PSBJ May 2012 by Red Hut Media Ltd

www.psbj.co.uk ÂŁ4.00

May 2012

Contemporary transformation 1930s campus gets new lease of life

Shared spaces Exhibition Road welcomes everyone

Health matters Holistic approach to care development

Landmark library Iconic resource for London community

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Cover image Waltham Forest College is a landmark education building in northeast London that has been given a radical new lease of life thanks to a major refurbishment by Richard Hopkinson in collaboration with Platform 5 Architects.

Editor Dawn Frosdick-Hopley editor@psbj.co.uk Publishing Director Sam Ball sam@mixedmediainfo.com Account Executives Andy Turner andy@mixedmediainfo.com Adele Mason adele@mixedmediainfo.com Design & Production Chris Lilly chris@mixedmediainfo.com Credit Control Manager Vickie Crawford accounts@mixedmediainfo.com Publisher Mixed Media Information Barham Court, Teston Maidstone, Kent ME18 5BZ T: 01622 232702 F: 01622 816874 www.mixedmediainfo.com www.psbj.co.uk

Welcome. . . There was an audible sigh of relief from campaigners and pressure groups all over the country a few weeks ago, when the Planning Minister Greg Clark published a revised version of last summer’s much criticised draft National Planning Policy Framework. The new NPPF rips up decades of planning guidance, replacing 44 existing planning statements dating back to 1990 and numbering over 1,200 pages, with a slim 49-page document. It would now appear that good design and the involvement of local people forms a central part of the revamped planning laws. On the face of it, the new document is a far more balanced affair. It supports development while remaining committed to sustainability. It focuses on the obligations of councils to prioritise brownfield and town centre development and, on the whole, recognises the importance of working within, and not against, local plans. However, the desire for authorities to ‘cherry pick’ elements to suit their agendas will not help sustainable development, so the importance of applying the NPPF in a consistent manner cannot be understated. To aid our housing issues, local planning authorities need to allocate suitable land as well as fully understand sustainability issues, but bringing the two together in viable developments is not so easy. In order to assist successful implementation of the NPPF, planning authorities will need to be allocated the necessary resources. However, what we can be sure of, is that during the forthcoming transitional period, there will be a large number of applications going to appeal. Then we will see just where the ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ lies.

Dawn Frosdick-Hopley | Editor | editor@psbj.co.uk Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope. No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editors hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Mixed Media Information Ltd. The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher. The Publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Public Sector Build Journal

Contents

08 Upfront Eight years in the planning, the landmark Exhibition Road is now open – a £29m shared space scheme, which was delivered on time and within budget.

14 Education The 1930s campus of Waltham Forest College has been given a radical new lease of life thanks to a major refurbishment by Richard Hopkinson in collaboration with Platform 5 Architects.

18 Talking Point Scott Sinden, Managing Director of glass processors ESG, explains the importance for public sector architects to fully understand the latest developments in security glass.

20 Paints, Coatings & Finishes Decorating solutions from Dulux Trade have helped achieve long-term preventative maintenance for a large housing association in south London.

Online Enquiry 002 4

Public Sector Build Journal

22 Healthcare

26 Play

With many different attitudes to healthcare development, PSBJ examines the holistic approach taken by the GB Group.

PSBJ looks at how the exhilarating i-play from Playdale is bringing play equipment into the 21st century.

24 CIH Preview The CIH Annual Conference and Housing Exhibition takes place in Manchester from June 12th–14th.

28 Rainwater Systems To meet English Heritage guidelines, Alumasc’s Heritage Cast Aluminium range was specified for the refurbishment of London’s Marylebone Station.

30 Leisure

38 Housing

ISG has successfully completed a £14m project to deliver the new Canada Water Library, creating a landmark community resource that is the focal point of a wider south London regeneration masterplan.

Alexandra Place, an axtra care apartment complex for the over 55s, has recently been named ‘Most Innovative Supported/Sheltered Housing Scheme’.

33 Modular Building

38 Insulation

David Jupp, Business Development Manager at Elliott Off-Site Building Solutions, looks at why an off-site solution was chosen for the new West of England Multiple Sclerosis Centre.

A new report warns that HFC’s contained in foam insulation could account for up to 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, and urges the use of fibre insulation in new construction projects.

37 HVAC

42 Ecobuild Review

Now more than ever, it’s time to upgrade Once again Ecobuild was buzzing with your boiler, says Chris Meir, National the latest products, ideas and services. Business Development Manager at But did this year’s event deliver its Remeha Commercial. sustainability promises? 13347_Stelrad Rad Stars 10.5% 122x185 type_Layout 1 17/04/2012 11:59 Page 1

44 Floors & Surfaces PSBJ takes a look at Gerflor’s extensive range of vinyl flooring products and interior finishes.

48 Product Showcase The latest product and installation news, helping specifiers make informed choices.

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Online Enquiry 003 Public Sector Build Journal

News

New homes figures reveal everincreasing private/public sector divide Figures recently released by NHBC have shown that the gap between private and public sector registrations in the UK continues to expand, with social housing figures contracting year-on-year. NHBC registration figures for the public sector decreased 20% in January 2012 compared with January 2011, and 58% in February 2012 yearon-year. (1,854 compared with 2,304 in January 2011 and 1,373 from 3,289 in February 2011). In contrast, private sector housing registrations have

experienced consecutive increases this year, with a 9% rise in January followed by 27% in February, compared with the start of 2011. In total, there has been a marginal 2% decrease in the number of homes across all sectors registered to date this year in the UK (16,343 in 2012 compared to 16,705 in 2011). Commenting on the latest figures, Richard Tamayo, Commercial Director of NHBC, said: “Our latest statistics have revealed a consistent start to the

year, with both January and February reporting significant growth in the private sector but a concerning drop in social housing. “The newly published National Planning Policy Framework and recently-announced first time buyers’ mortgage initiative, are both important steps in empowering the private sector – the current engine of growth for housing numbers, as our statistics indicate – to produce the volume of homes the country urgently needs.”

Learn efficently at the Eco Technology Show The Eco Technology Show 2012 will showcase the latest technologies which perform a crucial role in protecting the environment and making our daily business lives more efficient. The show will bring together a unique blend of business decision makers, subject specialists, policy makers and buyers from the public sector, business and the general public, for a two-day event at the new American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, on the June 15th & 16th. The Eco Technology Show is an ideal event to learn how to meet CSR requirements and reduce your

carbon footprint; gain the information and products you need to reuse and retrofit an existing building and reduce your energy costs and improve the energy performance and water management of your business. To register or see details of the free

seminar programme visit:

www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk Co-located with the Eco Technology Show is the Smart Business one-day conference, showcasing opportunities to create business value in a resource constrained environment, and highlighting how integration of technology into cities enables sustainability, well-being and economic development. The conference will be chaired by Jo Confino, editor of Guardian Sustainable Business. To register or see the full programme go to:

www.smartbusinessconference.co.uk

Construction expert joins Scape team Steve Elkin, National Framework Manager at leading construction firm Willmott Dixon, is joining Nottinghambased Scape in the new position of Director. The appointment comes as the local authority controlled firm seeks to help an increasing number of public sector bodies deliver more for less within tightening budgets. Bringing a wealth of commercial expertise to the role, Steve is set to work as part of Scape’s senior management team. His remit will include growing the business and developing new initiatives

Public Sector Build Journal

to maximise the company’s offer. Scape delivers cost and time-saving benefits to publicly funded construction projects across the UK and currently works with around 120 public bodies. It has recently been honoured for outstanding achievement at this year’s National Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards. The organisation was crowned the winner in the GO/John F McClelland Collaborative Procurement Initiative of the Year – Non-Health Organisations category.

News

A world of sustainable materials at the click of mouse

How can architects, designers and the building industry find out about new, sustainable construction materials? That’s the question Jakki Dehn (above), a reader at London’s Kingston University, tried to address when she started work cataloguing more than 1,200 sustainable materials for use in

The key to a greener life Moving house could be a great opportunity to switch to a greener lifestyle, according to a group of students at London’s Kingston University. They have come up with the idea for a green key to encourage homebuyers to throw out inefficient items such as old fridgefreezers and washer-dryers and commit themselves to recycling and keeping the thermostat a few degrees lower. The scheme has already won approval

the construction industry. The result is a materials library, Rematerialise, which is available online at rematerialise.org Ms Dehn has been developing Rematerialise at Kingston University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture for 18 years, but it’s only now that the bulk of the library can be viewed on the library’s website. “Until now we’ve only had a small site with about 80 products on it,” she explained. “Now there are more than a thousand materials listed – so industry professionals, teachers, researchers, students and anyone with a need to know more about ecologicallyresponsible design, can find out about materials that use fewer non-renewable resources or can be re-grown.” Once planners have done initial research online they can make an appointment to view the materials themselves at Kingston University’s Knights Park campus. from Mayor of London Boris Johnson. The green key concept scooped his low carbon prize, which saw more than 100 student teams from London universities take up the challenge of developing ideas to reduce the City’s carbon footprint. The Kingston students will now receive a prize of £20,000 to develop the idea, which it’s hoped could be rolled out across the capital within the next few years.

Nottingham to get more student accommodation The University of Northampton is able to progress with plans to extend its student accommodation in Northampton town centre, after the planning committee of Northampton Borough Council granted planning permission for a 464-room hall of residence on the site of the St John’s Surface Car Park. The new hall of residence will be available for a mix of students including postgraduates and international students. The building has also been designed to create an interesting, exciting building in this area of Northampton. It is expected that the new development at St John’s will generate an extra £3m spending in the town each year. This is in addition to the £250m the University contributes to the regional economy every year. Work on the £25m redevelopment will begin this summer ahead of opening in January 2014.

All rise for the new Westminster Magistrates' Court Construction of the new £62m Westminster Magistrates’ Court has been completed, providing modern facilities to replace those previously provided at the site in Marylebone Road and at former court premises in Horseferry Road and Bow Street. The consultant team for the new court was appointed in late 2005 to develop detailed designs for a new 10-court facility for the City of Westminster Magistrates’ bench. Before building work could proceed, project management specialist Schal, co-ordinated investigative work on the archaeology

of the site, which borders Marylebone Road and Seymour Place and was occupied by several historic buildings. Features of the new building include a decorative stone screen at the front

formed of Cadeby stone. The screen is set off by bronze aluminium framed glazing and the red brick and stucco elevations of the old County Court. Wherever possible, internal areas are naturally lit or receive borrowed light. Internal finishes are themed on dark American walnut throughout the building. The building’s environmental credentials are demonstrated through achievement of a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Energy efficiency is achieved through an embedded piped water cooling system using an aquifer water supply and reversible heat pumps.

Public Sector Build Journal

Upfront

The open road The reconceived Exhibition Road space runs for half-a-mile from Hyde Park in the north to South Kensington Underground Station in the South, offering easy access to London landmarks including The Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, V&A Museum and Imperial College, London

The spectacular transformation of London's Exhibition Road was marked with an official opening this February, following the implementation of a £29m project taking eight years of planning. The completion of the mixed use pedestrian and vehicle zone along the major south west London thoroughfare, saw construction management specialist Schal, deliver this landmark project on time and on budget.

he redesign of Exhibition Road was based on groundbreaking schemes in the Netherlands and Scandinavia where the ideas of Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman have been put into practice. Monderman pioneered the ‘shared space’ concept in which all road users share the same space. The client, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, first developed it’s concepts of decluttering and improvements to the street scape when it redeveloped Kensington High Street, which as a result, saw pedestrian accidents fall by 60 per cent. In winter 2003, following on from the very successful Kensington High

Public Sector Build Journal

Street scheme, the Royal Borough held competitions to seek out the best designer and project manager for the more ambitious Exhibition Road project. Architects Dixon Jones were appointed as designers, and Schal, the project management division of TPS Consult (part of Carillion plc), as project manager, in the summer of 2004. Schal also had responsibility for cost management and planning supervision with the cost management being sub-contracted to consultant Davis Langdon. Schal has been responsible for many similar projects, including the World Squares project in 2002, which saw this £20m project cover the environmental enhancement and consequent traffic

management of Trafalgar Square and the surrounding area, and was intended to be the first implementation phase of Fosters and Partners World Squares for All Masterplan.

Unique visual identity The reconceived space runs the entire half-a-mile length of Exhibition Road, from Hyde Park in the north to South Kensington Underground Station in the south, offering easy access to London landmarks including The Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, V&A Museum and Imperial College, London. The new, single-level road surface does away with kerbstones and

Upfront

Cycle racks have been introduced and street lighting replaced with masts, giving high quality glare-free downlighting from efficient luminaires

‘corduroy’ tactile warn blind and partially sighted people that they are moving into or out of vehicle-free areas. “The object of the Exhibition Road project was to make a world class pedestrian friendly environment,” says Schal’s Senior Project Manager, Andrew Housam. “A single surface concept, in

a unique visual identity for the street. Tall, sleek, street lighting masts have been designed to complement the grand buildings of Exhibition Road. Black cast iron drainage channel covers run along each side, about four metres out from the respective building lines. Beside the drainage channels, strips of

traditional street clutter such as pedestrian barriers, instead delivering a single ‘shared’ space, divided into pedestrian, mixed use and drivers’ zones. The three zones are tied together by a repeated bold diamond motif in granite, which runs the entire length and width of the project, creating

The new, single-level road surface does away with kerbstones and traditional street clutter such as pedestrian barriers, instead delivering a single 'shared' space, divided into pedestrian, mixed use and drivers' zones

Public Sector Build Journal

Upfront

which pedestrians and vehicles can co-exist.” “We were able to help the client achieve the funding,” continues Housam. “In the early phases of the project, the client built up good relationships with Transport for London (TfL) who provided initial funding which led to the major support the project needed. Our reputation from Trafalgar Square, plus our plans, gave funders confidence that the project would be achieved within budget and on time. “The whole concept of the single surface road, although not entirely new, has been taken to a new level in terms of extent and use of materials. Our role in managing the design process has ensured the design innovation has been rigorous and cost-effective. We managed the risk with the use of contractor design elements.” Schal’s innovations included a phased approach which simplified the project and reduced the risks. The company developed openness and co-operation among the team, using an NEC option D Target cost contract with a pre-construction services contract to successfully manage the risks. The project involved input and co-ordination with a number of major complex organisations. Schal’s approach was that each organisation appoint a single point of contact for the project to co-ordinate their organisation’s input. “The client is appreciative that we finished the project on time and within budget and recognises that our advice, management, programme and cost control was a significant factor in achieving that outcome,” adds Schal Project Manager, Wayne Solman. “As

10 Public Sector Build Journal

well as being within budget, the works costs compare favourably with the initial estimate produced in 2004, well before the budget was set or the design developed.” As well as radically improving the street-space, Solman believes the project has given businesses and organisations on Exhibition Road an incentive to refurbish their own frontages. “Since completion, a significant number of museums, residential properties and shops have carried out façade improvements. The whole road is looking remarkably bright and new. The street improvements have given the whole area a lift and clearly demonstrates the significant multiplier effect of urban infrastructure investment.”

The Exhibition Road Challenges Community & Stakeholders: A complex and continuous stakeholder consultation process has been undertaken since inception in 2005 to the present. There are many sensitive academic and professional institutions, museums, galleries, and residents along the entire length of the street that were affected by the scheme and needed to be kept up-to-date. Civic and Conservation authorities, Transport for London and the Mayor of London were all involved. Businesses and cafés remained open throughout the works. Conservation & Historic Issues: The project is located at the heart of a Conservation Area with landmark buildings on both sides. Design proposals required approval from a multiplicity of authorities and interest groups. Restoration of the Victorian pedestrian tunnel lanterns was an

Before and after aerial images of Exhibition Road

integral part of the scheme and required English Heritage approval. Traffic Management: Switching to a pedestrian priority thoroughfare creates changes in traffic flows on surrounding streets. Traffic modelling studies were undertaken to assure TfL and the two Highways Authorities of the effects of the scheme. In addition, a complex series of partial road closures were planned throughout the construction stage and access to all properties along the street and through traffic had to be maintained. Lifecycle Impacts: The paving has been designed for a 50-year life. Extensive performance studies were carried out on a range of paving materials before the final selection of granite. Waste Minimisation in Construction: Paving bays are based on modular paving block sizes to reduce on-site cutting. Much of the road sub base was retained following a proposal to

Schal’s role included: • Supporting the client to secure funding from TfL, the National Lottery and English Heritage; • Liaising with all stakeholders including designers, contractors and regulatory bodies to develop a strategy for the delivery of the project; • Developing a cost control system, that included electronic invoicing, which ensured the project remained within budget; • Developing and enforcing site safety procedures; • Mobilising and managing the start-up phase for the main works, including establishing site procedures; • Managing a two-year highway project in the middle of a busy central London thoroughfare, including the alteration of a one-way system around South Kensington Underground Station; • Monitoring progress and avoiding time and cost over-runs; • Handing the project back to the client on completion, on time and operational for the Olympics (a key project goal).

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Online Enquiry 004

Upfront

carry out local CBR tests rather than excavating and laying a new sub base. This achieved a substantial saving in excavation, disposal and import of new materials. Landscape & Amenity: The reduction and control of vehicle traffic has reclaimed the street for pedestrian and amenity use. Existing mature trees were retained and augmented with new trees to maintain the character of a tree-lined boulevard. Pedestrian seating and other street furniture has been used to create attractive spaces for visitors to mingle: cafés have expanded onto the street. Street furniture is generally stainless steel with FSC oak for long-life and minimal maintenance. Cycle racks have been introduced and street lighting has been replaced with masts giving high quality glare-free downlighting from efficient luminaires.

Schal recommended to the client early on in the project that the new Exhibition Road should adopt CEEQUAL, with an objective of achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating, to drive the sustainability agenda as a pilot scheme in the Borough. CEEQUAL is the evidence-based Assessment and Awards scheme for improving sustainability in civil engineering, infrastructure, landscaping and the public realm, and celebrates the achievement of high environmental and social performance. Early workshops were held with the Project Team to evaluate the feasibility of this proposal. As a consequence of a significant input by the client, design team and the contractor, the challenges detailed above were met, and the project achieved its original aim of obtaining an ‘Excellent’ rating under the CEEQUAL scheme.

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The paving has been designed for a 50-year life. Extensive performance studies were carried out on paving materials before the final selection of granite

Wayne Solman comments: “The key to the success in achieving our ‘Excellent’ rating was the early involvement and commitment of the project team in the process and understanding of what was required. This enabled the gathering of evidence to be a continuous process throughout the project.” The completion of works was marked with an opening event on 8th December, followed by an official opening attended by Mayor of London Boris Johnson this February. Mayor Johnson said: “Like the many other improvements we are making to London’s great outdoors, it is projects like these that are not just creating fantastic new places to enjoy, but which are supporting and delivering many jobs across the capital.” The new Exhibition Road has already won three awards that recognise the significant impact the scheme has had in improving the environment of those visiting the major cultural and education institutions in South Kensington. The awards are: New London Awards – Placemaking (Unbuilt category); ICE London Region Awards – Community Award; London Transport Awards – Excellence in Walking and Public Realm. These are no doubt the first of many for this unique Public Realm scheme that has successfully found the balance between pedestrian and vehicle use of the street.

www.schal.com

FACT FILE Executive client: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Partners: The Mayor of London and the Westminster City Council Lead designers/Architect: Dixon Jones Project management consultant: Schal Highway design consultant: Project Centre Ltd Quantity surveyor: Davis Langdon Structural design consultant: Arup Contractor: Balfour Beatty

12 Public Sector Build Journal

The team responsible for creating and delivering the Exhibition Road project on time and within budget

Online Enquiry 005

Education

The new learning centre at Waltham Forest College is designed to attract students, staff and visitors to the heart of the main building

Contemporary transformation

Waltham Forest College is a landmark education building in northeast London that has been given a radical new lease of life thanks to a major refurbishment by Richard Hopkinson in collaboration with Platform 5 Architects. Peter Allen, a Partner at Platform 5, details the amazing contemporary transformation of this 1930s campus building.

altham Forest College had originally hoped to fund a major building programme under the Learning and Skills Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Building Colleges for the Future funding stream. When this funding source was cut however, the college was forced to look elsewhere to fund its ambitions. Richard Hopkinson assisted the college in the subsequent review of its estate and this led to the college adopting a phased approach to its redevelopment, adopting a policy of refurbishment rather than wholesale renewal. The result of this first phase is an extraordinary transformation of the heart of the campus that is proving to be extremely popular with the college and its users.

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Richard is an experienced architect, design director and project manager, with over 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience of working with public buildings, schools, colleges and universities, particularly in refurbishment and renewal projects. Platform 5 is an emerging London practice with an award-winning portfolio of smaller projects. For us, this project represents a breakthrough as our first major education project and our largest project to date. Our collaboration began when Richard was appointed in 2010 by Waltham Forest College to masterplan development for the revitalisation of the estate. Richard chose to renew his association with us at Platform 5, and together we put together a successful

bid for the college, with Waltham Forest becoming one of only two successful applicants in South East England. The ÂŁ3m project sought to open up the existing 1930s building to create a new series of formal and informal education and meeting areas. The previously austere entrance and run-down main spaces have been transformed, creating a welcoming, inclusive and contemporary environment for students, staff and other building users. Before the refurbishment, visitors to the imposing main entrance were met by a shabby and cluttered reception area and a high, blank wall. Behind this lay a neglected and underused

Education

Further visual effects are gained by the insertion of a wide and deep lightwell piercing the two storeys above the learning centre and bringing additional natural light into the core of the building

mezzanine gallery, this â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;learning podâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; houses two seminar rooms overlooking the library which can be opened into a larger teaching space. The mezzanine level contains a well-equipped IT suite, separated from the learning centre below by a balcony. Both the pod and the mezzanine level are hung from the ceiling of the main space â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this adds drama to the expression of this area.

As you move up the revitalised main staircase, transparency has been incorporated on all levels to reflect the open inclusive nature the college wishes to project

The former stage area is now configured as a black box performing arts studio which can open to the floor of the learning centre via a demountable feature wall for performances, fashion shows award ceremonies and other activities. We have therefore retained the former use of the previous hall space within a much more flexible, attractive and welcoming space. Further visual effects are gained by the insertion of a wide and deep new lightwell piercing the two storeys above the learning centre and bringing additional natural light into the core of the building. At upper levels the resulting voids are glazed from floor to ceiling, giving views into the learning centre from the top of the college. The upper level is laid out as a set of seminar rooms or conference suite visibly linked to the areas below. This conference suite leads to a vibrantly coloured refectory, which is a flexible open plan space that can be used for other teaching and social events by linking with the adjacent spaces. The transformation of the old main staircase and reception area has led

main hall, with a series of cramped and similarly tired teaching spaces above. Circulation throughout the building was poor and transparency was limited. Building users at Waltham Forest College are now welcomed by a bright and airy reception area on arrival at the entrance. The design removed the rear wall in the lobby, giving clear views through to the former main hall which now houses a large new learning centre. The visual effect from the lobby is a series of layers: looking beyond the main staircase through full-height glazing into the new learning centre with glimpses of new interventions inside the main space. As you move up the revitalised main staircase, transparency has been incorporated on all levels to reflect the open inclusive nature the college wishes to project. The new learning centre is designed to attract students, staff and visitors to the heart of the main building. At its entrance is a cafe, providing a muchneeded meeting and refreshment area, and deliberately blurring the boundaries between formal and informal uses. Beyond a glazed wall, the former hall then opens out into a large doubleheight, brightly lit and colourful space containing a library and a series of informal learning areas. Learning is now visibly at the core of the college campus. The most striking feature of this area is a new intervention, a suspended glazed box, offset from the main orientation of the learning centre. Accessed by a slender oak-lined staircase or from a

Public Sector Build Journal 15

Education

Building users at Waltham Forest College are now welcomed by a bright and airy reception area on arrival at the entrance

The cafe provides a much-needed meeting and refreshment area, and deliberately blurs the boundaries between formal and informal uses

16 Public Sector Build Journal

the changes with new branding. The refreshed branding is carefully integrated into the design and the team’s interior design skills including the selection of furniture, result in colourful dynamic interiors, and uplifting environment. The college vice-principal, Peter Glasgow has told us: “The College now has a physical visible heart that reflects the great teaching experience we offer to the community of Walthamstow. The whole arrangement encourages meeting, dialogue and good behaviour. What is best, is that it is fun for the students and staff alike.” We’re delighted that our work at Waltham Forest College has been highly acclaimed by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) as offering exceptional value for money. This has lead to further work with Richard: a subsequent bid by the team for SFA funding for a £4.8m second phase at the college has recently been approved. We’re excited that our successful collaboration with Richard is allowing us to demonstrate what can be done with limited funds to raise aspirations in difficult times. We feel very fortunate to be involved in such an exciting project, and proud to have provided Waltham Forest College with an exceptional new heart that will bring real educational change. Our team has demonstrated the ability to deliver complex refurbishment,

putting limited funds to maximum effect and delivering real change to learners in this important sector. As our partnership continues, we hope to bring our skills to bear on an increasing number of education and public building projects, as we believe we really do have something special to offer.

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to a huge improvement of circulation, which has been further enhanced by the provision of additional emergency escape routes to the upper floors. Highly functional in appearance, these two stairs offer a pleasing contrast with the Deco-inspired main college staircase, which has been improved by removal of later fire protection-related accretions. The new works are clad with simple insulated panels, appearing from outside as translucent boxes gently resting upon the original 1930s structure. The team introduced graphic designers Nalla to the college to support

www.richardhopkinsonarchitects.com www.platform5architects.com www.nalla.co.uk

The vibrantly coloured refectory is a flexible open plan space that can be used for other teaching and social events by linking with the adjacent spaces

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Talking Point

Safe & secure With the advent of new glazing solutions, manufacturing security glass has become a very complex and sophisticated business with varying requirements and an endless number of options

With the propensity of public sector architects to use more glass as a means to maximise space and enhance the wellbeing of its occupants through natural light, it pays to be aware of the latest developments in security glass. Here, Scott Sinden, Managing Director of glass processors, ESG, talks us through some of the latest developments.

n civic architecture, it’s about how we engage with our community. It’s about forming places and spaces in which we are able to respond positively to our surroundings. Interestingly, a report released by The British Medical Association in January 2011 entitled ‘The Psychological and Social Needs of Patients’ highlights that exposure to light is effective in reducing depression even for those hospitalised with severe depression. Furthermore, a recent survey revealed 86% of directors of nursing said hospital design is ‘very important’ or ‘important’ in relation to the performance of nurses, the most crucial aspect being the design and organisation of the hospital environment. Whilst not all civic buildings will have the same requirement for natural light, there is most definitely a shift towards the use of glass to enhance both the visitor and working environment, and with that comes a greater need for security glass. However, with the advent of new glazing solutions, manufacturing security glass has become a very complex and sophisticated business with varying requirements and an

18 Public Sector Build Journal

endless number of options. In fact, RIBA is urging practitioners to be better equipped to think about ‘designingin’ security features from the outset, within its 22-page document ‘Designing for Counter-terrorism’ which guides architects, specifiers and planners. In particular, it takes a look at ways in which professionals are responding

Useful reference points RedBook Live – a resource used by thousands of specifiers, architects, surveyors and engineers in specifying security products, including glass. Here reference is made to LPS 1270. www.redbooklive.com ‘Design for Counter Terrorism’ – to find out more and download a copy of the RIBA report visit: www.architecture.com Security Glass microsite – visit www.esgsecurityglass.co.uk to find out more about the latest security glass products available and their suitability for different applications.

to the tricky challenge of creating secure spaces that are both open and welcoming to the public. The document examines damage limitation through materials used, including security glass and the deployment of glazed façades to limit intrusion. Of course, it’s a fine balancing act delivering good design that creates a sense of security without a siege mentality. RIBA is absolutely right in the sense that it is important our built environment continues to demonstrate a commitment to an open and inclusive society and that security measures should not jeopardise that objective. Learning to navigate the myriad of standards may seem daunting, but for those who overcome the challenges, the benefits are plentiful. This is true of not just where terrorism is seen as a threat, but where public sector workers are exposed to aggressive behaviour. As Lord Bichard, Chairman of the Design Council said in a self-described ‘rethink on design’: “design is now recognised by the Department of Health as having the potential to develop new solutions to difficult problems within the

Talking Point

With today's professional criminal being much more knowledgeable and persistent than ever before, the need to match the type of security glass against the perceived level of threat is vital.

to its performance, giving peace of mind that it meets the standard(s). It helps manufacturers, end users, insurers, specifiers and contractors to better manage their risks.” Obtaining certificated glass products that have been approved by a wellestablished certification body, such as the Loss Prevention Certificate Board (LPCB), helps to manage risks by improving products and processes. Arguably, every architect should have access to the Red Book which lists LPCB approved products. In fact, RedBook Live makes reference to, amongst other standards, the newly introduced LPS 1270, an advanced standard most public sector specifiers should now be aware of. The publication of LPS 1270 was a major step forward for the security glazing industry, yet those specifying may not be aware of its existence or indeed the reasons behind its introduction.

Enhanced security standard The LPS 1270 standard was developed to enhance the current level of security offered by glass tested to European Standard BS EN 356:2000 (Glass in building, Security glazing, Testing and classification of resistance against manual attack). Quite simply, it aids specifiers wishing to determine whether a security glazing unit’s intruder resistance is commensurate with LPS 1175 for doors, shutters, grilles and other related façade systems. The previous method of classifying the attack resistance of security glazing (BS EN 356) was considered to be incompatible with that employed within LPS 1175: Issue 7. This was due to two main reasons. Firstly, BS EN 356 does not classify glass according to its resistance to different levels of attack based on the tools and time available to an intruder. Secondly, the tests contained within BS EN 356: 2000 do not evaluate the glass’ susceptibility to attacks involving the creation of small holes through which locking hardware may be manipulated and/or through which protected items, such as vital service equipment and public data may be removed. The classification system presented within LPS 1270 is more complex. The

It's a fine balancing act delivering good design that creates a sense of security without a siege mentality

standard confirms the glazing’s resistance to the creation of three different sized holes. These represent varying risks ranging from small slots to large holes through which items such as drugs, equipment and confidential documents may be stolen or even complete access in which an intruder may climb through security glazing. The tools and time that the glazing must withstand match those that products classified in accordance with LPS 1175: Issue 7 must resist. Moreover, LPCB certification of LPS 1270 also requires on-going quality surveillance audits offering public sector builders and estates managers peace of mind!

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National Health Service.” Here, Lord Bichard is not just referring to the safety of staff, but a range of issues, including theft. With today’s professional criminal being much more knowledgeable and persistent than ever before, the need to match the type of security glass against the perceived level of threat is vital. Nowhere is this more important than within the public sector environment given the thousands of pounds worth of equipment at risk of theft. In fact, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is working in partnership with hospitals to focus on designing crime out from the built environment by introducing products which inherently resist deliberate attack. In fact, there are two industryspecific guidance documents; one for hospitals and another for schools that are particularly useful. In both reports, ACPO clearly states that all windows should be independently certificated to BS 7950 with higher risk locations needing greater protection commensurate with the assessed risk. A word of warning though – almost any glass manufacturer can provide ‘self-assessed’ assurances. One needs to apply caution – it can quickly reduce traceability and may result in products being installed that are ineffective against a perceived threat. Third party certification is beneficial to everyone in the supply chain, and there are very few products where this is more important than with security glass, as Richard Flint of BRE Global, comments: “Choosing a security glass product that carries the mark of a reputable certification body will give safeguards as

www.esgsecurityglass.co.uk

Scott Sinden is Managing Director of leading glass processors, Essex Safety Glass (ESG), based in Witham, Essex. Having worked in architectural glass and glass processing for over 20 years, Scott has witnessed first-hand the speed at which the glazing industry has responded to specific design challenges.

Public Sector Build Journal 19

Paints, Coatings & Finishes

Preserving the past When London and Quadrant Group, one of the UK's largest housing associations successfully acquired 3,500 properties from Lewisham Council through a stock transfer, the company turned to Dulux Trade to provide a decorating solution that would help achieve long-term preventative maintenance and compliment the Victorian heritage of the building.

he newly reformulated Weathershield Exterior Gloss System (WEGS) and Dulux Trade Weathershield Smooth Masonry paint were selected by London and Quadrant Group (L&Q), to help renovate the exterior of several impressive properties that would act as the benchmark for the rest of the Housing Association scheme. The Victorian and two Art Deco properties, situated in a conservation area in Forest Hill, London, had not been suitably maintained and remained undecorated for many years, however as they were to form part of the exemplar scheme to showcase L&Q in the

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borough, it was essential that they were refurbished to the highest standards using premium quality products. A key requirement was to retain each building’s period charm by maintaining and improving the existing timber window frames, demonstrating that they could still function well without the need for uPVC windows to be installed. To meet these objectives, L&Q and its consultants Faithorn Farrell Timms LLP (FFT), approached Dulux Trade for technical and colour scheme advice. To provide protection against the weather and to help extend maintenance cycles, Dulux Trade WEGS, a three-

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Dulux Trade provided decorating solutions for properties within the London and Quadrant Group portfolio that would help achieve long-term preventative maintenance and complement their Victorian heritage

part system, comprising a Preservative Primer, Flexible Undercoat and Gloss, was specified for all external woodwork, including the window sills and frames. The Flexible Undercoat was applied first, which contains unique technology to give superior flexibility and prevent cracking and flaking, providing the perfect solid base for the gloss topcoat. For the final stage of the exterior woodwork, two coats of Dulux Trade Weathershield Exterior Gloss were applied in Gardenia, a light beige shade. The high performance solvent-based gloss has been designed to deliver outstanding durability, ensuring that the woodwork will remain in excellent condition for years to come. Furthermore, a significant amount of work was needed to the exterior stonework of the Victorian property. To transform the poorly maintained render, in particular to the Portico and main entrance, Dulux Trade Weathershield Smooth Masonry paint was applied in a variety of neutral shades to replicate the original colours of the period property. The durable coating delivers exceptional protection in even the harshest and most demanding of environments. What’s more, it contains a fungicide to inhibit mould growth on the paint film, which will help the exterior to stay cleaner for longer. The Art of Decorating, based in Bromley, a Dulux Trade Contract Partner and ‘cyclical maintenance contractor of the year’ for L&Q, carried out the decorating to a high standard, using the Dulux Trade Weathershield Gloss system. Commenting on the finished result, Keith Wilkinson, Assistant Director for Stock Investment at L&Q South East, said: “Seeing the positive difference in these properties since the transfer is fantastic and residents have expressed high levels of satisfaction with the restoration work that has been carried out. The premium coatings used will significantly help to extend our maintenance cycles for each property and the quality of finish will certainly act as a benchmark for our other projects and contractors to achieve.”

duluxtraderesponse@ tangerinepr.com enq 007

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Online Enquiry 009 Public Sector Build Journal 21

Healthcare offering that is another world away from finding the cheapest builder, and this all-encompassing approach means GB can often unlock projects that would not otherwise have been able to get off the ground.

Specialist service

William Wake House in Northampton, is a mental health unit but it is also the largest classicallydesigned new build in the UK for half a century, requiring over 6,950 tonnes of stone

Holistic healthcare There are many different attitudes to building care homes but the GB Group approach is rarely seen in the UK. PSBJ examines how the company looks at a care development holistically, be it an Extracare senior living establishment for the elderly, a mental health unit or an additional facility for a hospital.

he GB approach to healthcare building encompasses an outstanding level of specialism. GB’s unusual service can include everything from defining a client’s requirements, through to help finding the most suitable site and acquisition of the site once it is found; GB will help to obtain planning permission, assist in

obtaining funding for a development, as well as building the care home to specific requirements and finally, will even complete the internal fit out, run the maintenance of the building and will help with its operation. It is a service that clients take advantage of in whole or in part, but in total it makes up a completely unique

GB’s specialism in the care sector began when the company was formed from a management buyout seven years ago in 2005. Since then, GB has completed over £340m of care schemes in the last six years alone. GB’s care specialism evolved as it applied its partnership approach to all of its clients in the care sector, developing capability as clients’ needs became apparent. It resulted in GB setting up a subsidiary called Aston Care in June 2010, staffed by people who understand the day-to-day fundamentals of operating and running a care home. As Peter Stone, director of GB’s care operation explains: “Aston Care enables us to demonstrate real understanding to our clients, and means we also experience the delivery of care from an operational perspective. This enables us to work with clients to design a home to meet their optimum requirements and within an allocated budget right from initial concept to a fully functioning, efficient care home.” An example of this is at Barrow-

Beneath the classical exterior of William Wake House, there is a state-of-the-art, well-equipped healthcare facility providing 132 en-suite bedrooms within eight rehabilitation and recovery wards

22 Public Sector Build Journal

Healthcare

GB provides a fully fitted out six-bed marketing suite up to 14 weeks before handover to facilitate early sales and marketing for the client

Once the care home is built, GB provides an extra level of aftercare to the operator’s care manager with direct contact to Aston Care to ensure that any issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. A key example of this is William Wake House in Northampton, a £46m residential mental healthcare facility for national charity St Andrew’s Healthcare. GB has worked with St Andrew’s on a repeat business basis and has completed seven schemes for them to-date.

In-depth understanding Working with a client on a repeat basis like this, means that GB has a full knowledge and understanding of the market sector and all the intricacies and specialisms associated with it, but the company also develops an equally in-depth understanding of how the client likes to work, what their needs and requirements are and how best to meet them. William Wake House is a mental health unit but it is also the largest classically-designed new build in the UK for half a century, requiring over 6,950 tonnes of stone. Beneath the classical exterior, there is a state-

of-the-art, well-equipped healthcare facility providing 132 en-suite bedrooms within eight rehabilitation and recovery wards. In addition to the latest ward environments, the building offers a wealth of extras including light and heavy industry workshops, a hairdressing salon, education suite, kitchens, swimming pool, sports hall and range of therapy rooms. GB also incorporated a range of sustainable features to minimise environmental impact and future running costs including a biomass boiler, a CHP plant and grey water recycling. William Wake House now houses some of St Andrew’s most specialist services – including services for deaf people; culturally-sensitive support for Afro-Caribbean men; transitional care for young adults, as well as supporting men with mental health needs, learning disabilities, Asperger’s and acquired brain injuries. GB understands elements such as the key drivers for any care provider is to market their building at the earliest opportunity and so provides a fully fitted out six-bed marketing suite, with dedicated parking where possible, up to 14 weeks before handover to facilitate early sales and marketing for the client. And with GB’s Aston Care, the care provider receives follow up help and support with the running of the home to ensure that it is successful years after the initial concept and build.

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in-Furness, a £6m project where GB is working with the council on the planning application and will then build the care home. Often a care home owner will know exactly what they want to build, but, like so many developers, will have problems obtaining funding, so one of GB’s added value services is providing alternative funding solutions ranging from construction finance to forward funded investment and turnkey, such as with homes for Care UK and Gracewell at Stroud and Horley and with a new contract at Ticehurst in East Sussex. Ticehurst at £3.9m, is a perfect example of this different, co-operative approach to development. GB worked with the client, Court Royal Developments, which had obtained planning approval for the scheme. The development has only happened through the coming together and cooperation of GB, the client and Triodos Bank, uniquely with the support of the parish council and local community. Part of the reason for the support is that the care home will offer a high standard of care to elderly people in the region and employment of more than four times greater than the previous business on the site.

An artist's impression of the £3.9m care home in Ticehurst, East Sussex, which has benefited from the provision of one of GB's alternative funding solutions

www.gb-building.co.uk Public Sector Build Journal 23

CIH Preview

More than 70 speakers will be taking part in over 50 sessions at the CIH annual conference covering key issues in the housing sector

The CIH Annual Conference and Housing Exhibition is the leading event for the UK housing sector. The event brings the whole of the housing sector together _ not for profit, local authority, private sector, commercial partners and suppliers _ to learn, improve and influence.

une 12th-14th will see thousands of housing professionals from across the sector come together to find and share solutions to the challenges facing the sector at a time of enormous change, and to speak with a collective voice to Government. Housing 2012 will be held at Manchester Central, the award-winning venue at the heart of Manchester’s thriving ‘convention quarter’. After 25 years in Harrogate and following extensive research among conference delegates, exhibitors and visitors, the move has been designed to take advantage of the state-of-the art venue facilities and better meet the needs of the thousands of housing professionals who attend each year by significantly reducing costs and time away from the office. More than 70 speakers including housing leaders from Housing Associations, Local Authorities, ALMOs, Government, housebuilders, banks and think tanks, will be taking part in over 50 sessions covering the key issues for

24 Public Sector Build Journal

the sector in a wide range of keynotes, interactive panel discussions, debates and workshops. Delegates will again have direct input into the ‘Housing Pact’ generated throughout the event, as well as getting a chance choose this year’s ‘Rising Star’ in the housing world. The three-day conference not only provides the best national platform for senior professionals to debate and influence the current strategic and policy landscape, but is also a great development and learning opportunity for ‘rising stars’, chairs, board members, councillors and tenant representatives. The CIH Annual Exhibition is the UK’s ultimate housing exhibition focusing on the provision of affordable housing and the development of sustainable communities. CIH Housing is the biggest and best attended event in the UK’s housing calendar as it brings together over 4,000 housing professionals and over 300 of the sector’s leading providers, partners and suppliers all under one roof. The exhibition

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Learn, improve & influence

showcases the latest products and services in the housing and regeneration sector with many dedicated features and workshops running throughout the show. A new feature for 2012 is The Green Room which will be situated in the centre of the exhibition hall and will be the place to discover the latest sustainable solutions. Get your questions answered by experts in the field in the one-to-one consultation area, explore and discuss the latest issues in the networking zone and learn from organisations leading the way in sustainability with a range of presentations. Also new for 2012 is The Care and Support Station. With the UK’s ageing population and concerns over availability and funding, care and support has never been so important to the housing sector. The Care and Support Station will showcase the work of housing providers, and highlight the innovations, services and products available. Most importantly it will provide visitors with the opportunity to network, discuss and learn from the experts in this field. “We’re really excited about Housing 2012,” said Grainia Long, CIH Chief Executive. “The great new venue in Manchester offers new opportunities and possibilities, and I’m confident that this year’s conference will be bigger and better than ever before. I‘m looking forward to the whole housing sector joining up in Manchester so we can shape our future together, by engaging with those that matter, renewing our focus on learning and development, and finally by getting our message across through a lively and valuable debate with the Housing Minister.”

www.cihhousing.com

The CIH exhibition showcases the latest products and services in the housing and regeneration sector

Imerys PV systems offer attractive universal integration with design flexibility and market leading guarantee

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Innovation for Sustainable Homes Online Enquiry 010

Play

Burning calories is child's play The lighter nights of spring have added extra allure to local parks all over the country, and the on-going issues of childhood obesity means that it's more important than ever for children to get outside and get active. Here, PSBJ looks at how i-play from Playdale is bringing play equipment into the 21st century.

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The concept of i-play focuses around the current issues of childhood obesity, attempting to change the mind-set of children who favour computer games over outdoor play by incorporating electronic play into physical activity. i-play boasts nine action-packed, exhilarating games that are designed to target specific muscle groups; the strategically positioned switches command you to lunge, bend, twist, reach and run your way to the fastest time possible.

In a league of its own It was produced following an extensive research and development process conducted by Dr. Phil Hodgkins, Research and Design Engineer of Progressive Sports Technologies Ltd. Children were involved in all areas of the research and development, including market research and

questionnaires, mind mapping sessions, statistical analysis, and prototype testing. i-play also has its own website where children can upload their scores, compare with others and fight for a place at the top of the league table. The purchaser of the i-play unit can access and analyse their unique usage data, allowing them to measure and record the number of games played; health data, including the total calories burned; and environmental data that measures the carbon and CO2 savings. With the long summer months fast approaching, there is certainly no excuse to be locked up indoors, and with playground equipment as impressive as i-play, getting active has never been so much fun!

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hildren throughout the country are being deprived of the freedom and adventure that many parents experienced when they were younger, as the modern child tends to prefer video games over climbing frames. However, children’s play equipment is continually developing as playground designers conjure up new, inventive ways for children to play and enjoy the outdoors. From sensory, tactile play panels to complex multi-play systems, the quality and innovative approach to playground design is getting better and better. In 2007, Playdale revolutionised children’s outdoor play with the outstanding creation of i-play. Cutting edge technology and environmentally friendly design combined with active, healthy play, made Playdale the leading playground design and manufacturing company of electronic outdoor play in the UK. Since the installation of the world’s first intelligent play system at Barrow Park, Cumbria, the i-play craze has flourished and now features in 64 playgrounds, including Spain and Germany. In terms of design; the one-of-a-kind i-play unit is instantly recognisable as its stainless steel mainframe, speakers and LED screens take up a commanding position in any playground. It is environmentally friendly with solar panels eliminating the need for a connection to mains electricity. It is also DDA compliant as it is easily accessible for wheelchair users, and a combination of audio and visual stimulants allows equal access for the visually or aurally impaired.

www.playdale.co.uk

Delivering answers June will see thousands of housing professionals join forces for three days of intensive debate, radical thinking and practical solutions to the challenges facing us at a time of enormous change. It’s the place where housing shares the latest ideas and insights with trailblazers, generates fresh strategic directions and exchanges good practice and hands-on solutions.

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Rainwater Systems

Alumasc's specialist rainwater systems are widely specified for landmark and prestigious projects nationwide. The Heritage Cast Aluminium made-to-order range was used extensively throughout the renovation of London's Marylebone Station

In order to meet English Heritage guidelines, cast iron hoppers and downpipes at London's Marylebone Station had to be replaced with exact copies. Alumasc's Heritage Cast Aluminium range was specified to replicate the original cast iron system, delivering high performance and low maintenance requirements with all the benefits of modern manufacturing technology.

he British are famously protective of the historic integrity of their best-loved buildings, which is why specification of the right rainwater system was so important for the massive roof refurbishment at London’s Marylebone railway station. The £4m project saw the renovation of Marylebone’s 150m long station shed roof covering four of the station’s six platforms. Marylebone Station was first opened in 1899 and its rainwater system, comprising distinctive red, black and silver hoppers and downpipes, was a defining detail of the Grade II listed building. The Heritage Cast Aluminium made-to-order range from Alumasc, met the needs of the project on every level, and required extensive involvement from Alumasc’s technical team, who rose to the challenge of perfectly recreating the exact historic designs and colours of the original system. Alumasc’s Project Manager Phil Lapping explains: “The original colours of Poppy Red, Signal Black and Silver

28 Public Sector Build Journal

were not in our standard colour range, but replication wasn’t a problem for our in-house facility at Burton Latimer. As long as we are supplied with a RAL colour number, virtually any colour is possible – we have even supplied recent projects in pink and orange.” The historic status of the building, restricted schedule and central London location, presented many challenges. From the outset, Alumasc liaised closely with merchants BSS Drainage and installers Cover Structure of Leeds, in order to plan the schedule in detail, with much of the work taking place overnight while the station was empty. On completion of the renovations, Network Rail route director Jo Kaye commented: “The new roof at Marylebone has made a huge difference to the station environment and provides passengers with a lighter, brighter travelling experience. This is the first of several projects to restore and renew our London stations so it is excellent news that the work at Marylebone has been delivered on

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Recreating history

time and on budget.” Alumasc’s specialist rainwater systems are widely specified for landmark and prestigious projects nationwide. For both contemporary and traditional architecture, Heritage Cast Aluminium offers a complete range of gutters, downpipes and integrated fascia/soffits, manufactured in accordance with BS EN 122061:2004 and available with Alumasc’s range of BBA certified, polyester powder coatings. For historic and restoration sites, Alumasc’s Apex Cast Iron rainwater range is also widely specified. The most popular cast iron profiles are now available ex-stock with a lead time of three days, or an Express Service – Next Day Delivery for projects carrying tight deadlines. Compliant with BS 460:1964 Cast Iron Rainwater Goods, the Apex Cast Iron range is supplied factory primed with one coat of protective red oxide and is also available in factory applied high-performance satin four-coat pre-finish, helping to save time, labour costs and waste on site.

info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk enq 012

Upfront

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* image courtesy of Crieff Hydro Crown Paints Limited, a company registered under the registration number 6624576. Registered office in Crown House, PO Box 37, Hollins Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0BG. Advice: 0844 7708 998 www.sadolin.co.uk email: info@sadolin.co.uk

Online Enquiry 014 Public Sector Build Journal 29

Leisure

The iconic Canada Water Library building sits at the edge of a new civic plaza, which has been designed to allow for a farmers' market, large TV screenings, festivals and a host of other events and activities

Landmark library

ISG has successfully completed a £14m project to deliver the new Canada Water Library, creating a landmark community resource that is the focal point of a wider South London regeneration masterplan.

anada Water Library is the anchor for a bold plan to transform the Rotherhithe Peninsula area of Southwark with the creation of 900 new homes, 35,000m2 of new retail space, 12,000m2 of new business space and an improved public realm, with the Library providing a focal point for the community. It sits at the edge of a new civic plaza which has

The building is clad in light bronze anodised aluminium panels with sequined perforations from Technal

30 Public Sector Build Journal

been designed to allow for a farmers’ market, large TV screenings, festivals and a host of other events and activities. The 2,500m2 building accommodates a café, performance space, popular book section and staircase to the Canada Water Underground Station on the ground floor. A mezzanine level provides staff work rooms and offices and a void over the performance area

with tiered seating. The floor above features meeting rooms and two large learning facility rooms. A central skylit staircase rises from the ground floor to the galleried library level. The Canada Water Library building is a striking structure that slopes outwards at 50˚ across two elevations and 80˚ on the remaining two façades, maximising the available space from

The striking structure slopes outwards at 50° across two elevations and 80° on the remaining two façades, rising from ground floor level in an inverted pyramid shape

Leisure

Structural decisions Steel columns were chosen for their buildability, as they require less temporary works than a concrete option. The steel columns are all CHS members used for aesthetic reasons as many of them remain exposed as architectural features within the completed library. Although the concrete floor slabs transfer the loads back to the centrally located core, it is the steelwork that knits the structure together. There are a total of 11 roof top steel trusses, all 3m deep and varying in length from 10.5m to 14.5m. The trusses form the desired open plan area, with no internal columns, for the upper library levels of the building. Façade systems from architectural aluminium specialist, Technal, were specified for the Library by CZWG Architects. The building is clad in light bronze anodised aluminium panels with sequined perforations, interspersed with recessed curtain wall screens. This design gives the scheme a sculptural appeal and a striking visual effect, symbolising ‘the crown jewel to the new plaza’. Finished in bronze anodising, Technal’s MX SSG structural glazing and CD commercial doors have been

used for the ground floor. MX Visible Grid features as strips of curtain walling to the three upper floors, with MX top hung concealed vents for natural ventilation and PXi doors providing access to the balconies. MX SSG is a flush curtain walling option which meets specifiers’ requirements for less visible aluminium and clear expanses of glass. The curtain walling is complemented by FXi65 tilt/turn casement windows used as ‘punched hole’ openings set into the cladding. Commenting on the glazing specification, Anna Ifanti, Associate at CZWG Architects said: “We needed the façade systems to be robust, lightweight, have slim frames and to meet the required U values, which the Technal products were able to deliver. We are very happy with the end result.” The Canada Water Library has strong environmental credentials, with ground source heat pumps, grey water harvesting, energy efficient M&E services, and an extensive green sedum roof. The canted east and west elevations allow winter sun to warm the building and provide a high degree of solar shading for the glazing in the summer, minimising glare. The scheme has achieved a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating. ISG’s Bernard Clarke, Managing Director – South East, commented: “With an innovative design that maximises the available space on site, Canada Water Library is an iconic building, epitomising the value of public spaces in bringing opportunities and cohesion to communities. The tremendous complexity of the building, both in terms of its structure and location, has consistently challenged us as a contractor and has ultimately validated the client’s decision to involve ISG from the very outset of the project. This early contractor involvement brought our skills and expertise to the table at inception, proving influential in reducing waste and maximising efficiencies, ultimately leading to the successful delivery of this iconic regeneration scheme.”

The library incorporates a teardrop ceiling structure with rooflights

A feature spiral timber staircase is located centrally within the building

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the site’s footprint by rising from ground floor level in an inverted pyramid shape. The four-storey building features a full height atrium, double height performance area, gallery overlooking the library, and at roof level the structure extends several metres out over the Canada Water basin. The complex structural requirements for the building saw ISG use a series of raking steel columns around the building’s perimeter to help form the cantilevers on each floor level, with a central concrete core providing the structure’s stability. Extensive temporary works were required to enable the erection of the steelwork, with a further complication being the proximity of one of the exits to the Canada Water Underground Station, which was located within the footprint of the building and has subsequently been incorporated into the structure creating a major new thoroughfare.

www.isgplc.com www.technal.co.uk

A double height performance space is a flexible, multi-use area of the library

Public Sector Build Journal 31

Online Enquiry 015

Modular Building

With a capacity of 450, the purpose-built MS Therapy Centre in North Bristol, will enable care to be provided for a greater number of people, whilst offering a wider range of services in a modern and attractive environment

With around half of all construction projects over budget or missing their completion date according to the Construction Statistics Annual, David Jupp, Business Development Manager at Elliott Off-Site Building Solutions, looks at why an off-site solution was chosen for the new West of England Multiple Sclerosis Centre.

reating modern, efficient healthcare facilities requires the use of tried and trusted construction solutions as clients look to bring facilities on stream sooner and demonstrate better value for money. The new West of England MS Centre in Bradley Stoke, North Bristol,

commissioned by Moonstone Therapy Centre Ltd., is no different in this respect, which is one of the reasons why an off-site construction system was selected. Off-site is now used throughout the healthcare sector as clients realise it delivers more predictable project outcomes. Hardly surprising that more clients are taking this route when you consider that the Construction Statistics Annual, Office of Public Sector Information, reported that only 46 per cent of construction projects were completed on cost and only 59 per cent on time. Faced with this kind of uncertainty, the benefits of creating large elements of a building off-site are clear. As well as being faster â&#x20AC;&#x201C; progress on site is rarely affected by factors such as inclement weather and lack of available skilled tradespeople as they are on conventional builds. Off-site

From concept to completion The single-storey facility at Bradley Stoke provides easier access for people with MS in the Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath & NE Somerset areas and replaces the previous facility in nearby Nailsea. Elliott provided a design and built package based on its timber frame and wall panel system, above a ground floor concrete slab. Externally the building incorporates architectural masonry and stone render with a new car park and secure gated access. The client on this project could see the benefit of a design and build service, which meant they had a single point of contact all the way from initial concept through to completion, including internal fit out and

Tried & trusted

can also reduce the carbon footprint of a development by minimising site waste and journeys to and from site by vehicles, whilst manufacturing creating elements in a factory, means more consistent quality assurance. Along with choosing an off-site construction system, the West of England MS Centre is unusual in that the capital funding was raised by donations via the Moonstone Appeal, the patron of which is Alastair Hignell.

Public Sector Build Journal 33

Modular Building

The exterior of the new West of England MS Centre in Bradley Stoke, commissioned by Moonstone Therapy Centre Ltd

The design incorporates a hyperbaric chamber (above), gymnasium, treatment and examination rooms along Platinum with sponsors changing, toilet, storage and office provision

34 Public Sector Build Journal

An artists' impression of the north elevation of the West of England MS Therapy Centre

account for most of the projects reported by the Constructional Statistics Annual that overrun or exceed the initial budget. Embracing the principals of off-site construction enabled the West of England MS Centre to be completed on a 23-week schedule. The design incorporates a hyperbaric chamber, gymnasium, treatment and examination rooms along with changing, toilet, storage and office provision. With a capacity of 450, the purpose-built MS Therapy Centre will enable care to be provided for a greater number of people, whilst offering a wider range of services in a modern and attractive environment. That is important because many Platinum sponsors Platinum Platinum sponsors sponsors people don’t realise that the disabling symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis sponsors generally startGold when people are aged between 18 and 40 years of

age, and that the NHS provides little physiotherapy treatment after diagnosis. The new MS Therapy Centre will keep these people working and self supporting for longer, and that has been shown to be beneficial in the long-term.

An ideal process In many cases, off-site construction is the only practical way of meeting the needs of clients in the healthcare sector, allowing them to provide essential services. And, with complete design flexibility including full height curtain walling, atriums, curved walls, double height ceilings amongst others, it looks set to become a preferred choice with clients that Gold sponsors Gold Gold sponsors sponsors need buildings delivered on time and to budget.

Event partners Event Event partner partn

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landscaping. For most clients, having this continuity creates a much more joined-up and efficient method of delivering their estate requirements. The completed facility looks and performs just like a conventional build, and that is the attraction of modern off-site solutions – they are indistinguishable from other building systems. Set against this is the fact that it is conventional builds that

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Formerly known as BSEC, Building Future Education is the UK’s only focused event for the finance, procurement, design, construction and furnishing of education buildings. Book your place at www.bfeuk.com/psbj

Topics include:’ Education Funding Agency exclusive – the future plans of the Department for Education’s school building division Government policy overview – what are the aims, objectives and philosophy behind the radical reforms being pursued by the Coalition Government? Olympic dreams – how sport helps pupils engage with the learning environment Overview of the new school building schemes – Priority Schools Building Programme, Free Schools, UTCs, Studio Schools and Basic Need Funding – how do education clients secure adequate finance for large-scale projects?

Speake rs include:’

Peter Lauener, Chief Executive, Education Funding agency Platinum sponsors Platinum sponsors

Tim Byles, Founder, Cornerstone

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Hannah Jones, Founder, Connecting Learning

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Will Alsop, Director, all Worldwide

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Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Foster + Partners

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Sir Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder, Forum for the Future

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Prof. Stephen Heppell, Heppell.net

Mairi Johnson, Strategic Director of Design, Partnerships for Schools

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Issue 10

a-magazine.co.uk

Issue 13

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Greenhouse Hot property! West Hartford’s new Fire Station

Sustainability in Development

Greenhouse

Employing Passivhaus principles

The first Passivhaus-certified retrofit in the UK

Voice of the Industry

Design & Desire

Why good design is no accident

Timber Frame TRADA discuss the best practice for low energy timber frame

Dali in Florida – art in architecture

Cooking up a storm at Cuisine De France

How wetland treatment systems maximise biodiversity

Sustainability in Development

Spotlight on the LABC Building Excellence Awards

Our favourites from the RIBA Awards 2011 shortlist

Sustainability in Development

Employing Passivhaus principles

Insulation

Design & Desire

A new twist on insulation at The Skewed House

Design & Desire

Drainage & Wastewater

Greenhouse

Design & Desire

Urban redevelopment at Printworks

Design & Desire

Malta’s ambitious property regeneration project

Green getaway – Bournemouth’s eco hotel

June 11

July 11

August 11

September 11

October 11

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Greenhouse

Retrofit is changing the landscape of social housing

sun’s out! We look at hotels, golf clubs, and the link between play & sport

ousing’s ‘Retrofit for the Future’ project

gal & siness

Design & Desire

Sustainability in Development

sitive action

A Grade 2 listed hotel has a futuristic extension

Live, work & play: a mixed use

Greenhouse

Sustainability in Development

Clapton Girls’ Technology College, catching the eye of RIBA and BCSE award judges

An Ashden Award-winning retro-fitting project

Glass & Glazing The art of architectural glass

visit the CoRE of sustainable refurbishment

November 11

Greenhouse development in Nottingham

Sustainability in Development

Hotel & Leisure Focus:

stainability in velopment

www.fca-magazine.com

Earth-sheltered carbon-neutral work and home spaces

an overview of Outlook Place

tion between archtects e companies

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Design & Desire:

Design & Desire

Doors & Windows

Unravelling the sector’s regulations

Future architects showcased in “Changing the Face/Moscow 2011”

January 11

February 11

March 11

April 11

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Greenhouse Hot property! West Hartford’s new Fire Station

Sustainability in Development Employing Passivhaus principles

Voice of the Industry

Design & Desire

Why good design is no accident

Dali in Florida – art in architecture

No half measures in urban regeneration

Cooking up a storm at Cuisine De France

Design & Desire

A new twist on insulation at The Skewed House

Sustainability in Development

Employing Passivhaus principles

Insulation

Heads up for 2013’s new timber regulations

How wetland treatment systems maximise biodiversity

Sustainability in Development

Spotlight on the LABC Building Excellence Awards

Timber

Drainage & Wastewater

Greenhouse

Design & Desire

Urban redevelopment at Printworks

Design & Desire

Malta’s ambitious property regeneration project

Rural project creates stunning family home

Green getaway – Bournemouth’s eco hotel

May 11

June 11

July 11

August 11

September 11

Issue 15

Issue 16

Issue 17

Issue 18

Issue 19

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Greenhouse The first Passivhaus-certified retrofit in the UK

Timber Frame TRADA discuss the best practice for low energy timber frame

Design & Desire

MMC

Design & Desire:

Sustainability in Development

Hotel & Leisure Focus:

Greenhouse

Subscribe FREE at www.fca-magazine.com Our favourites from the RIBA Awards 2011 shortlist

Earth-sheltered carbon-neutral work and home spaces

an overview of Outlook Place

Collaboration between archtects and offsite companies

Sustainability in Development

Retrofit is changing the landscape of social housing

sun’s out! We look at hotels, golf clubs, and the link between play & sport

Hastoe Housing’s ‘Retrofit for the Future’ project

Legal & Business

Design & Desire

Greenhouse Clapton Girls’ Technology College, catching the eye of RIBA and BCSE award judges

Glass & Glazing

Keep up-to-date with the latest news, legislations, projects & building information with FC&A Sustainability in Development

Taking positive action

A Grade 2 listed hotel has a futuristic extension

visit the CoRE of sustainable refurbishment

October 11

Issue 20

November 11

The art of architectural glass

February 11

March 11

Issue 10

Issue 12

Issue 13

If you are an Architect, Building Contractor, Specifier or Developer, Greenhouse and have the power to purchase building products, subscribe now for free. www.fca-magazine.co.uk

www.fca-magazine.co.uk

Hot property! West Hartford’s new Fire Station

Sustainability in Development Employing Passivhaus principles

Voice of the Industry

Design & Desire

Why good design is no accident

Dali in Florida – art in architecture

Greenhouse Live, work & play: a mixed use development in Nottingham

Sustainability Online Enquiry 017in Development An Ashden Award-winning retro-fitting project

Design & Desire No half measures in urban regeneration

Timber

Heads up for 2013’s new timber regulations

Future architects showcased in “Changing the Face/Moscow 2011”

January 11

Issue 21

www.fca-magazine.com

Design & Desire

Spotlight on the LABC Building Excellence Awards

Insulation

Greenhouse Cooking up a storm at Cuisine De France

Sustainability in Development Employing Passivhaus principles

HVAC

Time for a spring clean Now more than ever, it's time to upgrade your boiler, says Chris Meir, National Business Development Manager at Remeha Commercial. It's the affordable key to cutting energy use, carbon emissions AND running costs.

t’s been a testing time of late for the public sector. Not only has the full impact of the Coalition Government’s austerity measures taken effect, but the challenge is on to meet the UK’s target of reducing carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2027 and 80 per cent by 2050 on 1990 levels. How can the stretched public sector make its reduced funds go further and still adhere to its environmental commitments? The Carbon Trust recently announced that heating and hot water are responsible for more than a third of the energy usage of UK organisations. So it makes sense to prioritise improving energy efficiency for heating as a matter of course. Heat is the ‘sleeping giant’ of UK energy use, according to the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA), in a report that claimed that we must reduce emissions caused by heat to hit the UK’s low carbon targets. The fact is, the UK has a very high percentage of old buildings amongst its stock. According to the Building Research

Establishment, some 60 per cent of the buildings in the UK that will be standing in 2050 are already built – and that’s a conservative estimate. The public sector is a case in point. Many of its buildings are old – possibly with old, ineffective heating systems wasting around half of the energy input. Refurbishment is the most effective means of achieving rapid energy savings with low capital expenditure required and rapid financial payback guaranteed. Boiler technology has come a long way since the bad old days of atmospheric boilers! Today’s high performance gas condensing boilers deliver high efficiencies which will cut energy bills by 50 per cent. They also do their bit for the environment, reducing by 90 per cent the level of greenhouse gas emissions – notably carbon dioxide and NOx, two of the most harmful gases emitted during the combustion process. An equally important development is their design: they are smaller and lighter, able to fit into any existing space or through any doorway. There are also

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The old heating system at Hatch Mill Nursing Home in Farnham has been updated with three Quinta Eco Plus systems from Remeha, cutting fuel bills and saving energy

various models available according to your individual requirements, from wall hung to free-standing ranges, with boilers skid mounted or supplied on wheels for easy manoeuverability into the plant room. All of which means that installation is quicker and easier than ever before and any disruption of the absolute minimum. More recent advances have led to the introduction of high efficiency boilers with heat recovery systems, such as Remeha’s Quinta Eco Plus, which bring even greater energy savings. This particular system uses Passive Flue Gas Heat Recovery technology to increase efficiency levels by an extra 11 per cent above high efficiency boilers to deliver a new level of efficiency of 97 per cent GCV at 82/71°C flow and return temperatures. Refurbishing an old heating system is a real solution to reducing energy consumption and lowering carbon emissions – indeed it is the only option in the majority of cases. At Remeha, we look forward to working with consultants and contractors to help those in the public sector do just that.

www.remeha.co.uk

Remeha's Quinta Eco Plus uses Passive Flue Gas Heat Recovery technology to increase efficiency levels

Public Sector Build Journal 37

Housing

Intelligent design Every step of the design process with Alexandra Place took into account the residents' needs, ensuring that these homes will enable independent living for as long as possible

An extra care scheme built by the Leadbitter Group in Woodley, Berkshire, has won a National Housing Innovation Award. Alexandra Place, an apartment complex for the over 55s, has recently been named 'Most Innovative Supported/Sheltered Housing Scheme'.

lexandra Place, which is managed by Central & Cecil, with Housing 21 providing on-site care, consists of 64 one and two-bedroom apartments for over 55s. It is designed to meet the needs of older people and offers varying levels of care and support on-site, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Built on the same footprint of a traditional care home that became

Alexandra Place is much more than just a development of specially designed homes _ it is a community

38 Public Sector Build Journal

outdated and was demolished in 2009, Alexandra Place provides 46 one bedroom and 18 two-bedroom apartments that reflect the best of what supported housing has to offer. While there is no standard blueprint for designing such housing, every step of the design process took into account the residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs, ensuring that these homes will enable independent living for as long as possible. For example, each apartment has space for parking a mobility scooter should residents become unable to walk from the central storage area to their apartments. All apartments also have access to outside space, which is accessible by wheelchair or mobility scooter. By incorporating a cantilevered balcony design for the first and second floor apartments, residents have added outdoor space. Installed using steel beams built through the structure of each apartment and into the adjacent corridor walls, the balconies have no visible supports, creating clean lines which add

to the attractiveness of the homes. The finish of reconstituted, maintenancefree decking and a half cedar-clad, half-glazed faĂ§ade, provides increased privacy, whilst maintaining light into the apartment. This is just one aspect of the design that makes these apartments so much more suitable to individual needs. Having two-bedroom apartments in the development supports independent living by enabling residents to remain in their homes even if the time comes when they need 24-hour care and support, which is available from the on-site staff who provide care tailored to individual requirements. Today the second bedroom may provide a place for family and friends to stay, but in the future it can provide a place for a care person to sleep. During the design phase it is important not to concentrate on just one particular set of needs, such as mobility issues, but on as many different requirements as possible. This is why Alexandra Place doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t merely focus on the

Housing

By incorporating a cantilevered balcony design for the first and second floor apartments, residents have added outdoor space

clear that the focus is on allowing the residents to have easy access to a plethora of first-class amenities that make independent living easier and more enjoyable. Activity areas are found throughout the development where the residents can bring guests or socialise with their neighbours. All of these features mean that Alexandra Place has a five-star feel with a community focus throughout.

The importance of innovation With the advice and guidance that is given from the care and health services at housing providers, contractors are now able to bring original concepts for providing homes for elderly people to life – concepts that make living easier, more comfortable and more secure for residents. It is important that developers, builders and architects continue to bring innovative and original

housing developments – such as Alexandra Place – to the forefront of elderly housing schemes. John Parry, Operations Director of Leadbitter’s Central Housing division, said: “We are delighted that Alexandra Place has won a National Housing Innovation Award. It is testament to the way in which intelligent building design can benefit the lives of older people in the UK, and we are glad that we could utilise our expertise in the care sector to deliver this magnificent scheme.” Julia Ashley, Central & Cecil’s Executive Director Commercial Services, said: “It was a great pleasure to work so constructively with our partners to develop Alexandra Place and a delight to have received this award, recognising Alexandra Place for its quality services for residents and the local community.”

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physical impairments that come with old age, but also includes 10 ground floor apartments especially designed for those with dementia. Individual coloured doors with matching coloured key fobs, detailed signage on each door and communal gardens designed for circular movements, are just some of the specially incorporated features. Leadbitter is committed to the use of sustainable methods and technologies, and Alexandra Place is no exception, with the use of rainwater harvesting tanks and timber from sustainable sources. However, the safety and security of the residents was also central to the design of this project, which is why the flat dormer roofs were covered using a single ply membrane in order to prevent the theft of lead and zinc, further ensuring resident safety. Alexandra Place has subsequently been awarded Secured by Design status – an initiative by the UK police that promotes crime prevention at the design, layout and construction stages of homes and commercial premises. Alexandra Place contains a wide range of facilities for residents including an exercise room, accessible spa bath, landscaped garden, shop, hairdressers and IT suite. A number of activities are also available as part of the ‘Alexandra Club’ including resident-led Wii Fit classes, snooker clubs, events such as pyjama parties, ‘Betty’s Bingo’, aromatherapy and arts and crafts. Every aspect of the design and construction of Alexandra Place makes

www.leadbitter.co.uk

First-class amenities make independent living easier and more enjoyable

Public Sector Build Journal 39

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Insulation A new report warning that HFC's contained in foam insulation could account for up to 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, also urges the use of fibre insulation in new construction projects. CA Group supports this approach, particularly in light of the high cost involved in the disposal of foam insulations.

CA's innovative curved roof for BMW, features man-made mineral fibre insluation

Man-made mineral fibre insulation is a natural, fire retardant material which does not contribute to the fire load as well being an extremely efficient sustainable solution to the issue of heat loss

Fibre v Foam? has been putting to its customers for some time. Brian Watson, Group Development Director for the company, explains: “The considerable levels of ODSs present in the most commonly used foam insulations, has led to most of them being officially designated as hazardous waste and their safe disposal is now high on the public agenda. Now that funders and building owners are starting to experience the punitive disposal costs associated with this issue, these types of insulations have to be removed carefully from the buildings and cut into a manageable size and then transported to a specialist disposal site – the big question remains: Who pays?” Watson continues: “This dismantling process currently costs between £16.00 and £30.00 per m2 and it is estimated, conservatively, that there are 90 million m2 of foam panels currently in circulation. As a result, the cost of managing the disposal process will run into billions of pounds – which in some cases equates to more than the cost of the original installation.” The alternative, man-made mineral fibre insulation, has many things going for it: it is a natural, fire retardant material which does not contribute to

the fire load; it is an extremely efficient sustainable solution to the issue of heat loss and thermal performance and it does not have any disposal costs. Watson continues: “Insufficient information exists at present regarding the ecological legacy that these products will leave behind, but on this occasion the tax-paying public will not accept ignorance as an excuse when the time comes to foot the bill. “The more informed those involved in the construction industry are on the issue, the sooner they will be able to develop a cost-effective disposal strategy for those panels already in use. In the meantime, sustainable options, such as fibre insulated panels and built up systems incorporating man-made mineral fibre, should be considered. They are the natural choice and will save much more than money in the long run.” CA Group endorses the concept of ‘cradle-to-cradle’ construction, which requires that building materials used in the conception of a building also take into account its end-of-life impact by being ecologically compatible, economically acceptable and socially responsible in equal measure.

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ith the Government committed to minimising the impact of costly, but necessary, developments on the public purse, one issue which has lurked on the peripheral vision of the construction industry for over 30 years is now beginning to bite. The dangers associated with the use of most blown foam insulations, containing hazardous ozone depleting substances (ODSs) including HFCs, CFCs and HCFCs, were recently highlighted in a report published by UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme. The report, entitled ‘HFCs: A Critical Link in Protecting Climate and the Ozone Layer’, warns that HFCs contained in foam insulation could account for up to 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, with the potential to reach a level comparable with current emissions from the global transport sector by 2050. The report goes on to urge investors and developers to consider the use of fibre, rather than foam insulation, in new construction projects. An argument which specialist building envelope manufacturer and installer, CA Group,

www.cagroupltd.co.uk Public Sector Build Journal 41

Ecobuild Review

Right on target! Once again Ecobuild united the sustainable community with a world-beating exhibition and conference programme. PSBJ takes a look at the highlights of this year's exciting event.

cobuild, the world’s leading event for the built environment and sustainability, brought together more than 57,000 industry professionals from 20-22 March 2012 at London’s ExCeL. Over the three days, visitors explored the products, services and innovations from more than 1,500 exhibitors. In addition to the industry’s heavyweights, visitors were also able to explore up and coming companies in the exclusive entrepreneur’s zone, Green Shoots. Running alongside the extensive exhibition, visitors were able to attend more than 130 free-of-charge conference and seminar sessions featuring a host of high profile politicians, cutting-edge industry experts and renowned commentators. Well known names on the programme included: Jack Straw, Michael Portillo, Kevin McCloud, Monty Don, Janet Street Porter, Alan Johnson, Jonathan Dimbleby, Mark Prisk MP and Sir John Armitt. The success of the comprehensive education programme was clearly evident with many sessions having standing room only. James Blue, portfolio director, Ecobuild comments: “Ecobuild has proved once again that it’s the meeting place for the sustainable built environment community. Ecobuild is about sharing ideas and best practice, sparking debate and discussion

42 Public Sector Build Journal

and learning about the most current regulations and legislation. The event could not have come at a more critical time for the built environment sector.” Ecobuild’s feature-rich show floor meant that visitors were able to gain vital information, advice and practical experience across a number of areas. The Renewable Heat Focus illustrated the practical and financial benefits of the Renewable Heat Incentive to the marketplace. The Biodiversity Pavilion featured a series of practical talks and demonstrations to help designers and planners incorporate biodiversity and meet new regulations whilst Fabric First helped visitors understand how building fabric improvements can interface with each other to achieve

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More than 57,000 industry professionals visited this year's Ecobuild

theoretical performance levels on site. Solar Hub showcased a range of solar innovative systems and Renew gave practical advice on achieving one of the most important aspects of attaining an energy efficient building, a highly insulated, air-tight building envelope. This year saw an even bigger international presence, with national trade associations from Austria, Latvia, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands all there with prominent stands. There were some amazing art installations too, including Ideal Standard’s eye-catching bottle thinker and the world’s first velvet concrete wall from Tactility Factory on the Lafarge UK stand. The distressed dark red velvet and concrete panels clad a 6m high tower on the ‘Cool Concrete’ stand which eventually won the UK Green Building Council’s prestigious Ecobuild Sustainable Stand Award. With the Government requiring BIM for procurement and management of all public projects from 2015, it was no surprise that there was a significant presence for BIM at this year’s event. Professor Andrew Thomas ran an excellent session on Tuesday morning on BIM’s potential for sustainability and avoidance of waste. Talking of which, the presentations from this year’s conference and seminar programme are now available for free download from the Ecobuild website. To view these, you simply need to enter your Ecobuild account details. That should keep you going until next year’s event!

www.ecobuild.com

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Rt Hon Jack Straw, Michael Portillo, Justin Webb and Rt Hon Michael Meacher at the Rio 2012: 20 years on _ what have we achieved since rio 1992 ('the earth summit')? seminar

Doors, Windows & Timber

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Flooring & Surfaces

Gerflo's Taraflex™ Sport M Performance was installed in the sports hall at Wilmslow High School, Cheshire, due to its high levels of comfort, performance and safety, combined with its durability, easy maintenance and multi-sports capability

Versatile flooring I

nnovation, extensive R&D and a dedicated focus on achieving customer satisfaction, mean that the wide of Gerflor products are not only incredibly versatile but reach the highest environmental standards.

Sports & leisure Typical of the many successful installations of Gerflor products is the flooring in the sports hall at Wilmslow High School, Cheshire. The school is classed as a Specialist Sports College so there was a determination to specify the building to the highest standards. Gerflor’s Taraflex™ Sport M Performance was quickly identified as the natural flooring choice due to its high levels of comfort, performance and safety, combined with its durability, easy maintenance and multi-sports capability. When it came to installing the floor, Gerflor’s Dry-Tex System was utilised as it allowed the Taraflex™ Sport M Performance to be laid even though the concrete slab was still damp. This minimised delay to the build programme and meant there was no need for additional moisture barriers, saving both labour and material costs.

44 Public Sector Build Journal

Stuart Dodds, Assistant Head Teacher at Wilmslow High School, comments: “We wanted a flooring product which complemented the quality of the hall’s structure. The contractor who laid the floor recommended Gerflor and we have had no reason to doubt our choice. The Taraflex™ Sport M Performance has been down for a year now and looks fantastic. It’s remarkably easy to clean and comes up looking like new every time.” Taraflex™ Sport M Performance is categorised as a point elastic floor complying with the EN 14904 Standard for indoor sports surfaces and its cushioned surface means it offers 3545% shock absorption so is comfortable to run or walk on. Triple action Protecsol® offers an intelligent surface treatment that is skin-burn free, cost-effective and easy to maintain while Sanosol® treatment provides lasting protection against bacteria and mould.

Healthcare Equally demanding is the healthcare market. Both public and private hospitals have specific needs in terms of hygiene, maintenance and resistance to wear and

tear as well as complicated and stringent procurement policies for approved suppliers and tendering procedures. With its vinyl flooring and SPM wall, door and corner protection and handrail ranges, Gerflor offers the healthcare markets a complete solution for both new and refurbishment projects, enabling customers to save money and time by dealing with one supplier. In addition, Gerflor has established key partnerships with approved contractors in order to understand procurement policies within the NHS and to provide support to make the procurement process, from design through to installation, more efficient. Gerflor’s ability to provide this approach, coupled with a range of innovative solutions, is clearly demonstrated at the Royal Infirmary Site within the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Here, a range of products was installed by approved flooring contractor and Gerflor partner, Crown Flooring, during the refurbishment of the Multiple Injuries Unit (MIU) and main corridors. The 200m2 MIU posed a huge challenge. With seven beds containing critically ill patients on ventilators, a

A multi-specialist with proven ability to answer the needs of diverse sectors, including sports and leisure, healthcare and housing, Gerflor offers an extensive range of high performance, durable and easy-to-maintain vinyl flooring products and interior finishes.

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Subscribe FREE at www.psbj.co.uk Keep up-to-date with the latest news, legislations, projects & building information with Public Sector Build Journal. As a product information magazine PSBJ showcases the latest innovative building products as well as showcasing them in use within public sector building. If you are an Architect, Building Contractor, Specifier, Developer, Local Authority, or work within building for Healthcare, Education, Housing or Leisure and have the power to purchase building products, subscribe now for free. Online Enquiry 022

Flooring & Surfaces

Tenants' views, ease of installation and lower 'on floor' costs resulted in Griptex, Gerflor's residential vinyl flooring, replacing the originally specified vinyl within Broadland Housing Association's new build and replacement kitchen and bathroom programme

A range of Gerflor products was installed during the refurbishment of the Multiple Injuries Unit and main corridors at the Royal Infirmary Site at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire

to almost zero. Rachel Morris, Building Maintenance Manager, North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary commented: “SPM wall protection had already been used extensively throughout the hospital. It is easier now during refurbishments to be dealing with one company rather than two.”

Social housing When it comes to the housing sector, Gerflor is equally adept at providing appropriate product ranges and expertise. Tenants’ views, ease of installation and lower ‘on floor’ costs resulted in Griptex, Gerflor’s residential vinyl flooring, replacing the originally specified vinyl within Broadland Housing Association’s new build and replacement kitchen and bathroom programme. The Association provides over 4,600 homes across the Norfolk and Suffolk

region. When tenants reported that the previous flooring was the single item letting down its new kitchen package, Griptex provided the solution. An innovative slip-resistant, loose-lay vinyl, Griptex is quiet and comfortable underfoot and up to 50% warmer than vinyl of an equal thickness. It can accelerate installation times and reduce ‘on-floor’ costs by up to 30% compared with standard vinyl. “Designs and colours from the range fitted the scheme, plus Griptex provides that extra bit of underfoot cushioning,” explains Simon Brister, Broadland Housing Association’s Asset Management Surveyor. “It may cost more to purchase, but as it can be laid without adhesive and saves on labour, which is the big expense factor, it becomes a cost-effective flooring.”

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nurses’ station, plus extensive equipment and cables, the unit had to remain fully operational throughout the installation of the new flooring. Gerflor’s Attraction range of loose lay floor tiles provided the solution as they could be laid directly over the existing flooring with the beds and equipment easily moved onto the tiles as the installation progressed. Attraction is highly durable and has a unique dovetail joint which ensures the tiles are quick to install or replace without adhesives or welding whilst also creating an-all-but invisible seam. They are easy to maintain due to a UV cured polyurethane (PUR) surface treatment and Sanosol® fungicidal and antibacterial protection within the tiles. The Attraction range of flooring was also installed in the corridor linking the helicopter arrival area to the emergency treatment theatre, none of which could be closed off whilst refurbishment was taking place. Renewing the flooring in the main hospital corridor was less challenging. Half the flooring in the 2.5m wide corridor was removed at any one time and Gerflor’s Tarasafe Ultra sheet vinyl was then laid. Tarasafe Ultra was chosen primarily because of its extreme durability and slip resistance as these corridors are subject to constant foot and trolley traffic and heavy electric ‘tugs’ carrying laundry and rubbish. The Tarasafe Ultra was coved up the walls to meet Gerflor’s SPM Decosheet. This provides high impact and scratch resistance and means the walls can be wiped clean. Previously, the walls had required redecoration on a continuous three-week cycle. The Decosheet reduced maintenance costs

www.gerflor.co.uk Public Sector Build Journal 47

Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Innovative new website launched by Eurobond Following 12 months of intensive work, Eurobond is pleased to announce the launch of it's new website. Behind the fresh and clean appearance, the new site is designed to seamlessly respond to both customer and specifier requirements. The new Eurobond website: www.eurobond.co.uk delivers a more refined visitor experience, enabling swifter navigation to the required information. In addition, the site content has been totally reviewed and updated. One of the innovations is a new project gallery with a navigable map to pinpoint the location of projects supplied across the UK. A registration page, via the product sites, provides access to detailed technical information and visitors can

be kept up-to-date and informed of the company’s latest developments through subscription to its e-newsletter ‘The Core Issue’. The new main website, also acts as the hub to quickly direct visitors to the most appropriate Eurobond product micro sites, should this be needed. These micro sites are also new and have been sequentially rolled out over preceding months. They include, a brand new Eurobond Doors website, a sister company of Eurobond

High performance combination Brit-Spec is the professional’s quick and easy system for producing complete Tactray 90 project specifications and associated information requirements within 4 to 5 ‘Clicks’. All information can then be stored in a project specific folder for future use and for distribution to the entire design team. The information provided by Brit-Spec can be specifically tailored to suit the designer’s personal requirements or the requirements of each individual project. The Tactray 90 Structural Support System provides unique and BBA Certified qualities and benefits for each and every project. For this reason Tactray 90 forms the Structural Foundation for the Brit-Spec System. sales@britmet.co.uk enq 024

'Self-cleaning' renders PermaRock ‘self-cleaning’ ThermoSan-NQG renders incorporate the latest innovation in clean façade renders – Nano-Quartz technology, which offers superior levels of performance in terms of cleanliness, colour stability and provide unparalleled resistance to the elements. The renders provide the added benefit of cost savings over the lifetime of the cladding system through reduced maintenance requirements in comparison to standard acrylic and silicone based renders. ThermoSan-NQG renders are constructed from organically cross-linked nano-particles which form a compact, mineral-hard, three dimensional quartz-matrix structure which protects against soiling and keeps façades cleaner for longer and the special silicone resin/binder combination also generates water repellent, highly water permarock@permarock.com enq 025 vapour permeable surfaces.

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Laminates, and a supplier and manufacturer of complimentary door and ancillary products to the Eurobond panel range. The site is dynamic and provides open access for future enhancement by the Eurobond marketing team. The company’s aim is to keep the information up-to-date and accessible and it hopes you will find time to visit the site and it welcomes your feedback.

sales@eurobond.co.uk enq 023

Carea shows its colours

Within the built environment, complex façade designs are fast becoming the norm, with an emerging use of colour in façade engineering to meet the demands of architects and clients. These developments have been embraced by Carea, as shown at the recent project at Ronald McDonald House, Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. Visually stunning and inspirational, the exterior of Ronald McDonald House comprises a collection of Carea panels in eight unique colours, all selected to match specified RAL colours. Three greens, three greys, a white and a black were used to create the carefully considered aesthetics of the architect’s challenging vision.

carea@carealtd.co.uk

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Xtratherm launches comprehensive new literature Xtratherm, a leading supplier of high quality PiR and phenolic insulation, has refreshed its entire series of marketing and technical literature. The new literature from Xtratherm will make it easier for architects and other specifiers to choose the products which will deliver superior performance and underlines the five key benefits of Xtratherm: performance, quality,

environmental, technical, and assurance. Manufactured to the highest quality, environmental and H&S standards, and with the most comprehensive third party certification, Xtratherm’s range of insulation products is leading the market

in performance. The new literature, which has been conveniently colour coded to differentiate each range, highlights the advantages of the products as well as explaining usage, performance, installation and certification. As well as brochures for each range, Xtratherm is producing a highly innovative suite of sample ‘books’, each of which includes a sample of material bounded with a front and back cover containing product information. The books serve to illustrate the care and attention which Xtratherm is taking when promoting its materials to the marketplace. Kerry Westlake, Sales & Marketing Manager explains: “When we looked at refreshing our marketing and technical literature, we wanted to make sure the design and content reflected the quality of our extensive product range, and so made it easy for stockists, specifiers and contractors to find the right product for the job. It is also key that the literature underlined the five reasons why specifiers should choose Xtratherm. I believe the new-look literature does just that.”

gemma.hynes@xtratherm.com enq 027

Online Enquiry 028 Public Sector Build Journal 49

Roofing, Cladding & Insulation attenuation layer includes an upper filter fleece, central reservoir core and lower protection fleece, all three being factory bonded to maximise performance and simplify installation, with a further advantage of being manufactured from 90% recycled materials. The growing medium is 100% composed of recycled brick, tiles and green compost and is processed and graded to support an extensive range of sedum, meadow and lawn roof media. Whether the requirements are for sedum matting, plug plants or seeds, Kemper System can provide a solution to meet local climatic conditions, aspect, biodiversity and specifier preference. Harry Cowell, managing director of Kemper System comments: “Kemper System’s track record in sustainable and environmentally-friendly products, along with our roofing expertise and substrate conservation means that specifiers can be completely confident of a high quality end result with KEMPERGRO while rationalising their supply chain.”

Kemper launches total green roof solution Wet-on-wet waterproofing specialist, Kemper System, has launched KEMPERGRO, the company's first ever complete green roof system. Designed to enable specifiers to source a complete green roof from a single supplier, KEMPERGRO builds on Kemper System’s existing track record in the green roof sector. The KEMPEROL range of wet-on-wet waterproofing membranes offers root resistance and a service life in excess

of 25 years, making them an ideal base for green roofs and a common specification beneath externally sourced green roof systems. KEMPERGRO is a three section green roof system comprising a reservoir attenuation composite, growing medium and vegetation. The reservoir

enquiries@kempersystem.co.uk enq 029

Public sector solutions

Panel adhesive is ideal solution With aesthetics and durability of utmost importance at Emily Bowes Court, a new student village accommodation in Tottenham Hale, Trespa Meteon cladding was chosen in different shades of orange and green to create an aesthetically appealing façade, with Marley Eternit Natura panels providing a complementary stone colour. To hold the cladding firmly in place, and without unsightly fixings that could diminish the architectural aesthetics, SikaTack Panel Adhesive was specified. SikaTack Panel Adhesive requires no screws, rivets, clips or brackets and can be used on a wide range of materials, including ceramics, composites, high pressure laminates and cement-based panels.

technical@uk.sika.com

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Metrotile Lightweight Roofing continues to prove itself as the rooftop problem solver of choice within the Public Sector, as three more leading Housing Associations recently discover the many benefits of Metrotile Roofing. Metrotile has been installed as Cornish Unit mansards by Severn Vale, specified by Valley 2 Coast Housing on BISF homes for security benefits plus the ability to install a retrofit PV system. Plymouth Community Homes is also currently using the Future Proof Roof for flat to pitched roof top conversions on blocks of flats. Post installation, these organisations and the residents of each home, benefit from Metrotile’s 40-year guarantee. sales@metrotile.co.uk enq 031

Top Passivhaus project for Celotex A new office building at Watermead Business Park in Leicestershire has become the first carbon negative Passivhaus commercial office in England. With thermal efficiency and the creation of an airtight building envelope a priority, the choice of materials was of paramount importance. With this in mind, Celotex’ GA4000 PIR insulation was chosen. Made from PIR (polyisocyanurate) with foil facers for improved emissivity, an additional layer of Celotex GA4000 insulation was applied to the exterior block works. The exterior was then finished with Thermowood cladding. Celotex GA4000 achieves an A+ rating when compared to the BRE Green Guide 2008, an essential requirement in Passivhaus construction. info@celotex.co.uk enq 032

Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Dynamic showcase Working in partnership with Glenrothes-based timber frame developer Lomond Homes, the A. Proctor Group and Energyflo Insulation Technologies have delivered 2 and 3-bedroom general needs houses for the 2012 Housing Innovation Showcase in Dunfermline, Fife, using the Jablite Dynamic Frame insulation system. By channelling incoming ventilation air through the building fabric, the Dynamic Frame system allows the timber frame walls to meet U-values of 0.15, in a 140mm stud, with no increase in wall depth, maximising internal space for the residents, while minimising energy bills. The project also utilises the Reflectatherm vapour control layer and Reflectashield-TF 0.73 breather membrane from the Proctor Group.

ask@proctorgroup.com

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Extensive Sureclad brochure now available Shackerley has launched a new Sureclad Ventilated Façades brochure containing a more extensive Sureclad Ceramic Granite Collection than ever, and a 56-page ‘Gallery of Works’ to inspire the specifier. The extended Gallery reveals how Britain’s premier architectural practices are using the Sureclad system to great effect in healthcare and educational facilities, hotel and leisure developments, retail complexes, commercial buildings and pioneering modular residential schemes. BREEAM ratings achieved for projects are included in addition

to the ceramic granite façade panels, formats and finishes specified. The brochure explores the sustainable nature of ventilated cladding and looks in detail at the specific environmental credentials of the Sureclad system. It reveals Shackerley’s extensive range of in-house ISO 9001 certificated prefabrication facilities, and introduces the latest Sureclad system enhancements, such as the ‘Floor to Floor’ spanning facility and Classic and Corner Detail options.

info@shackerley.com enq 034

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Online Enquiry 035 Public Sector Build Journal 51

Kitchens, Washrooms & Bathrooms

Perfect wetroom solution

Access for all The £35m social enterprise project Heartlands Cornwall is truly accessible to all through investment in a new toilet. To ensure Heartlands Cornwall can be enjoyed by everyone, the development team has had a Changing Places toilet installed next to the disabled car parking spaces. Installed by Total Hygiene, the UK’s leading supplier of disabled toileting solutions and sponsor of the Changing Places campaign for fully accessible toilets, the room has adequate space in the changing area for the user and up to two carers, a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench and tracking/mobile hoist.

info@clos-o-mat.com

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The Kaldewei floor-level Conoflat shower tray and ESR II Installation Frame System for installing flush-with-thefloor shower trays, is the perfect solution for wetrooms. They are elegant, create a spacious look and are more functional and hygienic when compared to a tiled wetroom floor. In a recent study conducted by the TÜV Rheinland, the concentration of bacteria was more than five times higher on tiled shower surfaces than on steel enamel surfaces with easy-clean finish. TÜV also pointed out that the grout in tiled surfaces poses a threat in terms of hygiene, as water and soap suds do not flow away, allowing mould to grow and bacteria to collect. info@kaldewei-uk.com enq 037

Beko awarded ESTR certification Beko has been awarded the prestigious Energy Saving Trust Recommended certification. The ESTR certification, which applies to almost all of the company’s integrated and built-in appliances, recognises Beko’s ongoing commitment to, and investment in, the design and production of energy-efficient products. “The Energy Saving Trust Recommended certification plays a major role in achieving maximum energy efficiency, and Beko welcomes this accolade and the Trust’s recognition of our commitment to energy savings,” said Bob Abbott, Beko’s national sales manager. The ESTR certification co-incides with the publication of Beko’s new ‘eco’ brochure which details its innovative range of high performance amanda.castle@beko.co.uk enq 038 energy saving built-in products.

Accessible living As part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s ‘Live Well in Later Life’ strategy, the newly-built Inch View is a state-of-the-art building designed to create an environment where residents can feel both comfortable and independent. A key aspect of the independence it offers to its residents is the design of the en-suite bathrooms, featuring walk-in shower trays from AKW. The Mullen® shower tray is designed to create level-access showering in installations that may not be suitable for wet-floor formers. It has a standard 25mm fall to allow for quick drainage of water from the tray and is formed from compressed GRP making it both strong and stable. sales@akw-ltd.co.uk enq 039

White paper helps understanding The continuing drive towards inclusivity for elderly and disabled people has seen a raft of new legal requirements and directives for ‘good practice’ in toilet provision. To help specifiers better understand the requirements, beyond Building Regulations Approved Document M, leading disabled toilet provider Total Hygiene, has published a white paper: Accessible Toilets, Bathrooms and Washrooms. The white paper covers all the new documents, and simplifies the requirements in one place. To further facilitate appropriate specification, from the white paper on Total Hygiene’s website (www.clos-o-mat.com/products/downloads), specifiers can link directly info@clos-o-mat.com enq 040 through to each appropriate reference source.

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Refrigeration range expanded Beko has announced two new additions to its energyefficient integrated refrigeration range. The two new products – the BL77 Integrated Tall Larder and the BZ77F Integrated FrostFree Tall Freezer – will be available to the trade from May 2012. Both the larder and the freezer carry an A+ energy rating and are full height units. The flexibility of these units makes them ideal for specifiers and designers who are looking to make the most of available space in a kitchen. The door hinges are not only self-closing and reversible, but they are also adjustable to help achieve the best fit.

amanda.castle@beko.co.uk enq 041

Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

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Online Enquiry 043

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HVAC

Mitsubishi adds ventilation expertise to Lossnay sales Mitsubishi Electric has appointed SK Sales Ltd. as a Value Added Reseller (VAR) for the company's range of Lossnay heat recovery ventilation units. SK Sales has been a specialist supplier to the heating and ventilation industry since 1989 and has an extensive network of 15 branches across the UK, providing a one-stop-shop for its customers. “Our founders have a background in the H&V contracting business so the whole operation is acutely aware of the importance of reliable suppliers and we are delighted to have added the impressive Lossnay system to our market offering,” comments Brian Taylor, Commercial Director for SK Sales. SK Sales offers a free, next day delivery across its range of products and associated components. Mitsubishi Electric’s Lossnay range of mechanical heat recovery ventilation

systems is ideal for situations where fresh air needs to be provided in the most energy efficient way possible. Unlike many other ventilation systems, Lossnay recovers both sensible and latent heat which improves efficiency and comfort. With stricter building regulations, modern buildings have become more airtight yet basic ventilation systems mean that all of the energy spent heating or cooling an interior is lost when fresh air from the outside is introduced. This is very inefficient, as more energy has to be used to bring the incoming air to the desired internal temperature. Mitsubishi Electric’s Lossnay units extract up to 70 per cent of the energy from the outgoing air which means the incoming fresh air needs much

less energy to match it to the room temperature. Mitsubishi Electric has launched a new Lossnay CD which includes calculation software showing how to use the technology to reduce the heating or cooling load within a room and how quick the technology’s payback period will be when compared to the running costs of a conventional ventilator.

air.conditioning@meuk.mee.com enq 045

High heat recovery

Smart automatic valve Floodcheck is a smart automatic valve that will turn off mains water automatically when there’s a burst pipe, continuously running tap or a surge from a burst pipe or disconnected washing machine hose. Floodcheck is an adjustable valve that is fitted in line close to the stopcock and turns off the water if there is an unusual continuous flow or a sudden surge of water. It will also shut down if the temperatures fall below freezing to prevent a flood when the thaw comes, or if the property is left empty for over 24 hours. The supply is restored at the push of a button.

info@floodcheck.co.uk

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Burton on Trent-based Vortice Ltd has supplied almost 600 of its compact heat recovery units to two cutting edge Barratt developments in Canada Water and Lewisham. The HR200 unit is SAP Appendix Q eligible, designed to the highest environmental standards, compact in size and suitable for horizontal and vertical mounting. It is a centralised continuous mechanical supply and extract ventilation unit with an extremely high heat recovery of 92% which ensures silent and continuous ventilation of the home. The Vort HR 200 removes the ‘stale’ air from wetrooms and creates a permanent air path, through the property from the dry habitable rooms. sales@vortice.ltd.uk enq 047

Silent solution from Xpelair Utilising the natural airflow of a building and the latest technology in ventilation, the PassivX stack vent system from Xpelair Ventilation Solutions, works as a stand-alone ventilation solution or can be expanded by adding fans and heating/cooling coils to create a mixed-mode ventilation system. Conforming to Building Regulations Part F2 and Part L2, PassivX natural ventilation is the ideal choice for specifiers as the system can unlock a potential 40% saving in energy costs for commercial buildings compared to traditional mechanical systems. PassivX exceeds the requirements of the Building Bulletin regulations 93 and 101, which detail the optimal design regulations of Daniela.martino@redringxpelair.com enq 048 Building Schools for the Future.

HVAC

Working together for heating success Dorset-based manufacturer Hamworthy Heating, has supplied Poole contractor CMC Heating Ltd, with seven steel boilers for a refurbishment project at local further education establishment, Bournemouth & Poole College. With 3,400 full-time and 20,000 parttime students, Bournemouth & Poole is a multi-site college with campuses spread across the two south coast towns. The College’s Lansdowne site in Bournemouth and North Road site in Poole, see 2,000 students and staff come through its doors each day, placing heavy demand on its facilities. Recognisably in need of refurbishment, the College’s heating and hot water systems at both its main sites were assigned limited funding in 2011 for essential works, including the upgrade of the College’s existing boilers and increasingly inefficient heating system. Four Ansty 320kW, stainless steel, natural gas boilers from Hamworthy were chosen for the College’s Lansdowne site (above), while three Melbury HE 630kW steel boilers were selected for the North Road campus. Hamworthy’s Ansty product is a high-

performance, condensing, gas fired, fully modulating boiler. Equipped with a Riello burner, the boiler at the college campus is used in conjunction with Hamworthy’s Powerstock PS 1000 high performance calorifier, for hot water generation. Hamworthy’s Melbury HE range is suitable for large-scale projects with

high heating and hot water energy demands. Available in 19 models, with outputs from 530kW to 10,000kW, the Melbury HE range provides excellent performance for reliable delivery of low temperature hot water (LTHW).

sales@hamworthy-heating.com enq 049

Latest Belmont brochure Pegler Yorkshire has brought its well-known Belmont range of commercial radiator valves under its ‘Pegler Commercial Valve Range’, which now offers a much wider portfolio. In addition, and in response to customer demand, the company has launched a new comprehensive brochure which features best practice and compliance sections offering technical help to specifiers, contractors and service engineers. The brochure also features additional accessories from radiator valve security measures to a telescopic tailpiece and gland removal tool. Pegler Yorkshire’s Belmont commercial radiator valves range delivers a selection of flexible products designed to meet all the needs of social, public and commercial building. brochures@pegleryorkshire.co.uk enq 050

CFB boilers chosen for new steam system CFB Boilers recently completed a major steam boiler plant upgrade for the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in South Mimms. CBS was the only steam boiler specialist to provide a cost-saving solution to a complex installation issue, reducing the overall investment of the project by £25,000. CFB Boilers specified three Universal 3-pass horizontal boilers, type UL-S 4000 x 10bar.g, each configured for a maximum steam output of 3868kg/hr (4000kg/hr from and at 100°C). Manufactured by LOOS in Germany, the UL-S boasts exceptional efficiency and performance, and an internationally renowned and patented off-centre burner, which results in drier steam boilersales@steamboilers.co.uk enq 051 and enhanced heat transfer efficiency.

Discrete sensor Theben has developed a safe SELV (separated extra low voltage) 24V powered version of its award-winning air quality sensors. The wall-mounted air quality sensors monitor carbon dioxide (CO2 ), relative humidity and temperature levels all in one unit. This discrete sensor can be used to automatically activate window openers, extract fans, room heaters or air conditioners via three 0-10V relay outputs for each function. There are also two switched outputs for CO2 levels. Alternatively, they can simply be installed to indicate with their colour-coded LEDs the current air quality status so occupants can open widows manually.

csc@timeguard.com enq 052

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Modular approach to floor design Forbo Flooring Systems is celebrating the benefits of 'modularity' and encouraging customers to explore the design potential and creative freedom offered by its tile-based flooring solutions. A modular flooring solution is ideal where the brief calls for the installation of various flooring types with different attributes. Because Forbo’s ranges are specifically colour co-ordinated

for integration, its textile and resilient floor tiles can be mixed and matched across a floor scheme, with colours and patterns selected to blend or contrast as desired. Multiple tile sizes and formats offer even more design flexibility. Modular floor coverings are a logical choice for the modern working environment with access flooring, which has to be lifted periodically. They also allow refurbishments to be carried out with the minimum of financial outlay and fuss. Compared with floor coverings supplied in sheet format, tiles will usually generate a lot less installation waste and can generally be fitted more rapidly. They can be rotated within an area to extend the lifespan of the installation and can be replaced in isolation allowing localised damage to be rectified with minimum financial outlay. Forbo offers an exceptional range of design-led tufted and cut pile carpet

tiles in its Tessera and Westbond ranges as well as Marmoleum tiles, Flex Design loose lay vinyl tiles and Allura LVT tiles and ‘planks’. Completing the range of modular flooring solutions offered by Forbo is the Flotex tile range – an outstanding range of flocked floor tiles combining the attributes of textile flooring with the benefits of a resilient.

info.flooring.uk@forbo.com

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Ceiling tiles play pivotal role

Fun floorcovering for museum Heckmondwike’s fibre bonded Supacord carpet has helped put the fun back into flooring in Colchester. A brightly coloured new Snakes and Ladders design at Hollytrees Museum now leads visitors round the exhibits and demonstrates the tremendous possibilities offered by Supacord. The brief demanded a colourful design made from a carpet that would withstand the demanding environment. The British-made Supacord delivers outstanding durability, and features a fibre bonded narrow-rib construction which allows it to be cut and laid without fraying. The Supacord range has recently been extended and a new sample card created.

achandler@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk enq 054

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Micro-perforated metal tiles from Armstrong Ceilings have played a pivotal role in the aesthetics and acoustics of Birmingham City Council’s new workplace,10 Woodcock Street. Specified by Associated Architects, some 3,200m2 of Armstrong’s metal 1200 x 300mm tiles featuring 71% light reflectance and a fleece backing for additional acoustic insulation, were installed by specialist sub-contractor CG Reynolds. CG Reynolds had a team of 15 to 20 ceiling fixers working over four months to install the metal white ‘swing down’ planks, which can be folded down to allow access to services above, throughout the 60,960m2 of open plan offices, meeting rooms and break-out areas. MNicholl@armstrong.com enq 055

Flooring the natural way Established in 1987, the Natural Coatings Company offers: Sports and Safety Surfacing • Car Park Construction, including latest overlay systems for existing grass surfaces • Driveway and Tracks, using specialist natural stones • Artificial Grass for play and landscape areas • Rubber Surfacing for play areas, steps and pathways • Recycled Colourful Rubber Flooring for gyms and pool surrounds • Rubber Seating, Benches and Bollards supplied and installed • Decorative and Antislip Coatings • Design & Construct, including all groundworks, drainage and soakaways. Free surveys and quotes are available sales@flooring-services.com enq 056 as well as a nationwide service.

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Light transmitting concrete

A fascinating new light transmitting concrete panel is now being offered by Telling Architectural and features extensively in the recently completed new headquarters of the Bank of Georgia in Tbilisi. The Lucem light transmitting concrete is made from crushed marble aggregate, white cement and thousands of embedded optical fibres through which natural and artificial light can penetrate. Altogether, 300m2 of Lucem was used in different sections of the new bank. Lucem combines high performance concretes and translucent fibre optics that are durable and hardwearing, resistant to weather, UV and impact, and are non-flammable. Options of polished, glossy or sheen/matt surfaces are available.

info@telling.co.uk

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Surfaces protected at Square Nine Square Nine, Belgrade’s first international luxury hotel, has specified Fila’s surface care range to protect almost 4,000m2 of Italian beige limestone on floors, walls and surfaces. Throughout the hotel, natural-effect Fila W68 was used to treat walls requiring water and stain protection. Internally, Fila MP/90 natural stain protector was applied to white polished stone bathroom surfaces, whilst floors received a basecoat of Fila W68 protection, followed by natural effect FilaMatt wax. Meanwhile, Fila Hydrorep and FilaFob were used to treat the poolside relaxation area from continual contact with chlorinated water, within filaUK@filachim.com enq 058 the hotel’s stunning Wellness Centre and Spa.

Kahrs extends eco-commitment Kährs has launched a world-first range of floors made from FSC®-Fairtrade® certified wood. Made from a combination of sustainable native Chilean Rauli and Roble hardwood timber, the new range of two-strip floors features Kährs multi-layer construction and glueless Woodloc® joint, which provide enhanced stability and promote a fast, precise installation. The floor’s surface is crafted from 100% FSC-Fairtrade certified wood whilst FSC Mix certified wood is used for the core layers. The products can also contribute to BREEAM or LEED certified project. Forming part of Kährs World Collection, sales@kahrs.com enq 059 designs include: Roja, Tierra, Piedra and Cautin.

Advice offered on reducing heat loss Discover how Ancon can help you to deliver sustainable, energy-efficient structures at Greenbuild Expo 2012. Stand B24 will feature Ancon’s extensive range of low thermal conductivity cavity wall ties, which includes the unique basalt-fibre TeploTie. Also on display will be a range of Thermal Breaks for use at other locations where the insulated building envelope is interrupted, such as balconies and brickwork support brackets. Many of Ancon’s high integrity fixings are engineered from stainless steel which has a lower thermal conductivity than other metals and is 100% recyclable at the end of a long, maintenance-free service life. info@ancon.co.uk enq 060

Making an entrance Specifying entrance matting? Then COBA’s new website: www.specify.cobaeurope.com – designed for architects and specifiers, could provide the entrance matting inspiration and solution for a wide range of projects. Creatively designed and regularly updated with latest product news, installations and more in-depth case studies, the new website is much more than an ‘online brochure’. Its fresh, entertaining approach, delivers factual, up-to-theminute information for architects, specifiers, interior designers and facilities managers. There is also a handy online CPD Booking Form for those looking for more in-depth information about specifying the right matting for the right location. Check it out for the cotoole@cobaeurope.com enq 061 latest offers, surveys and prize giveaways.

Cost-effective performance Designed to meet the needs of typical safety flooring environments, such as commercial buildings and social housing schemes, Polyflor’s new Polysafe Ecomax heavy-duty safety vinyl flooring, features the solid construction of Polyflor XL with safety aggregates to offer a specially engineered safety surface. Available in 12 attractive and practical shades, Ecomax is manufactured using on average 25% recycled material and is 100% recyclable. “Now is the perfect time to introduce a safety vinyl product that will help ease the strain on budgets but still offer a durable, easy to clean walking surface with sustainable slip resistance properties.” explains Marketing Manager, Simon James.

info@polyflor.com enq 062

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Doors, Windows & Facades

Music Department gets enhanced acoustic effciency Secondary glazing specialist Selectaglaze Ltd., supplied a range of products for the refurbishment of the magnificent Victorian cloistered Great Hall at the University of Reading, enhancing acoustic and energy efficiency. Since the injection of a £21m budget, the cloister buildings have been refurbished to create a new home for the University of Reading’s Institute of Education. It was important to retain many of the cloister buildings’ original features, including a mixture of curved and sash windows, all of which were single-glazed. This presented a particular problem for the two-storey Music Department which accommodates a mixture of studios, practice rooms and recording facilities, and enhanced levels of

soundproofing for both noise egress and ingress were essential. The windows have been treated with hinged casements incorporating twin memory compression seals, multipoint locking and a 6.4mm laminated glass to ensure the best acoustic performance. Flush hinges and flush locks fitted with escutcheon plates, provide clean lines and minimal dust ledges. The installation has also markedly reduced drafts and general heat loss through the windows ensuring comfortable conditions for practicing musicians. Typically, single

glazed windows reduce noise by just 25-30dB, less if they are ill-fitting and laboratory tests show that Selectaglaze secondary glazing can improve this to approximately 40-45dB depending on the distance between the glass. As well as its acoustic advantage, secondary glazing raises the thermal efficiency of the window and improves security. Selectaglaze offers a range of products ‘Secured by Design’ accredited.

enquiries@selectaglaze.co.uk

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No more waiting at the school gates

Eye-catching access A combination of Dor-O-Matic concealed all glass automatic swing doors and glass manual doors now welcome the average 3.85 million visitors a year to the EDF Energy London Eye’s ticket office. The doors, metalwork and specially designed curved toplight, complete a refurbishment of the existing entrances. These were supplied and installed in their entirety by Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies. Two new pairs of manually opening doors have been installed in the front entrance while concealed all glass automatic swing doors service the side entrance. This entrance is fully compliant with the Equalities Act, giving easy access to all including disabled visitors and those with pushchairs.

info@ingersollrand.co.uk

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FAAC 400 swing gate operators have been used to automate the main entrance/exit gates for pedestrian and vehicle access to Roselands Primary School in Hertfordshire. The existing entrance/exit gate system had to be replaced due to structural movement caused by the heavy clay soil base. To avoid future movement, the new FAAC operated gates have been installed with an underground I beam connecting all the vehicular and pedestrian gate posts together. Two FAAC 400 operators were used to automate the double leaf swing gate used for vehicle access to the school, while a single 400 operator was used for the pedestrian gate. sales@faac.co.uk enq 065

Kitemark recognition for Comar Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems has announced that it has achieved Kitemark status: BS 4873 – Systems Supplier for Aluminium Alloy Windows and BS 7950/4873 Enhanced Security Performance of Windows for Domestic Applications for Comar 5Pi ECO 55mm and 75mm casement window systems and Comar 5Pi Tilt/Turn windows. The latest certification for Comar Aluminium Systems ensures that the design, supply and security performance of the company’s aluminium window systems meets the strictest criteria of the British Standards Institute Kitemark Scheme.

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Doors, Windows & Timber

Ecobuild success for Smart Leading aluminium systems company Smart Architectural Aluminium, reports that its first year exhibiting at Ecobuild has been a huge success. During Ecobuild 2012, there was particular interest in Smart’s message of sustainable building solutions which corresponded well with the theme of the exhibition. Visitors were particularly interested to learn that 50 per cent of the aluminium billet used by Smart is recycled aluminium. Smart also discussed with attendees the company’s aim of achieving a carbon neutral production operation through pursuing sustainable power generation. Smart showcased key commercial

products at the exhibition with the Alitherm 800 WER A rated window, Greenstar 1.0W/m²K U Value window, Evolution heritage window and

Alpro ensures premium access Access control equipment from Alpro Architectural Hardware has been used at a premium residential development on the Dorset coast – the Hutton Apartments in Weymouth. The Alpro installation includes electric strikes and transom closers. The strikes are Alpro’s ANSI-style models which can be used in metal or timber door applications. They are 12/24v selectable and have a holding force of 1,750kg (3,860lbs). The units’ deep jaws will accept a 13mm latch bolt, and electrical current consumption is low at 200mA and 100mA (+15%) for 12vDC and 24vDC respectively. A rectifier sounder module enables operation with AC current. info@alpro.co.uk enq 068

Blinds help concentration 50/50 COLLEGE blinds have helped to improve student concentration at Ashville College, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The problem arose in south-facing teaching rooms overlooking sports fields where activities tended to divert the attention of students. Fitting opaque blinds would have made the rooms claustrophobic and increased the demand on artificial lighting. The solution from CBS was to install 50/50 COLLEGE blinds with an opaque fabric on the lower half joined to a more open screen fabric in the top section. The opaque fabric provides privacy, and stops students looking out, while the screen fabric allows good light sales@cbsblinds.co.uk enq 069 transmittance to the interior.

Smart Wall thermal shop front screen and door systems all receiving a great deal of enquiries.

marketing@smartsystems.co.uk enq 067

Contemporary campus

Curtain walling and sloped glazing from Kawneer, were specified for a refurbishment of, and extension to, the Student Union centre at the University of Bath with ‘sustainability, cost and maintenance implications in mind’. Kawneer’s AA®110 curtain walling with 65mm sightlines and AA®100 with 50mm sightlines, complemented by sloped glazing on the roof, was installed by specialist contractor Aluminium Sashes for main contractor Britannia Construction. The brief to architects Stubbs Rich, who have used Kawneer systems many times before on a wide variety of schemes, was to provide increased, contemporary and engaging space at the heart of the university.

Kuk.kawneer@alcoa.com enq 070

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Play Equipment

Polishing up a play area is ChildsPlay For play areas in need of refurbishment, leading safer surfacing supplier Notts Sport, has the ideal solution which makes the whole process quick and easy. Affordable and cost-effective, Notts Sport’s ChildsPlay surfacing systems can usually be installed over the top of an existing play surface. The sand-filled VHAF NottsSward artificial turf is long-lasting, hardwearing and resistant to vandalism and weather damage with minimal repair and maintenance costs. ChildsPlay is also convenient, as the quick refurbishment time means the facility is only out of action for a short period.

And Notts Sport’s customers agree: “Notts Sport provided us with an affordable solution that will improve Hammersmith Park for many years to come,” says Chris Welsh, Parks Development Officer, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Abigail O’Neill, Parks Administration Officer for the Royal Borough of

Kensington and Chelsea, commented: “I was very pleased with the service provided. Installation was fast and efficient and on first impressions, the surfacing appears to be withstanding the demands of two very well used play areas.”

info@nottssport.com

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Play for today! Husson is proud to announce the completion of its new play catalogue. All of Husson’s four main play ranges have been updated with many completely new items such as the Campervan, Fire Truck, Roadster, Jeep, Rally Raid and Cameleo XL to mention a few. The company has been busy developing the ‘Dune’ concept, an inclusive means of access that can be used on the Cameleo and Piccolo ranges. It has worked closely with teaching specialists, physiotherapists and doctors over the past few years to create this practical, safe and attractive piece of inclusive play equipment. Husson will be exhibiting the exciting new Cameleo XL tower (pictured left) at Playfair along with the new Campervan for which it has received and delivered several orders before the catalogue has even been officially released! Husson will also be opening its new showroom at its Aylesbury offices in the coming months. The showroom will display a popular selection of items from the company’s product range that can be ordered from its factory or purchased on the spot and taken away. See Husson at Playfair in June or look out for an invite to the new showrooms!

tcouper@husson.co.uk enq 072

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Concrete sports solutions Timberplay has further strengthened its offering for urban spaces and public places by joining forces with Concrete, the German owned skate park specialists. This new partnership complements Timberplay’s existing product and design ethos and sits alongside another new partnership with Spanish Street Furniture company, Santa & Cole. Concrete Skate represents the highest design and construction quality of wheeled sport areas. Using modular, pre-fabricated concrete enables the creation of bespoke parks in infinite combinations. These units can be combined imaginatively to fit any space, being built with no influence from the elements, having anchored coping and edge protectors plus superior coating.

sales@timberplay.com

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Doors, Windows & Timber

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Download supplier brochures, videos & testimonials Download the latest building product brochures and technical videos from the likes of Monodraught, CMD, Polyroof, Armstrong, Dow building & Linak directly from the FC&A library

www.fca-magazine.com Online Enquiry 075 Public Sector Build Journal 61

Focus & Innovation

Prime example of level flooring Ultra Floor's Prime IT N, Level IT one HDB and Level IT two have been used to lay flooring in Hampshire's prestigious Havant Academy. Havant Academy is undergoing an exciting refurbishment project and Sussex-based flooring contractor Vagg Flooring is laying new flooring throughout the classrooms and library area. Sub-floor preparation is being completed using Ultra Floor Prime IT

N polymer emulsion primer, Level IT one single part concrete smoothing compound and Ultra Floor Level IT two, two-part latex levelling compound. The work is being carried out in several phases with the installation of various floor coverings including

2000m2 of Vinyl safety flooring, 3000m2 of carpet tiles, 400m2 of D L W Lino and 300m2 of Ege bespoke broadloom carpet. Ultra Floor Prime IT N, a water-based polymer emulsion primer, is being used to enhance the adhesion of the leveller to the substrate. It is suitable for use over non-porous substrates such as synthetic screeds, chipboard, steel, damp-proof membranes, asphalt and other hard adhesive residue. After priming, Level IT one HDB is applied to cover those areas that require a greater depth. The product can be laid from 3mm to 50mm in one application and is often used to build up depths prior to levelling. Level IT two is applied by trowel to the substrate. This self-levelling latex compound combines excellent flow characteristics with strong adhesion properties. The leveller is ready to receive foot traffic after only 2.5 hours. It achieves thicknesses of up to 10mm deep and can be used under a DPM.

info@vaggflooring.com

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David Bailey celebrates 30th anniversary

Valve success Valve manufacturer Aquaflow Valves is delighted with the success of its new non-slam check valve, having recently supplied a high number of them to projects at Severn Trent Water, Sutton and East Surrey and internationally in Hong Kong. These high performance valves are designed for systems prone to high velocities and rapid flow reversal; having nonslam characteristics and reducing the damaging effects of water hammer. Slam reduction is achieved through body profile design and door configuration. Another key advantage to this valve is that there are no mechanical mechanisms that could prove costly to repair or replace.

response@ttpumps.com

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2012 is a momentous year for David Bailey Furniture Systems as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Trevor Gillman, Managing Director, comments: “From our humble beginnings manufacturing fitted kitchen furniture we have grown to become one of the largest and most respected suppliers of healthcare, education and veterinary furniture, which is something everyone at David Bailey is truly proud of. Another proud moment was going ‘virtual’ with the addition of our first ever virtual tour of fitted education furniture on our website. Customers can now get the ‘David Bailey experience’ without moving an inch, by viewing our virtual tour of school furniture at West Thames College in London.” sales@davidbaileyfurniture.co.uk enq 078

Cutting through the competition The Maruyama range includes trimmers and brush cutters, multicutter systems, edgers, blowers, hedge trimmers and accessories but it is the landscape blade which is currently enjoying great interest. As well as not ‘firing’ gravel at the nearest parked car (making it ideal for golf clubs, leisure facilities and hotels), the blade also leaves clippings where they are and doesn’t throw them up at the face of the operator. For landscapes with water features, the Maruyama blade can also trim grass edges which are submerged. As well as its remarkable neatness with debris, it has precision cutting and it self-sharpens with info@dmmp.co.uk enq 079 a scissor action.

Focus & Innovation

High efficiency compact pumps Wilo UK has introduced the latest in its family of energy efficient small circulator pumps. The Wilo-Yonos PICO consumes significantly less energy than required by the best current ‘A’ rated heating pump. Compared to an uncontrolled old pump, it is possible to achieve up to 90% reductions in electricity consumption – that’s an energy cost saving of around £85 a year. This new standard high-efficiency pump is compact and is equipped with a display that shows the current power consumption and the set delivery head. It also offers constant and variable differential pressure control modes.

sales@wilo.co.uk

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Glazing bead saves budgets Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has refurbished damaged fire doors by installing Yeoman Shield Glazing Bead, saving the expense of purchasing brand new ones. The Yeoman Shield hardwood PVCu Clad Door Glazing Bead is ideal for repair, refurb or overhaul, having been specifically designed to replace timber glazing beads which often become damaged by everyday traffic such as trolleys. Harrogate Hospital’s Estates Officer, Stuart Hardy, said: “Yeoman Shield’s installation team fitted door edge protection, half height door protection panels and glazing bead protectors to FR60 double fire doors and I’m very pleased with the end result.” sallyann@yeomanshield.com enq 081

Hauraton system cleanses storm water The European Water Framework Directive requires Authorities to manage water resources better and clean up storm water commonly polluted with hydrocarbons, de-icing salt and heavy metals such as Copper and Zinc, before it enters a local watercourse, surrounding land or catchment area. The Hauraton DRAINFIX®CLEAN filter-bed drainage channel system is designed to directly cleanse polluted storm water. Extensive independent testing has shown the system worked effectively over a long period, removing most of the main pollutants. A DRAINFIX®CLEAN samples pack and explanatory leaflet is now available from Hauraton, with an online video demonstrating the tim.connolly@hauraton.co.uk enq 082 effectiveness of the system.

New performance standards As Local Authorities prepare for their new roles as SuDS Approval Bodies (SABs), Hydro International is launching the new HydroBrake Optimum™ to set new performance standards for sustainable drainage that can help ensure public and private sector developments meet new National Standards for SuDS. Hydro-Brake Optimum™ is a new flow control that represents a significant advance in vortex technology. HydroBrake Optimum™ promises new levels of design versatility and significant construction cost savings for public and private building and development projects. Hydro-Brake Optimum™ dispenses with the need to choose from a limited range of sizes and types and instead offers built-in flexibility to size each unit for absolute fit. From now on, one type of Hydro-Brake®, the Hydro-Brake Optimum™, will perfectly balance flow rates and surface water storage requirements to suit the conditions of every development. Hydro’s existing range of Hydro-Brake® Flow Controls already provides significant savings in surface water storage over conventional flow controls. Now the Hydro-Brake Optimum™ offers up to a further 15% saving when compared to other vortex flow control devices.

catrin.lewis@hydro-international.co.uk

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Focus & Innovation

Siemens adds verification to intruder detection IP-based video and audio verification, which has the potential for greatly reducing the disruption caused by false alarms, is just one of the many important enhancements offered by the new version of the popular SPC intruder detection system, recently released by Security Products from Siemens. Other new features of the SPC intruder detection system include advanced security functions for banking applications, multilingual support, and an extensive portfolio of wireless options. In addition, options are now available for monitoring the status of and viewing images from Siemens SPC systems via portable internet-enabled devices, including iPhones and iPads. The new IP-based fully digital video and audio verification feature significantly increases efficiency in the CMS (Central Monitoring Station) by reducing false alarms caused by incorrect user activations to virtually zero. By using the confirmation feature, operators in the CMS can avoid needless call-out operations, which are wasteful of money and resources, by basing their

decisions on live audio and video as well as on pre- and post-event audio and video. The audio facility offers two-way operation, so that CMS operators can provide a verbal response to alarms, making intruders aware that they are being monitored, which often acts as an effective deterrent. As supplied, the new SPC panels are capable of operating in eight languages, and additional language packs can be easily downloaded to extend this range. For installers, this makes the systems easy to set up and easy to match to the requirements of the user, and for end-users it makes the systems easy and intuitive to operate.

securityproducts.sbt.uk@siemens.com enq 085

Secure and aesthetic solutions

Wicona specified for Polar station A new Indian research station in the Antarctic is to feature high performance aluminium glazing systems from Wicona, which will have to withstand some of the most extreme conditions on earth. The station’s aluminium façade will be subjected to abnormally high thermal and mechanical loads caused by blizzards, huge quantities of snow, high wind speeds and temperatures of -40° and below. A large proportion of the building’s façade will be glazed using Wicona’s specially adapted WICTEC 50 curtain walling system. This will feature triple glazing, highly insulated panels, an incline of up to 15° at the two narrow ends, and will achieve a U value of 0.8 W/m2K.

info@wiconaprojects.co.uk enq 086

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Charter Specialist Security Ltd., is protecting North Lincolnshire’s newest health and social care facility – the Ironstone Centre – with its Charter-Integr8 security shutters. To protect this new state-of-the-art Centre, 48 Charter-Integr8 180C security shutters have been installed to all ground floor windows for security purposes and five CharterIntegr8 180FR fire-rated shutters have been fitted internally as part of the building’s fire strategy. A secure and aesthetic solution, Charter-Integr8’s shutter mechanics are integrated into the actual fabric of the building. In the raised position, the shutter is completely concealed from view. In the lowered position, the shutters ensure effective security. sales@chartergroupuk.com enq 087

Challenging cranage operation Off-site construction specialist, Yorkon, has completed a challenging cranage project at Ninestiles School, a new high achieving academy in Birmingham. The site operation involved the use of a large 350-tonne crane to lift the steel and concrete building modules over the top of an existing building and into a completely enclosed courtyard in the centre of the school. Design features of the six new classrooms will include brick cladding to the ground floor with a contrasting white finish to the upper floor; windows, doors and aluminium cladding panels in anthracite grey; a full height glazed stairwell, and a link corridor to the main contact@yorkon.co.uk enq 088 school building.

Focus & Innovation

Merchant brochure Ex-Or scoops top lighting honour Lighting control specialist Ex-Or has carried off a major award in the annual Lighting Design Awards for its innovative range of batten-mounted sensors. The Ex-Or BattenFit range won the Lighting Controls category at the prestigious event. Introduced to the market just over a year ago, BattenFit has proved an instant success in the market. Ex-Or, part of Honeywell, reports sales far in excess of expectations both in the UK and overseas. “It’s an outstanding achievement for our BattenFit development team that spotted the opportunity for this product and brought it to the market,” said Catherine Connolly, Honeywell ED&S business director UK and Ireland.

Jason.ng2@honeywell.com enq 089

Hanson Formpave, an innovator in permeable paving for over 20 years, is proud to launch its new, dedicated merchant brochure. This is now available to all UK builders’ merchants, and forms part of a wider campaign to promote Hanson Formpave’s innovation and heritage as the ‘original’ pioneer of SUDS, as well as its standard range of block paving. The brochure covers the key aspects of the Hanson Formpave product and colour range, from the market-leading aqua setts to standard block paving. It also shows a wide range of kerbs and accessories, with a good description of laying patterns and methods. sales@formpave.co.uk enq 090

CPD fire protection courses ‘Fire Protection in Buildings Explained – The Role of Passive Fire Protection Products’ is the new name for the successful Chiltern International Fire (CIF) CPD training course ‘Passive Fire Protection Explained’. The course gives clear guidance on the legislative drivers for passive fire protection, such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and will be held at CIF’s High Wycombe headquarters on 17th May and 4th October 2012. It is aimed at local authorities, housing associations, building contractors, facilities/estates managers, fire stopping installation companies, electrical and plumbing contractors, architects, building control inspectors and fire epeters@chilternfire.co.uk enq 091 engineering students.

Lighting up commercial environments The Nova 600 x 600 LED ceiling panel has a lightweight slim design, is clean area approved, versatile in application with easy installation. The Nova has three independently controlled panels that provide high lumen outputs, with instant illumination for 50,000+ hours. Available in two colour temperatures and emergency back-up option, the Nova is the perfect product for commercial environments. Exled can provide on-site evaluations and detailed project assessments with specific advice on which LED solutions will benefit your organisation. Its in-house technical team can provide support for the application with light plots and CAD drawings. sales@exled.co.uk enq 092

Technal covers iconic library Façade systems from architectural aluminium specialist, Technal, have been specified by CZWG Architects for Southwark Council’s iconic new ‘super library’, which has now been completed in Canada Water, London. Finished in bronze anodising, Technal’s MX SSG structural glazing and CD commercial doors have been used for the ground floor. MX Visible Grid features as strips of curtain walling to the three upper floors, with MX top hung concealed vents for natural ventilation and PXi doors providing access to the balconies. The curtain walling is complemented by FXi65 tilt/turn casement windows used as ‘punched hole’ info@technal.co.uk enq 093 openings set into the cladding.

Further expansion Rapidly expanding Designer Contracts has opened a new regional facility and expanded its North East operation. The company has signed a 10-year lease on a 545m2 unit on Slough Trading Estate, bringing its network of regional offices to 11. Designer Contracts, which already has a regional base in Brentwood, is also pressing ahead with plans to add an additional facility in the Thames Medway area in the coming months. Designer Contracts’ Managing Director, Peter Kelsey, said: “Our new location enables us to provide an even more dedicated level of service to our existing clients while increasing our market share in a major geographical area.”

enquiries@DesignerContracts.com enq 094

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Focus & Innovation

Voltis Home features in Housing Innovation Showcase A £3.3m project to showcase how sustainability and new construction technologies can be incorporated into affordable housing programmes will feature homes kitted out with high-performance domestic voltage optimisation units from Marshall-Tufflex. Housing Innovation Showcase 2012, a partnership between Kingdom Housing Association (KHA) and Fife Council, with support from Fife Construction Forum and Green Business Fife, features 27 new homes on a site in Dunfermline, Scotland, each built by one of 10 development partners on behalf of Fife Housing Partnership and Fife Economy Partnership. Glenrothes-based Lomond Homes, in conjunction with KHA, has been tasked with building a pair of semidetached homes for the project, and it is these that are being fitted with the Voltis Home domestic voltage optimisation system from UK energy management specialist Marshall-Tufflex.

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payback period, Voltis Home can be installed, bringing instant benefits by reducing power bills and extending the life of appliances.”

marketing@marshall-tufflex.com enq 095

Kidde sets 10-year benchmark

Owners and managers of community areas – as well as domestic gardens – are being offered the chance to be ready for both summer lawn and winter ice problems with the EarthWay Ev-n-Spred S15. In the summer, the S15 is used to fight weeds and moss, and in the winter it makes short work of snow and ice. The S15 features EarthWay’s patented gear pump which is driven by its 25.4cm pneumatic-tyred wheels. The sprayer doesn’t require any batteries or engine and is capable of spraying widths in excess of 1.5m or as narrow as 60cm. A 22 litre tank equals 800m2 of weed killer or Ice Melt.

info@dmmp.co.uk

The units were supplied by Edmundson Electrical, Kirkcaldy. The Voltis Home units, which measure just 300mm x 240mm x 147mm, have each taken about one hour to install and, because Voltis Home is rated to 60Amps there is no need to isolate some circuits such as the cooker or power showers, making installation simple. Power savings of up to 17% are achievable. Lomond Homes believes that domestic optimisers offer RSLs and homeowners a good-value energy management solution, as Lomond Homes senior architectural technician Derek Grubb explained: “For a relatively low cost with a potentially short

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Kidde Fyrnetics has raised the bar for safety in housing, with carbon monoxide, smoke and heat alarms, all fully guaranteed for 10-years. The brand new TenYCO battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm – the first available with a 10-year guarantee – complements the recently launched TEN-4 smoke alarm. Both ranges are specially designed for quick and simple installation by non-electricians and for low cost of ownership. To meet Building Regulations in new-build, and other situations where interconnected hard-wired smoke and heat alarms are required, Kidde Fyrnetics’ Slick® fast-fit rechargeable smoke and heat alarms are also guaranteed for 10 years. The new Slick® range includes wireless capability. kiddefyr@ukgateway.net enq 097

Borri backs up emergency services South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust (SCAS) turned to leading Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) specialists, Borri Ltd, to provide a one-stop, reliable backup power solution. After a detailed review of the SCAS headquarters in Bicester, Oxfordshire, Borri installed two high efficiency B9000 160kVA UPS solutions, along with a 300kVA diesel generator to ensure optimum power protection for the service’s communications systems. A parallel configuration was recommended by Borri to remove any single points of failure and to safeguard against any potential power interruptions. Borri provided SCAS with a complete back-up power solution and managed the entire project from initial product specification Ian.Tucker@borri.co.uk enq 098 through to electrical works and final installation.

Anti Slip Stair Tread Covers FibreGrids fibreglass Anti Slip Stair Treads provide an anti slip cover for stairs & landings. The product also comes with a contrasting coloured (yellow or white) nosing 55x55mm on the tread and riser to comply with current Building Regulations. The product is extremely quick and easy to install and requires minimal downtime to the staircase.

01440 712 722

www.fibregrid.com

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Yo u r c h o i c e i n r a i l i n g s y s t e m s

World premiere:

Easy GlassÂŽ MOD 0763 First-class multifunctional design. This and over 200 other product innovations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find in our brand new 2012 product catalogue. Ask for your personal copy: sales@q-railing.co.uk tel. 0800 - 7814245

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Q-railing Unit 706, 707 - Centre 500 Lowfield Drive Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 0UU United Kingdom

Tel 0800-7814245 Fax 0800-7814246 Text 0753 7400334 sales@q-railing.co.uk www.q-railing.co.uk