FC&A January 21

FUTURE CONSTRUCTOR & ARCHITECT

ISSUE 131

JANUARY 2021

The world is changing

We are Leviat We are Ready Leviat unites the expertise, skills and resources of CRH’s construction accessories businesses, creating a world leader in connecting, fixing and anchoring technology.

Leveraging our global engineering resources and manufacturing footprint means we are more agile and responsive. Combining our extensive technical expertise

and market knowledge, and coordinating all our research and development activities, allows us to innovate more quickly and more effectively. Investing in digital engineering will continue to accelerate our design and service capabilities.

Whatever the future demands of our industry and the world around us, We are Ready.

Leviat is home to industry-leading product brands:

Leviat.com

EDITOR’S NOTE Cross Platform Media LTD

W E L C O M E

T O

Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5BZ Tel: 01622 232725

FUTURE CONSTRUCTOR & ARCHITECT MAGAZINE EDITORIAL Rebecca Kemp rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Hannah Woodger hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk P R I N T & D I G I TA L A D V E R T I S I N G Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Jim Moore jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk PRINT DESIGN MANAGER Jack Witcomb jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk D I G I TA L D E S I G N M A N A G E R Matt Morse matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk ACCOUNTS/CREDIT CONTROL Rachel Pike Rachel@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

JANUARY 2021

Welcome to the very first edition of 2021. On behalf of the entire team at FC&A, we hope that you’ve all had a lovely festive break. Now we’ve officially shut the door on 2020; we’re all ready to embrace a new year. While many seek to forget last year’s restrictions, socialising deficiencies and the general sea change in the way we all live our lives; we are still set to feel some of the implications from the coronavirus pandemic across the next few months.

In this issue, we talk to Michael Simpson, Associate and Workplace Consultant at GT3 Architects, about how he thinks the future of the workplace looks in a post-COVID-19 landscape. Here, he explains how he believes that the future doesn’t present “the death of the office”, however, the workstation will slip away from sight, and the design of modern-day workplaces will witness a tangible change. Turn to pages 3637 to read the full article.

As well as a complete overhaul of our office designs and the way we work, 2020 was also the result of widespread recognition in the way we connect with nature – both outside and inside our own homes. As the whole world woke up to the value of connectivity with the outside world; biodiversity, biophilia and specifying natural materials have never been more critical within the built environment. In this issue, we profile German-based architecture firm 3deluxe’s design for #WeThePlanet’s campus. A floating building complex, the campus is aimed at serving as an inspiring example for future life, communicative living and working environments. Turn to page 10 to find out more about the project.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can also access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information on FC&A’s user-friendly and engaging website. Fully responsive, the website allows you to read all the latest stories on-thego either on your phone or tablet. Simply search www.fca-magazine.com.

Rebecca

PUBLISHER Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Te r m s a n d C o n d i t i o n s : Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope. No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Cross Platform Media Ltd. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher. The publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non-publication of any advertisement.

CROSS PLATFORM MEDIA

SALES SUPPORT & A D M I N I S T R AT O R Klare Porter klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

REBECCA KEMP



fcamagazine fcamagazine fcamagazine FC&A Magazine

Editor, Future Constructor & Architect

ON THE COVER: A floating building complex, #WeThePlanet’s campus is aimed at serving as an inspiring example for future life, communicative living and working environments.

SEE PAGE 10.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

JANUARY CONTENTS

NEWS

16

LEGAL & BU SINE S S:

18

VOICE OF THE I N DU S T RY:

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ON SITE WITH S YK E S:

Construction projects are highly complex and interconnected undertakings, and the myriad decisions made across the phases of a project shape the outcome.

How can organisations managing such projects optimise that decision-making to drive project success?

It’s been around for nearly 50 years, but glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) remains an enigma to many architects and contractors in the UK, says James Butler of Pura Facades in his article on the pros and cons of GRC.

To kick us off into the New Year, RIBA Architect Christopher Sykes returns.

Here, he explores a few tasters of exciting developments and thoughts from innovators that are coming up with great ideas to meet the Government’s net-zero goals.

FEATURES

22

INFECTION CONT ROL :

24

FLOOR S, WALLS & C E I L I N G S :

26

HVAC:

28

FIR E PROTECTI ON:

30

BU ILD FOCU S: Workplace:

32

TECHNICAL FO C U S :

In this article, Uponor explains why facilities that are designed to be visited by people who are extra sensitive to the effects of bacteria and contamination need to pay careful attention to several design and maintenance factors.

Are you wondering what wood finish is best suited to your project? Here, Steve Grimwood, Managing Director of Osmo UK, provides an insight into what different wood finishes can achieve – both visually and practically.

Nigel Sanger, Divisional Director Technical Support at RWC UK, looks at three ways plumbing and heating systems can be winter-proofed to avoid disruption and comfort for homeowners during the colder months.

There are several potential pitfalls associated with MMC, particularly the danger of fire. This month, we talk to specialist Construction Lawyer Rebecca Harries-Williams to learn more about the risks.

With a second lockdown under our belts and with fewer employees in the office than ever before, how will this alter the future of workplace design? Michael Simpson from GT3 Architects investigates.

In a world of smart buildings, computer-based systems require an army of efficient sensors to ensure a building’s performance is optimised. In this article, Stacey Lucas from Sontay offers an insight into the vital role of sensing devices.

PORTFOLIOS

10

#WETHEPLANE T C AMPU S , 3 DE L U X E :

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THE PAPER HO U S E , A A RT AND H ÖE G H E I E N DOM:

3deluxe has been commissioned by New York-based organisation #WeThePlanet (WTP) to create an inspirational structure that nurtures and investigates new opportunities for people-friendly architecture in harmony with nature.

Scandinavian architecture firm AART has designed a new landmark building for the new district of Verket in Moss, Norway. With its paper-like architecture, the mixed-use building pays homage to the papermaking history of the area.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

DECORATIVE SURFACES

LATHAMS MOVES INTO NEW SECTORS AS IT REFLECTS ON 2020 PERFORMANCE There has been a major shift in the materials sector as specifiers select new products to reflect the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. According to James Latham, there was a noticeable difference in sales and enquiries for certain product lines in 2020 when compared with previous years.

Lathams is drawing attention to some of these high-performing products as part of its ‘Think You Know Lathams’ campaign. It includes an animated character, d.zen, formed of the 12 products selected and a free prize draw to win a £1000 voucher to spend on Lathams products by 31st March 2021.

JAMES LATHAM

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he most significant was a 249% increase in sales of thermoplastic laminates. The leading product for this was Kydex, with Lathams supplying over 28,700m2 of sheeting into the construction sector. Initially, orders were for the manufacturing of furniture for NHS Nightingale hospitals, including overbed tables and IPS units. However, even after this spike, Kydex sales remained strong as it is frequently specified for other projects where hygiene and durability are essential.

While smaller percentage increases, a similar trend was replicated in compact grade laminates (18%), which is often used in washrooms and other areas that require robust, moisture-resistant protection, and melamine faced chipboard (MFC), which saw a 23% rise. The latter included a number of products with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, from brands including EGGER, Abet, Kronospan and Xylocleaf.

While it seems natural to expect this from products related to health and hygiene, with acrylic sneeze guards and protective screens also in demand, there has been an upturn in a wider range of lines too.

For example, the MFC increase can also be attributed to people spending

www.lathamtimber.co.uk

money to adapt their homes, with 86% of adults moving to remote working during the first lockdown. This created demand both for home offices and for better living spaces, with travel off the agenda for many during the holiday season.

Stuart Devoil, Group Marketing Manager at Lathams, said: “We had a big upturn in orders right at the start of the pandemic as we supplied materials to help with the development of the NHS Nightingale hospitals. This included temporary flooring, and materials for furniture, signage and medical units.

“After this, enquiries moved towards products that could help make spaces COVID-secure, with retail, hospitality and office sectors all adapting their interiors to support social distancing measures.

“As lockdown continued, spend moved towards a more domestic focus. For example, we’ve seen an increase in kitchen bedroom and bathroom (KBB) renovations in lieu of travel and leisure spend and investment in new home offices.”

The analysis from Lathams is supported by wider research. Mortgage comparison site money.co.uk found that almost a quarter of adults used

0207 288 6417 7

savings to improve their homes this year, at an average spend of around £4000 per household. Over one-third of homeowners converted existing space into a permanent office, and a look at UK search trends for the year found that queries for ‘garden offices’ peaked in early June.

The change in requirements experienced during 2020 also led to some shortages. The supply of highpressure laminates was particularly difficult to come by, for example, with many manufacturers facing a heavy order backlog. This created vastly extended lead times.

“There has been a natural rebalancing in the products that we stock, especially with the increased focus on safer spaces,” Stuart adds. “In 2021, these materials are likely to remain high on the wish-list for many contractors, manufacturers and specifiers. However, it won’t be too long before we see the focus shift back towards outdoor spaces. That will see products like cladding and decking back on the agenda as people continue to enhance their spaces at home.”

bdc@lathams.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

COATINGS & FIXINGS

Main building image. Courtesy of HKS Architects/Freeman White.

PWF™ CONTRIBUTES TO HOLISTIC DESIGN VISION

Creating a tranquil environment

Powdertech Wood Finish has recently been used in a project where replicating the natural aesthetics of wood was a particularly important objective. Baptist Health and MD Anderson have partnered to create a new $184m cancer centre in Jacksonville, Florida, focused on treating all forms of adult cancer. Jacksonville Baptist MD Anderson Centre is situated overlooking St John’s River in a beautiful and serene environment. The new nine-storey 332,000ft2 centre is designed to provide state-of-the-art care and will also host clinical trials for new drugs.

POWDERTECH CORBY

The teams involved in the project design and construction, which included HKS Architects (Dallas), adopted a holistic approach, ensuring that all aspects of the design, including materials used on the exterior and within the interior, reflect the goal of creating a positive, calm and caring environment focused on the individuals who inhabit it, namely the patients, their families, and the staff. The facility has a contemporary design enclosing a central courtyard. With open views to all aspects, abundant natural light streams into the interior, creating a warm uplifting atmosphere. The frontage of the L-shaped structure, facing south, is flooded with light, requiring extensive passive solar shading. Levolux elliptical aluminium fins form the horizontal bands of solar shading running across the front of the building.

In keeping with using materials to create a calming feeling of warmth and comfort, Powdertech Wood Finish was specified for the solar shading, and after viewing a number of sample swatches, the designers chose PWF 31, Black Walnut, a particularly “warm” finish. Back in the UK, Powdertech coated 2000 linear metres of 150 x 50mm extruded aluminium, and these were dispatched to Florida as a single delivery.

A beneficial alternative to wood

PWF™ on Levolux solar screening

pcl@powdertech.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

Using PWF on aluminium or steel allows the architect to combine the strength and longevity of metal with the warm, natural appeal of wood. The finish has excellent corrosion protection and weather resistance and conforms to Fire Reaction classification A2-s1,d0. Unlike wood, the finish will not rot or warp and requires very low maintenance to remain looking good for years to come with a high level of colour and gloss retention.

www.powdertechcorby.co.uk 8

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With a modular solution from Wernick® Buildings most of the construction is done offsite, and out of the rain, so the chances of delays are reduced. It isn’t just quicker, though. Building in a factory reduces waste, improves quality and reduces cost. So if you’re designing modern buildings, why not try a modern method of construction?

www.wernick.co.uk/healthcare 0800 18 18 22 buildings@wernick.co.uk Specialists in the design and build of modular buildings 9

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

#WETHEPLANET CAMPUS, 3DELUXE

A FLOATING BIOTOPE OFF MANHATTAN What will our cities look like in a post-COVID-19 era? 3deluxe was commissioned by New York-based organisation #WeThePlanet (WTP) to create an inspirational structure that nurtures and investigates new opportunities for people-friendly architecture in harmony with nature. Here, FC&A explores the German firm’s forward-thinking campus that projects a future where people and nature can live harmoniously alongside one another.

3DELUXE

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he WTP campus serves as a communicative platform to protect all life on land and under the sea while advancing the frontiers of design.

The campus offers facilities for convening international summits, workshops and educational programmes that focus on transforming our world for a better future and will address topics such as human longevity and planetary flourishing, climate change, social justice and equal opportunities. The floating building complex is aimed at serving as an inspiring example for future life, communicative living and working environments.

What is the idea behind 50/50?

The 50/50 concept developed by 3deluxe foresees an architecture for the future that centres on shared spaces for both people and nature. The basic idea behind this architectural concept is that in the future, all building projects should give back just as much substance to nature as they take from it. This would mean that as compensation for soil sealing, CO2 production and the use of energy and materials, new living environments would be created for flora and fauna (neophytes).

Used consistently, this would completely change our requirements for the cityscape of the future. Innovative architectural structures could come into being, of the kind that has 50% nature-oriented biotopes integrated into them. The quality of life in the cities would be significantly improved in every respect with better air quality, a more pleasant inner-city climate which would heat up less and the fact that it would quickly be possible to enjoy the experience of something unfamiliar in such environments – nature.

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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#WETHEPLANET CAMPUS, 3DELUXE 01 08

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04 05

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DESIGN VISUALISATION 01 01: Flying wind farm

08: Pier with e-mobility micro – mobility for city connection

02: Indoor conference and multifunctional pavilion

09: Natural material: reed

03: Eco roofs

10: WTP – office and administration

04: Office space for NGOs, start-ups, organisations and networks

11: Transparent solar panels

05: Human/nature shaded area: meadow

12: Micro-wind turbines

06: Bioluminescent bacteria

13: Floating marshland biotope

07: Algea-bioreactors

14: Outdoor conference and multifunctional pavilion

04 01 02

03

02 05

06 07 08

DESIGN VISUALISATION 02 01: Nesting area for birds

05: Space for humans – surrounded by nature

02: Integration of natural materials as reed and clay

06: Floating marshland biotope enhances biodiversity

03: Energy diversity – transparent solar panels

07: Oyster farm for water quality treatment

04: Energy diversity – flying wind farm

08: Energy diversity – water turbines

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

#WETHEPLANET CAMPUS, 3DELUXE

Architecture needs attitude The WTP campus represents a new generation of corporate buildings. It offers not only the functional, structural shell of a building but, beyond that, it conveys an attitude, it takes up a stance on relevant social questions such as climate protection, nature conservation, joint responsibility, openness and transparency.

Flood-resilient architecture The campus’ floating platform is a piece of real estate that is future-oriented, mobile and unaffected by rising sea levels. By creating a floating natural biotope, the WTP platform extends the tightly packed land area that is Manhattan by an extra piece of greenery.

This partly public platform represents not only an additional destination for New Yorkers for sports, leisure and communication but also an attractive new honeypot for western Manhattan. An option exists to extend the principle of the floating green platform and to install other floating parks and green running courses along the shoreline.

The beauty in nature and technology The most salient aspect of this building idea is that of the floating marshland biotopes, making up 50% of the overall surface areas. However, it is not only here that living space will be created for flora and fauna, the meadow, the sand biotope, as the thatched and green roofs also produce living environments for a diversified, urban animal and plant world.

The building materials can be divided up into natural materials such as wood, clay or reeds and recycled materials such as bioplastics. The latest surface technologies for air cleansing will also be used, along with algae-bioreactors, wind farms, photovoltaics and marine power plants under the platform for energy extraction.

The vision of the campus is to be completely self-sufficient in generating energy and drinking water. The sustainability measures are integrated into a fluid, organic design concept that cooperates with the forces of nature (wind, sun and water), thus making for a genuine, elegant naturalness.

www.3deluxe.de/en

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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www.xylem.com/uk 13

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

THE PAPER HOUSE, AART AND HÖEGH EIENDOM

Image ©ARRT

PLAYING WITH PAPER Scandinavian architecture firm AART has, together with Höegh Eiendom, designed a new landmark building for the new district of Verket in Moss, Norway. With its paper-like architecture, the mixed-use building not only pays homage to the papermaking history of the area. It has also been shaped and folded to take full advantage of the daylight and view of the deep-blue fjord surrounding the district.

AART

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he bright facades with their sharp lines evoke images of the folds and origami of paper. The result is an almost paper-thin architecture. Together, with the retracted glass facade, this gives the house a light and floating expression.

The protruding floor and flat separations give each home an individual identity and the whole house an expressive identity without a clear direction or back,” Architect Solveig Lee Folling Larsen says.

The Paper House, as it is called, is developed for Höegh Eiendom and is situated in the new district of Verket – a former industrial area by the fjord of Mossesundet. With the scenic fjord in FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

mind, the building has been shaped so that it creates the best possible views of the surrounding area towards the fjord from all flats, while at the same time, creating retracted glass facades that shield the homes from unwanted exposure.

The Paper House will have 34 flats ranging from 46 to 119m 2. The flats are distributed on the six upper floors, while the ground floor will have cafes and shops so that the house will become an integrated part of the district of Verket.

However, life will not only be lived at street level but also above, where there are private balconies and the shared roof 14

garden with a greenhouse, kitchen garden and lounge area.

“The roof garden will become a gathering point for all residents, where they can grow vegetables and hangout together high above the city which will create a strong sense of community,” Solveig Lee Folling Larsen continues.

In continuation of the social and aesthetical ambitions, the building has been designed with the environment in mind, which means that it has been designed to meet the sustainable BREEAM standard ‘Very Good’.

www.aart.dk

THE PAPER HOUSE, AART AND HÖEGH EIENDOM

Image ©Eve Images

Image ©Eve Images

FACT FILE:

Status: Under development Architect firm: AART Landscape architect: Insitu Arkitekter Main visualisation: AART Secondary visualisations: Eve Images

Location: Moss, Norway Typology: Mixed-use (residential/commercial) Developer: Höegh Eiendom Size: 4000m2

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

LEGAL & BUSINESS

COGNITIVE BIAS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND HOW DATA CAN HELP Construction projects are highly complex and interconnected undertakings, and the myriad decisions made across the phases of a project shape the outcomes. How can organisations managing such projects optimise that decision-making to drive project success? Karthik Venkatasubramanian, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Oracle Construction and Engineering, investigates.

ORACLE CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING

KARTHIK VENKATASUBRAMANIAN IS VICE PRESIDENT OF DATA AND ANALYTICS AT ORACLE CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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How AI assists our decision-making

t should be no surprise that prominent research has found that individuals’ decision-making is shaped by cognitive biases. When we think about decisionmaking on a construction project – where margins are slim and both schedules and budgets can slip – is ‘good enough’ really good enough? Or can we adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to help us make better decisions and remove bias as much as possible?

Decisions are made every day on a construction project.

There are multiple activities taking place at any one time, and strategic decisions can impact any of these. But often when confronted by a decision, we delve into our experiences to identify the best course of action, backed by some historic projects data.

But what if we could use data from several sources as both a guide to decisionmaking and also to make recommendations using AI/ ML? This ensures we are considering several options and evaluating the best course of action, not just the one that we are most comfortable with.

The opportunity to leverage all data to make a tangible difference to project delivery is huge, particularly given the disparate nature of construction ecosystems. But as an industry, we need to move towards accepting predictive analytics and the concept of ‘probability’ as opposed to ‘certainty’ in our approach to using data for decision-making. You can be certain of what has happened but not what might happen.

We already trust probability in other aspects of life by using video streaming recommendations or weather predictions, but the idea of using predictive analytics within construction and engineering can be gamechanging. In some situations, we even discount what the data tells us because as humans, we allow emotion into our decision-making.

We need to accept that technology is smart, unbiased and doesn’t add emotion to the result it provides. It’s the difference between a decision made on all data points available versus a decision made on fewer data points and with emotion and/ or bias thrown in.

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Technology has matured to the point where the industry needs to take predictive analytics and probability seriously.

Concepts like generative designs are getting progressively embraced, but the notion of using AI and ML for project and construction management is in its nascent phase.

At Oracle, we are looking to address these challenges by using data to tackle questions like: how can we predict project delays as soon as a plan is created?

How can we mitigate unseen risks before they reach the risk register? How do we reduce rework and defects?

How can we prevent health and safety incidents?

The idea here is that you can truly transform the business by complementing lag indicators (looking at historical project information) with lead indicators (looking ahead).

Doing this will help the industry deliver safer, faster and better projects that can significantly improve productivity. The transformation might not be overnight, but the oversight gained can be transformational.

www.oracle.com

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VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY

GRC – ARCHITECTURE’S MOST MISUNDERSTOOD MATERIAL? It’s been around for nearly 50 years, but glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) remains an enigma to many architects and contractors in the UK, says James Butler of Pura Facades.

PURA FACADES

JAMES BUTLER IS A COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR AT PURA FACADES

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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t’s widely recognised that the first significant architectural use of glassreinforced concrete (GRC) was as a facade on an office building known as 30 Cannon Street in the city of London. Designed by Whinney, Son & Austen Hall, the iconic structure was granted Grade II Listed status in 2015 due to its “expressive and assured design, its splayed plan and canted profile”. Given the fact that GRC has been around for so long, it’s surprising how little is still understood about the performance, structural properties and various types of the material now available to architects and specifiers alike.

While the basic components of GRC – fine silica sand, cement and glass (fibres) – go back to Roman times, new innovations and technical improvements have led to a relatively poor understanding of the material in its current forms. In my role as an independent facade specialist, I work closely with architects in the area of cladding specification. The improved technical performance and range of different types of GRC currently on the market is understandably confusing for those not dealing with the material on a regular basis, so below are the four main types of GRC on the market, along with their pros and cons.

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In short, GRC can be categorised into four main sections; pre-cast, sprayed, lightweight GRC and ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Each have their own merits, and when specified in the correct way, will give many decades of low-maintenance worth, as aptly demonstrated by 30 Cannon Street.

Cast in stone Cast GRC, also known as poured GRC or premix, has all the ingredients mixed together before the material is poured into a mould. The fine silica sand cement and alkali-resistant glass fibres are mixed with water and polymers in an industrial mixer. The mix is poured into a mould in much the same way as ordinary concrete.

This type of GRC closely resembles stone. It’s substantial, heavy and dense – and offers probably the widest range of surface finishes. Cast concrete most closely resembles natural stone – but it’s also the most expensive option in terms of both manufacturing and putting it onto the building. Specifiers also need to plan around the potentially long lead times cast GRC can sometimes take to produce.

Spray it all over Sprayed GRC is manufactured using a less viscous, thinner cementitious mix than traditional cast. This is sprayed into a designed wooden or GRP mould.

The material is then built up in thin layers until the desired thickness is achieved. The product is left to cure in a controlled atmospheric environment until the required strength is achieved.

VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY

This option does closely resemble cast concrete but is manufactured in a different way. It involves spraying a fine concrete mix around a filler such as polystyrene to create the same geometry as the size of a cast piece, but at a greatly reduced weight. While spray GRC comes in a wide range of colours and textures, there can be inconsistencies in quality due to the nature of the manual process.

This option can also come with a fairly long manufacturing lead time.

Lightweight GRC This third style of GRC is also known as extruded and uses two layers of glass fibre mesh to strengthen the product, enabling it to be considerably thinner and lighter than spray GRC or its heavyweight cousin, cast concrete. Thanks to its lightweight properties, this makes it much quicker and easier to install on a building.

Another benefit of lightweight GRC is its innate ability to be moulded into a huge variety of shapes and geometries at a surprisingly low cost. It’s also quicker to manufacture compared to cast and spray GRC.

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) The new kid on the block, this product is light, super-strong and often comes in highly smooth finishes. While architects will love the flexibility that this lightweight and resilient material offers, it is quite costly to manufacture and does not generally provide a classic concrete look and feel that many developers are after.

Since its first notable use in 1974, GRC has come a long way in terms of product development and innovation. Given its use of natural materials, and the various global projects to create carbon-reducing concrete, it’s a material that is becoming even more popular among architects and designers. Once only available as a cast product, the various iterations of GRC have become far more numerous and nuanced. That’s why it’s so important for those involved in specifying this material to gain a highly developed understanding of its pros and cons – in whatever iteration of GRC is being considered for a project.

www.purafacades.co.uk 19

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

COLUMN

ON SITE WITH SYKES CHRISTOPHER SYKES I S A N A R C H I T E C T W H O T R A I N E D AT T H E B A R T L E T T S C H O O L O F A R C H I T E C T U R E AT U N I V E R S I T Y C O L L E G E LO N D O N . A F T E R H E Q U A L I F I E D , H E W O R K E D I N B O T H LO N D O N A N D S W E D E N . H AV I N G W I D E N E D H I S W R I T I N G A N D J O U R N A L I S T I C S K I L L S , H E S U B S E Q U E N T LY S TA R T E D H I S O W N P U B L I S H I N G C O M PA N Y S P E C I A L I S I N G I N B U I L D I N G M A G A Z I N E S A N D E V E N T S . A S A H O B B Y, H E U S E D T O W R I T E S I T C O M F O R T H E B B C .

Chimella chimney block in action

St John’s College Library – winner of the Schüco sustainability award. Designed

by Wright & Wright Architects.

Image ©Hufton + Crow

SAVING ENERGY AND THE FUTURE

Competing for the future The recent Home of 2030 competition encouraged the best and brightest talents to design environmentally-friendly homes that support people in leading independent, fulfilling lives as our society ages. The reforms include our commitment to making tree-lined streets the norm and an ambition that new ‘zero-carbonready’ homes delivered under the new system will not require any future retrofitting.

Among the six finalists are some well-known architects and design thinkers. +Home designed by igloo Regeneration with Useful Projects, Expedition Engineers and Mawson Kerr and Connector Housing designed by Openstudio with Hoare Lea, LDA Design and Gardiner & Theobald are the joint winners of the competition.

The +Home scheme proposes community-led self-build homes that people can design themselves. Simple to build with affordable frames and components, the houses would be climate-friendly and recyclable at the end of their use.

Connector Housing is a flexible and adaptable system for age-friendly, multi-generational housing and neighbourhoods.

It proposes varying densities of houses and apartments, with a variety of site configurations, vertical heights, external appearances and internal layouts that can be adapted to respond to changing occupant needs.

The winners and other shortlisted teams will now be invited to meet Homes England’s development partners to discuss their ideas further.

Also worth noting are the Schüco Excellence Awards 2020, which include a sustainability award. This year, it is the library and study centre at St John’s College Oxford, designed by architect firm Wright & Wright. This targets net-zero carbon in a challenging Grade I Listed setting and features Schüco windows and rooflights.

Lockdown may have recently ended, but a lot is happening under the covers, and innovators are coming up with great ideas to meet the Government’s net-zero goals. The Climate Change Committee’s ambition is to have 5.5 million heat pumps, recognise hydrogen and decarbonise heat. Here are a few tasters of exciting developments and thoughts.

Innovations “What’s the best way to save energy?” a child might ask.

“Keep the front door and windows closed,” might be the obvious answer. “What about the chimney?” comes the smart reply.

So, it was at an exhibition a few years ago that we saw the first appearance of this upturned solution – the popular chimella. Interesting how this simple solution is diametrically opposed to the many energysaving innovations and research solutions which suddenly pop up these days and drive the task forward.

A good example is the team that designed and built two lowFC&A – JANUARY – 2021

carbon buildings at Swansea University which generate their own energy. They have been proven to work at the university’s Bay Campus – which have been in operation for over two years.

Both can generate and store enough solar energy to meet their own needs, with enough left over to charge up electric vehicles or share with other buildings. Now, a toolkit of the design principles that they used has been published. The aim is to encourage others to construct these ‘active buildings’, which would drastically cut the UK’s carbon footprint – currently, 40% of emissions which come from heating and powering our buildings.

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COLUMN

The Energy Saving Trust The Energy Saving Trust says home energy technologies are developing all the time.

Companies come up with new technologies or features for existing technologies or just new ways to use the systems we already have.

Further evidence is emerging on how well systems work, when they make sense and when they do not.

For example, EcoLogic Studio has invented an algaebased ‘cladding’ system, called PhotoSynthetica, to enable buildings to breathe. Large panels (16.2 x 7m) are attached to new or old buildings. They ‘suck in’ unfiltered and polluted air from the street which rises up through the panels. The algae capture the CO2 and other pollutants and release photosynthesised oxygen back into the street or the building interior. The ever-growing algae are later harvested to produce fertilisers, bioplastics, cosmetics and more. The company claims that 2m2 of PhotoSynthetica panels can absorb as much CO2 as a mature tree.

New micro-homes to be built at Aylesbury, designed by Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects

John Goodenough was the Co-Inventor of the lithium-ion battery. As a reaction to winning a Nobel Prize for chemistry, he is said to have helped create a lithium-glass battery that has twice the energy density of lithium-ion batteries and whose capacity increases with age. It claims to operate at lower temperatures, a shorter charging time (minutes not hours) and lower costs, safer (non-flammable) and store more energy the older it gets.

The year 2022 is pencilled in for the launch of what could be an industry-changing invention.

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst claim to have developed a device that creates electricity from moisture in the air, indoors or outdoors. It works by absorbing water vapour in the atmosphere, which interacts with protein nanowires to create an electrical current. Smartwatches have been successfully powered, with mobile phones and larger-scale items next. There is the potential to eliminate the production and charging of billions of batteries. Wall paint that powers your home is in the pipeline too.

Latest Schöck BBA Certification raises the bar.

Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects have the approval to build the UK’s first microhomes made from shipping containers. The first set of seven, single-storey houses designed for single occupancy will be built in Aylesbury. It’s thought many areas will soon copy what is a low-cost housing solution designed to suit small and underused urban spaces.

High-performance insulation to walls, roof and floor along with low-energy double-glazing means tenants will have low heating bills and emissions will be minimised.

No need to compromise on performance, quality or service. Schöck products meet full compliance with relevant UK building regulations, are approved by the BBA, LABC registered and classified as fire resistance class REI 120.

Thermal break technology you can trust.

Schöck Ltd | Staniford House | 4 Wedgwood Road | Bicester | Oxfordshire | OX26 4UL | Tel:01865 290 890 | Email: design@schoeck.co.uk | www.schoeck.co.uk

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INFECTION CONTROL

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HOW HYGIENIC WATER NETWORKS KEEP PATIENTS SAFE Facilities designed to be visited or occupied by people who are extra sensitive to the effects of bacteria and contamination need to pay careful attention to several design and maintenance factors to provide a safe environment with optimised hygiene levels.

UPONOR

n all buildings such as hospitals, care homes and healthcare facilities, it’s important that this focus extends beyond the most visible parts of the site – like the wards, surgeries and waiting rooms – and is equally concentrated on the more obscure sections of the building. This level of hygiene awareness is required as these harder-to-reach, lessfrequently-seen areas can be prime places for bacteria and contaminants to accumulate out of sight.

This need for hygiene control is especially true of the water system, which needs to supply clean and safe water consistently. For healthcare facilities, this can be tricky. Most have extensive water systems which are likely to include not only a large number of hand-washing stations but also aerosolproducing devices – including cooling towers, dehumidifiers and shower outlets as well as equipment unique to the sector, such as respiratory therapy equipment.

Legionella and the spread of bacteria An unhygienic water network can lead to a long list of issues for a healthcare facility, and the proliferation of legionella is potentially the most dangerous. This FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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INFECTION CONTROL

bacterium colonises in stagnant water between 20 and 45°C, which can occur in poorly designed, installed or maintained pipework. As the average human body’s core sits between 36.5 and 37.5°C and the environment within people’s lungs is moist, patients and staff inherently provide an ideal space for bacterial growth.

This highlights how crucial it is to prevent the spread of unwanted microbes.

To avoid stagnation, every inch of a building’s pipework needs to be in regular use.

Therefore, none of the systems must be isolated from the water flow when existing pipes are rerouted or repaired.

Pipework separated from the main flow can either be a ‘dead-leg’ or a ‘blind-end’ and will become redundant, creating a situation where water can lie stagnant and become a prime reservoir for bacterial growth.

Even if the system is designed correctly and maintained, so that there are no ‘dead-legs’ or ‘blind-ends’, after some time, traditional pipe materials such as copper can be compromised by limescale build-up, which can harbour bio-film and bacterial growth. The contamination can begin even before the pipes are installed, as often the pipe ends are unprotected

before installation, allowing dirt and bacteria to enter the system. Once the bacteria have established into a biofilm within the pipe, then these contaminants become very difficult to remove.

Advances in water network design mean that solutions are available, which cut down on the possibility of stagnant water and the potential for bacterial growth. Multi-layer composite (MLC) pipes made from a core of aluminium and layered inside and out with polyethylene have an extremely smooth inner surface that significantly reduces the chance of limescale build-up.

MLC pipes supplied in a coil are also highly flexible and can be easily formed to suit the building or to navigate around obstacles, meaning that a joint-free pipe system can be created between the water source and the outlet. In contrast, traditional 3m-long stainless-steel and copper pipes require a lot of connections due to their rigidity and fixed length.

These connections can have small crevices where bacteria can accumulate, so avoiding the need for connections makes the water system safer.

MLC pipes can be combined with installation techniques that will further enhance hygiene levels. This includes using a ‘loop’style configuration which sends water through the whole local network each time a water outlet is turned on, stopping water lying stagnant or lengths of pipework becoming redundant. Compared to traditional ‘T’- or branch-type installations, loop designs use a singular, consistent pipe size and require fewer connections.

Reducing the risk of bacterial contamination It might be a cliche, but, indeed, prevention is always better than cure. To effectively prevent legionnaires’ disease from getting a foothold within a healthcare facility, the building’s owners and managers need to make sure that the water system can minimise the chance that bacteria will be able to grow and thrive within the pipe network.

A water management programme team should be established which understands the building’s water systems and usage, can identify problem areas, decide on control and monitoring measures and know how to take action when required. The team should recognise that each water system needs to be tailored to the building in question. Variables to consider include the facility’s structure, size and age, its location and surroundings – if there are unique areas of risk for legionella growth – and how susceptible the occupants will be to a legionella outbreak.

Designing for long-term hygiene The potential threat posed by bacterial contamination of the water supply in a healthcare setting is undoubtedly severe, as it would unavoidably put many patients in a difficult position. Anyone within that facility with a compromised immune system or who is of advanced age or suffering from a chronic medical condition would be at particular risk. To add to the challenges that this scenario would cause, it would also be challenging actually to pinpoint where the problem would be coming from. This difficulty stems from the fact that infectious illnesses in the immunocompromised are often hard to diagnose and the cause of the outbreak may be attributed to chance contamination before the on-site water system is correctly identified as the source.

This issue further highlights why it’s crucial to make sure that the water network is appropriately designed in the first place and that its installation, maintenance and ongoing use are all taken into account so that the potential risk of contamination is as low as it possibly can be.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

FLOORS, WALLS & CEILINGS

Protection The desired result by many is the natural rustic look. To maintain this, the finish applied needs to add durability to the wood surface, protecting it from everyday wear-and-tear, stains and dirt. In this situation, a clear matt finish would be the answer. The finish will not detract from the overall beauty of the natural wood but will make it more robust, adding to the longevity. Oil and wax finishes penetrate deeply into the wood to create a micro-porous finish. This allows the wood to breathe, moisture to evaporate and ensures a flawless finish both upon application and for many years to come.

After treatment, the wood is strengthened from within and retains its elasticity. It becomes water-repellent, stainresistant and more hard-wearing, because it meets the wood’s natural demands and does not crack, flake, peel or blister. This makes it an ideal choice for commercial projects where the wooden flooring needs to last, alongside remaining aesthetically pleasing.

FLAWLESSLY FINISHED WOOD: WHICH FINISH IS BEST FOR YOUR PROJECT? Steve Grimwood, Managing Director of Osmo UK, provides an insight into what different wood finishes can achieve – both visually and practically.

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ooden flooring is a beautiful feature of the home.

Still, it is essential to understand that as an organic matter, it will continue to need nourishment to ensure it stays in the best possible condition, both aesthetically and structurally. My best advice to architects and building contractors is to specify a high-quality finish, full of natural ingredients to complement the wood’s properties.

This will ensure that the wood continues to breathe and responds well to environmental conditions, removing any possibility of cracking and/or blistering. For projects like this, I would recommend an oil-/wax-based finish.

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

Colour Another feature of wooden finishes is the ability to apply colour to your flooring. Tired or dull rooms can quickly be converted to gain a vibrant and exciting appearance. Whether it is a simple tint to change the shade of the wood, or a complete overhaul to a refreshing, bold colour tone – this can be a quick-fix way of improving the appearance of the room.

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The products, which are available on the market to do just as we have said, have been designed to combine creative design and perfect protection. Not only do they offer visual enhancement, but also a finish that maintains the natural characteristics of the wood.

A current trend within UK homes is for light-wash-appearance flooring. Going for a pale finish can give an increased impression of space – essential when many people are investing more in improvements over relocating.

Additionally, a lighter finish can open up the room. This is especially helpful when designing a space with little natural light.

Safety Depending on the location of the floor, safety needs to be considered when specifying the finish.

Like any hard flooring material, wood can become slippery when wet, resulting in a slip hazard. To rectify this issue, many anti-slip finishes have been introduced to the UK market. These products apply a clear anti-slip finish to the floor, which doesn’t compromise the overall appearance.

Before the application of finishes, it is essential to ensure the flooring is adequately prepared to achieve the best results. Whether it be a newly-laid floor or an old renovation, sanding out uneven surfaces will allow for the finish to gain a better result. Without proper preparation and the removal of pre-existing treatments and varnishes, new finishes may appear uneven and will not saturate the surface sufficiently enough to perform the required job.

VOCs For many years, finishes for hardwood floors have been criticised for the odours they produce, and this has left clients complaining about the smell or having to leave their home during hardwood floor refinishing. This situation arises because most conventional oil-based hardwood finishes contain high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which produce gases that can be detrimental to health when inhaled. VOCs can be found in stains, lacquer and other finishes and, when applied, the gases become airborne. Not only is this unpleasant to put up with, but it can be harmful.

The reason oil-based finishes are formulated with solvents (or VOCs) is to improve performance and durability. These benefits need to be balanced with the real cost. If the continuing use of this type of product comes at the price of customer satisfaction, as well as a long-term detrimental effect on the environment, then their future use needs to be called into question. Thankfully, awareness is growing of the possible health risks associated with the impact on air quality, and this concern has driven the demand for products with lower VOCs. Extensive research and development have brought about a situation where there are products low in VOCs that release minimal gas and are virtually odour-free during application.

www.osmouk.com 25

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

HVAC

YOUR PLUMBING AND HEATING WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE Nigel Sanger, Divisional Director Technical Support at RWC UK, looks at how the winter season can affect plumbing and heating systems, and what installers can do to prevent these issues.

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s we enter the depths of the winter season, installers receive an increasing number of emergency callouts to fix broken plumbing and heating (P&H) systems.

These issues can range from frozen pipework to ineffective heating. Here are three ways plumbing and heating systems can be winter-proofed to avoid disruption and comfort for homeowners during the colder months.

Preventing pipes from freezing According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), £194m was paid out to help homeowners deal with burst pipes in the first quarter of 2018, due to bad weather that took its toll on domestic plumbing. Frozen pipes can cause significant damage to property and impact the performance of hot water and central heating systems when they are needed the most.

But plumbing contractors can future-proof these systems for all seasons while carrying out the initial installation by keeping these six Ps in mind: preparation, pressure, placement, FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

protection, prevention and programming.

Whether it’s new-build or retrofit installations, pipe layouts should be carefully considered. Best practice is to avoid placing pipes in rooms that are prone to getting cold, such as lofts or basements. If pipework does need to be placed in these areas or outside, they should be adequately protected and lagged with insulation. Without lagging, water in the pipes can freeze, creating internal pressure which can cause them to burst.

Alongside this, installers can plan ahead and use drain pipes in unoccupied new builds, and also advise homeowners to do the same when bad weather is forecast.

This is particularly important for external taps that are exposed to plummeting temperatures. The process of draining external pipes is simple as you need to close the internal shut-off valve to stop the mains supply and then drain the exposed pipe. Once the cold weather has passed, you can open the valve to turn the water 26

supply back on. This simple yet effective action takes a few minutes and can save a winter’s worth of worry.

Plumbing and heating installers can also avoid the perils of frozen pipes by keeping them warm at all times. As SSE advise, thermostats should be set at 12 to 15ºC when the property is unoccupied to prevent internal pipes from freezing.

Smart heating controls, such as JG Aura, can help deal with these concerns when the properties are left vacant. JG Aura enables homeowners to manage their thermostats remotely via an app to ensure they are keeping their heating systems safe even when they are away.

Add anti-freeze when installing underfloor heating (UFH) over winters Another area that needs winterproof planning is the installation of underfloor heating (UFH).

In new builds or renovations, these projects can span over weeks and even months. It’s not uncommon that UFH pipework is installed and screed is laid months before the property is actually ready for use.

HVAC

If the UFH pipework in the screed is subject to subzero conditions while the rest of the project is being completed, the water in the pipes can freeze. This runs the risk of the pipework weakening and splitting as the water expands upon freezing. These concerns aren’t usually detected until much later when the flooring is already down and the UFH is being used by the homeowners, which can result in costly remedial work.

However, installers can easily avoid this by adding anti-freeze to the water in the pipework if it is known that the UFH system could be exposed to freezing temperatures.

Once the winter has passed, this water can be flushed out of the system and replaced.

Smart heating controls can help save homeowners from fuel poverty According to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in 2018, approximately 2.40 million households lived in fuel poverty and couldn’t afford to keep their homes adequately heated. Additionally,

vulnerable groups such as older people, children and people with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible to cold, which can have a significant impact on physical and mental health.

One solution that installers can recommend to battle fuel poverty is smart heating controls that enable homeowners to heat specific rooms rather than the whole house. Traditionally, most UK homes would have one thermostat to control the heating of the entire house.

This results in energy wastage and increased heating bills as not all rooms are used at the same time.

Smart heating controls, such as JG Aura, can control both UFH and radiators through a single controlling system via its wireless thermostats and TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves).

These can be programmed to deliver desired temperatures in individual rooms, at specific times throughout the day. The heating can be controlled either from a smartphone app or directly through the thermostats and helps cut fuel bills by up to 30%.

However, smart heating controls aren’t commonly used because of perceived cost and disruption. This is where installers can be wise in the way they communicate these options to both the end-user and building contractors.

For instance, you wouldn’t have one switch to turn on/off the lighting in your house, so similarly there shouldn’t be one thermostat to turn on/off the heating in the whole house. While there’s an initial upfront cost of installing smart heating controls, the energy savings over the years pay for the technology.

And, when it comes to infrastructure disruption for carrying out the installation, systems such as JG Aura can be fitted wirelessly, limiting the hassle of carrying out re-wiring work.

Beating the winter blues With careful planning and the use of smart technology, most problems that come with the winter season can be avoided.

Alongside that, by adopting best practice and the latest technology, installers can ensure they help prevent water and energy wastage, to build greener and sustainable homes. This also ensures homeowners have comfortable, warm and safe winters.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

FIRE PROTECTION

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arlier this year, a hotel in Brae, on the Shetland Islands, was destroyed in its entirety when a fire broke out and the building burned down completely. Guests at the Moorfield Hotel were evacuated in the early hours and escaped uninjured, but the hotel was lost. This was the second devastating fire in the Shetland Islands – in 2019, a blaze erupted at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, again destroying the building.

What both buildings had in common was that they had been constructed using modular components which had been shipped to the Shetland Islands and assembled on site. Modular construction is a booming industry but one that is in its relative infancy in the construction world. Modular methods of construction have been praised and encouraged as a way forwards for the construction industry to produce buildings more quickly, efficiently and at a lower cost.

With modular construction, components are made in factories and assembled on site, this allows construction to be completed around 30 to 50% more quickly than traditional building methods. Many modular components also use eco-friendly materials, lowering the carbon footprint of the building.

Modular is an attractive option for developers, where a production line can create bespoke components for the end-user in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Alongside modular construction, other initiatives in MMC, such as the use of timber-framed buildings, are being championed by the UK Government as a way of creating low-cost, low-carbon, sustainable structures.

Many social housing providers have embraced modular construction as a way of providing affordable housing for residents in a quicker and more cost-effective manner than traditional building methods have allowed.

Whilst modular building and MMC provide a key role in solving the nation’s housing shortage and creating a sustainable construction industry, those involved in the procurement of modular components and MMC should be aware of the pitfalls and risks that can be associated with such methods of construction. Whilst the fires that broke out on the Shetland Islands are the source of investigations, it is clear that destruction of buildings on such a scale should never happen.

One theory mooted relates to the question of whether adequate fire cavity barriers were considered and installed as part of the construction of these buildings. In typical traditional construction, contractors will be aware of the need to ensure appropriate fire cavity barriers, designed to limit the spread of fire by introducing fire-resistant material into cavities, sealing gaps within them and preventing the spread of fire. In modular construction, however, thought needs to be given as to how the components fit together, and what cavities may be created as a result of the modules being joined together. If a flame enters a cavity between modular components, does the design of the modular building increase the risk of the spread of fire?

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE RISKS – CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING MMC Specialist construction lawyer Rebecca Harries-Williams discusses the potential pitfalls associated with modern methods of construction (MMC), particularly the risk of fire. Rebecca, a Senior Associate with national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, says modular construction can be an attractive prospect if the correct care is taken.

CLARKE WILLMOTT LLP

REBECCA HARRIESWILLIAMS IS A SPECIALIST CONSTRUCTION LAWYER AT CLARKE WILLMOTT LLP

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FIRE PROTECTION

This issue may be further compounded where timberframed construction is used as part of the modular process. Whilst cheaper and with a lower carbon footprint than steel-framed buildings, timber-framed buildings may be more susceptible to the effects of fire, both during the construction process and once the building is finished.

Timber-framed buildings, when consumed by fire, have an increased risk of total structural collapse in a way that is not found in steelframed buildings.

Those involved in the provision of housing need not fear modular housing and MMC – instead, parties should ensure that they give careful thought to mitigating any risks associated with these forms of construction.

Each party in the supply chain should consider what mechanisms can be put in place contractually to protect themselves if components go wrong, whether at the design stage, the production stage or the construction stage.

Early contractor involvement when building using modular methods

can reduce risk and lead to better outcomes. It may be that the usual standard form contracts do not adequately deal with MMC and modular components – as such, parties should take legal advice early on in a project and consider what contractual mechanism is best placed to ensure that the question of risk allocation and defects is addressed.

Further and particularly in light of the Grenfell tragedy, those commissioning modular housing must ensure that any construction is compliant with all Building Regulations and fire safety. The new Fire Safety Bill will enact legislation which will create obligations and duties for housing providers, with the concept of the role of an ‘accountable person’ and the requirement to appoint building safety managers.

In light of the forthcoming new legislation, housing providers should ensure that they consider how modular construction interacts with these new duties to prevent the disasters which destroy both buildings and lives.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

BUILD FOCUS: WORKPLACE

BUILD FOCUS:

WORKPLACE

What’s in store for our office spaces post-COVID-19?

Have we woken up to the potential that remote working offers for individual, focused tasks?

Here, we talk to one of GT3 Architects’ workplace consultants for some inside knowledge.

MICHAEL SIMPSON IS AN ASSOCIATE AND WORKPLACE CONSULTANT AT GT3 ARCHITECTS

HOW TO CREATE A POST-COVID-19 COLLABORATIVE WORKPLACE 2020 has marked a considerable change in the way the working population goes about their day. With a second lockdown now under our belts, and with fewer employees in the office than ever before, how will this alter the future of workplace design?

Michael Simpson, Associate and Workplace Consultant at GT3 Architects, investigates.

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hilst I don’t think we are seeing “the death of the office” as many are questioning, I do think it’s the death of the workstation as we know it. In my opinion, COVID-19 has accelerated us along our existing trajectory. People now realise that individual, focused tasks can be best accomplished away from the office buzz, and we’re seeing a concerted move away from desk-centric workplaces, to ones that facilitate collaboration, learning and support.

This critical shift allows us to move away from a sea of individual desks to a more ‘landscaped’ approach, effectively creating micro-environments within the openFC&A – JANUARY – 2021

plan space. These spaces are carefully designed with screens, half-height partitions and thresholds as well as specific colours, materials, furniture and acoustic treatments to encourage specific behavioural cues.

It is imperative that people are put at the heart of these spaces. Tomorrow’s workplace needs to accommodate a much more fluid workforce; as restrictions relax, we are likely to see significant fluctuations 30

in office occupancy across a week. Employers need to understand what tasks people want to do in the office as well as offer a connection with colleagues and the business, which individuals can’t get at home.

This approach was a key focus for Willmott Dixon.

We worked with the firm before lockdown to reimagine its London and south HQ, to realign the premises with how its staff were working. The team recognised that their staff have two main roles; working within their specific field with colleagues who specialise in the same area and working within a multi-disciplinary project group. Both roles are important and require different sets of people to collaborate, however, the reliance on traditional workstations meant groups were siloed within their disciplines.

BUILD FOCUS: WORKPLACE

Implementing project spaces We designed a task-based environment, establishing a series of zones across the office.

The space has no traditional workstations, instead operating through collaborative ‘project spaces’, complemented by touchdown, quiet, focused and large group areas. These flexible workstations can be booked out for hours, days or weeks at a time to create a flexible and immersive ‘project team’ environment.

In the short term, the zones provide automatic social distancing measures for people in the office. However, in the long term, the space is set up for when restrictions lift post-COVID-19 and can be used as originally intended.

When considering your workplace within a post-COVID environment, make sure you truly understand the tasks taken on by your team. Align your space to meet these needs and consider how you can introduce zonal working to encourage collaboration and creativity. Remember, the biggest barrier to positive change is a lack of buyin – engaging with your team from the start will be key to an optimised working environment.

GT3 Architects is an award-winning architecture practice with studios in Nottingham and Newcastle. The people-focused firm champions an inclusive, sustainable and engaging way of doing business that positions people at the heart of every project.

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

TECHNICAL FOCUS

SENSORS: THE HIDDEN WORKFORCE IN A BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM In a world of smart buildings, the link between building management systems and IT has never been more critical, but these computer-based systems require an army of efficient sensors to ensure a building’s performance is optimised. Stacey Lucas, Commercial and Marketing Director of smart sensor supplier Sontay, offers insight into the vital role of sensing devices and how they help create smarter buildings.

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e reportedly spend more than 90% of our lives indoors, whether at home, school or in the workplace, with air quality being crucial to the levels of comfort felt within these spaces. Ventilation, temperature and pressure regulation contribute to maintaining a happy atmospheric medium, which, in a work environment, helps increase employee contentment, leading to increased productivity and fewer sick days.

Sensors can control a myriad of elements that affect our indoor climate, including temperature, which in relation to an office environment is found to be around 22°C. However, relative humidity, if not managed correctly, can make a room feel hotter or colder than the actual temperature reading. A sensor can help overcome this issue by providing data to a BMS managing humidity levels and ensuring an ideal 50% reading is maintained.

In terms of air quality, airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – pollutants which are found in paints and other building materials – are known to have a detrimental effect. The same harmful chemicals are also present in hand sanitisers, aggressive cleaning products and detergents, the demand for which has been unprecedented since the onset of the coronavirus crisis. Air quality sensors are able to measure VOC levels and alert occupants of the need to take action when a potentially hazardous reading is recorded.

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Sensors enable accurate data Building sensors, installed as part of an efficient building management system, offer an ingeniously smart and effective way of remotely monitoring indoor conditions. Designers and consultants need to be sure the equipment being used will perform as efficiently as possible, which is why access to accurate, reliable data detected initially by a sensor will ensure products endure the test of time and help maintain the optimum environment for inhabitants.

As well as assuring a system works efficiently once installed, a consultant must also consider whether the products they have specified will perform as intended.

On handover, sensors give eventual asset owners more control over the performance of a building and its energy usage; a benefit that not only helps reduce heating and lighting costs but also facilitates a significant reduction in a building’s carbon footprint. As well as assuring quality, performance and efficiency, sensors could be a factor in driving environmental initiatives, such as the UK Government’s pledge for carbon-neutral status by 2050.

TECHNICAL FOCUS

AIR HANDLING UNITS (AHUS) APPLICATION

The hidden workforce With clean lines and minimalist detail commonplace in modern building design, it is no wonder the humble sensor has been fashioned to look modest. However, do not be deceived; what the sensor lacks in size, it makes up for in power.

One or two sensors on the wall are responsible for responding to and monitoring all the conditions of any controlled space. On the other side of the wall behind the scenes, there are scores of devices that are constantly managing the conditions of a controlled space. Air handling units are responsible for supplying and circulating air around a building, and also have to extract stale air from the premises. If fresh air is introduced into a building to ventilate a certain room, if it is freezing cold outside, the temperature of the air will have to be increased. It may also need to be filtered or dehumidified.

Here, sensors come into their own, testing and monitoring the air so that data can be used to change the conditions of the controlled space. There will be sensors measuring

the humidity and temperature of the air, sending information to the controller and, in turn, to the air handling unit on the other side so that air can be cooled and particles directed out. There’s an entire operation going on behind the scenes, of which sensors play an essential role in detecting whether an indoor environment is comfortable for occupants.

Efficient installation Whether it is a new-build or refurbishment project, system integration is one of the key foundations for creating a smart, energy-efficient building. Whilst sensors are an important element of a data-driven asset, for a systems integrator, a sensor’s installation must be as efficient as its eventual performance.

Sontay understands that system integration is complex work, which is why its sensors offer ease of installation 33

and commissioning. Many systems integrators need things immediately, and as a supplier, Sontay is well-poised to swiftly deliver what is required.

Though relatively small in size, building sensors can have a huge part to play in ensuring properties, particularly workspaces, are managed safely, sustainably and profitably. Like a friend we never knew we had, these smart little devices look out for us when we’re in the office, and look out for the office when we’re at home. They are becoming evermore vital to the way we work today and in the future.

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FLOORS, WALLS & CEILINGS

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omprising expert articles, white papers and interviews, the ‘Architectural Beauty’ theme looks at the concept of architectural beauty and the importance of aesthetics in leading certification schemes for sustainable building. It acknowledges that it is not always possible to harmonise the aesthetic with the practical but that there are some ways in which they can be combined to provide value to a building while enhancing its beauty.

Acoustic product manufacturers, such as Troldtekt, embrace this relationship and are at the forefront of practical, aesthetic and highperformance products and design. Troldtekt’s woodwool panelling is a perfect canvas, allowing architects and designers to realise their most creative schemes, safe in the knowledge that acoustical performance will not be compromised.

ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY COMBINES FORM, FUNCTION AND AESTHETICS There has always been a relationship between design and the marrying up of form, function and aesthetics.

While the popularity of materials and styles comes and goes over the years, how products look, feel and perform is constant. This interesting interplay is explored in the latest online theme from Troldtekt A/S, the Danish manufacturer of acoustic panels.

TROLDTEKT

www.troldtekt.co.uk

01978 664255

Riserdeck® A modern high specification composite alternative to traditional galvanised steel and M&E service riser flooring.

Riserdeck® is easy to install.

Simply cast into fresh concrete, as the building is constructed, or retrofit at a later stage.”

Since 1903, Copenhagen has presented annual awards for beautiful buildings, landscaping and urban spaces within the city.

The Copenhagen Building Award comprises four categories – new buildings, restoration, refurbishment and urban environments.

Copenhagen’s Grøndalsvængets School (pictured) is one of the winning projects chosen by the Copenhagen Building Awards 2020. The school has undergone thorough renovation and expansion, all designed

by JJW Arkitekter. Now, this stunning example of architectural beauty shows how large bright spaces, natural daylight and interesting design works well with high-performance products. It also shows how wood-wool acoustic panels make such designs possible while dampening ambient and reverberated noise which would otherwise be unbearable for users.

info@troldtekt.co.uk

BENEFITS: Exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.

Quick and easy to install.

Excellent load bearing capabilities.

Lightweight and easy to handle.

Bi-directional spanning.

Corrosion and weather resistant.

Non-conductive.

Multi-purpose.

Cost effective.

Fire resistant (BS 476.)

Anti-slip- surface

riserdeck@steponsafety.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

01206 396446 34

          

www.steponsafety.co.uk

WITH YOU FROM START TO FINISH

We don’t just work with natural stone; we have a passion for it and our natural stone range has been carefully selected to ensure it combines versatility with aesthetics to enhance your outdoor environment.

Whatever your needs, our team of natural stone experts are always on hand to ensure your project gets finished to a premium standard. You’d expect nothing less from the leading natural stone supplier in the UK. Discover the potential of natural stone for yourself www.marshalls.co.uk/naturalstone

DOORS & WINDOWS

THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CERTIFICATION FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS Social landlords can reassure tenants of the fire safety and security performance of doorsets by specifying products that have achieved independent, third-party dual certification.

DOOR-STOP INTERNATIONAL

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oor-Stop International and Warringtonfire, explain the benefits of choosing fire doorsets with this additional layer of testing:

What is the difference between a fire door and a fire doorset?

A fire door usually only refers to the fire door leaf. The door leaf is installed into a compatible frame, complete with its compatible essential ironmongery. A fire doorset is supplied pre-assembled in the frame, manufactured to the required size and includes all of the correct components such as ironmongery and seals.

Fire doorsets should be third-party tested and certificated using an independent UKAS-accredited test house and certification body such as Warringtonfire and BM TRADA. This provides assurances on the doorset’s performance and the manufacturer’s integrity.

What is dual certification?

“Dual scope certification is where fire and security performance is certified under the responsibility of a single certification body,” explains Mark West, Technical Development Engineer at Warringtonfire. “All the testing and assessments are carried out to carefully ensure both performances are maintained, the scope

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of certification and specification is identical, and any security features do not affect the fire performance and vice versa.”

How does it compare to other fire door testing?

“Dual scope certification provides confidence that the product meets its required performance for both fire and security, and that any changes to the product are developed with fire, security and all other relevant performances in mind,” says Mark. “Any future product enhancements will be rigorously assessed in all applicable areas. This ensures that neither fire nor security performance is compromised at any point, a position that cannot necessarily be achieved when the certification is not linked in this way.”

DOORS & WINDOWS

Warringtonfire and BM TRADA, which are both part of the Element Group, are one of the few certification bodies in the UK with the technical competence to offer this dual certification through their Certisecure, Certifire and Q-Mark certification schemes.

Certisecure, a scheme recognised

by Secured by Design (SBD), is used

by Warringtonfire to demonstrate a fire doorset’s security credentials.

How does dual certification fit into wider fire safety legislation?

Dual certification provides all the information required for the golden thread; one of the recommendations of the Hackitt Review.

In MHCLG’s response to the Building a Safer Future consultation, it announced that all 53 of the recommendations from the Hackitt Review were going to be implemented.

The response gave more clarity on the new regulatory regime and defined the duty-holders for the design, construction and refurbishment phases of a building. The client, principal designer and principal contractor have a vital role in creating and maintaining the golden thread.

At the third and final gateway, the client must submit information on the final building which will form part of the golden thread data.

When the building has been approved, the golden thread will be handed over to the accountable person who, alongside the building safety manager, will keep the golden thread updated with the latest building information. This includes any future refurbishment works.

What can social landlords do to improve fire safety in their buildings?

“Fire safety is about hundreds, if not thousands, of different factors, that

www.door-stop.co.uk/firedoors

01623 446336 37

need to work together as a complete system if an emergency happens. Refusing to take a holistic view of fire safety is short-sighted, and as we know, deadly,” says Hannah Mansell, Group Technical Director of Premdor Crosby.

“Those that sit and wait for legislation to make buildings safer are going to be waiting for a very long time. There are no excuses. Those responsible for fire safety need to get with the programme now.”

The new Door-Stop International fire and security doorset range aims to be the product of choice for those reviewing their fire safety strategies and who want to improve their existing buildings or specify new developments.

Designed by Door-Stop, a subsidiary of Premdor Crosby, the timber core product with GRP facings is third-party certificated. A robust base of primary test evidence has been used as the foundation for certification.

The Door-Stop Fire and Security DualCertificated Doorset is Certifire-certified

by Warringtonfire. Although it is not a requirement for timber fire doors, it has been furnace tested from both directions to provide additional assurances to building owners and occupants.

“Do not be complacent; third-party certification is not the singular factor that will find the holy grail of fire safety in a building,” warns Hannah.

“Even a perfectly produced fire door will not perform to expectations if installed incorrectly.

“Installation of fire doorsets needs to be considered hand-in-hand with the product itself, as a complete system.

This is why we have also tested our doorset with a range of lineal gap sealing systems to provide this assurance of the ‘system’ working.

“Installation must also be carried out in accordance with certification and the manufacturer’s guidance, using approved material and methods.

This must be supported by regular maintenance to ensure that the product will perform in an emergency. If it isn’t installed correctly, certification is invalid, and the required level of safety and protection may not be provided to the building’s occupants.”

Regular, open communication with residents is also key. Every doorset that Door-Stop supplies is shipped with detailed installation instructions and a resident guide. The guide includes an easy-to-follow checklist that will help residents avoid the common pitfalls that prevent fire doors performing in the event of an emergency, as well as the methods to report concerns, find out further information and fully trace their fire doorset back to its original certification and specification.

sales@door-stop.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

DOORS & WINDOWS

PROFAB ACCESS PROVES ITS WORTH AT ONE BISHOPSGATE PLAZA Situated in the centre of the City of London, One Bishopsgate Plaza is one of the first high-rise residential and hospitality developments to be built in the capital for a number of years.

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nce construction has been completed, the flagship 43-storey tower will house London’s first luxury five-star Pan Pacific Hotel, which will comprise 237 rooms, an indoor swimming pool and a 370-capacity Pacific Ballroom, Square Mile’s first dedicated ballroom.

From levels 21 to 41, the development will house 160 luxury one-, two- and three-bed residential apartments, or ‘Sky Residences’, which will boast panoramic views of some of London’s most iconic landmarks.

As part of the construction process, over 200 steel riser doors from Profab Access in a range of door leaf configurations and sizes from its 4000 Series, combined with over 300 bespoke ceiling panels from its 7000 Series, are currently being installed throughout the entire tower by BDL Dry Lining.

www.profabaccess.com FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

01827 718222 38

Specified due to their impressive seamless integration into masonry walls, shaft walls and drywall partitions, the riser doors provide discreet and secure access that won’t impact on the overall interior design scheme of the development, a main consideration for the public and private areas of the hotel.

The 4000 Series’ third-party CERTIFIRE bi-directional certification from Warrington Fire was also a leading factor for specification, as the riser doors are fire tested from both sides to two hours, providing the highest standard of evidence for fire safety performance.

All of the doors were supplied with comprehensive CERTIFIRE accreditation documentation as evidence of Profab Access’ up-to-date fire testing, providing both the specifiers and contractors responsible for the development with absolute confidence in the performance of the critical fire integrity products.

The 4000 Series is the only riser door in the UK to be independently bidirectionally fire tested and certified by an accredited third-party, to ensure legal compliance.

A combination of one- and two-hour fire-rated riser doors were chosen to be installed throughout all residential and communal areas of the building to not only achieve compliance with current regulations by eliminating the spread of fire throughout the building for the specified durations, but sufficiently futureproof the building for years to come.

The bespoke Profab Access 7000 Series Ceiling Access Panels have also been specified for installation throughout the hotel bedrooms and communal areas to provide concealed and maintenance-free access to the ceiling shafts.

Due to the significant size of the ceiling access panels, which span up to 1100 x 1800mm, Profab Access developed a bespoke additional safety system that featured a one-side lift-out and oneside swing/push latch mechanism. The innovative design assisted BDL Dry Lining’s team of engineers in stopping the heavy doors swinging from the ceiling, while also enabling the panel design to work within a reduced space.

BDL Dry Lining is one of the largest specialist dry lining contractors in the UK and has been an installer of Profab Access riser doors and access panels on highprofile commercial and residential projects for a number of years.

Tony Grayson, Project Manager at BDL Dry Lining, said: “This is a standout development to be involved with and we knew from the very beginning that Profab Access would be our go-to supplier for this project.”

sales@profabaccess.com

Counter-balanced for easy operation

Highly insulated hatch (U value of 0.60 W/m K)

High strength wooden ladder (load rating of 180 kg/tread)

6-point latching system for an airtight seal (class 4)

Learn more about the Designo loft ladder...

www.premierloftladders.co.uk/designo 0345 9000 195 | sales@premierloftladders.co.uk

we make ideas come to life

WEMBLEY PINK COACH AND CAR PARK

INSPIRING FACADE CLADDING A FACADE WITH AN EYE-CATCHING CHEERING CROWD MOTIF MADE FROM PERFORATED SHEETS Wembley Pink MSCP is part of an extensive regeneration project that will also include new housing, shops, venues etc. The multi-storey car park has been built to serve the needs of the national stadium and can provide parking for 290 coaches and 730 cars. It will also house 18 outdoor broadcast units for large international events.

RMIG provided a colossal 4665m2 of perforated metal to create the facade that encases the car park.

If you are interested in booking a CPD presentation or require further information, please contact wgw@rmig.com

RMIG Ltd | 1-7 Adlington Court | Risley Road | Birchwood Warrington | WA3 6PL Cheshire | Tel: + 44 1925 839610 | cityemotion@rmig.uk | www.city-emotion.com

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FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION

NORDIC BRASS SPIRALS Nordic Brass copper alloy cladding, sunscreens and ceilings help to define a new museum designed by architect firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) in the Swiss Jura mountain region.

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he Musée Atelier for Audemars Piguet houses the watchmaker’s collection of timepieces.

Located in the Vallée de Joux, home to the company since 1875, the new building is linked to the original workshop and slotted discretely into the hillside landscape with a grass roof.

The plan form is conceived as a pair of parallel spirals, referencing mainsprings – the beating heart of the complicated mechanical watches that the company is famed for. The spirals are formed of structural glazing, highly-insulated from the outside and creating column-free space to allow visitors extensive views of the landscape and interior. The watch reference also extends to the restrained materiality of the building, as many watch parts are made from brass.

FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

Nordic Brass crown Externally, a band of Nordic Brass cladding crowns the curved glass facades. Then, a transparent brisesoleil screen extends down over the tops of glazing and clerestory windows, protecting them from the sun. The sunscreen comprises interlaced Nordic Brass ribbons, adding depth and varying transparency from different viewing angles. It was carefully adapted to the changing curvature of the plan, as well as differing height requirements for solar protection around the building.

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The sunscreen comprises interlaced Nordic Brass ribbons, adding depth and varying transparency from different viewing angles

ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION

Internally, perforated panels of Nordic Brass-clad ceilings track the gently sloping terrazzo flooring with brass joints. The ceiling also acts as a cooling medium with the Nordic Brass providing efficient thermal conductivity.

Safety and sustainability Copper and its alloys enjoy unique characteristics, particularly in terms of safety, sustainability and long-term performance. With an ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1, copper is inherently fire-safe and suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions. It is also, therefore, rated ‘Class 0’ surface spread of flame, making it suitable for wall and ceiling surfaces. Particularly important today, copper is non-toxic, and its inherent antimicrobial qualities make it ideal for touch surfaces.

The Nordic Copper range of architectural copper products is available from Aurubis, part of the world’s leading integrated copper group and largest copper recycler. It includes Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper offering lighter (Nordic Brown Light) or darker shades of brown determined by the thickness of the oxide layer.

Extensive range The extensive Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise ranges have been developed with properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world. As well as the solid patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available for each with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material.

Copper alloys include Nordic Bronze and Nordic Brass, which can also be supplied pre-weathered. The innovative Nordic Royal is an alloy of copper with aluminium and zinc, retaining its golden colour. A wide choice of Nordic Decor mechanically applied surface treatments is also available.

www.nordiccopper.com

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g.bell@aurubis.com FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

BUILDING ELEMENTS

TYMAN PLC ANNOUNCES £2.3M PAYBACK TO UK GOVERNMENT TYMAN PLC

Tyman plc, the parent company of Access 360, has announced that it intends to pay back £2.3m received in 2020 under the UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme.

The payment will be made in full before year-end. Darren Waters, Divisional CEO for Tyman UK and Ireland, explains the rationale behind this decision: “During the second half, our businesses have benefited from the strong recovery in the residential and commercial markets, and we are in the fortunate position where we are able to return this money. The Job Retention Scheme served its purpose in supporting us to preserve jobs through the uncertainty. Other sectors, including hospitality, leisure and retail, have been hit hard and need further Government support to get through this crisis.

For Tyman, paying back the money is the right thing to do.” Access 360 is a division of Tyman plc, comprising Bilco UK, Profab Access and Howe Green. It provides a total manufacturing solution for roof, ceiling, wall and floor access products to the construction industry.

www.access-360.co.uk

ROCKWOOL SUPPORTS CONTRACTORS IN MANAGING FLAT ROOFS FIRE RISK ROCKWOOL

With roofs maintaining their prominent role in contemporary building design, ROCKWOOL has released a new whitepaper exploring how roofing contractors and specifiers can manage fire risk when planning and installing flat roofs. The ‘Flat Roofs: Managing fire risk in the fifth facade’ report addresses misconceptions around testing protocols and material fire classification ratings, plus examines the rise in roof fires and the resulting social and economic impact.

The whitepaper, which is available to download via the website, outlines specification best practice for flat roof insulation and how to future-proof the building envelope in line with expected changes to Building Regulations. Will Wigfield, Product Manager at ROCKWOOL, commented: “This report explores the risks of exposed flat roofs, delves into the effects of prominent fires and then advises roofing contractors and specifiers on selecting materials that will help protect lives and the remaining building structure in case of fire.”

01922 490000 info@erahomesecurity.com

www.rockwool.co.uk/fifthfacade 01656 862621 customersupportcentre@rockwool.co.uk

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KALWALL SHEDS LIGHT ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT A £4m extension to the globally-recognised Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) at the University of Strathclyde has used Kalwall to solve an interesting problem. The centre houses Europe’s largest forge – to be precise an 8.5m-high, 300-tonne hydraulic press forge – along with the associated isothermal, cooling, furnace and manipulator plant.

STRUCTURA

www.structura-uk.com/kalwall FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

01233 501504 42

alwall was used on the original structure. The addition of the new extension has seen a Kalwall clerestory surround added to bathe the interior with diffused daylight. A clever system of removable 6 x 5m Kalwall rooflights has been installed allowing for the craning out of the plant machinery to service and maintain when needed. The rooflights not only allow for this vital function but, similar to the clerestory, cast daylight deep into the building below.

For projects like this, the use of Kalwall means that natural diffused daylight is transmitted deep into the interior space.

This means there is an even balance of light throughout with no hotspots, glare or shadows, therefore, removing the need for any blinds or shutters. Its properties also mean there are fewer issues around solar gain, as the unique composition reduces inward radiation and conduction five times more effectively than glazing. At the same time, Kalwall provides line-of-sight protection and additional thermal insulation, thereby further reducing the reliance on HVAC systems and artificial lighting.

The durability and low maintenance of Kalwall is also a factor in installations such as these. Tested to ASTM E661, Kalwall rooflights can be walked upon, and every panel exceeds the safety requirements of OSHA 1910.23 without the additional need for external screens or fixed standard railings.

mail@structura.co.uk

BUILDING ELEMENTS

PAVING FOR CHANGE With COVID-19, outdoor space has taken on a new importance, recognised

by Government initiatives for the public realm. But with the future uncertain, a fresh approach is needed to all the spaces between buildings, providing multifunctionality and the ability to meet changing requirements, as well as ‘places for people’ – as the trade association Interpave explains.

INTERPAVE

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ombining established techniques and new innovations, modular concrete paving systems are ideally placed to meet these challenges, whether on new or retrofitted schemes – demonstrated in various case studies available via www. paving.org.uk. Adopting the principles of ‘modern methods of construction’, factoryproduced modular concrete paving delivers fast, low-cost installation, with limited intervention for retrofits. Importantly in these uncertain times, layouts can easily be altered and modular concrete paving taken up and re-used to meet changing demands.

Modular paving These principles generally apply to all precast concrete block, flag and kerb products. They are fully engineered and manufactured under sustainable, controlled conditions – consistently providing accurate sizes, colours and textures, as well as slip/ skid resistance and other performance characteristics. The distinct, modular units and design variations in colour, texture and shape can break up areas giving visual interest and a human scale not possible with monotonous, formless materials.

So, modular concrete paving delivers a unique combination of predictability, safety and accessibility for all, with scope for endless variety in shape, scale, colour and

texture to enrich the urban environment.

It offers urban designers the freedom to create real ‘places for people’ that are both multifunctional and adaptable to change.

Sustainable drainage Also, concrete block permeable paving is uniquely placed as an essential, multifunctional sustainable drainage (SuDS) technique. In addition to paving, it provides an inherent drainage system that requires no additional land take for water storage, treatment or conveyance. This technology eliminates pipework, gulleys and manholes, and generally costs less than conventional drainage and paving.

But equally important to flooding is the long- and short-term damage caused by pollutants in surface water runoff to the biodiversity and health of our rivers and streams. Permeable paving can provide a completely level, well-drained, firm and slip-resistance surface accessible to all, without the need for cross-falls, channels, gulleys or other interruptions. Rainwater ‘ponding’ is eliminated, reducing the risk of ice forming on the surface and preventing splashing from standing water.

And, it also allows water to reach tree and shrub roots, despite providing a hard surface above. In fact, the Code of Practice for accessibility in the external environment,

www.paving.org.uk

0116 232 5170 43

Modular concrete paving offers designers the potential to create safe, attractive and comfortable urban spaces for the postpandemic environment BS 8300-1:2018, calls for permeable paving instead of tree grilles. And it can also help reduce urban heat island effects, with the evaporation of rainwater within the paving.

This is in addition to the high albedo – or heat reflectance – offered by modular concrete paving.

Retrofit permeable paving Bringing these issues together, an awardwinning, exemplary SuDS scheme near Australia Road, London, demonstrates the multifunctional benefits of retrofitting permeable paving in place of conventional surfaces. Its design, by Robert Bray Associates, introduces the concept of concrete block permeable paving as a thin overlay to existing streets, removing rainwater straight from the surface without gulleys and providing some water attenuation and treatment before discharging to adjacent, well-planted SuDS basins. This innovative concept opens up wider possibilities for all hard surfaces.

Modular concrete paving offers designers the potential to create safe, attractive and comfortable urban spaces for the post-pandemic environment, with maximum flexibility to meet future challenges and minimal interventions with retrofit, whilst reducing flooding, pollution and urban heating.

info@paving.org.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

BUILDING ELEMENTS

Timber Our timber comes from sustainable forests (FSC and PEFC). These forests are meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. This is a process that is ensured by practising an environmentallyaware land stewardship ethic. Our use of timber reduces the embodied carbon for any project and acts as a carbon store.

Renewable energy We can incorporate solar power into our builds as a clean renewable source of energy.

Insulation

TG ESCAPES’ ECO-BUILDINGS TO INSPIRE TG Escapes’ unique eco-buildings combine innovative design with the natural beauty of wood and glass. The brand uses traditional materials with sophisticated technology to create a standalone space with a difference. Our personal and complete service allows us to create the perfect building to suit clients’ individual needs, and we can adapt our design to fit most locations, says TG Escapes’ Mark Brown.

TG ESCAPES

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his means that we can reduce the build’s impact on your local area by:

Materials The materials we use in construction are integral to our eco-friendly credentials. We build with timber frame, and sectional wooden insulated panels constructed offsite.

Foundations Our foundations have been designed to reduce impact on the environment by using a minimal amount of concrete in our unique pad-based system or, when more appropriate, screw pile.

Roofs A sedum roof is not only aesthetically-pleasing all year round, but also provides a habitat for a rich variety of wildlife. A sedum roof significantly reduces rainwater runoff whilst lowering energy consumption.

The glass wool insulation used in our buildings is manufactured from a combination of silica sand and up to 80% recycled post-consumer glass that would otherwise be heading to landfill. This makes it one of the most environmentallysustainable insulation products on the market today.

Sun pipes Sun pipes capture daylight from the rooftop, through highly reflective tubing, and take it to where it’s needed. The pipes offer brilliant natural light as an alternative to artificial lighting, helping to reduce energy consumption.

Our buildings achieve A+ energy ratings with an air test of five or less and the use of: Ultra-efficient LED lighting calculated for each space to specific levels avoiding overlit areas using photocell detection and timeclock Ventilation using a mixture of natural ventilation, ultra-energy-efficient ventilation systems and low-carbon fans with integrated controls that monitor both temperature and CO2 for optimum thermal comfort. It operates in three modes depending on the season.

AA-rated Mitsubishi air source heat pumps Low-carbon usage extract fans in toilets and kitchenettes Water heating with an air source heat pump-combined tank to reduce carbon emissions. Water controls can be installed on all urinal cisterns and presence sensor taps keeping the overall water usage to a minimum.

With the addition of suitable PV solar panels, our buildings can be classified as ‘carbon-neutral’.

Our buildings are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, ergonomic and highly practical, but just as importantly, they are built to last. We expect our buildings to last 60 years or more with appropriate maintenance.

www.tgescapes.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

0800 917 7726 44

info@tgescapes.co.uk

BUILDING ELEMENTS

DOMUS VENTILATION WELCOMES NEW SALES AND MARKETING PERSONNEL DOMUS VENTILATION

Domus Ventilation, part of the Polypipe group, has appointed two new members to the ever-growing team. Russell Beardsworth as Specification Sales Manager for the Midlands/ North England and Megan Bennett as Senior Marketing Executive. Russell brings with him over 12 years’ experience in the construction sector, with the last five years being directly in ventilation. Megan Bennett may be new to the ventilation industry, but her marketing skills are tried and tested. Megan has spent the last 11 years in various marketing roles with Invacare, a leading manufacturer specialising in helping people with reduced function, mobility and disability, culminating in the post of EMEA Marketing Communications Specialist.

DRAKA CONNECTIVITY RANGE LAUNCHED IN ENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY PACKAGING DRAKA

Draka, a brand of Prysmian Group – a world leader in power and telecommunications cables and systems – is pleased to launch a new, improved connectivity range of products for use with its copper Draka Universal Cabling System. The new connectivity products are supplied in plastic-free, environmentallyfriendly packaging. The new Draka Cat5e and Cat6 unshielded copper connectivity range has been completely revised and updated for increased quality and performance, whilst also maintaining its competitive edge in the market. Designed with the installer in mind, the connectivity products come with several new features for quick and simple installation.

mms.drakauk.com 0238 029 5555 draka.mms@prysmiangroup.com

www.domusventilation.co.uk

vent.info@domusventilation.co.uk

CUSTOM COLOUR MIXING WITH OSMO OSMO

Country Colour just got even more exciting. Along with the 19 standard colours Osmo offers, the exterior wood finish is now available in over 2000 custom colours, which are made to order from your local Osmo dealer. No matter what finish you want to give your life – Osmo has the right colours. The best part is you get to choose: soft, warm or bold. The company’s do-it-yourself mixtures make it all really easy to create new colours. Country Colour will bring out the best in wood surfaces in the home and garden. Also, from January 2021, any custom colour ordered from the RAL classic and NCS colour charts can be delivered in only three to five business days.

www.osmouk.com

01296 481220

METHVEN LAUNCHES NEW SUSTAINABILITY CPD

sales@osmouk.com

F. BALL ACHIEVES FIRST-CLASS RESULT AT PLYMOUTH COLLEGE OF ART

METHVEN

Methven has released a RIBAaccredited CPD seminar that provides architects and designers with a comprehensive insight into environmentally-efficient, yet visually effective, bathroom design. The digital sessions, ‘Water Saving and Sustainability without compromising performance in the Bathroom Environment’, will provide professionals with exclusive guidance on how to achieve considered specification, to help minimise pressure on the UK’s water supply. With each individual across the nation using on average 150 litres of water per day, the requirement for water-efficient showers and taps across both residential and commercial developments is crucial to protecting this vital resource. Exploring how statutory regulations and assessment methods are driving change throughout the industry, the CPD sessions are delivered by Methven’s experienced team of specification managers at a date and time to suit each architectural and design practice. This includes insight into the updated standard for Part G, specifically G2, with Methven’s experts sharing insight into the features of the water efficiency calculator for new dwellings, and the associated products and technologies that should be specified to achieve compliance.

www.methven.com/uk

03443 715523

F. BALL AND CO

Highperformance floor preparation products and adhesives from F. Ball and Co. have been used to transform Tavistock Place, the main undergraduate building at Plymouth College of Art, into an inspiring learning space. The refurbishment took place during the summer break, meaning a quick turnaround to upgrade the campus gateway for staff and students was required before the new academic year commenced. Specialist F. Ball products enabled contractors to install safety vinyl sheet and carpet tiles, using Styccobond F49 pressure-sensitive adhesive and Styccobond F41 tackifier, respectively, in the independent art school’s reception, gallery, cafe bar, offices and conference rooms. Once adhesive residues were removed by mechanical means and the subfloor primed, the issues were resolved using Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound to patch fill holes up to 18mm depth. The product was also combined with Stopgap Aggregate to fill deeper spaces created by the removal of internal walls. Finally, a topcoat of the levelling compound applied throughout the entire ground floor produced a perfectly smooth base for the subsequent application of other subfloor preparation products.

0800 195 1602 specifier@uk.methven.com

www.f-ball.co.uk

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01538 361633 mail@f-ball.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

BUILDING ELEMENTS

SCHÖCK COMBAR IMPROVES SONAR TEST TANK PERFORMANCE Schöck Combar glass fibre reinforcement is fast becoming the preferred choice over traditional steel rebar for a variety of new projects in unusual and demanding environments.

SCHÖCK

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ombar (composite rebar) is a ribbed reinforcing bar made of corrosionresistant glass fibres that are bound by a vinyl ester resin.

The high-quality components and the unique manufacturing process result in an outstanding material. One of the latest

applications is for a sonar test tank facility for assessing detection apparatus performance. There were two main considerations in the selection process. Primarily, Combar was chosen for its non-magnetic properties, as the product offers no risk of any electromagnetic interference with the test results. Hydroacoustic devices are measured over a range of frequencies and tests are highly diverse, ranging from the acoustic characteristics of a transducer, to the reflective characteristics of acoustic materials.

So electromagnetic sensitivity is a critical issue, and normal steel rebar would interfere with the results due to its magnetic properties – and even stainless steel would also compromise the test results. The secondary issue involved the ability to overcome loading issues within the structure itself. The tensile strength of Schöck Combar is far better than that of reinforcing steel, and there is also the ability to design the product to different shaped bar types. The ‘Z’ bar within the wall structure on this project is a very unusual bar shape and also radiused.

A special two-part manufacturing process It is the two-part manufacturing process that enables the ribbed GRP bars to meet the reinforcement requirements.

First, in the pultrusion process, densely bundled high-strength glass fibres are pulled through a closed chamber and impregnated with a synthetic resin. The parallel alignment of the fibres results in optimum strength of the material. The ribs are then cut into hardened bars and given a final coating. As the vinyl ester resin is diffusion tight and every glass fibre is embedded in resin, the result is durability of up to 100 years in concrete.

Exceptional versatility Schöck Combar application examples include taking advantage of its easy machinability in tunnel construction, whereby boring machines used in shaft walls of tunnels cannot drill through steel-reinforced walls. With Combar, the machine can cut directly through the head wall. In high-voltage transformers and power plant reactors, inductive currents are generated within the reinforcing steel. The heat will affect the rebar strength if too close to the coils, but Combar remains unaffected. And its corrosion resistance – even from salt – is unrivalled when building bridge, marine and harbour constructions.

www.schoeck.co.uk FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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design@schoeck.co.uk

BUILDING ELEMENTS

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STRUCTURA BRINGS SHAKESPEARE’S FIRST THEATRE BACK TO LIFE Structura UK, the fabricator and installer of glass curtain walling and specialist refinishing expert, has completed an intriguing project at ‘The Box’ on New Inn Broadway, London and it’s a project full of firsts.

STRUCTURA

www.structura-uk.com/kalwall

he location is the site of ‘The Theatre’, Shakespeare’s first polygonal purpose-built theatre and precursor to The Globe. It is also the first site where Structura has combined curtain walling with Accoya wood panels.

Combining five floors of exhibition space and offices, the whole front facade has been supplied and installed by Structura.

An open-plan ground floor and basement feature an exhibition run in conjunction with the Museum of London, with artefacts celebrating its place in history as the site of the original Shakespeare theatre.

Architect firm Gallus Studio has also drawn on many Elizabethan references for this project from Juliet balconies to specifying the timber grid framings.

In order to fully test the innovative use of timber and glass, Structura had to build a rig for CWCT air, wind and impact tests. A series of experiments were then conducted using wind generated from an old Spitfire engine and wrecking ball impact.

Supplying everything from entrance doors, sliding doors and the entire facade, Structura worked closely throughout with main contractor 8Build.

This is a stunning example of how architects, contractors and suppliers can come together to help realise a client’s dreams, helping to embrace the future while celebrating the past.

01233 501504

mail@structura.co.uk

EJOT UK HIGHLY COMMENDED IN 2020 INCA AWARDS EJOT UK

Construction fastening systems specialist EJOT UK has been highly commended at the prestigious INCA Awards, the renowned annual awards programme for the external wall insulation sector organised by the Insulated Render and Cladding Association (INCA). Nominated in the ‘Component Supplier of the Year’ category by the INCA Secretariat and judged by system designer members, the commendation recognises the technical excellence, innovation and availability of EJOT’s range of fastening solutions for ETICS (external thermal insulation composite systems) – also known as EWI (external wall insulation). These innovative engineered components are used in an estimated 60 to 70% of the EWI systems installed in the UK which play a significant role in enhancing the energy efficiency, internal comfort and visual appeal of residential properties. This latest accolade for EJOT UK comes two years after it picked up the ‘Innovation Award’ for its Iso-family of engineered products designed for attaching external elements to EWI installations, which judges noted for their versatility, as well as for the thermal improvements they offer.

www.ejot.co.uk

KEYLITE ROOF WINDOWS TAKES MARGATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO NEW HEIGHTS KEYLITE ROOF WINDOWS

Over 60 Keylite roof windows have been installed to new homes and flats in the Brooke Close housing development in Margate, offering clean and modern aesthetics as well as peace of mind for the building contractor, PCR Projects. Designed by architectural firm Urban Surveying and Design and built by well-respected local contractor PCR Projects, the development required 60 Keylite polar white PVC centre pivot, thermal glazing roof windows to be installed in each of the houses, and two Keylite white-painted centre pivot, thermal glazing roof windows, with smoke ventilation kits in each of the block of flats. Scott Ridgen, Managing Director at Urban Surveying and Design, said: “We are very much a designled practice and so the aesthetics of Keylite roof windows really appealed to us, especially knowing how they would sit on the roof lines and create a point of differentiation for this particular project.

The fact that the windows offered great quality at a reasonable price-point was also a great incentive for us.”

01977 687040 info@ejot.co.uk

www.keyliteroofwindows.com

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01283 200158 info@keyliteuk.com FC&A – JANUARY – 2021

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