FC&A October 2022

TO PERFORM

Pilkington Suncool™ Range

Solar Control Glass

Manufactured in the UK, the Pilkington Suncool™ Range offers high performance solar control, low-emissivity glazing for both commercial and residential applications. With varying levels of solar control, thermal insulation, and light transmittance, you can specify the most ideal glass for your projects, while `future-proofing’ for the new Approved Documents L and O.

Specify Pilkington Suncool™ for your project through us at enquiries@pilkington.com, or arrange the supply via one of our trusted partners at www.pilkington.co.uk/suncoolpartners

© James Brittain

Tel: 01622 946150

WELCOME TO

FUTURE

EDITOR IAL

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@redhutmedia.com

Hannah Woodger hannah@redhutmedia.com

PRINT & DIGITAL ADVERTISING

Sam Ball sam@redhutmedia.com

Jim Moore jim@redhutmedia.com

PRINT DESIGN MANAGER

Jack Witcomb jack@redhutmedia.com

DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER

Matt Morse matt@redhutmedia.com

ACCOUNTS/CREDIT CONTROL

Rachel Pike accounts@redhutmedia.com

SALES SUPPORT & STATISTICS

Klare Ball klare@redhutmedia.com

PUBLISHER

Sam Ball sam@redhutmedia.com

With summer over and the dreaded 1st October here, there's a sense of uncertainty in the air as we head into the colder autumn/winter months. Of course, our new PM, Liz Truss, recently revealed a price cap on standing charges and unit rates that will last two years, as well as a six-month scheme for businesses. Indeed, this – coupled with the energy bill rebate – is welcome news to many; however, we're still grappling with the cost-related consequences of COVID with a recession circling above our heads.

With these inflated energy bills and recent alterations to Building Regulations, insulation is judiciously being examined under the spotlight. June’s changes to Approved Document L (England) 2021 (Part L) saw the biggest shift in energy efficiency within residential applications. Looking into these modifications, Kelly Westwood, Head of Construction Projects at Knauf Insulation, discusses how Part L feeds into even greater changes that mean real building performance will become an increasingly important consideration in both design and construction. Turn to page 20 to read the full story.

Meanwhile, Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL UK, takes a slightly different approach to the many benefits of insulation and discusses using stonewool varieties as a sound barrier in built-up urban settings. See page 30 for more.

Elsewhere in this issue, we catch up with Aart Koning, Director at CHQ Architects, for this month's Architect in Profile, Multipanel explores the difficulties of waterproofing in wetrooms and we explore Saudi Arabia’s marvel city of the future that's been astonishing social media users all around the globe, THE LINE.

Much like the rest of the nation, we were deeply saddened to hear about the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last month. Not only was Her Majesty the longestreigning Queen, but she led with charm and wit and will continue to be an inspiration to us all. She will be sorely missed by many throughout the world. Our thoughts go out to the Royal Family at this heartbreaking time.

REBECCA KEMP

Editor, Future Constructor & Architect

ON THE COVER:

We explore Saudi Arabia’s marvel city of the future that's been astonishing social media users all around the globe, THE LINE.

SEE PAGE 12.

INDUSTRY UPDATES :

FC&A rounds up this month’s industry news, including awarded contracts, completed projects and much more.

VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY:

Here, Kelly Westwood, Head of Construction Projects at Knauf Insulation, discusses how Part L feeds into even greater changes that mean real building performance will become an increasingly important consideration in both design and construction.

LEGAL & BUSINESS:

What’s next for the construction industry? In this month's issue, Allan Wilen, Economic Director at Glenigan, investigates.

FEATURES

DRAINAGE & LANDSCAPING :

Marshalls Civils & Drainage walks us through its involvement in improving the A45 Sprint project transportation ahead of Birmingham's 2022 Commonwealth Games.

26 28

LIGHTING & ELECTRICALS :

Peter Spurway, National Sales Manager, Heating Projects at LG Electronics, explores the opportunities to switch from fossil-fuelled homes to renewable-driven systems.

BIM, CAD & DIGITISATION :

Julie Tait, A&D Technical Specification Manager at PPG, explores the importance of accurate and regular recording of BIM to maintain the golden thread and the unique role of coatings in this process.

ACOUSTICS :

Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL UK, explores the importance of the acoustic performance of buildings in urban settings.

TECHNICAL INSIGHT : Waterproofing:

Here, Lidia Cetrangolo, Marketing Manager at Multipanel, looks at the rise of the wetroom and explores why wall panels are the considered choice for achieving a waterproof, modern wetroom.

BUILD FOCUS: Listed & Period Properties :

Gary Ashton, Sales Manager at Chubb Fire & Security UK & I, explores the process and best practices for integrating fire-safety solutions into listed and period buildings while maintaining authenticity and character.

PORTFOLIOS

THE LINE, NEOM :

Designs have been revealed for THE LINE, a civilisational revolution that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature.

HARMONIA 1250, TRIPTYQUE ARCHITECTURE :

Named after its address in São Paulo, Brazil, Harmonia 1250 claims differentiation as a primary value by proposing architecture as a tool to improve coexistence between the public and different uses.

NEWS IN BRIEF:

STUNNING £16M TRANSFORMATION OF PROMINENT OFFICE BUILDING

A landmark office building on one of Bristol’s most prominent – and logisticallychallenging – sites is being transformed and given a £16m, bold, new identity by Beard Construction. Managed by V7, 100 Victoria Street will see its footprint extended 5m forward, as well as benefitting from the addition of two floors. The building has been designed by AWW Architects. Just a short walk from Bristol Temple Meads and facing onto the city’s newlydesigned Temple Gate, the transformation will see the exterior rebuilt, changing from yellow brick to a sleek face of glass and terracotta panelling. A combination of smooth and textured surfaces and a variety of window sizes will reflect the diversity of older buildings further along Victoria street.

DHF PUTS ITS WEIGHT BEHIND FIRE DOOR SAFETY WEEK 2022

Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) once again demonstrated its support for Fire Door Safety Week this year. The campaign aims to increase public understanding of the vital role that fire doors play in protecting life and property. DHF has been an enduring champion for the objectives of Fire Door Safety Week, and a vocal advocate for third-party certification of manufacture, installation, maintenance and inspection of fire and smoke doors. Since the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy, which claimed 72 lives, it has been particularly proactive in this space and in promoting its fire door safety courses, held in collaboration with the BRE Academy, hosting three comprehensive one-day, two-module training courses around fire door safety, inspection and ongoing maintenance.

INDUSTRY UPDATES

FC&A ROUNDS UP THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS AND UPDATES.

HISTORIC WHITECHAPEL STATION RE-OPENING HERALDED “A TRIUMPH OF DESIGN AND BUILD”

The re-opening of the newly-transformed Whitechapel Station, part of the new Elizabeth Line, has been called “a triumph of design and build” by the Director for Rail at BakerHicks, the design, engineering and project delivery firm that took the project from RIBA Stage 3 to deliver the new design concept for the station through to completion.

BakerHicks provided multi-disciplinary design services, including architecture, BIM, civil and structural engineering and mechanical, electrical and public health engineering for the station. Working closely with the Crossrail team and the main contractor, BBMV (the Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, VINCI Construction joint venture), it was instrumental in ensuring designs were in line with, and adhering to, all Crossrail and London Underground specifications and standards, whilst the station and lines remained in operation.

The much-publicised project focused on the repair and overhaul of the original Victorian facade, and the construction of a modern ticket hall and concourse, the latter featuring a planted rooftop to offset some of the carbon emissions produced or embedded in the construction process. It also serves to improve air quality and reduce noise. Glass above

the concourse allows daylight into the station and down to the platforms, and new lifts and escalators have also been installed.

BakerHicks also provided key enabling works to facilitate the new station configuration, as well as ventilation, cooling and emergency systems design, including an innovative underground staircase pressurisation system. This

was unique in that there were no specific industry standards for underground pressurisation, so BakerHicks’ engineers worked closely with the Crossrail team to build their own standards. To achieve this, extensive energy assessments and thermal analysis were carried out, ensuring the systems met safety requirements.

Whitechapel Station

Whitechapel Station

PERSONNEL

The latest appointments from the construction and architectural industries.

CPMG ACQUIRES

BRAND-NEW TALENT

CPMG Architects has made a trio of appointments that support the practice’s architectural, interior design and talent development. Joining the practice is Architect Antonio Ortiz, Interior Designer Robyn Hutton and Part 2 Architectural Assistant Abissha Suthanthirakumaran. Director Chris White said: “We’re proud to see our teams growing and professionals – both established and aspiring – getting behind our 'people, purpose, place' ethos. It’s vital that we provide a workplace in which experts from different disciplines and levels of experience are working alongside one another, in order to further personal progression and industry betterment. Antonio, Abissha and Robyn are welcome additions to the business, and we can’t wait to see what they help us to achieve together.”

MURPHY GEOSPATIAL STEPS UP OPERATIONS

Murphy Geospatial has announced a senior promotion as it continues to build on its expertise. Paul Kearney brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Finance Director at the company, which follows his promotion to Associate Director only last year. A qualified Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA), Paul has been with Murphy Geospatial, which provides world-class geospatial monitoring and data processing services to a wide range of clients in the natural and built environment, for nearly six years. Paul said: “I’m delighted to be taking on this new role at Murphy Geospatial, which faces an exciting future as it continues to expand its capability and reach. It’s important to embed finance throughout the company’s departmental and operations structure to improve decision-making and information flow.

NEW DIRECTOR JOINS CHQ ARCHITECTS

Aart Koning has joined CHQ Architects as a Director. With over 30 years’ experience working in the UK for internationally and nationally award-winning practices, Aart has previously worked for Foster + Partners, Rock Townsend and astudio, across the residential, education, leisure, community and commercial sectors.

Over the past 15 years, he has played a leading role in finding opportunities, introducing skills, mentoring staff and managing the practice. Aart comments: “The increasing demands of the built environment require innovative solutions, achieved through collaboration and sharing intelligence. I am acutely aware that it is key for an architectural practice to remain relevant, and I am delighted to be joining the team at CHQ, which has a rich history and is actively working at the forefront of new developments, leading the process of change in the construction industry.”

NEWS IN BRIEF:

E7 BUILDING SERVICES AWARDED WORKS AT ASTON MARTIN F1 HQ

Mclaren Construction has awarded E7 Building Services – part of The Michael Lonsdale Group – the MEP design and build works for Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Teams’ new HQ. E7 Building Services will be handling the full MEP design and build for the brand-new facility at Silverstone as part of its expanding activity in the Midlands area. Works will incorporate state-of-theart MEP design alongside specialist research and development installation, including BMS and EMS systems, specialist gases, local extract ventilation systems and photovoltaic systems. The scheme will span 15000ft 2 of facilities, including external specialist plant areas. E7 will work alongside Mclaren and Aston Martin F1 to deliver the first smart factory in Formula One.

RIBA REPORT SHOWS

JCT IS DOMINANT CONTRACT PROVIDER

The RIBA Construction Contracts and Law Report 2022 has been published, with the results showing that JCT continues to be the most widely-used standard form contract provider in the UK construction industry. 59% of respondents indicated that JCT contracts were the forms that their organisation used most often, whilst 71% said that they had used a JCT contract over the last 12 months. When asked to give reasons for their choice, respondents said of JCT: “Industry standard and tested in the courts”, “fair, equitable and well understood”, “standard lump sum contract understood by the industry” and “simple and familiar”. JCT contracts were dominant in project value between £250,000 and £5m.

Whitechapel Station

ARCHITECT IN PROFILE

Please tell us a bit about your background. I studied architecture at the Delft University of Technology, in The Netherlands, in the ‘80s and graduated just as computers came on the scene. Still a bit ‘green’ in the industry, together with two friends, we bought a few computers and started our own design studio. Our business strategy involved free feasibility studies, and if a client wanted to take it further, we would start charging. Needless to say, it was great fun, we were very busy but didn’t make much money. So, in 1989, I came to London.

We went back to Holland during the recession in the ‘90s but returned after three years of working at a practice in Amsterdam. With this Dutch experience, I was lucky enough to get a job at Foster + Partners, which had just been commissioned to design the World Port Centre in Rotterdam. Richard Hyams was the Associate at Foster + Partners, leading the project. Together, we travelled back and forth to Rotterdam on many occasions. By then, he had already been at Foster + Partners for a long time. I learned a lot from him.

I only stayed at Foster + Partners for about three years. Still, the analytical and openminded design approach there was a very refreshing and exciting experience which, looking back, has made me more confident as an architect. Trying to find the right work-life balance, I have bounced back and forth several times between working closer to home or closer to the action in London, made lots of friends

in the industry and have been lucky enough to work with people in environments that stimulated new skills, ideas and opportunities, as is now the case at CHQ Architects.

Had you always wanted to pursue a career in architecture?

When I was around 14, perhaps a typical boy, I had a fairly carefree attitude, fuelling a lack of ambition. Being concerned, my parents made me do a test to assess my interests, and one of the suggested options was an architect. I haven’t really looked back since. My father was a painter and musician, so it was always likely to be something in the creative industry.

Who has been your greatest influence and source of inspiration?

As you do, during my studies, I tried many different architectural styles to find out about myself. In those days, a transition took place in Delft, moving from the human approach led by people like Herman Hertzberger to an innovative, intelligent technique led by Rem Koolhaas. I think it’s fair to say that both men have influenced me, resulting in a fairly pragmatic, fresh approach to design whilst being interested in the culture and ambitions of the client/user/context.

One of my favourite architects is probably Peter Zumthor, who seems able to combine locality with beauty.

CHQ ARCHITECTS

Fresh out of university, Aart Koning, Director at CHQ Architects, started his own design firm with two friends back in the ‘80s. From here, he went from strength to strength, working for the likes of Foster + Partners. In this Q&A, Aart talks to us about his career and explains where his love for architecture began.

AART KONING IS A DIRECTOR AT CHQ ARCHITECTS

Concept residential development in Bedford. ©BE1 Architects.

What has been your most notable project?

I find it difficult to select one project as a notable project. For me, every project is a notable one. I am very interested in the design process, working with people, understanding their culture and personalities, the site’s context and conditions, and the commercial context that is always present. Perhaps it is, therefore, not surprising that I have enjoyed working with private clients and organisations, such as schools, universities, community groups and special organisations, like religious groups. Still, I also work well with contractors, commercial developers and local authorities meeting their objectives.

How do you approach your projects?

I am reasonably quick at putting pencil to paper, and whilst doing that, I try to understand the site and the brief and explore different ways to bring these together. A big part of this process is sketching, testing and exploring ideas that work, or often don’t, in collaboration with others. Sketching allows me to think.

What is your favourite building and why ?

Although there is a lot of information available showing new projects being

completed worldwide, I don’t seem to be able to store this information. On the contrary, I have seen too many architects with a wealth of knowledge about the history of architecture who find it hard not to get distracted by ideas they have seen elsewhere. It is important to allow yourself to think and not get distracted.

If I had to choose one, I’d probably say the Notre-Dame du Haut chapel in Ronchamp. I went to see this twice, once as a child with my parents and once as a student with friends, and it has left a footnote in my memory as a beautifullycrafted experience. But, if you ask me tomorrow, the answer will likely differ.

What do you think is the greatest challenge for architects at the moment ? The architect’s role has been stripped back over time, and we operate in a commercial world with more specialists joining the process. However, I do believe that architects are still uniquely trained to develop and coordinate a design, leading the process of collaboration with specialist input from others, especially as we seem to be experiencing a new renaissance with social, technological and economic advances, setting new values, standards and awareness that trigger fresh and interdisciplinary design responses.

What do you think is the greatest challenge for architecture students?

I attended the student presentation at Oxford Brookes University last month. I was very pleased to see that students are encouraged to think and create an architecture informed by a critical view of society. Studying in Delft taught us that if architecture doesn’t reinvent itself, it may as well be dead. The challenge students face when they enter the ‘real world' is that they don’t lose this optimism in society, but this is not any different from previous generations. To be successful as an architect, you are always expected to be an all-rounder.

What advice would you give to newly-qualified architects?

In a time when everything is available at your fingertips, understand that designing is a process that involves others, not an individual activity with an instant result.

What can we expect to see from you over the next year?

I hope to keep following new trends in our society, technological developments and environmental awareness so we can do what we do best, advising our clients and the community we work in. It’s an exciting time to be joining CHQ Architects

Holland Park School. ©Aedasstudio.

Shorefield Special School Clacton. ©astudio architects.

School21 LB Stratford. ©astudio architects.

Concept Golf Clubhouse Caddington. ©BE1 Architects.

PRIVACY AND PRACTICALITY – CLEAR NEW HORIZONS

Susan Sinden, Commercial Manager of leading independent glass processor ESG Group, looks at the ways in which LCD glass technology has changed the face of privacy glass and provided a host of new possibilities for the refurbishment and construction industry as a whole.

Pr ivacy glass used to be all or nothing, you either had frosted or etched opaque glass and achieved privacy, or you had conventional transparent glass and sacrificed some of your privacy. This is no longer the case, thanks to the advances in the use of interlayer technology by glass processors.

The big breakthrough in privacy glass solutions for both domestic housing and corporate interiors came with the introduction of an innovative type of LCD interlayer, which allows you to switch from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. Liquid crystals within the interlayer allow you to enjoy the best of

both worlds; a clear view when the user wishes to maximise light and a feeling of spaciousness; and privacy and security when needed. When an electric current is passed through the interlayer, the liquid crystals align in a pattern to allow light to pass through the glass panel, making it transparent. However, when the current is switched off, the crystals will settle in random patterns that block the light, creating an opaque barrier.

At the touch of a button, therefore, or even at the touch of an app icon, an interior space can be totally changed in appearance and use. Switchable glass is becoming very popular in corporate settings, in boardrooms and in senior executive offices, to name just one application. When the LCD glass is switched on, the senior team appear accessible and involved, but the moment confidentiality is required, the glass can be switched off to provide privacy for sensitive discussions.

Switchable LCD glass also provides some key security benefits, as it is usually made by laminating two toughened glass panels together with a switchable interlayer. Toughened laminated glass is already a good security product, which stands up well to wear and tear. Toughened glass on its own will shatter, if broken, into small granular pieces. This is much safer for those nearby than non-toughened glass as it does not create large shards, which can cause serious injury.

We can use more than one interlayer and different thicknesses to create toughened laminated glass panels, so we can also add properties such as fire resistance, sound attenuation, high security and even ballistic resistance against criminal and terrorist attacks.

With the advent of switchable glass, privacy can also be a defence against crime. We can make the contents of showrooms, shops and homes less visible to potential thieves. We have even seen instances of switchable glass being used in banks and building societies to protect the tellers – if you can’t see the bank’s staff during a raid, you can’t easily direct them or tell if they have sounded a silent alarm.

In luxury city apartments, where space is limited, we are seeing more use of the switchable glass panel to make walls ‘disappear’, giving the illusion of additional space. In loft conversions and refurbishment of older industrial properties for domestic use, architects are making clever use of switchable glass to create rooms while maintaining the illusion of open-plan living.

This type of compartmentalising by using switchable glass walls also makes for very low maintenance in future, with no redecoration ever being needed. And with LCD glass technology being so very cool, it’s really never going to get old.

ESG GROUP

ESG Switchable on

MEET THE CITY OF THE FUTURE

Designs have been revealed for THE LINE, a civilisational revolution that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature. In January last year, His Royal Highness, Mohammed bin Salman – Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Board of Directors –launched the idea and vision of the city that redefines the concept of urban development and how cities of the future should look.

NEOM

The designs of THE LINE embody how urban communities will be in the future, in an environment free from roads, cars and emissions. It will run on 100% renewable energy and prioritise people’s health and wellbeing over transportation and infrastructure, as in traditional cities. It puts nature ahead of development and will contribute to preserving 95% of NEOM’s land.

T he announcement reveals the most important characteristics of THE LINE, which is only 200m wide, 170km long and 500m above sea level. THE LINE will eventually accommodate nine million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34km 2 , which is unheard of when compared to other cities of similar capacity. This, in turn, will reduce the infrastructure footprint and create never-before-seen efficiencies in city functions. Its ideal climate all year round will ensure that residents can enjoy surrounding nature when walking around. Residents will also have

access to all facilities in THE LINE within a five-minute walk, in addition to a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.

HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “At THE LINE’s launch last year, we committed to a civilisational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning. The designs revealed today for the city’s vertically-layered communities will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human livability. THE LINE will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live.

“ We cannot ignore the livability and environmental crises facing our world’s cities, and NEOM is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues. NEOM is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture , engineering and construction to make the idea of building upwards a reality.

“NEOM will be a place for all people from across the globe to make their mark on the world in creative and innovative ways. NEOM remains one of the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030, and our commitment to delivering THE LINE on behalf of the nation remains resolute.”

T HE LINE offers a new approach to urban design; the idea of layering city functions vertically while giving people the possibility of moving seamlessly in three dimensions (up, down or across) to access them is a concept referred to as ‘zero gravity urbanism’. Different from just tall buildings, this concept layers public parks and pedestrian areas, schools, homes and places for work so that one can move effortlessly to reach all daily needs within five minutes.

T HE LINE will have an outer mirror facade that will provide its unique character and allow even its small footprint to blend with nature, while the interior will be built to create extraordinary experiences and magical moments. It will be created by a team of world-renowned architects and engineers, led by NEOM, to develop this revolutionary concept for the city of the future.

In order to change business as usual, the city’s design will be completely digitised, and the construction industrialised to a large degree by significantly advancing construction technologies and manufacturing processes. The announcement of THE LINE’s designs is a continuation of NEOM’s progress in the development of its flagship projects, such as OXAGON, its reimagined manufacturing and innovation city; and TROJENA, its global mountain tourism destination that will offer the Arabian Gulf’s first outdoor skiing; as well as the launch of two of NEOM’s subsidiaries: ENOWA, its energy, water and hydrogen company; and the NEOM Tech & Digital Company.

HARMONIA 1250

Named after its address in São Paulo, Brazil, Harmonia 1250 claims differentiation as a primary value by proposing architecture as a tool to improve coexistence between the public and different functions.

Harmonia 1250 also rethinks the traditional model of ‘buildings that look like a box’, which dominates the property market in Brazil. Instead of closed constructions that are turned inwards by definition, Triptyque has created an open structure that is connected to the outside offering multiple views.

T his project reorganises the basic elements of rationalist constructions (stairs, elevators, corridors, toilets, etc.) according to themes: relationship with the urban space, with

TRIPTYQUE ARCHITECTURE

the soil; quality of ventilation, view and lighting of apartments and workspaces; indoor and outdoor integration.

T he irregularly-shaped land where Harmonia was constructed, composed of several small pre-existing lots, inspired the creation of a building with two protruding ends joined by an elongated body that works like a walkway, connecting both sides to a central area with vertical circulation.

The upper floors, intended for residential use, have different materiality, evidencing the existence of a mixed programme.

©Ricardo Basseti

©Ricardo Basseti

©Ricardo Basseti

With a vertical arrangement of stores, offices and residential apartments, Harmonia 1250 is located in the bustling Vila Madalena neighbourhood and foreshadows a new generation of mixeduse buildings in São Paulo.

T he ground floor is visually permeable and behaves like an active facade crossed by several accesses. On each floor, the internal spaces extend to the outside in direct continuity, offering a view of the extraordinary urban panorama of the city.

H armonia’s office fronts are, in fact, terraces protected by metallic brise soleils and a vegetal layer, forming a skin that covers and protects the building while keeping it ‘breathable’ and open to the city. Meanwhile, the plant pots placed on the facades are irrigated by an integrated drip system that is designed to ensure low water consumption.

www.triptyque.com

FACT FILE:

Area: 11.173m²

Completion year: 2020

Address: Rua Harmonia, 1250, 05435-001

Architect: Triptyque Architecture

Landscaping design: Rodrigo Oliveira Paisagismo

Structure: Wmordo Engenharia

Building company: R.Yazbek

Client: Idea!Zarvos

©Ricardo Basseti

©Ricardo Basseti

©Leonardo Finotti

©Leonardo Finotti

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KELLY WESTWOOD IS THE HEAD OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AT KNAUF INSULATION

PART L – THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS REAL PERFORMANCE

In June, Approved Document L (England) 2021 (Part L) brought the biggest changes to home energy efficiency in a generation. But while the headline figures have meant a rethink for housebuilders and architects alike, they are just a taste of what is to come. Here, Kelly Westwood, Head of Construction Projects at Knauf Insulation, discusses how Part L feeds into even greater changes that mean real building performance will become an increasingly important consideration in both design and construction.

KNAUF INSULATION

The key updates to Part L have been widely publicised – a 31% reduction in new home carbon emissions achieved through fabric efficiency and low- and zerocarbon technologies. There’s also a new ‘primary energy’ metric to ensure a ‘fabric-first’ approach is maintained even as energy sources are decarbonised. The changes are swift, with just a year’s transmission period, which means that after 15th June 2023, any undeveloped plots must be built to the new standards.

B ut behind the headlines, there are two other factors to be aware of: the introduction of airtightness tests for every home rather than just a sample, and the new Building Regulations England Part L (BREL) report, which requires photographic evidence showing the quality of installation for insulation. This means that, for the first time, actual build quality will be scrutinised at scale.

W hile the focus of Part L is on thermal performance, when you look at other legislative changes on the horizon, such as the EPC Action Plan and the Building Safety Bill, there’s a clear picture emerging – buildings must deliver real performance.

What is real performance?

P

ut simply; it’s the actual performance achieved when the building has been constructed, as opposed to that which the designer intended. While it might sound obvious that buildings should deliver their ‘as-designed’ performance, they often don’t.

S o, what can architects and specifiers do to close the gap? With regards to thermal performance, modelling must be underpinned by rigorous U-value calculations. For most construction types, the simplified U-value calculation methodology is sufficient. But it must not be used for rainscreen facades because a blanket correction factor is applied to compensate for the metal components.

I nstead, architects, specifiers and contractors should always use 3D U-value calculations because they provide a detailed and accurate model of a building’s thermal performance. This means modelling will more accurately reflect the energy efficiency of the building in the real world.

N ext, it’s essential to specify the right products for the application. This is crucial because different products are designed to perform in different ways

Finally, insulation must be correctly installed because, no matter how good your insulation product is, the smallest air gaps will compromise its thermal, fire safety and acoustic performance. While ensuring a good fit is the remit of the installer, there are things that designers can do to mitigate the issue when specifying products.

Ensure insulation delivers on designed performance

One option to consider is offsite construction because factory-controlled methods offer more precision than any construction site.

Blowing wool insulation, such as Knauf Insulation’s Supafil range, lends itself to offsite production because it is installed by calibrated machinery, calculated and tested to ensure even the smallest gaps are filled, and that settlement does not occur.

But, of course, most projects are built using traditional methods, so how do you reduce the risk of poor installation on site? The answer lies in material choice.

Let’s take energy efficiency as an example. Theoretically, an insulation material with a

lower thermal conductivity (lambda value) will provide better thermal performance. But, in reality, some products are harder to install correctly than others, which can result in unintended air gaps. These gaps mean that a material with a lower lambda may not actually perform as well as one with a higher lambda once installed.

Rigid insulation boards are a prime example. Their inflexibility means minor imperfections in the substrate, such as mortar snots, prevent the insulation from sitting flush against the building fabric, while imprecise cutting prevents precise alignment. Both these issues mean that the continuity of insulation is not maintained. Something that could lead to difficulties in complying with the BREL report because the photographic evidence will not show the required quality standards for installation.

Instead, specify an insulation material that is easy to install correctly. A good option is glass or rock mineral wool insulation. Slabs and rolls are installed slightly oversized, so they friction fit to the building elements. The insulation is flexible,

so it also adapts to slight imperfections in the substrate, and it butts together, eliminating gaps. For certain applications, such as cavity walls, a blown-in mineral wool insulation solution is a good option because installation is fast and efficient, and the insulation completely fills the cavity leaving no gaps. All of which means mineral wool is more likely to deliver its intended performance for the lifetime of the building.

S o, while Part L may be the current priority for the industry, it is increasingly clear that performance as a whole is coming under the spotlight. As a result, the industry must be prepared to design and construct buildings that not only perform on paper but stand up to scrutiny. When it comes to insulation, this means it must achieve its intended energy efficiency, fire safety and acoustic performance. With this in mind, specify a high-performance, reliable and versatile insulation solution that is easy to install – glass, rock or blown-in mineral wool

www.knaufinsulation.co.uk

ALLAN WILEN IS THE ECONOMIC DIRECTOR AT GLENIGAN

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE INDUSTRY?

Here, Allan Wilen, Economic Director at Glenigan, investigates.

The construction industry has suffered a challenging period in recent months, experiencing delayed project starts and planning approvals throughout 2022 as the industry has been squeezed by a variety of external factors. Despite this, Glenigan’s ‘Summer 2022 Construction Forecast’, which provides overall sector and vertical-specific insight into performance over the next three years, predicts that the construction industry will return to growth by 2023. The data from the forecast suggests that, in spite of stifling economic conditions, impeding growth for the rest of the year is expected, and 2023 is anticipated to have a more positive outlook, posting a value growth of 8%.

Supply chain stumbling blocks

T he recent decline in construction output can be largely attributed to ongoing supply chain issues caused by the conflict in Ukraine, which continues to create considerable economic uncertainty. With little sign of easing, it has accelerated material inflation, creating a significant industry stumbling block that will take time to overcome. The fallout from rising materials costs and labour shortages is sure to stall industry recovery in the short-term, derailing the strong recovery seen post-COVID.

Aside from this ongoing conflict, current inflation spikes, higher taxes and rising mortgage costs are expected to constrain activity in consumer-related areas, such as private housing, retail and hotel and leisure.

Housing starts buoyed by Build-to-Rent

A lthough a strong development pipeline of planning approvals energised the housing market in 2021, with the sector enjoying an upsurge of new housebuilding projects, it has given way to a downward spiral in activity.

T his can be partially accounted for by the removal of temporary Stamp Duty relief in October of 2021, as well as rising inflation, fragile consumer confidence and higher interest rates. As the construction sector battles rising prices, taxes and mortgage costs, housebuilders are expected to focus on building developments that have already moved on site, rather than starting new projects.

T his downturn in the housing market is predicted to be counteracted by a renewed spurt of activity thanks to an uptick in Buildto-Rent schemes intended to meet the rising demand for residential housing. This is a fastgrowing sector expected to increase rapidly in value as household and country-wide economic prospects improve.

The realities for non-residential T here is also hope for the non-residential sector, with industrial starts set to be a growth area going into 2023. This is due in part to a vast appetite for online retail, which accelerated during the pandemic and spurred an increase in the construction of warehouses and logistics projects.

I n the public sector, Government investment is predicted to be an important driver for construction activity over the next three years. Social housing, education and civils and infrastructure are all set to grow as an increase in capital funding helps to lift the value of project starts across these verticals.

L uckily, markets are now starting to stabilise as new solutions to material supply chain issues are developed and implemented, and the economy begins to right itself in the wake of global crises. While the short-term picture looks disheartening, the underlying data proves that the industry is on its way to recovery.

GLENIGAN

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rman Glass,19 Bates Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex RM3 OJH l: 01708 374534 Fax: 01708 340511 Email: sales@firmanglass com

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THE ENDURING INFRASTRUCTURE LEGACY OF THE BIRMINGHAM COMMONWEALTH GAMES

This summer, Birmingham 2022 became the most-attended UK-based Commonwealth Games, attracting millions of people into the city. Birmingham’s ability to deliver infrastructure at speed and on the scale needed for a prestigious event, such as the Commonwealth Games, was key to them winning the bid to host the games.

When Neil Carney, Project Director for Birmingham 2022 at the City Council, asked: “Why Birmingham?”, he was told that the nuts and bolts were there and the transport vision was there.

However, it wasn’t just the new aquatics centre, the overhaul of Alexander Stadium or the £350m athletes’ village that needed to be considered; it was also the local infrastructure around the games, which included the road structure and rail connections, including HS2.

To support the sustainability pillars included in the legacy of the Games, organisers encompassed a social value charter for the first time at the Commonwealth Games, which included health and wellbeing and local benefit –as well as a requirement for carbon and air quality, with the ambition of creating a carbon neutral legacy.

T hat meant taking responsibility for the Games’ climate impact, with 2022 acres of new Commonwealth Forest across the Midlands being planted to offset the carbon footprint.

W ith over a million spectators and athletes from 72 different nations and

territories, a safe and efficient transport system was required, with visitors encouraged to use public transport. Transport for West Midlands (part of the West Midland Combined Authority) and Birmingham City Council worked with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the event's Organising Committee (OC) and transport partners to deliver a programme of transport improvements, not just for the games, but for the future benefit of the whole region.

Surface water drainage at the A45 Sprint project

P art of the transport system included the A45 Sprint project in Birmingham. Sprint is a bus priority scheme, or bus rapid transit (BRT) service, launched by Birmingham City Council and Transport for West Midlands.

T he Sprint network has seven bus priority corridors, linking residential and employment areas and connecting to HS2 and new tram extensions. It is designed to cater for more than 30 million journeys a year. The scheme provides a reliable, cost-effective and environmentallyfriendly service for people travelling in

MARSHALLS CIVILS & DRAINAGE

the West Midlands. It aims to reduce traffic congestion and give people an alternative to driving, as part of the city council’s #WM2041 climate action plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2041.

The client, Transport for West Midlands, awarded the principal contract to Morgan Sindall Contractors, which awarded the groundworks to Fitzgerald Contractors.

T he Sprint project involved extending bus lanes and prioritising buses at junctions, introducing zero-emission double-decker buses, building 95 new bus shelters and upgrading others with real-time information, to save up to 20% journey time during peak hours.

T he first construction corridor was the A34/A45 Sprint route connecting Walsall, Solihull, Birmingham city centre and Birmingham Airport in one continuous loop, with links to the Alexander Stadium and NEC.

The Beany Block system from Marshalls was specified for the bus lane on the A45 route between Bordesley Circus and Swan Island by design engineer AECOM, as the CKD (combined kerb and drainage) system combines high-capacity drainage with high-impact resistance.

S ome 4km of Beany Block was installed in phases over 10 months by a team of up to 60 people from regular user Fitzgerald Contractors. Fitzgerald Contractors’ Project Manager, Ed Reilly, says: “The scheme was challenging due to existing services clashing with permanent works. Certain areas were highly urbanised with traffic and pedestrian management being undertaken in a live environment.

“From an operational side, Beany Block is more time consuming to install than a one-part system, but single-type units would not cope with the stresses and strains of the vehicle usage in this specific application. When installed to the Birmingham City Council specification, it’s an incredibly hard-wearing system.”

Marshalls Civils & Drainage’s Technical Sales Manager, Nick Jackson, said: “Due to lack of available space to incorporate downstream attenuation, Beany Block was chosen due to its high-volume drainage capacity. Additionally, the high-impact resistance of the product means the risk of broken units due to bus collisions is significantly reduced compared to other available CKD products.”

Birmingham at its best

H eld over two weeks, the Commonwealth Games highlighted the UK’s second city at its best. Not only did it show gleaming new transport systems and picturesque canal sides, but it also showed the rich history and culture of the city.

O ften referred to as one of the most significant cities in the development of the industrial revolution, Birmingham’s historic buildings include the Grade II Listed Birmingham City Council House, one of the largest buildings in the city, located in Victoria Square, which was at the centre of the celebrations and Curzon Street Station, an operating train station between 1838 and 1854.

T he Grade I building was partly used for excursion and freight trains up until 1966 and is now part of the HS2 line, with the stunning structure forming part of the station, with seven platforms.

Today, you only have to look around Birmingham to see the impact that the Commonwealth Games has had to its residents, local employment, tourism and, of course, the network in which we travel upon. Rich in historical and cultural value, Birmingham has a bright future ahead.

THE REALITY OF HEATING OUR HOMES IN THE FUTURE

On the heating front, things have never been more interesting in the UK industry. Renewables are becoming more important by the day. The decision to ban the use of fossilfuel heating systems in new-build homes from 2025 was the first serious change that made us all sit up and take notice. The possibility of fossil-fuelled heating being banned even in replacement heating systems from 2035 seems likely, if not earlier, says Peter Spurway, National Sales Manager, Heating Projects at LG Electronics.

It seems hugely sensible that, in these circumstances, we move towards a proven technology that uses renewable energy and is already being installed extensively in mainland Europe, Scandinavia and Canada. Heat pumps use latent heat from the air, ground or water – available in huge quantities and won’t run out. But as always, there are people keen to dismiss heat pumps; they can’t provide the level of heat we need, they’re too expensive, they’re difficult to install – all untrue.

L et’s take a very grown-up approach to all this. There will always be room for alternative sources of heating and hot water – hydrogen seems a likely contender – but there is no facility to provide the quantity of hydrogen needed to support the millions of homes currently on mains gas. There are exciting small-scale hydrogen boiler projects around the country. Still, very small projects that do no more than illustrate the technology could work if the quantity of hydrogen was available. Which it clearly isn’t currently or in the foreseeable future. There will almost certainly be new developments that we haven’t taken seriously yet that will provide some of the heating and hot water systems we will be needing. But it

simply makes no sense at all to dismiss heat pumps when they are here, and they work.

A ir-source heat pumps will be the most popular choice in the UK, simply because they are simpler to install. Ground-source heat pumps work well and have been utilised already. Still, they require large areas of ground to lay the collecting pipework or the relatively expensive drilling of deep holes into the ground to gather the heat from deep below the surface.

T he Government has already stated it wants to see 600,000 heat pumps installed annually by 2028. A worthy target, but one that requires significantly more trained installers to allow us to get anywhere near those totals. At the present time, it's thought there are around 2000 installers regularly installing heat pumps, and it’s thought we need around 30,000 trained and qualified installers to meet the Government's targets, so we have a long way to go.

Still, at least we have workable and practical products to install. Air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) systems – monoblocs or splits – present a variety of proven energy-saving options for a home’s heating and hot water system. By replacing a traditional gas, oil or solid-fuel system,

an AWHP can significantly reduce carbon emissions and energy usage. These devices’ absorption of natural energy from external air makes them consume less energy than conventional heating systems. Furthermore, these systems can operate successfully at low temperatures. Typically, a quality split has 100% capacity at temperatures as low as -7°C, and it’s extremely rare for temperatures here in the UK to drop that low – even for a day each year.

The terms ‘split’ and ‘monobloc’ refer to how the system is required to be set up in a home. A monobloc is a bit like a combi boiler. It is literally a ‘single-block’ system, where the heat pump has all of its components –apart from the hot water cylinder, which is installed inside the property – located inside a heat pump unit, which is situated outside the home.

A split heat pump has both an outside unit, which incorporates the heat exchanger and refrigerant, and an internal unit, which sits inside the property – usually in a utility or boiler room.

Most homes in the UK are ideal for a monobloc air-to-water heat pump. A split system is an option generally for more complex installations, and it can be installed up to 30m away from the home, which gives far more installation flexibility.

ELECTRONICS

T hese ASHP systems don’t produce water as hot as a traditional boiler will, as they generally only reach around 50°C at a maximum. But, unlike the hot water produced by boilers, they don’t need anything like as much cold water added to cool down the hot water for safe bathing and showering. And, of course, many washing machines and dishwashers now operate effectively using colder water supplies. Air-source heat pumps are perfectly suited to new-build and existing homes that are well insulated. To be most effective, they operate well with either larger capacity – possibly K3 design – radiators or a higher number of radiators and/or underfloor heating.

For the very first time, efficient heat pumps in the UK are now cheaper to run than gas boilers. That’s according to new analysis from RAP (The Regulatory Assistance Project), an independent, non-partisan, non-Governmental organisation that is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a clean, reliable and energy-efficient future. This exciting news for renewables in the UK is mainly down to gas prices increasing more than electricity pricing.

H eating with a gas boiler will cost households an average of £934 per year, up from £579. A very efficient heat pump will only cost £723 per year, up from £536 per year. For an average household, this is a 27% saving of £261 per year.

A COP of 3 can be easily achieved by an AWHP, and 4 or above is possible for well-designed systems. It’s possible to achieve a COP of around 4.5 if the system is designed correctly. We know that when heat pumps underperform below these levels, it is often the result of poor design, installation and maintenance.

Heat pump technology is tried and tested, and proven. Combined with other renewable technologies, such as solar, the genuine opportunities to switch from fossil-fuelled homes to renewable-driven systems are becoming a reality

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How the THERMA V R32 monobloc works

FOLLOWING THE GOLDEN THREAD: THE ROLE OF COATINGS IN BIM

Bu ilding Information Modelling (BIM) has been around for years within the design and construction industry, and its purpose means it isn’t going anywhere. In fact, statistics from Dodge Data and Analytics 1 have highlighted that around half of built environment professionals in the UK and Ireland are already using BIM on 50% or more of their projects, with 82% reporting that they plan to do this within the next three years.

T here are a number of reasons for this. Yes, there has been a general move towards more digital ways of working within the sector but,

crucially, there has also been a concerted effort from the Government to encourage BIM adoption. Rightly so, as there’s a growing need to accurately record data around the materials, equipment and processes used on a project, from the planning and design stages right through to the end of construction – a concept known as ‘the golden thread’.

Building a safer future

T he BIM 3D modelling process allows users – from architects and designers to engineering and construction professionals – to conceptualise, design and build with intelligent,

data-driven insights. Using a BIM workflow, they have the ability to regularly and accurately record data throughout every stage of the development of a building.

T his process isn’t just a modern-day ‘nice to have’ – it’s a vital way of working in today’s design and construction industry. Health, safety, wellbeing and environmental impact are at the top of the agenda for everyone involved in the built environment, from Government bodies and associations to architects, contractors, product manufacturers and end users.

PPG

Julie Tait, A&D Technical Specification Manager at PPG, explores the importance of accurate and regular recording of BIM to maintain the golden thread and the unique role of coatings in this process. Here, Julie will also outline how architects and designers can work with manufacturers to ensure the products they specify deliver on sustainability and design targets.

JULIE TAIT

A&D TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION MANAGER AT PPG

Since the publication of the 2018 Building a Safer Future report, the sector has been under immense pressure to change its approaches and adopt safer ways of working. The report documented failings in site safety and the specification of safe materials, as well as a lack of data recording. As industry professionals, the need to prove how the decisions address these concerns – how we’re delivering projects on time and on a budget without sacrificing safety, sustainability or quality – is ongoing.

L ikewise, in order to qualify for sustainability accreditations from the likes of BREEAM, WELL and LEED, architects and designers need to work closely with project managers to ensure the recorded specifications of a material, piece of equipment or process used at any stage of a project are accurate.

But where should coatings be considered in this? Coatings need to be recorded in the same way as any other material being used on a project, and it’s becoming more important for the right paint to be specified early in the design phase.

Providing protection

T he Building a Safer Future report led to the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2 in April 2022, which has been released with the aim of reducing the safety risks associated with fire spread and structural failures by introducing a more thorough planning process and the regulation of competence across projects.

This includes the introduction of new roles, including a building safety regulator and a national regulator for construction projects. The most notable change for architects and designers is the expansion of the principal designer role, which will now cover construction design and the management of regulation compliance to help ensure all parties keep track of design

decisions to guarantee fire and structural safety. Before the person taking on this role can do their job, however, a decision needs to be made on the products and coatings being used on the building in question.

Materials like steel are being considered much more commonly as design features as well as structural necessities. If left exposed, though, steel will rust and eventually corrode, leading to structural fatigue and instability, posing a series of health and safety risks – especially if the steel is load bearing. Likewise, when exposed to heat in the event of a fire, exposed steel frameworks can compromise the safety of entire buildings. Anti-corrosive and intumescent protective coatings should be specified at the very start of a project to ensure the design and structural features like this are protected and meet the most rigorous industry testing standards.

Impact on sustainability and wellbeing

A lthough often overlooked, coatings also have a significant impact on the sustainability of a building and on the wellbeing of its occupants – they don’t just serve a purpose when it comes to the overall aesthetic.

W ith so many coatings available on the market, it can be tricky to see which ones will have a positive contribution towards the credentials of a project and overall accreditations, such as BREEAM and WELL. That’s where the national regulator for construction projects comes in – they will enforce penalties when manufacturers cannot supply data on request about products in question. As a manufacturer, we’ve made it our mission to ensure architects, specifiers and designers have access to coatings that will contribute to the sustainability and wellbeing credentials of their projects.

J ohnstone’s Trade Air Pure, for example, is a bio-based wall and ceiling paint that improves indoor air quality by removing up to 70% of formaldehyde from indoor air. Likewise, as we become ever more conscious of the impact our processes and decisions are having on the environment, we’ve seen a huge shift towards the manufacturing of waterbased and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) coatings.

Support from manufacturers

A t PPG, we’ve made it easier than ever for architects, designers and specifiers to include coatings in their BIM workflows, helping them prove the impact their choices can have on the overall impact of a building. We offer a collection of BIM-ready paint material files in both Revit and IFC format, all of which are ready to view on the NBS National BIM Library, with a direct connection to NBS Chorus for fast and easy inclusion into specifications. We’ve also partnered with BIMsmith to enable users to visualise the exact colours of our paints and download the relevant technical documents, ready to render and apply to BIM models with complete accuracy.

E nsuring the golden thread of information on a project is maintained has never been more important. While coatings are only one element of a sometimes complex portfolio of specified products, manufacturers across the industry are making it easier for architects, designers and specifiers to maintain the golden thread throughout a project and prove the value of the products they’re selecting

www.ppgac.co.uk

FOOTNOTES:

1 https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/ autodesk/www/industry/aec/bim/aec-smartmarket-insight-2021-bim-digital-transformationunited-kingdom-ireland-en.pdf

2 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/30/ contents/enacted

HOW TO MEET THE NOISE CHALLENGES IN URBAN CONSTRUCTION

Noise pollution is identified as a top environmental risk in growing cities all over the world in a recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The report also states that solutions do exist and that they must be included in modern city planning. While there is no such thing as complete silence, unwanted sounds are considered noise, which is known to have a negative impact on human health and wellbeing.

According to the UNEP report, in Europe, long-term exposure to environmental noise causes 12,000 premature deaths and contributes to 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease every year. The growing scale of the problem caused the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue guidelines that are aimed at protecting human health from the effects of environmental noise pollution.

Where is noise generated?

The WHO looked at different levels of impact that noise may have on human life. They can range, for example, from being mildly annoying to causing sleeplessness and cardiovascular problems or serious mental health problems.

Potentially harmful noise in an urban setting can come from a large number of sources. The noise most often mentioned in built-up areas is generated by different types of traffic on the road, on railways or in the air. Other sources of

noise include commercial and industrial facilities or construction. The WHO also identifies a category of leisure noise, such as sports venues or nightclubs.

Mitigating noise

Most industry sectors are well aware of noise and the problems it can cause. Modern engineering enables cars and other machinery to operate at much lower noise levels than just a few years ago. Planning permissions for new buildings have a noise element in most cases, which, if justified, can even override other planning concerns. While it is impossible to cut out all environmental noise, the right kind of measures can certainly reduce levels so that they are less annoying and definitely not harmful.

If cutting noise emissions down to more acceptable levels is not an option, professionally-installed insulation will help. Depending on the material used, insulation can reduce the amount of sound that is transferred through walls, ceilings and floors.

O ne very effective insulation material is stone wool. The fibres in stone wool are randomly orientated and, as sound waves try to pass through the air trapped within the fibrous structure, they get absorbed by friction as the individual fibres are made to move back and forth. In addition, the random orientation of the fibres gives rise to high tortuosity, which makes it very difficult for sound to find a path from one side to the other.

Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL UK, explores the importance of the acoustic performance of buildings in urban settings.

ROCKWOOL UK

Oxford Road student accommodation

Testing the effectiveness of insulation as a sound barrier

It is easy enough to measure the noise within a space after it has been built. However, by then, remediation can be very difficult and expensive, if required. As such, it is important to accurately measure noise levels during the planning phase to ensure that the building design will deliver the required acoustic environment once constructed. This assessment provides the essential data needed to determine the appropriate levels of sound insulation that needs to be achieved within the building envelope.

Where projects utilise acoustic modelling in place of onsite environmental testing, a lack of real-world data can lead to over-engineered systems that incorporate additional mass layers. This can lead to additional problems like higher material and labour costs, more complex installations and longer build time.

The same is true of insulation products. Laboratory tests that simulate real-world scenarios give a much more accurate picture of material performance than any modelling can achieve. To provide greater support with specifying stonewool insulation for sound control, ROCKWOOL can provide definite, reliable test data for architects and designers for the products that have been acoustically tested.

Proven performance

When Intersect Architects were asked to develop a design for Skyline, Bournemouth University’s purpose-built student accommodation on Oxford Road in the heart of busy Lansdowne, they knew that, in addition to the thermal and fire safety performance of the facade, controlling noise could be a challenge.

Intersect specified noncombustible RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB from ROCKWOOL for the ventilated facade insulation. Manufactured from stone wool, RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB is excellent at trapping sound waves and minimising vibration, making the insulation an excellent choice for external acoustic insulation.

A lthough at best annoying in most settings, noise can be detrimental to patient recovery in a healthcare setting. This was a major concern when the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation five-storey building on Smith Lane was being modernised.

A rchitect and lead consultant, Property Tectonics, specified insulation from ROCKWOOL. The acoustic properties of the ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB insulation help reduce urban noise transfer into the hospital. The top layer of each RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB board is manufactured at a higher density than the remainder of the board. The resulting change in acoustic impedance means that sound is reflected at the interface between the two layers.

What’s next?

Cities all over the world have started to fight back against noise pollution. It starts with monitoring noise emissions like, for example, in Paris, where an environmental group holds the Guinness World Record for having the “largest urban noise monitoring network on the planet” with 150 sensors all over the city. In London, acoustic camera technology is being used in Knightsbridge to investigate complaints from residents regarding loud supercars and motorbike engines.

A s long as the world’s cities are growing, noise will present a challenge for architects and designers in many places, and insulation is one of the proven measures to meet it.

Oxford Road student accommodation

Bradford Maternity Unit

THE RISE OF THE WETROOM: WHY WALL PANELS ARE THE CONSIDERED CHOICE FOR ACHIEVING A WATERPROOF, MODERN WETROOM

A decade ago, wetrooms were an uncommon feature in homes. The market began to show signs of growth, increasing exponentially until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In 2022, it is estimated that almost 10% of UK homes now have a wetroom, with more homeowners planning to install one in the coming months, says Lidia Cetrangolo, Marketing Manager at bathroom panel manufacturer Multipanel.

What is a wetroom?

A wetroom is a bathroom setting in which the shower is open or set behind a single wall. The floor area of a wetroom is flush with the floorcovering of the room, with an outlet set into the floor for the water to drain.

Why are wetrooms so popular?

T he popularity of wetrooms can be attributed to a few key factors. With the rise of multigenerational living, accessibility is an important consideration for many families, and with their level flooring, wetrooms can provide freedom for families with mobility issues.

Wetrooms are a popular choice for prospective homeowners and customers with smaller

MULTIPANEL

bathrooms, increasing the area of useable space. They open up the opportunity for contemporary design without the need to squeeze in raised shower trays or a shower enclosure.

A s shower enclosures notoriously attract dirt and mould, easy maintenance also makes wetrooms an attractive proposition for prospective homeowners or tenants.

The issue: Waterproofing wetrooms

Wetroom surfaces need to be robust enough to withstand a lot of water exposure to ensure that no water leaks through any cracks. Without proper waterproofing, wetrooms have a very short shelf life, which can lead to countless leakages and damage.

T he traditional method for waterproofing wetrooms is to tank the walls, ceilings and floors, before tiling, grouting and sealing. Tanking proofs the surfaces that will be laid with tile or paint, which you can do with either a physical membrane or, more commonly, with a liquid mix that is spread onto walls. Once the tanking has dried, which can take any time from 24 hours to one week, tiling is then laid with grout and sealant. Unsurprisingly, this method is time-consuming and requires a lot of manual labour.

I t’s certainly important not to cut any corners when it comes to waterproofing, but modern innovation has led to a quicker and easier solution for wetrooms – wall panels.

Bathroom wall panels: The modern wetroom solution

T here are huge benefits to using wall panels to achieve a waterproof finish for wetrooms.

I nstead of spending time preparing your surfaces before tiling, Multipanel wall panels can be installed directly on top of almost any sound surface whilst maintaining their watertight integrity, saving you time and effort. They can even be installed over existing tiles and, unlike tiled surfaces, newlypanelled bathrooms will be ready to use in just 24 hours.

M ultipanel’s Hydrolock edge makes it possible to join two bathroom wall panels together without a mid joint. Our panels are supplied as standard with tonguedand-grooved edges for easy click-in-place installation. Precisely engineered, the

Hydrolock edge details create a discreet and watertight joint for complete peace of mind.

With this technology, no grout is required. This has the advantage of saving time spent on labour. In fact, using wall panels saves, on average, 21 hours of installation time, which aids a much quicker and more successful renovation, reducing snagging without cutting corners. By choosing waterproof wall panels instead of

traditional tiles, you can eliminate the costly problem of water leakage due to improper tile installation and grouting in bathroom wet areas.

E liminating the need for tiling also provides assurance to architects, specifiers and homeowners that the finish of the surfaces in their bathroom is truly waterproof, as the risk of human error is vastly reduced.

BUILD FOCUS:

LISTED & PERIOD PROPERTIES

FIRE PROTECTION: BEST PRACTICES

FOR LISTED AND PERIOD BUILDINGS

Listed and period properties are of national importance and are protected to preserve their historic or architectural interest. Fireproofing such buildings is not a simple process. Retaining the building’s character and often ornate features while providing the utmost fire protection is a sizeable challenge.

Working together

At the outset of any historic building project, one of the largest challenges is often achieving the meeting of minds. Where fire protection experts’ prime focus is fire safety, historic preservation teams’ primary focus is conservation – to ensure that the economic, social and cultural benefits that a building provides are protected for generations to come.

Therefore, these teams must work closely together to ensure a favourable outcome and design a solution that meets both of their needs.

Understanding the hazards

L isted and period buildings present unique hazards, having been built in an era with no fire safety regulations. Traditional building methods, material selection, and

obsolete fire safety systems and equipment pose a fire risk to these buildings. The three most common causes of fires in historic buildings are arson, electrical fires and construction mishaps – and, sadly, they occur more frequently than you would expect.

F ires not only cause irreparable damage and erase significant parts of history, but they can also endanger the lives of building occupants.

C reating a protection strategy

A n essential requirement with any work performed in a listed building is that it meets the relevant fire safety legislation – the Fire Safety Act 2021 in England and Wales and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 in Scotland. We must also satisfy the needs of other parties, including surveyors, planning officers, fire and rescue services, and organisations like Historic England, which provide listing status.

W hen creating a fire protection strategy, the best place to start is by undertaking a thorough fire risk assessment to identify the principal areas of concern. This might highlight, for instance, inappropriatelyplaced fire extinguishers, ill-fitting doors, open staircases, lack of compartmentalisation and unknown wall or floor voids.

Armed with this survey, we can design, specify and install the most appropriate fire safety equipment and systems to address the building’s needs.

Detecting a fire

While the main focus of a fire protection strategy should be to prevent fire, should one accidentally break out, early automatic fire detection is essential to ensure its containment. Fire detection systems provide the earliest possible warning of a developing emergency situation, which can facilitate the safe and swift evacuation of people from a building.

W ireless fire detection and alarm systems are the most suitable option for heritage

CHUBB FIRE & SECURITY UK & I

GARY ASHTON IS A SALES MANAGER AT CHUBB FIRE & SECURITY UK & I

Gary Ashton, Sales Manager at Chubb Fire & Security UK & I, explores the process and best practices for integrating fire-safety solutions into listed and period buildings while maintaining authenticity and character.

Appropriately-placed foam fire extinguishers can tackle the majority of small fires early on

Chubb completed the installation of a hybrid fire solution at Glenapp Castle

buildings where the installation of cabling can be disruptive or affect the aesthetics. Modern wireless fire alarm systems work by transmitting a radio signal from the detector and call point to the control panel. They can be operated by different power sources, making them a flexible solution and offer the added benefit of being easy to install with minimum disruption. In the event of a power cut, wireless fire alarm systems will still work, offering the ultimate peace of mind to building owners and managers.

E xtinguishing a fire

For many historic buildings, appropriatelyplaced foam fire extinguishers are suitable for tackling most small fires early on. For more significant incidents, fire hose reels and sprinkler systems are often specified as they have minimal water output, making them a sustainable choice.

W hen dealing with larger historic buildings, more specialised fire

extinguishing solutions are required, and careful consideration should be given to the most appropriate solution for specific environments.

For instance, commercial kitchens can present a significant fire risk, as they contain many flammable substances and potential fire sources, including deep fat fryers, ovens and air extraction systems. Wet chemical fire suppression systems that extinguish fires with the combination of oxygen depletion and water-based cooling are normally used in commercial kitchens.

A hybrid fire solution for historic hotel

One of Chubb’s most recent fire safety projects involved installing a hybrid fire solution at Glenapp Castle, a 21-bedroom, luxury five-star hotel in Ayrshire, Scotland, to meet the Historic Scotland preservation agency’s stringent requirements.

The owners of Glenapp Castle sought to convert the entire top floor into a luxury

apartment but, due to the historic nature of the building, it required a robust fire system. Generally, if a void in a loft space is under a specific size, it does not need to be covered, but Historic Scotland requires all voids to be covered entirely, so close attention to detail was required.

Chubb’s initial site visit involved a thorough eight-hour examination, exploring every nook and cranny of the loft space, which revealed many voids, including the eaves and turrets at the top of the tower.

The project required Chubb to devise a hybrid fire solution to protect both the existing building and the renovation project. Chubb’s proposed solution comprised a combination of hardwired and wireless fire systems, cabling for the top-floor renovation, and wireless modules, such as smoke detectors and sounders, to the existing cabling in the finished building.

During the project, the renovation scope changed considerably, which required Chubb to be flexible in adjusting the original fire solution specified. Working closely alongside other contractors, Chubb also interfaced the fire solution with various other systems, including the BMS system, sprinkler system, dynamic emergency lighting system and pressurisation system to keep the fire exit stairways clear.

Since completing the project, Chubb has enhanced the existing fire maintenance contract to cover the full scope of works completed with the addition of remote monitoring. Due to the castle’s remote location, the owners wanted to ensure that the fire systems could be monitored by Chubb’s alarm receiving centre 24/7.

To find out more about Chubb’s fire-safety solutions for listed and period buildings, please visit the website below.

The Endeavour’s Master Suite at Glenapp Castle

The Endeavour’s Westward Room at Glenapp Castle

QUANTUM FLOORING A WINNER IN CFJ/CFA AWARDS

The CFJ/CFA Awards are always a highlight of the flooring industry calendar, giving those in the industry a chance to meet with, and celebrate, colleagues from across the UK. This year, it was held on 9th of September at Coombe Abbey, and, as ever, it was a great show. Even better for Quantum Flooring Solutions, which was judged the winner of one of the major categories.

QUANTUM PROFILE SOLUTIONS

www.quantumflooring.co.uk 0161 627 4222

ADAPTABLE BOARDROOM FOR HIGH-SPEC SCOTTISH HEAD OFFICE

STYLE

"Ev eryone at Quantum is delighted to win in the Profiles and Trims Manufacturer/ Supplier of the Year category at the 2022 CFJ/CFA Awards,” says a representative on behalf of the brand. “As an independent flooring accessories manufacturer, it really does represent a fantastic team effort from all at the company, and we are very proud of the achievement.

“ We’d like to thank everyone who voted for Quantum’s nomination in the category, the independent industry experts who judged us the winner among stiff competition, and the event sponsors. Congratulations to the other companies and individuals who won awards, and indeed to all of those nominated in every category.

“And thank you, of course, to the CFJ and the CFA for putting on this brilliant event year after year. We’ll see you all there in 2023!”

info@quantumflooring.co.uk

IG MASONRY SUPPORT

Southmere Village Phase 1B will bring to life an area of former economic deprivation. Four Point Architects designed the newbuild homes with creative brick detailing to elevate the building’s aesthetic. IG Masonry Support provided many of its products to brickwork contractor Landmark Brickwork and main contractor Durkan, to help achieve the architect’s vision. IG Masonry Support supplied products for builds C1, C4 and C5, totalling nine blocks. The entire development is valued at £126m, and IG Masonry Support’s product package for this development is the largest the company has supplied to a project since its inception. The introduction of new Building Regulations set out by Approved Document B meant the brickwork contractor needed to find products which met the conditions. IG Masonry Support’s B.O.S.S.+ (Brick on Soffit System) met these standards, making it the ideal choice of supplier. In addition to the B.O.S.S.+, the developer required almost every product offered by IG Masonry Support for the nine blocks across Southmere Phase 1B.

support@igmss.co.uk

Rathbones is part of Rathbones Group, one of the UK’s largest and longest-established wealth management firms. Reflecting a growing presence in Scotland, the company recently relocated its Edinburgh offices to 10 George Street, delivering a modern and enhanced environment for employees and visiting clients. Bringing over 20 years of partitioning expertise to the refurbishment project, Style worked closely with architect firm, Form Design Consultants, and contractor, AKP Scotland, to create flexible space in the main boardroom. A Dorma Hüppe Variflex ML100 semi-automatic moveable wall system allows the impressive boardroom to be quickly divided into two separate meeting areas, whilst a second Variflex can be moved into position to create a breakout room. Style’s final partitioning solution offers the ability to provide one large conferencing suite, a boardroom plus breakout area, or two meeting rooms with a breakout facility. Reflecting the inviting yet sophisticated interior decor, the walls are finished in a combination of contemporary Kvadrat fabric and dark walnut laminate.

www.style-partitions.co.uk 01202 874044 sales@style-partitions.co.uk

IG MASONRY SUPPORT CREATES BESPOKE BRICK DETAILS FOR LONDON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

TROLDTEKT V-LINE IS CUTTING EDGE

Troldtekt’s award-winning ‘design solutions’ range has been extended with the addition of the new v-line variant.

Vline 1way and v-line 2way both comprise panels with either six or 10 longitudinal grooves milled into the surface of standard 25mm Troldtekt panels. The v-line 2 has the addition of transverse grooves every 1200mm where the ends of the panels meet, giving an added character to the pattern on the ceiling and the ability to create more intricate, interesting designs.

Cut into a V shape, the grooves in the panels have a more discreet look than that of the traditional deepercut offerings in the ‘design solutions’ range, which are more pronounced and distinctive and use a thicker 35mm panel.

The ability to have milled lines in a classic, thinner Troldtekt panel means they are easy to handle and competitively priced, but still have the same aesthetic and visual appeal. They are a perfect accompaniment for retail, office and residential environments where acoustics need to be controlled.

Certified Cradle-to-Cradle at Gold level, Troldtekt’s natural and inherently-sustainable panels offer high sound absorption and a tactile surface, coupled with high durability and low-cost lifecycle performance. Available in various sizes and in four grades, from extreme fine to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.

Panels can be supplied in the FSC 100% category (FSC C115450) contributing to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED rating. In addition, because the panels are a natural, breathable material that can absorb and release moisture, they are allergy friendly and have been awarded an Allergy Friendly Product Award by Allergy UK.

www.troldtekt.co.uk 01978 664255

SETCRETE LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY WATER-MIX LEVELLING COMPOUND

SETCRETE

STO PROVIDES ATTRACTIVE SOLUTION FOR NEW RIVERSIDE BUILDINGS

STO Sto’s ability to provide a bespoke package of external wall insulation, brick slips and render has been highlighted by a new £115m mixed-use development in Kent. The company’s StoTherm Mineral M insulation system, StoCleyer B brick slips and StoSilco external render have been installed on five buildings, which make up the latest phases of the Riverside development in Canterbury. The BBA-certified StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system uses durable mineralfibre insulation boards, classified A1 reaction to fire, to provide outstanding thermal and fire performance. Some of the new buildings feature the StoCleyer B mineral brick slips in a multi-blend red colour, while other sections were finished with StoSilco external render, enabling the architects to create a striking contrast.

www.sto.co.uk 0141 892 8000 info.uk@sto.com

Setcrete Level-Smart represents the next generation of floor-levelling compounds. It is a high-performance, fast-setting, fast-drying, water-mix levelling compound for smoothing flooring screeds where old adhesive residues are present. It is recommended for use in flooring refurbishments and projects that face tight time constraints or when a fast-track, time-saving option is simply preferred. Setcrete Level-Smart can be applied over old adhesive residues, including bitumen, carpet tile tackifiers and ceramic tile adhesives, eliminating the need for mechanical removal. In such applications, there is no need to prime beforehand, saving further time and expense. Setcrete Level-Smart’s fast-setting characteristics enable a walk-on time of just 90 minutes and new floorcoverings can be installed from four hours.

www.setcrete.co.uk 01538 361633

WEST FRASER’S PRODUCTS ARE NET CARBON NEGATIVE – BUT ITS JOURNEY IS NOT OVER YET WEST FRASER

“West Fraser has always been committed to reducing the impact of our operation on the environment,” says Steve Roebuck, European Health & Safety Director. “Our products are produced in the UK using Woodland Assurance Scheme wood from sustainably-managed forests. Our industry is in the energy-intensive category, so we are one of several big energy users. Wood is 50% water when we buy it, requiring a lot of heat to dry it out. We’ve taken steps to counter the impact of this high energy consumption by focusing on fossil-fuel energy. We now derive 1455 GWhr (2021) of heat from renewable sources, principally process residues, with anything left over from the manufacturing process used to generate heat.”

lisa.shirley@f-ball.com

uk.westfraser.com 01786 812921

OPERATOR IN HIDING

An automatic swing door operator that is completely hidden from view has been introduced by GEZE UK.

UK

Th e UFO NT is the new underfloor automatic swing door drive. It boasts a much wider range of capabilities and features than its predecessor, including manual use via the Smart swing function.

P roviding maximum transparency and meeting aesthetic and access demands, the UFO NT is hidden in the floor, so overcomes the problem of a limited area at the top of the door frame, which is perfect for use with glass facades or listed or historical buildings with structural limitations, or where automatic doors are required but with an operator that is not visible.

T he UFO NT can be used on any type of door – glass, wood or metal – and is especially suitable for use where vandalism could be a problem as the operator is fully concealed. It is also suitable for retrofitting. It provides compliance with the demands of the Equality Act and the building standard BS EN8300.

D eveloped from the robust and efficient GEZE Powerturn operator, the UFO NT has a higher IP rating (IP 67) making it suitable for external doors, and a higher closing force than its predecessor size EN1 – EN4. In addition, it can operate leaf widths up to 1250mm on external doors and 1600mm on internal doors, and leaf weights up to 125kg, surpassing the older unit in all areas of performance.

T he Smart swing function enables large doors to be operated manually with ease, though if the door is manually opened at high speed, the operator will apply motor resistance to slow it down. Using a redundant spring system, the Smart

swing function allows the operator to be fully motor controlled until power failure or fire alarm activation. The versatile UFO NT underfloor operator is suitable for use with GEZE Cockpit and building management systems.

www.geze.co.uk 01543 443000

SENIOR PRESCRIBED FOR UNIVERSITY’S NEW CLINICAL SKILLS FACILITY

SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS

SEALING THE ENERGY CRISIS THIS WINTER

ISO CHEMIE

In the midst of the current energy crisis, the need for more effective insulation and sealing of windows and doors must be an urgent priority, says Andy Swift, Sales and Operations Manager for foam sealants specialist, ISO Chemie. “With 25% of the heat leaking from around windows, it’s now even more important to effectively seal around the window to wall gap. Even before the current energy crisis, it was always an area requiring urgent attention, but now it has become paramount because millions of people are struggling to heat their homes and stay warm this coming winter. However, by using modern foam sealants to create a thermal and airtight seal around the window, the amount of heat loss around frames is significantly reduced. Indeed, after only a few years against a leaky joint, investment in new sealing tapes will have paid for itself. Retrofitting properties with products like Winframer, Vario SD and BLOCO ONE has become a direct focus for property developers and housing associations and is a cost-effective way to insulate existing properties very quickly. As they say, the greenest home is one already built.”

www.iso-chemie.eu/en-gb/home 07837 337220 a.swift@iso-chemie.co.uk

Senior Architectural Systems, the aluminium fenestration solutions

manufacturer, has seen its popular SF52 aluminium curtain wall system specified for use at Nottingham Trent University’s new purpose-built Health and Allied Professions (HAP) Centre. The impressive building has been designed by architect firm Pick Everard and incorporates a number of sustainable features to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. Senior’s fenestration systems, which offer cradle-to-cradle recyclability, were the ideal choice and the building’s striking main facade features both Senior’s thermally-enhanced SF52 aluminium curtain wall system and integrated SPW600 aluminium windows. Senior’s products were fabricated and installed by supply chain partner Logic Aluminium Systems for main contractor Henry Brothers. As well as creating a welcoming gateway to the university’s Clifton Campus, the new two-storey building has been designed to provide both visual interest and maximise the use of daylighting. The use of Senior’s slimline SF52 aluminium curtain wall systems floods the main atrium with natural light and provides each of the rooms with extensive views of the campus and surrounding areas.

www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk 01709 772600 enquiries@sasmail.co.uk

T he Sash Window Workshop has also recently achieved Carbon Neutral Plus status, meaning that it has offset 125% of its remaining carbon emissions. The company believes that it’s the first timber window and door company to achieve this and offset more carbon than it’s emitting.

E stablished in 1994, The Sash Window Workshop has extensive experience working on a variety of projects on period properties, including Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian homes. It can comply with conservation area or listed building requirements when necessary.

I t offers a supply and installation service of sash windows, casement windows, external doors and secondary glazing across London and Southern England, with a supply-only service across Great Britain. In addition to replacement windows, the company also offers a draught-proofing and overhaul service for timber windows in London and the South.

SUSTAINABLE TIMBER WINDOWS AND DOORS

With the growing awareness of sustainability and the importance of being environmentally friendly, clients are increasingly looking for sustainable businesses.

THE SASH WINDOW WORKSHOP

The Sash Window Workshop is an award-winning company that specialises in traditional timber windows and doors. It uses Accoya as standard, which is sustainably sourced and comes with a 50-year antirot guarantee.

T he company is also working hard to decrease its carbon footprint, having successfully reduced emissions by 39% between 2019 and 2021. Both reports were carried out by Carbon Footprint, which helps businesses conduct independentlyverified reviews of their carbon emissions.

All new joinery is manufactured in their workshops in Bracknell, Berkshire, where it works hard to replicate as closely as possible the proportions and designs of historic timber windows, whilst incorporating the latest manufacturing techniques.

N ew windows and doors come double glazed as standard and are draught proofed during installation to improve energy efficiency. The company can also manufacture single-glazed windows when required.

T he Sash Window Workshop is proud to provide high-quality timber windows and doors, along with excellent customer service, reflected in the fact that roughly half its orders come from recommendations and existing customers.

T he company was recently commissioned to upgrade the windows in an Edwardian property in Surrey to be double glazed and improve energy efficiency. The customer opted for replacing the sashes while keeping the existing window frames, meaning that a high level of accuracy was vital to ensure that the windows operated smoothly.

T he new sliding sashes were manufactured by The Sash Window Workshop in Bracknell, Berkshire. They were fully factory-finished in the workshop before being installed by the company’s experienced fitters. Upon completion, the customer was very happy with their upgraded windows.

T he Sash Window Workshop is FENSA registered, FSC certified, Safe Contractor accredited and a member of the British Woodworking Federation. The company is also a member of the Which? Trusted Trader scheme.

EDUCATIONAL NORDIC COPPER

The architectural clarity of a new teaching facility at Gresham’s School in Norfolk – incorporating panels of Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper alongside full-height glazing – typifies an innovative approach to education.

Enabled by Sir James Dyson, a former pupil at the school, the centre for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education is a state-ofthe-art structure at the heart of the school campus. WilkinsonEyre’s design develops and refines the evolving STEAM building typology and follows a modern aesthetic integrating industrial components with landscaping and low-energy systems.

Opaque and perforated panels

T he two-storey exposed steel frame envelopes a mixture of large panels: some glass and others Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper – either opaque or with

square perforations adding transparency whilst screening glazing behind. Some of the panels are set back within the structure, introducing landscaped open areas, which can be used for outside teaching. Integrated planting blurs the boundaries between outside and in.

T he thoroughly-modern building remains sympathetic to its historic context and its scale reflects that of the 1916 school chapel across the lawn. Meanwhile, the patterns in the Nordic Brown Light copper panels mirror decorative flint details on the chapel elevation.

Building as a teaching tool

Yasmin Al-Ani Spence, Director at WilkinsonEyre, said: “This building will provide

contemporary teaching spaces for the investigation of the sciences and the arts simultaneously, enhancing critical thinking and promoting innovation. The building itself –through the clarity and honesty of design and construction –becomes a teaching tool in its own right.”

W ith an area totalling 4000m², teaching spaces are generous and filled with light. They include classrooms, laboratories, workshops, an auditorium and open-plan

common spaces able to host a variety of teaching and learning uses. An inviting and interactive internal courtyard, doubling up as circulation, features an arts hub, seating area and IT point and facilities, further reinforcing the integration of art, design and science.

T he building is equipped with the latest technology to ensure the highest levels of teaching, from robotics and artificial intelligence to programming and machine learning. The building will

AURUBIS

Images courtesy of Peter Landers

also provide greatly-improved opportunities for the outreach programme that Gresham’s runs with local schools.

Performance and appearance naturally Nordic Brown copper provides the same oxidised brown surface that otherwise develops over time in the environment. The thickness of the oxide layer determines the colour of the surface finish with dark or the lighter ‘Nordic Brown Light’ shades of brown.

N ordic Brown is part of an extensive range of architectural copper surfaces and alloys with an unrivalled lifespan, no maintenance and full recyclability. With a melting point of 1083ºC and ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1, copper is suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions.

L iving copper surfaces

Apart from Nordic Brown, and also Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ copper, Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise

pre-patinated surfaces 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 colour with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material.

C opper alloys are growing in popularity as well, including 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, giving it a rich golden through colour and making it very stable. A wide choice of Nordic Decor mechanically-applied surface treatments is also available for various surfaces and alloys, particularly suited to interior applications.

A growing series of online ‘copper stories’ exemplify the best in contemporary architecture and showcase the diversity of surfaces, forms and applications available with Nordic Copper today.

GOING GREEN WITH NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

The green roof market in the UK is still growing, and it enjoys a healthy trajectory thanks to sustainability agendas, as well as an array of planning and environmental policies, which are pushing for green elements to be included in most new-build projects.

Co rrect waterproofing specification and installation is vital when it comes to green roof design. The waterproofing membrane, which is a key element of the specification, has to guarantee a watertight barrier between the roof substrate and the green roof systems, and also be root resistant.

A growing number of specifiers, contractors and developers are recognising the benefits of liquid waterproofing for new builds and green roofs. A coldapplied system, such as Kemper System’s Kemperol V210M, results in extensive time efficiencies and a very durable solution as there are no seams, laps or joints that can

be compromised. Kemper System can be installed below or above the insulation, and plays a key role in ensuring a green roof flourishes for many years to come.

Installation considerations

Specifiers and contractors need to know the type of green roof and what planting is required. Trusted liquid manufacturers should offer a certified green roof system as part of its product range and offer system training.

T he liquid waterproofing membrane should be compatible with green roof applications, and form part of a structure designed to the relevant Building Regulations.

When specifying and installing the waterproofing system, it is also important that detailing, such as upstands, pipe penetrations and rooflights, are designed to take into account the increased build-up of the green roof construction.

Residential spotlight: Park Place, London

A new residential development in Finchley, London, has benefitted from a liquid waterproofing solution from Kemper System. Spread across two blocks, Park Place features 41 homes, including studios and apartments, as well as 1700ft 2 of retail space. Kemper System’s Kemperol V210M was specified to waterproof both buildings, which have been designed with green roofs.

T he cold-applied liquid was installed by roofing contractor, AN Construction Solution. To ensure a consistent depth and coverage, the resin was applied until the fleece was no longer visible, which indicated it was fully saturated. Once cured, it formed a seamless and elastomeric membrane.

E lvis Neli, Contract Manager at AN Construction Solution, said: “Kemperol V210M was ideal for this large, new-build project. It’s highly durable and provides a watertight barrier between the substrate and the green roof. As it’s root resistant, there’s no risk of damage, even as the plants mature.

“The system is also easy to install using a reinforcement fleece and a roller. This helped us to deliver the waterproofing quicky and effectively, keeping the wider construction programme on track.”

B rought forward by developer, Aitch Group, Park Place was formerly the site of a police station. Located opposite Victoria Park, residents benefit from high-specification homes, balconies and gardens.

T he buildings have floor-to-ceiling windows and a brick facade reflecting the appearance of the former police station and paying homage to the site’s former use.

KEMPER SYSTEM

TACONOVA GROUP ACQUIRES BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF HEATLINK TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND CLIENT SERVICES

The Taconova Group, a leading manufacturer of innovative hydraulic solutions for heating, plumbing and solar energy applications, has completed the acquisition of the business activities of Heatlink Technical Solutions Limited and Heatlink Client Services.

TACONOVA GROUP

The acquisition will see the business activities of Heatlink, a provider of intelligent heating and hot water solutions, transferred to the UK arm of Taconova Group, Taconova UK Limited. This transaction will bring together the expertise and know-how of both companies and provide an even greater offering to its customers.

Operating under the Taconova UK Limited name, the company will offer the existing Heatlink range as well as the entire Taconova portfolio – including hydronic balancing, area heating systems, system technology, valves and accessories and pump technology – in the UK.

www.taconova.com

“We are very pleased to be part of the Taconova Group,” says Phil Harrison, Managing Director at Heatlink. “Like us, Taconova specialises in intelligent building technology solutions and, as an ISO-certified company, stands for quality and durability.

“ Having already worked with Taconova, we know this first-hand. Our proven turnkey solution, known in the market as ‘The Monitor Bundle’, already includes the HIU, a residential transfer station designed specifically for the UK market by Taconova.”

Ralph Seewald (pictured), Managing Director at the Taconova Group, is positive about the future. He adds: “With the foundation of Taconova UK Limited and the acquisition of the Heatlink business, we are creating an excellent basis for an even stronger local presence in the market. We are very pleased to be building on what is already an excellent partnership.”

info@taconova.com

BREATHING BUILDINGS’ SHORTLISTING RECOGNISES VALUE OF COLLABORATION WHEN CREATING HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS

BREATHING BUILDINGS

The HVR Awards has shortlisted Breathing Buildings, a leading provider of controlled hybrid ventilation systems, in the ‘Collaboration of the Year’ category at its 2022 awards. The company worked in collaboration with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and the project team to improve IAQ and the working environment at its new headquarters, Helimed House. Ventilation was an integral part of the project, with Breathing Buildings collaborating with the team on the ventilation for the brand-new section of the building, which features Breathing Buildings’ NVHR 1100 natural ventilation with heat recycling units together with S1500L e-stack ventilation units.

www.breathingbuildings.com

VICTORIAN BAROQUE GRANDEUR AND MILLENNIAL ASPIRATION AT ICONIC HOSPITALITY VENUE

GILBERTS BLACKPOOL

01223 450060 info@breathingbuildings.com

AND THE NEXT TRAIN FOR SLATE AGGREGATE IS STOPPING AT… WELSH SLATE

One of only three Radisson RED hotels in the UK opened last month (September) after a £20m refurbishment of an iconic 150-year-old Grade II Listed building. Helping create the perfect atmosphere for the brand’s target guest base of millennials are ventilation diffusers designed and manufactured by Gilberts Blackpool. Gilberts worked closely with building services specialist Briggs & Forrester Group in the design and specification of the diverse options, developing bespoke versions alongside standard grilles, to achieve the interior design brief devised by Koncept ID supporting main contractor Deansgate Contractors.

www.gilbertsblackpool.com

01253 766911

info@gilbertsblackpool.co.uk

A joint initiative between Breedon Group, Network Rail and the Welsh Government has brought the disused Llandudno Junction freight yard sidings back to life. The yard is near the main Penrhyn Quarry of Breedon Group subsidiary, Welsh Slate. Up to 260,000 tonnes of materials – ranging from sub-base to decorative aggregate – are expected to pass through each year, with trains expected to run weekly. Typical freight trains will carry 1500 tonnes of material, compared to a truck’s 28 tonnes, leading to reductions in CO2 emissions, road traffic and operating costs. The first freight train left the refurbished railhead carrying the equivalent of 76 truckloads of Welsh Slate Hard Grey Type 1 sub-base aggregates to Luton.

www.welshslate.com enquiries@welshslate.com 01248 600656

NEW SCHÖCK SCONNEX FOR MAJOR PASSIVHAUS SOCIAL HOUSING SCHEME

Minimising thermal bridging at the wall connection to the floor or floor slab is an ongoing problem with reinforced concrete construction. However, a new solution – the Sconnex type W – has been developed by Schöck and is being installed in what is currently the largest Passivhaus-accredited social housing scheme in the north of England.

The ‘Greenhaus’ nine-storey development of 96 affordable homes in Chapel Street, Salford, is part of the 50-acre Salford Central regeneration and the result of a collaboration between The English Cities Fund (ECF) – a national development partnership between Muse, Legal & General and Homes England – contractor Eric Wright Construction and h ousing association Salix Homes. The scheme focuses on sustainability and is designed to reduce the energy consumption of the building. With Passivhaus, energy savings can be as much as 90% compared with the average building stock and more than 75% compared to average new builds.

Thermal losses are greatly reduced

The unique Schöck Sconnex type W makes a major contribution to achieving this initiative and is a product based on derivative technology from Schöck. Sconnex utilises the company’s longstanding expertise in structural thermal breaks for balconies and other cantilever constructions and applies it to reinforced concrete wall and support applications. By installing the Sconnex product in Chapel Street, thermal losses are greatly reduced, and the surface temperature in the rooms increases to considerably more than the critical dew point temperature. Heating costs are lower, a pleasant room climate is created and the linear thermal transmittance (Psi) of the connected reinforced concrete wall is reduced by as much as 80%. This outstanding insulation performance is combined with an excellent load-bearing capacity. It transmits very high pressure, tensile and shear forces, in the longitudinal and transverse direction, made possible by the use of a pressure buffer consisting of ultra-high-performance, fibre-reinforced concrete. Compressive strength levels in excess of 175N/mm2 are achieved, with extremely good flexural strength. A further important benefit is the significant cost reduction involved when compared to installing insulation beneath the floor slab.

Eric Wright and Salix have key roles

Greenhaus forms part of ECF’s wider £1bn, 50-acre, Salford Central masterplan transforming former surface car parks and derelict buildings into a vibrant and diverse community. John Hartnett, Managing Director at Eric Wright Construction, comments: “We are proud to be supporting not only a green future for Salford, with the delivery of high-efficiency buildings built to Passivhaus standards, but also supporting Eric Wright’s own journey to net-zero carbon. These new homes will deliver valuable social housing in partnership with Salix Homes.“

Sue Sutton, Chief Executive at Salix Homes, also adds: “Chapel Street enjoys an incredibly rich history and the innovative Greenhaus development marks the next exciting chapter for this historic part of Salford. At a time when affordable housing is in such short supply, we’re very proud to work alongside our partners to deliver these highquality, sustainable, eco-homes of the future, and we look forward to seeing this ambitious development take shape on the Salford skyline.”

SCH Ö CK

Sconnex type W in position

CGI of Chapel Street

Sconnex type W

ONLEVEL FRAMELESS GLASS BALUSTRADE SPECIALIST – PICKING THE BEST

Frameless glass balustrading is no new thing. A broad range of solutions and fixing methods have been available for some time. So, why does the Onlevel TL-6020 stand out from the rest?

Key elements for a successful glass balustrading project are ease of installation and cost effectiveness.

ONLEVEL is well known for supplying innovative frameless glass balustrade solutions across the world, with the TL-6020

frameless glass balustrade profile leading the way – particularly in the UK.

It’s the only frameless balustrade system tested in the UK to achieve 1.5kN loadings with 21.52mm PVB toughened laminate glass with fixings at 400mm, saving time and money and, more importantly, achieving a no-fuss and technically-sound installation that you can be proud of, helping you stand out from the rest.

To learn more about ONLEVEL and its frameless balustrade system, visit the website below.

PROTECT A CYCLE RANGE AWARDED HIGHER SECURITY CERTIFICATION

Protect a Cycle metal bicycle stores have been awarded improved certification acknowledging their higher levels of security and confirming their compliance with the Home Quality Mark and SBD (Secure By Design) Homes Award.

PROTECT A CYCLE

Al ready hugely popular among specifiers and architects, this recognition is set to increase the range’s use on new residential developments, alongside facilities management operations and individual cyclists protecting their property.

R igorously tested by BRE (Building Research Establishment), the popular cycle stores, which are manufactured by Trimetals, have been proven to cope with the evolving tools and methods used by bicycle thieves. The entire Protect a Cycle product range is now certified by the Loss Prevention Certification Board to its standard of LPS1175: Issue 8, Security Rating 1.

P reviously, the Protect a Cycle stores were the first such products to be tested and certified to the Issue 6, Security Rating 1 standard and the first to achieve the Police SBD mark ‘Preferred Police Specification’, which they continue to hold.

T hames Valley Police has installed the stores to protect its own bicycles at a site in Buckinghamshire. And they recently featured in the RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show within ‘The Secured Garden’, presented by Designing Out Crime Officers from the Essex Police.

T hese accolades and the combination of security, functionality and durability offered by Protect a Cycle have driven the range’s success both here in the UK and internationally, helping to win Trimetals a prestigious Queen’s Award for Export.

T he product is supplied complete as a comprehensive package, which includes an integral metal floor, two stainlesssteel metal hasps with padlocks and a ground anchor with flexible metal security cable. Fixings for securing the unit to a concrete base are also supplied.

www.protectacycle.co.uk 01258 459441

ADVANCED OFFERS

FIRE SAFETY GUIDANCE AT UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK

ADVANCED

Advanced, a leader in intelligent fire, evacuation and emergency lighting systems, will be offering guidance on how these systems fit into the recent amendments to Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations on Stand B99 at UK Construction Week (4 to 6th October 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham). In addition to sharing its knowledge with visitors, the company will also be showcasing its latest evacuation alert and fire-safety solutions. Ken Bullock, Business Development Manager for Evacuation Alert Systems at Advanced, said: “We appreciate that new regulation can be confusing, therefore, we have carefully designed the EvacGo to take away the hard work for building owners, end users and, importantly, frontline fire and rescue services.”

uk.advancedco.com 0345 894 7000 evacgo@advancedco.com

info@trimetals.co.uk

SIDEY ACCREDITED WITH YOUNG PERSONS GUARANTEE

SIDEY

Sidey is delighted to announce that it has been awarded the Young Persons Guarantee accreditation. Donna Montgomery, Sidey’s Community Benefits Manager, commented: “The Young Persons Guarantee is a commitment to connect every 16 to 24-year-old in Scotland to an opportunity. It allows Sidey to build a workforce with the right skills and experience, and put young people at the heart of what we do. Investment in our people is a priority at Sidey, and we recognise the value that young people bring not only to our business but also to our economy and society as a whole. We will also be launching a Sidey Training Academy Apprenticeship Programme.”

www.sidey.co.uk 01738 634803 sideyinfo@sidey.co.uk

VENT-AXIA STEPS UP FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

VENT-AXIA

Staff from Vent-Axia have put on their walking shoes to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and raised money for Young Lives vs Cancer, the company’s charity of the year. Lena Hebestreit and Melanie Lewis tackled the South Coast Challenge, while Gail Bradley is taking part in Young Lives vs Cancer’s Challenge 60 virtual event. Vent-Axia’s support of the charity is part of a group-wide initiative that has raised £3510. Speaking on behalf of Young Lives vs Cancer, Rose Bailey, Fundraising Engagement Manager, said: “We’re delighted that Vent-Axia has chosen to support Young Lives vs Cancer, and we’re grateful to Lena, Melanie and Gail for the effort they are making to help raise money for the charity.”

www.vent-axia.com 0344 856 0590