FC&A April 2012

April 12 Issue 26

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Greenhouse North London luxury apartments meet ecological and environmental benchmarks

Sustainability in Development How AIMC4 is meeting the challenge of volume sustainable housebuilding

Design & Desire Rockliffe Hall - from derelict mansion to world class hotel

NO MATTER THE SCALE OF PROJECT RAINGUARD HAS THE SOLUTION YEOMAN RAINGUARD GUTTERS, PIPES AND HOPPERS AVAILABLE IN A RANGE OF STYLES, MATERIALS AND COLOURS.

ALUMINIUM . GRP . CAST IRON . COPPER

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Front cover:

Welcome Magazine April 2012

to Future Constructor & Architect...

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o much to see, so little time”, must have been the mantra of every Ecobuild 2012 visitor. Having grown from its small green shoots to a veritable forest of stands and seminars, Ecobuild is by far the best environmental networking event around. However, what passes for ‘sustainable’, whether it be a building material or a process, is open to interpretation. A number of exhibiting stands offered products and services whose eco credentials were questionable to say the least, but who am I to judge?

Business is business.

That aside, Ecobuild 2012 showcased many reasons to be heartened with regards to environmental building progress. My search around the two halls led me to companies who have sustainable innovation at the heart of their businesses and who are the vanguards of the green build movement. But what struck me the most, was the immensely important role architects and specifiers play in implementing sustainable products and building systems.

The requirement to specify intelligently is beyond measure. Just because a material or system meets certain sustainable levels and regulations, does not mean it is suitable across the board. Geographical location and building usage are just two criteria to be taken into account, which is why the skills of the architect and specifier are so important. Using what we learn from Ecobuild wisely, will go some way to ensuring a greener build future.

Dawn Frosdick-Hopley

Situated near Golders Green and the mellow, old-village chic of Hampstead, Granville Place is in one of the capital’s most desirable residential locations. The development is set around a series of beautifully landscaped communal courtyards and gardens. See page 6

Dawn Frosdick-Hopley Editor Future Constructor & Architect

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News 14

Voice of the Industry: Nick Haughton, Marketing Manager at Sapphire Balustrades, discusses how taking a logical approach will result in installation success.

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Legal & Business: Gate Safe founder, Richard Jackson, reports on the progress and aims of the Gate Safe Campaign.

Features 22

Doors, Windows & Façades: Replace or repair? The options available to the specifier when considering steel windows.

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Structural: Have tensile structures earned their place in the modern-day construction arena?

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Bathrooms: Can we still have hi-spec bathrooms that meet environmental demands?

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Health & Safety: The importance of appointing a competent CDM Co-ordinator.

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Drainage & Wastewater: Achieving the look of cast iron with the installation benefits of uPVC.

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Portfolios 06

Greenhouse: Granville Place in North London – one of Britain’s most ecologically and environmentally advanced building projects.

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Sustainability in Development: How AIM4C is meeting the challenge of building sustainable homes in volume, at a competitive cost and desirable to the consumer.

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Design & Desire: From derelict mansion to luxury hotel – how Rockliffe Hall became one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

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Greenhouse

The Granville Place development has attained Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes due to the rigorous planning and implementation of eco-friendly building materials and methods

A model development Granville Place in North London is an exciting glimpse into the future of sustainable housing.

The recently completed development of 64 luxurious private apartments and penthouses is one of Britain’s most ecologically and environmentally advanced building projects.

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ituated near Golders Green and the mellow, old-village chic of Hampstead, Granville Place is in one of the capital’s most desirable residential locations.

The development is set around a series of beautifully landscaped communal courtyards and gardens.

The complex consists of 64 one, two and three-bedroom homes, all with balconies, patios or terraces.The residence offers

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modern and picturesque housing that is kept secure by CCTV, controlled access and monitored underground parking.

The project was designed in a direct response to the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes, initially introduced in 2007. The Code itself was introduced as a means of tackling climate change following a 2004 report showing that more than a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide

emissions, a major cause of climate change, came from the energy we use to heat, light and run our homes.

The Code works by setting a minimum level of performance for five key areas of new builds. The areas to which the performance level applies are energy efficiency, CO2 emissions, water efficiency, surface water management, waste management and the use of materials. Through stringent regulation

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Greenhouse

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rainwater to be harvested and drained into collection tanks. This harvested water can then be cleaned, filtered and used for the benefit of the residents of the development.

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only those with proven ‘green’ credentials were used for the construction.

One example of this can be seen in the selection of wood for all external cladding throughout the development.

Accoya® wood undergoes a proprietary modification process by Accsys Technologies that greatly improves its durability, hardness, and dimensional stability, which in turn significantly increases coating life. Accoya®, with industry-leading class one durability and exceptional dimensional stability, provides compelling environmental advantages over slow-growing unsustainable hardwoods. As well as reducing maintenance costs through extended coating life, the outstanding stability of Accoya® has allowed the use of uncovered mitred corner joints for the cladding, a design detail that would not normally be risked with other timbers.

Energy efficiency

of the aforementioned areas, the overall efficiency of a new building should be greatly increased.

Granville Place was built to achieve exceptional efficiency status and was recently categorised as meeting the requirements of Level 4 of the sustainable code. This means that it is no less than 44% more efficient than a property built before the implementation of the 2007 legislation. Such a rating shows that this luxury housing project’s energy demands are extremely low and at minimal cost.

The Granville Place development has obtained such a rating due to the rigorous planning and implementation of ecofriendly building materials and methods.

The choice of materials for the build was carefully scrutinised to be in line with the requirements of the Code of Sustainability;

Granville Place is thoroughly insulated with triple glazed windows being used throughout. The main advantage of this is increased thermal insulation, up to 60% better than a low-e/argon/gas-filled double glaze. In addition, the development is equipped with an ultra efficient centralised bio-mass boiler, powered from renewable energy such as chips and pellets, providing the residents with heating and hot water.

In order to use the minimum energy at minimum cost but at maximum efficiency, only low voltage lighting has been installed throughout the entire building. All internal electrical appliances have also been thoroughly checked and only those matching the A-rating in accordance with Energy Efficiency standards have been used. The roofs of the apartment blocks have also been designed to incorporate the fitting of solar panels – currently the roof is coloured a light grey to assist with heat reflection. This in turn reduces the need for additional heating or cooling.

The project is designed in a way that minimises the use of water. This has been achieved through the use of water saving taps and showers. Rainwater is also utilised through its collection and storage. The buildings are designed with high-pitched roofs which allow the

Above and middle: The development is set around a series of beautifully landscaped communal courtyards and gardens.

Top: All the homes have either balconies, patios or terraces

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Greenhouse Tested & Proven Over the past years Accoya® wood, has undergone a plethora of stringent trials and tests. Holding the highest levels of sustainability paired with an extremely low environmental impact, Accoya® wood has shown it is an extremely durable and sustainable construction material.

Dutch life cycle • Leading accreditation brand, Dubokeur,

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The project architect working for Knight Frank, said: “The project is the first development I have seen that successfully delivers what the market wants with sustainability in mind. All rooms are filled with light, are tastefully fitted out and all benefit from outside space. Accoya® wood provides a perfect finish to our apartments; its outstanding green credentials, including its Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Gold Standard Sustainability Award make it the perfect fit for this project.”

Accsys Technologies Sales Manager for the UK, Justin Peckham, comments: “It’s fantastic for Accoya® wood cladding to be included in such a forwardthinking housing development. This outstanding complex provides the opportunity to showcase the sort of sustainable living that will one day become the norm.”

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assessed Accoya® wood earlier in the year awarding it Class One on its seven tier scale.

The New Zealand Forestry Institute, an independent Government-run, materials research facility, ran extensive six-year field trials on a range of timbers including Accoya®. The study concluded that Accoya® was more durable than tropical hardwoods, including teak.

The Timber Research and Development Association has conducted independent tests on a range of timbers to assess the coating performance. This year, the study revealed the outstanding resistance of Accoya® wood after 42 months exposure to the varying Oxfordshire weather.

The Building Research Establishment reported on the durability of timber window frames assessing Accoya® wood alongside a range of traditional use timbers. After 13 years accelerated weathering trials, only one timber remained in a useable condition – Accoya®.

Accoya® wood’s environmental credentials are accompanied by its high levels of durability.

A two-year test evaluation conducted

by Teknos UK Ltd., has named Accoya® as the best performing wood. In March 2009 Teknos UK Ltd., in conjunction with Vincent Timber, devised a test to provide ‘real life’ data on the performance of three coating systems (Western Red Cedar, Siberian Larch and Accoya®) applied to differing cladding profiles and timber substrates.

www.accsysplc.com

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Sustainability in Development Stewart Milne Group is building AIMC4 homes in two private developments in Scotland. Two large, detached family homes have been constructed at Leathan Fields in Portlethen, Aberdeenshire

Aiming high In meeting Government targets for sustainable homes, the challenge is not just how to build them, but how to make them available in volume, at a competitive cost and desirable to the consumer. To meet that challenge, we need innovative designs and products... enter AIMC4. a step-change in their living habits.

Perhaps most importantly, AIMC4’s fabric-focused techniques are suitable for cost-effective volume application. For the first time, it is possible to deliver homes to the mass market which not only achieve CSH Level 4, but are also desirable and affordable. Stewart Dalgarno, director of product development for Stewart Milne Group puts AIMC4 into context: “Pushing the fabric beyond Code Level 4 is almost unheard of for a mainstream developer.

Most are probably looking at some sort of nominal upgrade to their footprint and offsetting through bolting on a solar panel or air source heat pump – decisions based on what might be the lowest cost option, but not necessarily the best value for the customer in the long-term.

“These low carbon homes differ because they provide long-lasting efficiency.The fabric-first solutions will increase energy efficiency throughout the lifespan of a building and, as new renewable energy technologies are developed, the goal of zero carbon building can be achieved.”

The project will see 17 Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 pilot homes

built across the UK, through fabric and primary building services alone. Leading the project, Stewart Milne Group is building eight of the 17 homes across three sites in the UK.The Stewart Milne AIMC4 homes are being built using Stewart Milne Timber Systems’ innovative, BBA approved Sigma II Build System which provides a robust, ‘fit and forget’ solution to low-carbon building.

By using the high specification closed panel Sigma II Build System, the construction process benefits from the offsite construction of all wall panels, prefitted with external doors and windows, and pre-insulated floor and ceiling cassettes. This precision build makes the properties weathertight while achieving initial air-tightness of 3m3/h/m2 @ 50Pa for each plot.

The insulation, designed to achieve U-Value of 0.12 W/m2/k, offers high water resistance, long-term durability, prevents thermal bypasses within the panel cavities, and carries a Green Guide A rating.The result is affordable, consumer friendly and energy efficient homes, which can be easily and quickly erected.

Due to its off-site fabrication, the

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n 2010, a pioneering three-year project was set up to bring together industryleading developers and experts to explore how to meet Government targets, while creating world-class sustainable housing. Co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the AIMC4 consortium comprises three of the UK’s leading housebuilders, Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson Plc and Barratt Developments Plc; plus building material manufacturer H+H UK Ltd., and the Building Research Establishment (BRE).

The groundbreaking £6.4m AIMC4 project was created to research, design and deliver exemplar homes, to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 (Building Regulations, Part L 2013) using a fabricfirst approach.This fabric focus means the energy performance of the building is achieved primarily through the external envelope without reliance on additional micro-renewable technologies – making the homes more affordable, practical and easy to maintain. In short, the Consortium is producing homes that allow people to enjoy the benefits of energy efficiency without having to make much more than

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Sustainability in Development Sigma II Build System provides a number of cost benefits, including reduced site prelim costs, reduced cash cycle, lower weather dependency and improved onsite predictability. Also, as projects can be delivered up to 30% faster, the cash cycle is considerably shortened.These characteristics, combined with its flexibility of design, mean that the system is ideal for projects of all sizes and values, across the different sectors, requiring a practical and cost-effective build solution.

To demonstrate how AIMC4 homes can be used for private and social housing applications, Stewart Milne Group is building AIMC4 homes in two private developments in Scotland, and a social housing development in England.Two large, detached family homes have been constructed at the housebuilder’s flagship development, Leathan Fields in Portlethen,

The Stewart Milne AIMC4 homes are being built using Stewart Milne Timber Systems’ innovative, BBA approved, Sigma II Build System, which provides a robust, ‘fit and forget’ solution to low-carbon building

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Aberdeenshire, with a further three homes recently completed at its Athena Grange development in Prestonpans, East Lothian.

The final phase of the housing has commenced at the Adelphi House development in Preston, Lancashire, where Stewart Milne Homes is working in partnership with the Communities Gateway Association and Adactus Housing Association, to build a further three homes. The houses are all designed to meet all HCA, Lifetime Homes and Secure

by Design requirements.

As part of the project’s objective to highlight the potential of sustainable development, one of the key aims of AIMC4 was to research and develop new design and build processes which will drive innovation in the supply chain. In the early part of 2010, the AIMC4 Consortium identified that a robust and effective supply chain working in partnership with the members was crucial to the process.

To achieve this, a procurement method more typically used in the automotive and aerospace industries, and unique in housebuilding, was employed – an innovative process to inspire further innovation within the project.

For the first time in the UK construction industry, an intensive and extensive twostage ‘sandpit’ concept was adopted in order to select suppliers who were able and equipped to achieve the level of wholehouse efficiency required.This approach brings manufacturers together to forge working relationships, using an interactive ‘classroom-style’ brainstorming format.

The Consortium encouraged collaboration

and identified the very best suppliers from a range of sectors to join a framework of partners.The sandpit sessions were vital to the project: they allowed the Consortium to engage with the companies; outline the AIMC4 challenge; clarify those products and services meriting further assessment; and, perhaps most importantly, to evaluate the ‘fit’ of the companies in terms of working well within the group.

From more than 300 interested companies that took part in an initial questionnaire application, 80 were invited to the first sandpit day, and following that, 50 companies were invited back to a second sandpit session two months later. The final 33 successful companies were then invited to tender for work within the project. Products were tendered against specifications developed by the AIMC4 technical team, with the final selection being made on the basis of energy-saving performance, costeffectiveness and longevity. Now the project is underway, the marketplace for new suppliers remains open, with the Consortium always interested to hear from people with new ideas.

Lean construction In tough markets, efficient and effective operations are imperative and there are a number of key areas which developers, contractors and suppliers alike must all consider when embarking on new projects.

This is particularly true given the objectives of AIMC4 where the price to the end user is a vital consideration.

Areas such as design efficiency, material and packaging volumes, worker manhours and machinery operations, can all be categorised as potential ‘waste’ if they are not subject to detailed scrutiny. In the interests of minimising cost and optimising productivity, the Consortium adopted strict lean construction methodology. Two ‘Lean Workshops’ brought together the project’s architects, designers, suppliers and contract managers to introduce the ideas and concepts around Lean Design and to examine the basic interfaces and junctions to be considered during the design and construction of the homes.

Each workshop analysed different construction methods – one on timber frame construction, the other on masonry.

The workshops provided the partners an opportunity to assess the potential issues around assembly elements of the

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Sustainability in Development

build, both on and off-site, and a chance to optimise specifications so they achieved the desired energy targets at minimum cost.

With the success of the sandpit sessions and workshops, Dalgarno believes that collaboration has been key to the project: “A lot of what we’ve learnt is to do with process rather than product – in other words, how you put fabric together.

That comes down to integration and the suppliers working together effectively to deliver high performance in a different way.

The lean workshops in particular, enabled us to establish and neutralise any issues before the build process began, providing long-term cost savings by minimising expensive, on-site building time.”

Examples of interiors in AIMC4 properties – meeting the demand for energy efficiency with high quality design

Ongoing analysis and occupancy evaluation to assess performance levels and customer reactions. Factors such as actual energy use, heat loss, indoor air quality, comfort and control will be evaluated, with homeowners interviewed to get feedback about their experiences. The results will provide evidence to help achieve the Government targets, as well as determine which products work best to meet the demanding energy efficiency standards that confront the whole industry.

Dalgarno explains: “The exploitation plan is to find a mainstream, low-cost Code Level 4 fabric solution. After assessment by BRE Scotland, we will publish our findings, learn from the

process, and be in a position where we know how to deliver consumer-friendly Code Level 4 homes suitable for costeffective, volume delivery.

“This country has ambitious targets for a zero carbon future and we are keen to ensure we can meet the carbon agenda as well as build homes that consumers want to live in. AIMC4 is breaking new ground in its approach to sustainable building; it is showing a realistic way forward, and we believe that the results of the pilot schemes will inform the future of low carbon building.”

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The project is forecast to be complete in July 2013, in time for the change to Part L of the Building Regulations which will make Code Level 4 mandatory. The pilot homes across the country are now almost complete. Two thirds of the Stewart Milne homes have been built, with work starting on phase three in Preston in spring 2012.

Crest Nicholson is currently completing five AIMC4 homes at its Noble Park development in Epsom, Surrey, and Barratt Developments is building four AIMC4 units as part of its Meridian Park development in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Once the homes are occupied, BRE Scotland will carry out CO heating tests, a 12 month monitoring programme

www.aimc4.com www.stewartmilnehomes.com

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Voice of the Industry solutions for external balustrades combine stunning appearance with maximum resistance to discolouration and corrosion, the most common problem with external balustrades.

Even some interiors, such as swimming pools, require resistant solutions.

When required, colour coatings need to be specified accurately, especially if they need to match a specific internal colour, or if they have to meet a certain performance standard, this should be factored into the design at an early stage.

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Regulatory compliance

Completing a balustrade project on time, on budget, and with style, both in terms of looks and performance, requires a well-planned design process. Nick Haughton, Marketing Manager at Sapphire Balustrades, explains how taking a logical approach will result in installation success.

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pecifying a high quality balustrade solution for a given application, whether it’s for apartments or an airport, involves much more than just aesthetics.

Whilst balustrades must create the right visual effect, they also have to comply with regulations and be fit for purpose.

Before selecting a system and style of balustrade, there are a number of factors that have to be considered, particularly how the nature of the application and project environment might influence the balustrade design, including what regulations apply and must be met.

This can cover anything from assessing the risk of vandalism or corrosion, to providing a solution which is best suited to people with disabilities.

It should also be noted that different parts of a building or staircase within the same balustrade project, can contain areas that fall into different design

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categories. With so many factors to consider, it’s not surprising that specifying and designing balustrades can seem a daunting task. To simplify the process, and ensure that nothing is overlooked, Sapphire recommends taking a logical, step-by-step approach to getting it right, starting with design considerations before selecting the system and style, deciding on any custom features, and lastly, considering the support you need to assist with the design.

Design considerations One of the key design factors is whether the balustrades are to be installed internally or externally. Needless to say, this affects the choice of materials and whether they need to be waterproof, corrosion resistant, and have a ‘not cold to touch’ finish.

Aluminium or stainless steel

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Logical approach

Ensuring all relevant regulations are met is critical when specifying balustrades.

At best, non-compliant balustrades can mean a costly project delay due to building control refusal; at worst they could result in fatalities or permanent injuries for users.

Regulations range from British Standards relating to structural integrity and design loads, to Building Regulations such as Document M, which covers access and use of buildings for all users irrespective of age or physical ability.

DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) related regulations may apply to the project which require access for the less able and have particular relevance to handrails. Sapphire recommends the use of circular handrails with a large enough diameter for hands to slide past fixing stalks. Installing a second lower handrail is required when

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Voice of the Industry Infill panels Although a wide range of options are available, glass infill panels are a particularly popular choice for balustrades, providing the perfect balance of light, visibility, and safety in all sorts of environment. Typically, glass can be more cost-effective than mesh, perforated or vertical bar infill panels.

Glass can be supplied in a range of thicknesses and variants, including tinted, self-cleaning, low-iron and laminated for enhanced performance. As determined

by BS 6180: 1999 3.2, glass in freestanding barriers needs to be either toughened, or toughened laminate, so that in the event of breakage it fragments into small, noninjurious pieces.

Handrails

Child-friendly solutions For environments where children will be present, it is vital to assess the risk or danger of every part of the balustrade to prevent kids from falling through or over the balustrades. British Standards state that balustrades for dwellings or buildings that cater for children under five must not have gaps large enough to permit a 100mm sphere to pass through. To prohibit climbing, infill panels rather than horizontal rails are required between balusters (uprights); and for additional safety the design could incorporate infill panels which extend above the handrail height; typically up to 1,400mm above the finished floor level.

Customer-friendly access If the balustrades are for a retail environment, in addition to meeting all the key requirements of safety, functionality and compliance, the balustrades need to also communicate the right messages to consumers, create buying confidence, and enhance retail brands.

Retail area balustrades must be able to withstand the rigours of high traffic, and provide customer-friendly access.

Special features in this type of application, such as escalator guarding,

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may also need to be considered.

Last but not least, specifiers must consider if the project presents any particular complexities, such as restricted site access which may make large, bulky balustrade units difficult to manoeuvre and install, or require the use of a crane.

As an example, when a balustrade design features glass infill panels, architects will often want the biggest panels possible to minimise the number of vertical joints.

However, if the only means of access to the installation zone is via narrow stairs, this option may not be viable.

Product selection Having worked through the key design considerations, the product selection process can begin, from choosing the baluster (or upright), the handrail, infill panel and fixing method to deciding if any enhancements or customer features are required. At Sapphire we offer a ‘semimodular’ approach to balustrade design and manufacture, which provides the consistency of a modular system with the flexibility of bespoke. Our five distinct system brands offer huge scope in terms of materials, profile shapes, fixings, and detailing, for creating a unique style for balustrades, for balconies or stairwells, whilst still ensuring regulatory compliance.

Added to this, we can offer CAD and NBS specification tools to assist in the design and specification process.

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designing buildings which are intended to be used by children under the age of five.

In most situations, handrails should be positioned on both sides of flights of stairs and landings. They can be manufactured in a wide variety of finishes, including practical satin polished stainless steel or a ‘mirror’ polished finish, or be powder coated to any RAL colour to enhance durability and complement interiors or external façades.

Having selected the key elements of the balustrade, specifiers can then decide if any enhancements or custom features are required, from LED lighting to hardwood handrails, to create a bespoke solution.

In the final step, tools for support can include CAD icons through to bespoke structural calculations.When working with Sapphire, our support team will be happy to plan a project pathway at this point to bring the specification vision to life and ensure successful job completion.

www.sapphirebalustrades.com

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Underfloor heating

Acoustic floor construction for UFH

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obust Details (RD) has been established as a means of complying with part E of Building Regulations.

However, RD floor constructions have not necessarily been designed with underfloor heating (UFH) in mind and the choice of floor constructions for UFH is limited. Using a floor construction not in the RD handbook may be risky, unless it has been pretested to ensure it meets the required acoustic performance.

Screed finish The widest choice of RDs exist if the intent is to screed the separating floors above precast concrete floor planks, a beam and block structure or in situ slabs. In all cases, various resilient layers are positioned between the floor and the screed in order to eliminate impact sound, with airborne sound controlled by the mass of the overall floor. Disadvantages include increased build height, a slower thermal response and longer installation time (including drying), making the option of lightweight batten or floating UFH solutions attractive in concrete floors as well as timber.

Floating floor RD does not permit the use of underfloor heating within floating floors in a concrete structure, only battened solutions are allowed.

Nu-Heat’s ClippaPlate takes full advantage of the installation space available by imposing no additional build up on the batten and also negates the need for additional supporting trays or battens often associated with underfloor heating (ATPAK14 floor construction).

Timber floor

For timber joist RD floors, the integration of UFH is not so straightforward. For example, with E-FT-1, in order for the floor construction to have sufficient mass to limit airborne sound transmission, an additional layer of plasterboard must be added to the timber deck. This increases the thermal resistance for the UFH system to work against and the UFH cannot be set to run above 40-45°C in case the plasterboard reacts against the temperature.

it helps the UFH to have a faster response time. And as the GIFAfloor is a far more conductive material than chipboard, the UFH can run at a lower flow temperature, making it more suitable for heat pump installations.

Pre-tested solution for timber floor Timber floor is a very suitable option for apartment blocks. Nu-Heat has developed AKA 14, which, although it is not a RD, has been tested and proven to meet the required levels.

AKA 14 removes the need for a second layer whilst still meeting acoustic performance. The floor construction uses Knauf’s 25mm thick GIFAfloor system which is made from compressed calcium sulphate screed engineered into FHB flooring panels with a T&G edge. When these are glued together on site, a monolithic and robust floor is achieved. Nu-Heat’s ClippaPlate is placed on top of the battens to take the UFH pipe with the GIFAfloor fixed over the top.

ClippaPlate itself has a thickness of only approximately half a millimetre, which means it can effectively be ignored in the floor height build up. It speeds up installation time, requires no additional fixtures and fittings other than screws, nails or staples and is more cost-effective than insulated UFH diffuser panels. For performance, marketing@nu-heat.co.uk

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Although underfloor heating is a common choice of heat emitter for new apartment blocks, there are a number of options that need to be considered.

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The

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Show th

15 14th -l 2012 Apri

If you’re still dreaming of building your own home, planning to renovate, or have a project that’s stalled, and in these uncertain times feel nervous and unsure of how and where to start, then this show is for you.

It has everything you need to make your project a success – from finding the right plot or finance to how to project manage it yourself, and from sourcing suppliers and working with tradesmen to discovering new technologies and energy efficient eco solutions.

The key to creating your

Dream Home REGISTER NOW

FOR FREE ENTRY* www.nsbrc.co.uk or call 0845 223 4455

Not forgetting a raft of seminars, talks, tours and demos, more than 200 exhibitors, three full scale houses, and a range of industry experts – all on hand to help you, every step of the way. You’ll get all of the knowledge, confidence and contacts you need to progress with your project and create your dream home.

Everything you need... under one roof • How to... sessions, build-system talks, products presentations and case studies • Free appointments with more than 20 industry professionals in Expert Alley • Tours of our full-sized renovation house and real-life examples in the Educational Journey • More than 200 companies in our Exhibitor Area

The National Self Build & Renovation Centre Lydiard Fields, Swindon, SN5 8UB * Entry otherwise costs £10 per person and £15 per couple on the day

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HVAC

Better energy efficiency = better productivity For advocates of ‘sustainable’ buildings, air conditioning is often viewed a bit like the 4x4 car – an unnecessary fuel guzzler which should be discouraged. FC&A talks to Mike Nankivell, Marketing & Business Development Director of Space Airconditioning plc, the Daikin Distributor, about the energy efficient approach to air conditioning.

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Air conditioning can save energy costs, as well as increase productivity

Heat recovery technology has further added to the energy efficiency levels of air conditioning systems. “In theory,” continues Nankivell, “using heat recovery you should be able to get a building into thermal equilibrium whereby you are removing/recovering the heat from one side of a building, which is being cooled, and rather than waste it – reuse that heat wherever it is required – perhaps to heat the other side of the building or the hot water services.”

Raising awareness Nankivell believes the introduction of energy certification for buildings as well as obligatory air conditioning inspections is a positive move for air conditioning as a whole. “A building doesn’t operate as it was designed to for very long once it’s occupied. Certification and inspections raise awareness of what is happening to a system, and brings any problems to the attention of the building

operator,” says Nankivell. “Whether EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates), DECs (Display Energy Certificates) or Air Conditioning Inspections are successfully encouraging the replacement of older, less efficient air conditioning systems – well the jury is still out. Such decisions despite the potential efficiency gains and run cost savings, are inevitably influenced by the state of the economy, but the signs are positive.”

Far from being energy inefficient, Nankivell believes that air conditioning is a necessity for today’s commercial buildings. Increasing heat loads from IT equipment alongside increased airtightness, make air conditioning vital for comfort and this is Nankivell’s key point: “People work better in a comfortable environment. Air conditioning can save energy costs, as well as increase productivity.”

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oday’s air conditioning systems have reached new levels of efficiency and flexibility, offering a variety of options that are energy efficient and create productive environments.

Air conditioning isn’t just about cooling. It is about heating, ventilating, air filtration, humidity control and even hot water. Can a building manage without one or all of these elements?

The cooling aspects of air conditioning have overshadowed its other elements, leading to a misconception that it is energy inefficient. Air conditioning is also about the heating of a building as well. If you start with heating, cooling is only one feature of the conditioning. Nankivell points out that only around 20% of the UK’s offices are fully air-conditioned; the majority are using retrofitted ventilation and cooling technologies that are not energy efficient or working effectively for occupants.

“The majority of such buildings start out with a heating system, and then someone says ‘We need cooling’, so they add that,” explains Nankivell. “Then they may also include a bit of ventilation as well and so on.You see the piecemeal build-up of these features over the years and because there is rarely any cohesive, integrated control of the services, this can lead to high energy use.”

Starting with a new building today, the approach would be very different.

“Today the emphasis is still on heating the building,” says Nankivell, “but with one modular system you can address both your heating and cooling needs, with ventilation, humidity control and hot water services included. Heating is the priority. With modern air conditioning, you cut out the need for secondary fossil fuel-based heating systems.”

marketing@spaceair.co.uk

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LED Lighting,

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itio

National Energy Management Exhibition

THE NATIO ENERGY NAL MANAGEM EXHIBITIO ENT N

g ib din exh lea ent the em as anag m

> Managing Energy Consumption > Reducing Energy Costs > Maximising Energy Efficiency

30 RS YEA

by visiTiNg you caN fiNd ouT abouT

rgy

The NaTioNal eNergy MaNageMeNT exhibiTioN is thE oNly EvENt to attENd...

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Are you responsible for energy management?

Carbon Reduction Behavioural Change Energy from Waste

Wind Energy

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21

Doors, Windows & Façades

Repair or replace?

Crittall undertook a complete replacement fenestration programme at Falmer House at the University of Sussex

A crucial decision for architects and for owners of 20th century buildings requiring refurbishment, is whether to repair or replace key elements in the building envelope.

Here, John Pyatt, Managing Director of Crittall Windows, looks at the options available to the specifier and building owner when considering steel windows.

W

indows are the part of a building’s fabric that so often define the character and aesthetic of the property. Many early- to mid-20th century buildings across both the public and private sectors, featured windows made of ungalvanised steel and the passage of years may have taken its toll in terms of corrosion, failing paintwork, broken or bent hardware.

The glass and glazing compound may also have suffered.

Faced with ever more stringent Building Regulations, the owners of such properties need to decide how to proceed with improvements but they can be reassured that excellent opportunities exist for either improving the condition of what is already there, or replacing them with modern equivalents.

Crittall is the UK market leader with 160 years’ experience in steel fenestration and has a long history of involvement in repair and replacement of windows. The company works closely with local authority planning

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and conservation officers, architects and with conservation bodies such as English Heritage, to repair or replace windows installed from the early 1900s.

Over 70 per cent of the company’s UK work falls into this category, with Crittall providing a survey, design, manufacture and installation service, acting in many cases as main contractor.

Multiple choice The decision to repair or replace depends on many factors, not least the amount of maintenance that has been undertaken on a property. Before 1947 steel windows were only zinc-sprayed, rather than hot-dipped galvanised as they are today. So pre-war fenestration may be deeply corroded. Successive layers of paintwork, bowed or misaligned sections, missing putty and broken handles or stays, are also likely to be factors.

Repair work can be of a limited nature performed on-site to tackle light corrosion, remove minor frame distortions and re-glaze with perhaps the addition of draught-proof gaskets

and secondary glazing. Costs can be relatively modest but, of course, the improved windows will not conform to modern performance requirements, especially in respect of energy efficiency.

An alternative approach is to remove the units and return them to the factory for total refurbishment where the frames are grit-blasted back to the bare metal and damaged units repaired with new sections welded in. Hot-dip galvanising takes place and the frame is polyester powder-coated providing 15-20 years’ protection before any further painting is required. Draft-proofing and secondary glazing can be added and new hardware fitted to match the original.

All this can be costly and the windows will still not meet modern performance standards. However, the current Part L Building Regulations make allowances for work on buildings of historic or architectural merit covering a wide range of properties either as individual structures or within the context of their neighbourhood. The aim, however, should be both to preserve the character of

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Doors, Windows & Façades

Crittall supplied all the replacement windows at Yale University with a specially developed steel section – the Berkeley

which also included complete electrical infrastructure replacement and improvements to surrounding roads and footpaths.

In order to secure the contract, Crittall Windows demonstrated successfully to both English Heritage and the local authority’s conservation officer that double glazed Crittall Homelight windows could replicate the appearance of the original fenestration – also supplied by the company – when the apartment blocks were built in 1935.

Honouring history At the iconic Tooting Library in London, Crittall was tasked with replicating certain familiar features. It was heavily involved in the replicated design of the art nouveau-style, floral-patterned leaded lights to a number of the windows on the ground floor. This unusual design feature was retained as it was seen as key in preserving the charm and character of the building.

When a replacement fenestration programme was proposed for Falmer House at the University of Sussex, Crittall was contracted to supply a selection of its Corporate W20 profiles and Corporate 2000 cold form doors for the project. Designed by famous architect Sir Basil Spence in the 1960s, brick-faced with a vault and column structure and extensive glazing, the unusual building is the first to be seen when entering the campus.

Crittall supplied its Corporate W20 profiles as a like-for-like replacement.

English Heritage-approved, the W20 profiles were the ideal choice for the replacement scheme, with the narrow sightlines minimising any obtrusive mullions and transoms, and allowing the glazing to blend unobtrusively into the existing architecture, enhancing its aesthetic value.

At the prestigious Yale University in America, Crittall supplied all the replacement windows with a specially developed steel section – the Berkeley.

This window provides an ideal solution for both new constructions and replacement projects where maximum daylight, minimum sightlines and fine detail are desired.

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a building and to achieve betterment wherever possible.

The answer is replacement steel windows, which may be deemed a more economical solution in view of the findings of a condition survey and a desire to achieve modern performance standards. New fenestration will allow for double glazing that meets the requirements of the latest Building Regulations. Weatherstripping, trickle ventilation, corrosion protection and polyester powder coating are also part of the package that ensures modern performance is achieved while at the same time replicating the visual effect of the original windows.

Crittall’s current range of windows provides modern, high-performance replacements for the Universal range, first seen in 1909, and the imperial SMW introduced in the 1920s. The original fenestra joint, patented in 1905, is still available and bespoke solutions can be created as required.

Experience shows that each project must be reviewed on its merits and that repair, where possible, is the first option and is preferred for aesthetic reasons. If, however, replacement is chosen to meet cost or performance requirements, then this can be done sympathetically with modern steel products that satisfy the regulations and the aesthetic appeal of a project in equal measure.

One such project was the £1.8m contract to supply and install new steel windows in Grade II listed Lichfield Court, Richmond upon Thames. The work was part of a £5.5m restoration of two Art Deco apartment blocks

Double glazed Crittall Homelight windows replicated the appearance of the original fenestration at the Art Deco Lichfield Court

Dorma Moveo insitu at Chill Factor, Manchester’s indoor ski venue

At Tooting Library in London, Crittall replicated the design of the Art Nouveaustyle, floral-patterned leaded lights

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23

Legal & Business

Setting the standards for gate safety Set up in 2010 following the deaths of two young children in automated gate accidents, Gate Safe aims to educate those involved in the profession in improving gate safety. Gate Safe founder, Richard Jackson, reports on the campign’s work to date.

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ince its inception in September 2010, Gate Safe, has always advocated that there is a requirement to ensure a 360° awareness/education programme which targets EVERYONE involved in the installation of an automated gate (from the specifier, manufacturer, constructor and installer) if progress is to be made.

With this mind we decided that 2012 should herald a strong focus on architects and those involved in the specification of automated gates, which is why the RIBA, London, was selected as the venue of choice for this year’s Gate Safe Summit.

Gate Safe was set up in the wake of the deaths of two young children in separate automated gate accidents in 2010 (followed by two further near miss accidents involving children) and since then we have campaigned tirelessly for recognition of the need for improved standards in automated gate safety.

Our campaign has already rolled out a number of initiatives to bring this important matter to the top of the safety agenda. In October 2010 we went to Downing Street to urge the Prime Minister to lend his support to the campaign. In November 2010 Gate Safe issued a letter to the head of every education authority in the UK, advising them of the potential risks represented by non-compliant automated gates.

In February 2011 we launched a Gate Safe CPD designed to educate architects on the key factors influencing automated

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Left: Richard Jackson is CEO and Managing Director of Jacksons Fencing. He is a recognised speaker on the subject of perimeter security and access control and in 2010, Richard spearheaded the launch of the Gate Safe campaign.

gate safety and in July 2011 we announced that we were working together with IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety & Health) to communicate the importance of automated gate safety amongst safety officers and professionals.

We have also issued a series of practical guidelines which have been published on the Gate Safe website.

The campaign trail To bring a sense of urgency to this year’s Summit meeting, Gate Safe recently undertook a random audit of gates in the Kent area. Although just a snap shot of the whole country, the results provided further damming evidence to support the continued call for action to improve safety standards.The survey revealed that a staggering 90% of the gates audited failed to comply with the current safety guidelines – once again demonstrating the high risk of further accidents occurring.

The Gate Safe Summit 2012 proved a resounding success, attracting around 70 delegates from a range of sectors including architects, surveyors, health and safety officers, gate manufacturers and installers.

MP Damian Collins also attended the event and has since lent his support to the Gate Safe campaign. Key speakers included John Lacey, from the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health; Michael Skelding, from the Door & Hardware Federation (which is involved in the development of technical guidelines relating to automated gate safety); Nick Ratty from the Health & Safety

Executive and Martin Varley from legal firm Thomson, Snell & Passmore.

The agenda for our half-day conference included a review of the Gate Safe campaign to date; an overview of the progress achieved by the HSE and DHF; the legal implications of non-compliance; common mistakes still being witnessed in the field and the planned priorities for Gate Safe in 2012.

Su Butcher, from Just Practising – a consultancy which provides guidance on the best ways to communicate with architects – reported live from the summit on the highly regarded Just Practising blog.

As a result of the online blog, we have had 141 visiting architects download the Gate Safe Physical Guidelines document; the live blog page has been visited 355 times and 181 tweets were generated, demonstrating a positive response from the target audience.

One of the most significant highlights of the day related to the news of our intention to release a dedicated Gate Safe training programme, which is currently being developed working together with IOSH. All delegates attending the summit were encouraged to sign up for the training which Gate Safe hopes to roll out in the next few months. We also revealed our plans to launch a dedicated service for architects, which would help improve the standard of automated gate specifications, in line with Gate Safe guidelines.

For more information on the Gate Safe campaign, visit:

www.gate-safe.co.uk

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Future Constructor & Arch ofiice 2012-Final185x122-NEW.pdf Sunsquare.indd 1

19/03/12

17:26:18

Online 24/01/2012 Enquiry 014 16:18

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25

Structural

Structures with scope Tensile structures are ideal for a wide variety of applications from sports halls to warehouses, aircraft hangars to exhibition venues

I

n an age where the majority of businesses and organisations are not only trying to save money but be ‘greener’ in their approach to improvements, tensile structures have earned their place in the modern-day construction arena. Consisting of a clear span lightweight steel superstructure covered with a heavy duty PVC-coated tensioned membrane roof, the unique structural nature of these buildings lends itself beautifully to a wide variety of applications from sports halls to warehouses, aircraft hangars to exhibition venues.The priority in all cases of course, is that the building is fit for purpose, easy to use and cost-effective to build and run.

The idea of using tensioned membrane structures is surprisingly not a modern one.The world’s first membrane roof and tensile structure – The Shukhov Rotunda – was developed by Russian engineer, scientist and architect Vladimir Shukhov, as far back as 1895, and as science continues to evolve at an astonishing rate, there are now many wonderful new, recyclable materials being used in creating more unconventional spaces.These structures require minimal foundations in most cases and construction time can be extremely fast. And saving time and materials

▼

Flexible, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective, tensile structures offer it all as Nichola Smith, Marketing Manager at Collinson plc explains.

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30 RS YEA N

SPORTS HALLS

IO G IBIT DIN EXH LEA ENT THE EM AS ANAG M RGY ENE

Are you responsible for MULTI-USE energy management?

> Managing Energy Consumption > Reducing Energy Costs > Maximising Energy Efficiency

LED Lighting,

Voltage Optimisation

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Efficiency

BY VISITING YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT

Renewables

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THE NATIONAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT EXHIBITION IS THE ONLY EVENT TO ATTEND...

MODERN BRIGHT AFFORDABLE

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Carbon Reduction Behavioural Change Energy from Waste

Wind Energy

Energy Management

CHALLENGER™ SPORTS HALL

744m2, Newbridge High School, Leicestershire

Solar

Challenger™ and Mugacova™ Sports Structures are used for Elfrom ectrCollinson icityand / much more; football, tennis, netball Gas Scolleges, upplyuniversities ideal for schools, and academies.

Anaeisromanufactured Each building to order, bic up to 100m clear span and any length Dige stion or height.

22-24 M ay 2012 NEC Bir mingha m, The part of S UK heavy duty PVC coated membrane us

National Energy Management Exhibition

22-24 May 2012 NEC Birmingham, UK

of Sustainabilitylive!

MUGACOVA™ part COVERED MULTI-USE GAMES AREA

www.nemex.co.uk 28.5m x 16m, The Charter School, London Co-located with

tainabilit ylilets ve! in natural daylight and can be

personalised with your logo. Play and train all year round whatever the weather!

FREE TO ATTitEND

• Custom design and build • Multi-purpose or sport specific • Natural daylight, energy efficient • Ventilation and heating options • Optional ancillary rooms

vis live.com/ y it il b a in a t s u s register

Tel: 0800 840 1698 www.collinson.co.uk REGISTER FREE AT WWW.SUSTAINABILITYLIVE.COM/REGISTER Riverside IndustrialNOW Park, Tan FOR Yard Road, Catterall,ENTRY Preston, Lancashire, PR3 0HP

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Structural

28

values are taught. I’m sure many of us will recall the sports hall as the dark domain of dingy décor and over-polished wooden floors, but this need no longer be the case.

The first step is to look at the opportunity in a different light, and here ‘light’ is the operative word. Introducing a diffused natural daylight system into any environment can dramatically transform the space and can be achieved in any number of ways using a vast array of materials.

“Unlike rooflighting or clerestory cladding however, the tensile membrane cover of our buildings allows natural daylight to permeate the entire area of the structure,” explains Dan Collinson, Managing Director of Collinson. “The school gym is often required for dance, drama and examinations too. It is a creative learning and healthy living zone and we feel there is no better environment to educate and teach ‘green’ values than in a state-of-the-art building made with recyclable materials and flooded with natural daylight.

“We also carefully source all our materials and everything we use can be recycled at end of life. It’s vital to us that we act responsibly as a business.”

As with a traditional build, nontraditional structures can be constructed to BREEAM performance ratings, and combined with a reduction in the need for additional artificial lighting, the impact on running costs can be significant. Given many school sport facilities are also now made available to the wider community outside school hours, this can be of enormous benefit both financially and in terms of the school’s carbon footprint.

The distinctive structural features of tensile buildings are also hugely advantageous when applied to the Industrial sector.The lightweight structures are ideal for port-side use for example, where they also afford obvious logistical benefits to businesses. Ease of usage is of course vital.The lattice steel framework can be designed to span from 10 to 100m clear span, with eaves heights of up to 30m if required with no limit on overall length, ideal when housing aircraft for instance. Large pieces of equipment and machinery often make use of storage or assembly facilities, the unobstructed floor space makes movement around the area much more fluid and enables loading and unloading to take place indoors.The

quicker and easier it is for clients to go about their business, the more productive they can be.

Where required, an optional inner liner can be fitted and the facility can be sealed to make it airtight, stabilising temperature and humidity levels without the need for additional heating.This makes the buildings suitable for the storage of a wide variety of products such as timber, paper, cardboard, metal and electronics.

Another appealing aspect of a tensile structure is that no special maintenance is required.The fabric membrane can be cleaned but this would be purely for aesthetic purposes and is a very easy process. Likewise, should a facility sustain damage, most repairs are very quick and low cost. Should the membrane be punctured for example, a new patch can be simply and neatly heat welded into place.

Practical versatility As with most industrial sites, security is always a consideration and there is no reason why a non-traditional building should be any less secure than a conventional fixed installation. Aside from bolted and lockable loading bay and personnel doors, there are a number of other measures that can be taken if the client requires additional security. Facilities can be built on top of concrete walls or secondary cladding such as steel can be added, and of course an alarm system can be installed in the same way it would be in any other type of facility.

Practical advantages aside, the lattice steelwork/fabric combination can lend itself to all manner of aesthetically interesting forms.The membrane cover can effortlessly create the smooth flowing lines favoured by entertainment venues and stadia. Other materials can be incorporated to give the building a distinctive appearance, such as timber cladding or glass façades.

Tensile buildings are fast becoming an increasingly familiar sight on the landscape, but thanks to a growing number of forward-thinking individuals, they are a far cry from the early tent-like structures they once were. If we can think outside the usual parameters as dictated by convention and tradition, construction can continue to grow into an innovative and sustainable industry fit for a new and ‘greener’ age.

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undoubtedly saves money.

The dramatically increasing numbers of schools applying for Academy status is an excellent example of where tensile structures come into their own – one of the first criteria to be addressed when funding becomes available typically being the upgrading of sports facilities. Schools have a duty to students to encourage innovation, improvement and sustainability, and there is no better way to practice what we preach than to apply these principles to the buildings in which these

www.collinson.co.uk

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30 RS YEA N

SPORTS HALLS

IO G IBIT DIN EXH LEA ENT THE EM AS ANAG M RGY ENE

Are you responsible for MULTI-USE energy management?

> Managing Energy Consumption > Reducing Energy Costs > Maximising Energy Efficiency

LED Lighting,

Voltage Optimisation

CRC

Efficiency

BY VISITING YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT

Renewables

Procurement

THE NATIONAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT EXHIBITION IS THE ONLY EVENT TO ATTEND...

MODERN BRIGHT AFFORDABLE

THE NATIO ENERGY NAL MANAGEM EXHIBITIO ENT N

Carbon Reduction Behavioural Change Energy from Waste

Wind Energy

Energy Management

CHALLENGER™ SPORTS HALL

744m2, Newbridge High School, Leicestershire

Solar

Challenger™ and Mugacova™ Sports Structures used for Elfrom ectrCollinson icity/ are football, tennis, netball and much more; Gas Scolleges, upplyuniversities ideal for schools, and academies.

Anaeisromanufactured bic Each building to order, up to 100m clear span and any length Dige stion or height.

22-24 M ay 2012 NEC Bir mingha m, The part of S UK heavy duty PVC coated membrane us

National Energy Management Exhibition

22-24 May 2012 NEC Birmingham, UK part of Sustainabilitylive!

MUGACOVA™ COVERED MULTI-USE GAMES AREA

www.nemex.co.uk 28.5m x 16m, The Charter School, London Co-located with

tainabilit ylilets ve! in natural daylight and can be

personalised with your logo. Play and train all year round whatever the weather!

FREE TO ATvisTitEND

• Custom design and build • Multi-purpose or sport specific • Natural daylight, energy efficient • Ventilation and heating options • Optional ancillary rooms

live.com/ sustainability r registe

Tel: 0800 840 083 1698 0188 www.collinson.co.uk REGISTER FREE AT WWW.SUSTAINABILITYLIVE.COM/REGISTER Riverside IndustrialNOW Park, Tan FOR Yard Road, Catterall,ENTRY Preston, Lancashire, PR3 0HP

For free entry visit sustainabilitylive.com/register Online Enquiry 017

Design & Desire

At 50,000sq.ft. Rockcliffe Hall’s spa guarantees the luxury of space to relax, unwind and indulge

From derelict R mansion to luxury hotel The latest in a string of accolades bestowed upon the North East’s five-star hotel resort Rockliffe Hall, underlines the magnificence of a building which has come a long way since its derelict state.

The original Dalle de Verre stained glass windows were preserved after the 1960’s chapel was demolished and re-assembled in the east wall of the spa pool area

30

ecently voted as one of the top 10 most luxurious hotels in the world in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards, and with a host of other prestigious awards under its belt, Rockliffe Hall at Hurworth-on-Tees near Darlington has been a real success story.

However back in 2007 the hall was lying empty and in a derelict state. The 18th century building and its estate, which had once been owned by Quaker banker Alfred Backhouse before being turned into a hospital and then a community centre, had lain disused for several years before being bought by Middlesbrough Football Club.

National contractor Shepherd Construction was awarded the £44.5m contract by Rockliffe Hall Limited to transform the 375-acre estate into a fivestar hotel. The work entailed renovating the Grade ll listed hall and orangery into the hotel; building a new wing comprising 33 further en-suite rooms, six apartments and 12 serviced apartments as well as a clubhouse adjacent to the 18-hole golf course, spa and pool, and driving range.

The project was complex and required high levels of collaboration throughout the 101-week programme, particularly as it was essential that the highest quality standards were achieved and sensitively blended in to ensure the ambiance of the Old Hall was preserved.

Within just a few months of starting, the construction programme was under threat due to bats roosting in the hall. Shepherd Construction’s project manager Neil

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Design & Desire Matthias decided to flip the programme, bringing forward the external works programme and elements of the new-build and leaving the hall untouched until the bats had migrated and could be re-housed.

History in the re-making

The golf clubhouse was built into the sloping ground and the roof seeded so it blends into the local landscape.

A new wing comprising 33 further en-suite rooms was built onto the existing building

t

Bats weren’t the only surprise. The project included the re-creation of the discreet staffing routes used in the Victorian era by creating a new-build concrete tunnel below the lawn. However, during the work on the Orangery, an original brick barrel vault running from East to West below the Hall was discovered and the programme was re-evaluated. Shepherd Construction brought together a team of experienced structural engineers and developed a new design for excavating and extending the tunnel to link the Old Hall’s separate basements in the East and West wings.

The Orangery cast-iron superstructure required extensive underpinning and the intricate process of excavating the tunnel began using small plant and a conveyor system for removing materials. Dust and fumes were mechanically extracted to a safe zone.

It wasn’t an easy option and required extremely close collaboration with the project team and subcontractors to review the work each day. However, the new solution was effective and shaved 10% off the cost and four weeks of time from the programme compared with building a new service tunnel.

To help achieve the high quality finish, Shepherd established a sample room in the hall to show the client team the finishes, and the supply chain concentrated on a defect-free delivery by adopting the ethos of ‘building quality in first time round’.

As part of this process, the subcontractors were involved early to discuss how delays could be programmed out which also made sure that each person knew exactly what needed to be achieved and the timescale.

The specialist restoration work was extensive and included repairing existing chimney stacks using lime mortar, restoring the oak doors, floors and panelling, and replacing complex stonework detailing. For this element, workshops were held with the supply chain and the design team and each area was planned in detail to avoid co-ordination issues.

The original Dalle de Verre stained glass windows were preserved after

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31

Design & Desire also had to be unique to avoid affecting the ambiance of the building. Here Shepherd Construction held in-depth discussions with Darlington Building Control and the fire officer before a VESDA system with full coverage to all rooms was decided upon. The system was integrated into the building’s fabric to avoid being obtrusive and the floor of the Old Hall was upgraded to provide 1-hour fire resistance between the ground and first floors.

Sound structure

the 1960’s chapel was demolished and re-assembled in the east wall of the spa pool area with replacement panes sourced from the original manufacturers.

The M&E services provision, delivered

by Shepherd Construction’s sister operating company SES, was no less complex and required vast amounts of planning and innovation to provide a modern services infrastructure that remained sympathetic to the old building.

For instance, pre-wired air handling units (AHUs) were used. Containment was built into the AHUs to keep them flush which also meant they could be delivered as one section rather than fabricated on-site.

The plantroom also had to be delivered within an incredibly tight space. To facilitate this it was prefabricated and a fully loaded plantroom skid was lowered into the basement area, complete with trunking and controls accessories.

A complex lighting system was installed with over 4000 fittings that each had control functions to enable the individual requirements of the hotel’s clients and guests to be met.

The fire engineering design for the hall

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The Orangery cast-iron superstructure required extensive underpinning

Similar care and consideration had to be given to ensure the building’s acoustics would surpass the minimum regulatory standard, including the specification of an acoustic flooring solution that was integrated into the building’s fabric.

The project also had to incorporate a number of sustainability features.

As well as re-using as many materials as possible within the Old Hall, the hardcore from the demolished buildings was incorporated under new roads and spoil was re-used on the golf course.

A SUDS system was installed to the car parking area to ensure the existing mature trees would continue to have a natural water supply and all rainwater from the site was ultimately discharged into the lake and used to irrigate the golf course.

To complement the golf course’s ecological philosophy, the clubhouse was built into the sloping ground and the roof seeded so that it blends into the local landscape.

www.shepherd-construction.co.uk

Fact File

• Client: Rockliffe Hall Limited • Architect: Browne Smith Baker • Main contractor: Shepherd Construction • Quantity surveyor: Baker Mallett • Consultant: White Young Green • M&E: SES 32

From derelict mansion to luxury hotel – Rockcliffe Hall has recently been voted as one of the top 10 most luxurious hotels in the world

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FCA 1/2 landscape_Layout 1 29/03/2012 20:36 Page 1

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33

Bathrooms responsibility to demonstrate sustainable production, packaging and business practices, but in order to flourish they ultimately need to provide consumers with choice. For 2012, here are some of the trends that characterise our currently rather schizophrenic domestic bathroom.

Wetrooms

The Kaldewei Ellipso Duo Oval freestanding bath

The paradoxical bathroom “If we look into the future of bathroom design, the need for water and energy saving products and technologies will be stronger, but at the same time meet the desire for a natural experience with water that allows us to relax and focus on ourselves,” says Philippe Grohe, Head of the Axor Brand at Hansgrohe.

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his quote sums up the challenge faced by bathroom manufacturers today. The status of the bathroom has risen enormously. It is no longer a windowless, functional box, but a place for relaxation, a retreat from the pressures of modern life and a room in which to spend quality time. The architecture of the room and the design of the fittings must meet these demands for a more luxurious experience that re-connect us to nature and allows us to look after body and mind.

This makes the challenge something of a paradox. Larger baths and bigger showers that meet increasing legislation

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to reduce water consumption. And a ‘digital’ bathroom with many electronic devices in a space that is all about bringing us back to nature.

Thankfully these requirements are not entirely mutually exclusive and manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to develop showers that perform brilliantly but use less water for example, bath tubs with re-designed interiors to be less water hungry and electronic controls that are more intuitive and are learning to anticipate our needs.

The bathroom landscape is ever evolving and the market is competitive. Most manufacturers recognise that they have a

Any standalone shower used to be the ‘I’ve arrived’ statement for the modern bathroom, but the goal posts have moved massively. Shower enclosures with a stepup now look dated. The on-trend shower boasts minimal materials and is often not completely enclosed to allow greater freedom of movement. It uses frameless spans of straight or curved glass, high quality tiles and the floor is level. This is achieved by a tiled wetroom floor with an under-floor former or one of the fastgrowing floor level shower trays which are designed to be fitted flush and come in a wide range of colours and sizes to either co-ordinate or contrast with the surrounding floor finish.

Freestanding baths Few bathroom fixtures shout luxury more loudly than a freestanding bath. Often a focal point for the room, the bath tub stands in its own space signifying that this is a pamper zone and not just a room for a quick wash. The high profile status warrants an attractive, sculptural design and luxury is measured by intended dwelltime in the bath as well as the generally high volume of water required to fill it.

Water-saving fittings With manufacturers like Hansgrohe, there is no compromise on design or quality to save water. Many of its best-selling shower models like Raindance and Croma are offered in a version that incorporates water-saving technology (called EcoSmart) and looks exactly the same as the nonEcoSmart versions.The performance is good and works by combining devised flow regulation with air-injection to reduce water consumption by around half from 18 litres per minute to 9. Basin mixers too are all fitted with aerators which also limit water flow to 5 litres per minute.

Intuitive technology After a spate of hi-tech wizardry, manufacturers are coming back to what consumers really want which is

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Bathrooms

The Aqata Spectra SP395 curved screen double entry wetroom

Modern classics The straight-lined minimalist designs that have dominated high-end bathrooms for the past 10 years are now rivalled by rounded, more flowing styles that evoke a sense of calm and generally feel softer.

Some of these products are enhanced further by a dual-colour white and chrome finish which symbolises purity and gives a lightness of design. Similar values are represented by another trend, which is a modern twist on traditional designs to produce a softened, classic look that fits equally well into contemporary, country and period properties.

Lighting Once an after thought, well-planned lighting – general, task and ambient, is now central to the luxury bathroom. Recessed downlights provide a sophisticated ambiance for general lighting purposes.

The Hansgrohe Talis Classic

The latest float bath from Duravit – Nahho

Task lighting is usually centred around the operational hub of the bathroom – the basin, with a good-sized illuminated mirror a popular option.

Wall lights either side of the mirror also work well and achieve a 5-star hotel look in the home. The key is to get light evenly from at least two sides to avoid shadows. Finally, soft ambient lighting for a calming glow during that wellearned soak in the bath, can be achieved simply by installing a dimmer switch for the main lights, or by using recessed LEDs at low-level.

Furniture The term once coined by architects to mean bathroom fittings, now means cupboards. Furniture is currently the largest growth area in the domestic bathroom market with vanity units favoured for their ability to neatly cover pipework as well as provide storage, and above-basin mirror cabinet an absolute must for the well-appointed bathroom.

Wall units, high and low, and mobile units on casters ensure there is

Astro Riva bathoom wall lights

adequate storage for all the family and signal that this is a room to spend time in and be comfortable. Furniture also provides a multitude of interior décor options as finishes can be high gloss lacquer, natural wood or matt painted to meet individual tastes.

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intuitive technology to make life easier rather than gimmicks that require taking the instruction manual with you into the bathroom.

Examples include touch-pad controls inside the shower/steam cabin with a simple on/off key for the various functions and smooth turning dials for controlling water volume and temperature. As with many technology innovations, some of the best are the one’s you didn’t know you needed but then can’t live without.

A case in point is the latest float bath from Duravit called Nahho. It features a sound module which uses Bluetooth to establish a connection with an MP3 player and, with the side of the bath acting as a sounding body, transmits music via structure-borne converters allowing it to be enjoyed both above and below water.

www.kaldewei.com www.aqata.co.uk www.hansgrohe.co.uk www.astrolighting.co.uk www.duravit.co.uk www.onthelevel.co.uk

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35

Health & Safety

The right advice The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently revised and reissued its industrial guidance note, INDG420, ‘Getting specialist help with health and safety’. Here, James Ritchie from the Association for Project Safety, discusses the importance of appointing a competent CDM Co-ordinator.

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he Guidance Note has been revised to recognise the existence of the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) which was created last year by a number of industry occupational safety and health bodies.

The formation of the OSHCR was led

by Geoffrey Podger, HSE Chief Executive, acting on the recommendations made by Lord Young in his report ‘Common Sense, Common Safety’.

The aim of OSHCR is to help small businesses in low risk industries which are looking for a qualified health and safety consultant, with experience in their type of business, to give general advice on how to manage health and safety risks. However OSHCR is not intended as a Platinum source sponsors of consultants for businesses looking for specialist help or advice about higher risk

36

activities such as construction projects.

It is vital that businesses and individuals can call on good, reliable and proportionate health and safety advice, particularly in the specialised area of construction. Clients of construction projects should have confidence in those CDM Co-ordinators, Designers and Construction Safety Practitioners who are advising them on construction health and safety for their projects.

For the construction industry, the HSE provides specific, detailed guidance on selecting competent advisers (CDM Co-ordinators) and other duty holders in their Approved Code of Practice to the Platinum sponsors Platinum Platinum sponsors sponsors Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007, entitled ‘Managing Health and Safety in Construction’ (L144).

Gold sponsors Construction clients are required to appoint a CDM Co-ordinator to advise

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The business case for good safety and health on construction projects has been proven time and time again

them on health and safety matters relating to the construction process and the Approved Code of Practice recognises that one of the key evidences of a competent CDM Co-ordinator is that they are either on the Register of CDM Co-ordinators held by the Association for Project Safety (APS) or the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Health and Safety Register.

Whilst the OSHCR provides a source of generalist advisers with a minimum of only two years experience, the APS Register is the industry’s recognised source of specialist advisors, in terms of the CDM Regs, and is open to degree qualified or equivalent practitioners with at least five years experience and a commitment to ongoing Continual Professional Development. In addition, applications to the APS CDM-C Register are mapped against the National Occupational Standard for CDM Co-ordinators and there is a requirement for a peer interview based upon a portfolio of work.

With the HSE’s impending review of the CDM Approved Code of Practice (ACoP), there are moves afoot amongst the designer fraternity to simplify the requirement for competence, clarify the ACoP guidance on the CDM Regs and also to reduce the apparent ‘burden’ designers feel the Regulations impose on them.

There are however, plenty of very competent designers out there paying excellent regard to the health and safety implications of the designs they are creating without seemingly having any problem with undertaking their CDM Regs duties.

What is clear though is the need for the construction industry to be absolutely sure that the consultants they appoint are competent.The business case for good safety and health on construction projects has been proven time and time again and goes a long way towards meeting clients’ key objectives of time, cost and quality. Competent CDM Co-ordinators have a large part to play in that success, irrespective of who undertakes the role.

So, if you are looking for general advice on occupational safety and health relating to the everyday running of your business, use the HSE’s OSHCR, but if you are looking for competent, specialist, Gold sponsors Event partners Gold Gold sponsors sponsors Event Event partner partn construction health and safety advice and/ or a CDM Co-ordinator service, then it is advisable toEvent go to the APS RegisterMedia at: partners partners

www.aps.org.uk

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9-10 May 2012 Business Design Centre, London

Conference Programme

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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Online Enquiry 020

Drainage & Wastewater of sockets, bends and a vent terminal.

The system uses Polypipe’s popular and simple push-fit system, again for quick and easy installation.

Practical versatility

Elegance reigns!

The Elegance range of guttering, downpipe and ring seal soil and vent products from Polypipe, offers specifiers the look of a traditional cast iron system with the product and installation benefits of using uPVC as the manufacturing material.

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pecifiers have been drawn to the new Elegance range because of its quality and aesthetic benefits – it’s ideal for use in refurb projects on older buildings and in conservation areas or in areas where older style homes predominate – installers have welcomed the ease of installation and the lightweight of the system.

“We’re pleased with the initial reaction to Elegance and to the Ogee profile in particular,” comments Polypipe’s Simon Green. “The unique features we built into the system – the notched guttering to keep it firmly in place and to address the expansion issues with uPVC in warmer temperatures, the cutting guide notches to make cutting to length as simple as possible, and the easy fit joints, all combine to make Elegance just that – an elegant, simple to fit, lightweight aesthetically pleasing rainwater system.”

The Elegance range has been designed

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in such a way that each profile in the range utilises a common downpipe, making installation and ordering very simple. The new soil and vent range is based on the Polypipe 110mm soil pipe, supplied in 3m lengths with a selection

A decorative hopper from the Elegance range

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The Elegance range has been designed in such a way that each profile in the range utilises a common downpipe

When, following a major downpour in the Worcestershire countryside, the elderly cast iron guttering on Steve Parson’s house became detached from the fascia boards over his bedroom window, he knew that the house needed surgery to survive!

The four-bedroom detached red brick house, stood out in the countryside, open to the elements. There was no protection from the prevailing winds that came over the Malvern Hills and headed straight up the drive to the front of the property.

Steve had no desire to replace the old cast iron guttering and downpipes with new cast iron, and was impressed by the latest Elegance uPVC cast iron ‘look alike’ system from Polypipe. He had assumed the job would need the half round version of the Elegance rainwater system, but the new profile – the Elegance Ogee, looked just right for the property.

The new Ogee notched profile guttering provided a secure fit and countered the problem of gutters becoming dislodged from their retaining clips during warm weather due to heat expansion, making leaky joints a thing of the past. The leading edge of the Elegance Ogee gutter is notched and the system uses a flexible band clip to secure it. The lugs on the gutter are simply matched to the band clip and snapped into place.

The installers on the job replaced the rotten fascia boards to give the new rainwater system a sound, secure, and good-looking base and then set about fixing the new guttering. They were pleasantly surprised by the lightness of the components and the ease with which it all went up. They instantly recognised the value of the notched design.

“Using the Elegance Ogee Notched system has added a style and elegance to what is really a standard four-bedroom home,” said Steve. “It’s changed the first impression you get as you come in through our gate and up the drive – it’s definitely added something extra to the property.”

www.polypipe.com

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Top

Notch

The new and enhanced Elegance range...

The Polypipe cast iron effect Elegance range is a stylish traditional looking rainwater, ring seal soil and vent system that has none of the degredation drawbacks of cast iron installations.

Recently enhanced and extended with a new system profile, the addition of soil & vent products and the introduction of a revolutionary new patented* notched gutter concept.

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Notched Gutter design provides a more secure fit to help eliminate the risk of leaky joints

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Comprehensive range of Elegance products covered by a 10 year guarantee (see website for full details)

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Quick to install, no need to paint with lower maintenance costs than traditional cast iron installations

For more information visit www.polypipe.com/elegance or email bp.promotions@polypipe.com Online Enquiry 021 Daisy Mill (Gate 3) Daisy Street Waterside Colne, Lancs BB8 8ER

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39

HVAC/HVP is exactly what the human body requires.

Uponor has recognised the growing popularity of this market and as a result, has launched a brand new underfloor heating concept that can cut the time taken to install by 50 per cent, while drastically reducing installers’ overheads in the process.

The brand new Self Attaching System which is equipped with exclusive selfattaching technology, offers a tool-free and hassle-free approach to underfloor heating, allowing one individual installer to lay a complete system from start to finish in half the time of traditional systems.

As a company, Uponor is confident users will be able to fit it in just three easy steps, as follows: Firstly, attach edging strip around the perimeter of the room to reduce thermal bridging. Uponor’s polyethylene with a selfadhesive backing and PE skirt comes on a roll, which makes it incredibly easy to fix.

Next it’s time to lay the insulation which is quick and easy to do as it just rolls into place to provide thermal and step noise insulation. Joints should be taped if using a flow screed, however it won’t require a slip membrane as this has already been built into the insulation.

Finally, walk the pipe into position by just placing your foot on the pipe and guiding it into the correct position.The hook and loop system holds the pipe in position with no special tools needed at this stage. Installers can even walk freely across the panels during all stages of the installation and depending on the shape of the room, or the need to avoid any obstacles, they can choose the best path for the loop. If the pattern isn’t quite right, it can be changed simply as the pipe can be lifted up and relocated into an alternative position. It really is as easy as 1,2,3!

The key element to Uponor’s Self Attaching System is a unique band which is wound in a spiral around the company’s oxygen tight PEX pipe.This band allows one installer to quickly, safely and securely fix the pipe to laminated installation boards which are also quick and easy to position.

It offers complete flexibility in terms of pipe laying patterns and complete security and peace of mind. The result is a sophisticated underfloor heating system that is fast, easy to lay and modify and can be installed from start to finish by just one person saving labour time and money.

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Until recently, wall hung radiators and central heating were the standard systems for heating the home, however underfloor heating is stealing a march on competitor products to become a popular choice amongst UK homeowners.

Neil Young, indoor climate applications manager for Uponor, talks to FC&A about this growing market.

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nderfloor heating is no longer for the affluent on high specification houses – it has become much more accessible with many homeowners reaping the benefits that this system has to offer.

Compared to traditional radiators, underfloor heating requires less energy to heat, reducing energy costs on average between 15% and 40%. The fact that they are so cost-effective to run is the reason many homeowners are opting for them, which, in the current economic climate, is becoming even more important.

On an aesthetics front, underfloor heating also facilitates flexibility of design

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in a room. The position of radiators impacts on where furniture has to be placed, however underfloor heating allows greater freedom with room layouts and consequently, helps free up space.

More importantly however, underfloor heating is a healthy choice. It hardly raises any dust, and is the perfect heating system for people suffering from allergies.What’s more, the gentle radiant heat provided by underfloor heating systems acts directly on the body without the intermediate stage of first warming the room air.The result? The same comfort level, but with a 2°C lower room temperature.This is beneficial to health because warm feet and a cool head

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Hassle-free heating

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enquiries.uk@uponor.com

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HVAC/HVP Airtightness CPD seminar Glidevale, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of construction membranes to address airtightness, vapour control and heat retention, has developed an instructive CPD seminar – Airtightness,Vapour Control Layers and Reflective Membrane Technology – which addresses how inclusion of low emissivity and airtightness technology can optimise thermal performance in line with the tighter Regulations.

The CPD covers what the new standards are, current build technique performance, and how the latter can be simply enhanced with minimal material and labour cost, to attain at least the minimum standards of Approved Document L, up to ‘best practice’ levels and beyond. info@glidevale.com

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Flagship heating system The £27m Kent History and Library Centre is a joint scheme with Kent County Council, Bouygues UK and Warings Contractors.The mixed-use development provides 57 extra care apartments for Housing 21, and 60 affordable homes for West Kent Housing Association. In order to provide energy efficient, sustainable housing, the West Kent Housing Association apartment block,Tennyson Lodge, benefits from an Evinox communal heating system. All of the apartments are heated from a communal boiler system, which provides instantaneous heating and hot water via ModuSat Twin Plate Heat Interface Units.The Evinox Communal Heating system includes central plant equipment that operates on Biofuel and Gas.

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info@evinox.co.uk

Winning with biomass Transition Town Forres (TTF), located in Moray, Scotland, is a community that raises awareness of sustainable living and building local ecological resilience for the future.

Windhager UK has become a part of TTF by supplying biomass heating.Windhager’s FireWIN pellet boiler was specified for the project, and being located in the main activity space, FireWIN acts not only as a room heater, but also as a focal point for the community.The pellet boiler is as controllable as an oil or gas boiler and can be operated with the timer or by manual override as and when required. Perfect for low energy buildings, the FireWIN has an output of 3.8kW to 12kW. enquiries@windhager.co.uk

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41

HVAC/HVP

Monodraught has created a special natural ventilation strategy for the Diploma Exemplar Projects in East Sussex, using Windcatcher X-Air natural ventilation systems, its brand new Ventsair wall vents and an iNVent natural ventilation control system.

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he recently completed Diploma Exemplar Programme in East Sussex consists of four buildings: one at Beacon Community College in Crowborough – the lead Creative Learning Centre and the main building within the Programme – and three new ‘Outreach’ Creative Learning Centres at Claverham Community College (Battle), Oathall Community College (Haywards Heath) and Ringmer Academy (near Lewes).

The Centres are equipped with a high level of technology enabling students countywide to communicate with each other from an exciting and dynamic environment.

ECE Architecture won the contract to design all four buildings. The three Outreach Centres completed by Farnrise

Above and top: Monodraught’s new Ventsair system was specified for the Diploma Exemplar Programme

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Construction are very different to typical ‘classrooms’ as these highly sustainable buildings were conceived to use minimal resources in both construction and operation. In order to complement this sustainable philosophy, ECE specified a natural ventilation and natural daylight strategy supplied and installed by Monodraught.

Commenting on the selection, Paul Jacob of ECE said: “As a practice we often specify Monodraught because we have confidence in its tried and tested range of core products. Proprietary software and Monodraught’s project team provided the data to help our consultant Gifford, produce computer modelling to profile the building against occupancy, temperature and CO2 levels.”

One of the most unusual features of the ECE design for the Centres is the use of ‘rammed-earth’ construction, which was developed with one of the country’s leading experts in Ramcast together with Conker Conservation. This used soil excavated from each of the campuses as the main material for the walls of the buildings. Unlike bricks, the embodied energy cost of the material is zero as the earth did not need to be transported long distances or use lots of energy to produce – it was extracted on-site and, once compressed, is very strong and a

Simple system Additional automatic louvres that are integral to the windows in each building are also controlled by temperature and CO2 sensors in parallel with the iNVent control system, to create a very simple system enabling pressure to be released via the roof-mounted Windcatcher X-Air systems when the louvres are opened.

Each Outreach Centre also benefits from two Monodraught Sunpipe systems which deliver natural, sustainable lighting during daylight hours.

The 700m2 building for the Lead Creative Learning Centre at Beacon Community College was a contemporary Design & Build project completed by Vinci Construction, which specified Monodraught’s Suncatchers – a combined Windcatcher and Sunpipe system – to serve a large teaching space.

The building’s windows are also fitted with automatic louvres, linked via a Monodraught iNVent control system to work with the natural ventilation system within the Suncatchers.The iNVent system controls a total of six zones.

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Natural strategy

very good insulator. A membrane around the outside of the earth protects it from rain and prevents it from becoming mud.

The outside surface is then finished with a timber cladding. The result is a naturallooking interior space, with a consistent ambient temperature throughout the year due to the thermal-mass of the walls.

The Monodraught natural ventilation strategy provides an optimum learning environment for the flexible open spaces of the 110m2 Outreach Centres, which each accommodate a single teaching room plus an office and toilet. On the inside, the walls are sealed with a clear water-based solution that maintains the natural look of earth.

The Monodraught equipment installed in each Outreach Centre includes one of the latest Windcatcher X-Air natural ventilation systems, five of Monodraught’s new Ventsair wall vents complete with motorised low-leakage volume control dampers, and an iNVent natural ventilation control system regulating temperature and CO2 levels in two zones.

The ventilation strategy plays an important role in controlling humidity in the buildings as their underfloor heating systems are also linked to a Monodraught iNVent natural ventilation control system.

info@monodraught.com

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030

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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Doors, Windows & Balustrades The space saving Hörmann RollMatic

Safely rolled up The RollMatic is just one of a wide range of garage and entrance doors available from Hörmann that can meet any design or technical challenge, however complex or straightforward a project may be.

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the attention to detail that ensures the long-term performance, is also applied to its safe operation, with a number of intelligent safety features as standard.

These include the patented features of Hörmann’s tension spring technology, which not only makes the door operate smoothly and effortlessly but also prevents the door closing suddenly even when operated manually. An automatic cut-out linked to the spring compensation also means there is no need for a separate battery powered safety edge.

The innovative design of the RollMatic, adds another benefit in the event of power failure. A single pull cord release allows the door to operate simply and effortlessly by hand, a significant improvement over the industry standard solution of a difficult to use manual crank handle that slowly drives the door mechanism. In addition, a transparent cover prevents a finger trap hazard, wind locks are standard and with the automatic operator there is an integrated mechanical security kit.

With longevity designed in, the

RollMatic features a soft start and stop feature, while the automatic operator is positioned outside the standard barrel casing for ease of maintenance. This design feature addresses the heat build up issue that can shorten the life of the integral cylinder motors, more commonly used for this style of door.

The attention to detail that has established Hörmann as a market leader even extends to the packaging which is designed to support the door in the correct position to make it easy to fit.

For garages where internal space is particularly limited, Hörmann has also developed a version that can be fitted externally. This option features barrel cladding and a frame both finished in the same colour as the door panel.

All these doors come complete with colour matched side guides and fascias to ensure a high quality appearance.

Matching side doors and fixed decorative panels add to the design options available, with both corner frame and slim door leaf frame options offered.

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he space saving Hörmann RollMatic is already recognised as both the best and safest roller garage door available today.

Unlike other roller doors, RollMatic is supplied with a barrel casing as standard to prevent the risks of trapping, drawing in and crushing, the three key risk elements.

As you would expect from Hörmann,

info@hormann.co.uk

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Doors, Windows & Balustrades Hardware keeps on rolling Brio, a leading sliding and folding hardware manufacturer, has designed its Timberoll range of bottom rolling hardware to offer the best solution for fixing timber sliding doors whether they are cupboard doors up to 25kg or hefty sliding exterior doors up to 300kg. All Brio Timberoll hardware offers quiet fingertip control through the combination of track profile, stainless steel bogies, precision bearings and nylon tyred wheels on aluminium, bonze or brass bottom rails. The full stainless steel construction of the bogie rollers and stainless steel bearings make exterior Timberoll systems perfect for use in corrosion prone coastal areas.

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dnewton@briouk.com

Automatic maintenance As with virtually everything in the mechanical world, automatically operating doors feature moving parts which are prone to wear and require regular attention, which is why Record UK recommends property owners and managers take a structured approach to their maintenance. As a manufacturer supplying all types of automatic doors including straight sliding and revolving, Record UK, is able to offer building owners and facilities managers complete peace of mind through its roundthe-clock, 24/7 service and repair division; operated by a national network of directly employed engineers with fully stocked vehicles, backed up by a permanently manned call centre and helpdesk. info@recorduk.co.uk

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BRUNDLE

Warmagrip

™

Double take for Apeer doors According to New World Developments, double doors are enjoying a popularity surge thanks to the added grandeur they bring to larger, luxury developments.

The company added double and stable door options to its Apeer 70 portfolio two years ago, both offering all the strength, security and insulation benefits expected of the leading edge brand. As with all Apeer 70 doorsets, the double and stable doors are double rebated with the option to have triple glazed, decorative glass units. Other recent refinements have included the use of Magnum Kitemarked high security cylinders, a one-piece keep, and a further improved locking system with rollers and deadbolts. sales@nwd.uk.com

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BRUNDLE

Warmagrip the only true “warm to the touch” DDA compliant handrail component system!

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Evac+Chair is a universal evacuation solution for smooth Evac+Chair is a universal solution smooth stairway descent during anevacuation emergency.

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Singlehandling user is operation ensuresduring no heavy lifting or manual operationduring ensures no heavy evacuation lifting or manual handling is required emergency procedures. required during emergency evacuation procedures.

Warmagrip is a high quality PVC coated steel tube handrail system, offering the all important “warm to the touch” requirements set down in the current Building Regulations.

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45

Doors, Windows & Balustrades Solar shading transforms street

Smooth operation As part of the restoration of the Grade II Harpurhey Baths, north Manchester, Walker Simpson Architects specified electrically operated blinds to the continuous central roof. CBS installed 16 of its System 8/140 motorised blinds with all the blinds on each elevation operating together as a group. The blinds stack neatly on the cills and run up unobtrusive guide cables to the apex. The System 8/140 blind is designed for sloping or horizontal glazing and requires no relief rollers or intermediate support which makes it very unobtrusive. Stainless steel cables guide the blind on its travel and keep the fabric taut at all times. sales@cbsblinds.co.uk

Great Portland Estate’s 24 Britton Street in central London has been transformed into a more attractive and sustainable property, thanks to a £3.7m refurbishment project, which included the addition of a striking new external Solar Shading solution from Levolux.Working closely with Archer Architects, Levolux developed the bespoke solution to dramatically reduce solar heat gain and glare, while maximising daylight levels.The solution comprises fixed, external tubular louvres and fully automated, external Tensioned Roller Blinds. Almost 3500 oval-section, extruded aluminium, tubular louvres create an external shading structure which wraps around the building, across the third and fourth floors. info@levoluxltd.co.uk

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Lift and Slide system PC Henderson has launched a new external sliding door system, Lift and Slide, designed to accommodate large door leaves up to 3m x 3m. Lift and Slide is the ideal solution for spaces that require a lot of sunlight or where installation of a large glass window is more for aesthetic reasons and it enables architects to safely and securely open up an entire wall. Simply turn the door handle to unlock the door, which then lifts from its weather tight position allowing it to slide easily on the carriages with minimal friction. Once open, the door can be lowered and locked at any position by moving the handle down with minimal effort. marketing@pchenderson.com

Hidden surprises Architect Jack Woolley’s almost invisible live/ work scheme on the site of a former carpenters workshop won this year’s Architects’ Journal Small Projects Award, against strong competition from 24 shortlisted practices. Described by the judges as a superb use of a found site, the office and home project featured a ‘hidden’ door built into the brickwork of an existing wall.

Architectural ironmongers Poole Waite & Co Ltd., recommended the door should be fitted with satin finish TECTUS TE640-3D hinges, from SIMONSWERK, as this ‘fully concealed’ hinge, itself an award-winner, was by definition and specification the perfect partner for the project. sales@simonswerk.co.uk 041

VBH stocks new security door handle VBH has announced the arrival of PAS24:2011, the new security door handle for timber, PVCu and aluminium entrance doors from handle manufacturer Hoppe. The Secured By Design approved handle is designed to comply with recent changes to the PAS24 security standard that take into account attack by Mole-Grips. PAS24:2011 is available in both short and long backplate patterns so suits all the multi-point door locks popular in the UK including those made by Millenco, Roto, Maco, KFV, GU, Fuhr, Paddock, and Yale etc. It is fitted with the popular 1710RH Tokyo levers and has the same fixing positions as standard long and short backplate Hoppe handles. sales@vbhgb.com 042

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Quadruple-glazed roof window The quadrupleglazed FAKRO FTT U8 Thermo® roof window has a U-value of 0.58 W/m2K and is supplied with thermal flashing, vapour permeable underlay collar and airtight interior flashing. Its glazing unit is set in a sash frame with warm spacing between panes to reduce potential for thermal bridging while TPE seals retain their flexibility, providing 38 dB acoustic performance and airtightness to BS EN12207 Class 4.The FTT U8 Thermo® has a raised pivot point which enables the window to be positioned anywhere between 0° and 45° and uses topSafe® hinge and lock reinforcement to lock the window either side of the frame using the operating handle in the base. sales@fakrogb.com

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043

Doors, Windows & Balustrades Improvements to Weatherfold hardware

The Brio Weatherfold Coastal Elite exterior folding door hardware has recently seen improvements, with particular attention being placed on security and height adjustment.With these changes comes a new name – Weatherfold 4s.Weatherfold 4s consists of four dedicated systems suitable for timber and aluminium doors weighing up to 150kg per panel.Weatherfold 4s hardware is suitable for both residential and commercial inward or outward opening applications.The system is ideal for large openings with up to 8 panels folding in each direction achieving a span in excess of 16,000mm, and is capable of accommodating panels up to 1000mm wide, with a maximum door height of up to 3,300mm. dnewton@briouk.com 044

Top eco windows from AsTec

A leading provider of new installation and refurbishment schemes to councils, housing associations, developers and Government departments, AsTec offers two outstanding eco systems: the Geneo eco window system featuring U values typically as low as 0.80 W/ m2K, and Pultec GRP very long-life units with exceptionally good thermal performance and high acoustic values.

Check out the dedicated eco page at www.astecwindowsystems.co.uk

Shopping made accessible

Ensuring easy access for trolley-laden customers, TORMAX automatic sliding doors have been installed at Morrisons in Stowmarket, to create an efficient entry and exit system. Utilising TORMAX iMotion technology, the door operators deliver reliable performance under busy conditions whilst offering a sustainable solution by significantly reducing heating bills through effective heat retention. As an additional tick in the ‘green’ box, iMotion operators are almost entirely manufactured using recyclable material. Capable of giving a clear opening width of up to 3800mm and contained in an exceptionally slim profile, the telescopic iMotion 2301 offers a powerful solution suitable for a wide variety of locations. h_and_i_quarter_07.pdf 1 24/01/2012 15:49 info@astecwindowsystems.co.uk sales@tormax.co.uk 045

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Is it eating away at your project?

Initial investment into hot-dip galvanizing offers an economic method of steel protection against corrosion.

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For an information pack or to discuss your next project please contact us: Email: corrosion@wedgegalv.co.uk Tel: 01902 600704 www.wedgegalv.co.uk

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contemporary steel reinforced doors made and finished by hand, in england

Online Enquiry 048

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47

Doors, Windows & Balustrades Enhanced security

Making an entrance New research by Westbury Windows & Joinery, the UK-based designer and manufacturer of standard and bespoke windows and doors, shows that white is the most popular colour for wood front doors or entrance doors in the UK today. Natural stained and/or varnished finishes are the second most popular choice with black in third place. Other traditional colours such as Oxford Blue, Racing Green and Postbox Red were next most prevalent, followed by paler hues such as greys, Celadon Greens and Duck Egg Blues. info@westburyjoinery.com

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One of the most effective ways to bring light into a property is to open up the vista via a folding timber door.

Unfortunately, these doors are often vulnerable to breakins. Securefold Ultra from PC Henderson, for exterior outward opening folding doors, has three points of locking on every door seam. It has an attack resistant hinge incorporating a security pin and unique central interlocking hinge leaf that prevents a burglar from tampering with or actually removing the hardware from the door.There is also a Flush bolt manufactured from extruded aluminium that incorporates a 10mm diameter 316 stainless steel bolt which Henderson says is impervious to any attack or potential break-in. marketing@pchenderson.com 050

Flexible approach to façades With its exceptional design flexibility, Comar 6EFT Curtain Walling System provides high performance solutions for both new build and refurbishment façades. Comar’s 6EFT delivers curtain walling with 50mm standardised sightlines and includes options for: 4-sided structural glazing which achieves a cutting edge façade with no visible aluminium sight lines and 2-sided structural glazing with horizontal or vertical capping, concealed vents where a feature and bespoke finish can be achieved through a variety of cover caps. All systems can include side or top hung opening vents and roof glazing. Facetted glazing options for all systems are available in 7.5° increments both convex and concave.

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projects@parksidegroup.co.uk

Total Glass is top of the class Thermally-efficient and low-maintenance aluminium windows were supplied and installed by fenestration specialist Total Glass at Alderley Edge School for Girls.

Manufactured using the Sapa Dualframe Si system, the 75mm bottom hung, open-in windows installed in the 1920s buildings, were fitted with actuators for easy operation.

More than 100 windows, plus two curtain walls fabricated from the Sapa Elegance 52 System, have replaced original old single-glazed steel ones to provide better insulation and to help reduce energy bills.

The large new windows also featured SKN 174 high-performance glass for optimal solar control and thermal efficiency to maintain a comfortable ambient temperature in the classrooms. sales@totalglass.com 052

Swinging into action Global Automatics’ new automatic swing door, PremierSwing 85, is an automatic door operator designed specifically to automate existing swing doors of almost any type of which there are millions in daily use. It’s a compact package just 85mm deep, which sits above the door frame with an arm to the door itself. In the majority of cases, it is a simple matter of screwing the head unit onto the wall, putting an arm on it and pressing a button. All sensors are then plugged in, and the door is ready for automatic operation. Capable of handling doors of any size up to 200kg weight, Premier-Swing 85 comes with an 18-month warranty. info@global-automatics.com

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Glazing bead saves money Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has tapped into the money saving benefits of installing Yeoman Shield Glazing Bead by refurbishing damaged fire doors with the innovative new product, saving the expense of purchasing brand new doors.The Yeoman Shield hardwood Pico 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

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054

Doors, Windows & Balustrades

WoodEx wins approval with joiners Timber importer and distributor James Latham, is seeing sales soar of its engineered hardwood WoodEx®, as the versatile timber product gets specified in more and more joinery applications.

WoodEx®, which is made from laminated Oak, Iroko, Sapele and FSC Meranti, offers numerous features and benefits. It has two high quality, clear faces for use in joinery applications and is ideally suitable for use in timber doors and windows as the product offers greater dimensional stability.

In addition,WoodEx® is made from finger jointed lamells which are glued together, and Lathams can supply the product either as finger jointed or as one piece.

Timber director for James Latham, John May, commented: “We introduced WoodEx® to the market last year and have had a fantastic reaction due to the options it offers. In line with growing demand, our stock now covers a wide range of sizes and species and provides a versatile addition to our already extensive timber range.”

WoodEx® is available ex-stock in lengths of 0.8m to 3m, and in sizes ranging from 48 x 95mm to 72 x 120mm. Special sizes and lengths are also available to order.

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marketing@lathams.co.uk

New Range of

Electric Strikes 3 12/24v selectable 3 Easily reversible – Fail

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49

Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms Mixing it up in the kitchen

Cost-effective executive washrooms Bushboard Washrooms is proud to announce the relaunch of two of its most popular cubicle ranges which have been specifically developed to meet the demand for executive washrooms without the executive price tag. The highly specified Aero and Paraline have been redesigned to offer sleeker styling and stunning new finishes, providing the perfect balance between quality and value.

With a choice of five new pilaster finishes, three co-ordinating hardware options and unlimited colour choices, the range offers the ultimate in washroom design. washrooms@bushboardwashrooms.co.uk

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The five latest mixer tap models from the Axor designer brand offer kitchen water source solutions to satisfy a wide range of requirements, all with the following in common: distinct ease of use, a high level of functionality, outstanding design and durable quality. The five models comprise: two new singlelever kitchen mixers from Axor Starck which are characterised by their high spout and individually adjustable swivel area; a 2-hole kitchen mixer from Axor Citterio M which comes in two functional versions – with a swivel spout or with a two-jet hand spray; Axor Uno2 (above), the first Axor kitchen mixer for the wall with an operating handle which can be optionally positioned to the left or the right. enquiries@hansgrohe.co.uk 058

A bathroom haven UK shower manufacturer Haven, part of the Roman group of Companies, has updated its high quality, affordable Haven range with a number of key improvements to existing products, alongside the introduction of new product additions to expand the range. Upgrades to the range include the addition of pre-coated glass protection as standard to all enclosures and bath screens in the collection. Alongside this, the Haven Side Panels have been updated and redesigned so they are now frameless, in line with current bathroom trends. New product additions to the range include the addition of Wetroom Panels, along with seven new sizing options for the popular Corner Entry enclosure (above left).

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brochures@roman-showers.com

Olympic accessibility made easy Total Hygiene is responding to the Olympic VisitBritain 2012 challenge with a bespoke package for the hotel industry that delivers the legal needs of the new Equality Act, and the ‘good practice’ of BS8300:2009. The company’s British-made Clos-o-Mat Palma wall-hung or floor-mounted wash and dry toilet looks like a conventional WC; its integral douche and drier eliminate the need to manually cleanse after toileting, making it beneficial to anyone with limited manual dexterity, mobility, balance, or with religious considerations. A height adjustable floor-mounted version, the Lima Lifter, gives even greater user flexibility. info@clos-o-mat.com 060

Stylish shower collection AQUA is a brand new collection of shower enclosures, trays and bath screens from Aqualux that not only look stylish and sophisticated, but which offer an array of installer benefits. With sleek 1850mm high frames and 4mm toughened glass, AQUA 4 enclosures offer an impressive profile adjustment of up to 27mm on each side. AQUA 4 comes in a choice of styles including Bifold, Pivot, Sliding Door and Quadrant and is recommended for use with the AQUA 30 range of shower trays. AQUA 30 is a low profile, stone resin tray which can be fitted in one of three ways: direct to the floor, flush fit into the floor and in elevated ‘easy plumb’ form. enquiries@aqualux.co.uk

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Shallowest shower system Providing a total installation height (including drain) of only 65mm, wedi Fundo Plano is a problem-solver in the renovation of existing buildings. In many renovation projects, design and installation options are restricted to running all drainage and water services ‘surface mounted’ above the existing finished floor level. Such cases can present problems in the consequential excessive increase in height to internal floor levels. wedi Fundo Plano comes with an inbuilt uniform fall of ≥ 2.4%.

This makes laying tiles much easier and optimises surface drainage. In addition, floor-level elements are wheelchairaccessible from a tile size of 5cm x 5cm with no further work necessary. sales@wedi.co.uk

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Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Rimless WC’s join Compact range RAK Ceramics has introduced a range of new WRAS-approved Rimless WC’s. Part of RAK’s popular Compact bathroom collection, the new range includes six toilets which feature a small footprint and curved design. In addition to standard formats for hygiene-conscious consumers, three extended projections are available for wheelchair users in both back-to-wall and closecoupled designs, and all models comply with the Department of Health’s HTM64 Standard.

Combining quality, contemporary styling and practicality, RAK’s Rimless format eliminates the need for a hidden rim or channel.

On flushing, water is fired from three separate jets, ensuring that the whole surface of the pan is flushed, both vertically and horizontally. As germs cannot collect under a rim, the completely visible surface is easy to clean and the need to direct cleaning products under hidden channels is eliminated, saving the consumer money as well as improving hygiene levels.

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marketing@rakceramics.co.uk

Online Enquiry 064

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wetrooms

Drainage & Landscaping

Grasscrete – a natural sustainable defence The recent drought restrictions highlight the call for more and more natural drainage solutions to help replenish the water table rather than diversion of rainwater into the main sewer infrastructure.

Grasscrete, manufactured by Grass Concrete of Wakefield, is a product with more than 40 years of sustainable installations. It is very often seen on flood alleviation projects, overflow storm water management or car park systems. Grasscrete’s heavy-duty structure provides for regular trafficking or heavy-duty emergency access. But it is Grasscrete’s natural drainage qualities that makes the product stand out for SUDS. Each soil pocket provides for significant grass growth as well as water attenuation at peak times.

Grasscrete is designed to handle high impact water flow, in excess of eight metres/second. Water flow

tests also establish that long stemmed grass is hydraulically efficient; under peak demand it simply flattens to aid the water flow.

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info@grasscrete.com

Key role for RainWater Harvesting RainWater Harvesting Ltd has been chosen to play a key part in Bicester’s new eco development plan by supplying a rainwater harvesting system for the demonstration building.

Garth House is the first ‘Home of the Future’ example from the Bicester zero-carbon development which will incorporate innovative features to achieve more sustainable living standards.The system used for Garth House includes a Carat 2700 litre tank (left) installed underground. Rainwater stays cool and fresh and the tank takes up no space. Garth House was also fitted with RainWater Harvesting Ltd’s energy-conscious Rain Director® gravity feed system. info@rainwaterharvesting.co.uk

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Cavity closers lead the way Polypipe TDI is seeing massive interest from new homes builders and self-builders in its 0.25 range that has been designed to achieve energy savings required under Building Regulations Part L and the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Specifiers and architects need to include 0.25 specification cavity closures to meet Building Regulations and Polypipe TDI can offer the support, advice and the products to ensure that their plans comply. The new 0.25 range allows the products to achieve U-values of 0.25 or better and includes, non-combustible insulated cavity closers, non-combustible insulated DPCs, non-combustible insulated cavity barriers, insulated cavity closer sub-frame kits and fire resistant and insulated loft hatches. tdi.sales@polypipe.com 069

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The cast-on site design of Grasscrete accommodates the unique shape and contours of a project. The modular grid system allows Grasscrete to create the gradients and slopes required. Once soiled and seeded throughout, the ribbed profile within the soil pocket helps to anchor the roots against erosion, providing a very sustainable solution.

In environmentally conscious locations, Grasscrete provides for minimal disruption of natural habitat, and a fast established Grasscrete cover helps maintain a green environment.

Four pumping stations for M&S T-T Project’s was delighted to be selected to commission four pumping stations at the new 167,667m2 Marks and Spencer distribution centre based in Castle Donnington.

With T-T’s abilities to complete a project from a single source, the company was able to supply a wide selection of items to complete the stations from pumps and valves with ancillary to sophisticated control equipment.The new distribution warehouse is situated on the site of the old Castle Donnington Power Station.

The materials from the substructure, bases and foundations were crushed and recycled to be used again in the building of the 900,000sq.ft. distribution centre which used 27,000m3 of concrete. response@ttpumps.com

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AEL 130x94 2009 1/4 page ad:Layout 5

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Page

KEEP GRAVEL IN ITS PLACE

AEL Heating

Gravel is one of the most attractive,Linear economical and Planrads versatile surfaces on earth.

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For an attractive and extremely durable surface solution, use SureSet® permeable resin bound paving. Ideal for driveways, access roads, pavements, pathways, tree pits & SUDS projects.

Choose from natural gravel, crushed rock, marble and recycled products.

SureSet permeable resin bound paving is now covered by a 15 year guarantee.

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COREglow pebbles are the The phosphorescenc bright choice for eco-friendlyNO MOVEMENT

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THE RESULT IS A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

FINSA appoints national distributor for Superpan TECH P6 FINSA UK has appointed timber and board suppliers Arnold Laver as exclusive distributors for its new generation Superpan TECH P6 high performance board product.

The UK division of the multi-national Spanish wood-based board manufacturer FINSA, has announced the introduction of the super board to give major advantages to the construction and industrial sectors.

Superpan TECH P6 is a new patented board that offers structural, performance and sustainability advantages to architects, specifiers and project managers.

Superpan TECH P6 is essentially a composite board formed from two MDF faces enclosing a particle board core produced in a patented single process.

It offers greater bending strength and traction than standard chipboard and

is therefore much more versatile in general construction and structural applications. In particular, Superpan TECH P6 is ideal for special partitioning and industrial flooring for access surfaces, mezzanine decks and shelving in cantilever and other racking.

The P6 classification meets the more stringent building regulations and architects and planners will appreciate the ability to have any side tongue and grooved for easy assembly and installation.

Critically in the modern environmentally-aware world, Superpan TECH P6 is a highly sustainable product being 100% recyclable and reduces the

Inspirational flooring Karndean Designflooring is a leading supplier of commercial design flooring. Taking inspiration from nature to make the practical, stylish, Karndean’s six ranges of wood and stone effect floor coverings offer specifiers, architects and designers, a stunning range of practical, quicker-to-fit and simple to maintain floors for all manner of projects.

Karndean’s partnership with magnetised flooring technology specialists IOBAC, means all of its contemporary ranges are also available with magnetised vinyl tiles for those looking for the ultimate in installation flexibility. The ideal solution for retail environments in particular, the IOBAC system is a fast, efficient and sustainable way to install a new floor or replace an existing one. commercial@karndean.co.uk 076

Paints offer welcoming environment A range of Glidden Trade paints have been used at a new Lincolnshire Co-operative food store in Boston.

Glidden Trade Vinyl Silk, Acrylic Gloss and Contract Matt were selected to help achieve a clean and welcoming environment and deliver a cost-effective solution for Lincolnshire Co-operative. Glidden Trade Contract Matt was applied in Gardenia, a warm light beige shade, to the plastered walls in the staffroom and office.The coating was also used in white on the shop floor walls to create a bright, fresh look. To enhance the doors and interior woodwork, one coat of Glidden Trade Acrylic Wood Primer Undercoat was applied, followed by two coats of Glidden Trade Acrylic Gloss in Brilliant White. gliddentrade@tangerinepr.com 077

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carbon footprint by acting as a CO2 store. Furthermore, full PEFC and FSC certification guarantee that the raw material used to manufacture Superpan TECH P6 comes from sustainable natural sources.

Other important considerations for architects and specifiers are the excellent thermal qualities and low formaldehyde emissions (E-Z classification with CARB certification. Superpan TECH P6 also ticks all the boxes for LEED sustainable architectural projects. uk@finsa.es

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Dustguard for Denso

Conren recently supplied Dustguard epoxy coating to its Brazilian agents, Duracrete Ltda, for application at a new production facility for Denso de Brasil.

The factory is situated in Santa Barbara d’Oeste City, approximately 80 miles north west of Sao Paulo. Denso manufactures a range of air conditioning units for cars and buses, as well as radiators and other automobile components. Dustguard has previously been applied at Denso’s two other production sites on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, and the Denso management team wanted the same high quality finish at the new facility. Dustguard was applied to approximately 20,000m2 of production floor area at Santa Barbara d’Oeste City. info@conren.com

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Ultimate transformation There is always pressure on painting contractors to ensure they do the best job they can for their customers. However, when the client in question happens to be a Senior Contracts Manager at construction giant Jarvis Contracting, the pressure to deliver can be just that bit more intense!

Bryan Burgess, Senior Contracts Manager for Jarvis Contracting’s Affordable and Sustainable Homes Division, commissioned Jason Hay of Prodec Painting Contractors, to restore a rundown Swedish-style property he had recently purchased to its former glory. Jason, with the help of Dulux Trade Specification Account Manager, Paul MacColl, specified Dulux Trade Weathershield Ultimate Opaque to revive the worn exterior woodwork.

Dulux Trade Weathershield Ultimate Opaque is a high performance, solvent-

based exterior coating, which produces a water repellent satin finish. The product combines a high performance solid colour with all the benefits of a premium quality woodstain. The unique Ultimate wood protection technology from Dulux Trade means that exterior joinery is protected from extreme weather for up to 10 years, and so looks better for longer.

The house, as with many traditional Swedish properties, has a large amount of exposed wooden cladding, and the timber

had gradually fallen into disrepair.

“Bryan asked me to take a look at the condition of the timber and I felt that a quality woodstain could revive and restore it without the need to replace it,” explained Jason. “A durable finish was crucial to the project, but it was also important that the selected product could be applied to weathered timber and still provide an attractive sheen and finish – that’s why I specified Dulux Trade Ultimate.”

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duluxtraderesponse@tangerinepr.com

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Swistherm from Alumasc chosen for iconic college Alumasc’s Swistherm External Wall Insulation (EWI) has contributed to the aesthetics and energy efficiency at the new campus of South Cheshire College, one of the most visually exciting educational buildings in the UK. The curved façade on the nursery section of South Cheshire College, demanded a first class insulation system. Alumasc worked closely with Approved Installer MIB Facades to deliver an appropriate technical solution for the project.

Rob Sharrock, director of MIB, comments: “We were appointed to install the EWI on this particular section of the building and immediately recommended the Alumasc Swistherm system using 140mm thick Lamella Board finished in 1.5mm white Silkolitt render. We had total confidence that this system would perform superbly and be straightforward to install.

As expected, the system has achieved the required U-value of 0.23W/m2K.” Swistherm is a BBA Approved, fully

warranted system that offers an excellent solution for contemporary and new build applications such as South Cheshire College. It is a lightweight, thin coat insulated render system which, when used with Lamella mineral wool insulation board, is particularly suited to curved features. It can be wrapped and shaped around radiused areas, enabling the installer to rasp and shape the render finish to a very high standard.

For a robust, weather resistant finish, a range of Silicone or Mineral renders are available, which can be applied with a rolled surface texture in a wide choice of colours.

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info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk

Lightweight future-proof roofing Metrotile lightweight steel roofing is available in a variety of colours and four different profile styles, ensuring the perfect rooftop aesthetics can be achieved. From new build and refurbished housing, to home extensions, retail and leisure buildings and schools, the list of Metrotile-suitable applications covers buildings of many different sizes and shapes, yet each is backed

by Metrotile’s industry-leading 40-year weatherproof guarantee. Log on to www.metrotile.co.uk for news on new innovative roofing products throughout 2012. sales@metrotile.co.uk

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Solar accessory range Klober’s Solar-Line range of PV and solar accessories ensures that roofs remain fully watertight and airtight around penetrations.

A Solar Outlet Kit contains Outlet, Universal Base Tile or Slate and a Sealing Collar, which is available in five sizes. The Outlet can be used with up to eight cables which can also be retrofitted. Other products include a Tile Guard and a Panel Support which absorbs any stress on tiles while preventing humidity from entering the roof.

A Universal Solar Panel Flashing Apron completes the range, sealing low profile panels to the roof covering. klober@yourresponse.co.uk 084

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Bridging the gap Rainscreen cladding panels from Steni UK, were specified by Glas Architects for a mixed-use development in south London for their quality and durability in terms of longevity and colourfastness.

Three shades of Steni’s Colour panels, in white, light grey and dark grey and a matt finish, were used on all four elevations of Francis Bacon Court on the site of the former Manor Tavern on Galleywall Road. The fibreglass reinforced polymer composite panels feature a surface of electron beam cured acrylic that is applied without the use of solvents. Some 800m2 of the panels were face-fixed with colour-coded rivets onto an aluminium sub-frame. info@steni.co.uk

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Structural roof element increases build options Eurobond-SkanDek is a proven construction system that follows the industry trend for the prefabrication of high performance building elements and is equally applicable to new build and refurbishment.

SkanDek can be cost-effectively integrated into a building’s structure whatever the construction material – steel, concrete, timber, masonry or composite structure. It offers slender construction, stunning overhangs, increased floor grids, open space and light. When used as part of the building’s structure, SkanDek can reduce the cost of steel and concrete frames and eliminate secondary steelwork. It will expand the grid of a building resulting in savings on foundations and fewer columns that will make interior space more attractive and flexible.

SkanDek is based on a patented lightweight box girder beam that offers an impressive spanning capability of up

to 22m. This superior strength and stiffness can be put to good use spanning shorter distances at higher loads and opens the possibility of cost-effective overhangs.

Over 500,000m2 of SkanDek elements have been installed in a wide range of

building types. The system is fully tested and is the first lightweight roof system to have gained CE Mark status.

The SkanDek structural element can be installed with a single ply roof membrane, metal standing seam or a wide range of other waterproof layers. Ceiling constructions can deliver the required fire and acoustic performance together with a range of ceiling finishes. Installation rates of over 2000m2 per day of finished roof and ceiling have been achieved.

Eurobond-SkanDek offers a full technical and design service to help clients, designers and contractors maximise the features and benefits of a SkanDek Solution. sales@eurobond-skandek.co.uk

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60s building finds its mojo

Dashing range extended Long Rake Spar has re-launched its pebble dashing aggregate range to develop an iron-free selection of decorative finishes.

Dashing aggregates are used to protect the external fabric of both new and refurbished buildings whilst providing a wide variety of maintenance-free, visually attractive finishes. Long Rake Spar has developed three product ranges of dashing aggregates to reflect traditional, contemporary or exclusive styles.The Heritage Range is an established selection of traditional products;The Renaissance Range represents a contemporary selection of South European marble products, and the Venetian Range is a fashionable selection of North European Quartzes and Quartzites. admin@longrakespar.co.uk

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A derelict 1960s social housing block in Leeds has been transformed into chic city apartments thanks to a Natura fibre cement overclad solution from Marley Eternit. The building was stripped back to its concrete shell, with new infill walls being created using Structural Insulated Panels (SIP), which contained 100mm of foam insulation. These were then overclad with Natura panels fixed to an aluminium frame system using Marley Eternit’s colour matched rivets. Marley Eternit’s Natura with a Pro coating was specified by Union North in Black, Beige, Cool Grey and Natural Grey to enhance the appearance and help improve the thermal performance of the dated building. info@marleyeternit.co.uk 088

New generation of roof insulation Dow Building Solutions has launched XENERGY SL, a new generation extruded polystyrene (XPS) for insulation of inverted flat roofs. XENERGY XPS combines durability, reliability and strength, with outstanding insulation performance thanks to the addition of infrared blocking particles to scatter and reflect heat radiation within the foam board. Roof designers and contractors are the first to be offered XENERGY SL designed for inverted roof insulation, an extension to Dow’s already popular ROOFMATE SL-A product range. XENERGY SL is available in steel grey and in single extruded thicknesses of 100, 120, 140 and 160mm. 4mW thermal conductivity gains are possible at 140mm and 160mm thicknesses.

FKLMAIL@dow.com

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

It’s a wrap at Reading University Film Centre Roof-Pro’s freestanding support system has been used to support the rooftop services at the University of Reading’s new state-of-the-art Film, Theatre and TV Department.

Roof-Pro’s freestanding support system has enabled roof-mounted services to be installed on the new Film,Theatre and TV Department at Reading University, without penetrating the roof build-up with upstands or steelwork – facilitating quick and simple installation of the waterproofing without difficult roof detailing.

Consulting Engineers, DSSR, specified the system to support six roof-mounted air handling units (AHU) and a chiller, each weighing 1,500-3,300kg.The doublestacked AHUs also required high level access platforms to enable the site services

team to reach the upper fan sections for on-going maintenance. Roof-Pro’s solution included the design of pipe and cable-tray supports with a high-level ‘pipe corridor’ running the length of the main AHU plant area, giving unimpeded access to the tight plant area for maintenance teams.

The support’s inherent building clearance allows for any immediate roofing repairs (or longer term maintenance access) under the services, while avoiding any unnecessary penetrations to the

single-ply membrane by the project team during installation.

Roof-Pro is a leading UK provider of non-penetrative, freestanding supports for building services and access platforms on flat roofs. Providing a complete design service for consultants, contractors and building owners, Roof-Pro has 15 years’ experience of supporting services and provides a 20-year warranty for all of its support systems with its 3.Point Certification.

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info@roof-pro.co.uk

Carea cladding 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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Space saving insulation Spacetherm PP from the A. Proctor Group, has been specified for a 1960’s semi-detached house in the London borough of Harrow, as part of the Retrofit for the Future Competition being delivered by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB). Following submission of ‘A Whole House Low Carbon Solution for Everyday Living’, Gifford’s Building Sustainability team was selected

by TSB to apply its eco-retrofit proposals to 11 Tintagel Drive. To achieve a U-value of 1.12 W/m2K, the A. Proctor Group supplied Spacetherm PP. It is moisture and mould resistant and there is no decrease in thermal performance over 50 years. Its ultra-thin insulation saves valuable space without altering the exterior fabric of the building. ask@proctorgroup.com 092

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Cool farming Rising energy bills over recent years have made the refrigeration and storage of produce an increasingly costly part of modern farming. The owners of Lavenham Fen Farm in Cambridgeshire however, are proving this need not be the case, using Kingspan’s Roof PowerPanel Modules to slash bills from the farm’s two potato storage buildings. The PowerPanel array, installed on the roofs of the storage buildings, comprises 1,501, 235Wp Yingli crystalline PV modules and can produce an overall output of 352.7kWp, making it one of the largest roof mounted PV arrays in the country. info@kingspanpanels.com

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Europanel: finessing the envelope Eurobond’s high quality, insulated metal panel system is now available in five distinctive system configurations and is ideally suited to contemporary building façades.

Designed with concealed fasteners, Europanel has a smooth, architecturally flat panel face and is seamlessly integrated with building fenestration. The newly developed systems comprise uniform 30 or 50mm fully gasketed joints creating a bi-modular appearance or grid effect.

Alongside this, Eurobond has upgraded its ‘classic’ 12mm gasketed and 5mm open ‘pencil line’ multi modular panel variants.

The new options build on the success of the company’s proven and successful Europanel system which has been used

extensively across a range of sectors including airport, retail, office, education, health, sports and leisure projects across the UK. However, the company hasn’t stopped there and to ‘finesse’ the envelope further, it has also added a purpose-designed suite of aluminium extrusions. The extrusions range from ‘bullnose’ to ‘fin’ profiles and are powder coated to either complement the Tata color coated Europanel system

or to contrast as required.

The core Eurobond product strengths have been retained including noncombustible stone wool cores, exceptional airtightness and thermal performance, full recyclability and carbon neutral design (available with Confidex Sustain® to offer the world’s first CarbonNeutral® building envelope) – all backed up with service excellence from Eurobond’s technical and customer service teams.

sales@eurobond.co.uk

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Xtratherm first with EST approval for Thermal Liners Xtratherm, a leading manufacturer of innovative rigid insulation products, is the first to achieve the ‘Energy Saving Trust Recommended’ label for its Thermal Liners high performance insulation board.

Only the most energy efficient products carry the ‘Energy Saving Trust Recommended’ label, making it quick and easy for builders, specifiers and homeowners to identify products that significantly improve the thermal efficiency of homes and contribute to savings on energy bills.

Xtratherm’s PiR laminated to plasterboard Thermal Liners are BBA certified and achieve a high performance thermal conductivity rating of 0.022. The product is suitable for new and existing properties and the addition of an insulated thermal lining to the inside of a wall, pitched roof or ceiling will dramatically

improve energy efficiency in homes.

Xtratherm’s guide to insulated dry liners explains how its Thermal Liners help to achieve ultimate performance, with recommended specifications and installation guidelines.

gemma.hynes@xtratherm.com

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www

Building Elements Long-term bonding

More protection for lone workers Lone worker specialist, Connexion2, developer and manufacturer of the awardwinning Identicom lone worker protection device, will be exhibiting its 2nd generation of Identicom lone worker devices on Stand B14 at the CIH Exhibition at Manchester Central from June 12th-14th.The new Identicom 870 and 877 devices will not only be smaller but also packed with a range of new features to provide lone workers with even greater comprehensive protection. Further Identicom models will be unveiled during 2012, including two new devices fitted with a discreet camera function, to capture images and video streaming during red alert. rob.harris@connexion2.com

tesa® has launched tesa® ACXplus, a product range that takes adhesive tape production forward another generation. tesa® ACXplus double-sided tape is based on high capacity acrylics specially developed for constructive long-term bonding, offering clear full-surface bonding, extreme load capacity, sealing against liquids, vibration and shock absorption, corrosion prevention and good aesthetic results. Examples of building supply applications include invisible fastenings for signs and glass partition walls, permanent bonding of decorative bars on windows or doors, reinforcing metal doors in lifts, protective bumper rails to walls and bonding of glass to light housings. ukenquiries@tesa.com 097

Xylem unveils pumping efficiency index

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Xylem has responded to the need for a method of measuring the efficiency of a complete pumping system. “The aim of the Westworth-Flygt Index is to provide a measure of pump system efficiency on a scale of 1 to 100,” explains Xylem expert and UK Energy Manager, Gavin Westworth. “If a pumping system scores 90 then we can assume that the system uses its energy very efficiently. A low score indicates there is room for improvement.This index can be used on any water pumping system and, whilst not intended to be accurate to any number of decimal places, it gives a ‘first pass’ assessment of whether the complete pumping system is working well.” gavin.westworth@xyleminc.com

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Fire protection goes on tour WAGNER UK’s innovative fire protection solutions – OxyReduct® and TITANUS®ASD – will be going on tour around the UK and Ireland on a multi-city roadshow during May and June, 2012.Visitors will be able to visit the OxyReduct® demonstration trailer and witness first hand an environment where fire cannot start. They will also be able to get ‘hands-on’ with TITANUS®ASD, one of the most comprehensive ranges of Air Sampling Smoke Detection systems currently available. CPD presentations will be running throughout the day at each of the 14 venues and WAGNER UK’s staff will be available to answer questions and help with ‘hands-on’ sessions. sales@wagner-uk.com 099

RIBA approval for Hamilton Litestat Decorative electrical wiring accessories, audio and lighting control manufacturer Hamilton Litestat, has received RIBA approval for its new seminar: ‘Putting You in Control.’

The interactive seminar, which has been created by Hamilton’s in-house team of experts and accredited by RIBA, focuses on the environments and uses for lighting controls, applications for lighting systems and an introduction to multi-room audio distribution. RIBA has assessed that the seminar fits into the core curriculum of its CPD scheme, which means that chartered RIBA architects can now use the seminar towards their annual core curriculum requirement. The presentation will be delivered by Hamilton’s in-house wiring accessory and control system experts. info@hamilton-litestat.com 100

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New faces

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Knauf AMF Ceilings is pleased to welcome two new members of staff to its team. Bathiya Karunaratne joins as Specification Manager, following the promotion of Peter Symons to National Sales Manager at the start of the year, and Sacha Conte takes on the role of Area Sales Manager for the South East.

Bathiya has over seven years experience working in the interiors industry and has been involved in a number of complex, demanding projects. Sacha has worked in the specification industry for over 10 years, mainly with manufacturers of high end products including aluminium systems, sloped roof glazing and physical and ballistic security systems. sales@amfceilings.co.uk

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Why good design is no accident

Timber Frame

TRADA discuss the best practi for low energy timber fram

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

Insulation

Our favourites from the RIB Awards 2011 shortl

Sustainability in Development

Employing Passivhaus principles

Design & Desire

A new twist on insulation at The Skewed House

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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

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Employing Passivhaus principles

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Hastoe Housing’s ‘Retrofit for the Future’ project

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visit the CoRE of sustainable refurbishment

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Future architects showcased

“Changing the Face/Moscow 201

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Voice of the Industry Why good design is no accident

Dali in Florida – art in architecture

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Sustainability in Development An Ashden Award-winning retro-fitting project

Design & Desire No half measures in urban regeneration

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Heads up for 2013’s new timber regulations

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A new twist on insulation at The Skewed House

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Building Elements Top of the bill

Fuss-free furniture Poly-Wood garden furniture from DMMP, has been used for a large outdoor decking area at Butlin’s Skegness site.The furniture for the 100-cover area at the Sun & Moon Public House, had to rise to the challenge of being used frequently and being subjected to British summers, sea air and cold winters.The Poly-Wood range is created from recycled plastic bottles and, unlike wooden furniture, the comfortable range needs no treating, maintenance or painting, plus the colour does not fade.

The fittings are commercial stainless steel so do not rust and each item is heavy enough to stay put in high winds but light enough to be handled. info@dmmp.co.uk

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The Rund air curtain from JS Air Curtains is top of the bill at the BFI IMAX cinema, London, whose reception and café were suffering from cold draughts at peak visitor times. “The design of the JS Rund was a major factor in its specification,” explained Duncan McKeich, BFI IMAX facilities manager.

“The air curtains look in keeping with the contemporary building design, especially as they are circular and in stainless steel.

The fact they are so easy to control is also important. Our ticket desk team has access to the controls and can alter the fan speed and heating output of the air curtains as needed.” sales@jsaircurtains.com 104

Hoskins Brick makes history Being the first brick of its kind to be used instead of stone at such a high profile conservation programme, Hoskins Brick’s Drayton Cream is lining Every & Albert Street in the Whitefield area of Nelson, Lancashire. Over 60,000 Drayton Cream bricks have already been used by Great Places Housing Group and building contractors CSC Construction, to build nine new affordable dwellings. As part of a multi-million pound transformation of the former textile workers’ terraced housing area, it is essential the new builds are commensurate with the traditional 19th century stone architecture of Nelson. During the manufacturing process, Hoskins Brick uses specific types of sand for surface covering, to create a consistent colour and finish.

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sales@hoskinsbrick.com

School gets exciting new look Mandeville Upper School in Aylesbury is reaping the benefits of a refurbished science block, which has a striking exterior created by Aluglaze insulated panels from bespoke panel manufacturer Panel Systems. Aluglaze is an insulated infill panel comprising polyester-coated aluminium, which is bonded to a core of Styrofoam. The panels comprise of 28mm thick Aluglaze panels, including a 1.5mm aluminium facing, 26mm of Styrofoam and a 0.5mm steel balancer. The panels achieved a U value of 0.88w/ m2k, which will enhance the thermal performance of the refurbished building. Panel Systems’ bespoke service means that Aluglaze cut to specific sizes and thicknesses to suit individual glazing systems. sales@panelsystems.co.uk 106

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 107

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Foremans doubles stocks Foremans Relocatable Building Systems has announced plans to double its stocks of single modular buildings to meet demand. The buildings, which are available for sale, range in size from 10ft. to 60ft. long and are a fast and highly costeffective solution for small businesses needing to expand. The new stocks will be held at Foremans’ headquarters in East Yorkshire and its southern regional centre at Hemel Hempstead. The accommodation is immediately available on an ‘as seen basis’ ensuring the fastest lead times. All the buildings, which were manufactured by Portakabin, are easy to site and install with low foundation costs. info@foremansbuildings.co.uk

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Building Elements

Eurobond launches new website Eurobond welcomes visitors to its all-new website, designed to offer speedier navigation as well as a host of other customer and specifier benefits.

Behind the fresh, clean appearance of the all-new Eurobond website: www.eurobond.co.uk and the culmination of 12 months work, is a site designed to respond to both customer and specifier requirements more seamlessly. Its aim is to deliver 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 the visitor can be kept upto-date and informed of Eurobond’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 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 it welcomes visitor feedback. sales@eurobond.co.uk

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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

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Building Elements Yorkon awarded framework agreement

© James Bevis, Mecserve

Luxury protection Kidde Fyrnetics Slick® smoke and heat alarms are providing discreet fire safety measures at The Lancasters – 77 luxury apartments overlooking London’s Hyde Park. Interconnected smoke alarms are located extensively throughout each apartment in living rooms and bedrooms, with heat alarms in kitchens. Generally, they are positioned in line with recessed downlights to appear as unobtrusive as possible. Each apartment is ‘self-contained’, so the interconnected alarms in any one apartment do not trigger alarms anywhere else in the building. Each alarm system is interfaced with the Building Management System so the concierge is alerted and can investigate further. kiddefyr@ukgateway.net

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Off-site construction specialist Yorkon has been awarded a major framework agreement by Government Procurement Service for the supply of modular buildings across the public sector. The four-year framework is for the supply of bespoke modular buildings for applications such as nursery, primary, secondary and further education facilities; office schemes, healthcare buildings and patient accommodation. By avoiding costly competitive tendering, the new agreement will substantially reduce procurement time and cost for Yorkon’s customers. Simon Ambler, Director of Yorkon said: “This appointment follows a rigorous assessment of our off-site building system and services, as well as assurance of supply, our quality management procedures and regulatory compliance.” info@yorkon.com

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Workwear range updated The Dickies 22 range of fashionable workwear has been updated for 2012. Inspired by current fashion trends, the range incorporates a rubber logo tab and, in some products, an electric blue/black webbing theme. The new range also incorporates younger, more fashionable workwear, from the faux fur lining in the hood of the padded zip-through jacket, to the ergonomically designed trousers with stud detailing. The T-shirt prints within the range are fresh and clean, incorporating a more industrial feel. Maurice Morton, Sales & Marketing Director at Dickies commented: “The range has been developed to meet the younger, more fashionable workwear customers.”

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uksales@dickies.com

How to maximise your sports facilities Sports clubs must have a common goal – to make their home into a commercial fortress. So says Mick Gallagher, who after 32 years in local government, has now joined forces with two other businessmen with sporting connections to launch Stadia and Arena Consultancy UK. “Football, rugby and cricket clubs all need to maximise their stadium facilities to increase their income and then reinvest to bring success both on and off the field,” explains Mick. “Local authorities now recognise more than ever the positive way in which people associate towns and cities with their sports clubs. Their success, prosperity and local pride is very strongly linked.” barrie@stadiaandarenaconsultancyuk.co.uk

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Campaigning website Portakabin has launched a new website as part of its campaign to change the perception of modular building and to demonstrate what is now possible with this highly innovative and flexible approach to accommodation for interim and permanent uses. The site: www.portakabin.co.uk has a number of key features, including: • More than 2,000 images to illustrate the almost limitless design possibilities of this modular approach • A 32-page photo gallery which showcases some of the most innovative applications of Portakabin buildings from across the UK and Europe for both interim and permanent use • 100 layout drawings so potential users can visualise their own accommodation. information@portakabin.co.uk 115

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Low-rise façade system for special school One of the first applications of the MODAL low-rise façade system from Technal is at the visionary new Forest Park School for children with learning difficulties near Southampton. Finished in dark brown with contrasting bronze doors, MODAL is used as fixed light glazing and with FXi65 windows. Sound attenuated louvres provide additional natural ventilation, and the GXi sliding patio door, which is fully integrated with MODAL, was also specified, together with Technal’s CD commercial door. MODAL is a rapid-build low-rise façade system – and the first in the UK to offer integral opening vents. info@technal.co.uk

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Building Elements

DRICON celebrates 25 years of BBA accreditation In April 2012, DRICON, Arch Timber Protection’s waterbased fire retardant, will celebrate 25 years of continuous British Board of Agrément (BBA) accreditation.

DRICON, which has been used to protect solid timber and timber panels for more than 30 years worldwide, is the only BBA-approved fire retardant protection for timber.

“BBA is recognised as an important approval by architects and specifiers sourcing assured and proven products,” explains BBA Sales & Marketing Director, Alan Thomas. “With 25 years of continuous approval, DRICON is one of our longest certified products covering both its production and in situ performance.”

As well as BBA accreditation, Arch has classification reports from independent certification organisations for a wide range of species and thicknesses of timber for a number of different end uses, to confirm customers’ confidence in the

fire retardant properties.

Arch Fire Retardant Product Manager, Jacqui Hughes says: “Correct design specification of timber components and the use of proven modern fire retardant treatments, can make wood into a longlasting and safe choice of material. By slowing the rate of combustion and the spread of flame, DRICON can provide extra minutes that can help save lives and reduce damage to buildings. Our BBA accreditation is a prime indication to specifiers that DRICON is a fully independently tested and approved product, from its production right through to its long-term performance.”

DRICON is applied by vacuum-pressure impregnation in factory-controlled conditions, and is suitable for interior

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and weather protected exterior situations.

Pictured above is Passmores Academy in Essex, one of the latest projects to include Dricon fire retardant protection. david.law@lonza.com

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Timber innovation

Wood you believe it!

Kevin McCloud is a fan and says it is set to take the construction world by storm. FC&A looks at why Medite Tricoya MDF is opening doors as the ‘perfect product’.

W

hen Coillte, Ireland’s largest forestry and forest products company hosted an event in February at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium to celebrate 10 years of independent FSC certification, the writer, designer and television presenter best known for Channel 4’s Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud, was Master of Ceremonies and keynote speaker.

The experience of sharing in Coillte’s celebration seems to have stayed with him, as the April 2012 edition of Grand Designs Magazine features the new Extreme Durable Medite Tricoya MDF as ‘Kevin’s Eco Find of the Month’. Kevin comments: “I’ve just spent two days with the Irish Forestry Commission, now known as Coillte, which in Irish means forests. Coillte sustainably manages huge areas of Ireland; 20 per cent of its land is managed for biodiversity and 50 per cent of its production comes to the UK, fully FSC certified with a chain of custody.

“One Coillte product that is set to take construction by storm is Medite

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Tricoya, an acetylised MDF that is fully weatherproof and can be used externally for cladding, doors, and a host of other applications. Does it require synthetic inputs? Is it impregnated with gallons of petrochemical resins? Not really. Like all good conkers, it’s made with vinegar.”

Peter Clifton, Medite Tricoya product manager, shares Kevin’s understanding of Medite Tricoya’s appeal and potential: “Medite Tricoya heralds a revolution in wood-based panel products for exterior, interior and wet applications, and marks one of the first true innovations in the wood composites industry in more than 30 years.

“The potential of Medite Tricoya for designers, architects and the construction industry is vast, and its potential to drive innovation in product manufacture and end-use is particularly exciting.”

Medite Tricoya has superior dimensional stability and durability, even in changing weather conditions, meaning it can be used in situations and applications where wood and wood-based products would

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Kevin McCloud and Coillte’s Chief Executive David Gunning

not usually be considered. It is perfect for outdoor use or wet environments, has an expected 60-year service life by BRE for exterior use, offers peace of mind with a 50-year guarantee, and has all the design, fixing and machining flexibility of MDF. AMS Joinery of Maidstone has been working on a Victorian town house in Notting Hill in London which has undergone a full refurbishment to bring the property back to its former glory.

One of AMS Joinery’s tasks was to manufacture and install a large No. 10 Downing Street-style front door to the newly renovated property; a job for which the stability and durability of new Medite Tricoya MDF was ideal.

Darren Smith, AMS Joinery’s workshop foreman, said, “Front door panels of this size can have issues including splitting and the necessary subsequent repair, and we were looking for an alternative which would enable us to create a perfect and durable product first time. Medite Tricoya MDF doesn’t move, it easily handles wet environments without change and has proved to be the perfect product for us.”

AMS Joinery found that Medite Tricoya machined cleanly to an impressively high standard. The chosen finish for the door was a black gloss polyester spray, which gave it a smooth gloss finish with no brush marks. Darren concluded: “It’s a more expensive product, but the value and benefits of Medite Tricoya save so many potential problems, including repair and re-manufacture. It is well worth it, both for us and our clients and we’ve already taken more orders from customers for which we will use Medite Tricoya.”

Medite Tricoya MDF was used by AMS Joinery as it has superior dimensional stability and durability

euinfo@medite-europe.com

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Structural Structural

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