One way to analyse the topography of a floor surface is by using a stylus and physically tracking the surface texture to generate a model of its roughness. Other methods use optical white light and there are a range of measurement techniques available which can all be used to generate three-dimensional surface assessments. These methods can be used to measure various parameters such as Pp (primary profile) which relates to the maximum height of the profile above the mean line and Pk (Primary core roughness depth) which concentrates on the load bearing area of the surface.
In Germany, France and the Benelux countries, the favoured method of measurement is the DIN Ramp Test. This measures the slip resistance of a surface under either a shod foot (giving an R value) or a bare foot (giving an A, B or C value). A person (in a safety harness) stands on a ramped surface which is sprayed with soapy water or motor oil and the incline is then gradually increased. The slip value is determined by the angle at which the person feels the surface has become unsafe and begins to slip. The biggest disadvantage of this method of testing is that the ramp equipment isn’t portable. The suitability of the lubricants used is also questionable. Another problem with this test is the way that the R values are scaled. R13 offers the highest degree of slip resistance which is understood,
3D Non Contact Surface Profiling (3DP) is being undertaken (Image courtesy of CERAM)
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opinion! The table below shows how these new classes relate to existing test requirements in different countries. Example of surface topography showing the roughness of a ceramic tile obtained with 3D Non Contact Surface Profiling (3DP) instrument. (Image courtesy of CERAM)
Country
United Kingdom
Germany
Spain
Italy
Test methods
BS 7976 DIN 51130 Ramp Pendulum 4S method oil/shoe Slider
DIN 51097 Ramp Method water/barefoot
CTE Pendulum Pendulum rubber slider
BCRA Tortus
Slip resistant UKSRG BGR 181 GUV-I 8527 requirements/ guidelines recommendations
Documento Básico SU(03/2006)
Decree DM 14.06.1989
Class 2A >36 with relevant contaminant
Generally not applicable except the cases reported in BGR 181 (R10)
A,B C according to application
35<Rd_< 45
BCR wet (>0.4)
Class 2B
R11-R13
Not applicable
Rd>45
BCR wet (>0.4)
>36 with relevant contaminant
Germany
Source SlipSTD PAS
cleaning and maintenance regimes for different types of hard floor surfaces. Now the PAS has been published it is to be hoped that the issue of slip resistance will be a lot less confusing for specifiers. From now on manufacturers will be able to label their floor coverings with easy to understand Slip STD classifications, and specifiers will be able to select products with appropriate levels of slip resistance, regardless of country of origin. The consortium considered all the information available and recognised that no single parameter of ‘roughness’ can completely characterise a surface in relation to its slip potential. It was time to apply computer modelling techniques to see if a blueprint for slip resistant flooring could be designed scientifically. Leading academics from the European universities involved with the project gathered all the research data in existence and embarked on a development project to generate a range of prototype surfaces with topographical characteristics known to deliver slip resistance. These prototypes were tested and fine tuned exhaustively until we had a set of surfaces that could be validated as being slip resistant using any of the main physical assessment methods previously discussed. This was a breakthrough. Now, for the first time we had a set of slip resistant floor surface ‘templates’ which all flooring manufacturers and their testing houses could use as universal benchmarks. The next step was to incorporate these ‘benchmarks’ into a new slip resistance classification system. We had got to grips 20
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with the topography of hard floor surfaces but we had also recognised from the outset that the main cause of pedestrian slip accidents is actually contamination, from liquid or dry soil. How a floor is used and maintained hugely affects its propensity for slip. Accordingly, when it came to devising the new system our approach was to determine acceptable slip resistance levels appropriate to the floor surfaces’ installed usage and the level of foreseeable contamination. This led us to create three categories: Class 1: Hard flooring products for those areas which are foreseeably clean and dry, and which are routinely maintained as such. (These areas would not normally call for a slip resistant product to be used) Class 2A: Hard flooring products for those areas which are foreseeably contaminated with water and/or dry contaminants. Class 2B: Hard flooring products for areas which are foreseeably contaminated with other liquid contaminants with viscosity higher than water, such as oil or grease.
From now on specifiers will be able to select products with appropriate levels of slip resistance, for the particular type of pedestrian area concerned. (Image courtesy of Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited)
This approach places responsibilities on designers and specifiers to select floor coverings that not only satisfy national legislative requirements but which also take into account project specific conditions such as the likelihood of spillage, the type of soil expected, the frequency of cleaning regime anticipated, etc.
SlipSTD PAS is not intended to replace existing national regulations and Health and Safety directives, but to be applied in conjunction with them. However, it could quite possibly be the forerunner of a CE mark that will give specifiers and users real confidence in their choice of flooring. For a copy of the SlipSTD PAS, please contact the TTA on 020 8663 0946 or email info@tiles.org.uk [w] www.shackerley.com [w] www.tiles.org.uk
Furthermore it places a duty on the client and the maintenance team to ensure that once installed, the floor covering continues to provide a safe pedestrian surface over time and that appropriate cleaning and maintenance regimes are implemented. A great deal of the Slip STD PAS is, rightly, devoted to providing guidance on appropriate Opinion
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opinion! will deliver every building on time and on budget, Portakabin has just launched a ground-breaking Customer Charter, setting new standards and a series of clear commitments that are unprecedented in the construction industry.
Benchmarking Construction
If delivery on time and on budget is not achieved, Portakabin will provide a week’s free hire for every day a project is delayed**. Its other commitments include:
Mike Williams, General Manager of Portakabin Hire, looks at why the delivery of new buildings on time is so important and provides some performance benchmarks for the construction industry. New Government statistics produced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in conjunction with Constructing Excellence, provide an enlightening – and alarming picture of the UK construction industry and its performance. Despite the drive for the more consistent delivery of defect-free buildings on time and on budget following the Egan Report, and particularly in the public sector, there has been little improvement. According to the latest statistics published by the Office of Public Sector Information (source: Construction Statistics Annual 2009), just 49 per cent of construction projects were completed on cost and only 59 per cent on time in the past year*.
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Construction performance in the UK has actually declined since 2005, when 48 per cent of building projects were delivered on budget and 62 per cent on programme*. The Impact of Project Delays Time and cost overruns are still a major concern among construction clients and main contractors. The impact of project delays on the local community can be huge. In the education sector, for example, projects delivered late mean, at best, more disruption to teaching, and at worst – displaced pupils studying from split sites, and significant reductions in education standards at a critical time in a child’s education. And in emergency situations, such as following a fire or flooding, construction clients need an assurance
that their building needs will be met – on programme, without unforeseen costs and with no compromise on quality. New Performance Benchmarks Research carried out by Portakabin, the UK’s leading modular building specialist, has shown that it has successfully delivered 99.6 per cent of buildings on time and on budget in the past four years – significantly raising the bar for the construction industry. Its incident rate is 33 per cent less than the average for the construction industry and in customer satisfaction surveys, Portakabin scores an average of 90 per cent, consistently exceeding industry averages. And in order to give further assurance to clients and contractors that it
• Meeting the most challenging timescales – delivering 80 per cent of its buildings for hire within 14 days and some within just 24 hours • Delivering every building safely • Providing a fast, responsive and local service – with the largest network of hire centres in the UK, spanning more than 50 locations • Providing cost certainty – accurate project quotations with no hidden cost variations • Visiting every client within 24 hours of initial contact • Providing a 24-hour service, 7 days a week. Ensuring Continuity of Service When Carleton Community High School in Pontefract, West Yorkshire was ravaged by a severe fire which destroyed half of its buildings, property consultants NPS Group proposed a modular solution to create an interim school. In one of the most challenging projects ever undertaken by Portakabin, 23 separate school buildings comprising 114 building modules were sourced, fully fitted out, installed and occupied by the school in just six weeks from receipt of order – despite freezing working conditions and whilst meeting the school’s stringent design and logistics requirements. The school is a specialist science and mathematics college. Its 971 pupils were immediately displaced following the fire, so it was critical that the new
interim school was up and running as fast as possible. Minimising Disruption to Education Portakabin was able to provide a rapid response and complete solution to minimise disruption to the children’s education. This included foundations, building installation, fitting out to the school’s exact requirements, fire and intruder alarms, and access ramps and steps. The buildings, which span more than 4,000sqm, are being hired for three years while the damaged parts of the school are re-built. Facilities in the interim school include: • Reception • 25 classrooms • Management suite with 11 offices • Behaviour block • Dining room for 700 covers • Library • Staff room for 80 teachers • Dance studio with a full mirror on one elevation • Drama studio with blackout windows • Changing rooms and showers • Key stage manager’s block with five offices • 17 toilet blocks. Rob Foreman, Head Teacher at Carleton Community High School, said, “It was imperative that the buildings arrived in the shortest possible time to ensure continuity of education provision and minimal disruption to the school. This meant that a commitment to deliver in time for the new school term was absolutely essential.” “The service from Portakabin was fantastic, with the handover of all buildings completed on schedule, as required. The specification of the buildings has surpassed all expectations, and is a first-rate solution for organisations in a similar predicament.” David Taylor, Senior Building Surveyor at property consultants NPS Group
said, “The new interim accommodation is clean, fresh and bright. We needed a vast quantity of buildings at no notice, so had to select a national company with the resources and reputation to deliver on time and to our exacting quality standards. Portakabin did an excellent job.” Record Exam Performance As this project illustrates, the delivery of buildings on time is critical to minimising disruption, but is even more important in emergency situations. The Carleton school project was a huge success – pupils studying in the new interim school achieved record GCSE exam results that summer. Modular buildings offer a range of advantages over site-based construction, including: • Programme times reduced by up to 50 per cent • Highly flexible and innovative accommodation solutions, such as fully glazed buildings available for hire • The provision of buildings with much less disruption • A wide variety of aesthetic and fitting out options to reduce procurement time and improve the working environment • A robust steel-framed construction, ideal for demanding applications • A sustainable alternative to sitebased building methods – less waste, improved building performance and fewer vehicle movements. For further information about innovative interim accommodation solutions, and the new Customer Charter, visit www.portanews.co.uk, email information@portakabin.co.uk or call 0845 401 0010. *Construction industry statistics source – Construction Statistics Annual 2009, published by the Office of Public Sector Information. © Crown Copyright 2009. Reproduced under the terms of a Public Sector Information License. **The free hire period is subject to contract terms.
Opinion
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opinion!
Taking Control Of Airtightness By David Arendell, MD of Klober
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According to the Energy Saving Trust’s Chief Executive Philip Sellwood, almost a third of new homes are still failing to meet energy efficiency guidelines. He told the BBC “… the Government’s ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’ is not being adequately enforced, giving cause for real concern. Our building regulations in the UK are among some of the toughest in Europe, but they are extremely poorly enforced as far as energy efficiency goes”.
This is despite the fact that the phrase ‘Build tight, ventilate right’ has become synonymous with the strategy to achieve low energy buildings. If we don’t understand how best to achieve the right balance of airtightness and controlled ventilation, we run the risk of perpetuating condensation problems within the roof space and building fabric. With every upgrade in insulation standards, so the risk increases.
David Arendell, MD of roof ventilation specialist Klober feels the situation in respect of building airtightness gives grounds for even greater concern. He commented, “In the light of the EST’s comments on energy efficiency, it is fair to assume that the level of understanding of how best to achieve air tight construction remains poor.
Delays in consultation on Approved Documents L and G have prompted deferment in CSH 2010 until the end of the year, but the clock is undoubtedly ticking towards an ultimate target whereby all new homes achieve CSH Level 6 (effectively zero carbon). However, with house builders having lobbied consistently for tighter
Opinion
definition of how ‘zero carbon’ can be achieved, the Zero Carbon Task Group was set up. There is some evidence to support such calls for redefinition. Research carried out in 2007 by the Richard Hodkinson Consultancy, for example, showed that ‘PassivHaus’ (a Europe-wide Standard with stringent airtightness requirements managed by the BRE and the Energy Saving Trust) would not actually meet CSH 3. CSH assessment uses the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) test to calculate energy performance, and for a number of years there have been questions over the efficacy of the test, especially in relation to more thermally efficient buildings.
In terms of roof design, the requirement already exists for new public sector housing to meet CSH 3. The impetus towards ‘zero carbon’ will be reinforced when the equivalent of CSH 3 is incorporated into Building Regulations for England and Wales (some authorities indeed have already adopted this requirement). In Scotland, where many elements of the Code have already been incorporated into Building Standards, similar improvements are planned. Of the nine categories within the CSH method of assessment, that for ‘energy and CO2 emissions’ is by far the most significant. This is true for both the allocation of credits within each category and the final points allocations that result from use of weighting factors. 29 credits are available for energy and CO2 emissions which, when weighted contributes 36.4% to the total available performance. The right balance between air tightness and ventilation can certainly be struck without significant addition to building costs. Material choice however, can greatly influence a building’s longterm airtightness. Sheet membrane
air barriers coupled with sealants, for example, are more effective than sealants alone, counteracting the effects of buildings (particularly timber frame) drying out. Housing designers can now benefit from Accredited Construction Details (ACDs), Enhanced Construction details (ECDs) and, in Scotland, the Scottish Ecological Design Association Guide for both warm and cold roof construction. Examples of wall/ceiling ACDs include a junction of ceilinglevel air barrier with masonry inner leaf and warm roof with room in the roof. Accredited detail Sheet MCI RE 02, for example, shows a warm roof detail at the eaves in a non-habitable loft using Klober Permo forte vapour permeable underlay and appropriate tapes (with an alternative pre-taped option). For non-residential construction, airtightness is just as important, despite the absence of any CSH equivalent. Roofing materials such as zinc, for example, require airtight construction if the metal’s underside is unventilated. At the recently build Abergwynfi primary school near Neath, built to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating,
zinc was used on a series of circular roofs. A Klober Wallint air barrier was installed with sealing tape to meet the specified airtightness performance. With current Building Regulation requirements stipulating air tightness of only 7m3/hr per m2 compared with CSH 3 at 3m3, techniques used to achieve it must undoubtedly change. CPD presentations and literature on the subject are to be welcomed. ‘The Code for Sustainable Homes and airtightness in roofs’ is a CPD presentation from Klober examining how to ‘build tight and ventilate right’ within the realms of practical pitched roofing construction. Supported by’Taking control of air leakage’ www.klober. co.uk/airtightness, it is a welcome source of information on a subject for which information is otherwise lacking. [w] www.klober.co.uk
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opinion! at Design stage, to award an interim certificate, and Post Construction Stage, to award a final score and Code Level. Of the nine categories within the code for sustainable homes that a new home is assessed against, four are mandatory. These are Dwelling emission rate, Indoor water use, Environmental Impact of Materials, and Lifetime Homes. The remaining points are taken from the other categories. Different levels of importance placed on difference environmental issues using a weighting system. The Credits available within each category are weighted to give percentage points and it is the percentage points that are totalled together by the Code Assessor at the Post Construction stage to give an overall Code Level. The Code for Sustainable Homes rewards developers for achieving greater standards of sound insulation that Building Regulations currently require, hence valuable extra credits can be gained from simply upgrading separating wall/floor specifications.
The SRS Guide To Code For Sustainable Homes by Toby Makin Bsc (Hons.) MIOA, Technical Advisor, SRS Limited The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental assessment method for rating and certifying the performance of new homes. As well as aiming to reduce the carbon emissions and the environmental impact of new residential developments, The Code also introduces a requirement to encourage sustainable, good design that adds long lasting value and real benefits to the people who will live in it. A substantial component of the environmental impact of any development occurs during it’s construction, so a significant reduction can be made by simply encouraging the construction of dwellings that will be lived in for longer. The Code became operational in April 2007 in England and having a code rating for new build homes became 26
Opinion
mandatory from 1st May 2008. The Code for Sustainable Homes scheme replaces the Ecohomes scheme. From the 1st of May 2008, a minimum of Code Level 3 is required for all new housing promoted or supported by the Welsh Assembly Government or their sponsored bodies and from 2nd June 2008, Code Level 3 has been required for all new self-contained social housing in Northern Ireland. The Code does not currently apply in Scotland. In order to obtain a Code rating the developer first chooses a Service Provider. The Service Provider will then provide details of qualified Code Assessors, one of which must be used to register the development and perform assessments
Category 7
Total Credits Available
Weighted Value of each credit
Health and Wellbeing
12
1.17
Sound Reduction Systems have independently tested systems that have been shown to achieve the required levels of sound insulation for 1, 3, and 4 credits for sound insulation. Achieving the full 4 credits accounts for 4.48 percentage points towards the overall points score due to the weighting system used by The Code. Total Party Floor Solution Developed originally for specifiers looking to achieve an ‘enhanced specification’, the Total Party Floor Solution is an innovative specification for a timber floor that exceeds the performance requirement suggested by The Code and yet is finished with a hard wearing, hygienic laminate floor. Traditional in structure, the timber joisted floor benefits from an SRS Maxi 60 ceiling to the lower rooms, with a hard floor finish floating above a layer of SubPrimo Acoustic underlay. The (independently verified) results speak for themselves;
Credits Available
Weighted Value (% points)
Daylighting
3
3.5
Sound Insulation
4
4.67
Private Space
1
1.17
Lifetime Homes
4
4.67
Category Total
12
14
Impact Sound Insulation
54 dB
49 dB
$ 53 dB
# 54 dB
DnT,w+Ctr
SRS Total Party Floor
Health and Wellbeing
Airborne Sound Insulation
Requirement to achieve 4 credit
L’nT,w
In addition to the acoustic benefits, the SRS Total Party floor exceeds the fire resistance requirements of building regulations (achieving 86 minutes load bearing capability) and is almost deceptively simple to install requiring minimal build up of the floor surface, and little loss of head room below.
An overall score of equal to or greater than 57 points is required to achieve a Code Level of 3. To achieve the maximum 4 credits separating floors and walls have to be shown to achieve 8dB above the performance requirements of Part ‘E’ 2003. Airborne Sound Insulation
Impact Sound Insulation
Separating Floors and Walls
Separating Floors Only
Requirements of Part ‘E’ 2003
$45dB
# 62dB
Requirement to achieve 1 credit
$48dB
# 59dB
Requirement to achieve 3 credits
$50dB
# 57dB
Requirement to achieve 4 credit
$53dB
# 54dB
DnT,w+Ctr
L’nT,w
The Total Party Floor Solution is one of Sound Reduction Systems wide range of high performance specifications for floors and walls that are designed to meet the requirements of The Code, without introducing complicated build-ups. Sound Reduction Systems are the leading independent innovators of high performance soundproofing materials and systems, and are pleased to assist with any acoustic challenge you have. Their industry leading, qualified, experienced and approachable technical team are always available to help. [w] www.soundreduction.co.uk
Opinion
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gallery! picture perfect projects: Victorian Woodworks 30 Cubicle Centre Ltd 32 Senior Architectural Systems 34
building innovations
VM Zinc 36
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Doors, Windows & Glazing
“Beauty is the oracle that speaks to us all” Luis Barragan
Doors, Windows & Glazing
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GALLERY!
Victorian Woodworks Provide A Restoration Masterpiece For V&A The world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design, the Victorian and Albert Museum in London, has recently reopened their new Ceramics Galleries, following a comprehensive refurbishment, with Victorian Woodworks completing an extensive flooring restoration programme. Purpose built in 1909 for the display of the Ceramics collection, the newly refurbished galleries have been remarkably transformed. Telling the story of world ceramics, 3000 of the most beautiful and interesting cups, bowls, vases and tiles are displayed in airy rooms with an abundance of natural light streaming through newly unblocked windows in the walls and ceilings. With an unrivalled reputation gained over 20 years, Victorian Woodworks are regarded as the UK’s most experienced and knowledgeable timber flooring specialists. They have supplied new and reclaimed timber solutions, and restored numerous floors throughout some of the country’s most prestigious locations, including luxury hotels, stately homes, museums, art galleries and private members clubs. In order to retain the character and heritage of the building, the project brief required a ‘refurb and restoration’ approach. The programme commenced with the existing Burmese Teak woodblock flooring, which was laid to a beautiful herringbone pattern, being carefully lifted from site. This was then transported to Victorian Woodworks production site for assessment by their team of expert craftsman. Naturally over time, wood floors are subjected to wear and tear, so where necessary, matching replacement blocks were supplied from Victorian Woodworks unique woodblock stockholding. Once the process of restoration was complete, the floor was relaid and finished on site, having been restored to its’ natural beauty, to be enjoyed for years to come. Phil Wilson of Victorian Woodworks commented, “It was a privilege to work with the V&A to complete this important transformation of their Ceramics Gallery. Restoration projects are, by their nature, somewhat special, and require a very high level of expertise and skilled craftsmanship. Our team were delighted with the result”. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 2 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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GALLERY!
Zest Washroom System A stylish, yet practical cubicle system, Zest has been developed to meet the demands of modern washroom environments. An overall cubicle height of 2100mm provides advanced privacy; whilst the 100mm reduced floor clearance offers users greater personal security. Robust fittings such as the DDA compliant cubicle latches keep the design focused on functionality, while high performance panels and edging offer exceptional durability. Partitions and front panels are Stone Grey with cubicle doors available in four exciting new colours: Blueberry, Kiwifruit, Mango or Dragon Fruit. Two woodgrain options are available on request for cubicle doors only. With its unique fittings and energetic colour choice, the Zest cubicle system will add a confident and striking presence to any washroom environment. Zest is manufactured by Cubicle Centre Ltd â&#x20AC;&#x201C; currently celebrating a decade of supplying washroom products manufactured to the highest standards. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 3 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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GALLERY!
Optimum Use Of Aluminium And Composite Systems Specifiers material options for windows, doors and curtain wall systems have never been broader. The specifier can choose between the main framing materials of aluminium, timber, PVC and steel or opt for a growing number of composite systems of various materials. For high rise and predominantly commercial applications, aluminium remains one of the most popular choices for the specifier giving a long service life with virtually 100% recyclability many times over. Improved polyamide thermal breaks allow systems to meet the most stringent insulation requirements. Over the last decade aluminium timber composite systems have become very popular. Timber offers improved insulation with a natural and ‘warm’ internal finish, timber also helps lock away carbon from our atmosphere making it a good ‘green’ product to use. But specifiers should be aware that the selection process does not need to be an ‘either or’ decision. With the majority of composite systems opting for an aluminium external weathering material it is quite easy to mix material choices within a commercial or residential application and still maintain a uniform appearance from outside the building. Main, high traffic, entrances are best specified using aluminium commercial doors. Utility rooms, manufacturing areas and laboratories, again aluminium internally would be a preferential and hard wearing finish. But when we are looking at offices, board rooms and living spaces, a timber appearance could be better suited. Importantly the specifier can make the choice in conjunction with the client for various areas of the project. Senior Architectural Systems provide both Aluminium systems and an award winning composite system known as ‘Hybrid’. Seniors’. Fabricators can seamlessly join these systems to make best use of each of the systems qualities whilst maintaining similar external sight lines and uniform finish. An all British design, the complete range of systems are available in stock in the UK and can be fabricated with the minimum of investment in new machinery. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 4 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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GALLERY!
Zinc â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Changing The Face Of Interiors
>>>>
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GALLERY! >>>> Zinc – Changing The Face Of Interiors Zinc is undoubtedly achieving increasing prominence as a façade and roofing material through projects of increasingly high profile. Its sustainability is reflected by an already thriving recycling market which, in Western Europe, is already seeing around 90% of old rolled zinc being reused. In addition, energy consumption in the manufacturing process from natural ore is the lowest of any metal used in construction today. The lasting appearance and low maintenance requirements over a design life spanning 50 years thus enables zinc’s level of sustainability to be clearly defined. Coventry University’s new Health Design and Technology Institute has incorporated the latest innovations in building access and inclusive design to allow effective perception of depth and texture for the partially sighted. Zinc was used in the £5.2 million design, but in this case for both exterior cladding and as an element of interior design. Associated Architects’ Project Architect Matthew Lucas commented, “The overall concept was to create a legible spine which links spaces through the building. It was important that this element read internally and externally. We selected zinc because we wanted a material which could be crisp and express the spine but also have a hand made quality. We developed an elevation treatment which had varying vertical widths and we wanted to create a different aesthetic when viewed from various angles. This led to the development of the splayed window heads and cills which has been very successful. We used the zinc internally on feature walls and the lift shaft. This created a homogenous aesthetic on the project.” Designed around a central breakout space, the institute houses design studios, laboratories, workshops and test areas where researchers and clients can explore and evaluate new ideas. The zinc spine links two wings and the building has exposed concrete soffits. Specialist metal contractor Richardson Roofing undertook installation of the zinc and a complex carpentry specification for the outer wall substrate. Such projects highlight the way in which zinc can be used to fulfill design criteria based on a combination of aesthetics, practicality, performance and sustainability. The range of finishes VM Zinc now offers enormous design scope for use of standing seam and interlocking panel systems with contemporary and traditional materials. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 5 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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specifier select! interiors - 42 environmental control - 46
building innovations
roofs - 49 paints & coatings - 51 walls - 52 timber protection - 53 fire protection - 54 external works - 54 doors, windows & glazing - 55 floors - 58 insulation - 58 structures - 59
â&#x20AC;&#x153;To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objectsâ&#x20AC;? Le Corbusier
specifier select
specifier select
CRL Shower Door Hardware and Accessories C.R. Laurence offers a wide range of shower door hardware and accessories, including the Hydroslide sliding shower door kits. These are available in 90 degree wall-to-glass installations and 180 degree wall-to-wall installations. The Hydroslide system accommodates the option of floor to near ceiling glass panels with a sliding door. Bottom fixed glass attachments and handles can be ordered separately.
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The JIS Europe Range Of Stainless Steel Towel Rails And Radiators JIS Europe Ltd are the UK’s leading supplier of stainless steel towel rails and radiators. Stainless steel will not corrode or flake, it is also easy to clean and totally hygienic with no known health risks, thus it has been used in the food industry for many years. Stainless steel is produced from over 90% recycled metal, manufactured environmentally and is 100% recyclable itself.
Also available from C.R. Laurence is an extensive range of frameless shower door hardware, including; hinges, handles, door knobs, channels, clamps, plus much more.
Sussex Range radiators will last a lifetime, manufactured from 304 (catering grade) stainless steel with 316 (marine grade) stainless steel welds. Small marks or scratches can be polished out, and these stunning durable radiators are the perfect heating choice for any home.
C.R.Laurence of Europe T: 00800 0421 6144 E: CRL@crlaurence.co.uk W: www.crlaurence.co.uk
JIS (Europe) Ltd T: 01444 831200 E: info@jiseurope.co.uk W: www.jiseurope.co.uk
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NEW Taper-Loc System
M&G Olympic Products
The Taper-Loc System is a revolutionary new frameless glass balustrade system. The precision measured control gives you high quality installations every time. • 50% faster to install than traditional alternatives • For toughened/toughened laminated glass from 12mm-25.52mm thick • Dry glaze system, no need for cement • Tested to meet the strictest building code requirements BS6180:1999 and BS6399-1:1996 • The product is unique. It uses a horizontal taper-loc design, which allows the system to be adjusted, dismantled and re-set.
M & G Olympic Products have 40 years of experience in providing a comprehensive package ranging from state-of-the–art design and production facilities through to project management and installation, ensuring quality from concept to completion. This ability was recently demonstrated during the transformation of the former headquarters of Bristol & West Building Society from an iconic 1960’s office block to a modern landmark for the 21st Century. With its 176 bedrooms styled in the themes of ‘Chic’, ‘Fresh’ or ‘Fashion’, this stunning feature staircase and glass infill stainless steel balustrading, supplied and installed by M & G Olympic Products Ltd, complements the hotel’s bold interior design and colourful furnishings – some by the Italian fashion designer Rosita Missoni.
C.R.Laurence of Europe T: 00800 0421 6144 E: CRL@crlaurence.co.uk W: www.crlaurence.co.uk
M&G Olympic Products T: 0114 275 6009 E: sales@mgolympic.co.uk W: www.mgolympic.net
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New Cubicle Collection Launched
Schell Angle Valves - Innovative Water Savers
ABET LAMINATI has launched a completely new Cubicle range from its range of high pressure laminate. The Collection is available in 34 plain colours, 6 woodgrains and complementary speckle effects in laminate specially selected for applications in areas of heavy usage or vandalism. The Collection is primarily designed for use in heavy duty application and in high traffic public areas.
Schell GmbH & Co. have introduced their innovative Angle Valve, consisting of a brass body with a polished chrome plated surface, that allows flow control of cold and hot water. Instead of the simple 90º degree ‘shut off’ mechanism of a normal ball valve, this Schell product has a facility on the front of the valve that can be rotated anti-clockwise to set a desired flow rate and, of course, to compensate against differing pipe pressures.
It is also suitable where hygiene is a primary concern - this is because high pressure laminate is easy to maintain and keep clean and overcomes the problems associated with traditional wood surfaces and exposed joints which are unhygienic because they can harbour germs and trap dirt.
The Angle Valve can water consumption by up to 40% without affecting performance in any way and helps to reduce CO2 emissions and can be fitted in many applications including public buildings, schools and hospitals to domestic bathrooms.
ABET LAMINATI T: 020 7473 6915 E: sales@abet.ltd.uk W: www.abetuk.com
Schell T: 0845 680 6902 E: info@fluid-systems.co.uk W: www.schell.eu
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specifier select
specifier select
Zest Washroom System
JIS Auto Bleed Valve – A Real Timesaver
A stylish, yet practical cubicle system, Zest has been developed to meet the demands of modern washroom environments. An overall cubicle height of 2100mm provides advanced privacy; whilst the 100mm reduced floor clearance offers users greater personal security. Robust fittings such as the DDA compliant cubicle latches keep the design focused on functionality, while high performance panels and edging offer exceptional durability.
If you have a radiator heating system or just a water-heated towel rail, how often have you cursed yourself for not bleeding the system when it was needed? JIS Europe Ltd. have a neat and simple attachment which means that air-blocks need never happen again.
With its unique fittings and energetic colour choice, the Zest cubicle system will add a confident and striking presence to any washroom environment. Zest is manufactured by Cubicle Centre Ltd – currently celebrating a decade of supplying washroom products manufactured to the highest standards.
The Auto Bleed Valve is small, unobtrusive, simple to fit and inexpensive yet it saves endless frustration, wasted time and money in situations where air regularly enters an individual appliance or a circulatory system. Automatically pressure activated, the Valve vents the appliance as soon as it becomes necessary, increasing the energy efficiency of the heating system as well soothing the owner’s temper.
Cubicle Centre Ltd T: 01924 457600 E: sales@washroomcubicles.co.uk W: www.washroomcubicles.net
JIS (Europe) Ltd T: 01444 831200 E: info@jiseurope.co.uk W: www.jiseurope.co.uk
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Whatever The Column Casing Specification, Encasement’s Got It Covered
Looking For Larger Lifts? Look To NEW Stannah Xtralifts
With the launch of the new fire resistant ‘Lamina’ range of compact laminate column casings, decorative architectural casing specialist, Encasement, believes it now has the most comprehensive column casing range available in the UK. The company’s range already includes pre-formed plywood, stainless steel, aluminium and steel casings, as well as glass reinforced polymer and gypsum (GRP and GRG), providing a highly versatile solution for concealing interior and exterior structural columns. In addition to the wide range shapes, sizes and finishes available on its standard and custom casings, Encasement also provides next day delivery on all ‘ex-stock’ pre-formed plywood casings, where a fast response is needed for projects with short timescales. Encasement Ltd T: 01733 266889 E: sales@encasement.co.uk W: www.encasement.co.uk
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Enquiry SN10
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Yes, Stannah Passenger Lifts are getting bigger. Our new Xtralift range provides MRL gearless traction passenger lifts for up to 32 persons, with a multitude of configurations. Stannah Xtralifts can go a little higher and faster than our 6-16 person Maxilift range, so giving our customers more choice than ever before. Of course our larger lifts come with the same Stannah assurances: quality manufacture, comprehensive choice of finishes, excellent customer service and local service, nationwide.
Stannah Lifts Ltd T: 01264 339090 E: liftsales@stannah.co.uk Enquiry SN11 W: wwww.stannahlifts.co.uk/passengerlifts/xtralifts www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Cistermiser’s Hygienic, Water Saving ‘IR’ Taps
New Specifier Handrail and Balustrade Brochure
Novatap and Novaspout are two vital components of the IR [Infrared] range of products developed by Cistermiser. Both are designed for the hygienic ‘hands free’ delivery of water to a standard wash basin, providing a set flow rate that lasts only as long as required.
At 80 pages, Laidlaw Solutions’ 2009 Handrail and Balustrade Solutions brochure provides comprehensive guidance on handrail and balustrade design, with detailed information affecting upright, infill and structural glazing specification.
The Novatap is a robust but pleasantly styled, deck mounted, chrome plated single tap with the infrared activating sensor at the base of the upright and it has a two-rod fixing that makes installation simple and vandalism difficult. Designed for automatic supply from a wall panel mounting,the Novaspout, in stainless steel, is of good appearance yet is practical and also vandal resistant.
Coverage of Regulations and Standards includes specific reference to the newly updated BS8300 and comment on risk of slips, trip and falls in the workplace. Case studies covering a range of environments illustrate how systems can be used to fulfil aesthetic as well as functional requirements, capitalising on the benefits of Laidlaw’s component based, rather than site fabricated systems.
Cistermiser Ltd T: 0118 969 1611 E: sales@cistermiser.co.uk W: www.cistermiser.co.uk
Laidlaw Solutions Ltd T: 01902 600420 E: handrail@laidlaw.net W: www.laidlaw.net
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specifier select
Spectrum Handrails, Balustrade And Balconies From Neaco
Pro Clima Intelligent Airtight Systems
Neaco’s Spectrum range of handrails, balustrade and glass-fronted Juliet and walk-on balconies provide an outstanding combination of superior aesthetics, durability and ease of installation. With rails and balustrade available in satin polished stainless steel or nylon powder coated aluminium, together with a comprehensive choice of infills, all components are precision engineered to the highest manufacturing standards prior to delivery on-site, minimising waste with no messy off-cuts. Internal connection fixtures ensure a smooth, clean finish without need for welding. All Spectrum systems are designed to provide high-class aesthetics including non-chip finishes in a wide choice of solid and metallic colours. Neaco T: 01653 695721 E: sales@neaco.co.uk W: www.neaco.co.uk
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Trust T555 For Thermostatic Safety The innovative Performa T555 heralds the arrival of the next generation of dual-control thermostatic bath and shower mixers from Pegler Yorkshire. Its thermostatic, anti-scald performance has been designed to eliminate scalding by mixing hot and cold water at a safe, pre-set temperature while delivering excellent flow rates and works even where pressure is low. The latest innovation is the ability to turn off the water supply in seconds at the body of the tap, simply by using the dedicated isolation key. Other popular features include dual thermostatic technology to give precise flow and temperature control and the easy to use handles with clear, bold markings makes the T555 perfect for people with special needs to use. Pegler Yorkshire Group T: 0870 1200 284 E: uk.sales@pegleryorkshire.co.uk W: www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk
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Heating Control Is Easy With Honeywell Wireless Enabled Controls Packs Honeywell has launched its Sundial RF² wireless enabled heating control packs, which make it very easy to make existing home heating systems energy efficient and more comfortable. The packs are especially suitable for the 80 percent of UK homes which lack the minimum controls required by Building Regulations in new systems. 8½ million UK homes lack even a room thermostat. Wireless enabled time controllers and wireless thermostats in Sundial RF² packs work together automatically, straight out of the box, so are quick and simple to install. They feature TPI (Time Proportional and Integral) advanced energy saving control. Honeywell Home Comfort Controls T: 01344 656511 E: literature@honeywell.com W: www.honeywelluk.com
Enquiry SN17
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The AYLESBURY™ Float Valve Range From Keraflo
BSRIA Instrument Solutions is a Total Solution organisation offering the instrument user a comprehensive service for their Test and Measurement requirements. With equipment Hire, Sales and Calibration facilities. The calibration department within BSRIA Instrument Solutions draws upon over 40 years of experience in the building industry.
Keraflo have manufactured top quality, delayed action float valves in the UK for almost 25 years. Their Aylesbury™ range is synonymous with float valve excellence with tens of thousands of products in continual use in demanding applications throughout the UK and around the world.
BSRIA Instrument Solutions T: 01344 459314 E: sales@bis.fm W: www.bis.fm
Spring 2010
Ecological Building Systems UK Ltd T: 05600 758025 E: info@ecologicalbuildingsystems.com W: www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com
BSRIA Instrument Solutions
Equipment is available for Airflow, Illumination, Sound Frequency, Vibration, Air leakage, Combustion, Data logging, Temperature, Humidity, Survey, Electrical and Environmental Analysis.
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pro clima’s Intelligent airtight vapour control check, INTELLO PLUS along with pro clima’s extensive range of airtight tapes, glues and grommets are designed to last the life time of the building. pro clima are widely distributed in the UK by Ecological Building Systems Ltd through their network of trained stockists. The system has been used in the first certified domestic and non-domestic Passivhaus builds in the UK. JPW Construction from Wales achieved on the domestic property an air permeability result or Q50 of 0.250m3/(h.m2) 50 Pa. Their non-domestic project; Canolfan Hyddgen is a Welsh Assembly/Powys County Council funded scheme building used as meeting rooms, gained BREEAM Excellent and achieved a Q50 of 0.37m3/ (h.m2) 50 Pa; both results far lower than the PassivHaus standard.
Enquiry SN15
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Aylesbury valves are designed to provide an accurate and efficient method of controlling the level of stored cold water in tanks, with and without raised float valve chambers. Manufactured in a Lloyds Register Quality Assured manufacturing facility, they are constructed to operate over long periods without the need for maintenance. All valves are WRAS approved and come with a 5-year warranty. Keraflo Ltd T: 0118 921 9920 E: info@keraflo.co.uk W: www.keraflo.co.uk
Enquiry SN18
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Spring 2010
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LK Floor Heating Systems
Levolux Speciality Venetian Blinds
For more than 30 years LK Systems have been supplying and developing warm water under floor heating. Under floor heating works well and efficiently in any kind of building from a small cottage, to large industrial buildings and on up to huge schools and hospitals; it can be installed in any floor structure, be it concrete, screed, beam & block, suspended or floating.
Levolux Speciality Venetian blinds provide ‘all-round’ protection from direct sunlight. They create the optimum environment by controlling glare, allowing natural daylight to filter through and by significantly reducing solar heat gain during the summer months.
LK under floor heating has a working lifetime at least as long as the building itself. It can be effectively powered by any heat source and LK under floor heating can be mated to the heat source to provide extra economical comfort. LK Systems not only offers products but entire floor heating system solutions. LK Systems Ltd T: 0870 242 4873 E: info@lksystems.co.uk W: www.lksystems.co.uk
Enquiry SN19
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NIBE Energy Systems Ltd NIBE Energy Systems Ltd, recently launched a new generation of Heat Pumps designed to utilise to maximum effect the heat ever present below ground level, converting it into energy to heat the home and all the hot water used in it.
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Enquiry SN22
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Flag-Soprema Optigreen – Offering True Green Roof Diversity Flag-Soprema’s 100-page technical brochure for its Optigreen green roof systems contains extensive information ranging from preliminary roof inspection and structural assessment to choice of planting, installation and aftercare. It explains how membranes should be used to provide substrate and root barrier protection and examines factors affecting irrigation, drainage, wind uplift and erosion for nine green roof solutions. Advice is given on roof usage, environmental conditions and how to provide a balanced planting medium for plant lists ranging from sedums to shrubs and trees.
NIBE Energy Systems Ltd T: 0845 095 1200 E: info@nibe.co.uk W: www.nibe.co.uk
Flag-Soprema UK Limited T: 01428 604500 E: enquiries@flaguk.co.uk W: www.flag-soprema.co.uk
Enquiry SN20
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Enquiry SN23
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Easy To Recognise Colour - Coded Clips
Why Would You Want Plastic When You Can Fit Steel?
Talon has recently introduced a range of Hinged Identification Pipe Clips to give instant recognition to the type of pipes they contain. With clips in yellow for gas pipes, red for hot water pipes and blue for cold water, there can no longer be any excuse for mistaking a pipe during maintenance, repair, refurbishment or extension work.
Rainline, a unique steel based rain drainage system from Lindab, is the system of choice for many building specifiers due to its price, performance and low maintance capabilities. Lindab can offer Rainline at a price point comparable to a mid range plastic system.
Talon Manufacturing Ltd T: 01634 296960 E: sales@talon.co.uk W: www.talon.co.uk
Spring 2010
Levolux Ltd T: 020 8863 9111 E: info@levolux.com W: www.levolux.com
The new NIBE F1145 and F1245 pumps are quite extraordinarily efficient, are practically silent in operation and extremely user friendly for both the installer and end-user. With fuel bill savings of up to 80% compared with fossil fuel systems and with the greenest of credentials on carbon emissions as well as energy saving, the new NIBE ground source heat pumps are very impressive indeed.
The red and blue clips are available in 15mm and 22mm and the yellow in 15mm, 22mm and 28mm. Recently introduced are ‘potable’ water identification clips in 20mm 25mm and 32mm colour coded to blue MDPE pipe colour.
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This can greatly reduce the need for expensive, energy sapping air conditioning. With ‘intelligent’, motorised controls and durable components the system adjusts automatically to compensate for changing daylight levels.
Enquiry SN21
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Rainline offers minimal thermal movement and UV stability, it will not crack, fade or leak, is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance free. Rainline is recyclable and provides a sustainable and cost effective alternative to plastic, aluminium or cast iron rain drainage system.
Lindab Ltd T: 0121 585 2780 E: buildingproducts.sales@lindab.co.uk W: www.lindab.co.uk
Enquiry SN24
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Spring 2010
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Sandtoft Develops Guide To The UK’s Largest Range Of Roof Tiles
Esha Universal - Single Ply Protection For Roofs & The Environment
Sandtoft has launched a comprehensive guide to the UK’s largest range of roof tiles, including innovations that can help specifiers cut their total roof costs by up to a half. The Sandtoft Product Selector incorporates in-depth technical and visual information on the company’s entire range, including Sandtoft’s clay solar solution – the UK’s first fully integrated solar system using clay roof tiles. As part of the Wienerberger group, Sandtoft now offers the largest and most diverse portfolio of roof tiles, slates and accessories in the UK. The addition of the Koramic range of tiles means that Sandtoft now offers more products than its two closest competitors combined.
Esha Universal is a single layer, POCB environmentally friendly roofing membrane that offers the low temperature performance of SBS membranes combined with the high – end performance of APP membranes. Uniquely, it is manufactured featuring recycled content from Esha’s own recycling plant –the world’s first. Esha Universal is completely stable, it will not stretch, split or shrink, providing stress free overlap points to ensure a watertight bond is maintained for the lifetime of the roof, at which point Esha Universal can be fully recycled. A unique, environmentally friendly two story house constructed at the University of Bath, entirely of straw bales features a roofing membrane supplied by Esha as it met the projects demanding sustainable and environmental specification.
Sandtoft Roof Tiles Ltd T: 0844 9395 900 E: tilesforthetimes@sandtoft.co.uk W: www.sandtoft.net
Esha UK Ltd T: 01858 410372 E: sales@esha.co.uk W: www.esha.co.uk
Enquiry SN25
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Fakro Launch Balcony Roof Window
Klober Takes Control Of Air Leakage
Fakro GB is using Ecobuild to show its Balcony Roof Window in the U.K. for the first time. It has two sashes, the top-hung upper sash opening through 45 degrees, while the lower sash slides out to reveal built-in balustrades. The large glazing area ensures that natural daylight is maximised, while the automatic V40P air inlet window provides the added benefit of balanced ventilation.
Klober’s new brochure ‘Taking control of air leakage’ explains how to develop an effective roof airtightness strategy, with specific reference to the use of vapour permeable membranes, vapour control layers and air barriers. It explains the nine method of assessment categories in the Code for Sustainable Homes, the principles of building fabric air permeability and requirements of Building Regulations and BREEAM.
As the only roof window manufacturer to use the patented topSafe® system, Fakro can provide the highest standard of security and safety currently available in standard products, a minimum Class 3 - EN13049.
Managing Director David Arendell commented, “Energy and CO2 emissions make the biggest overall contribution to the CSH. As we improve the thermal efficiency of new homes and move towards zero carbon construction, it is inevitable that air leakage will become even more significant.”
Fakro GB Ltd T: 01283 554755 E: sales@fakrogb.com W: www.fakro.co.uk
Klober Ltd T: 01509 500660 E: info@klober.co.uk W: www.klober.co.uk
Enquiry SN26
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Sens – A New, ‘Beneficial To Health’ Paint Range
Roof hatch, smoke vent and access equipment supplier Bilco UK has updated and relaunched its website to include - among other things - video of its products in action. Among the products featured in the videos are single leaf smoke vents which automatically open to the legally-required 140 degrees, reducing the possibility of smoke being blown back into the building, and roof access hatches that feature easy single-handed opening and closing, allowing users to keep one hand on the ladder for improved safety.
As a result of extensive research and collaboration with experts in the field of environmental research, occupational medicine and allergy prevention, Jotun is leading the way in this form of paint technology. Sens is the only paint that fulfils the strict requirements of the Norwegian Asthma and Allergies Association (NAAF) as well as meeting the stringent environmental standards set by the Swan and Euro Flower labels.
Bilco UK Ltd T: 01284 701696 E: bilco@bilco.com W: www.bilcouk.com
Spring 2010
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Enquiry SN29
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Bilco Launches New Website
The website also provides links to detailed product specifications, downloads of CAD and other files, and a large number of case studies.
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The Sens range of interior paint has the lowest rate of VOC emissions of any paint on the market, making it one of the safest paints available today. Sens is the ideal choice for situations where health considerations are paramount.
Jotun Paints (Europe) Ltd T: 0191 265 4381 E: mark.robinson@jotun.co.uk W: www.jotun.co.uk
Enquiry SN30
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Spring 2010
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Timber Cladding From The A. Proctor Group
ArtMe... Be Different... Be You
At The A. Proctor Group, we are committed to meeting the needs of modern day designers and their clients – and there can be no finer example than our timber cladding range. In our environmentally conscious world, we ensure all of our products are manufactured to the highest standards and that we only source materials that are environmentally friendly.
ArtME, from Trimo is the latest, unique surface facade treatment that allows literally unlimited shapes, patterns and visual effects to be expressed on the surface of Qbiss by trimo panels. Architects can choose from a portfolio of ready-made designs – bubbles, puzzles and lines – combining these for dramatic and individual effect or they can take a bespoke approach and literally make the facade their canvas. ArtMe is ideal for designs, patterns, textures, inscriptions, logos, brands or even photo-adaptations to breathe life into a construction.
All of the timber cladding comes from reputable suppliers with full traceability for the assurance that it has been harvested from sustainable forests. We offer a comprehensive range of profiles and colours to suit every application. The cladding is pre-treated and provides long lasting durability backed by comprehensive warranties. The A Proctor Group T: 01250 872 261 E: ask@proctorgroup.com W: www.proctorgroup.com
Enquiry SN31
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Ancon Low Thermal Conductivity Wall Ties: Helping To Deliver Energy-Efficient Buildings
Spring 2010
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Trimo UK Ltd T: 01270 665303 E: sales@trimo.org.uk W: www.trimo.org.uk
Enquiry SN34
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Qbiss By Trimo
In addition to a number of stainless steel wire wall ties, the range includes the Ancon TeploTie which is manufactured from pultruded basalt fibres set in resin. This BBA-approved product is available exclusively from Ancon. It has a thermal conductivity of just 0.7W/mK, making it the most thermally efficient wall tie on the market.
Qbiss by Trimo is the unique 5-in-1 building solution offering the best in aesthetics with performance and functionality. Qbiss by Trimo, with its innovative rounded corner, projects a modern high tech feel. Add to this the famous ‘shadow joint’ and the overall appearance is one of modern minimalism and smoothness. Self-supporting Qbiss by Trimo eliminates the need for additional substructure, conferring tremendous savings in terms of money and construction time. Integrated fire protection builds in safety and integrated insulation with no thermal bridges delivers the highest energy efficiency. Assembly options include the two traditional horizontal and vertical orientations, with a new ‘brick’ orientation. Add the widest Corus Colorcoat Prisma® colours, and Qbiss by Trimo becomes a total building envelope.
Ancon Building Products T: 0114 275 5224 E: info@ancon.co.uk W: www.ancon.co.uk/LowConductor
Trimo UK Ltd T: 01270 665303 E: sales@trimo.org.uk W: www.trimo.org.uk
Literature is now available on Ancon’s range of low thermal conductivity wall ties. These ties minimise heat loss through thermal bridging, improving the energy efficiency of a masonry cavity wall. The use of these ties can reduce insulation depth and wall footprint.
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High-tech, ArtMe has no impact on the performance or original integrity of the panel; therefore it retains all of its anticorrosion, therefore protection and thermal and sound insulation properties.
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Enquiry SN35
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Aluglaze Panels From Panel Systems
Proven Fire Protection For Timber
This image shows multi-coloured Aluglaze panels from Panel Systems. They were supplied in five different colours to create a striking futuristic facade for the new Durham Johnston Comprehensive School in Durham. Each panel features a low density insulated core material and high density facing and balancing materials to ensure a rigid structural panel. The panels are designed to span over large areas, which gives the specifier greater flexibility when considering the overall design. Panel Systems has the experience and expertise to work with a range of facing materials, including lamina, trespa, timber, plastisol, steel and aluminium. This means the Panel Systems range of architectural panels can satisfy specifiers’ requirements for aesthetics, longevity, acoustics, thermal insulation, fire and impact resistance.
At Ecobuild 2010, Arch Timber Protection will be exhibiting its range of industrially applied fire retardant treatments that give architects and specifiers complete reassurance when designing timber into new public buildings. The range provides highly effective fire protection from established treatments such as DRICON and NON-COM Exterior, both of which have over 25 years of proven commercial use.
Panel Systems T: 0114 249 5635 E: sales@panelsystems.co.uk W: www.composite-panel.co.uk
Arch Timber Protection T: 01977 714000 E: advice@archchemicals.com W: www.archtp.com
Enquiry SN33
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DRICON fire retardant treated timber remains the only product of its type to achieve British Board of Agrément (BBA) certification and continues to provide a proven and permanent surface spread of flame protection for interior and weather protected exterior timber applications.
Enquiry SN36
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Spring 2010
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Eco Fire Preventative Coatings
2010 Anti-Ligature Door Hardware Guide From Laidlaw
Envirograf® eco friendly water based fire preventative coatings for timber can offer both Class 0 & Class 1 spread of flame and 30 and 60 minutes fire protection. Tested to BS476 parts 6 & 7 and 22 and B/S1/d0 of European Standard Parts EN13823:2002 single burn test (SBI) and EN11925-2: 2002 ignitability. Envirograf® passive fire preventative coatings can be used internally or externally and can be over coated with a range of protective sealants that can offer up to an impressive 12 year exterior maintenance cycle. The coatings are available in clear, white or a range of colours and finishes, a new coating version is also available for use in kitchens and hygienic areas. See Envirograf® products at Ecobuild stand 1414 Earls Court, London 2nd -4th March 2010.
Laidlaw Solutions’ new Orbis Anti-Ligature door furniture brochure contains comprehensive information on a range which has seen a significant number of additions since the last edition. Co-ordinated, ready-to-install locksets are available with functions which include rollerbolt locks with primary and secondary barricade override options.
Envirograf T: 01304 842555 E: sales@envirograf.com W: www.envirograf.com
Laidlaw Solutions Ltd T: 01902 600431 E: shafiq.sharif@laidlaw.net W: www.laidlaw.net
Enquiry SN37
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Automated Slide Round Garage Doors
Envirograf have launched Envir-e-flex, the perfect answer to providing a 3 in 1 product for thermal insulation to L1B & L2B, airborne and impact sound and 70 minutes fire protection. Envir-e-flex consists of a reflective fire protective panel with an attached non-itch sponge. The Envir-e-flex panels can be used in loft conversions between trusses requiring only a facing of 9mm plasterboard to achieve excellent U values. Envir-e-flex can be used between joists and also between floors in new build projects. Envir-e-flex is produced in a depth to suit most joists and trusses whilst offering an important airflow for cabling and minimising condensation problems.
Rundum Meir is pleased to have completed numerous garage door projects, which have included contemporary and traditional designs, meeting the criteria of conservation areas.
Envirograf T: 01304 842555 E: sales@envirograf.com W: www.envirograf.com
Rundum Meir T: 0151 280 6626 E: info@rundum.co.uk W: www.rundumuk.co.uk
Enquiry SN38
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Ultrascape, part of the Instarmac Group, manufacture a specialist range of concretes, mortars and grouts that meet and exceed the demands of pavement and carriageway construction using concrete and natural stone setts and flagstones. Ultrascape offers fine bedding concretes and slurry primers, to high performance flowable grouts and surface protection liquids that conform to British Standard BS 7533. The range facilitates ease of use and early trafficking ensuring minimum disruption within town and city environments. Ultrascape Pro-Bed HS Fine Bedding Concrete, Pro-Prime Slurry Primer and Flowpoint Rapid Setting Flowable Grout have recently featured in prestigious projects, including The Marriott Hotel and The Savoy Hotel in London, and the recent refurbishment of Covent Garden. Instarmac® Group plc T: 01827 871871 E: enquiries@instarmac.co.uk W: www.ultrascape.co.uk
Spring 2010
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Enquiry SN40
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The New 3 In 1 Conversion
Ultrascape Concretes, Mortars and Grouts
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Specific designs for washrooms and bedrooms are available with the option of auto-locking night latches, while new door pulls, radius plates, retractable doorplates and accessories have greatly extended combination permutations. All have a 10-year guarantee, are supplied in either Satin Stainless Steel or Silk Anodised Aluminium and come with Torx pin tamper-proof fixings.
Enquiry SN39
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Our doors are made from high-quality, hand-selected timber and can meet individual design requirements. Our most recent project is working on a Passivhaus that typically achieves an energy saving of 90% compared with existing housing.
Enquiry SN41
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New Hinge Offers Optimum Adjustability For Interior Doors SFS intec has developed a new version of its premium quality Cab-R corner mounted door hinge which offers greater adjustability. The Cab-R 3D is adjustable in three dimensions so the door sash height can be raised or lowered and the sash can be adjusted laterally and for gasket pressure. The hinge allows the door sash to open to a full 180 degrees and is designed to be a subtle and almost invisible feature of the door, neatly tucked away in the top and bottom corners of the door frame. The product is also available in two finishes as standard.
SFS Intec T: 0113 2085 500 E: uk.leeds@sfsintec.biz W: www.sfsintec.biz/uk
Enquiry SN42
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Spring 2010
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SFS Intec Expands Glazing Potential With Extended Fixings Range
Crittall Stamps Its Credentials On New Composite Range
SFS intec has expanded its range of fixing systems for glass to offer architects and designers the scope to deliver even more ambitious glazed features in all types of newbuild and refurbishment projects. Details of all SFS intec’s glass fixing systems are available in its catalogue which can be obtained online or by phone.
With the launch of its innovative new Composite range, Crittall Windows now offers the trade a perfect blend of timber and aluminium windows and doors, suitable for installation in both new build and refurbishment. Crittall’s new Composite range simplifies the specification process: the company is the only supplier to offer a UK-based design, manufacture and installation service to ensure continuity, quality and logistical support.
New additions to the range include the new AF fixing system for double glazed units. This allows the creation of thermally superior glass facades with low U-values thanks to an innovative point fixing design that is available in a domed or countersunk head for a choice of aesthetic finish.
Crittall’s Composite range successfully combines the warmth and natural beauty that timber lends to interiors with the high performance and minimal maintenance that aluminium brings to exteriors.
SFS Intec T: 0113 2085 500 E: uk.leeds@sfsintec.biz W: www.sfsintec.biz/uk
Crittall Windows Ltd T: 01376 530800 E: hq@crittall-windows.co.uk W: www.crittall-windows.co.uk
Enquiry SN43
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New Protective Glass Security Screen
Complete Fire Glass Solutions
Two UK companies have joined forces to bring to market one of the world’s safest security screens. Safetell, designs, manufacturers and installs a range of fixed and reactive security screens and other systems, to protect staff against violence and attack in the workplace. In partnership with Wrightstyle, the steel glazing systems specialist, Safetell has designed and tested a bullet-resistant glazing system that combines high levels of protection with exceptional value.
Vetrotech Saint-Gobain is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fire resistant glass, offering guaranteed glass solutions whatever the requirement. All Vetrotech Saint-Gobain glasses perform to the highest specifications, meeting or exceeding every fire regulation worldwide, as well as producing glass products that continue to push the design envelope.
The independent tests were carried out by Wiltshire Ballistic Services and passed to BS EN 1522/1523 threat level FB4 (against a .44 or .357 Magnum hand gun) and threat level FSG (against a 12-guage shotgun with a solid lead slug) without spalling on the safe side. Safetell Ltd T: 01322 233233 E: david.rudkins@safetell.co.uk W: www.safetell.co.uk
Enquiry SN44
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Vetrotech Saint-Gobain UK T: 01274 302390 E: infovsguk@vetrotech.co.uk W: www.vetrotech.net
Enquiry SN47
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Sonic Windows
Create a contemporary, exciting, light filled living space with a Solarlux Wintergarden. Used in conjunction with our thermally broken sliding/folding doors, which eliminate the barriers between inside and out, they create a contemporary light filled lifestyle.
For the last 55 years, Sonic have been designing, manufacturing and installing a range of communication windows that people all over the UK use every day. Sonic Windows design and engineering expertise ensures that all our products offer the optimum combination of clear communication together with protection for your staff and compliance with all legislative and safety requirements.
SOLARLUX Systems LTD T: 01924 204444 E: info@solarlux.co.uk W: www.solarlux.co.uk
Spring 2010
We only manufacture Class A fire resistant glasses, with a range of glass types developed to meet every requirement so that we offer complete fire glass solutions – from 30 minutes of integrity (E30) to 120 minutes of integrity and insulation (EI 120).
Contemporary Living With Solarlux
The doors are made in triple laminated timber or aluminium and have excellent pascal ratings, high security and high performance glazing too. The Solarlux Wintergarden definitely creates the wow factor.
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We have products suitable for almost all applications, so please browse our site and whatever your requirements or queries, please get in touch through our contact page and we will be happy to discuss them and provide any further information you may require. Sonic Windows Ltd T: 01424 223864 E: enquiries@sonicwindows.co.uk W: www.sonicwindows.co.uk
Enquiry SN48
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Spring 2010
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New Drainage Catalogue For Schools
New Interior Insulation For Restoring Buildings
BLUCHER UK Ltd, who manufactures stainless steel drainage solutions, has launched its latest brochure highlighting the benefits of their most commonly used products in schools.
Remmers are proud to launch iQ-Therm to the market. The system is unique for refurbishing buildings from the inside and significantly upgrading the insulation properties whilst remaining fully breathable – with no vapour barrier. This ‘intelligent’ insulation consists of a breathable rigid polyurethane foam panel, adhered to the structure walls, then rendered and painted with compatible products to offer a solution which solves condensation, mould and heat loss problems all-in-one!
Having supplied many Schools with products from their extensive range, BLUCHER has built a solid reputation offering cost effective, long lasting and sustainable drains, access covers, grease separators, channels, and push fit soil waste and rainwater pipework to the education sector.
The installed system has an immense capacity to store and transport moisture, which buffers peak moisture loads in the air of the room, regulating the climate. BLUCHER UK Ltd T: 01937 838000 E: mail@blucher.co.uk W: www.blucher.co.uk
Enquiry SN49
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A Comprehensive Range Of Entrance Flooring Solutions From Forbo
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Spring 2010
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Enquiry SN52
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Lindapter Launch Metfloor Decking Fixing
Forbo Flooring Systems offers high quality, well proven entrance flooring systems specifically designed to remove dirt and moisture from the soles of shoes and the treads of wheeled traffic in all types of heavily trafficked entrance areas. Nuway engineered entrance matting systems, individually made to meet the customer’s exact specification, provide a highly effective first line of defence against tracked in soil and moisture. The exceptionally versatile textile “clean-off” entrance system products in the Coral range each perform a specific cleaning function and are designed to meet a wide range of application requirements. Coral Obex is a versatile modular system which can be used on its own or in conjunction with other Coral textile ranges to provide a fully integrated entrance system. Forbo Flooring UK Ltd T: 0800 731 2369 (samples) E: info.flooring.uk@forbo.com W: www.forbo-flooring.co.uk
Remmers (UK) Limited T: 0845 373 0103 E: sales@remmers.co.uk W: www.remmers.co.uk
Enquiry SN50
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Lindapter, known for manufacturing non-weld steelwork connection systems for over 75 years have announced the expansion of their decking fixing range with the development of the Type MF, allowing building services to be suspended from Metfloor 60 & 80 profiles produced by CMF. Lindapter highlights that the new fixing creates genuine efficiencies for the contractor as it is installed within seconds and is adjustable onsite without the requirement of specialist labour, expensive tools or power. Contractors have already placed orders for the £1.45bn Westfield Stratford City development and the new £8.75m A&E unit at Withybush General Hospital. The Type MF is available now in sizes M6, M8 and M10 Lindapter International T: 01274 521 444 E: enquiries@lindapter.com W: www.lindapter.com
Enquiry SN53
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Maxi 60 Ceiling System – Acoustic & 1hr Fire Rated
Anvil Foundations Limited
The Maxi 60 ceiling system from acoustic experts Sound Reduction Systems Ltd is the perfect solution to Part E of the Building Regulations regarding the transmission of sound within building. Not only is it possible to exceed both the airborne and impact noise requirements of Part E, but it will also offer an hour’s fire resistance. What makes this even more remarkable, is that the whole system is only 60mm deep.
Anvil Foundations are a specialist foundation company. Our services include: Piling for New Build, Extensions, Retaining Structures, Restricted Access, Minipiling, Underpinning.
The Maxi 60 ceiling is also one of our Code for Sustainable Homes acoustic solutions, allowing the specifier to achieve vital credits towards the overall points total of the building.
Grouting - Void filling below ground such as floor slabs.
SRS Ltd T: 01204 380074 E: info@soundreduction.co.uk W: www.soundreduction.co.uk
Anvil Foundations Limited T: 0161 246 6055 E: nigel@minipiling.co.uk W: www.minipiling.info
Enquiry SN51
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Underpinning - Traditional Mass Concrete, Beam and Base, Minipiling, Needle and Ground Beams, Rafts, Basements
All of these systems are described in more detail on our website. If you need a foundation in difficult or interesting ground conditions contact ANVIL - the SOLID Foundation Company.
Enquiry SN54
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Spring 2010
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the book! preview - ecobuild, March 2nd - 4th - 62 news - 70 environmental control - 74 doors, windows & glazing - 80 roofs - 92
building innovations
walls - 96
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floors - 98 interiors - 100 external works - 104 structures - 106 projects - 108
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Men can do all things if they willâ&#x20AC;? Leon Battista Alberti
Doors, Windows & Glazing
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Armourcoat At Ecobuild Armourcoat will be exhibiting for the first time at Ecobuild in March on stand 2472. Armourcoat has become an integral part of some of the world’s most prestigious architectural projects. Core product lines are made from natural minerals, predominately pre-consumer recycled marble. This can account for up to 60% of the recipe, as for example in ArmourCast. Armourcoat’s new Sculptural range includes up to 30% post-consumer recycled material. Most products have low or zero VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). The water-based ArmourColor coatings additionally have anti-bacterial properties to prevent the build-up of mould, mildew and bacteria (including MRSA, E.Coli and Salmonella). New for 2010 – Ecobuild exclusive: DUTURO® is a tough, hardwearing marble and acrylic architectural coating. Designed for spray application, and suitable for both interior and exterior use, DUTURO® creates a durable textured stone-like finish. The new formulation, incorporating 45% recycled marble, responds to market requirements for finishes eligible for environmental building programmes. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 6 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Heating And Ventilation Systems That Put Energy Efficiency First
Jotun Breaks New Ground At Ecobuild 2010 When it comes to paint, most people don’t think of consideration to the environment or to health. But that is precisely what Jotun Paints (Europe) Ltd has achieved with Sens – a revolutionary new, ‘beneficial to health’ paint range the company is launching in the Paint Pavilion (EPP2) at this year’s Ecobuild. The Sens range of interior paint is safe to use by everyone, including those suffering from allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions. It contains virtually no emanating harmful substances and has the lowest rate of VOC emissions of any paint on the market, making it one of the safest paints available today. The products are highly durable and their 100% acrylic formulation means that the surfaces are scrubbable and can be easily cleaned. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 7 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Johnson & Starley is highlighting examples of its energy saving heating, ventilation and heat recovery systems at Ecobuild 2010, Stand 1862. Both new and established products will be on show including the renowned RenoXtra range of boilers, LE155/250 whole house heat recovery systems, CE180 and 300 Premier central extract ventilation systems. RenoXtra high efficiency combination condensing boilers are available in 30kW and 37kW models with each model featuring a gas saver module built into its cabinet. This provides additional system efficiency by re-cycling flue gas heat. The LE 155 and LE 250 whole house heat recovery systems will recover heat energy and provide essential air management. Johnson & Starley’s latest generation of central extract ventilation systems supports the latest version of Part F of the Building Regulations and the Good Practice Guide 268 for domestic ventilation. These central extract systems are designed for installation in the roof space or ceiling void. The C300 Premier central extract system is designed for whole house ventilation and is capable of achieving airflows of 300 m3/hour. It includes an EC fan for even more energy efficient operation and lower running costs. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 9 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Litchfield Group Shows Its Delivery Of Zero Carbon Homes At Ecobuild Visitors to Ecobuild 2010 will see how zero carbon homes built to traditional British styles are being delivered today, cost effectively at Brookwood Farm near Woking using the pioneering three-step building system from UK building products manufacturer The Litchfield Group. The company is exhibiting (stand 2123) its building system’s three elements – Sheerframe HED windows, Masterdor Thermal door-sets and ICF Tech structural walls - which combine to provide a building envelope to roof height that is ideal for the construction of Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 ‘zero carbon’ homes. The Litchfield Group’s three step solution comprises its Sheerframe HED window system, made to measure Masterdor Thermal door-sets and ICF Tech structural walls. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 10 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Blackdown Install Green Roof at 1 New York Street Arch Timber Protection – Stand 2047 Arch Timber Protection will be exhibiting its range of industrially applied fire retardant treatments that give architects and specifiers complete reassurance when designing timber into new public buildings, whilst still allowing the natural beauty of the timber to provide striking results. The range provides highly effective fire protection from established treatments such as DRICON and NON-COM Exterior, both of which have over 25 years of proven commercial use. Recently, the UK Wood Protection Association announced findings on 21 year durability tests carried out on both DRICON and NON-COM Exterior treated timbers. The treatments, when re-tested, showed no loss of performance against the original testing carried out in the 1980s. DRICON fire retardant treated timber remains the only product of its type to achieve British Board of Agrément (BBA) certification and continues to provide a proven and permanent surface spread of flame protection for interior and weather protected exterior timber applications. NON-COM Exterior treatment ensures that timbers used in exterior and severe damp situations can be safely specified for major build projects. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 8 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
At Ecobuild, stand number 1460, will be green roof specialists Blackdown Horticultural Consultants of Somerset who have installed sustainable Green and Brown roof systems at 1 New York Street - Manchester’s most impressive new development - contributing to its BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. Comprising 9000m² of office space and 400m² of ground floor retail units, 1 New York Street is a 12storey mixed used development. The incorporation of a green roof was part of a carefully considered design package to ensure that construction was executed as ecologically as possible. Blackdown installed 361m² of substrate and specialist planting, combining an extensive Sedum Plug and Hydroplant system, bio-diverse brown roof and wildflower turf area which will develop and flourish over time. The planting has been designed to attract local plant and wildlife species and to provide a habitat for insects. Brown and green roofs both offer environmentally relevant design solutions and are often specified alongside each other to provide variance across a large roof area. Green roofs are self-sustaining and offer a number of ecological and performance benefits, acting as a natural insulator and providing a comfortable working environment for the inhabitants of the building whilst Brown roofs are used to re-create the ecology that was present on a site prior to its development. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 11
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Solar Shading At Ecobuild Aesthetic Value High, U Value Low Glazing Vision, the original frameless glass rooflight manufacturer, are delighted to introduce to the Flushglaze suite the new Flushglaze Tripleglazed glass rooflight that boasts the lowest U-value for any glass rooflight currently available. The glass is made up of a triple glazed unit which is silicone sealed and bonded into the aluminium framework and can achieve a centre pane U-Value of just 0.77/Wm2K. The Flushglaze Tripleglazed rooflight can be tailored to meet many shapes and sizes from square, rectangular or triangular and Glazing Vision will identify and design the rooflight to meet your needs. It can be manufactured in one section up to 5.2m and, for larger requirements, the units can be extended to any length like ribbon glazing by linking sections either with glass to glass silicone seals, back to back angles or glass fins dependent upon application and rooflight width. The Flushglaze is a very low profile system based on car windscreen technology, the glass being structurally bonded and triple sealed making it ideal for flat roof applications on a pitch of only 3-5 degrees. This reduces water ponding and condensation risks to a minimum by the elimination of internal flashings and metal framework and can be installed on flat or sloped roof applications. Jon Shooter, Glazing Vision Marketing Director, says: “The beauty of the Flushglaze Tripleglaze rooflight is that you can achieve amazing thermal performance without compromising on design aesthetics, as the framework is all external, when you look up you can only see glass, we call it a ‘sky only view’ and we are proud to be able to offer a product that enables architects and designers to realize their design goals whilst
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also helping domestic and commercial customers to increase their energy efficiency which in turn helps the environment in the process – a win-win situation all round.” To date the new Tripleglaze rooflight has been specified for the new £5m Blakenhall Neighbourhood Centre community project in Wolverhampton, the refurbishment of the London House Hotel, a new indoor swimming pool centre plus several bespoke private residences; all of which have been designed to the highest specification with regards to energy conservation and sustainable building materials. The new Flushglaze Tripleglaze rooflight can be seen at the forthcoming Ecobuild Exhibition, Earls Court, London, 2-4 March, Stand 2583 All Glazing Vision units are designed, engineered and manufactured at the company’s own production plant in Suffolk, England and each is preassembled and tested prior to being shipped to any global destination. Strong design skills, based on solid engineering and manufacturing principles, have ensured that Glazing Vision consistently develop products that satisfy the demand for high energy efficiency, minimal framework, concealed operating mechanisms and, crucially, no internally visible framework – all of which are prerequisites throughout the Glazing Vision product range. From this very committed operating base the company is able to maintain both the capability and capacity to expand their international profile whilst continuing to deliver unrivalled customer service to their domestic market. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 12 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Caribbean Blinds (UK) Ltd, the UK market leader in the design, manufacture, supply and installation of dynamic exterior solar shading solutions are pleased to announce that they will be exhibiting at Ecobuild, the largest event for sustainable design and construction in the built environment. Their products limit solar gain in the summer and allow it in the winter, whilst controlling light levels, cutting glare, improving visual comfort and providing privacy but maintaining the view and connection with the outside world. Buildings are responsible for around half of all CO2 emissions in the UK and air conditioning is the second largest energy user in buildings. With ever tightening legislation, including revisions to Part L of the building regulations due to come into force later this year, the code for sustainable homes and the Governments target for all buildings to be zero carbon by 2050, the specification of buildings will need to be improved. It is estimated that around 80% of the buildings that will need to be zero carbon by 2050 are already standing. Windows are the weak point in a buildings insulation, yet are necessary to keep the connection and view with the outside world. Intelligently controlled exterior solar shading systems that move according to the external climatic conditions are the most effective way to control the amount of heat and light entering a building, therefore creating a safe, comfortable and efficient internal environment. THERMAL CONTROL - solar gain is prevented when required keeping a cool interior temperature. VISUAL COMFORT - glare is eliminated whilst natural diffused daylight is maintained along with the views towards the outside world. REDUCED COSTS - a reduction or mitigation in the use or need for air conditioning and heating will save on both capital and running costs.
2009 was somewhat of a turning year in the design of buildings and probably saw the largest number of buildings, both in new build and refurbishment incorporating some form of exterior shading and we will see more and more large scale commercial and residential developments needing to incorporate outside blinds to comply with legislation. At the show Caribbean will be launching their new and revised range of contract focussed products which includes folding arm awnings, window canopies, exterior screens and external blinds to name just a few products. Of particular interest to those attending will be their Antiguan ZIPSCREEN - an external screen which mounts directly in front of a window and affords solar gain prevention as it stops the sun’s energy before it reaches the glass, whilst still maintaining visibility towards the outside and allowing diffused natural daylight through. Caribbean will also be showcasing their new range of Sattler screen fabrics which are completely pvc and odour free keeping that traditional textile fabric look and feel with all the benefits of a typical screen fabric including flame retardancy, glare reduction and visibility through. Also on display will be their newest wire guided screen, named Dominica, which is featured on what will hopefully be the first certified PassivHaus dwelling in England and will also be shown on TV’s C4 Grand Designs later in 2010. Details of this project will be distributed at the show. Stuart Dantzic, Sales and Marketing Director tells us ‘Europe has embraced for many years the use of dynamic external shading and blinds on both new build and refurbishment projects, to control and best utilise the effects of the sun therefore reducing if not mitigating the load or need for complex and costly cooling and heating devices therefore avoiding vast amounts of CO2 emissions. The UK construction industry needs to take this on board so our aim at Ecobuild (stand 2120) is quite simple, to help further educate everyone involved in building design on the massive energy saving benefits that exterior solar shading brings to a building, along with the different product options available.’ s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 13
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Yorkon To Launch New Design Tool For Off-Site Construction Award-winning off-site specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, will be demonstrating its cutting edge approach to off-site construction at Ecobuild 2010 (stand 2449) and will be launching a new version of its highly successful design tool which helps architects and contractors work with off-site construction. In response to the unprecedented level of interest in the guide and following research with users, Yorkon is launching a new edition which will feature its award-winning high performance floor, more building examples and links, and practical tips and advice about designing for off-site. The tool will also be downloadable from the Yorkon website for the first time, and will include module sizes, options for staircases and lifts, and easy-to-use files to help architects and contractors develop a building design for a specific project, and produce fast and accurate project drawings. The Yorkon approach to off-site construction delivers high quality buildings for a wide range of applications, on time and on budget, with unrivalled design flexibility and less disruption. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 14 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
The A. Proctor Group The A. Proctor Group of Blairgowrie will be exhibiting at Ecobuild (stand 2118). Part of their exhibit will be showing their extensive range of timber cladding including Maibec and Royale. Maibec is an easy maintenance timber cladding which has a standard warranty of 50 years against rot and decay. Also being shown will be the new Retrophix, a unique, slim thermal insulation board for hard to treat external walls. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 15 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Click And Fit Rainwater Control Technology From Lindab At Ecobuild Rainline from Lindab is becoming the system of choice for those who want an eco friendly, cost effective, high performance rain drainage system and a practical alternative to plastic. Quick and easy to install, Rainline is precision engineered to simply click together for a perfect watertight fit - just click, fit and forget it. Rainline outperforms plastic and aluminum systems, offering minimal movement and UV stability - it will not crack, fade or leak, is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance free. Available in 10 high build polyester colours, plain galvanised, natural copper and Aluzinc, Rainline is supported by a range of comprehensive guarantees. See the complete Rainline range on the stand no 364 at Ecobuild.
Ecological Building Systems at Ecobuild Visitors to the Ecological Building Systems UK stand number 2415 at Ecobuild will be left in no doubt how to achieve airtightness in buildings, even to stringent PassivHaus levels. On show will be their complete range of products under the pro Clima brand umbrella, including INTELLO PLUS Intelligent vapour check as well as durable glues, tapes and seals. These products offer a total solution to providing a continuous seal in the internal fabric of the building giving rigorous levels of air tightness. Two new products will be on show; GUTEX wood fibre insulation boards and Calsitherm Climate Board. GUTEX wood fibre insulation boards are vapour permeable and help regulate moisture, producing a pleasant and healthy indoor climate. GUTEX manufacture single ply boards up to 240mm thick. Calsitherm Climate Board is the ideal solution for historic buildings, an internal insulating board made from calcium silicate, just 30mm of Climate board can reduce heat transfer by 50%. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 16 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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NIBE Energy Systems At Ecobuild 2010 NIBE Energy Systems, one of the country’s innovators in the development and supply of domestic and commercial renewable energy heating systems, will be showing a wide range of its products on Stand 1557 at Ecobuild at Earls Court in London. With the sharply rising interest in energy conservation from the public, the industry and from Government, Ecobuild is expected to be a vibrant occasion and it’s billing as “The world’s biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment” seems well justified. NIBE will show a complete range of the company’s systems designed to supply energy for central heating and hot water supply using exhaust air from the home, from air in the outside atmosphere and from geothermal sources. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 18 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
The New 3 In 1 Conversion New from Envirograf, and featured on stand 1414 at Ecobuild, is Envire-flex - the perfect answer to providing a 3 in 1 product for thermal insulation to L1B & L2B, airborne and impact sound and 70 minutes fire protection. Envir-e-flex consists of a reflective fire protective panel with an attached non-itch sponge. The Envir-e-flex panels can be used in loft conversions between trusses requiring only a facing of 9mm plasterboard to achieve excellent U values. Envir-e-flex can be used between joists and also between floors in new build projects. Heat leakage in properties has become a crucial factor in trying to reduce the carbon footprint. Thermal improvements in properties have often resulted in excessive insulation
being positioned to close to electric cables and therefore running the risk of electrical cables overheating and potentially causing a fire. Envir-e-flex is the perfect solution because it is produced in a depth to suit most joists and trusses whilst offering an important airflow for cabling and minimising condensation problems. Also new from Envirograf are Thermal Cavity Fire Barriers for improved thermal insulation and fire protection around doors and windows. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 19 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Polypipe Ventilation At Ecobuild Polypipe Ventilation will be exhibiting at Ecobuild (stand 1462) for the first time, where they will display their market leading Domus range of energy-efficient ventilation ducting systems and will also be launching the Polypipe SAP Q rated Mechanical Extract Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) unit. Polypipe Ventilation is at the forefront in delivering energy-efficient solutions and plays a vital role in helping customers to achieve the higher levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Polypipe supplies high quality ventilation systems with multiple configuration and installation options. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 20 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Steico Exhibits Healthy Focus On The Fabric Cistermiser Ltd. will be exhibiting at Ecobuild (stand 1374 ). Cistermiser’s main products focus on fully automated, ‘hands-free’ water management systems and the company’s IR range of products have recently been awarded the accolade of entitlement to display the Waterwise Marque for the promotion of water efficiency. The Marque has been granted to Cistermiser for the development of the active infrared sensor used in the company’s innovative range of “hands free” washroom products, all designed to keep water usage to a minimum by limiting flow duration to the time needed for washing or flushing purposes.
Best known in the UK for its growing market share of the i-joist sector through its Steicojoist and Steicowall ranges, Steico Limited on Stand No 2140 at Ecobuild 2010, now adds growing emphasis on insulation products to help specifiers and builders meet tough new Government CO2 reduction targets. Steico helps to meet these targets with a range of energy efficient insulation products including wood fibre Steicoflex and hemp based Steicocanaflex which help regulate the internal climate of buildings. In particular, the “phase shift” concept uses natural materials to create healthy insulation which retains more heat in winter while resisting excess heat in summer.
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Cistermiser Plan For Ecobuild
Siegenia-Aubi To Make The Case For Ventilation At Ecobuild
Titon’s Ultra-Efficient Ventilation Units Showcased At Ecobuild 2010
Hardware and ventilation specialist SIEGENIA-AUBI LTD will be offering the building industry solutions to ever tightening thermal standards at Ecobuild in March. The firm will make the case for mechanical ventilation in the race to meet tough thermal standards, as well as promoting its collection of high performance aluminium window and door hardware on stand CAB04. This is SIEGENIAAUBI’s first appearance at Ecobuild. From Ecobuild, the SIEGENIA-AUBI team will be hot footing it to Germany to showcase its aluminium, PVC and timber hardware and revolutionary ventilation systems at the annual Fensterbau show in Nuremberg from 24 – 27 March.
Titon’s ultra-efficient whole house ventilation units will be taking centre stage of the company’s stand (1841) at Ecobuild 2010. Both the HRV Q Plus range of heat recovery ventilation units and its ground breaking CME whole house ventilation unit will be on display – allowing visitors to the show to see the products in action. Also on show will be its NEW range of accessories for its whole house ventilation range. These will include its new Summer Bypass add on for its HRV range, as well as a new advanced controller which allows the units to be switched or boosted by remote control. Additionally visitors will also be able to see its High Flow Q Plus Airbrick, which, thanks to its revolutionary yet discreet design is easy to install, easy to connect and cheaper than a standard double airbrick.
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Hansgrohe At Ecobuild 2010
Icynene’s Proven Insulation At Ecobuild
On Stand 2220 at Ecobuild, Hansgrohe demonstrates that no compromise in design or quality is required in order to save water in the bathroom with their stylish range of water-saving showers, taps and thermostatic mixers. A prime example is the Crometta 85 Green. Thanks to a combination of devised flow regulation and central air intake, this clever hand and overhead shower delivers just 6 litres of water per minute while still providing great performance. On 1st September 2009, this shower was added to the Water Technology List as part of the government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme, this allows businesses to write-off 100% of their spending in the first year when they invest in any approved product that saves water. In addition to water-saving bathroom fittings, Hansgrohe also demonstrates how you can use water twice with their Pontos AquaCycle. This unique indoor grey water recycling system takes water from the shower, bath and sink and recycles it for use flushing the toilet, cleaning, washing clothes and watering gardens.
Icynene, one of the pioneers of the Green Building Movement in North America and inventor of water blown soft foam insulation for residential and commercial construction, is exhibiting at Ecobuild on stand 1465. Founded in 1986, Icynene is now the largest supplier of soft foam insulation and air barrier material in North America and has participated in over 200,000 healthy, environmentally-friendly and energy efficient building projects across the world. Soft foam is the fastest growing insulation material in the world today and Icynene’s spray-in-place products contain no harmful emissions. Applied as a liquid, Icynene expands to 100 times its volume in seconds to fill every crack and crevice while remaining flexible so that the integrity of the building envelope seal remains intact over time. Icynene’s Jeff Hood said, ”In a recent project to insulate a new wing at a nursing home in Lancashire, Icynene’s insulation enabled a 40percent reduction in boiler size as well as reducing external traffic noise and providing better indoor air quality for the residents.” “Icynene is not only a proven pathway to energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions but also extremely popular with design professionals as it enables them to explore geometry and space without compromising building envelope performance. As an air barrier, it will meet or exceed the air tightness performance standards set out by the Code for Sustainable Homes,” added Mr Hood.
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Ecobuild
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Aliva UK Announces Strategic Partnership With Abet Laminati For MEG Exterior Grade HPL Aliva UK, leaders in rainscreen and envelope solutions and part of the Ivas Group of companies (San Mauro Pascoli, Italy), is announcing a strategic partnership with Abet Laminati (Bra, Italy) to spearhead the development of MEG, Abet’s Exterior Grade High Pressure Laminate for external cladding. Abet is Europe’s largest manufacturer of High Pressure Laminates (HPL) with a daily production capacity in excess of 220,000m². The agreement means that architects and contractors will benefit from Aliva UK’s design, manufacturing and supply services, accredited ISO9001, through a network of approved façade and envelope contractors. MEG Exterior Grade HPL carries BBA Certification and is available in an extensive range of standard colours, wood, concrete and metal effect finishes. Importantly MEG is able to incorporate Abet’s digital print technology, meaning that unique designs, photographs or patterns can be reproduced in high resolution providing designers with unlimited possibilities to create high impact facades. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 27 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Effective Climate Protection Is Child’s Play
New Products For The Talon Range Talon Manufacturing Ltd., manufacturers and suppliers of a large range of plastic and metal pipe clips, have added a range of Adhesives, Cleaners and Liquid PTFE for use with their various products. T-Weld is a high viscosity solvent weld glue for Talon Cover Profile Accessory products, as well as plastic waste pipe work. The T-Clean is a cream cleanser formulated to keep Talon’s cover profile clean.The third product is the T-Seal, a liquid PTFE in gel form. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 28 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Schüco is showing a TV commercial on CNBC within the framework of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference. As a pioneer, the company knows how important sustainable building envelopes are for our environment. Bielefeld. The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference is underway in Copenhagen. There is endless material for discussion. But isn’t it time to act instead of just talking? Schüco International KG has done so for many years, and this is conveyed by the new commercial. “You grown-ups keep talking about climate protection. Even though doing something about it is very easy: with Schüco windows and solar products.” This message from the mouth of a small girl is at the centre of the 20-second commercial, with which Schüco International KG, which operates in more than 75 countries, points to the necessity of urgent action regarding sustainable climate protection on the occasion of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. When the conference begins on December 7, 2009, the commercial will be shown on the 24-hour news channel CNBC Europe. CNBC airs up to 20 commercials and hotboards a day. The network is the only official media partner of the Copenhagen Climate Summit. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 29 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
New Compact Laminate Column Casings Extend Encasement’s Range A new range of decorative compact laminate column casings has been launched by Peterborough based Encasement, which extends its existing pre-formed plywood and metal ranges to provide a durable, tough and highly versatile solution for concealing interior structural columns. As the new ‘Lamina’ range is manufactured from highpressure compact laminate, they are particularly well suited for use in high traffic areas due to their high strength and durability as well as excellent moisture, fire and wear resistance. Lamina casings can be formed into virtually any column casing shape including circles, squares and rectangles as well as special ellipses and other custom designs, while their inherent strength and rigidity enables them to be installed with minimal structural support. A wide range of colour options is are available, while custom colours and finishes are also available to meet specific project requirements.
Shackerley Product Information Now Available On NBS Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of ceramic granite ventilated facade systems, has published its product information on the NBS system to enable architects and other specifiers to access pre-written technical clauses and preliminaries for inclusion in their specifications for cladding projects. All NBS subscribers may now download specification data for Shackerley’s Queen’s Award winning Sureclad system which allows prefabricated ceramic granite slabs - in a comprehensive range of colours, designs, finishes and formats - to be used to create attractive and protective ventilated facades on new and refurbished buildings. Clauses for Shackerley’s single skin terracotta facade panels, similarly prefabricated for use with the Sureclad system, may also be downloaded. Whilst the core business of the Lancashire manufacturer and distributor lies firmly in the ventilated facade market, Shackerley is also one of the country’s largest suppliers of glass blocks. Technical specification clauses for the company’s comprehensive range of ‘Design’ and ‘Technology’
blocks are also available on the NBS system for download by subscribers looking to incorporate these innovative building materials in interior and exterior design projects. Other Shackerley products featured include a range of fully vitrified ceramic granite floor and wall tiles for use in heavily trafficked pedestrian areas, and the company’s hardwearing, slip resistant ‘All Weather’ tactile tiles, designed to alert the visually disabled to the presence of hazards. Specification clauses for Shackerley’s own Sentinel range of heavy duty entrance matting and Interstrip movement joints are also available alongside a range of products for the swimming pool and spa sector, including lockers, cubicles, slip resistant tiles and Shoreflow channel grating. Shackerley Chief Executive Brian Newell said: “We pride ourselves on our ability to provide expert guidance, advice and support for all our customers at every step of the specification, installation and maintenance process. Making our product data available for download on NBS, which is without doubt the recognised national standard specification system in the UK, is just one of the many ways we can make life easier for architects, designers and other specifiers, whatever type of project they may be working on.” s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 31 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Arch Prove Fire Retardants Performance An audience consisting of local council officials, fire officers and local residents witnessed a recent small scale fire test designed to prove that Arch’s fire retardant treatments really do perform as well as claimed when compared to untreated timber. The council is looking at a new community project in one of their park areas and the architect has designed and specified a large amount of decorative timbers around the outside of the structure. Previously this council has had other timber structures vandalised and burnt and wanted to be convinced about the performance of the fire retardant treatments. Local residents also attended the meeting, needing assurance that further arson attempts would meet with some resistance and not endanger their own adjoining properties. Richard Adams, Fire Retardants Manager for Arch organised and carried out a small, controlled fire test which demonstrated, to an understandably sceptical audience, just how well Non-Com Exterior fire retardant protection will perform. The point was well made when one member of the audience placed his hand adjacent to the treated test panel and found it hard to believe that he could not feel any heat through the timber surface, allowing his hand to remain in the same position for quite some time. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 32 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
New ‘Black And Gold’ Website For Crown Trade Crown Trade has launched an eyecatching new website resplendent in black and gold to reflect the premium positioning and new brand identity of the professional coatings brand. Designed to be an invaluable source of information and inspiration for all professionals, the site contains a wealth of product data together with a library of recent case studies plus a range of beautifully designed roomsets and the colour palettes used to create them. For those needing quick and easy access to product information there’s a dedicated page for each individual product in the Crown Trade range with key features and benefits very clearly highlighted, and a Product Data and Safety Data sheet to download. For ease of navigation all Crown Trade’s products have been grouped into Essentials, High Performance Products, Primers & Preparation, and last but not least, the comprehensive range of Timonox Flame retardant coatings and glazes. For those wishing to follow Best Practice and meet the latest legislative requirements, eg, Disability Discrimination Act, the site acts as a signpost to the full range of Colour and Specification services available from Crown Paints. The on-line ordering section allows requests for Crown Trade literature and colour samples to be placed directly with the Customer Relations Department at any time of the day and night and there’s also an easy to use nationwide stockist locator and mapping system. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 33 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Secondary Glazing For Heritage Windows Keeping historic buildings in active use can be a massive undertaking and one of the biggest headaches is often caused by the most defining feature and character of a property - its windows – which can be cold, draughty; provide little protection against noise and minimal resistance to burglary. Owners of heritage buildings will be aware that English Heritage is clear that traditional windows should not be replaced with double gazed units and other solutions must be found. These include Secondary Glazing, a reversible adaptation that can provide thermal insulation in line with Building Regulation Part L standards together with the added benefits of high levels of acoustic insulation and improved security - and one that is included within guidelines produced by English Heritage, Historic Scotland, SPAB, The Victorian Society and The Georgian Group. With this in mind Selectaglaze, the UK’s leading designer and producer of secondary glazing systems, offers a wide range of sympathetic designs including units that slide horizontally, vertically or hinge as well as fixed panels. A welcome new development is a minimalist “Heritage” hinged casement unit which is ultra slim, shutter friendly and offers very discreet lines. It will fit into the staff bead and blend imperceptibly with the original window, providing easy access for cleaning and ventilation and allows shutters to remain fully operational.
Horizontal sliding systems are ideal for treating timber and steel casements and Yorkshire sashes. Panels run on glide pads or rollers to provide easy access to the external windows. Vertical sliding systems suit sash windows of all sizes and pre-tensioned balances allow widows to be opened to any position. Heavier duty hinged units are particularly suited to French windows and sash and case windows where full access is required and can also be glazed with sealed units to achieve triple glazing. And finally most styles can be sympathetically shaped to accommodate designs from Gothic to Art Deco. The systems are made from aluminium which is an ideal material to use in traditional buildings as it is strong, lightweight and can be extruded to form the slender, complex shapes needed to accommodate seals, fixings and specialist hardware. A permanent finish, normally paint, is easily maintained and available in a multitude of colours to blend with the interior décor. Aluminium sections can also be factory curved to follow the existing window design. Established since 1966 and a Royal Warrant holder since 2004, Selectaglaze is at the forefront of research and development and their units have undergone rigorous independent testing for energy efficiency, noise insulation and security. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 34 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
News
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B/i : the book!
Nuns Go Green With Celotex Insulation Planning a new home to move into, the nuns of Thicket Priory monastery placed green technology at the top of their list of specifications. Alongside geothermal heating, solar panels and green roofing, project architects turned to high performance Celotex insulation for thermal efficiency. Having lived in a Victorian mansion in Thorgarby, Yorkshire since 1955, the 11 strong Carmelite order of nuns planned to move to a smaller, purpose built home in the same village. The thermally efficient Celotex insulation boards were fitted into the roof, floors and walls of the new building. Owing to the varied use of insulation across the project the Project Team chose to use Celotex products from both the FR4000 and GA3000 range to provide high quality insulation targeted to the various needs of the scheme. Wall and roofing insulation was provided by the groundbreaking FR4000. Lightweight and easily cut on site, the highly workable FR4000 was applied to all roof spaces, held in place with battens and left uncovered to provide loft space. In the chapel, featuring a 12m high raised roof in keeping with monastic tradition, the rafters were covered and plastered. It was also applied to all wall spaces on the interior and exterior of the structure. Celotex GA3000 was used for the under floor insulation, aimed at providing the monastery with a complete and super effective thermal shell. The diligent use of insulation on this project resulted in a significant reduction in heating needs. This was essential given that the nuns were to rely on a geothermal system for heating provision. The monastery’s high performance thermal shell, provided by Celotex, ensured that their green heating system was able to function effectively and goes a long way to combating carbon emissions – over 50% of domestic CO2 emissions stem from special heating requirements. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 35 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
BSRIA’S Squirrel Monitors Deep Freeze For Darwin Centre Specimens
LK Systems Floor Heating With Screedflo Floors For Albany Orchard Albany Orchard is a very new, very large and very upmarket four storey oak frame house near Danbury in Essex. The under-floor central heating system extends from top to bottom of the house, covering a massive 740 square metres. LK Systems of Crawley designed the entire floor-heating plan and supplied all the heating components; however, as Albany Orchard’s owner, Mr. Robert E. Lee, also owns the innovative Screedflo Company, they provided the floor-structure designs and all screeding materials. The LK Systems design is centrally pumped and fully co-ordinated with the whole house’s heat recovery ventilation system. The system works extremely efficiently, especially with under-floor heating. For the upper two floors LK 12mm PE-Xa pipes were encapsulated by the new and innovative ‘Screedflo db’ acoustic system to conform to robust detail for timber joisted floors, whilst offering similar efficiencies normally only associated with conventional screeded floors. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 36 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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The official opening in September of the new Darwin Centre in the Natural History Museum was a great occasion. The building itself, incorporating the extraordinary 65 metre long by 30 metre high concrete Cocoon, is itself impressive but less so than the knowledge that it contains over 20 million plant and insect specimens, taking up a staggering three kilometres of cabinet space! There is even room left over for around 300 scientific staff. It was decided that during the move the plant specimens, around five millions of them in 40,000 shelf loads, should be deep frozen to kill off any lurking insect or microbial infections. Nexus Property Solutions carried out this mammoth task, using three, forty foot long refrigerated containers placed in one of the Museum car parks. Clearly very precise monitoring of the freezing process was required to prevent damage to the plants and for this Nexus called on BSRIA Instrument Solutions, experts in the hire or supply of testing equipment of all kinds. Instrument Solutions deemed that the Grant Squirrel 2040 Data Logger with low temperature Type T thermocouples would be ideal
for the task. The Squirrel runs off its internal batteries, saving the difficulty of mains connection to the car park and constant monitoring is simple using a lap-top PC linked to Grant’s proprietary Squirrelview Plus software. The machine was particularly suitable as it is easily programmed to accomplish unusual ‘one-off’ tasks such as this one for the NHM and very simple to use. The temperature in the refrigerator containers was gradually reduced to 35 degrees, a process taking 30 hours, and the specimens then remained at this temperature for three days. It was essential that defrosting should be extremely gentle to prevent any possibility of condensation in the plant matter, so temperature increases in 10 degrees steps over a period of two days were necessary to recover to the temperature of 20 degrees at which they will be stored in the Darwin Centre. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 37 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Environmental Control
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B/i : the book!
Ambirad – The Smart Way To Save Energy AmbiRad has launched two innovative brochures showcasing its complete range, including its latest controller, SmartCom3. For optimum energy management control, SmartCom3 is the intelligent way to manage the energy you use. Developed in order to satisfy the growing need for higher efficiencies and to complement the development of efficient heating systems, SmartCom3 provides a true cost effective energy management solution. Simple to program and operate, Smartcom3 can manage energy consumption in buildings of all sizes, from small single heater installations to multi-zone applications. Get an overview of AmbiRad’s complete range of energy efficient heating systems, with the new Overview brochure. It gives you an insight into the diverse applications of and clients using AmbiRad’s systems as well as an introduction to its best-selling products. Find out more about the firms energy efficient gas and electric radiant heating systems, including the ever-popular Nor-Ray-Vac continuous radiant tube system. Plus, get a taste of its energy efficient gas and oil fired warm air heating products, such as its UEAS condensing unit heaters. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 38 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
New Hot Water Unit Taps Into District Heating Networks Designed with District / Community Heating networks in mind Alfa Laval’s new AquaFlow/ AquaStore 2-Port tap water heaters complement their existing 3 and 4 port model range. Tap Water Heaters provide large quantities of instantaneous or semi-instantaneous domestic hot water to buildings connected to a District Heating network. The 2-Port TWHs unit can either be self-acting or controlled electronically. A fail-safe function closes the valves in the event of a power shortage or if the water temperature is too high. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 39 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Heating Control Is Easy With Honeywell Wireless Enabled Controls Packs
Schell Angle Valves - Innovative Water Savers
Honeywell has launched its Sundial RF² boxed wireless heating control packs, which make it very easy to save energy and provide greater comfort at minimum cost. The packs provide advanced energy saving control for new heating systems and make existing systems energy efficient and more comfortable in use. All the units connect together wirelessly: with no cables to run. The controls have been very carefully designed to be very easy to use by people of all ages and abilities.
Schell GmbH & Co., recently introduced to the UK market their innovative Angle Valve, consisting of a brass body with a polished chrome plated surface, that allows flow control of cold and hot water. Instead of the simple 90º degree ‘shut off’ mechanism of a normal ball valve, this Schell product has a facility on the front of the valve that can be rotated anti-clockwise to set a desired flow rate and, of course, to compensate against differing pipe pressures. The Angle Valve can reduce water consumption by up to 40% without affecting performance in any way and incidentally helps to reduce those dreaded CO2 emissions and can be fitted in many applications.
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Instrument Solutions Offer Infrared Imaging Instrument Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of BSRIA, provides a most useful service for all those in the construction industry by supplying all types of testing equipment. Thermal imaging by infrared camera is the latest area to be covered by the company. The very latest equipment, compact hand held imaging cameras from the FLIR B-series, can detect such vital imperfections as energy loss and poor insulation, overheating electrics, moisture and air leakage within a building, hot spots, non-functioning and leaking areas in central heating and under-floor heating systems. The Thermal Imaging Cameras are ideally suited when fixings need to be drilled into an existing floor during refurbishment for new partitioning or security entrance equipment etc. and If underfloor heating has been installed, the thermal imaging cameras will pin point where the pipe runs are preventing expensive and time consuming damage to the pipe-work. As with all testing services, the equipment is available for outright purchase or for hire and any company hiring has option of operation by its own staff or by trained operatives from Instrument Solutions. The FLIR cameras, although technically complex and advanced, are simple to use and fully justify the manufacturer’s slogan of ‘Point, Shoot, Detect’. They each have an integrated digital camera allowing superimposed shots or separate conventional and heat imaging shots of the affected area and a touch screen for text and sketching annotating on site. The image quality in digital and thermal mode is truly excellent and there is even an insulation and dew point alarm. This latest service from Instrument Solutions is proving extremely popular and the potential applications of infrared thermal imaging in the construction industry are seemingly endless. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 40 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Pegler Yorkshire Launch Into The Commercial Valves Market In a major new initiative, taps, fittings and valves specialist Pegler Yorkshire is launching a new range of Commercial Valves. Known as Pegler Commercial Valves, the range will be marked by a wide selection of products and will incorporate the company’s latest advances in innovative end-connection technology. Traditionally, the commercial valves market has been dominated by screwed steel and compression connectors and while the new Pegler range will offer these tried and trusted versions of valve technology,
the excitement will come from the company offering its Push-Fit and Press-Fit know-how into a sector historically dominated by more staid products. The introduction of this new range means specifiers will now be able to take advantage of Pegler Yorkshire as a ‘one-stop shop’ for all their commercial valve requirements, which will have the added benefit of ensuring product compatibility, no matter what valves or pipes are selected. This level of product delivery and customer service available all under one roof will be a first for the commercial valves sector and strong interest in the service and products is anticipated. The range will include a comprehensive selection of valves, from the traditional to the more innovative plus a selection of brand new product launches within the range as the year progresses. The initial launch of products will include commissioning, isolating, venture (FODR), globe, check valves and many more that will be showcased both on-line and in a comprehensive new brochure. Pegler Yorkshire product market manager Barrie Plant said, “Everyone at Pegler Yorkshire is excited by the launch of Pegler Commercial Valves. It has been some time in the planning, but we wanted to get this right. It would have been easy to jump on the bandwagon, but our approach has been to ensure we can deliver something innovative that the market has not seen before and we are very confident people will like what they see.” The big story is on the connectors. For the first time, screwed, pressfit, push-fit, threaded, compression, flange and weld ended will all be available and will remain competitive on price. Class leading sizing software will be available for the Ballorex valves and a comprehensive brochure will make it easy to select the products required. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 43 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Polypipe Ventilation Awarded Media City Contract
Levolux Puts Leicester Learners In The Shade
Polypipe Ventilation is delighted to announce that they have received their largest ever single project. The systems ordered are Domus Supertube ducting and Domus FireBrake for the Media City development in Salford Quays, Manchester. Polypipe Ventilation products have been specified and installed by M&E Contractor Ameon, and forms an integral part of the ‘whole house ventilation system’, providing ventilation to and from the bathroom and kitchen in each apartment. The Domus Supertube 125 is a highly engineered flat channel ducting system whose low profile design enables concealment when installed along the top of wall units or when fitted in ceiling voids, cavity walls and other confined spaces. It is being used with Domus FireBrake, a unique and technically advanced intumescent product to prevent the spread of fire through ventilation ducting systems. FireBrake ensures Building Regulations are met by reinstating the fire-stopping of a compartment wall when a hole is cut in it for the ducting.
When designing the new entrance at the Abbey Park Campus at Leicester College, Bond Bryan Architects specified an attractive external Solar Shading system. The 9000 Fin Solar Shading system developed by Levolux, has contributed to one of the biggest Further Education transformations seen in Leicester for years. The 9000 Fin Solar Shading system comprises of a series of long span horizontal aluminium Aerofoil Fins, 400mm in width. They create a sophisticated and seamless arrangement of Fins that grace the front of the campus. Working at high level, Levolux installed 16 rows of the aluminium Aerofoil Fins around the entrance of the Abbey Park Campus, shielding it from the sun’s rays and effectively minimising solar heat gain inside. The grey powder coated Fins help to create a cool, naturally lit reception area for staff and learners and reduce the need for air-conditioning.
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Our mOst advanced heat pump. simpler than ever.
LK UFCH For New Nursing Home A large late Victorian house at Poole in Dorset is under conversion into what will be Sheridan Nursing Home. The adaptation of the existing three storey building and the large new extension to the rear in the house’s large garden promises to produce a Nursing Home that is intelligently built for the comfort of its residents and the convenience of its staff. Naturally, in an environment created for elderly people the provision of really effective room heating was a high priority and LK Systems of Crawley were called on to design an extensive under-floor system covering 330 square metres of floor space and all 24 bedrooms as well as the communal areas. 16mm LK PE-Xa pipe was the basis of the system, with its formulation of molecular cross-linked high density polyethylene granting the invaluable qualities of extra long life and robust strength combined with the extreme flexibility that is such a help to the installer. Around 2,160 metres of the PE-Xa pipe were used in 31 loops, with four of LK’s adaptable manifolds allowing for the electronic temperature control so essential for the comfort of the elderly. Some floors were also fitted with remote sensors to ensue that they did not become uncomfortably hot in areas where residents might be barefooted. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 46 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
NIBE™ F1245 | GrouNd sourcE hEat PuMP Most people know that ground source energy saves you money. But did you know that you can actually reduce energy costs by up to 80%*? and what’s more, it’s easy to operate. thanks to a revolutionary display and new, user-friendly menus, the new NIBE F1245 gives you full control over your heating. so you can easily manage your energy consumption, keep an eye on operating hours – or create completely individual, personal settings. so advanced that it’s simple. read more about our new ground source heat pumps on www.nibe.co.uk * compared to direct electricity.
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B/i : the book!
Fire Glass Solutions
Vetrotech Saint-Gobain is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of specialist fire resisting glasses, with a range of more than nine products, all Class A safety and UV stable, to meet a comprehensive range of applications. All Vetrotech Saint-Gobain glasses meet British Standard (BS) and European Norm (EN) requirements for integrity (E) and integrity and insulation (EI). Vetrotech Saint-Gobain’s philosophy is to provide a total fire resisting glass solution from the economical SGG Pyroswiss which offers 30 minutes of integrity (E30) through to SGG Contraflam which provides from 30-120 minutes of integrity and insulation (EI30 - EI120). SGG Pyroswiss and Pyroswiss Extra can be used both internally and externally and also offer Class Ev smoke resistance. This thin elegant, fire-resistant glass has improved mechanical integrity and has the same breaking properties as normal tempered glass. Combining the optical qualities of float glass with high duration fire rating in excess of 90 minutes integrity (E90). SGG Pyroswiss Extra is manufactured from an innovative glass substrate - the first of its kind developed exclusively for fire resistance. In its normal thickness of 6 mm, SGG Pyroswiss Extra is light and slim with enhanced mechanical stability. SGG Vetroflam has been specially developed for reduction of radiated heat in the event of a fire. It offers fire resistance and is highly suited for large surface areas and both internal and external applications. Due to its innovative coating the glass offers radiation control of <15kw/m2 at a distance of 1 metre from the glass. The special properties and possibilities of SGG Vetroflam also come into their own in double glazing. Amongst other things, it can be easily combined with solar controlled glass.
Climaplus can be easily incorporated as low emissivity products such as SGG Planitherm Ultra for increased thermal insulation and in full compliance with Document L.
SGG Swissflam is a multi-laminated fire resisting and fully insulating glass, produced from sheets of laminated safety glass separated by clear colourless intumescent layers. The number of sheets of float glass and interlayer’s depends upon the level of fire resistance required. SGG Swissflam and Swissflam Lite can be used for internal areas such as doors, screens or partitions of timber or steel construction. Both glazings can be either supplied as clear glass or sandblasted for areas requiring additional privacy. SGG Swissflam and SGG Swissflam Lite can be incorporated into double glazed units when additional thermal insulation or sound reduction is required. SGG Contraflam is a multi-laminated and fully insulating fire resisting glass produced from two or more panes of tempered safety glass, separated by clear colourless advanced intumescent interlayers. It offers fire protection from EI30-EI120. SGG Contraflam and SGG Contraflam Lite can be used as single glazing for internal areas such as doors, screens and partitions of timber or steel construction. SGG Contraflam and SGG Contraflam Lite can easily be incorporated into double glazed units for external areas. Solar control types of glass such as SGG Parsol, SGG Antelio and SGG
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SGG Contraflam and SGG Swissflam Structure - the structure solution is a product aimed at the realisation of large vertical frameless fire protection glass solutions for internal applications. Without vertical frame profiles new possibilities take shape with butt joint glazing. The result is the realisation of aesthetically attractive open workspace solutions that were not possible in fire protection glass until now. Whole glass partitions with narrow vertical butt joints are offered as a stylish solution with large pane sizes of 1800 x 3500. It also offers a varied fire protection from EW30, EI30, and EI60 and EI120. Vetrotech Saint-Gobain’s multi-functional and extremely cost-effective glasses can be incorporated into virtually any interior or exterior application. The company’s sales support team offers an advisory service to ensure that the most appropriate glass type is specified in each instance. Vetrotech Saint-Gobain recognises that choosing the perfect glass can be a daunting task. To help specifiers through the fire glass maze, the firm has the perfect product guide, primarily intended as a valuable guide on how to choose the right glass for any application. It also provides step by step advice based on, for example, levels of resistance, framing and panel sizes. For a copy of the Vetrotech Saint-Gobain product selector please contact Vetrotech Saint-Gobain UK Ltd 01274 302390, email the company at infovsguk@vetrotech.co.uk or visit www.vetrotech.com s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 48 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Doors, Windows & Glazing
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B/i : the book!
Envelope Delivered To College By Comar Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems and their approved fabricator Alimatic Ltd., have recently completed a full refurbishment project to provide a whole new building envelope to Collingwood College, Camberley, Surrey. The design brief was for the façade to be modern, clean and contemporary whilst complementing the school colour. For the sleek modern façade, Comar 6 curtain walling was specified. Comar 6 curtain walling is a versatile thermally efficient system designed to integrate panels and glass of different widths into the façade with special profiles to include opening vents and doors. The design of Comar 6 makes it ideal for complex facetted curtain walls as well as sheer glazed facades. Comar 6 offers a slim 50mm sight line with a multitude of transoms and mullions to cater for all deflection loads and grid centres. For the opening vents, Comar 5P.i. thermally efficient polyamide insulated aluminium windows were installed offering outstanding weather performance and low U-values. Comar 5P.i is a 60mm window system that reduces heat loss through the trademark P.i thermal break ensuring low U-values, so energy bills are minimised. Comar 5P.i is available in a variety of configurations and can be manufactured into casement, tilt and turn, pivot, top swing and sliding windows. The windows installed at the College were top hung/fixed light composites. In a busy educational environment, Comar 7 commercial door sets are a natural choice. For safety, the Comar 7 swing doors were fitted with anti-finger trap stiles, Axim soft touch panic exit device and Axim concealed transom closers which were hung directly from the Comar 6 frame. All aluminium systems were finished in Hipca White RAL 9910 (semi gloss) polyester powder coat. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 50 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
SFS intec And Telling Go Stateside In Pioneering Urban Redevelopment Town and city streetscapes which generate their own ‘green’ electricity have become a reality thanks to a collaboration between façade specialist Telling Architectural and glass attachment systems supplier SFS intec. The two British firms have delivered a ground-breaking, fully integrated renewable electricity generation facility within a new urban streetscape in Washington DC. Designed by ZGF Architects, the innovative redevelopment project in the neighbourhood of Columbia Heights features a prominent new pedestrian plaza which includes a series of ornamental glass canopies that incorporate photovoltaic (PV) modules. Called the Civic Plaza, this is one of the first urban streetscapes of its kind in the world to have its own renewable electricity generation capability and it could be a model for future low carbon town and city public realm architecture here in the UK. The electricity-generating canopies are designed to resemble sculptured flowers within a largely hardscaped triangular-shaped public space at a major road junction. They were constructed by attaching a series of predrilled rectangular and radiused laminated glass panels, which incorporate PV cells, to a brushed stainless steel tubular framework using SFS intec’s spider and point fixings. The renewable electricity generation capability of the canopies is delivered using Vidursolar photovoltaic modules, which are part of Telling Architectural’s Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) solutions. The BIPV units at Columbia Heights are created using laminated safety glass with PVB as the interlayer and comply fully with safety standards for glazing in public areas.
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It is estimated that the six PV units will produce about 3.600 kWh/year based on solar radiation data via Meteonorm for Washington DC. The total installed PV power is 3.090 Wp (515 Wp per unit). SFS intec’s spider fittings attach the PV modules to the steel framework. Single, double and 4-arm stainless steel spiders were used in combination with ALP 45 dia raised point fixings. These precision engineered stainless steel fittings ensure long term structural reliability, even with extreme wind and snow loadings, without compromising the architect’s intended aesthetic vision. “The Columbia Heights canopies perfectly illustrate the innovative ways in which PV modules can be used as part of modern architecture,” says SFS intec’s head of glass attachment systems Glen Wainwright. “Our range of glass fixing systems is designed to offer architects and façade specialists like Telling the freedom and confidence to innovate with glass in the knowledge that we have the attachment solutions to realise their new concepts.” s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 49 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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B/i : the book!
Technal Glazing Systems For One Of The First Schools In Bradford’s £400m BSF Programme One of the first schools to be completed in Bradford’s £400m Building Schools for the Future programme features façade systems from architectural aluminium specialist, Technal. The new Titus Salt School in Shipley for Integrated Bradford was one of four national Pathfinder projects. Since its completion, the school has been voted one of the top six new secondary schools in the UK. The building occupies a narrow sloping site between woodland and the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The design has a monochromatic palette with large expanses of glass created from Technal’s MX Visible Grid curtain walling system, to help integrate the more public areas of the school into the surrounding landscape. The curtain walling was used to form the main entrance, full height stairwells, to enclose the assembly hall overlooking the garden spaces, and to create a large picture window for the breakfast room with 3m spans and integrated brise soleil sunshading. The MX system also features as 3m high glazed units set into stone next to the ‘Spanish steps’ – the community approach to the school – and was faceted where it wraps around this building. Here the glazing contrasts with a stone base which adds solidity to the design, helping to reinforce a sense of civic pride in the school. Technal’s FXi65 aluminium casement windows were inserted into both the curtain walling and the stone cladding, for natural ventilation. CD commercial doors were also set into the MX curtain walling for access from the teaching blocks to the garden courtyards. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 52 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
SCHUECO Expertise Enables Architects To Realise UK Design First When seeking to realise their innovative design for the new UK headquarters of Cathelco Ltd, architects Beaumont & Cowling found that Schueco systems and expertise provided the solution. The building includes a stunning glazed atrium with a curved central roof section spanned by a Schueco ALB passive solar shading system which defines the entrance, prevents the build-up of excessive internal heat and allows natural daylight to penetrate into the building. The curved roof glazing system beneath the blades is Schueco FW 50+ SG, the vertical façade of the atrium is constructed using Schueco’s FW 50+ system and there are numerous AWS 65 windows and RS 65 doors. Most striking of all is the Schueco ALB active motorised shading system mounted in front of the south-facing wall of the atrium. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 53 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Super Sonic Windows At New Parkway Station
When The Expert Turned To The Experts! Being a television property presenter, Kristian Digby admits to feeling a sense of superiority when he set about building his own dream home but came to realise that he had no idea of the stress that the journey he was embarking upon would cause! The brief he gave his architect was ‘challenging’ – a super modern detached 2 bedroom statement home in East London that would be filled with natural light. The main obstacle to overcome in achieving this was the significant site constraints that would only permit the use of windows in certain positions which in turn restricted the amount of natural light that the property could actually tap into. The solution was to incorporate rooflights into the design to harness the available light, so Ben turned to Glazing Vision, whose expertise and experience enabled them to integrate innovative rooflight designs to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the new property whilst fulfilling the practical objective. Glazing Vision manufactured 2 sliding rooflights and 2 Fixed Flushglaze rooflights.The Flushglaze range was specifically chosen for its’ innovative design that delivers maximum daylight, due to no internally visible framework, combined with high energy efficiency, and the sliding rooflights retract in one panel creating a 100% clear opening. Further high tech additions such as remote control and automatic climatic control – which means they close automatically if it rains or snows - add a luxurious touch in addition to high-level safety devices which are fitted as standard. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 54 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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The design and construction of the brand new East Midlands Parkway has been one of the most exciting railway projects for years. The Booking Hall, the first meeting place between the travelling public and staff where fast, efficient service is essential, was a priority and Sonic Windows of Bexhill, experts in security windows for over 25 years, were called on due their considerable expertise to manufacture the adventurous design. Sonic has installed literally thousands of station booking office windows throughout the country over the past few years the agreed design for Parkway, nine metres by three overall and incorporating four windows 1.9 metres square, was without doubt one of the largest, heaviest and most complicated to date. With 23.5mm bullet-resistant glass and high appearance counters in 50mm Black Pearl granite it was also very heavy and Sonic enclosed the complete unit in a steel frame for constructional integrity. The specially shaped granite worktops and supports plus the glass screens making the whole project extremely heavy, were all made in Sonic Windows’ workshops from templates taken on site but the components fitted perfectly and the highly complex installation, with shaped glass and heavy marble, proved extremely successful, as there was no room for adjustment on site. The Booking Hall is in a largely black and white colour scheme with the ceiling beams featured in an airy, open plan design. As a result the eye is naturally drawn to the bright colour of the booking office windows, which have surrounds down to the ground in a soothing turquoise shade, while the SGG Planilaque EVOLUTION* which unites coloured lacquer with the brilliance of glass, itself is tinted with a Mint Green colour.
A nice touch has been added in that when a booking window is not in use fire resistant blinds coloured in the turquoise of the surround and with the words ‘Position Closed’ printed at eye level, can be lowered. Naturally less able passengers were not forgotten in the design and each window has a section at a lower level and with a deeper counter so that a wheelchair can comfortably be accommodated. Due to the weight of the wider granite counter a cantilever system, with the counter extending through to the staff side of the glass, has been used to ensure stability. For the benefit of those with hearing aids all windows are fitted with Induction Loops. Not only are the Parkway booking windows of a high appearance and sleek design, they are also extremely user friendly. The large area of uncluttered glass allows straightforward, unthreatening face-to-face contact between booking staff and traveller aided by the high standard of undistorted sound from the Intercom system. From the staff side the windows offer total safety and protection from theft, while the stainless steel cash tills in the work-top contain locking, removable cash boxes to make staff change-over as speedy and simple as possible. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 55 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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British by Design
BEFORE
AFTER
Thermal Images Showcase ‘Green’ Credentials If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, then Sash UK have just won a Michelin star. A set of ‘before and after’ thermal images have demonstrated the remarkable improvement that their ‘A’ rated windows make to household insulation and energy efficiency.
Economic Efficiency
The thermal images were commissioned by Dr Hazel Carnegie, a dedicated environmentalist and a former employee at The University of Aberdeen; where her background was in Sustainability.
Comar is British by Design; providing economic efficiency through consistently delivering on time, value engineered aluminium curtain walling, windows doors and ground floor framing systems.
On a long-term crusade to make her home more energy efficient, Dr Carnegie opted for Sash UK’s ‘A’ rated, fully steel reinforced windows via her local supplier, Aberdeen’s award winning Thistle Windows & Conservatories Ltd. However, before doing so, she had a set of thermal photographs taken of her home, with a corresponding set taken after the ‘A’ rated replacements were installed.
Relying on Comar’s market leading delivery creates economic efficiencies by guaranteeing that production schedules are kept and site deadlines achieved. Comar’s unrivalled stock-holding simply means Comar approved fabricators do not need to carry stock because we carry over £5M of profiles ready for call off on regular delivery cycles. This means that additional capital reserves are optimised, creating greater economic efficiencies.
To do this, Dr Carnegie enlisted the help of Dundee’s IRT Surveys, the UK’s largest thermography company. Commenting upon the findings, Gary Manini, UK Business Development manger for IRT said; “Quite simply Dr Carnegie’s old windows were really quite poor and providing a very low level of insulation. However, the after-shots clearly show that she has since invested in a top of the range window system, and that these windows have been installed to perfection, offering excellent insulation.”
It is not only these economic efficiencies created by delivery and stock, Comar systems offer value engineering solutions, Comar 7 doors can be hung direct from Comar framing systems, reducing metal content and increasing the aesthetic appeal. Also, profiles are multi-function and can cross systems creating minimal wastage. Because Comar is British by Design our operations consistently meet the demands of the uniquely time critical British construction industry. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 56 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
For further information, contact projects@parksidegrp.co.uk or simply call on 020 8685 9685 to organise a meeting with your regional Comar Consultant.
To obtain accurate thermal images, photography must take place during calm weather conditions. However, when there is very little air movement outside, it is common for air to gather in the recess at the top of the frames; forming a wind shield. The wind shield is highlighted by the parallel red lines at the top of the window frame. Providing that these lines are parallel and unbroken, they are not indicative of heat loss.
The red areas in the first thermal image identify where heat was being rapidly lost from Dr Carnegie’s home, before she invested in Sash UK’s ‘A’ rated windows, whereas the consistent green colour in the after shot is indicative of a well insulated property. As an independent organisation, IRT Surveys produce completely honest and impartial reports using the latest infrared technology. Their findings are nothing short of amazing and are a testament to both Sash UK for manufacturing the windows, and Thistle for installing them with great care and expertise. ‘A’ rated windows from Sash UK are among the most energy efficient available, and Thistle Windows & Conservatories Ltd. have won numerous customer satisfaction and sales achievement prizes, awarded by Network Veka. Together, they were perfectly placed to help Dr Carnegie achieve her vision. Choosing the best windows, from the best supplier and leading by example was very important to Dr Carnegie as she is involved in a number of campaigns – such as the ‘Carbon Countdown to Homes’
and ‘Street by Street, House by House’ - which encourage others to make their home more energy efficient. She is therefore delighted with the outcome of her latest home improvement and plans to use the thermal images in forthcoming campaigns. “To know that Dr Carnegie chose a product that we manufacture is a fitting yet justified acknowledgement of the work that has gone into producing ‘A’ rated windows”, said David Ruzicka, Joint Managing Director of Sash UK. “The thermal images provide further proof, if any were needed, that Sash UK windows are of the highest quality and most environmentally friendly windows available.” “It’s great that someone is flying the flag for energy efficiency in the home and I’m very pleased that Sash UK and Thistle Windows & Conservatories Ltd. have been able to help Dr Carnegie in her crusade.” s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 57 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
www.comar-alu.co.uk Doors, Windows & Glazing
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Tornado Tower Wins Major International Award
Any size, Any shape, Anywhere ®
Wake up to Flushglaze Rooflights
Triangular Flushglaze
Circular Flushglaze
Rectangular Flushglaze
Modular Flushglaze
Come and see us at EcoBuild and Grand Designs Live! The Flushglaze product is a fixed flat glass skylight. The concept is based on an innovative design that helps to achieve maximum daylight, longevity and high performance, in various shapes and sizes to enhance any building.
• Maximise the light • Uncompromised style • Enhance your living space
Call for a brochure on: 0333 8000 881
www.glazingvision.co.uk
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The Tornado Tower in Doha, which features extensive use of Wicona unitised curtain walling, has won a major global award. The accolade for Best Tall Building in the Middle East and Africa was won by the Tornado Tower, awarded by the US-based Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The 52storey Tornado Tower features more than 30,000sqm of Wicona unitised curtain walling, installed as 6,000 glazed panels in 50 size variations. The highly innovative unitised façade solution allows the curvature of this iconic building to be expressed without the need for curved glass. Trapezoidal panels and their collection of angles give the 200m high building its signature curve and hyperboloid shape that depicts a whirlwind in a desert storm. The Wicona unitised façade used 450 tonnes of aluminium for the project, and was installed across 50 storeys using floor cranes. The units were fully assembled and glazed off site, holding 34mm reflective glass for the vision areas and opaque glazing to conceal the building structure between floors. The unitised panels also support an external steel ‘lattice’. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 59 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Safe And Sensitive Door Automation Whether building owners and their consultants are looking to avoid compromises in the specification of automatic doors for a new property, or are seeking to upgrade an existing door installation, the latest Record System 20 can provides all the answers. System 20 offers a comprehensive choice of door configurations and affords customers total peace of mind through the availability of fully integrated sensors, controllers and communication devices. Pivotal to addressing these often conflicting demands is the symbiosis of System 20 with Record’s already well established 290 range of sensors. The innovative RIC 290 sensor, for instance, utilises both radar microwaves and active infrared technologies to communicate with the door control device. Then a recently developed optical module for the presence detector features twin infrared light curtains to continually monitor the immediate door area. Its convex lens system detects and analyses each point of light individually and identifies stationary objects in the door area. Not only can the System 20 door be linked to the central security network, but its highly sophisticated commissioning protocol includes an integrated assisted that ‘teaches’ one or all sensors simultaneously. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 60 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Portland Stone For Weymouth Ticket Windows Weymouth Station – railway buffs still call it Weymouth Town to distinguish it from the old Weymouth Quay Station – was opened in 1857 as the southern terminus of the GWR [the Great Western or God’s Wonderful Railway as it was affectionately known]. It has recently undergone a complete refurbishment at the hands of South West Trains who now operate Weymouth and particular care has been taken to retain the essentially Victorian character of the buildings while including all the efficiency and passenger comfort offered by modern technology. Nowhere is this more clear than in the Booking Hall where the original façade of Portland stone and the truly distinctive pointed arches over the ticket windows have been retained while the windows themselves have been replaced by the latest security glass and sophisticated communication systems. The work – from design through to installation - has been undertaken by Sonic Windows of Bexhill-on-Sea, a company that has specialised in communication windows for well over 25 years and in that time has built or refurbished literally hundreds of Station Booking Offices. The two new ticket windows at Weymouth are of laminated glass that will resist even the impact of a bullet but they are completely clear, giving unimpeded face-to-face contact between the traveller and the booking office staff. The grey Corian work-tops contrast well with the honey tones of the Portland Stone surrounds and the black Corian cash trays are set into the counter top to give complete protection from theft. Chip and Pin machines are available on the traveller’s side of the glass and the extremely efficient, non-distorting intercom system [with induction loops for the sake of hearing aid users] allows normal level of conversation with staff. One of the windows has half the counter top lowered by around a foot and this, combined with a recessed area below the counter allows easy and natural wheelchair access. Sonic’s experience in design has ensured that comfort and convenience is available not only for the passenger but also for the booking office staff operating the work-stations. Weymouth Station was built primarily for holiday makers who, for the first time 150 years ago, had a fast and efficient transport system giving access from London to the beauties of the West Country and the tourist industry still allows for a good proportion of the half million plus passengers using the station. Its close proximity to the South West Coast Path is an added holiday attraction and the next major boost to visitor numbers will be in 2012 when Weymouth is due to host the Olympic Sailing Events. The great improvements made in passenger convenience by South West Trains’ refurbishment programme will no doubt be greatly appreciated by these travellers as will the efforts taken to retain the period charm of this pleasant station. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 61 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Windows Replaced By Structura UK At Five-Star Athenaeum Hotel, London A multi-million pound exterior and interior refurbishment of the 5-star, 111bedroom Athenaeum Hotel opposite London‘s Green Park included the replacement and reconfiguration of all the windows in a 30-week programme by Structura UK Ltd, curtain wall engineering specialists. The refurbishment for Ralph Trustees Ltd was undertaken to upgrade the hotel’s energy efficiency and to improve the building’s appearance and interior aesthetic. Using for the first time in the UK Schüco’s AWS 75BS.H1 aluminium profile - finished in a powder coated metallic bronze - Structura UK, principal contractor, designed, manufactured and installed 164 double glazed, 32mm thick, high performance windows and inward opening doors to the hotel’s Piccadilly and Down Street elevations. The side windows of each bay appear fixed, but can be opened for cleaning, and the flat windows have fixed glazing either side of the doors. The glass has a super solar control coating to prevent heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter. The existing single glazed, aluminium, vertical pivot and vertical sliding bay windows, and aluminium, horizontal sliding flat windows did not meet modern sound-proofing standards and thermal ratings and needed replacing. Structura UK completed one floor at a time working down from the hotel’s 10th floor Rooftop Suite where the company installed some large sliding doors leading to a steel and timber walk-on balcony with views towards Buckingham Palace. Structura’s £1.7m contract involved undertaking structural alterations to the existing openings to accommodate the new window and door design, thus allowing more light into the guest rooms, and installing Juliet balconies. A stunning feature of the Athenaeum’s external appearance is its Living Wall by the botanist and designer Patrick Blanc. Stretching 8-storeys high, it consists of a metal frame fixed to the structure of the building containing a water resistant surface and water retaining material into which thousands of plants have been inserted.
Complete Fire Glass Solutions
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 62 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Architects love them...
...Criminals don’t
Vetrotech Saint-Gobain is s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 63 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Open: built-in solution completely conceals shutter within a structural lintel so there’s no impact – internally or externally – on the appearance of the building.
Closed: shutters ensure optimum security against malicious damage, burglary or fire, and can be powder coated to any colour to make either a bold or a subtle design statement.
The Charter-Integr8 range of architecturally advanced security shutters offers the ideal solution for health, education, community and prestige residential developments. For more information visit www.chartergroupuk.com or call 90
Doors, Windows & Glazing
one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fire resistant glass, offering guaranteed glass solutions whatever the requirement.
0845 050 8705
VETROTECH SAINT-GOBAIN U.K. LTD Hillam Road Industrial Estate, Hillam Road, Bradford BD2 1QN T: 01274 302390 F: 01274 302391 E: infoVSGUK.vetrotech@saint-gobain.com W: www.vetrotech.net Reader Enquiry No. AY73 or www.specifierinfo.com
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B/i : the book!
Fakro Topsafe® - Security And Safety Guaranteed For those seeking a roof window which combines good eco-credentials with added security, Fakro roof windows now use the patented, topSafe® system. This provides the highest standard of security and safety currently available (Class 3 - EN 13049), its micro-opening facility enabling it to remain secure even when open. Additional steel reinforcement is built into the lower part of the sash, while improved lock security and fixing screws driven in at an angle prevent hinges being ruptured. The level of safety provided means most windows will withstand the weight of an individual if stepped on. Fakro roof windows are also made using only close-grain, knotfree, redwood pine, a growing proportion of which is from FSC approved sources. They have also been designed to enable every element to be stripped out easily for recycling. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 65 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Steadmans Plays Its Part At Celtic Park
A Unilin Home Is A More Efficient Home
Roofing and cladding company Steadmans has enhanced Celtic Park stadium in Derry - the home of the city’s hurling and Gaelic football teams - by providing over 2,200 sq metres of its AS34/1000R single skin roof profile sheets for a new 3,600 capacity all-seater stand. The 0.7mm Goosewing Grey trapezoidal roofsheets from Steadmans were finished in double sided Corus Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® ensuring outstanding performance and a guarantee of up to 40 years. Steadmans AS range of quality single skin roof and wall panels offer rapid installation with a durable, high performance finish. Available in a wide range of colours and finishes AS panels are manufactured in five different profiles with a choice of 0.5mm and 0.7mm thicknesses.
Unilin Systems has been involved in the creation of a residence that sets new levels in energy efficiency and conservation. Situated in West Sussex, the luxury private residence was designed to be an airtight building envelope with high levels of insulation while dramatically reducing the construction time and so the architect specified Unilin Systems’ Unipur OSB structural insulated roof panels. Utilising the benefits of superior PIR foam, Unipur panels have exceptional performance and come in varying thicknesses to meet the thermal performance required. In this instance, a depth of 175mm of PIR foam was used to give the entire roof structure a U-value of 0.18W/m2K. In this instance the Unipur panels were supplied with an OSB inner facing. With a reduction in the materials used within the roof structure, as well as Unipur’s factory made quality, the ‘all in one’ panels dramatically cut installation time for the roof structure with installation rates of up to 500m2 per day achievable.
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 66 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 68 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
rainline | sustainable rainwater systems in steel
Rainline - Sustainable, Stylish and Swedish only from Lindab
Remmers Keep The Diners Dry In Mayfair The balcony and roof areas above the dining room of the famous Savile Club in the heart of Mayfair, London have recently been waterproofed with a flexible membrane from Remmers.
Rainline from Lindab ticks all the environmental boxes and provides a high performance, cost effective solution for rain drainage for all types of buildings. Manufactured from high quality, zinc coated galvanised steel; Rainline features 30% recycled material and is itself completely recyclable -the integrity of the system will last in excess of 100 years.
The Remmers PUR D40 system comprised of a universal damp tolerant epoxy primer, a fleece reinforced fast curing polyurethane membrane and a seal coat of a tough, UV stable polyurethane.
Rainline is much less expensive than aluminum and cast iron drainage and will totally outperform plastic in every respect - offering minimal thermal movement and UV stability, it will not crack, fade or leak, is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance free. Available in 10 high build polyester colours, plain galvanised, natural copper and Aluzinc, Rainline is supported by a range of comprehensive guarantees to offers total peace of mind for the building owner.
The PUR D40 system is just one of several available within the Remmers range of deck waterproofing and liquid roofing systems.
For an information pack or to arrange a CPD Seminar contact Lindab at the address below:
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 67 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 69 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Lindab Ltd | Building Products Division | Shenstone Trading Estate | Halesowen | West Midlands | B63 3XB Telephone: +44 121 585 2780 | Facsimile: +44 121 585 2782 | Email: buildingproducts.sales@lindab.co.uk | www.lindab.co.uk
Roofs
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Rigisystems Brings Stylish Look To Church Architecture 2,300 sq m of RigiSystems Ziplok have been used on the roof of Wellington Street Church in Ballymena, Northern Ireland to create a distinctive and decidedly modern look to a traditional concept. The Presbyterian Church complex was built on a green field site and comprises Sanctuary, sports hall and accommodation block. The Sanctuary roof consists of 1000 sq m of Ziplok in a weathered copper finish, which was all rolled and tapered on site to produce the distinctive circular shape fronting the complex, including the weathering detail to spire, and complete with associated feature aluminium gutters, down pipes, soffits and curved aluminium fascia. Ziplok is a BBA approved, advanced zip-up standing seam system that offers exceptional weather resistance and durability. The unique halter design complements the design of the liner (20/100/1000) in a way which leaves almost no possibility of error in setting out the roof and so allows for fast and trouble free laying of the profiles. Combined with the ability to taper or curve the profiles on site, and availability in either aluminium or steel, this gives RigiSystems Ziplok a competitive edge in any standing seam application. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 71 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Urban Allotments Provide Inspiration For Index Green Roofs And Walls Project At New Darlington Primary School A dense urban environment populated by rows of terraced housing, with the only major area of green being allotments nearby, provided the inspiration for a series of Index Extensive green roofs set over the new Northwood primary school in Darlington. The 1,800 sq.m. of green roofs curve and slope over the buildings set on two levels. At the school entrance a series of living walls rise to two storey height all helping to provide the 420 young pupils with an environmentally friendly place of learning. The Index Extensive Insta sedum system incorporates a Prominent alu vapour control layer with 120mm of PIR insulation. The following Helastoplay membrane is protected by Defend H Anti-roots over which a water retention mat and 75mm of naturally occurring substrate was laid to receive the Insta mat of sedum. To achieve the specified effect different plants, selected from the sedum family, were pre-grown to create a changing patchwork of colour on the roofs as the seasons change. Firestop, a specialist membrane with flame retardants added during the manufacturing process, was used on all exposed details. Because of the unusual design by the Atkins architectural team the building seems to rise out of the ground and the green walls which are hung with pre-grown modules of evergreen perennials and herbs will allow the pupils to experiment with growing fruits such as strawberries in season, as another learning tool. This living wall is served by an automated zonal irrigation system. The school faces a southerly direction to make the most of solar gain. In the teaching areas roofs curve over the first storey sloping down to be cut off by a run of double glazed windows fronting a narrow terrace which gives older pupils a view of the ’allotment style ‘ patchwork roof setting of sedum plantings immediately below. There is an open teaching area of some 200 sq.m. and on the ground floor windows of differing heights allow viewing and natural light for the younger pupils. A 20 page Green Ecosystems specifier guide is available from Index. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 70 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Roofing Snow Guard Comes Into Its Own With heavy snow again throughout the U.K. this winter, Klober has seen unprecedented demand for its Trapac Snow Guard. Snow Guard is designed to prevent snow slippage on pitched roofs, allowing it to pass gradually through a grid as it melts. Andrew Borthwick of Badenoch Roofing commented, “We have fitted Snow Guard to a number of homes. Our only other option would have been to use lengths of heavy 6 x 2 timber, and Snow Guard is far lighter and easier to fit. The support brackets are just positioned in the first or second course up from the eaves, and fitted over the batten and tile”. Snow Guard can be used with profiled or flat interlocking tiles and slates, and need no additional support battens. Sold in 3-metre lengths, the powder-coated, galvanised steel grids are available in black, tile red and brown. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 72 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Over-Clad Kalzip Solution For Influenza Resource Centre Straight and smooth curved Kalzip aluminium standing seam and galvanised liner sheets have been used to create the tightly sealed, insulated and weatherproofed building envelope of the Influenza Resource Centre (IRC) & UK Stem Cell Bank in South Mimms. The Kalzip is over-clad in white chestnut timber to satisfy local planning requirements for this environmentally sensitive rural location. As the IRC comprises mostly classified clean room laboratories, the main concern beforehand was to provide a well-insulated and weatherproofed envelope capable of keeping out all external contaminants and preventing any internal biological agents from escaping into the environment. The solution involves the use of straight and curved extruded aluminium T-section supports which form a series of continuous vertical ribs along the building’s length to create the desired envelope shape. The T-section supports are mounted on angle brackets attached to Kalzip aluminium seam clips that are fastened to the standing seam without penetrating the Kalzip. A continuous hidden gutter is installed just above top window level and 6 metre lengths of white chestnut cladding are affixed to the T-section supports in staggered formation to form the rainscreen. Employing this over-cladding construction technique means that an infinite variety of creative design options are available to architects by using the Kalzip standing seam system to insulate and weatherproof the building envelope and carry virtually any type of rainscreen cladding as an aesthetic façade. [w] www.kalzip.com s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 73 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Milton Keynes’ Biggest Office In 25 Years And Four Types Of Cladding – It Had To Be Eurofox
Worcester Rugby Club has benefitted from Kingspan WallLite, a translucent wall panel that allows natural daylight into buildings, whilst maintaining thermal efficiency and aesthetic appearance. Kingspan Wall-Lite was installed to the gable end of the spectator seating area in the grandstand. It is a single component system that does not require glazing experience to fit. It comes in a range of colours and lengths, is UV resistant, lightweight and offers a U-value of 1.26 W/m2K. It can be fully integrated with Kingspan’s architectural wall panels and complete wall and façade systems and is covered by the Kingspan Total Guarantee.
For Milton Keynes’ biggest office development in 25 years - The Pinnacle – architects PHP required an impressive façade to ensure the building creates a lasting impression. They specified a mix of exterior cladding materials to create an interesting façade. To support this mix of façade materials, Eurofox Engineering supplied a number of its innovative rainscreen cladding support systems. PHP Architects specified a variety of cladding materials including a Terracotta tile system, Aluminium composite Alucobond panels, Western Red Cedar cladding and powder coated aluminium column casings. Specialist contractor ECL Contracts turned to Eurofox Engineering. The company provides a range of versatile and innovative systems for use with most types of cladding products. For the approximately 2,000 m² of Terracotta tile system, ECL Contracts used Eurofox Engineering’s tried and tested aluminium MacFox vertical cladding bracket and rail system. For the Western Red Cedar, the Eurofox MUH system was adopted. The MUH system is a combination of a MacFox bracket and Uni carrier enabling the easy application of timber battens on to which the Western Red Cedar cladding could be fixed.
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Kingspan Wall-Lite The Clear Choice
Remmers Restoration at Southampton Row The façade of the Grange Hotel in Holborn has recently received a facelift and repairs using colour matched materials by Remmers. Remmers Restoration Mortar was selected to repair damaged stone areas and was colour matched to minimise the visual impact. The properties of Restoration Mortar make it ideal for repairing stone structures as it can be produced in virtually any colour and strength to match your stone. Lime grades are available. After repairs the surfaces received a light coating of Historic Grout Scumble, a semi-translucent silicone coating with fillers for texture which masks repairs and waterproofs the façade for the future. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 76 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Low Thermal Conductivity Wall Ties Thermal Bridging: A Challenge for the Wall Tie Industry Wall Ties are an essential element in the strength and stability of a cavity wall, but by crossing the cavity they act as a thermal bridge between the internal and external leaves. Generally speaking, the wider the insulated cavity, the more substantial the Wall Tie needs to be and the greater the effect the tie will then have on the U-value of the wall. The challenge for the Wall Tie industry, set by the Government’s ambitious energy efficiency targets, is to reduce the thermal conductivity of its products whilst continuing to meet the structural performance requirements of wide cavity construction. Ancon’s Solution Ancon Building Products has met this challenge by launching a new range of Low Thermal Conductivity Wall Ties; ties which minimise heat loss through thermal bridging, thereby improving the energy efficiency of a wall. These products can actually be used to reduce insulation thickness and therefore provide savings on construction materials and wall footprint.
The TeploTie has a BBA approval and is available exclusively from Ancon Building Products. It has a thermal conductivity of just 0.7W/mK, making it the most thermally efficient Wall Tie on the market. All fixings with a conductivity rating of under 1.0W/mk are excluded from U-value calculations to EN ISO 6946. U-Value Calculations When calculating a U-value it is important to use the actual cross-sectional area of a Wall Tie and the thermal conductivity of the material from which it is manufactured, rather than allowing a calculation program to apply default values. This can make a considerable difference to the result; a default value will over-estimate the thermal bridging effect of an Ancon Wall Tie and designers may increase insulation width and wall footprint unnecessarily. [w] www.ancon.co.uk/LowConductor s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 77 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
This new range of Ancon Wall Ties suits cavities from 50mm to 300mm, essentially future-proofing traditional masonry cavity wall construction with which all clients, contractors and designers are familiar. In addition to a number of high tensile stainless steel wire Wall Ties, this range includes the new Ancon TeploTie which is manufactured from pultruded basalt fibres set in an epoxy resin.
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Walls
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Howe Green Provides Access At Liverpool John Moores University
Sapphire Balustrades Ltd
For the safe housing of vital underfloor building services at one of the country’s impressive new academic buildings, architects have specified a range of access panels from Howe Green. Liverpool John Moores University’s new Art & Design Academy has been designed by Rick Mather Architects. To enable essential access to a wealth of underfloor services on the buildings lower ground floor, Rick Mather Architects specified a mix of 1050 and 7500 Series stainless steel floor covers from Howe Green. The panels were individually manufactured to a size of 600 x 600 to match the size of the Charcon Appalachian stone floor slabs. Laid in a mix of sand and cement, the floor slabs blend with the access panels, which feature inlaid floor slabs, providing a symmetrical finish. Both the 1050 and 7500 series access covers are manufactured from stainless steel. The 1050 is a slightly deeper model of panel than the 7500, designed for heavy duty flooring such as natural stone and concrete and suitable for both internal and external applications. Once installed both panels provide the same visual appearance. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 79 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Sapphire Balustrades’ new Refurbishment brochure provides valuable upgrading and retro-fitting information on the company’s range of stainless and coated steel, aluminium, hardwood and brass handrail systems. Whether updating commercial, residential or listed buildings in traditional or contemporary style, Sapphire’s distinctive designs enable striking interiors to be created in keeping with all legislative requirements. Balustrades can be complemented by a variety of infill options including mesh, solid panel and glass, with either vertical or horizontal midrails. For clinical and catering environments, products can also be supplied with anti-bacterial coatings. Available in a choice of finishes, colours and assembly configurations, systems are available for both internal and external use. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 80 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Forbo Launches Step Collection Safety flooring can now be specified for its stylish good looks and not just its slip rating Forbo Flooring Systems has launched Step, a new range of safety vinyl flooring with an emphasis on good design. Whilst meeting HSE requirements for slip resistance, the Step range is far removed from traditional safety flooring, with a choice of inspiring colours, textures and finishes including wood and stone effect and holographic chip. Now, designers can specify safety flooring based on its aesthetics, rather than merely its legislative compliance. Step complies with HSE recommendations ($36 pendulum test value and $20 surface roughness) and covers slip resistance R10-R12 and barefoot safety. In addition, the range meets EN13845 relating to PVC floor coverings with enhanced particle resistance. Step also benefits from a PUR surface finish that ensures effective cleaning and maintenance, with all R10 rated designs featuring the PUR Pearl™ coating with matt embossing, which provides a distinctive, smooth and lustrous finish that is highly scratch, scuff and wear resistance and also results in a more natural appearance. However, the real focus of the new collection has been the range of designs, which feature fresh colours and contemporary styling not usually associated with traditional safety flooring. A choice of 72 colours is available, with design freedom further facilitated by non-directional patterns and the capability to incorporate bespoke designs and logos using the aquajet technique. All colours and patterns in the Step collection have been carefully co-ordinated with other Forbo Flooring collections and the colour range is continued across the different slip requirements, allowing the creation of harmonious, colour co-ordinated interiors no matter how varied and demanding the requirements may be. A wide selection of bright colours have been incorporated, for maximum visual impact and standout from a safety perspective.
Ardex Provides A Fast Track Finish For Harrods When Harrods, redesigned two of their Menswear Departments, ARDEX UK was delighted to work in conjunction with BTM Marble & Granite & BTM Trading Ltd to provide the ideal fixing solution. The project started with an application of ARDEX SD-T B Base Mix over the original floor. Thanks to the ARDEX ‘Rapidry Formula’ technology, the new floor surface dried and hardened in a matter of hours. ARDEX X 7 R Rapid Setting Flexible Tile Adhesive in grey was used to fix the new 600mm x 600mm Porcelain floor tiles & 800mm x 800mm Emperador Marble floor tiles. Suitable for fixing all types of wall and floor tiles, ARDEX X 7 R can be walked on and grouted just 2 hours after application. Additional features include excellent slump resistance, superior application properties and suitability for use with underfloor heating. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 81 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
“Slips and trips account for over a third of all reported accidents and there is an increasing duty of care to design out risk as much as possible,” said Julie Dempster, UK Marketing Manager at Forbo Flooring Systems. “With the new Step range, designers need no longer feel that because of this, their design freedom is curtailed. Forbo has been able to combine its expertise in safety flooring and flooring design to develop a range that delivers on all fronts.” s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 78 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Caesarstone To Launch New Colours At KBB Show CaesarStone, synonymous with style and durability, has created a new unique selection of colours for its surfaces. The new colours will be showcased at the KBB show on Stand K41, Hall 17 at the NEC in March. The new selection includes ‘Dusty Stones,’ ‘Black Rocks,’ ‘Buttermilk,’ Organic White,’ and ‘Pure White,’ the definitive white. Five beautiful new colours introduced to complement the existing range. CaesarStone is an engineered quartz-based surface with low maintenance properties that provide an ease of living that will look great for years to come. CaesarStone is extremely chip, crack, scratch and heat resistant, and no sealing is necessary. So, whether the finish of the work surface is honed or polished, of pale or dark appearance, plain or patterned, all these characteristics remain the same. Its non-porous nature also means it is hygienic and resistant to staining. Just wipe away and the surface is like new again. With CaesarStone you have the full advantage of having chosen a stone that is both attractive, highly practical and comes with a 15 year guarantee. CaesarStone will also be proudly presenting the world’s first quartz surfaces with an embossed, textured look and feel at the KBB show. Developed by CaesarStone, Motivo™ is a brilliant new technology that enables you to create pattern-designed finishes from our range of surfaces. A registered CaesarStone patent, Motivo was created by a unique technique developed by CaesarStone’s team of cutting-edge design professionals. The new Motivo technique creates a sand-blasted
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effect while still adhering to CaesarStone’s high quality standards and physical properties. This means that Motivo surfaces are non-porous, equally care-free and therefore applicable for kitchen backsplashes, wall panelling, vanity tops, custom-made furniture and more. The Crocodile (black 3100) and the Lace (white 2141) patterns represent current samples available in stock. However, the Motivo technology can be implemented to create any desired pattern (subject to colour & quantity) CaesarStone also has ‘green’ credentials, as it is the only quartz surface company to manufacture its products with strict adherence to global environmental standards. (ISO 14001) C.R. Laurence is the UK distributors of CaesarStone and hold over 3,500 slabs in stock for immediate call off by a nationwide network of approved fabricators. C.R. Laurence’s current stock of CaesarStone includes over 30 different designs and colours, available in honed or polished finish, providing the widest choice to meet any style and setting. The product value does not just start and end with the CaesarStone work surface, the high standard is maintained through the careful selection of Approved Fabricators to ensure the quality and service to each client and to uphold the CaesarStone reputation. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 82 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Victorian Woodworks Timber Delights At The Parlour When Drake & Morgan acquired their second site, the parlour, in Canary Wharf only a bold and innovative interior design would do. Having provided some of the capital’s most stylish hospitality venues with luxurious timber solutions, including Drake & Morgan’s award winning the refinery, Victorian Woodworks were delighted to once again provide the inspiration. The parlour is the perfect antidote to the City, located within The Park Pavilion in Canada Square, adjacent to the iconic One Canada Square, the tallest building in Britain. Stepping through the doors of the parlour, guests are immediately greeted with a unique handmade chandelier of spoons, spatulas, ladles and lights in a playful take on a design classic. To the left, a secret garden-inspired lounge with wicker hanging chairs, timber panelling
and soft banquette seating is a must for cocktail lovers and perfect for pre or post dinner drinks. Huge ceilings look down on high wooden tables and circular booths, and in addition, an intimate wine room and alfresco terrace offer ideal retreats from the hustle and bustle. Renowned for their creativity and flair, Victorian Woodworks specified a variation of timber for the floors and walls, offering an interesting blend of colours and textures. For the floors, Reclaimed Silvertown Pine was chosen, as not only is it a very attractive timber, but it is extremely hard-wearing, and will therefore easily meet the demands of such a heavily trafficked commercial environment. To contrast the flooring, Reclaimed Desert Oak was used for the wall cladding. Creating a truly organic surface reminiscent of battered, weathered boards, the inherent knots and splits purvey a ruggedness and unique character that further enhances the interior of the building. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 83 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Lark Hill Village Keeps Young At Heart With Ardex ARDEX UK played their part in the development of the UK’s largest retirement village, Lark Hill Village which recently opened in Nottingham. The 14,000m2 project, Telling (Finishings) prepared the floor areas with ARDEX K 301 Exterior Self-Smoothing Levelling and Resurfacing Compound. For the tiling stages, ARDEX X 7 Rapid Setting Flexible Tile Adhesive was used to fix Craven Dunnill Project Ceramics Porcelain tiles. All of the tile joints were grouted with ARDEX-FLEX FL Rapid Setting, Flexible Tile Grout. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 84 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
The Newhaven Towel Rail From JIS Europe
Elegant And Automated – Schell Puris Taps
JIS Europe Ltd has introduced a new addition to the already extensive Sussex Range. The new rail is very different in appearance and use to the existing range and has the high standards of design and finish for which JIS is well known. The Newhaven Rail is very substantial at 480 x 520mm and the top part of the rail extends horizontally, giving a total projection of 360mm. This provides a ‘shelf’, still heated of course, that is ideal for airing folded towels.
SCHELL GmbH has been manufacturing elegant and innovative taps in Germany for over 75 years. These are now available in UK, distributed through the merchant network by Fluid Systems of Guildford. The latest SCHELL products to become available here are the Puris range of automated ‘hands free’, hygienic taps with modern prize-winning styling and an excellently engineered finish. They are designed to prevent water wastage as much as possible.
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 85 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 86 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Taper-Loc System
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 88 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Zero From MHS Radiators – A High Output Alternative To Steel Panels MHS Radiators has launched the Zero range of low cost, lightweight aluminium radiators with contemporary styling and excellent heat outputs from 423W to 3,068W. They make an excellent alternative to steel panel radiators and thanks to their low water content heat up rapidly and are extremely efficient. And where high pressures are needed, like high rise buildings, Zero operates at up to 16 BAR, making specification simple. Available in white or polished finishes, Zero works well with traditional heating systems, or lower temperature heating systems, like heat pumps. There are four heights available, (from 373mm to 823mm) and eight lengths (422mm to 2,044mm). All sizes are lightweight enough for one person to fit. The Zero’s aluminium construction means the radiators can be recycled at the end of their lives, reducing their impact on the environment. Thanks to their stylish and simple design, Zero radiators will fit in with any commercial or residential interior.
The Taper-Loc System is a revolutionary new frameless glass balustrade system. The precision measured control gives you high quality installations every time. • • • •
50% faster to install than traditional alternatives For toughened/toughened laminated glass from 12mm-25.52mm thick Dry glaze system, no need for cement Tested to meet the strictest building code requirements BS6180:1999 and BS6399-1:1996 • The product is completely unique because it uses a horizontal taper-loc design, which allows the system to be adjusted, dismantled and re-set. Patented
s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 87 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
For more information freephone
00 800 0421 6144 e: CRL@crlaurence.co.uk f: 00 800 0262 3299
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Gorrels Way, Trans-Pennine Trading Estate, Rochdale OL11 2PX England
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EverEdge Makes Lions & Dragons ! Drivers travelling from Wales into England along the new 3 mile A5117 Deeside Park Junction road to the NW of Chester will receive a dramatic welcome - a 20 metre long lion! And travellers heading towards Wales will be welcomed by a huge 17 metre high dragon. Richard Waddell of Moore Environment was the artist and architect behind the scheme, with the work being carried out by Carillion on behalf of the Highways Agency. The features are cut into purpose designed roadside embankments, and were formed using 400 metres of EverEdge galvanised steel edging, before being infilled with 10 tonnes of white marble stone pebbles. EverEdge was chosen over UV Polypropylene, Aluminium and other steel edging products for its strength, flexibility and scope of products available. Carillion assigned a former panel beater to lead the construction team and with the help of a temporary but sturdy post on site to help work and bend the edging to some very tight radii, the team were delighted with the edging material (EverEdge ProEdge 125 x 2500 x 2.5 mm) which performed well in extremely difficult site conditions. The team are very confident that EverEdge was the cost effective choice that will last through the intended design life of the features. Moore Environment were impressed with the service and advice from EverEdge throughout the entire process. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 89 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
New Yas Marina Motor Racing Circuit Opens In Abu Dhabi New Thorn Areaflood Meets All Requirements The new Thorn Areaflood range is a complete matching series of discharge and compact fluorescent luminaires from 42W to 600W. The aluminium floodlight is based on the Champion sports projector, with an inclined front glass and integrated visor giving precise light control. There are two sizes, with asymmetric or ‘street’ reflectors. Peak beam angles are up to 60 degrees, with a total cut off at 90 degrees. Areaflood is sealed to IP66 and can be supplied with integral photocell, adaptive controls, hotrestrike gear and emergency lighting. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 90 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Flood Alert! A chilling statement – especially if you are living in a flood risk area, and in particular if it has happened to you in the past. With global warming a given, increasingly tracts of land will become susceptible to flooding. There is now a product on the market, TASK GREEN which provides a unique solution – a flood barrier in the form of fencing. The fence construction is made from 100% recycled materials, and can also be used as boundary fence, sound barrier, agricultural pens and marine decking! Temporary flood protection is attained by embedding one or more boards below ground surface between post lengths. Rapid assembly of panels is achieved by fixing relevant height posts to the embedded base via steel inserts, and then slotting boards into post grooves and tightening with a clamp. Permanent barriers can be assembled using a unique adhesive (supplied). Posts can be angled to achieve curved formations. Dismantling of the panels is just a matter of reversing the process, and of course, they are re-useable for the next adverse forecast. The innovative composite polymer material is structured with internal cavities, providing great strength, resistance to water, uv deterioration, and most chemicals. The material has a life span of 3 to 10 times that of ordinary timber products, needs minimal maintenance, and is recyclable at the end of its useful life. The panels and posts are robust and aesthetically pleasing. The system accommodates internal cabling for security, lighting and CCTV. Boards and posts can be cut on site, but the manufacturers would recommend that assembly should be undertaken by an Approved Installer. The manufacturer, Task Green, has been awarded a Green Apple Environmental Award. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 91 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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1st November 2009 saw the first F1 race at the new Yas Marina Circuit located on the 25km2 Yas Island to the east of Abu Dhabi City. Hauraton were chosen to supply the surface water drainage systems which had to be just as innovative as the spectacular Yas Marina complex itself. According to Hauraton CEO Marcus Reuter, “The demands made on us were extremely high, as much on our support team as on the surface water drainage systems supplied.” Four Hauraton products were installed at the Yas Marina Circuit track and surrounding complex. To provide the surface water drainage requirement, RECYFIX® HICAP® Series G, RECYFIX® HICAP® standard units and FASERFIX® SUPER. FASERFIX® Service Channels featuring ductile iron covers were supplied to manage the miles of media cables used during televised events. The surface water drainage system installed in the track had to withstand the incredible levels of power and high speeds Formula 1 racing involves. As they cover the 56 laps of a race, cars can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h. The RECYFIX® HICAP® Series G channels were installed in the actual race track providing high capacity drainage with a discreet appearance. Having a F900 loading category, Series G units are designed to withstand additional forces not normally required with surface water drainage schemes. Featuring a one-piece slot and inlet adaptor made of GGG50 ductile iron, securely attached to the tough Polyethylene-Polypropylene (PE-PP) channel component. Once installed the complete system is highly resilient to the twisting and powerful suction forces imposed by racing cars. RECYFIX® HICAP® standard units and FASERFIX® SUPER Channels were installed in the access roads and service areas around the circuit. Each RECYFIX® HICAP® standard unit supplied weighed less than 25kg, so one man lift procedures could be adopted during installation of these units.
They were fitted with ductile iron mesh inlets also certified for F900 load category. Affording a superior overall hydraulic performance, both HICAP® systems and FASERFIX® SUPER Channels allowed the circuit’s engineers and contractors’ flexibility in roadway design and installation, reducing the number of channel runs normally required to drain a given area. As there were fewer runs required, the surfaces strength was not compromised whilst future maintenance and cleaning will also be reduced. The FASERFIX® SUPER fibre reinforced concrete surface water drainage channels were also installed in various residential and public access areas. Featuring metal protection along their top edges, not only does this detail provide exceptional wear resistance and increased load bearing capability, the components are so strong, even prior to installation, they are able to endure the rigours of this enormous building project. Marcus concludes, “Given the project was the biggest in the company’s history, we allocated a team of our application engineers to the site, we were very happy to make this “Task Force” commitment. The team supervised the installation of all our products that again proved to be easy and efficient to install, providing a safe, functional and aesthetically pleasing appearance to the racing surface and other areas of this spectacular motor racing venue”. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 92 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Yorkon And Tesco Set New Record For Speed Of Construction Following Cumbria Floods Off-site specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has set a new record for speed of construction to help Tesco ease some of the problems facing the flood-hit community of Workington in Cumbria. A new, 13,300sqft purpose-built interim Tesco supermarket was delivered and installed on a brownfield site in an unprecedented 18 hours, and open and trading just 13 days after start on site. Yorkon and main contractors Johnson Construction worked through the night, completing the installation of the store at 6am ready for shop fitting to begin. Opening today, the supermarket will operate in addition to Tesco’s main store in Workington which remains open but is now out of reach to the thousands of residents cut off on the north side of the River Derwent. The community in the Seaton and Northside areas of Workington, as well as those along the coast to Flimby and Maryport now face a detour of up to 40 miles to Workington town centre after bridges were destroyed or closed following the floods. Yorkon craned 26 14m long modules into position in an accelerated programme of one unit every 30 minutes. This involved two teams of ten Yorkon site staff working in shifts through the night and at a weekend, and using two cranes to achieve a watertight envelope as fast as possible, ready for the shop fitting teams to move in. The store, which has a retail sales area of 10,000sqft, is a new modular supermarket design that Yorkon has developed with Tesco, used for the first time at Barnsley in South Yorkshire. It is almost three times the size of the convenience stores manufactured by Yorkon for Tesco previously, and has been engineered to minimise the number of internal columns for maximum clear spans. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 93 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Yorkshire School Celebrates Record Exam Results Despite Devastating Fire Following a devastating fire which destroyed half of their school’s buildings, pupils at Carleton Community High School in Pontefract, West Yorkshire studying in a new interim school supplied by Portakabin, achieved record GCSE exam results. In one of the most challenging projects ever undertaken by Portakabin, 23 separate school buildings comprising 114 Ultima building modules were sourced, fully fitted out, installed and occupied by the school in just six weeks from receipt of order, despite freezing working conditions and whilst meeting the school’s stringent design and logistics requirements. The school is a specialist science and mathematics college. Its 971 pupils were immediately displaced following the fire, so it was critical that the new interim school was up and running as fast as possible. Portakabin was able to provide a rapid response and complete solution to minimise disruption to the children’s education. This included foundations, building installation, fitting out to the school’s exact requirements, fire and intruder alarms, and access ramps and steps. The buildings, which span more than 4,000sqm, are being hired for three years while the damaged parts of the school are re-built. As this project illustrates, delivery of school buildings on time is critical to minimising disruption to children’s education, but is even more important in emergency situations such as fire and floods. To provide assurance that Portakabin will deliver every education building on time and on budget, the company has just launched a ground-breaking Customer Charter. The Charter gives a series of clear commitments which is unprecedented in the construction industry, and if delivery on time and on budget is not achieved, a week’s free hire will be provided for every day a project is delayed, subject to contract terms. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 94 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Foremans Calls On More Organisations To Dispose Of Surplus Modular Buildings Sustainably Foremans Relocatable Building Systems is calling on more organisations to dispose of surplus modular buildings sustainably. The company is looking to further expand its stocks to meet the growing demand for refurbished modular buildings but says that too few organisations are considering recycling when they need to dispose of excess accommodation. Foremans, which is the largest purchaser of pre-owned modular buildings in the UK, has recently completed a project for Slough Borough Council. Working over a weekend and to a tight programme to avoid disruption to the Town Hall offices, Foremans removed a 17-module Portakabin building from the site in the centre of Slough. Commenting on the project, Jamila Ibrahim, Moves Co-ordinator at Slough Borough Council, said, “The introduction of new ways of working, such as desk sharing and home working, has freed up space within the main Council office building, which meant this modular building became surplus to our requirements. We considered transferring the building to another site for use as classrooms but this was not financially viable.” “Foremans put a proper structure and programme of works in place for its removal, which set out clear timescales and responsibilities from the outset. This ensured the entire process was seamless and efficient. The Foremans team performed extremely well from start to finish.” “Their offer to buy our building, as well as incur all removal
costs, gave the Council the best value over the other contractors we considered. Foremans provided a full service and we would definitely recommend the approach to other organisations with excess modular accommodation.” The building will now be fully refurbished and could be used for a range of temporary or permanent applications – from offices to teaching blocks, airport buildings, nurseries and hospital ward accommodation. Foremans removes up to 1,000 steel-framed modules every year from sites across the UK as demand for its building services continues to increase. The recycling and refurbishment of modular buildings is now recognised as one of the most sustainable methods of construction – reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill and preserving the structural elements of a building which have significant embodied energy. Foremans will undertake a full site survey and evaluation free of charge anywhere in the UK, and will remove each building to an agreed programme and with the minimum disruption. The decommissioning and removal of full or part-buildings is carried out by Foremans’ fully trained in-house site teams, in compliance with all health and safety, and CDM regulations. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 95 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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“The Stannah Maxilift and Trolleylift fulfilled the owners’ luxury-plus-conscience ethos backed by cost-effective performance and local after-sales service. Also, Stannah’s Technical Representative, Tony Stockman, was extremely helpful at all stages in determining the right lift for the job, its operational features and finishing touches.”
Harrison Sutton Partnership Architect, Jon Capel
Stannah At The Scarlet Hotel: Two Lifts Get The Green Light At Cream-Of-Cornwall Eco Hotel Since opening on the 1st of September 2009, the UK’s first-ever, purposebuilt, luxury, eco-friendly ‘Scarlet Hotel’ in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall has been running smoothly and efficiently with the uplifting assistance of two Stannah lift products. Throughout this multi-tiered venue, guests, staff and visitors now appreciate the leg-saving services of an 8-person Maxilift MXL hydraulic passenger lift, supported by a 250kg Trolleylift for the heavy-duty haulage of baggage, boxes, crates and cartons.
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“By establishing an excellent working relationship with architect and contractor, Stannah helped set the tone for this challenging project. Our professional and resourceful teamwork contributed to realising a stringent ecological brief which changed as the hotel evolved.” Stannah Technical Sales Representative, Tony Stockman.
Green-tinted glasses – how a family vision came true The £9.5m, family-owned Scarlet Hotel is the eco-child of the three Whittington sisters whose veins must run with green blood as they also own the nearby 1960s-built Bedruthan Steps hotel, where solar panels and a grass roof were installed at a time when such actions were considered bizarre. Fitting neatly into a comprehensive sustainable-environment agenda including a recyclable external copper wall, 150sq.m. of solar panelling, and heating via a biomass boiler, the two Stannah lifts contribute to the embracing mantra of ‘luxury and conscience’ whilst servicing the six staggered terraces that comprise this 37-bedroom, wholly-adult sanctuary with a strict policy of no children or pets.
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The project was handled by the design partnership of Totnes-based Chartered Architects, Harrison Sutton Partnership, and German timber-frame builder, Bauwerk. The lifts were specified as part of this collaboration, overcoming German competition for reasons of cost-effective eco-suitability and local after-sales service. This positive partnership was supported by Stannah Technical Representative, Tony Stockman, whose excellent working relationship with both parties helped ease the lift specification process within a constantlyevolving and scrupulous ecological policy. Smooth, silent service - how the lifts shaped up As the lifts were catered for from the drawing board, their installation complemented the hotel’s green dream, followed by a successful handover and problem-free performance record. Finished in complementary blue laminate with a wood-effect floor, the MXL passenger lift is a motor room-less model that houses the hydraulic drive system within the lift shaft and the controller in any of the landing architraves. This flexibility saved on space and cost, making it the ideal choice for any eco-conscious enterprise. The MXL is the deluxe model in the Maxilift range of passenger lifts and, as with all Stannah passenger lifts, helped the Whittington sisters meet with DDA requirements for access for people of all mobility levels. The Trolleylift is a rugged service lift that loads from floor level. The landing entrances are protected by a single, hinged, steel door with grey baked-enamel finish, and a concertina shutter-leaf gate with a galvanised finish. All doors have safety locks to comply with safety regulations. Supplied in a structure-supported frame, the lift does not require a separate
“The Scarlet Hotel is a haven of peace, and sustainable opulence. Every care has been taken to enhance customer and staff comfort, including the provision of a luxury passenger lift and a trolleylift. These reliable Stannah lift products will discreetly improve our service and help us maintain the safe movement of people and goods.”
Scarlet Hotel General Manager, Nikki Broom
motor room or load-bearing lift shaft. It was easily and swiftly installed with the minimum of builder’s work and helps the owners meet the requirements of the Manual Handling Regulations. This through-car model is ideal for the reliable, efficient movement of larger loads such as luggage, laundry and supplies in this deceptively busy environment. Access and assistance – luxury with less legwork Built into the hillside with a sympathetic, curvilinear profile, the hotel relies on its two Stannah lifts to help optimise accessibility and streamline service so that everyone can fully appreciate the outstanding features and facilities which include: • picture windows at all levels - reveal panoramic views of the bay • unusual art and sculpture - instil individuality in key public areas • colourful furnishings, warming wood, cool slate floors - comfort naturally • a sumptuous restaurant – delights with the finest, locally-sourced organic food • an authentic Ayurvedic spa - pampers the most indulgent of luxury-lovers s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 96 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Neaco Products Look the Part at Boho One Two Neaco products are providing practical and aesthetic benefits as part of an extensive specification at Boho One, an exciting £10 million development in Middlesbrough designed to accommodate and support businesses working in digital and creative sectors. Neaco’s Techdek aluminium open grille system has been selected to provide an external walkway together with the company’s Techbar flat-bar balustrade for a bridge structure linking office buildings of the Digital Enterprise Centre. Adrian Philpotts of Xsite Architecture explained the reasons for specifying both products: “Techdek’s T-bar profile was ideal for the walkway as it gives the feel of transparency, drains water effectively and doesn’t block light yet provides a large contact area with just a 5mm gap between grilles, making it safe to walk on for even the most impractical types of footwear,” he said. “It also provides a contemporary industrial look which matches the overall aesthetics of the development with a ready mill finish. The metallic finish of the Spectrum balustrade complements the Techdek with the same aesthetic impact. Both systems have proved to be an excellent specification as well as being very cost-effective.” Boho One is the flagship building of the Boho Zone area of Middlesbrough, which is designed to become the region’s answer to the creative quarters of New York and London. The development is a sustainable building project and has met BREEAM Excellent standard. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 97 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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NIBE Helps With Claire’s Cornish Eco-Build Claire Alderson’s dream of an eco-friendly home on the lovely Roselend Peninsula in Cornwall has at last become a reality. Perched high on a steep slope, the sea-views are stunning and Claire and her husband Andrew are delighted with the practicality as well as the envirofriendliness of their new house. Working closely with architects Evans Vettori, they have used locally sourced materials and local labour wherever possible and have been amply repaid in personal service and easy contactability. For heating, Claire originally intended to go geothermal until Matthew Trewhela of Independent Energy pointed out the pitfalls that could attend boreholes in an extremely steep hillside where there are houses below you. He pointed out first that the boreholes would almost certainly have to be very deep and secondly that the likelihood of hitting water and sludge could mean some very unpleasant flooding for the neighbours below them. As a result the Aldersons reverted to their original choice of an airsourced heat pump, an option they had discarded as they feared that the noise level would be high. Independent Energy got over this problem by suggesting the installation, at the side of the house away from the patio area, of a NIBE Fighter 2025, a heat pump that is powerful yet extremely quiet in operation. This has proved ideal for supplying all the energy needed for the under-floor heating that has been installed throughout the house.
The money saved by discarding the idea of deep boreholes was spent on photovoltaic solar panels to supply energy for water heating. Since the NIBE air-sourced heat pump is designed to work happily in tandem with solar powered systems, the combination of the two has proved ideal and indeed Claire Alderson is hoping to make a few hundred pounds a year by selling their unneeded electricity back to the National Grid. So when bad weather prevents them sitting outside admiring the view, the Aldersons can instead admire it, in the warm, through the large picture windows at the front of the house, secure in the knowledge that their heating is sourced by nature even in the winter’s cold. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 98 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
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Zinc Hits Record Heights The £80m Sky Plaza’s 349,000 square feet of student accommodation and 4,400 square feet of ancillary retail space is already a focal point of the Leeds skyline and is thought to be the biggest zinc cladding project in the U.K. to date. Carey Jones’ design utilised VMZINC’s rainscreen panel system in ANTHRAZINC® for the full extent of the north façade. The zinc complements deeply recessed casement windows which are split into horizontal sections every seven floors and met criteria for use of materials with minimal environmental impact. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 99 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Abet Laminates On Another Planet
Just What The Doctor Ordered: Improved Security! Demand for built-in security shutters looks set to grow due to the ever-increasing need to improve security. That’s the view of the project manager who oversaw the recent £3m development of the Grange Road Medical Centre in Dudley, Birmingham. The centre, which houses nine GPs, a minor surgery room, two treatment rooms, a physiotherapy room, a baby clinic as well as the offices of the Primary Care Trust, is protected by built-in security shutters from the Charter-Integr8 range. 35 shutters were fitted to protect vulnerable ground floor windows and doors at a cost of £35,000. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 100 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
High pressure laminates from ABET LAMINATI are being used throughout the eye-catching new Planet Hollywood restaurant in the Haymarket, London. This stunning venue was furnished from wall to wall by RHA furniture who specified ABET LAMINATI’s Legni woodgrains on many interior finishes. Legni 312 Wenge in a SEI finish has been used extensively. The woodgrain effect provides a hard wearing, elegant finish which complements the backdrop of exposed brickwork and natural timber floors. The consistency in appearance and quality from sheet to sheet ensures that the laminate has a uniformed look throughout the restaurant as a whole. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 101 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Primary School Turns To movemanSKG! Ottery St. Mary Primary School in Devon takes the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) very seriously. It has modified its premises to improve wheelchair access by installing two movemanSKG platform lifts, despite not having any disabled children currently attending. Head Teacher Doug Rylance explains; “Although there are no wheelchair users enrolled at Ottery St Mary Primary School at the moment, this could change at any time. We offer the same high standards of education to all students. movemanSKG’s lifts mean children with mobility problems will be able to move freely and independently around the building.” Opened in 1967 and extended in 1975, Ottery St Mary Primary School accepts children aged between five and eleven. A selection of extracurricular activities are on offer at lunchtimes and after-school including, drama, orchestra, and sports. In the school’s assembly hall is a new movemanSKG Prima platform lift. Travelling approximately 450mm, it allows less able students to overcome a short flight of stairs and exit the hall. The lift is key-operated to prevent misuse. A two-stop Prestige located near the school’s reception area means wheelchair users can reach classrooms on the first floor. It features a firerated door at the lower landing, which resists intense heat for up to one hour, and through entry configuration for swift, simple passage. Both wheelchair lifts are market leading models. Prima is a compact model that does not require a pit. It can be relocated to a different site if required. Prestige lifts 400kg up to 13,000mm. It comes in a variety of colours and finishes, enabling its seamless integration into any environment. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 102 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
112 Projects
Esha Universal Specified For ‘Balehaus’ The House Made Of Straw A unique, environmentally friendly two story house constructed at the University of Bath, entirely of straw bales was officially opened by Grand Design’s Kevin McCloud last month and features a roofing membrane supplied by Esha UK as it was the only one that could meet the projects demanding sustainable and environmental specification. Researchers at the University of Bath’s BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials have, for some time, been researching, on behalf of ModCell, low carbon alternatives to traditional building materials. The University has developed new ways of using timber and other cropbased materials such as hemp, natural fiber composites and straw bales -straw being the ultimate environmentally-friendly building material since it is renewable and is a farming by-product. Straw also has high insulating properties -houses made of straw bales need almost no conventional heating, keeping running costs low and minimising environmental impact. Over the coming year the research team will be assessing the ModCell straw bale panels as building materials to establish if they can be used more widely for housing construction, helping the UK achieve its targets for reducing carbon emissions. Professor Peter Walker, Director of the Centre, who is leading the research said: “The environmental impact of the construction industry is huge. For example, it is estimated that worldwide the manufacture of cement contributes up to ten per cent of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions. We are looking at a variety of low carbon building materials including crop-based materials, innovative uses of traditional materials and developing low carbon cements and concretes to reduce impact of new infrastructure.” The two storey ‘BaleHaus’ was constructed using a ‘ModCell’ system - pre-fabricated panels, consisting of a structural wooden frame, infilled with straw bales and rendered with a breathable lime-
based mix. ModCell is the creation of White Design in Bristol and Integral Structural Design in Bath. For the roofing membrane, ModCell wanted a product which was capable of matching the projects’ strong sustainable and environmental credentials and therefore specified Esha Universal. Esha Universal is a single layer, POCB (Polyolefin Copolymer Bitumen Binder) environmentally friendly roofing membrane that offers the low temperature performance of SBS membranes combined with the high – end performance of APP membranes. Uniquely, it is manufactured featuring recycled content from Esha’s own recycling plant –the world’s first. Thanks to Esha Universal’s unique compound and homogeneous structure the product is completely stable, it will not stretch, split or shrink, providing stress free overlap points to ensure a watertight bond is maintained for the lifetime of the roof, at which point Esha Universal can be fully recycled. Roofing contractors Span Roofing installed Esha Universal by mechanically fixing it to a plywood deck. The BaleHaus will be monitored for a year for insulating properties, humidity levels, air and water tightness and sound insulation qualities. Other partners on the research project, which is partly funded by the Technology Strategy Board, include: Agrifibre Technologies, Lime Technology, Eurban, The Centre for Window & Cladding Technology and Willmott Dixon. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 103 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Projects 113
B/i : the book!
Seniors Support Balehaus@bath One of the most exiting developments in today’s construction is the use of Carbon negative materials - a building technique which goes way past the carbon neutral approach. The BaleHaus at Bath University is fabricated from an established straw panel system know as ModCell. The experimental building, which has now been commissioned, is being rigorously tested by the University to determine its suitability for our future construction needs. The small building at Bath actually locks away almost 30 tonnes of atmospheric CO2 - thats after the carbon used in its construction has been taken into consideration. Hybrid, Seniors aluminium timber composite system, has been chosen by ModCell as the material of choice as its construction cycle closely matches that of the ModCell ethic. A window system that is manufactured locally meaning shorter delivery distances to site which save carbon costs. Add this to the high insulation that can be achieved of down to 1.2 overall window ‘U’ value, which can be achieved using Hybrid, and we can begin to see why this window system is proving very popular with specifiers. The BaleHaus@Bath was opened in November by Kevin McCloud who has taken a great deal of interest in this style of construction since ModCell was used on one of the Grand Designs programmes. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 104 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Ardex Turns On The Style At Guess
Safe Crossgrip Flies High Crossgrip safety matting has recently been installed on the roofs of two buildings which both serve airports - The Heathrow/ Windsor Marriott Hotel at Langley, near Slough, and at Manchester Airport. At Manchester Airport, Project managers DTZ appointed contractors Weatherproofing Advisors to repair some areas of the roof of office building ‘4M’. It has been refurbished with Crossgrip matting to provide safe walkways and to provide access to the rooftop services. Here, the matting’s deeply etched open grid surface provides permanent high slip resistance. Near Heathrow Airport, the Windsor Marriott Hotel has undergone a £5 million refurbishment. Here, the same matting has been installed by MPB Waterproofing. This is laid on the bitumen roof embedded with solar-reflective stones and is strong enough to cope with the impact of the stones’ sharp edges. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 105 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
ARDEX UK provided the ideal tile fixing solution for the new GUESS store, which recently opened on London’s trendy Regent Street. A fast track tiling solution was specified. Stylish, large format 1200mm x 600mm Porcelain floor tiles were fixed with ARDEX X 78 S MICROTEC® Ultra Rapid Setting Floor Tile Adhesive in grey. Specifically designed to revolutionise fixing large format floor tiles, ARDEX X 78 S has a unique consistency which offers all the benefits of a pourable adhesive without the disadvantages of dripping. It is also possible to achieve solid bed fixing without the need to butter the tile back whilst avoiding negatives such as unwanted mess or filling of grout joints. Additional benefits mean that tiles can be walked on and grouted after just 90 minutes. For the perfect finish, ARDEX–FLEX FL Rapid Setting Flexible Grout, available in 32 colours, was used to fill the tile joints. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 106 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
A Stannah ‘64-person Revamp’ Lifts Hospital Into 21st Century The Bristol branch of Stannah Lift Services Ltd has completed the refurbishment of the two 32-person, traction-drive bed lifts in the £39 million Terence Lewis building at Derriford Hospital, a large teaching hospital serving Plymouth and nearby areas in Devon and Cornwall. Bristol Stannah Lift Services Ltd was commissioned to give the two lifts a complete overhaul. From satin-stainlesssteel lift cars to entrances, controllers and slings, all components were replaced in order to deliver and maintain the highest level of long-lasting performance within this challenging environment. Stannah Lift Services maintains, services, repairs, modernises and refurbishes all types of lifts, stairlifts, escalators and moving walkways – not only those from the Stannah product range, but also other lift manufacturers’ equipment. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 107 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
114 Projects
Curved Glass Canopies Complete Stylish New Factory Facade Two curved glass canopies secured using SFS intec’s innovative canopy fixing system have added the finishing touch to a new factory complex for one of the UK’s largest suppliers of potatoes and vegetables. The new Prepared Factory building for Branston Ltd in Lincolnshire has been designed to incorporate a contemporary glazed main entrance featuring curtain walling over which is a curved glass canopy spanning 2.6m. A second canopy of a similar size has been installed above the staff entrance to the building. Both glass canopies were installed by aluminium curtain walling specialist MB Glass who were awarded the contract by main contractor Chalcroft Construction. MB Glass provided crucial design input at the concept stage to ensure safe, secure canopies were achievable with slim, unobtrusive attachments to the structure. The SFS intec VDS80 canopy attachment system was used for both canopies, each featuring three tie-bars to deliver a contemporary look. On the curtain wall façade, this system was used in combination with MB Glass’s special bracket which attaches directly to the aluminium curtain walling so there is no need for additional support. The curve and angle of each canopy ensures that rainwater runs off at the sides to keep the public area adequately sheltered. And by using glass, the amount of natural daylight inside and outside the entrances is maximised.
Mark Brown, managing director of MB Glass says, “We were appointed to design, manufacture and install the whole external glazed façade at the new Branston factory which included glass canopies. Thanks to the SFS intec system and our own special bracket, we were able to deliver a very impressive looking result with no need for bulky canopy attachments.” The SFS intec glass canopy system is available in three packages to suit small, medium and large canopies making it easy to specify. Attachment is by proven SFS intec single-point glass retainers and tie rods mounted on the wall bracket with bolts and locking pins. The pitch of the canopy can be adjusted +/- 5 degrees by rotating the tie rods. s ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 108 www.buildinginnovations.co.uk/card
Projects 115