The Essential Building Product Review www.ebpr.co.uk august 2022 review
Some of the colour photography used in The Review is provided and paid for by contributors. The publishers do not accept liability for errors that may appear in the publication. Dedicated to our friend and colleague, Mike Mahon. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the publisher's consent. Published by L2Media Ltd, Parkfield Business Centre, Park Street, Stafford ST17 4AL. Tel: 01785 223253 Fax: 0845 862 8639 www.l2media.uk review 04 - design news 16 - news 20 - interiors 32 - doors, windows & glazing 40 - environmental control 44 - viewpoint 48 - project news contents...1405 21 27 37 57 69 front cover photo courtesy of James Jones & Sons - www.jamesjones.co.uk inside front cover photo courtesy of Cupa Pizarras - www.cupapizarras.com/uk/
Drawn from all across Scotland, the winners of the RIAS Awards 2022 include a new secondary school that places students’ mental health and well-being at the heart of its design, the rescue and restoration of an iconic Modernist house, and an exquisite rural office building on the edge of the Balmoral Estate.
The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced eight exceptional buildings as winners of Scotland’s national architecture awards.
The James Jones & Sons Lockerbie site is the largest single site sawmill complex in the UK and the most technically advanced. As such, Lockerbie receives a high number of visitors – including small groups of customer visits, customer training courses, academic institutions, and industry events. The idea for the building recognised the need to provide increased office accommodation, better visitor facilities, and the opportunity to host onsite training courses and industry meetings, which previously had to be conducted offsite.
Konishi Gaffney did not have to look far for materials for the new offices and visitor centre at the UK’s largest sawmill: the building acts as a demonstration project, almost entirely erected from James Jones’s own products, with an approach to minimising the use of steel and maximising timber.
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The winners of the RIAS Awards will now become the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award – one of the most significant architecture prizes in the world – which will be announced in November. Recipients of the 2022 RIAS Awards are also eligible for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards.
James Jones & Sons held a design competition between two architectural firms and the winning team was Konishi Gaffney from Edinburgh, led by Kieran Gaffney.
This ode to sustainable timber construction showcases the company’s ambition as well as its operations; presenting a flagship for Scotland’s timber industry.
James Jones & Sons Wins RIAS Award For New Visitor Building
"The striking design and innovative use of solid and engineered timber products are a great example of how timber can be used to deliver high quality office and meeting areas. Konishi Gaffney architects were able to articulate this in the building’s design and its fantastic their efforts, and those of the project team, have been recognised”. www.jamesjones.co.uk
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The jury for the 2022 RIAS Awards were Murray Kerr (founder, Denizen Works), Christina Gaiger PRIAS (President, RIAS), Audrey Carlin (CEO, Wasps Studios) and Tony Chapman (former head of awards, RIBA).
RIAS president Christina Gaiger PRIAS said: “This year’s awards show how Scottish architects are rising up to today’s challenges – from the climate emergency to the nation’s mental health – and prove the fundamental role that architecture plays in society.”
In addition to this latest award, the Lockerbie visitor building has also won the 2021 EAA Wood for Good Award and two Scottish Design Awards winning both the Architecture award for a ‘Commercial / Office / Hotel Building or Project’ and the overall ‘Architecture Grand Prix’ award.
Speaking about the awards, Rob MacKenna, General Manager at James Jones Lockerbie site said “We are delighted with the recognition the new building has received. "
In the heart of Lignano Sabbiadoro, a famous resort on the Adriatic coast, a recent renovation project transformed the historic Hotel Monaco into an elegant hotel with contemporary design. Architect Oscar Rizzatti gave the building a facelift, making skilful use of materials to add value to spaces and raise the quality of the accommodation offering. This radical refurbishment enabled the hotel to upgrade its rating from 3 to superior 4 star category.
4-Star Ceramics For Hotel Monaco At SabbiadoroLignano
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The large-size tiles reproduce all the typical veins and streaking of Carrara marble in fine porcelain stoneware, thanks to a state-of-the-art digital Thetechnology.snowywhiteness of the original raw material combined with the quality of the best Italianmade ceramics bestows immense elegance on all the interiors. (cont...)
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An important part in this project was played by the Majestic collection by Ceramiche Piemme, which provides the unifying element to ensure stylistic continuity throughout the hotel: from the small but attractive foyer to the communal areas of the floors and the bathrooms of the 9 junior suites.
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“At the Hotel Monaco, we worked to eliminate the superfluous, giving every interior its own sophisticated character, in which nothing is left to chance. The choice of materials was therefore fundamental in achieving this result."
"The luminous Ceramiche Piemme flooring welcomes guests right from the entrance, immediately raising the hotel’s perceived quality,” Oscar Rizzatti underlines.
The marble-effect slabs were combined with wenge wood for other floors in the rooms and for furnishings and fittings designed in association with “Areedesign” of Codroipo (Udine).
Hotel Monaco is able to offer 34 rooms including 9 large junior suites. It also features an extensive panoramic terrace with solarium and relaxation area overlooking the water features of Piazza Fontana, the heart of this resort town. The bar, open to the public, and the breakfast room have also been restyled. www.ceramichepiemme.it
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ISG has won a £50 million project to redevelop and refurbish Woolworth House in the heart of London’s West End. The mixed-use scheme, for General Projects with Henderson Park, will increase the building’s gross area by circa 100,000 sq ft. to over 236,000 sq ft, offering 172,000 sq ft. of lettable space and increase floor areas by over 40%.
A new extension will significantly increase outdoor and green space, adding over 6,000 sq ft of new landscaped gardens. To achieve this, the scope of work includes infilling the existing courtyard area up to the seventh floor, providing tiered planted terraces and the structure will be extended with various additions across floors three to eight using a steel frame with cross laminated timber (CLT) slabs. In addition, the existing roof plant enclosures will be removed and consolidated, allowing the creation of rooftop office pavilions on level five and eight. Designed by London architect AHMM, the environmental performance of the refurbished building will be boosted to a BREEAM rating of Outstanding.
ISG Awarded £50 Million Low Carbon Marylebone Office Scheme
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It includes the complete refurbishment of the existing eight-storey office building, located at 242 Marylebone Road in the London Borough of Westminster. Renamed Metropolis, the new building will benefit from both office and retail facilities, with external green roof terraces across every floor. An events auditorium, rooftop-bar, on-site coffee shop, cyclist zone as well as new health and wellbeing amenities complete the specification.
The masonry facades, concrete frame and cores will also be retained while CLT will be used for all new floors forming the building’s extension.
Jim Knowlton, ISG project director, said: “Originally constructed in the 1950’s, Woolworth House is an exemplar of how a low carbon approach can transform our cities’ dated building stock.
“Followingmarket.thesuccessful completion of 66 Shoe Lane in 2020, Woolworth House is our second collaboration with Henderson Park. The project builds upon the success, expertise and shared learnings of the same delivery team, now applied to this trailblazing low carbon scheme.”
Careful retention of existing building material will result in over 4,500 tonnes of carbon saved during the construction process and diverted from landfill.
www.isgplc.com
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Underpinned by environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, the scheme shows how adapting assets into smarter office and retail environments, with more green spaces for occupants, can future proof London’s commercial property
The new scheme will also achieve industry leading Wired and AirRated scores. The use of engineered timber floors to all building extensions has dramatically reduced embodied carbon, equating to a 73% improvement against RIBA 2030 targets.
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Situated within the Leamington Spa Conservation Area, Mill Lodge is one of three residential properties which have been shortlisted for the RIBA West Midlands category. A contemporary, one- bedroom dwelling, the property was originally commissioned by the client as a home for their elderly parents, which could enable them to live independently. In its design, the home provides a contemporary twist on the traditional coach houses found within the town and notably uses a combination of both traditional and contemporary materials and construction Occupyingdetailing.
“From raising the ground floor to allow for flood risk, to using a generous amount of glazing to maximise interior lighting, the work that we carried out at Mill Lodge testifies to how effective simple, well-crafted buildings and sustainable building methods are. There is little in the way of choice when it comes to homes for senior folk and the options that do exist often lack style or character."
a plot of just 160 sq.m., the Mill Lodge project is additionally noted for its innovative use of space and seamless integration into the surrounding, residential area. Company founder, Michael Kendrick, said of the news: “All of us at Michael Kendrick Architects are delighted to be shortlisted for this year’s RIBA West Midlands awards. Mill Lodge is a project which exemplifies everything that we as a company stand for: it is contemporary in its design, whilst still being respectful to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the past; it is sustainably made, and it is thoughtful in the way it navigates the space and the challenges its presents."
www.michaelkendrick.co.uk Architects for Regional Design Award
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Michael Kendrick Architects, a Leamington Spa-based creative architecture studio, has been officially shortlisted for the 2022 RIBA West Midlands awards. Internationally regarded as a mark of design excellence, the RIBA awards recognises the best examples of modern architecture, both regionally and nationally. Nominated for its work on Mill Lodge house in Leamington Spa, Michael Kendrick Architects are among seven architectural teams which are on the shortlist for this year’s West Midlands category.
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Thousands of visitors have now visited the £5.4 million extension to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, which now houses an original Spitfire aircraft thanks to specialist project management from national property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard.
The project comprised the design and construction of a new 3,800 square foot, double height exhibition space with mezzanine and the alteration and refurbishment of the existing café space within the art gallery and museum, alongside extensive external landscaping.
£5.4M Museum Extension Housing Iconic WW2 Plane Celebrated
Utilising a steel frame and rainscreen cladding, the new exhibition space has been designed with specialist structural glazing to allow the main attraction, the city’s iconic RW388 Spitfire Aircraft, to be exhibited.
The area also houses a flight simulator, model Hurricane aircraft and other exhibitions. Seeking an expedited project process to ensure scheduled delivery, Pick Everard – operating under Perfect Circle’s unique collaboration – was appointed as Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s multi-disciplinary construction consultant through SCAPE’s Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework.
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Stoke-on-Trent is internationally renowned for its ceramics. The area has a history of coal mining, so specialist geotechnical design input was critical. In conjunction with the Coal Authority, an approach was agreed to backfill existing mine workings beneath the proposed building, which allowed construction to Mattproceed.Hall, national director for project management at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to have delivered such a historically significant development, which creates a lasting legacy for the city of Stoke-onTrent. Our expertise, combined with that from tourism and leisure architect Glancy Nicholls, has created a spectacular display space for the iconic Spitfire – a centrepiece the city can be proud of.”
Cllr Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for infrastructure, regeneration and heritage, said: “We are really happy with the outcome of this project. Not only have we managed to pay homage to one of Stoke-on-Trent’s true icons – Reginald J. Mitchell, the designer of the Spitfire plane – but we have also improved the aesthetics and accessibility for those walking to and around the site, through our new pedestrian links. The site will add tangible value and energise the community, providing them with a new landmark the city can be proud of.”
www.pickeverard.co.uk
The new spaces, constructed by Morgan Sindall Construction, allow the exhibition space to be enjoyed by people both inside and outside of the Potteries Art Gallery and Museum.
Armoured door loops, power supply units (PSU) and PSU batteries to provide battery back-up are now available to purchase alongside the Strand Antipanic Motorised Touch Bar Untilrange.now, Strand Hardware customers have needed to source these items from other suppliers. Being able to buy them in one place should save time and money by incorporating into existing orders, thereby reducing costs. The power supply units (PSU) are used to convert the external mains voltage, 240v into the required voltage current to operate the motorised touch bar which is 12 – 24v DC or 12v AC. The additions have been competitively priced and meet Stand Hardware’s exacting quality standards.
Tim Moore has joined AliMet Fabrications as Technical Sales Consultant to help establish new business partnerships and support the delivery of quality products and services. Tim, from Leicestershire, has a wealth of experience in the door and window industry and should prove a huge asset to AliMet's client base. He began his career as an estimator in the 1980s with automatic door supplier Doro-matic in his home town of Leamington Spa. He moved into sales, worked with Boon Edam and spent seven years with Horton Automatics. Tim has also worked for GEZE UK and for the past 17 years, with Axis Entrance Systems, in Northampton. He was a member of the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) executive committee for more than 20 years including two as chairman. His move sees him reunited with two former colleagues: owner Paul Ryan and Managing Director Steve Marshall. "I first met Steve when I worked at Dor-o-matic and we used to buy aluminium from James Gibbons where he worked at the time. I then went to work for GEZE which Paul and Steve helped establish in the UK. It is nice to be reunited again at AliMet Fabrications," he said. Outside of work Tim enjoys spending time with his wife and two grown-up children. His passion is rugby union – as a former player and supporter. His son is following his footsteps and looks set to establish a career in the sport. www.alimet.co.uk news
ESi Controls has launched its new, top of the range, 6 Series WiFi Programmable Room Thermostat, offering the latest in heating control for homes and commercial prem ises here in the UK. Fully OpenTherm compatible, this new range of controls al lows full control via the room thermostat or via a mobile phone or tablet, with a range of features to impress even the most demanding specifier, installer or homeowner.
It includes Optimum Start/Stop, Domestic Hot Water (DHW) setpoint, Hot Water time and temperature control when working in conjunction with a wireless cylinder thermostat, and is an ERP Class 5 www.esicontrols.co.ukProduct.
THE LATEST IN HEATING CONTROL
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ONE-STOP SHOP FOR STRAND SOLUTIONS TIM TAKES
Strand Hardware has introduced new products to its panic and emergency hardware range to provide customers with a one-stop shop for complete solutions to key products.
Said Strand Hardware Sales Director Craig Fox: “These products are useful additions to our key motorised touch bar products: the PHTM0, 55 and 57. Most businesses are currently experiencing increased costs throughout their supply chain, so it makes sense for Strand to stock items as a total solutions package and help our customers save time and money.” www.strandhardware.co.uk ON ALIMET TECHNICAL SALES ROLE
Stelrad Radiators popular CIBSE and RIBA accredited CPD programmes are still available for face-to-face presentations, but they are now also available conveniently online. You can simply go to the Stelrad website at www.stelrad.com/cpdonline-training/ open the programme at your convenience, digest the information and take the test at the end of the presentation and submit your If passed, Stelrad send a certificate for you to add the CPD points to your running total for professional body. For more information, call 01709 578950 or email marketing@stelrad.com. CPD
HAURATON’s new web-based application ‘DesignSoftware’ provides construction industry professionals with quick, simple hydraulic analysis, channel sizing, project design and product specification for the company’s range of surface drainage systems (for landscape, commercial and civils projects) whilst working on their own desk-top computers, laptops and tablets.
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PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE
STELRAD
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The A. Proctor Group, recognised worldwide for its extensive portfolio of technically advanced thermal, acoustic and membrane solutions for the construction industry, has launched an online support package for designers, contractors, and customers. A new dedicated members area offers full access to all the high-quality technical webinars with downloadable personalised CPD certification for each. By subscribing, the documents will be highlighted in a personal favourites section for quick and easy access and receive notifications when documents are updated. There is also the opportunity to register for early access to the A. Proctor Group’s free online u-Value & Condensation Risk Calculator. Available to download as an App (Android only) or on a web browser, the Onsite App provides quick and easy support for customers with installation on site. www.proctorgroup.com
ON A. PROCTOR GROUP LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE SUPPORT TOOLS
Immediate access for registration and use of this new hydraulic design software is achieved through the link: https:// hydraulicdesign.hauraton.com. User-friendly and free-ofcharge, HAURATON ‘DesignSoftware’ provides engineers with the flexibility to create their own drainage designs and project specifications, with just three clicks to a hydraulic calculation. HAURATON has used their ‘in-house’ hydraulic design software to create project designs for over 30 years with total reliability.
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In addition to this new software application, HAURATON offers a comprehensive design service, which is also free of charge. www.hauraton.co.uk
answers.
NEW HYDRAULIC DESIGN SOFTWARE FOR HAURATON SURFACE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
The latest addition to the Stelrad Radiator Group portfolio is the new Cast Iron Column range. Traditionally Stelrad has supplied steel radiators and continues to do so with more than two and a half million radiators manufactured each year. But in the past few years, cast iron column radiators – which were first around in Victorian times - have come into vogue again and as always, the company aims to meet the demands of its customers at every level, so it has added a selection of Cast Iron Column radiators to its ever-widening range.
The new Stelrad Radiator Group Cast Iron Column radiator is available now and adds undoubted charisma to any modern or period home with its distinctive, ageless look and its Natural Cast finish. With the added options of either Antique Brass or Brushed Nickel TRVs to provide the ultimate in modern heating control. The classic, clean lines suggest a genuine piece from yesteryear whilst offering the very best in quality and craftsmanship to enhance the very latest in heating technology as it slips effortlessly into the superior elegance of today’s most fashionable of décor.
Factory assembled for easy install with front access for effortless service and maintenance, comes with a 10 year warranty. Fits neatly into 500mm furniture units, TYDE recommends installing at a height of no less than 838mm. TYDE also recommends that OSMO® F1 is only used with a reputable branded manufacturer of WC Pans. www.thomasdudley.co.uk/tyde
Fitted with Turbo Edge®, the world’s most compact syphon and guaranteed to be leak-free and Hydroflo® quiet fill type AG inlet valve. Type AB weir overflow makes the cistern fluid category 5 compliant; the only way to be compliant to water regs in standard height furniture. The unique actuator is a patented registered design available in multiple finishes with left and right availability, ergonomically tested for optimum light touch operation (actuators sold separately).
Cast Iron Certainty From Stelrad…
Tyde Launches The World’s First Front Access Syphon Cistern
The new OSMO® F1 concealed cistern from TYDE is the first ever front access serviceable syphon cistern designed for use with WC furniture & IPS panelling. Manufactured in the UK by TYDE, OSMO® F1 is a new innovative concealed cistern designed to be stylish, versatile and easy to fit and service with minimal disruption to WC furniture or panelling.
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These radiators are floor standing with in-built feet for extra stability as they are significantly heavier than their steel counterparts. They are available in two heights and a wide variety of widths – a total of twenty sizes available. And as you would expect, they come with a cast iron ten-year warranty. www.stelrad.com.
The basis of basalt rock is available all over the world in large quantities which is formed naturally on the earth’s surface. By combining basalt fibres with the well-known material concrete, both the structure and the service life of the product is increased. Since the end product is a purely mineral mixture, there is no need for material separation during disposal. This protects the environment as it is simply fully-recyclable at the end of the product's life cycle. Basalt fibres have outstanding properties. They can withstand temperatures of up to 800°C and are highly resistant to alkalis, acids, salts, oxidation and radiation.
Concrete Channel With Basalt Fibres
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– New Era Begins For Hauraton ISO Chemie, a leading producer of foam sealant tapes for windows and doors, has secured an international energy-efficiency certificate for its multi-functional joint sealing tape, ISO-BLOCO Hybratec. Awarded the ‘Certified Passive House Component’ label by the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt, Germany, the tape can now officially be used in the construction of passive energy houses across the UK and Europe as a window connection air tightness system. In passive house construction, it is important for a building to be extremely air tight to minimise heat input required to warm the house. ISO-BLOCO Hybratec is a multi-functional window joint tape featuring the latest in hybrid technology to provide effective three-level sealing in line with RAL energy performance standards and resistance to driving rain in excess of 1050 Pa. In tests, the tape was found to have excellent air tightness and thermal protection when it came to the sealing between the inner room and external climate. Uncontrolled convection heat losses and draughts via the connection joint can be effectively eliminated - an important requirement in energy-saving construction. ISO-BLOCO Hybratec also combines considerable expansion force with excellent functional reliability in terms of capacity to absorb long term movement and expansion of windows. Passivhaus-certified products provide high energy savings combined with enhanced comfort compared to conventional new-builds and renovated properties. This requires the use of particularly energy-efficient components, in addition to careful and detailed planning. www.iso-chemie.eu/en-GB/home/ Iso-Chemie Seals New Passivhaus Certificate For Multi-Functional Joint Sealing Tape
Hauraton makes concrete material even more efficient for modern drainage technology by enhancing the formulation with natural basalt fibres. The addition of mineral or textile fibres increases maximum stability, strength, and impact resistance. By amplifying the impact resistance, the more robust and durable the product. This is particularly important for components that are exposed to considerable dynamic stresses, in this case, drainage channels subject to vehicles at high speeds or regularly trafficked by heavy loads.
Drainage systems made of basalt-reinforced concrete will assure longer performance. Basalt fibres are mineral fibres that have a higher melting temperature, better resistance to water, acids and alkalis, and more positive flexural strength. The energy consumption during production also clearly speaks in favour of basalt fibres, as basalt it has the lowest CO 2 footprint. www.hauraton.co.uk
Yorkshire Housebuilder Specifies RadiatorsStelradForAll Its Developments
Radiators are the key sharer of heat around homes in the UK and many housebuilders are specifying designer radiators because they want their customers to benefit from a premium product as part of the new home’s specification. One of these is Erris Homes, based in Leeds. Erris Homes is a provider of modern and luxurious new family homes across Yorkshire. The company has chosen the Compact with Style design radiators from Stelrad –another Yorkshire-based company – with more than two and a half million radiators a year manufactured at its manufacturing plant in Mexborough, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire. Purchasing radiators from a locally based manufacturer is definitely a plus for Erris Homes as it means it is not only supporting its local supply chain but also minimising its environmental impact due to the reduced distance of transport for the radiators from the National Distribution Centre alongside the Stelrad factory to the sites around Yorkshire.
Chris Harvey is Head of Marketing at Stelrad: “It means a lot to us to see housebuilders making a positive decision to select premium panel designer radiators for their homes and Erris Homes is one of the housebuilders in the UK that has decided to select a model from our Stelrad range.” The Compact with Style offers a clean, crisp, flat fronted radiator with a horizontal lined fascia. The subtle architectural look and feel of the Compact with Style is combined with value, range and availability to provide a sophisticated, designer styling for any room, commercial or domestic, at affordable prices. It’s available in 126 different models – horizontal, vertical, lo-line and coloured versions. www.stelrad.com
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Introducing Shopkit’s Range
The screens are manufactured from 8mm thick toughed glass PAR panels, with 27mm diameter posts, which can be specified to either mild steel powder coated to any RAL colour, or stain polish stainless steel. Of Reception Screens: Security And Covid-19 Protection
If you’re looking for virus blocking screens to improve hygiene in your office or reception area designs, Shopkit’s range of high quality reception screens are the perfect choice to block virus particles including Covid-19 and keep your receptionists or other staff Designedsafe. for use in all types of offices and reception areas, including doctors and dentists surgeries, Shopkit's glass reception screens can be specified as new or even retro-fitted to existing areas.
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Get in touch with one of the team at Shopkit if you would like any more information or to discuss project requirements. www.shopkit.com
Reception screens can be specified to be either in a straight line on a reception desk, U-shaped or to fit around a curved desk. If the screens are to be fixed to the desk only, a maximum panel height of 900mm is required for stability, but Shopkit can also fix posts from desk to ceiling allowing for higher panels. Shopkit can offer a full start to finish service, including a site survey and installation; or they can simply supply panels to your specification or drawings. All of their products are manufactured at their UK factory and design studio.
The panels can be fixed either to counter or 100mm off counter, and can include CNC polished notches or cut outs for access. The panels can be fixed to the desk either from the top or the underside.
Terrazzo
R&D team have re-engineered traditional terrazzo to produce a material that can be used for all types of indoor or outdoor applications including: kitchen and bathroom worktops , walls, vanity tops, building façades, staircases, and high footfall surfaces such as hotels, airports, rail stations, shopping malls, and public buildings.
It’s
COMPAC-Terrazzo Real Stone But Not As We Know It COMPAC is a revolutionary highperformance stone recently developed by renowned surfaces company COMPAC and launched at the 2022 KBIS exhibition in Orlando COMPAC’sUSA.
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COMPAC’s pioneering spirit is not only reflected in the stunning surfaces they produce but also in the development of environmental technologies which allows the company to manufacture all their products in a sustainable way, with 100% renewable electric energy and reusing more than 98% of the water in the production process.
www.compac.es
Terrazzo COMPAC has a wonderful consistent uniform appearance and its porosity is practically zero therefore absorption of water and other liquids is minimal - achieving a hygienic product that is both easy to clean and maintain. COMPAC offer four collections, Micra, Classic, Paladiana and Petra, each one featuring beautiful designs and finishes to suit virtually any application.
Terrazzo COMPAC complements the company’s quartz and obsidiana product ranges and offers architects and designers a superb portfolio of products to stretch their imagination and help create innovative design solutions.
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Marks and Spencer is currently undertaking a building programme of new food halls alongside refitting some of its stores throughout the UK. Eurobrick is proud to be supplying I-Clad along with brick slips to Marks & Spencer’s contractors and installers as part of the interior shop fitout. To date, a total of 21 stores, from London to Edinburgh, have been completed using around 1375 m² of I-Clad, Eurobrick’s brick slip system. I-Clad can be fixed to timber or light gauge steel studs and has a plasterboard panel with a horizontal ribbed profile which aligns and supports the brick slips making the formation of brick courses quick and easy. I-Clad has an installed system depth starting from just 28mm. Using real brick slips, the look and feel of traditional brickwork is achieved but at a fraction of the depth of full bricks. At approximately 50Kg per m², the installed system also poses fewer issues in terms of additional loads, than traditional brickwork. In the majority of stores, Eurobrick supplied its Red Blue Flamed brick slips, which are a light textured sanded red with a blue, grey multi-effect, creating a consistent design style.
Eurobrick Selected By Marks And Spencer For Food Halls
www.troldtekt.co.uk
www.eurobrick.co.uk
Acoustic Can Embrace
The Extreme Recent tests have shown that Troldtekt acoustic panels withstand moisture levels up to 98%, even when combined with high temperatures up to 40°C. These latest tests were carried out by the accredited Danish Technological Institute to the European product standard for suspended ceilings (EN 13964). While the composition of the panels has remained unchanged, this new round of stringent testing reinforces the fact that the panels are suitable for the most demanding of wet, warm and humid environments. They do not warp over time, giving them a life span in excess of 50 years. The panels are inherently robust and durable because the combined strength of the cement coupled with the breathability of wood means the structure does not rot and acts as an anti-microbial surface resisting fungal growth and other microorganisms.
Panels
Stelrad has gone to the trouble of devising a specialist CPD for the business to provide facts and figures and evidence-based information to help installers and specifiers to choose the right products for their installations:
Pioneering Acoustilay Sets The Quality Standard For Soundproofing Floors
More than 25 years after Acoustilay was launched, the premium, UK-made, acoustic flooring system for floors continues to set the standard for product quality, ease of installation and sound reduction potential. Manufactured by acoustic experts, Sound Reduction Systems, the Acoustilay range of products can be laid under a wide variety of floor finishes, including carpets, laminates, solid wood, vinyl and even tiled floors.
Radiators Work With Low Temperature Systems
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Available in four different grades, including the new Acoustilay Tilemat product, it remains the most specified soundproofing treatment of its kind due its quality, versatility and the wealth of technical and acoustic data behind it. While all Acoustilay products provide excellent impact noise performance resulting from footsteps, dropped items and moving furniture, the heavier grades of Acoustilay 8 and 15 are also able to reduce airborne noise transmission such as television, music and speech. Acoustilay can be used to meet the requirements of Part E of the Building Regulations, ‘resistance to the passage of sound’, in both new build and conversion projects. An animated installation guide can be viewed on the Sound Reduction Systems website, where all fitting instructions can also be found Acoustilay is 100% sourced and manufactured in the UK using recyclable content. It is supplied in 1200mm x 1200mm sheets, in thicknesses of 10mm, 12mm and 15mm to suit a variety of soundproofing objectives. www.soundreduction.co.uk
Leading radiator manufacturer Stelrad is seeing its radiators being specified more and more for renewable heating systems as the popularity of heat pumps rises. Radiators are still a popular and sensible choice as homeowners are familiar with how they heat their homes, and when properly sized, they are the perfect solution to share heat from heat pump installations. All radiators should be sized correctly for the rooms they are installed in and Stelrad offer a free radiator sizing and heat loss calculator on its website. You will require larger radiators for a renewable, low temperature system than you would for a traditional boiler driven heating system because the water flow temperature in the system is lower. But that can mean a larger radiator possibly a vertical radiator, or one of the increasingly popular K3 radiators – with three panels and three fins –with the same radiator footprint for a room as a current K2 radiator, but with 50% additional metal surface to provide increased heat levels. Stelrad has invested hugely in developing its range of radiators to ensure it can offer radiators that provide sufficient heat from renewable heating systems, a fact supported by the high number of new build developers that have already decided to stick with radiators as their key form of heat emitter and there are plenty of case studies to show how effectively this works.
“We’re suggesting that installers rely on hard facts and figures rather than misleading statements that are circulating in the heating sector,” says Stelrad's head of Marketing, Chris Harvey.
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Imaginative And Integrated Interior Design, Vicaima Makes It Real!
Vicaima, as one of the leading European exponents of contemporary joinery solutions, including interiors doors, doorsets, wall panels and associated furniture products, have just introduced a new brand for professionals called Infinity. Combining their extensive experience within this sector with the latest technological advancements in image realisation, they present a major step forward for the world of interior design, enabling creative vision to be made real, with imaginative design composition that encompasses multiple elements. No longer constrained by conventional limitations, Infinity provides scope for interior design professionals to think beyond what they thought was possible, towards what they would ideally like to achieve.
Whether creating a theme that brings rhythm and repetition, or a more dramatic and contrasting vision with pronounced statement pieces, Infinity can make it real. Infinity permits almost endless possibilities when it comes to visual aspect, with choice of colour, tone, pattern and even the perception of texture.
This enables interior designers and specifiers complete flexibility when aiming to deliver bespoke project solutions. However, for those professionals looking for insight from the Vicaima experts in trends and fashions, Infinity’s top three collections offer a myriad of fresh inspiration.
Select from either wood, stone or metal for an immersive experience which includes among many others, Spalted Maple, Terrazo Amber and Antique Patina. Once the design and hues have been chosen, it is then a matter of selecting which joinery elements can be combined to reflect the desired Heretheme.Infinity broadens horizons and uniquely permits creators to match and play with individual pieces in a way that has traditionally been limited. Blending integral building elements such as interior door assemblies and decorative wall panels, with more ephemeral components like wardrobes and furniture to achieve the perfect balance. While flexible aesthetic design is the hallmark of Infinity, it should not be forgotten that as a Vicaima brand, superior quality and performance are integral to all elements.
Exceeding industry recognised standards and in the case of doors and doorkits, third part fire accredited to both TRADA and the British Woodworking Federation, all products are environmentally produced and FSC certificated. Infinity marks a new era in design for interiors, whether in public, commercial or residential applications.
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Expanding, evolving and elevating both the creative process and eventual project realisation by combining visionary image technology with industry leading joinery manufacture, to achieve outstanding www.vicaimainfinity.comresults.
The DRU Virtuo is an innovative, realistic electric fire with a unique, projected 3D flame picture and a design and build quality that is the equal of its award-winning gas fires. It is available in front-facing, 2-sided and 3-sided models that are installed into false chimneybreasts or other architectural features around the home to create complete, contemporary fireplaces. The Virtuo is controlled by an exclusive DRU app that can change the height and density of the flames and regulate the energy consumption. In addition, DRU has now introduced four new flame patterns for even more variety and consumer enjoyment.
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DRU Introduces Dynamic New Flame Effects For Its Virtuo Electric Fires
DRU is also inviting applications for new Virtuo electric fire dealers in selected post codes throughout the UK. www.drufire.com
The Virtuo electric fire delivers a cosy 2 KW heat output or it can be run as a purely decorative fire. There are no ribbons to twist or spindles to squeak and it is energy efficient with low running costs.
All the new flame patterns are based on real-life log fires, underpinned by authentic glowing embers and accompanied by the sounds of real, crackling wood for a complete fireplace experience.
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The Ceraglass interior intensifies the depth of the flame effects and installation is very easy, as it only requires a standard domestic power supply. The new flame updates are available immediately for existing Virtuo owners and can be demonstrated by all current DRU approved Virtuo dealers.
Gentle creates a lively and warm wood fire effect, Magic generates unusual, coloured flames for people that want something different, Graceful produces an intense and vibrant flame experience and Elegant is a quieter and more relaxing option.
32 doors, windows & glazing by Wojciech Brożyna - MD of Aluprof UK Aluprof On The Forge
Currently buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Many countries have pledged to become ‘carbon-neutral’ by 2050 which is a huge task to complete, but one we in the UK are legislated to achieve. Up to 80% of our 2050 building stock is already built which will require updating in the next few decades, but today we can take a glimpse at what will be the new normal by 2050. The Forge aspires to be the first commercial building constructed and operated in line with the UKGBC’s net zero definition and energy reduction targets. It comprises two new office buildings and a public courtyard. Located in Sumner Street, The Forge is a Landsec office development located just behind Tate Modern in London and is one of the most innovative construction sites in London, pioneering several new construction methods fit for the decades ahead. Breaking new ground, the project will be the world’s first large-scale office scheme to be built using a standardised “kit of parts”, in an approach known as ‘platform design for manufacture and assembly’ (P-DfMA), which applies the advances made by the manufacturing industry to Withconstruction.regardto the development of the facade, Aluprof are delighted to have been invited to take an early design role in developing a unitised facade system that meets the P-DfMA specification pioneered by architects and engineers Bryden Wood. Construction is led by Sir Robert McAlpine and Mace, working together in an innovative joint venture (JV) partnership.
Padraig Delaney, London Regional Manager for Digital Construction at Sir Robert McAlpine, in his role working with the JV construction team, sees The Forge as a model for how future projects should be delivered: “The innovation-led approach taken by Landsec has allowed us to push the boundaries with our use of technology. The more data we have, the better our decision making. But, it is also important we have the right tools to help us get the most from the data. By driving these digital solutions, as we have done at The Forge, we’re transforming the way we will deliver future projects, identifying the value to each stakeholder and ultimately providing the best value for our clients.”
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doors, windows & glazing
Richard Sansom, Landsec, Project Manager for The Forge, appreciates the work being done by the project team: “We want to lead the sector in the adoption of new methods and technologies. However, the real value in innovation lies in its practical execution. As with anything being done for the first time, there are always going to be challenges along the way but we are in a great position to handle these thanks to the experienced and expert team working with us.”
Jaimie Johnston MBE, Board Director and Head of Global Systems at Bryden Wood, says, “The Forge is a landmark moment for construction. The platforms approach to design for manufacture and assembly we have applied at the Forge is the result of many years’ R&D into how we can modernise construction. The huge gains we are seeing on this project in productivity, efficiency, collaboration, safety and sustainability demonstrate that P-DfMA will be transformational for the sector – and for the built environment.”
The unitised curtain wall has been designed in close collaboration with Bryden Wood, which allowed Aluprof to develop a highly-efficient façade unit. The full-size mock-up unit has been rigorously tested in Aluprof’s Research and Innovation Centre in Ogrodzona where it passed air leakage, impact, wind resistance, and water penetration tests.
Tom Cherowbrier, Aluprof’s Major Projects Manager comments: “The bespoke system from Aluprof is finished in three shades of bronze anodising which will offer a sustainable finish and an aesthetic appearance for many decades to come. The new system was designed with a standard +/-15mm stack joint for to accommodate the building movement, as well as an impressive non-standard stack joint for the 7th floor which had to accommodate a +20/-30mm movement. The project also has a range of external feature fins with concealed fixing to provide the building with sight-lines of 120mm and 170mm that project 125mm or 225mm from glazing line.”
Since setting up the Aluprof Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their highperformance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the company’s headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. With overseas growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and firm roots already in the East of USA, the company has become a global player in facade supply. Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005.
The units were transported in purpose designed, reusable stillages which were then lifted to the floor plates using a combination of large material hoists and tower cranes for installation by specialist installers NACWL. A key feature of the stillage design was to protect the units from any stress and impact during transportation and lift. The new bespoke system has been named as MB-SE120 and has a U W value of 1.3 W(m2K).
Neil Pennell, Head of Design Innovation and Property Solutions at Landsec, comments on the impact The Forge is set to have: “The Forge is setting new industry standards for sustainable construction. The pioneering approach we have taken to design and construct will transform how offices are built in the future. Our experiences will shape the way we approach future projects and help change the industry for the better – we hope this will be the first of many zero carbon buildings to come.”
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They were formerly the home of world-renowned crane makers Stothert & Pitt but had fallen into serious disrepair. Their location as part of a larger Bath Quays redevelopment spurred their re-use, underpinned by sensitive treatment, to create 40,000sq.ft of modern workspace. “We specified the Crittall W20 system to replace the existing, single-glazed, cast-iron framed windows that were at the end of their life and deemed beyond repair,” said Nick Brown, Director of Ferguson Mann Architects. He explained: “The Crittall W20 system was chosen due to the need to use a window system that could sympathetically reproduce the fenestration of the large industrial windows – many of which were 3.6m tall - but also provide a huge thermal improvement.The slim profiles of the Crittall W20 system meant we didn’t have to compromise on the amazing amount of natural light coming into the interior whilst improving the air tightness and reducing the overall heat loss of the building through the windows,” said ConsultingBrown.
engineers Buro Happold calculated that just replacing the existing single- glazed windows with new double-glazed alternatives with a U-value of 1.8W/m2K would result in a 16 percent annual energy saving. That translated to 21.4 tonnes of CO₂. Over the building’s lifespan of, say, 25 years, that equated to a 535-tonne reduction in CO₂ emissions.
Crittall Windows Hit Thermal Targets At World Heritage Site
Crittall Corporate W20 windows are an important component in the refurbishment and upgrade of a prominent industrial site in historic Bath.
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The local authority was keen that the buildings should be brought back into use after several previous failed attempts. They wanted the site’s historic significance to be respected while avoiding the desire to turn Newark Works into a ‘museum piece’. The installation of Crittall W20 was approved and two of the original cast-iron windows have been retained and refurbished as a reminder of the original building but not in a way so as to compromise the improved thermal performance of the whole. www.crittall-windows.co.uk
Newark Works is recognised as a masterclass in the retrofitting of heritage buildings that has transformed a former riverside heavy engineering factory into 21 st century workspace. The buildings, dating from 1857 to 1905, are Grade II listed and sit within Bath’s designated World Heritage Site.
doors, windows & glazing
Profab Access Adds A Five Star Finish To Cardiff’s Newest Luxury Hotel
Leading riser door and access panel solution supplier, Profab Access, has proven its first-class credentials once again as part of the recent completion of a major specification at Cardiff’s new 5-star Parkgate hotel. Located next to the Welsh Capital’s famous Principality Stadium, the Parkgate hotel has been designed to provide a luxurious experience for rugby fans, in addition to city dwellers visiting the country all year round. Widely coined as Cardiff’s most lavish new location, the hotel includes 170 guest bedrooms and suites, a signature restaurant and bar, a traditional tea lounge and a rooftop spa overlooking the city skyline. As part of the prestigious build, a unique collaboration between the Welsh Rugby Union, property developer, Rightacres, and The Celtic Collection, the hotel required an extensive riser door specification, with safety, high performance and aesthetic appeal key considerations. In total, 310 Profab Access VEGA 1500 Fire Rated Riser Doors were specified for installation by Hazelwood Carpentry throughout every part of the building, including communal areas and the hotel’s vast range of luxury guest rooms and suites. The VEGA 1500 Series Riser Doors offer the highest standards of fire safety, extensively tested by Efectis in France and Ireland to provide a bidirectionally fire tested product that is available in both single and double door configurations.
By specifying bi-directionally fire tested VEGA 1500 Series Riser Doors, the development is actively future proofed as the comprehensive testing certification provides a complete and transparent audit trail of due diligence that evidences the products are not only fit for purpose but meet the duty of care required to ensure legal Profabcompliance.Access’ diverse portfolio of riser doors and access panels are supported by a wide range of BIM Level 2 and CAD files to aid the specification process and streamline the initial design stages. Manufactured at Profab Access’ Atherstone headquarters in accordance with ISO 9001, the 1500 Series Riser Doors can be specified and installed in a range of configurations to meet each project’s specific measurements and requirements. www.profabaccess.com
This means the riser door sets are fire tested from both sides to 60 minutes, providing the specifiers, contractors and hotel guests residing within the building with confidence the critical fire integrity products offer the highest standard and most up to date evidence for fire safety performance.
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The range also features a slimline, neat construction, whilst its proven technology ensures permanent, safe access to mechanical and electrical services housed within the riser core. This provides first class functionality and safety, without compromising the overall interior concept. The steel riser doors also streamlined the installation process, as the quick release pivot hinge and light weight enabled easy handling, allowing Hazelwood Carpentry to complete the job quickly and optimise overall project Inefficiencies.theevent of a fire, the VEGA 1500 Series Riser Door sets will maintain the frame and integrity for up to 60 minutes, preventing the spread of fire throughout the property for this period of time. The riser doors are 31dB acoustic rated, smoke sealed and airtight to Part L, whilst also featuring intumescent smoke seals that enable occupants to safely exit the building.
– I’ll Drink To That!
A Cornish brewery has moved into renovated premises that give visitors a whole new experience of watching the creation of their favourite beers with Crittall Windows playing a crucial role in the new concept. Verdant Brewery took over a rundown warehouse on a Penryn industrial estate and, in addition to installing the brewing vats, created 400 sq. metres for staff offices and a space for public use, dubbed the Taproom.
www.crittall-windows.co.uk
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Crittall Windows
The new interior was created around a steelframed installation with Crittall Corporate W20 windows providing a light and contemporary area where visitors can have a beer and something to eat while enjoying views through to the working brewery, a paramount consideration of the client.
In addition, The Taproom provides a mezzanine balcony overlooking an area that can also be used for entertainment from a DJ or with live music. The design was produced by locallybased architects Zelah Studio. Said architect James Collins; “We used the W20 system as it allowed great flexibility and a quality industrial look that the client wanted. Large expanses of the glazing allowed us to create views of the brewery from all spaces.”
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GEZE UK, the UK subsidiary of GEZE GmbH, a leading manufacturer of door and window control systems, has introduced the After Sales Solutions brochure that details the after sales services GEZE UK offers for manual and automatic doors and windows. The brochure explains the benefits of regular servicing – maintaining accessibility, minimising downtime, prolonging usability, reducing lifetime costs and fulfilling an organisation’s responsibility as a building owner or facilities manager.
Solutions For After Sales Traditional Timber Window and Door Specialists 01344 868 668 www.sashwindow.com Beautiful timber windows and doors, designed to improve energy efficiency. Tailor made solutions for your project. Supply only, supply and install, secondary glazing and draught proofing.
GEZE UK’s after sales team can install, maintain, repair, provide asset management, spare parts and refurbish existing doors and provide a full range of services for automatic doors, industrial doors and fire doors. The brochure is available digitally by visiting the company’s website or for a copy to be emailed, or for detailed information on the after sales services available email info.uk@geze.com.
Adam Presdee, Service Director of GEZE UK, said “GEZE UK offers a complete ‘umbrella’ of after sales solutions for all doors - automatic, manual and industrial. This brochure encompasses our approach whilst explaining the operational, commercial and environmental benefits of having a good maintenance regime and partner. We offer a service package that is tailored to each individual customer’s needs.” www.geze.co.uk
LG equipment is justly renowned in the industry for its controllers and the new Monobloc ‘S’ is equipped with a new advanced remote controller which supports a number of functions. It comes with a premium design 4.3-inch colour LCD monitor, user friendly interface that uses simple graphic, icon and text controls, easy schedule and installer settings and energy monitoring without meter interface to provide estimated power consumption figures.
40 environmental control LG
NewLaunchesTherma V Monobloc ‘S’ Heat Pump
The innovative design and technology in this new unit sees built in water flow and pressure sensors to monitor the water circuit in real time, advanced water pump control, enhanced second circuit logic, energy monitoring of estimated power consumption via the remote controller, MODBUS connectivity without Gateway if required and advanced control for the domestic hot water recirculation pump.
It is possible to monitor not only the temperature of the water circuit but also the flow rate and the pressure. This information provides installers with more reliable information for installation and maintenance. The original version was extremely quiet, but this new ‘S’ version is even quieter and up to 9kW units can be installed at the minimum of 4 metres away, and up to 16kW units - up to 5 metres away from neighbouring houses complying with international noise regulations.
Leading heat pump manufacturer LG has launched the latest version of its sector leading Therma V Monobloc air to water heat pump – the Therma V R32 Monobloc ‘S’ – into a UK marketplace that is highly responsive to new heat pump technology. The ‘S’ stands for ‘Silence’ and ‘Supreme’ to highlight its reduced noise level and best performance criteria.
The unit comes with a Seasonal Coefficient of Performance of up to 4.67 (Average climate/Low temperature application) and a A+++ rating. The COP rises to 4.9 (Outdoor air 7°C/Leaving water temperature 35°C) and can deliver leaving water temperature of 65°C if required. For more information on the new LG Therma V Monobloc ‘S’ head for partner.lge.com/uk, or email LG at uk.aircon@lge.com.
The new monobloc is a frontline contender for providing heating and hot water for social housing developments as well as private new build homes. As with the original Monobloc, this new model combines the indoor and outdoor features in one module. It’s also connected by only water piping, eliminating the need for refrigerant piping, making this heat pump an installer’s dream when it comes to ease of Hydronicinstallation.components like the improved plate heat exchanger, the expansion tank, water pump, flow sensor, pressure sensor, air vent valve and safety valve are all built in - inside the outdoor unit – pre-installed and ready to run.
And the R32 Monobloc ‘S’ provides excellent heating performance especially at low ambient temperatures whilst lowering its carbon emissions even more with the use of R32.
Omnie Whole-House Solution For
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Scottish Mansion Warms To Stelrad Radiators
www.omnie.co.uk Devon Barn
ConversionsListed
There’s a large Victorian baronial mansion not far from Dollar in Stirlingshire, that is benefitting from the addition of the latest energy efficient radiators from leading manufacturer Stelrad. Solsgirth House is a desirable Grade B listed mansion set below the Ochil Hills, bordering Clackmannanshire, Fife and Perthshire.
The recent refurbishment of the property has seen the heating system transformed and the arrival of 77 Stelrad Classic Column radiators – perfect for the style of the property - along with a further 35 Stelrad flat fronted Planar radiators, to share the heat around the huge home, providing the levels of comfort heating needed in a home of this size and vintage. “We’re pleased to be involved in a major project of this type,” says Stelrad’s Specification Manager for Scotland, Scott McDonald.
“The Classic Column radiators are a perfect match for the style and design of the property whilst the Planar design radiators are attractive, understated premium radiators that blend in perfectly in the more recent areas of the building.” www.stelrad.com
The Totnes conversions vividly demonstrate how high efficiency heat pumps, combined with underfloor heating developed to bring the best performance from them, can heat any home and keep fuel consumption to a minimum. Coupled with the ComfoAir MVHR units, the development also illustrates OMNIE’s capabilities to design and deliver its ‘Whole-House” concept, with a nationwide service able to assist clients with any type of application.
The hundred year old buildings at Ritson Farm are being renovated and turned into highly desirable rural retreats. Each of the luxury homes is to be heated by an LV air source heat pump, which will be connected via multi-branch manifolds to OMNIE’s Staple underfloor heating system across the ground floors with the company’s LowBoard being specified to warm the upper levels. Then to maximise fuel efficiency and help guarantee a healthy indoor living environment, a constant supply of pre-warmed and filtered fresh air will be supplied via one of OMNIE’s Zehnder ComfoAir mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) units.
The conversion of three stone-built agricultural buildings near the beautiful Devon town of Totnes is employing a full selection of renewable and low-energy technologies from the range of Exeter based manufacturer, OMNIE, to create a comfortable living environment for the new occupants.
ESi Provides Heating Controls
For Tallest City Centre
Domus Ventilation’s HRXE-HERA® Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems have been specified for the be:here Hayes build-to-rent residential development in West London. When the building was designed, Domus Ventilation’s Silavent MVHR ceiling mounted units were installed. These are now being gradually replaced with Domus Ventilation’s latest MVHR model, HRXE-HERA®. As a retrofit solution, HRXE-HERA® has proven ideal for be:here Hayes as they readily use the existing Domus ducting.
Domus Ventilation’s HRXE-HERA® MVHR have proved an ideal solution. It filters and pre-warms fresh air drawn into the apartment using the heat from waste stale air extracted from the kitchen and bathroom using a heat exchanger. It’s advanced heat exchange proficiency enables up to 95% of waste heat to be recovered. It comes with 100% thermal (summer) bypass which automatically activates when the air temperature reaches a pre-set level, allowing in cooler, fresh, filtered air without warming it through the heat exchanger.
www.domusventilation.co.uk
The new leader in the heating controls sector here in the UK – ESi – has seen its controls specified for a landmark development in the centre of Birmingham. When City councillors in Birmingham gave permission to Moda Living and Glenn Howells Architects to execute their joint vision of a 132-metre skyscraper, they continued a trend that has seen Birmingham take the lead in developing living spaces close to the city centre.
Retrofit Solution for London Rental Development
Domus Ventilation MVHR Systems Prove Ideal
The smart design of the HRXE means there is no reduction in airflow when operating in bypass mode.
Residential Development In Second City
The 42-storey 2one2 Broad Street features a slim rectangular profile thrusting out of a three-storey podium set to house 3,251 square metres of retail space. 481 of ESi’s ESRTP4 wired programmable room thermostats adorn the walls of these exciting new apartments. The ESRTP4 is an easy to install-and-use 7 day, 5/2 or 24hr programmable room thermostat which offers up to six time and temperature changes each day with different programmes for weekdays and weekends. The ESRTP4 has all the energy savings features such as TPI, Delayed Start and Optimum Stop and the all-important Landlord Service Interval. www.esicontrols.co.uk
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ESi is typical in that it offers a range of programmers from a simple 1 Channel version to a 3 channel Multi-Purpose Programmer which enables the installer to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations by providing separate timed heating control for living and sleeping zones in a home, whilst also providing timed control of hot water. However, the ESi range all offer 24 Hour / 5/2 day and 7 day programming options for each channel. ESi provides a range of programmable room thermostats – both hard wired and wireless models. ESi’s ESRTP4 model provides true 7 day, 5/2 day or 24-hour programming options, with up to six time and temperature events being available each day and is OpenTherm compatible. For people who prefer a control dial to push button controls, the ESi Electronic Room Thermostats offer the simple answer they are looking for. And for people who simply want a standard mechanical room thermostat, ESi offer these as well. www.esicontrols.co.uk
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The TorFloor panels combine the ability to span upper storey joists or battens fitted across a ground level slab, to provide high efficiency underfloor heating and a structural deck in one product. The multi-directional design includes integral aluminium diffusers, to help create an even distribution of warmth to the occupied spaces, while an additional 6mm thick plywood covering layer has to be bonded to the TorFloor panel, to complete a structural deck and accept floor finishes. www.omnie.co.uk
Effective heating controls are an ever more vital part of an efficient central-heating system. And heating controls manufacturer ESi says it makes huge sense to look more closely at heating control selection. Clever use of controls can help minimise energy consumption by ensuring each room is at the right temperature for comfort, while avoiding overheating. The selection of programmers and timers available range from the simple to the far more complex.
Welsh Housebuilder Opts For Omnie One-Stop Shop Solution
Heating Controls: A Path To Energy Savings
An award-winning housebuilder who develops small sites and sells serviced plots to self-builders is close to completing a development of two dozen high specification homes near the Welsh Coast, having chosen renewables specialist, OMNIE to supply a complete underfloor heating package, including LG air source heat pumps.
Opting for underfloor heating throughout avoids wall space being taken up with bulky and unsightly radiators, while porcelain floor tiles contribute to the feeling of luxury downstairs, laid over the OMNIE Staples UFH pipework which is fixed across rigid insulation and encapsulated in a screed.
The two dozen three and four bedroom homes at Pludds Meadow, located in the town of Laugharne, 12 miles south of Carmarthen, have been built by Salem Construction, part of Sancler Property. OMNIE provided full drawings and specifications for each plot, indicating the layout of their Staple and TorFloor UFH arrays across the ground and first floor to each dwelling.
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The NPPF states that: ‘Planning policies and decisions should ensure that new streets are tree-lined and that opportunities are taken to incorporate trees elsewhere in developments’. This is backed up by other recent government and local guidance such as the ‘National Model Design Code’ which says: ‘All schemes will be expected to follow national policy by achieving a 10% net gain in biodiversity. All new streets should include street trees’.
The 2021 ‘National Planning Policy Framework’ (NPPF) for England lays out what local planning authorities (LPAs) will require, when setting local policies and also considering planning applications for all developments.
Maintenance Requirement - However, measures need to be put in place to nurture and allow trees to mature, generally for decades, enabling them to actually deliver their real potential –including net carbon storage, urban cooling through shading and evapotranspiration, biodiversity and public wellbeing. So, the NPPF also requires that: ‘appropriate measures are in place to secure the long-term maintenance of newly-planted trees, and that existing trees are retained wherever possible’. Local planning authorities now need to incorporate long-term tree maintenance measures in their planning consents and a straightforward spatial solution, such as permeable paving, offers a holistic multifunctional solution.
Urban trees and paving have traditionally been seen as in conflict. But this is not the case with concrete block permeable paving, a key sustainable drainage (SuDS) technique to reduce flood risk and make cities more liveable. Concrete block permeable paving (CBPP), offers unique opportunities to collect, attenuate and treat rainwater runoff, removing pollutants for a gradual supply of clean water irrigating green infrastructure.
Modular PermeableConcretePaving And Trees In Synergy
Street tree planting and retention of existing trees in developments, with provision for long-term maintenance, are now embedded in planning policy. Concrete block permeable paving offers an important opportunity to help satisfy these requirements simply, integrated with SuDS and contemporary urban design, as Interpave explains.
Practice for accessibility in the external environment, BS 8300-1:2018, which states that: ‘Tree grilles should be avoided. Smooth or paved permeable surfaces should be used wherever practicable’. Permeable paving can be laid level and still avoids puddles without the need for drainage gulleys. It provides a safe, firm, pot-hole free surface for everyone – including wheelchair users and people pushing prams. Two decades of experience in the UK demonstrate the long-term performance of CBPP with minimal, if any, maintenance.
Beneficial Relationship - A recent Interpave case study (available via www.paving.org.uk) explored the 20-year beneficial relationship between CBPP and trees at the Martlesham Park and Ride scheme. Here, concrete block permeable paving has operated efficiently with minimal maintenance amongst extensive tree planting without root disruption or other issues. The benefits of CBPP for trees while currentrecognisedaccessibilityretainingarebytheCodeof
is exemplified in Bridget Joyce Square, London, an important regeneration project designed by Robert Bray Associates (RBA) in conjunction with McCloy
For project case studies and guidance on all aspects of permeable paving and SuDS visit: www.paving.org.uk
Consulting for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which won the top prize at the 2017 Landscape Institute Awards. Here, a typical, adopted asphalt street and adjacent parking areas were transformed for community use with CBPP overlay shared surfaces and tree-planted raingarden basins – an exemplar for future urban landscapes. The basins provide water storage for SuDS to reduce overloading existing drains (in the absence of the CBPP sub-base), as well as for irrigation.
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Thisinitiatives.approach
Irrigation and Gaseous Exchange
- Unlike conventional impermeable hard landscape materials, CBPP allows the same pattern of run-off transfer to the ground as natural vegetation, allowing water to reach tree and shrub roots, despite providing an attractive hard surface above. In addition to irrigation directly from rain, with CBPP there is scope for water storage and rainwater capture away from trees and their umbrella canopies for gradual conveyance laterally to trees – essential during the summer. In addition, CBPP enables air to reach roots and poisonous CO2 to escape from them. The favourable environment created for tree roots avoids pavement surface disruption from upward root growth and facilitates natural growth into lower levels for stability in high winds and longevity. CBPP can be used within new-build, or regeneration schemes with new tree planting and also for ‘rescuing' mature trees. It can be used in conjunction with raingardens/bioretention, treepits or proprietary systems avoiding air pipes, reservoirs or other structures for irrigation and gaseous exchange.
Innovative concrete block overlay paving provides clean water to tree-planted basins at Bridget Joyce Square, London. Well-established Green Infrastructure - Interpave revisited the project in August 2021, around 5 years after completion, and noted that trees and other green infrastructure were healthy, substantial and particularly well-established. The permeable paving is also performing well and, it is understood from local sources, experienced no problems during recent extreme summer storms, despite extensive flooding nearby.
RBA founder, SuDS expert and landscape architect Bob Bray commented: ‘All the plants have grown really well. Birches are particularly sensitive to drought and urban heat island effect but they have thrived here and the vegetation has remained green all summer. The critical thing seems to be that even small rainfall events are captured by the permeable paving in summer and with larger events concentrated in the basins’.
Low Intervention Retrofit - Another important innovation – particularly for regeneration – is the retrofitting of CBPP as an overlay to existing, conventional road bases or other hard surfaces. These thin overlays create attractive, safe and sustainable shared-surfaces. They can be particularly effective when used to supply a gradual flow of clean water horizontally into raingardens or bioretention areas with trees and other green infrastructure, via simple slot inlet/outlets, to store water for irrigation and biodiversity, as well as SuDS. Such low-intervention techniques enable transformation of the public realm in response to the raft of recent active travel, low traffic and open space
It is important to specify the correct Roof Access Hatch and Ladder combination to ensure that access from the ladder, through the roof access hatch, is as safe as possible.
2) Frequency and product specification - Once you have established your reason for requiring safe access to the roof, you will then be able to make an informed choice regarding which roof access hatch and corresponding ladder system is best suited to meet the needs of your project.
When choosing roof access hatches for commercial or residential projects, there are a number of factors that must be addressed at the initial design stages in order to not only achieve a successful specification, but also deliver safe and sufficient access for the entire lifecycle of the building. Here Tony Stevens, Technical Estimator at Bilco UK, discusses which factors should be taken into consideration when selecting Roof Access Hatches:
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For example, a small roof access hatch should be accessed via a fixed vertical ladder, which is also the most suitable option for projects where space is limited.
Three Things To Consider When Specifying Roof Access Hatches
1) Purpose for access - Whether for the education, healthcare, leisure or commercial sectors, roof access hatches are required to provide permanent and secure access to the roof area. In order to make sure you’re choosing the correct system to meet your project’s unique requirements, you must first identify the main reason for requiring access to the roof. Is it purely for maintenance reasons? Or will a safe means of access also be required for the regular installation or removal of equipment from the roof? Here you should also identify what tools and equipment will need to be transferred through the access hatch, or whether it will just be the individual themselves that is conducting the necessary work.
Increased access opening sizes or double leaf configurations should also be explored where access is required for larger items of equipment or tools. Motorised options also allow the individual to safely maintain contact with the ladder when entering or exiting the hatch. All installations should be subject to individual Risk ComprehensiveAssessments. training should also be provided for all professionals, supported by Method Statements regarding safe and correct use of the access solutions installed. For further information on Bilco UK’s roof access solutions, visit www.bilcouk.co.uk or call 01284 701696. For advice on how to specify the correct ladder, visit:
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Alternatively, if you use a companionway ladder or a retractable ladder, the roof access hatch length must be extended to around 1500 mm to provide for easy and safe access. However, here it should be noted that a minimum head clearance of 120mm is required and that the maximum single climb is no more than three metres, in accordance with BS4211- 7.2. Regardless of the size of the roof access hatch, the system should be operated easily and safely with one hand, in accordance with the requirements outlined within the Manual Handling Regulations, enabling the individual to maintain three points of contact with the fixed ladder. During the installation process, the ladder must be positioned opposite the hinge to ensure safe and unobstructed access. If access to the roof is required on a regular basis for professionals that will have to transfer tools and equipment through the hatch, a Fixed Staircase Roof Access Hatch, also known as a Service Stair Roof Access Hatch, should be specified with a Companionway Ladder or a Fixed ItStaircase.shouldhere
access-hatch-bilco.pdffiles/downloads/choosing-the-right-freeupcomingtheForbilcouk.co.uk/news/specifying-laddershttps://www.furtherinformationonspecifyingrightroofaccesshatchforyourproject,downloadBilcoUK’sguide:https://www.bilcouk.co.uk/
be noted that the roof hatch must be sufficient to maintain a head clearance of 2000mm, as detailed in Building Regulations Part K.
3) Bespoke requirements - To ensure all the criteria are successfully met, you should also consider whether a custom made roof access hatch should be chosen to ensure each of these areas is adequately fulfilled. This includes options such as Bilco UK’s SKY Flatglass, which functions as both a Roof Access Hatch or a Smoke Ventilator, and is supplied with a clear, translucent lid to enable natural daylight into specific areas of the building, without impeding the functionality and accessibility of the hatch.
As the lifting blocks are anchored to the inner frame, the floor access covers can be handled easily and safely by contractors, reducing any potential disruption to passenger’s travel as the maintenance can be conducted quickly and safely. www.howegreen.com
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As part of the formation of the central line, which spans from Westbourne Park to Plumstead and Pudding Mill Lane, official Crossrail contractor and one of the UK’s leading fit-out contractors, DMC Contracts, has installed over 1,500 Howe Green Floor Access Covers throughout seven stations. This includes Whitechapel, Farringdon, Paddington, Bond Street, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and Acton Mainline, where over the last five years DMC Contract’s team of engineers have also installed over 30,000 square metres of Terrazzo and Granazzo floor tiles.
Manufactured to BS 476: Part 22, the 7500 Series provides resistance to fire and smoke for up to two hours, providing the highest standards in safety, performance and compliance throughout all seven stations. With each floor access cover withstanding up to five tonne pneumatic tyre wheel loads, the 7500 Series was also supplied in a range of configurations, including singles, multiparts and ducts, to provide unobstructed access to rodding points and winch systems and electrical pits throughout all areas of the stations.
With DMCContractor,CrossrailContracts
As Europe’s largest current infrastructure project, spanning over 60 miles via 41 different stations, the Elizabeth line will transform rail transport for London, with annual expected passenger levels reaching 200 million. The landmark project has seen the construction of 42km of new tunnels and the development of 10 new stations, with 31 existing stations also undergoing extensive upgrades.
Howe Green’s 7500 Series stainless steel Floor Access Covers have been installed throughout the ticket halls, walkways and main concourses of each station to provide engineers with secure and concealed access to underfloor services, whilst the tamper proof construction also prevents unauthorised access. This is due to the cover’s unique design, which features unobtrusive barrel cover lifting points that can only be accessed with specific lifting and securing keys. As only the securing bolt and barrel edge are visible, the covers provide the highest standards of security, without impacting on the overall design scheme or presenting a potential trip hazard.
Howe Green On The Right Track
Hundreds of square metres of 9mm Magply boards are currently being installed on an apartment development close to Reading’s commercial centre, after the specialist package contractor involved proposed the high performance MgO panel as an alternative to the original product specified, representing a value engineering solution.
Additionally, the unique production process keeps the chloride content to just 0.01 % , enhancing both stability and long-term durability. The different thicknesses of panel are also widely used as a substrate board for the direct application of proprietary render systems, as well as for flooring and flat or pitched roof build-ups. www.magply.co.uk
One Can Helps Village Fly
“After contacting Bradite about the project, they came back with an offer to supply the paints which was very gratefully received by those in Thorpe PaintMorieux.”.wasprovided – of course in a colour scheme of red, white and blue – and the community got the job underway, finishing in good time for the festive celebrations. www.bradite.com
The Jubilee Flag
Containing 250 new homes, the five-storey concrete framed structure features an infill of a Metsec style steel framing system at 600mm centres, reducing around window openings. O Conner Drylining’s operatives then screw fix the Magply boards to the light gauge steel, along with a vertical EPDM, ready for the brickwork elevations to be built, using channels fixed through the sheathing. Magply MgO boards present a fire-safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plywood or OSB products.
O Conner Drylining Ltd is renewing a working relationship with Henry Construction Projects Ltd (HCPL) on Phase 1 of work at the former retail site in Weldale Street, being carried out on behalf of developer, Crossmark.
Magply Boards’ Performance Approved For Reading Apartment Building
Bradite One Can and a local builders’ merchants have helped a small Suffolk village to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Residents of Thorpe Morieux voted for a giant Union Jack to be painted on the end wall of their village hall.
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A design of a flag fluttering in the breeze was worked up by Tony Sheppard, and a team of keen helpers was assembled to take on the task. Then it was off to Kent Blaxill, Bury St Edmunds to seek some paint advice. “Knowing the properties of Bradite One Can … this made it the go-to product for this project,” said the store’s decorative branch manager, Mark Levett.
Firefly™ Apollo Lite Creating Half Hour Fire Barriers In New Research Building
Work is well underway on the first phase of an affordable housing project for Somerset West and Taunton Council, where the use of Marmox Thermoblocks was put forward by specialist developer, Equans Regeneration which is leading the work on the site in Taunton. Phase A of North Taunton Woolaway Project will see the construction of 47 new one, two and three bedroom properties with energy saving and the reduction of environmental impact both being given full consideration.
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Marmox Thermoblocks Cutting Carbon For Social Housing Residents
The issue of thermal bridging, in particular, is being addressed through the decision to utilise the highly insulating Thermoblocks around the perimeter of the ground floor slabs. With over 200 homes to be built in the next few years, the total number of Thermoblocks required will run into the thousands. Each length of Thermoblock is comprised of ultra-high performance XPS insulation, encapsulating miniature epoxy concrete columns, while the top and bottom are covered by alkali resistant glass-fibre mesh, retaining a surface of fibre reinforced polymer concrete to facilitate bonding.
CLM Fireproofing has established a reputation as a leader in the fields of both passive fire protection and fire-stopping.
A specialist contractor undertaking all of the fireproofing within a new medical research building in Surrey has been making use of two well proven, flexible fire barrier products from the TBA’s FIREFLY™ range, to provide 30 minutes protection within the majority of the ceiling voids throughout the four-storey structure.
The concrete columns have a very low conductivity, so do not present thermal bridges themselves and when coupled with the highly insulating XPS insulation core, a combined thermal conductivity of 0.47W/mK is achieved. Crucially, being able to employ a defined, very low thermal transmittance – derived by thermal modelling or measurement – offers a far more advantageous result than adopting the ‘default’ figure offered in SAP, which can often result in non-compliance under Part L. www.marmox.co.uk
CLM is employing Apollo Lite and the Collaroll product in tandem to protect the ceiling voids. The spaces which typically house pipework, power cables and air conditioning units above the suspended ceiling grid, are provided with 30 minutes integrity and insulation through the installation of the flexible Apollo Lite barrier. The Apollo Lite 30/30 has been developed for use in vertical separation or compartmentation situations, offering both 30 minutes integrity and insulation, thereby exceeding the minimum requirements of the Building Regulations. It is widely specified to form fire barriers within roof voids in many different property types. The flexible woven material is easy to cut and fix and is chemically treated to improve its cooling properties, and therefore prevent temperatures rising in adjoining areas. The system has been fully tested to BS 476 Parts 6.7, 20 & 22 and is third party certified by IFCC. www.tbafirefly.com
ITP has supplied Safe One, the UK’s most advanced breather wall and roof membrane, for a façade upgrade project at Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne. The Boardwalk apartment buildings have a floor above 18m, making them subject to post-Grenfell legislation which came into effect in 2018, requiring cladding material which has a Class A fire safety rating under the Euroclass system.
The original façade at the Boardwalk does not meet the necessary Euroclass rating, necessitating its removal and replacement with a new A-rated rainscreen cladding system. The project will cost around £6.2 million, largely funded by the government’s Building Safety Fund for buildings over 18m. Principal Contractor, N&J Building Services, has been chosen to oversee the installation of the Class A-rated cladding to make the Boardwalk apartments fully compliant with the latest Building Regulations. The company is also fitting a Class A breather membrane in the form of Safe One, ensuring the entire external wall system achieves a maximum fire safety rating which goes above and beyond the mandatory Saferequirements.Onehas been installed behind the façade to protect the insulation from weather and allow the building to breathe. A fully UV stable breather membrane suitable for open façades, the system is unrivalled for performance, providing a combination of W1 water tightness and Euroclass rating A2-s1,d0 which is currently unique in the UK market. ITP are exclusive suppliers of Safe One in the UK. www.itpltd.com Safe One Specified To Maximise Fire Safety At Re-Cladding Project
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Photography courtesy Nick Rowland
TBA FIREFLYTM Phoenix is a lightweight smoke and flame barrier developed to enable compartmentation within buildings to provide up to 120 minutes integrity under BS476 Parts 20 & 22. Certified by IFCC the flexible and straightforward to install material I is suitable for both newbuild and retrofit situations. Manufactured from woven and non-woven glass, the FireflyTM range is designed to optimise resistance to flame and smoke as well as offer heat protection in a wide range of scenarios. www.tbafirefly.com Office Refurb Specialist
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The development at Creekside in Deptford is being built to create a total of 56 one, two and three bedroom apartments, including three specially equipped units on the lower levels of one block for those with mobility issues. Within all of the high specification homes, pattress blocks cut from 18mm sheets of Magply boards are being fitted to the reinforced concrete structure’s infill of heavy gauge steel studs.
Upgrading Fire Performance Using TBA FireflyTM Range
A high specification office building close to Manchester Airport has been subject to a series of planned refurbishment contracts, with the phased work including the upgrade of each floor or unit’s fire performance using smoke and flame barriers from the range of TBA FIREFLYTM. Owned by Orbit Developments – part of the Emerson Group - Park Square is a modern commercial office building offering up to 65,000 sq ft of space over five floors. As leases of various occupants expire, the Group’s fit-out contractor, Kirkham, strips out and refurbishes the vacated spaces, including installing TBA’s Phoenix barriers above the suspended ceiling grids before fitting new panels and improved lighting.
A significant new high-rise residential project in the London Borough of Lewisham is being built to provide high quality social housing, with the design of the structure prioritising the use of non-combustible materials: including the choice of A1 rated Magply boards for pattresses within the external walls.
The pattresses are being positioned to support kitchen cupboards and bathroom units as well as radiators throughout the eight and 10 storey buildings. Independently certified to offer a range of performance benefits. Magply MOS boards present a fire-safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plywood or OSB products which normally only offer a Euroclass D or E rating. Importantly the pull-out strength for 18mm Magply is in the range 3.45-4.00 Kn/m2. www.magply.co.uk
Landmark Lewisham Project Using A1 Magply For Fireproof Pattress Inserts
An effective surface water drainage system was essential to ensure all weather access to the venue. 140 metres of Hauraton RECYFIX® PRO 100 channels with FIBRETEC® heel-safe gratings were chosen for the job which blended well with the stone paving and would resist damage from applied grit rock salt in freezing weather. The material, PA-GF used to make the FIBRETEC® grating, was specially developed by Hauraton; the tough, UV resistant, fibre reinforced moulding offers high stability and huge strength for its weight. Complying with loading category Class C250 (BSEN 1433) the grating can easily take the weight of commercial delivery vehicles.
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Built on brown-field land located on the edge of the main shopping district in Hull and adjacent to Princes Quay, the Bonus Arena – Hull Venue and its associated multi storey car park were opened in August 2018. The £36 million development progresses the legacy of the social and economic impact generated by Hull’s 2017 UK City of Culture status.
Hauraton Drainage Systems At Bonus Arena - Hull Venue
The design is a real innovation as its noncorrosive material provides a visually appealing surface finish that retains its colour. The slots are super smooth, elliptical openings with the moulded bars having slightly raised triangular bosses along their outside edges. As well as providing an elegant appearance, the feature ensures surface water is directed into the slots. The RECYFIX® channel component is made from 100% recycled PP. The PRO 100 model is factory fitted with the FIBRETEC® grating and only weighs 4.6kg, so the unit was easy to handle and quickly installed on www.drainage-projects.co.uksite.
The Arena, designed by AFL Architects, is a state-of-the-art music and events complex with a flexible capacity of up to 3,500 people. The facility can provide a venue for concerts or corporate conferences in an 800 seat auditorium. A 2000m² adaptable space can be utilised for sporting events or exhibitions and trade shows. Surrounding the Bonus Arena is a public realm laid with grey stone paving and landscaped by reform Landscape Architecture Limited with trees, lawns, flowerbeds and permanent stone seating.
A new energy centre in the heart of west London has been given a dramatic and eye-catching appearance thanks to the use of a portfolio of façade products provided by Sto. The company’s StoVentec R rainscreen system, with StoVentec A render carrier boards and bespoke 3-dimensional StoDeco profiles have been used to focus attention on the new Olympia London’s Energy Centre, which forms part of a major urban regeneration project in the capital.
Designed by SPPARC, the Olympia London’s Energy Centre building sits on a central London site. “It’s also an industrial building, and the architectural design needed to reflect both this, and the location, yet still deliver a striking appearance which made a strong statement,” comments Sto account manager, Jo Ebel.
The StoVentec stainless steel and aluminium subconstruction was installed onto the substrate of the new multi-storey building by specialist contractor, Craft Interior Ltd, before some 1400 2 m of StoVentec A render carrier boards were fixed to this sub-construction. StoVentec render carrier boards are ideally suited to rainscreen applications and consisting of 96% recycled glass, provide an environmentally-friendly solution. Stolit K1.5 acrylic render was then applied to the boards to provide a rugged and resilient exterior finish. To complete the façade design, custom-made StoDeco profiles were fixed to the StoVentec system to create a unique, 3-dimensional shell-motif pattern for the elevation of the new energy Somecentre.
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project news Sto CentreNewLondon’sForShellProtectiveCreatesOlympiaEnergy
sections of the building incorporate ventilation louvres, and the shell-shaped profiles had to extend over these areas to maintain the façade design. Said Jo Ebel, “We couldn’t obstruct the air flow through the louvres by installing the StoVentec boards over them, so we worked closely with the louvre manufacturer to design a series of aluminium plates which replicate the shell shapes.”
Available in both standard and individual designs, StoDeco profiles are manufactured from Verolith – a unique, lightweight and easily workable, natural material which is then machined to create custom shapes or decorative Theypanels.allow the architect to exercise their creativity by adding individual detailing to a façade. Because they are lightweight, this makes them easy to handle on-site, and they have excellent resistance to damage and the effects of weathering.
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A final surface coat of StoColor Maxicryl façade paint was applied to the render finish and StoDeco profiles in a dark StoColor 37100. This acrylate paint combines a high covering power and reliable colour-fastness, ensuring that the building will retain its attractive appearance well into the future. www.sto.co.uk
The Sky Is The Limit For The
Housing the Glasgow Museum of Transport, one of the UK’s foremost transport and technology collections, the Riverside Museum reflects Glasgow’s historic role as a centre of shipbuilding, train manufacturing and engineering. Previously located in a former tram depot on the Glasgow South Side, the Transport Museum’s exhibits have moved to The Riverside Museum, designed by renowned architect, Zaha TheHadid. museum’s iconic and beautiful design dominates its riverside location, whilst paying homage to the heritage of its surroundings. Crucial to the museum’s flowing design is its roof, which curves and undulates and continues around the east and west sides of the building to constitute the majority of the external structure. Silver-grey zinc panels complete the effect, placing the building firmly in the context of the River Clyde. As part of the roof construction, Bilco UK was commissioned to manufacture and supply a E-50TB Roof Access Hatch, in addition to two ESW-50REM Smoke Vents, to meet strict requirements for convenient access and building safety regulations. Both the roof access hatch and smoke vents were custom-designed to unique specifications by Bilco UK’s in house team and clad in zinc to create a seamless, aesthetic finish with the museum’s distinctive roof. Expertly engineered to meet the requirements of Manual Handling Regulations, the E-50TB Roof Access Hatch allows for regular and convenient maintenance by facilitating easy one-handed Theoperation.Access
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Hatch will enable engineers with small tools to safely access the roof to conduct essential maintenance, whilst its overlapping cover design, fully welded corners and insulated cover ensure both weather tightness and energy efficiency to deliver the highest standards of longevity for the museum. Specified to ensure strict adherence with relevant fire safety regulations, the two ESW-50REM Smoke Vents open to 140 degrees in the event of a fire within 60 seconds, guaranteeing the highest standards in fire safety and allowing for the venting of smoke, heat and noxious gases in the event of a fire. Open to Glasgow to the North and the Clyde to the South, the museum’s interior is complex, inviting visitors to snake their way around the various exhibits. www.bilcouk.co.uk
Riverside Museum, Glasgow, With The Help Of Bilco UK
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The Wraptite® external air barrier system from the A. Proctor Group is achieving an efficient airtightness solution at two new-build extensions to the Connolly Hospital in Dublin. The Wraptite system is the only self-adhering vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA. It combines the critical properties of vapour permeability and airtightness in one selfadhering
An experienced builder and roofing contractor has made use of some 300 standard and tapered Marmox Multiboards to complete a complex refurbishment of a large, top floor balcony on an apartment building in North London. Lightwood Construction carries out work for mainly residential clients right across the capital and has used Marmox Multiboards on many occasions in the past for both interior and exterior applications. In this instance, long term exposure to the weather and ponding had caused the original waterproofing system to deteriorate, and leaks to occur. Having stripped off all of the rotten felt and boarding, Lightwood Construction’s operatives installed 90 sheets of 20mm thick standard Multiboards, along with 200 of the cut-to-falls variant enabling subtle gradients to be created in draining the balcony to multiple outlets. Equally suitable for wet room applications, Marmox’s Sloping Boards are made from the same waterproofing products as Multiboard - thermally insulating XPS sandwiched between two layers of Marmox’s patented polymerconcrete. The boards have undergone rigorous tests to ensure they are suitable for external use so can be used on the most exposed balconies, as well as inside a wet room. The board is produced in just one size, 1200 x 1200mm, with the edge thickness tapering from 33mm down to 10mm at the opposite side. They can be combined with layers of 20mm thick Marmox Multiboard to extend the slope indefinitely. www.marmox.co.uk Wraptite® Helps Dublin Hospital Promote Healthy Buildings
Cut-To-Falls Multiboard Help Drain Top Balcony
Floor
Themembrane.highvapour permeability of the Wraptite air barrier allows the substrate beneath to dry quickly and moisture vapour to escape and reduces the likelihood of mould, mildew, condensation, timber distortion and metal corrosion. The Wraptite System was installed as an external air barrier and alternative to a traditional standard breather membrane. The use of conventional membranes would have required mechanical fixing and added to the installation time. As an alternative, the Wraptite self-adhesive membrane was applied externally, quickly and easily to the external steel frame in continuous pieces. Positioning an air barrier on the outside of the structural frame simplifies the process of maintaining the envelope’s integrity, with fewer building services and structural penetrations to be sealed. www.proctorgroup.com
It was also crucial that the façade would act as a rainscreen cladding system so the project team approached CUPA PIZARRAS about its CUPACLAD® natural slate rainscreen cladding.
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The designers sought to create a family home with a high-end exterior finish that felt like an escape from London, while also working well with the surrounding structures. Early on, natural slate was identified as a material that could help to create an attractive contemporary façade around the rear, sides and the upper elevation of the front of the property.
The project team visited Taylor Maxwell’s London Bridge showroom – the exclusive distributor of CUPACLAD® in the UK - to discuss options with the Taylor Maxwell and CUPA PIZARRAS teams as well as view a CUPACLAD® sample wall. This session helped to establish that the CUPACLAD® 201 Vanguard system was the ideal solution. A fully BBA approved system, CUPACLAD® 201 Vanguard is 100% non-combustible and offers a lifespan of over 100 years. Following the initial consultation, CUPA PIZARRAS worked closely with the project team, including carrying out a number of site visits.
CUPA PIZARRAS has been heavily involved in the development of a new self-build residential property in North West London. The manufacturer was initially approached due to its range of natural slate façade designs, with its CUPACLAD® 201 Vanguard system eventually specified to create an impressive and striking façade. Located in Dollis Hill, the property is situated next to a housing estate and opposite an existing slate clad façade, while views to the rear give the illusion of a peaceful woodland setting.
Cupa Pizarras
ImpressiveCladdingContemporarySuppliesRainscreenSolutionForLondonHome
Thefinish.CUPACLAD® 201 Vanguard system is constructed from horizontal aluminium profiles, mechanically fastened to an aluminium sub frame support. Once fixed in place, the rows of natural slate are clipped on, and in the case of the Dollis Hill property, using visible fixings to create an attractive pinstripe effect.
“The dark grey slate rainscreen cladding provides a striking colour contrast with the refurbished light brown timber fencing and complements the property’s black aluminium windows and glazing.” www.cupapizarras.com/uk/
The use of CUPACLAD® 201 Vanguard was kept in mind throughout the design process, with the dimensions of the slate determining the placement of windows, vents and corners. This meant that when it came to construction, it was a simple installation process with minimal wastage and resulting in a clean
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“The product looks fantastic in-situ on this project,” commented Tom Ward, Cladding Product Advisor at Taylor Maxwell.
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Eurobrick: Renovate & Reuse For Climate Change
There is a growing realisation that converting or renovating older buildings can be better for the environment than creating something new. The cost to the environment of demolition and rebuild is greater than renovation as there is embodied carbon within the structures of buildings. In light of climate change, is it time to consider extending the useful life of our existing stock of buildings rather than replacing them? Eurobrick products and systems have been used on many renovation and conversion projects over the last 30 years helping to bring redundant buildings back to life. With flexible brick slip systems to suit any project, they can provide solutions that not only transform the appearance but also offer excellent energy saving benefits as well as creating a healthier environment for occupants’ wellbeing. Extruded brick slips typically use only 30-40% of the energy used to produce standard full sized bricks. They are also considerably lighter which helps to save on transportation, foundations and other structural Ifelements.youadd to this that the insulation panels in Eurobrick’s X-Clad system can achieve significant improvements to U-Values, it shows that Eurobrick offer excellent solutions for sustainable renovation projects. Renovation projects reimagine the old to breathe new life into communities. Whether converting or refurbishing an existing building, there is often a way to make better use of what is already available to us. And if that helps with climate change too, surely it should be the way forward? For more information on Eurobrick systems and products, please call 0117 971 7117 or email info@eurobrick.co.uk
People are becoming more aware of the global climate emergency and questioning the role of the built environment in challenging this issue, particularly in terms of renovation and converting redundant buildings. While policymakers have long focused on reducing emissions from operating buildings, this is just a part of the story.
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www.bradite.com
Elstree Magply boards are being used as part of Sky’s efforts to create the world’s most sustainable film and TV Studios, Sky Studios Elstree. Currently under construction by main contractor BAM, the build has recently included the use of 9mm thick Magply boards as part of a flat roof build up specified for the product’s proven fire-protection capabilities and all-round performance benefits.
Jumbo Job for One Can
The work on the new production buildings is being carried out by London based Waterproofing specialist, Guaranteed Asphalt Ltd. which is installing their BBA Agrement certified hot melt flat roofing system over a reinforced concrete deck with the Magply boards being used to protect the mineral wool insulation.
Strand Leisure Pool, a popular lido in Gillingham, Kent has recently had a makeover, with the help of Bradite’s One Can, to celebrate its 125th anniversary. A main attraction is the revitalised elephant slides, which are now proudly sporting the NHS logo and a rainbow pattern, replacing their previous bright pink Kellyexterior.Holmes, senior painter at Medway Norse Ltd explained that the all-in-one product, which combines primer, undercoat, and topcoat, was “ideal for the job” and that they “used seven different colours on the elephants and couldn’t have done it without a water-based product.” Bradite One Can is virtually odourless, it is quick-drying and touch dry in 30 minutes making it re-coatable in one hour.
The Magply boards were secured in place over the 300mm thick StoneWool insulation using an adjustable length TIA fixing from the SFS range: drilling down into the concrete substrate. The fixing consists of a mushroom-type plastic sleeve which inserts in the bore hole, followed by a secondary concrete screw that is dropped into the sleeve, which is driven into the deck.
Magply MgO boards present a fire-safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plywood or OSB products. The different thicknesses of panel are also widely used for flooring and pitched roof installations as well as being approved by many different manufacturers of render finishes as a suitable substrate.
The paint works both as an adhesion primer and sealer, is anti-corrosive and can be used on a wide range of surfaces. It is available in both eggshell and matt finish and a full range of BS, RAL and NCS colours. Not only were the elephants given a new lease of life, but One Can was also used to repaint safety bridges yellow, a seating area near the poolside and the lido’s exterior sign.
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Magply Features In FireFighting Role At Sky Studios
Property developers Golden Eye Group, augmented their latest residential development with a high-end exterior finish incorporating a rainwater system from Yeoman Rainguard. With a mantra of “a quality finish that will stand the test of time” Golden Eye ensured that quality was reflected not only internally but for all parts of the external building envelope too.
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As part of the function and design criteria of the house façade, Yeoman Rainguard were able to provide a sophisticated, quality rainwater system to fulfil technical and aesthetic requirements. To dovetail into the contemporary look, Yeoman Rainguard SL Aluminium gutters and downpipes were chosen. The 75 x 75 mm flush-fit SL Aluminium downpipes provided a modern clean line coupled with 125 x 100 mm MOG gutter. Aluminium Fascia and Soffits from Yeoman Rainguard’s new Squareline range were fitted to complement the sleek lines.
All were finished in a smooth RAL 7022 Grey colour to perfectly match the shade of the windows and doors. The aluminium products give a hardwearing, maintenance free lifecycle of 30 years or more, making this recyclable material both an ecologically and economically sound choice. The rainwater system was installed by Yeoman Rainguard’s experienced installer, ensuring the perfect finish. www.rainguard.co.uk Yeoman
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One hundred metres of Hauraton RECYFIX® PRO 100 channel system, fitted with FIBRETEC® C250, 9mm HEELSAFE slot gratings, was used by groundwork subcontractor GPB Construction Ltd to drain the asphalted Blue Badge parking bays for visitors. The channels were installed between the bays and the path leading to the entrance of the new arrivals hall.
The FIBRETEC® C250 HEELSAFE slot grating was specifically designed by Hauraton R&D engineers to enhance the flow of water into the channel. The slots are super smooth, elliptical openings with the moulded bars having slightly raised triangular bosses along their outside edges. As well as providing an elegant appearance, the feature ensures surface water is directed into the slots. This configuration also helps eliminate any cross-flow over the grating.
The material, PA-GF used to make the FIBRETEC® grating, was especially developed by Hauraton; the tough, UV resistant, fibre reinforced moulding offers high stability and huge strength for its weight. Complying with loading category Class C250 (BSEN 1433) the grating can easily take the weight of cars and commercial delivery vehicles.
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The design is a real innovation as its non-corrosive material provides a visually appealing surface finish that retains its black colour.
The RECYFIX® PRO 100 channel component is made from 100% recycled polypropylene (PP). The six sizes offered are 160mm wide and range in height from 75mm to 250mm with the FIBRETEC® grating factory fitted on all models. As the largest unit is only 5.8kg, the channelling is easily handled and quickly installed on site. www.drainage-projects.co.uk
The first phase of The Welcome Building and surrounding landscape at Royal Horticultural Society gardens, Wisley, Surrey has transformed the experience for visitors to the gardens with buildings including a spacious arrivals hall, café, shop, plant centre and a 100 seat restaurant. There are now three large car/ coach parks including Blue Badge scheme easy access bays for visitors in park two.
Hauraton Channels Drain Blue Badge Scheme Parking Bays At RHS Wisley
Applications
Recently relaunched, the next generation StoVentec Glass A is suitable for use either as an external rainscreen cladding system or as part of an interior design scheme, and is the only UK system with a BBA certificate for all standard applications. This includes independent assessment of wind loads, reaction to fire, safety and durability.
The specification of a StoVentec Glass cladding solution at London’s new Paddington Elizabeth line station has highlighted the growing popularity of this system for use at transport hubs such as rail stations and airports. Paddington is the latest in a growing list of transport sector projects where StoVentec Glass has been installed, and it underlines the system’s ability to satisfy the very specific and demanding requirements of this type of application.
Specified by Weston Williamson + Partners, the StoVentec Glass system was installed in a large public area which leads onto the main station concourse, and the StoVentec Glass panels were screenprinted with a circular, patterned design. “Transport infrastructure projects impose a fairly rigid set of requirements on any construction material, and that is particularly true of glass,” comments Sto’s Product Manager, Greg Astill. “Safety, sustainability and the ability to accommodate a wide variety of design requirements, especially on refurbishment projects where existing structures are involved, are just some of the key requirements, and StoVentec Glass is able to satisfy all these, and many more.”
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Paddington Station Project Highlights Suitability Of Stoventec Glass For Transport Sector
It also has excellent impact performance and has passed stringent bomb blast tests in accordance with the latest ASIAD, SIDOS and CPNI requirements. In terms of sustainability, StoVentec Glass A façades are extremely hard-wearing and weather-resistant, with the panel carrier boards manufactured using natural perlite.
Craft Interior have extensive experience of the StoVentec Glass system, having installed it on a wide range of transport sector projects ranging from internal ticket halls to external lift shafts.
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As everything is manufactured on a bespoke basis, including the subconstruction design, joint detailing and penetrations, this helps remove any problems before they arise and ensures that the projects run smoothly.”
From a design perspective, the ability to specify any RAL or custom colour, bespoke sizes and shapes, and to screen-print logos and designs onto the glass provides the sort of versatility and flexibility that is often desired for transport station projects. The manufacturing process includes the fusing of colours on to the back of the glass, before the toughening process.
“Sto’s technical and design team offer great support, right from the initial stages through to the completion of the projects,” adds Graham Chadwick of Craft Interior, Sto’s authorized applicator who installed the StoVentec Glass system at Paddington station. “
“TheStation.system is perfect for use in high traffic areas as the glass has passed all industry standard soft-body and hardbody impact tests, in accordance with CWCT requirements,” adds Greg.
www.sto.co.uk
Rigorous testing under extreme conditions has proved that StoVentec Glass A meets NHBC standards and Building Regulations, including a reaction to fire classification of A2-s1, d0, and has a minimum durability of 30 years - an important factor for high profile projects such as Paddington
The colour melts into the glass providing permanent coloured glass panels that will not wear, scratch, fade, or incur water damage.
After receiving samples from Yeoman Rainguard they choose the XL Aluminium range which, being manufactured from 3 mm thick extruded aluminium, gave the confidence of a robust and longlasting system.
Desirable New Build Reflects Quality With The Choice Of Rainwater System
When it came to self-building a dream home, a couple from Yorkshire wanted the finish to the exterior of their home to convey both modern style and quality with a nod to traditional building Thematerials.plot of land was bought with an original property standing on it which was demolished to make way for the tasteful 4-bedroom family residence. Their new home was designed to be in keeping with the more mature properties in the surrounding area but also to include elements that offered a greener more modern way of living with consideration given to energy efficient, durable and ecologically sound building materials. When looking at a rainwater system they wanted all these elements to be reflected together in the choice of gutters and downpipes.
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Rainguard manufacturing facilities helped to offer additional benefits to the build by being able to specially design external angles and stop end units in one piece. The units reduce the amount of jointing required therefore limiting the possibility of points of leakage in the gutter run.
Style is also exuded from the XL aluminium range with the 125 x 100 mm MOG XL gutters being installed along side the 75 x 75 mm square downpipes. Finished in an attractive black powder coating which not offers a stunning heritage look but gives the gutters and downpipes protection against the elements leading to 30 years plus, maintenance free, Yeomanlifecycle.
A bespoke aluminium Fascia/Soffit was also designed for the new build again adding to the immaculate finish and maintenance free advantages of the property’s exterior. For more information on Yeoman Rainguards rainwater systems for new build or renovation projects get in touch on 0113 279 5854 or go to www.rainguard.co.uk
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Cupaclad Provides The Natural Solution For New Coastal Home
“We really wanted a home that utilised a range of materials to create a modern look as opposed to building a glass palace that could look too ostentatious in the rugged seafront location,” said David. The couple approached Arwyn George from George + Tomos Architects who put together a design, which included CUPA PIZARRAS’ natural slate cladding system, CUPACLAD 101.
CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPACLAD 101 Logic was recently installed as part of a striking newbuild project, located in Aberystwyth, Wales. The natural slate cladding was chosen because it could complement the coastal surroundings as well as provide outstanding resistance to the harsh weather conditions. The site was purchased by homeowners, David and Shirley Harries who looked to extend the pre-existing bungalow but after finding significant issues with its structure, opted instead to erect a new build on the same plot.
Photography courtesy Nick Rowland
High quality natural slate is a very resistant material – its deterioration is unnoticeable to the human eye, meaning its colour does not change across its 100 year lifespan, even in the coldest environments. Natural slate also has a permanent sheen, unlike other roofing materials which can decrease up to eight times superior. “We really loved the proposal,” the couple commented. “The slate would blend seamlessly with the local landscape – both the cliffs behind the property as well as some of the other houses in the area, which also utilise natural slate. What’s more, the material is sympathetic to its CUPACLADenvironment.”is constructed using specially selected slates, which are dark in colour, creating a bold and dramatic look, particularly when utilised alongside lighter materials such as glass, timber and render. CUPACLAD 101 Logic is made up of 40x20cm slates installed horizontally using fixing systems that are completely invisible once installed to avoid impacting the design. As with the rest of the CUPACLAD 101 series, it is BBA certified, verifying that it has an incredibly low level of water absorption, test results show a value between 0.16 and 0.17%. This ensures that the material is not susceptible to frosting or hypothermal ageing. Furthermore, the BBA certificate demonstrates the slate is very resistant to high winds, fire and impacts. Rhys Ben Wright from RBW Carpentry was then selected to install the slate system. A process made easier, thanks to the quality of the slate, with predrilled holes and self-drilling fixings.
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“The CUPACLAD system allowed the new home to blend into the surrounding cliffs beautifully,” said Arwyn. “In addition, I had to consider the high winds that the project would be exposed to and select something that would have the appropriate durability.”
What’s more, natural slate has a number of environmental benefits. According to research carried out by the University of Glasgow, it produces a limited amount of atmospheric carbon (1KgCO2/metre2 over its lifetime) and has a low water and energy consumption rate. Furthermore, by sourcing natural slate from CUPA PIZARRAS, a carbon neutral company, David and Shirley’s cladding solution is verifiably sustainable. Once the project was completed, David and Shirley were over the moon with their new home: “The cladding fits the landscape seamlessly, which is due to the properties of the slate, as well as Arwyn’s design. He was able to shape the building in such a way that it really fits with the outlines of the hilly surroundings.
“We were concerned that some of the slates would be lost in recent strong winds; however, the cladding remained completely intact. We would definitely recommend CUPACLAD.” CUPA PIZARRAS’ slate is exclusively distributed by Taylor Maxwell to the UK cladding/www.cupapizarras.com/uk/rainscreen-market.
Sto’s StoRend Flex render system was specified for use on a high-profile development of luxurious and sustainable homes built in Norfolk. Located five miles from Norwich city centre, the six new Octagon Park homes are designed to meet the requirements of the Passivhaus Plus standard, while delivering outstanding quality and a high level of sustainability.
The Octagon Park development was created by JR Cozens Wiley Ltd, and the properties feature a timber-frame construction, which had a direct bearing on the specification of the StoRend Flex system. “An alternative render system was originally considered for the project,” adds Ashley.
“In order to minimise energy consumption, the Passivhaus Plus standard sets out very specific criteria for construction, insulation and ventilation systems,” explains Sto’s head of sales, Ashley Wainwright. “This meant that the materials specified had to satisfy extremely demanding performance standards, and the StoRend Flex render system was certainly able to achieve this.”
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New Passivhaus
project Sto Render System Specified For Development
Widely regarded as an industry benchmark solution, StoVentec board has been specifically developed for use with Sto render products.
“The boards can be installed quickly and easily and can be cut without the need for power tools,” comments Sebastian Slomkowski of Passivhausapproved S.I.R.S. Ltd of Norwich who installed the Sto “Theymaterials.canalso weigh up to 50% less than other render boards which makes them easy to handle and install.” The addition of StoArmat Classic Plus, a cement-free, acrylic resin-based reinforcing coat –which is up to 15 times more flexible than traditional cement-based reinforcing coats when embedded with Sto Glass Fibre strengthening mesh - provided exceptional levels of crack resistance. The system was then finished with a stippled StoSilco render and StoColor Dryonic façade paint that promotes fast and efficient drainage of water, allowing the surface to dry rapidly and greatly inhibiting the appearance of algae, fungus and unsightly marks.
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www.sto.co.uk
Flex synthetic render system provides a highly flexible, rugged and crack-resistant exterior render finish which was in-keeping with the highquality nature of the Octagon Park development. The render itself was applied to Sto’s own StoVentec render carrier boards, which were fixed to the timber frames of the buildings. Being made from recycled glass granulate, the StoVentec render carrier boards are dimensionally stable, so thermal movement is minimized and the need for movement joints can be reduced, and often eliminated completely.
“However, this would have required the inclusion of many vertical and horizontal movement joints at every door and window aperture. Fortunately, these weren’t necessary with the Sto system, so it was ideal for this purpose as it helped simplify both the design and construction processes while still delivering the performance and high level of finish Therequired.”StoRend
Innovation though is not always about original product development. The Schöck philosophy of rethinking existing product capabilities can lead to derivative technology and the new Sconnex product range is a perfect example. It offers outstanding insulation performance, combined with an exceptional load-bearing capacity.
Major Innovative New Solution From The Ever Progressive Schöck
Over six decades Schöck has built a formidable international reputation for innovative and progressive product design. The company is best known for its market leading range of Isokorb structural thermal breaks, but its pioneering reinforcement technology and impact sound insulation solutions are also a significant part of the product portfolio.
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Closing the last major thermal bridge - Type W, for insulating the thermal bridge at the base, or the top of the reinforced concrete wall; type P for insulating the column head and eliminating the need for flank insulation; and type M, a capillary barrier that insulates at the base, or the top, of a masonry wall. With these ingenious high quality solutions, the company has transferred its Isokorb expertise in balcony technology to walls and columns. But what necessary development steps and which building physics obstacles had to be overcome for the concept to become an approved component?
Sconnex types W (left) and P (right)
Building physics and expert analysis - The main focus of the 2050 building policy guidelines is to reduce energy losses and a critical area is the thermal performance of the building envelope, through a fabric Sconnexfirst approach.contributes
significantly to meeting such a challenging and vital sustainable concept. About 40% of all thermal bridges in a building are caused by walls and columns, resulting in around 10% of heating energy losses. So the objective was to be the first company to develop a component for wall and column connections that both minimises thermal bridges and makes external insulation unnecessary.
Total assurance for architects and planners - By introducing Sconnex, Schöck has met the needs of the construction industry in maximising the reduction of thermal bridges involving walls and columns. Architects and planners can be assured that the Sconnex product family sets new standards for energyefficient construction in the 21st century; and those who have already incorporated the products into their projects are enthusiastic about the new design freedom, the planning safety and the economically achievable results for the client. www.schoeck.com Sconnex Type M All three product types
However, bringing a major new product to market requires extensive due diligence. First, building physics analysis confirmed the solution as being realistic in its practical implementation. Then, extensive expert opinions were prepared for the German Institute for Construction Technology (DIBt), where all mandatory legal requirements, including 90 minute fire resistance, were met. Because of the variance from practiced construction methods, Schöck also involved scientists from the University of Darmstadt. With groundbreaking innovations, Schöck often teams with specialists from universities and high-profile engineering firms in the development of calculation models. In one dissertation, an empirical design proposal was created for the application of the connection element in construction practice, based on extensive experimental studies on its load-bearing behaviour. Schöck test results were also incorporated and the design proposal ratified by expert opinion.
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74 project news Cupa Pizarras’ Slate Chosen For Luxury Coastal Properties
CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPA 18 natural slate has been used to achieve a high-quality finish on three luxury, modern, new build properties in one of the most desirable areas of Whitstable in TheKent. new properties, built by local property designer and developer specialist Kapra Developments, are located in Island Wall, Whitstable, close to both the town centre and the scenic Kent coastline. The three storey, five bedroom luxury properties are each in excess of 360 square metres and benefit from views over the nearby golf course.
The unique design of the houses features extensive use of dark grey aluminium glazing systems including rooftop lanterns and large sloping roof windows.
David Clarke, Company Secretary at Bates said: “The Island Wall properties presented a few complexities and challenges due to the steep pitch of the roof and the need to integrate the slate with the other elements such as the large format glazing."
CUPA 18 is a lighter grey slate with a smooth matt surface and has a superior, homogenous finish with only minor variations allowed in the thickness and flatness of the slate. The slate roofs were installed by Bates (Kent), a family owned contractor based near Canterbury, who has worked with Kapra Developments on a number of previous projects.
The placement of the expansive glazing as well as the layout and orientation of the buildings was devised to maximize the natural light and make the most of the surrounding landscape. In addition to the CUPA 18 natural slate, the design also includes high quality natural timber cladding, sedum green roofing and natural stone blockwork .
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CUPA PIZARRAS’ natural slate is sustainably extracted from quarries in northern Spain. It has an exceptional life span of 100 years and requires minimal maintenance throughout its lifetime. www.cupapizarras.com/uk
Kim Brown concluded: “To achieve the intended result for these properties has required hard work from everyone involved. We are once again delighted with CUPA PIZARRAS’ products and are pleased with how that element of the build has progressed.”
“We’ve used CUPA products on a number of contracts and found the slates very easy to work with. The strength and quality of the slates means that we are able to reduce the amount of wastage compared with other products.”
Kim Brown, Director at Kapra Developments explained: “For the properties on Island Wall, the quality of the materials was very important and the coastal location meant that a durable product was essential. We had used CUPA PIZARRAS’ products on previous projects and so we were confident that the CUPA 18 slate would provide the look, quality and longevity we wanted.”
High thermal performance meets the unique aesthetic of steel • Advanced high density thermal barrier technology • Bespoke design • Industry leading U values • Accommodates double or triple glazed insulating glass units • Fully welded, seamless frame construction • Duralife® architectural grade polyester powder coated in any RAL or BS colour T60 - A 21st Century Choice See more at www.crittall-windows.co.uk t: 01376 530800 The Levine Building, Trinity College, Oxford T60Thermal break steel system 257 Crittall T60 Trade advert 210x280mm_RIBAJ.indd 1 06/06/2022 14:07
