27 minute read
TECHNICAL INSIGHT Timber
from FC&A May 2020
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AND GREEN LIVING IN NORWAY
Verksbyen, a new green neighbourhood in Fredrikstad, Norway, showcases the future of sustainable living. As part of the project, construction company Arca Nova Bolig is building five, five-storey apartment buildings situated in Capjon Park area in Verskbyen. The buildings are being constructed using Metsä Wood’s Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber) products – making the construction fast, light and green.
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METSÄ WOOD
Verksbyen will become home for 5000 people within the next 10 years. It aims to be Norway’s most innovative housing project. In the long-term, the developer, Arca Nova Bolig, has ambitious plans to change the housing market much in the same way as Tesla has changed the car industry. It is a bold claim, but it strongly believes in growing demand for sustainable building, which is the backbone of the Arca Nova’s Future Living concept.
CEO of Arca Nova Bolig (part of the Arca Nova Group), Ruben D. Hansen, said: “We have managed to reduce CO2 emissions in a variety of ways. The houses are built with timber elements according to the Passive House standard. Electricity is produced with solar energy and heating with solar thermal energy. Smart house technology with voice control adds an extra touch to all of this. As a result, the inhabitants will not only live sustainably but enjoy reduced living costs too.
Fast, light and green construction
Metsä Wood has worked in close partnership with Arca Nova Bolig to assist with its technical solution for the wooden apartment buildings. The cooperation has been vital to the success in creating a new design system for the Norwegian housing market.
Using prefabricated elements has proved to be an extremely quick and efficient way to build for contractor Arca Nova Entreprenør. The buildings are rising at the pace of one floor a week, which has allowed the company to complete an entire building in just five weeks.
The first of the five multi-storey buildings have already been completed, with the remaining scheduled for completion by the end of 2020.
It is easy to understand why Arca Nova Bolig and Metsä Wood make such great partners. Hansen highlights the lightness and load-bearing capacity of the Kerto LVL products. Building with sustainably-sourced wood is also an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way to build now and in the future.
“Constructing with prefabricated elements using Kerto LVL products enables us to reduce both building time and CO2 emissions quite substantially compared to the traditional way of building with steel and concrete. Also, the dimensional accuracy of Kerto LVL is a benefit, as the materials do not shrink during construction,” says Hansen.
The wall elements for the first building were produced by Punkaharjun Puutaito in Finland, and the floor elements have been produced by a Finnish company, VVR Wood. For the next buildings, Arca Nova Entreprenør will carry out part of the element production at its own factory in Estonia.
Load-bearing structure
The roof and floor structures in the project are based on the Kerto-Ripa system – an enhanced design system for roof and floor elements, developed by Metsä Wood. Based on Kerto LVL S-beam and Kerto LVL Q-panel load-bearing components and structural gluing, it enables the elements very long spans, up to 20m, making it possible for structural designers to remove columns and increase design flexibility.
Kerto-Ripa-designed elements can be of both open and closed structure and insulated to match every unique buildings’ exact requirements.
In the first three floors of the Verksbyen project, the load-bearing structure consists of wall elements, which are made with 67mm-thick Kerto LVL Q-panels. In addition, Kerto LVL S-beams have been glued and screwed on the outside of the elements to stiffen and stabilise the construction. The S-beams are also used for installing an insulation layer. In the two top floors, there is a traditional timber frame construction reinforced with CLT plates to take up the loads.
“We have a stiff, yet elegant and slim structure, which transfers the heavy wind, snow and seismic loads to the foundation made of concrete,” said Hansen.
THE INTERMEDIATE FLOOR CONSISTS OF KERTO LVL RIPA FLOOR ELEMENTS. KERTO LVL Q-PANEL IS USED AS THE TOP PANEL AND THE S-BEAMS ACT AS RIBS AND A BOTTOM FLANGE. ALL THE ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE STIFFNESS OF THE FLOOR.
The intermediate floor consists of elements, which form a stiff plate to transfer the loads to the end walls and the walls in between the apartments. Each element consists of Kerto LVL Q-panels on the top and Kerto LVL S-beams as ribs and bottom flange. The unique structure allows floors of up to 9m in open span.
Strong connections
Various steel plates and parts, bolts, screws and glued-in rods are used together with the floor and wall elements to create a stiff, stable and massive construction.
The wall elements of these multi-storey buildings are connected with bolts to steel plates on the bottom, and the beams are assembled in between the elements with strong steel angles. The frame is connected to the floor elements with adjacent steel parts and massive bolts.
Highly fire-resistant materials
The multi-storey apartment buildings are built according to strict fire safety regulations, with a modern sprinkler system installed.
The exterior walls are constructed as R90 walls, and the intermediate floor elements are constructed as REI60 floors. Part of the fire concept is the massive use of Kerto LVL, which provides 60 minutes of fire resistance, which is combined with gypsum boards to provide fire protection layer in the floors.
Long-term cooperation
Arca Nova was keen to develop its own construction concept to build tall timber apartment buildings and was impressed with Metsä Wood’s Kerto-Ripa design system.
“They have supported our learning with their help and knowledge. It was great to visit Metsä Wood’s mill and see showcase buildings in Finland. Our cooperation has been vital for our success to create a new design system for the Norwegian housing market,” concludes Hansen.
THE FRAME CONSISTING OF WALL ELEMENTS IS CONNECTED TO THE FLOOR ELEMENTS WITH ADJACENT STEEL PARTS AND MASSIVE BOLTS
THE KERTO LVL RIPA ELEMENTS ARE JOINED TOGETHER WITH STEEL PLATES TO FORM A STIFF DIAPHRAGM
CRITTALL JOBS SHOWCASE MANCHESTER’S 1930S HERITAGE
Two prestigious refurbishment contracts in Manchester illustrate the appeal of Crittall Steel windows across different sectors.
CRITTALL WINDOWS
Appleby Lodge is a residential estate and the Redfern Building an office block in a sought-after city centre location currently undergoing redevelopment. Both date from the 1930s and both are Grade II Listed.
At Appleby Lodge, the threestorey blocks of 100 flats are arranged in a U-shape around a central garden. Designed in the Streamline Moderne style, they feature cantilevered balconies and curved cornices.
The estate, designed by Peter Cummings and Gunton & Gunton, featured Crittall steel windows when built between 1936 and 1939 and these have been replicated in the refurbishment by the installation of Homelight Plus, the archetypal Crittall window design. The replacement windows offer new frame sightlines that replicate the original single metal frame windows. These new windows are re-engineered to higher energysaving accreditations, offering advanced performance and enhanced security with optional multi-point locking
systems. Corporate W20 windows were also installed as staircase screens in the communal areas as part of the restoration and upgrade.
Meanwhile, the Redfern Building dates from 1936 when it was built for the Co-operative Wholesale Society. Contractor Russells has upgraded the 60,000ft 2 , six-storey, brick-clad building, which was originally designed by WA Johnson and JW Cropper and described as being in the Dutch brick modernism style.
Crittall W20 windows were specified to replace the original steel fenestration, the new windows boasting frames even more slender than what had been installed originally, thereby allowing more daylight to enter the offices and new retail units.
ASSA ABLOY DOOR GROUP MASTERS THE ART OF SECURITY
Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, has supplied the National Gallery of Ireland with security, ballistic and fire rated doorsets, for the refurbishment of a 150-year-old listed building.
ASSA ABLOY DOOR GROUP
The National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin has had extensive refurbishment and modernisation of its historic wings on Merrion Square. The building also required an updated fire safety plan, from which followed the need to install new security and fire rated doorsets, complete with locking systems.
The extensive refurbishment came in at close to €30m, in order to restore the building to its former glory and meet today’s high fire safety and security standards.
For this prestigious project, the doorsets were specified by Henegan Peng Architects, and then ASSA ABLOY Door Group worked closely with Modubuild, a specialist trade contractor, alongside main contractor John Paul Construction to fulfil the specification.
Approximately 30 steel doorsets, including a mixture of LPS 1175 security rating and fire rated glass doorsets, were delivered to the Dargan and Milltown Wings in Merrion Square in order to maintain maximum security as well as adhere to the strictest fire safety regulations.
Logistically, the delivery of the doorsets presented some challenges as the National Gallery of Ireland is in Dublin’s busy city centre. Similarly, solutions had to be carefully chosen to meet the unique demands of the listed building. However, these needs were taken into consideration at an early stage to ensure the project ran smoothly.
MAGPLY BOARDS OFFER SAFE SUPPORT FOR SLATE HANGING ON SOUTH COAST TOWNHOUSES MAGPLY
A development of five townhouses in East Sussex features the traditional finish of slate hanging, fixed across Magply boards with horizontal battens, providing a substrate offering excellent weathering and fire resistance, as well as a secure fix. Oval Carpentry is installing the 9mm Magply boards across timber studwork, infilling a steel frame, ready for the battens and an underlay. Pivotal to the specification was the need to create a wall zone which can resist the passage of fire from outside the structure. This is a role to which Magply is ideally suited: frequently being specified for flat developments and buildings in very close proximity to neighbouring properties. Despite offering good adhesion for render systems where required, Magply boards are very moisture stable thanks to their modified MgO formulation that also represents an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional plywood or OSB sheets. The production process keeps the chlorine content to just 0.01%, enhancing long-term durability.
www.magply.co.uk john@magply.co.uk 01621 776252
UV-PROTECTION OIL EXTRA
Perfectly protected against the sun. The first clear UV protection for the outdoors!
• UV resistant factor 12 in comparison to untreated wood • For vertically structured exterior surfaces • Very water and dirt resistant • Reduces wood swelling and shrinkage • Resists the growth of algae, mildew and fungal attack • Microporous, breathable finish – doesn’t crack, peel, flake or blister • No sanding necessary for future applications
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DESIGNER CONTRACTS AT THE READY DESIGNER CONTRACTS
Designer Contracts is preparing for a staged return to work. The company is bringing some staff out of furlough, resuming vital fitting services, pushing ahead with plans to move into a new and much bigger head office facility and opening a third unit in Scotland. The company is working with national and regional house-builders as they reopen sites around the country, accelerating its activities and replenishing stocks at its central distribution warehouse to meet the slow but steady resumption in demand. Following risk assessments, fitters will install flooring in unoccupied properties, where it is safe to do so, complying with SOP V3 and ensuring every member of the team and every fitter has a copy.
www.designercontracts.com
SUNRAY TIMBER DOOR DIVISION LAUNCHES FIRE-SECURE SUNRAY
FIRE-SECURE is a brand-new ground-breaking combined timber fire and security rated door revolutionising door safety and standards. FIRE-SECURE is a timber door which offers two unique benefits; timed protection from fire and timed protection from physical attack. Having invested a six-figure sum in the development of this range, Sunray has achieved the ability to provide a 30-minute fire rating on either face of the door – interior or exterior – as well as it having the accredited LPCB SR – Security levels 1 and 2 – certification. The timber door provides aesthetics with a range of colour or veneer finishes, vision panels and locking options.
ISO CHEMIE’S ISO-BLOCO ONE SEALANT TAPE GAINS BBA APPROVAL ISO CHEMIE
Foam sealants specialist ISO Chemie’s ISOBLOCO ONE self-adhesive weathertight tape for window frames has gained British Board of Agrément (BBA) product approval certification. The news confirms that the tape, which offers rapid sealing of windows from inside the building during the construction phase, is able to resist the passage of wind-driven rain, snow, run-off water and dust into the interior of a property. It also confirms the product’s 10- year service life. ISO-BLOCO ONE provides a longer-lasting seal for window and door joints up to 30mm wide and installation compliance to BS8213-4:2016.
NORDIC COPPER INSIDE AND OUT
Nordic Copper from Aurubis offers an extensive range of natural surfaces and alloys to clad a wide variety of building types from concert halls to social housing. Now, the launch of Nordic Décor adds an extra dimension to the diversity of Nordic Copper, particularly for interior design, says Graeme Bell, Sales & Marketing Manager at Aurubis.
AURUBIS
There is more to architectural copper than meets the eye, particularly in terms of recyclability, sustainability and long-term performance with an unrivalled lifespan and no maintenance. And, with a melting point of 1083˚C and ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1, copper is suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions.
Unique qualities
Copper’s unique visual qualities are defined by its natural patina, developing gradually in the environment – which cannot be replicated successfully using other materials with surface coatings – but the Nordic Copper range provides all these surfaces straightaway. The processes involved are generally similar to those taking place over time in the environment, utilising copper mineral compounds, not alien chemical processes. All these surfaces form an integral part of the copper, generally continuing to change over time in the environment, and are not lifeless coatings or paint.
The range includes Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper offering lighter or darker shades of brown determined by the thickness of the oxide layer. 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. And the innovative Nordic Royal is an alloy of copper with aluminium and zinc, retaining its golden colour.
Copper interiors
Copper is also the metal of choice for interior design, being non-toxic and with inherent antimicrobial qualities making it ideal for touch surfaces. Nordic Décor takes interior design opportunities with copper to a new level, with eight embossings for rich surface textures and seven grindings for distinctive matt surfaces – each with its own warm natural colour tone. Nordic Décor products are well-suited to a wide range of internal applications, such as wall and ceiling cladding – including elevators – highlight surfaces, bars and counters, as well as external facades. The
material can be shaped, edged, milled, lasered, cut and bent.
Nordic Décor Embossings are available in Nordic Brass Weathered or Nordic Royal alloys, Nordic Brown and Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper, and Nordic Green pre-patinated copper. They provide regular patterns of raised or recessed forms, some abraded to reveal highlights of the base material colour for additional design effects. Nordic Décor Grindings are available in Nordic Brass Weathered or Nordic Brown. They are abraded with linear, cross-hatched or curved-swirl hairlines to give distinctive matt surfaces.
MAXIMISING DAYLIGHT AND THERMAL INSULATION
The new £15m Activity Centre at St George’s College, Weybridge, is a beautifully designed sports hall which sits perfectly in the College’s Grade II Listed park. Here, architect firm Scott Brownrigg has sympathetically created a striking building complete with Kalwall translucent cladding to maximise diffused daylighting and thermal insulation.
STRUCTURA
Kalwall was specified for the clerestory daylighting and shaped to follow the lines of the curved roof. This allows for diffused daylight to be cast deep into the interior sports areas, thereby removing shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade. The even distribution of light makes it easier for players to distinguish markings on the floor as well as spotting balls and other equipment. Kalwall is also highly resistant to impact, making
www.structura-uk.com/kalwall
it excellent for use in this type of school gymnasium environment.
Another important aspect of the specification is that Kalwall is inherently highly insulating. For example, a 70mm-thick panel can offer values up to 0.28W/ m 2 K – equivalent to that of an insulated cavity wall. The unique ability to transmit large amounts of usable light with low levels of solar heat gain means less radiant energy is transmitted. With increased natural daylight, energy-consuming artificial lighting and airconditioning costs are dramatically reduced.
Kalwall is a popular choice for projects where performance, long lifecycle and low maintenance are required, coupled with an aesthetic finish. The lightweight system reduces the need for supporting structures while offering the highest protection in terms of wind-borne debris and resistance to impact, abrasion and point loads.
mail@structura.co.uk 01233 501504
WASH AND CARE
Suitable for wooden, varnished, stone, vinyl & tiled flooring!
• Highly effective cleaning of dirt and grime • Maintains protected surfaces without wear of treatment • Easy to use for regular usage • Moisturises the wood’s surface to maintain freshness • Suitable for domestic and commercial use
HUGE ARMADA SHELTERED FROM THE WEATHER BY BMI UK & IRELAND BMI UK & IRELAND
The roof of the Sainsbury’s store in Plymouth’s Armada shopping centre showcases the value that a thorough specification and 20-year guarantee from BMI UK & Ireland adds to any roofing project. The contract, to cut and seal the existing roof membrane and install a new torch on bituminous felt system on top, tendered by CBRE and valued at just over a quarter of a million pounds was won by Stormforce Roofing with a specification featuring BMI Icopal’s bitumen and hot-melt systems. The solution chosen was BMI Icopal FireSmart Profiles Solo. This consists of technically advanced low heat-reactive SBS-modified bitumen, making it faster than traditional membranes to apply. The single-layer overlay system is especially suitable for re-roofing because the reinforced bitumen membrane incorporates vapour release technology to prevent blistering. The profiled stripes on the underside of the membrane allow moisture vapour that may be trapped in the existing roofing system to escape – avoiding potential blisters.
INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE HELPS KEEP PEOPLE MOVING Social trends in sports are changing. Urban activities traditionally consigned to the urban landscape are now being embraced by the mainstream and incorporated into the interior sports environment. Sports such as parkour, street football and street basketball have been adopted by leisure companies to attract younger members and to keep people moving.
TROLDTEKT
This new encouragement in sports, movement and activity, has led to a new generation of buildings offering urban activities in a raw industrial environment and which require specialist architectural innovation. For example, Troldtekt wood-wool panelling is frequently used to combat the effects of noise and reverberation around these large spaces while offering visual aesthetic appeal.
This trend is examined in detail by Troldtekt in its latest theme on sports and movement, which can be found here https://bit.ly/2vR90l6. The theme includes expert articles and interviews with architects and sport science lecturers along with relevant case studies.
A good example is the 23,000m 2 Holbaek Sportsby in Denmark which encompasses a swimming pool, racquet sports, multi-purpose hall and mountain bike
trails together with a modern health centre. Here, Troldtekt acoustic panels offer robustness and strength and natural breathability from the wood. The panels. with their superior acoustic properties, dramatically reduce reverberation where physical activity takes place.
Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of 100% Troldtekt natural woodwool panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low-cost lifecycle performance and sustainability. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.
DISINFECT WITH DR. SCHUTZ DR. SCHUTZ
Public health environments require thorough hygiene practices to kill bacteria, fungus, algae and viruses. Suitable cleaning agents and disinfection strategies are recommended to help control or prevent the spread of these dangerous pathogens. Now more than ever, with the current global situation, people are recognising the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance in order to contain the spread of transmissible viruses. With germs able to live on floors, it’s essential that a disinfectant cleaner is used regularly, and leading floorcare specialist, Dr. Schutz, has the solution. Dr. Schutz Disinfectant Cleaner provides an easy and thorough method for protecting flooring against bacteria. The liquid concentrate meets rigorous public health requirements and shows viricidal activity against enveloped viruses as stipulated by the EN 14476: 2013 + A2 2019. As the Disinfectant Cleaner is solvent-free, the product, which is available in a 5l canister, can also be used on floors primed with polymer-dispersions to provide high-quality cleaning whilst maintaining the protective film.
INDEPENDENT ACOUSTIC VERIFICATION OF STYLE’S MOVEABLE WALL SOLUTIONS STYLE
Following the launch of the FIS Acoustic Verification Scheme, Style is proud to have 26 moveable wall products tested and approved, confirming its position as the UK market leader. The FIS Acoustic Verification Scheme was created to enable members to verify acoustic tests against an agreed criterion and a methodology to present these to market in a consistent and transparent manner. FIS teamed up with Cundall Acoustics to develop an acoustic test certificate verification scheme. The scheme takes test reports and assessments and runs a series of checks to verify the certificates are genuine. “At Style, we have always taken great pride in the acoustic integrity of our moveable wall solutions,” said Mike Fine, Style’s Director for the Midlands. “At long last, we now have independent evidence to support our acoustic ratings, with more products tested and verified than anyone else in the UK operable wall sector.”
WE HAVE NEVER OFFERED FELT...
WE HAVE NOW.
INTRODUCING SIKABIT ® RETHINKING FELT Previously, Sika didn’t do felt. But then we thought, if we did, it should be backed by the industry leading expertise you’d expect from Sika. So, we developed SikaBit® - the fully compliant, Safe2Torch reinforced bituminous membrane. Now what do you think about that?
MMC CHAMPION VISITS TIMBER FRAME FACILITY
At the end of 2019, Mark Farmer accepted a new role as the independent champion for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). His mission, to modernise housing delivery, has seen him become a major figure in the offsite sector.
THE STRUCTURAL TIMBER ASSOCIATION (STA)
As part of his drive to make the UK the global leader in housing standards, Mark Farmer was invited by the Structural Timber Association (STA) to come along to Pinewood Structures, a leading provider of timber frame homes, and take a guided tour of its manufacturing facility. Mark spent time observing the manufacturing process and learning about a new partnering approach.
In a recent interview, Mark Farmer expressed a need for an “injection of fresh thinking into the sector that reflects the latest advancements in technology and is also driven by a new paradigm shift in how we approach quality, building safety and decarbonisation of built assets.”
Later in the day, discussions focused around quality, safety, capacity and sustainability. The structural timber sector has the ability to upscale to help achieve the 300,000 homes per annum requirement. As a natural sustainable resource, decarbonisation of housing can be achieved through the use of offsite-manufactured timber systems and the delivery model can be improved by a forwardthinking, collaborative approach.
The meeting offered Andrew Carpenter and Mark Stevenson from the STA the opportunity to discuss in more detail, the association’s industry-leading STA Assure Membership and Quality Standards Scheme. Focusing on the levels of in-house quality procedures, management systems and product performance standards – the independently assessed STA Assure Scheme includes a bespoke Site Safe audit and a Timber Frame Competency Award Scheme, which ensures that quality and safety are an end-to-end process throughout the design, manufacture and installation process.
Tom Fairlie, Walker Timber; Mark Farmer, Andrew Carpenter, STA; Mark Stevenson, STA; Geoff Arnold, Pinewood Structures; David Fleming, Walker Timber
Andrew Carpenter said: “We would like to thank Mark Farmer for taking the time out to visit Pinewood Structures and his valuable input. Following the Hackitt Review, the direction of travel is shifting, and construction is moving towards factorybased systems and processes rather than products and components. PreManufactured Value (PMV) is going to play a vital role in the future. As it currently stands with traditional approaches, only 40% of the build process is carried out in well-managed factory environments. The use of a closed panel timber frame system can increase this to circa 55%, but a volumetrically pre-assembled approach using a timber-framed chassis can achieve 75-80%. So it is clear the Government’s ambition to make the housing sector more productive can be achieved through pre-manufactured building systems.”
Timber industry bodies such as the STA have a major role to play in connecting the offsite sector supply chain to collectively work to demonstrate safety through robust testing and better exploitation of technology to ensure the integrity of timberbased building systems.
TAILORED HEAT DELIVERS AIR SOURCE PACKAGE FOR RURAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TAILORED HEAT SUPPLIES
Tailored Heat Supplies has designed and delivered a renewables-based underfloor heating package for a development of five, high-specification detached houses in a picturesque village on the edge of the Tees Valley. Keith Leonard Installations is the contractor laying the Emmeti underfloor heating pipes in a conventional screed across all the ground floors, powered by LG R32 Therma V 12 kW air source heat pumps. With each house having a different layout and a ground floor footprint of over 120m 2 , Tailored Heat’s individual floorplans include multiple zones – featuring 16mm pipe runs up to 100m in length – connected up to seven, eight, nine or 11 port manifolds.
TBA FIREFLY’S PASSIVE FIRE BARRIERS CPD SEMINAR AVAILABLE ONLINE TBA PROTECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Presented by sector specialist, TBA Protective Technologies, which manufactures the FIREFLY range of flexible fire barriers, has issued its latest CPD seminar on Passive Fire Protection (PFP) via its website. The introduction to the new CPD begins with an overview of PFP, citing the importance of sealing around pipework, ducts and other penetrations. The presentation then moves on to legal requirements, explaining that cavity fire barriers should offer a minimum of 30 minutes’ containment of smoke and flame with the occasional need to perform for longer periods of up to two hours.
SOUTH WALES CHURCH WARMS TO CIRCOBOARD PERFORMANCE CIRCOFLO
The congregation of a church in the Vale of Glamorgan can look forward to physical and spiritual comfort during services next winter, thanks to an upgrade of the building’s heating provision, with a full underfloor heating system from Circoflo having been chosen to deliver efficient warmth. CircoBoard panels were fitted flush on the angle brackets supplied between the joists before installation of the finished floor. CircoBoard is one of six floor construction options available from CircofloPro. Its unique two-, three- or four-port ‘universally versatile’ minifolds can be installed in a variety of ways with the standard fittings supplied, and the 12mm pipe supplied in lengths of 50, 70 or 90m for the ultimate in efficiency.
MARMOX MULTIBOARD MEASURES UP IN 17THCENTURY CONVERSION MARMOX
Bringing an old building up to modern standards of performance and comfort can be extremely challenging, but when the owners of a 400-year-old property in North Wales wanted to create a total of nine en-suite bathrooms, Marmox Multiboards provided the ideal starting point for the various room conversions. The rambling three-storey structure – which features several traditional building methods, including masonry and oak framing with lath and plaster – is the subject of far-reaching renovation and alteration work by Crewe-based Pioneer Design & Build. This includes basic repairs and energy upgrades, as well as the introduction of the highspecification bathrooms and shower rooms, involving extensive use of 12mm Multiboards supplied by the Congleton branch of Jewson. Nearly 60 of the 1250 x 600mm boards, including special acoustic grade Soundboard versions, were purchased along with quantities of the special Marmox fixing washers and Marmox Multibond Sealant as well as the manufacturer’s waterproof jointing tape. The finishes being installed across the Multiboards include large- as well as small-format tiles and even natural stone pebbles.
F R E E S A M P L E ! Q U O T E : T O P O I L 2 0 2 0
0 1 2 9 6 4 8 1 2 2 0
OSMO TOPOIL HIGH SOLID
3028 Clear Satin 3058 Clear Matt
3061 Acacia 3068 Natural
FOOD SAFE SURFACE
3037 White 3038 Terra 3039 Graphite
Discover Nordic Copper for Architecture Copper: Nordic Brown Light; Project: Branch Place, Colville Estate, London Architects: Karakusevic Carson Architects; Photo: Peter Landers Discover Nordic Copper for Architecture
Architectural Copper Surfaces and Alloys NordicCopper.com Copper is a constantly evolving, natural and durable material with an indefinite design-life. With an ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1 and melting point of 1083˚C, copper is also suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions. It is fully recyclable, safe to use, and requires no maintenance. Nordic Copper offers an impressive portfolio of surfaces and alloys for architecture, including Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper. The Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise pre-patinated ranges share properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas. Alongside traditional Nordic Bronze and Nordic Brass alloys, the innovative Nordic Royal retains its rich golden colour over time. An extensive choice of Nordic Décor mechanically applied surface treatments is also available. Nordic Copper offers limitless possibilities for innovative contemporary architectural and interior design. Architectural Copper Surfaces and Alloys Copper is a constantly evolving, natural and durable material with an indefinite design-life. With an ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1 and melting point of 1083˚C, copper is also suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions. It is fully recyclable, safe to use, and requires no maintenance. Nordic Copper offers an impressive portfolio of surfaces and alloys for architecture, including Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper. The Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise pre-patinated ranges share properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas. Alongside traditional Nordic Bronze and Nordic Brass alloys, the innovative Nordic Royal retains its rich golden colour over time. An extensive choice of Nordic Décor mechanically applied surface treatments is also available. Nordic Copper offers limitless possibilities for innovative contemporary architectural and interior design. Copper: Nordic Brown Light; Project: Branch Place, Colville Estate, London Architects: Karakusevic Carson Architects; Photo: Peter Landers
g.bell@aurubis.com NordicCopper.com
