i-Build August 2022

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FOCUS:

S ELF B U ILDS

R ENOVAT IONS

C ONVER S IONS

DIY

EXT ENS IONS COVER STORY

Find out why more of the UK’s self-bui d rs are consider g homebuild ng route and learn

AUGUST **

ISSUE 1/

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ADVISORY

I’ M A

I-DEAS

PLNA I GFORTHE GOLDEYNARS Design details to fut rep o d self-bui d

consider when embarking on a

taking the Pas ivh u

about the finer details of opting for an ultra-en gy ef ic nt Pas ivh u home

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INSPIRATION

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enha c your comf rt

MATERIALS

SM AR T H O M E S: B L I N D CON T R O L S

TURN UP THE y R E N E WA B L E z H E AT

How intu ve blind contr l sy tem wil

Why heat pum s are a sen ibl opti n for

lev s al year round

enviro m tal y- w re

self-bui d rs

Onyx Avanti 190RW Electric, installed as a three-sided fire

FREE MOOD LIGHTING KIT & BIRCH LOG SET with your Onyx Avanti Electric Fire

fires beyond imagination

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s'rotiWelcome d I-BUILD AUGUST 2022

EDITORIAL: Rebecca Kemp rebea c r@ edtu h e m a id .com

Hannah Woodger

a h a n r@ h edtu h e m a i d .com

PRINT & DIGITAL ADVERTISING: Sam Ball samr@ edtuh e m a id .com

Jim Moore

r@mij edtuh e m a id .com

PRINT DESIGN MANAGER: Jack Witcomb

a j r@kc edtuh e m a id .com

DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER: Matt Morse

a m tt@redtuh e m a id .com

ACCOUNTS: Rachel Pike aco c tnu s@redtuh e m a id .com

SALES SUPPORT & STATISTICS: Klare Ball

a lk re@redtuh e m a id .com

PUBLISHER: Sam Ball samr@ edtuh e m a id .com

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

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Cover story:

The Passivhaus Trust explains what Passivhaus is and runs through the requirements self-builders need to consider.

D

esigning and building your own home requires your undivided attention. Ask any self-builder or home renovator and they’ll tell you that not only is the process stressful but the, often quick-fire, choices that you must make result in a tiring – albeit worthwhile – experience.

Add full accessibility considerations and a heightened sense of functionality to the demanding process, and you’re certainly upping the ante.

This was the exact situation that homeowner Jo Wright faced when it came to altering her living arrangements. For Jo – who developed a spinal epidural abscess, resulting in the loss of movement in her legs – building a new home meant focusing on ease of use and the ability to move effortlessly around her home in her wheelchair. In this month’s issue, we talk to Jo about how she devised and built her brand-new, aestheticallystunning space, and she highlights those all-important accessibility and functionality design details. Jo and her family’s home is the perfect example of establishing a fair balance between an accessible home and one that is beautifully designed. Turn to page 18 to read her full story.

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Following Jo’s inspiring build, we also talk to Yola Mealing, Head of Brand at Stiltz Homelifts, for her top tips on how you can futureproof your home to accommodate for accessibility essentials later in life. Here, Yola explains what you should incorporate into your early design plans to make future adaptability straightforward and lists off everything you’ll need to bear in mind when it comes to stairs, bathrooms and present-day technology. Turn to page 10 to read more from this article.

Lastly, when chatting to IQ Glass about a charming pub conversion in London’s Highgate Hill, we made the most of the self-build aficionado’s expertise and asked for a few tips on designing for accessibility, too. You can read these tips and find out more about its recent involvement with the enchanting pub transformation on page 24.

Rebecca Rebecca Kemp Editor

@ibuildmagazine

@ibuildmagazine

ibuildmagazine

Download the i-Build app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Search 'i-build'.

Picks

See page 32.

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DISCE R ET, IM IN A M DESIG L N Premium bathroom manufacturer Elisa has introduced a customisable, modular shower collection +

T NOC EMPA RO Y R T OC TAGEINW RON AY This ultra-modern house is defined by its respect for nature and material palette of Nordic Green copper-clad walls

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Desired Designs: Braz e n Barbiecore

Vi ewpoint

Sustainable Living

Impressive Innovation Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Desired Designs: C h eck it Out!

Plant Rooms Urban Sanctuary

i- B uild:

Passivhaus

Renewable Technology

Product Guide

Doors & Windows i- S cape: Orangeries & C o nservatories

i- n terior: Blinds & Shutters

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I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

DESIRED DESIGNS

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he recent news of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s Barbie flick has inspired everyone to dig their dolls out for some childhood memories and style inspiration.

The Barbiecore fashion aesthetic is taking social media by storm, and there’s no reason why you can’t apply the same look to your home. If you’re thinking of the bold, hot pinks donned by Elle Woods from the scenes of Legally Blonde and blending them with the pastels of the infamous bomber jackets sported by I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

Grease’s Pink Ladies, you’re on the right track. It’s one of the season’s hottest – and brightest – colours, and while it may be a short-lived trend, there are some diluted forms of applying Barbie-inspired hues and designs to your interior.

If you’re cautious with interior design, as always, our advice with these fleeting fads is to apply little and often – with interchangeable, unobtrusive pieces like cushions and blankets. For those decorating daredevils, the opportunity for something loud and genuinely unique is ready for the taking!

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CHECK IT OUT!

From summer school uniform nostalgia to quintessentially British picnics, there’s something delightful about ginghams and checkerboard prints. stay L et’s in bed

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I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

VIEWPOINT

Y

o l a Me a l i n g

is Head of Brand at Stiltz Homelifts. Stiltz is an award-winning, global company that created the home lift category in 2010 when it introduced its first unique and innovative products into the marketplace.

Design and technology combine at the forefront of the products to deliver cutting-edge home lifts that can fit almost anywhere in the home.

The spacious Trio+ Homelift from Stiltz is suitable for wheelchair users, ideal if needs change in the future

Viewpoint

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We all like to live in the moment but building a home fit for a lifetime means fast-forwarding into the future and considering how it can be adapted to work for any lifestyle changes. Here, Yola Mealing, Head of Brand at Stiltz Homelifts, talks with accessibility Architect, Emma Luddington, about what to consider when embarking on a futureproofed self-build house.

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m a Lud ington

has over 25 years’ broad experience in inclusive architecture, design and project management, strategic planning, policy development, housing governance and regulation. She has served as a built environment expert for the Design Council, Non-Executive Director of Habinteg, Co-Chair of the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) and Founder of the home accessibility design consultancy Living Well at Home.

I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

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daptability is the key to building a home able to cope with your and your family’s ever-changing needs.

While you may not be thinking about accessibility and mobility right now, if you allow flexibility into your initial design, your home can adjust to future changes without subsequent remodelling or expensive renovation.

We ask much from our homes, especially in the light of the recent pandemic, where homes have transitioned from being not just a family and leisure space but a work environment too.

This has made us more in tune with our needs and aware of how quickly circumstances can change. No wonder factoring in ageing into a building project is becoming increasingly popular. According to a report by the Centre for Ageing Better, around only 7% of the UK’s housing stock is accessible for all people, so there’s clearly room for improvement and a great idea in terms of investment.

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Specialist RIBA Chartered Architect and Founder of Living Well at Home, Emma Luddington, has 25 years of experience creating homes that help people live well in later years. “Not everyone wants to think ahead to the physical and health challenges that later life can bring,” says Emma.

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“But, if you are designing your forever home, it makes sense to include some simple, sensible features designed to make life easier now and in the future.

Taking the time to consult with experts early in the process will save time, money and unwanted hassle later on.”

So, what should you be thinking about at the design stage? Emma recommends including features that remove the need to rethink your layout later. Simple accessibility wins, such as ensuring entrances into the home are step-free, planning glazing to maximise light into the house and providing a good view from windows when seated.

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Stairs are often the first real crunch point when it comes to the awareness that accessibility in the home isn’t what it used to be. So, considering alternative means of moving around the whole of the home from the project’s outset makes sense. Being able to use the entire house is not only crucial for independent living, but it also keeps you feeling connected to every part of your

VIEWPOINT

Accessible kitchen showing the need for space and level access

The Duo Homelift from Stiltz

An example of an easyaccess G360 bathroom

home. For the design-conscious selfbuilder or renovator, a home lift is an obvious answer. Offering safe throughfloor transportation, it leaves the stairs clutter free and non-hazardous for other users. They are a contemporary and elegant solution to the old-fashioned stairlift and far more aligned to the aesthetics of a well-planned build.

Emma Luddington recommends working with your builder to identify sensibly-placed ‘soft spots’ in the walls and floors so a home lift can be added in when needed. Planning for this in advance will reduce any future installation work that might be required.

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When planning your futureproofed bathroom, it’s worth discussing strengthening the walls with your builder. Known as ‘pattressing’, reinforcing the walls with a hidden plywood face on battens behind the tile backer-board or plasterboard means a shower seat, rails or extra shelving can be added if needed, and the walls will be ready to take the weight.

When kitting out your bathroom, choose your materials and fittings wisely. Ensure you’ve thought about good lighting and always opt for one of the good-looking, non-slip flooring options available over glossy tiles. Make sure your plumbing easily allows for transition from a bath to a level-access shower. Sensor lights are also a great idea for safety and convenience.

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Being able to modify how we use space easily is a bonus, whatever stage of life we are at. Open-plan living is excellent, but it’s important to consider privacy or changing needs. You can use simple partitions to create non-permanent areas, but when you need to add internal doors, remember to go wider for a truly mobilityinclusive build. Avoid as much clutter as possible and keep things clean and simple. Could you have underfloor heating rather than radiators on the wall? Anyone needing to use a wheelchair or walker would appreciate not banging into wall fittings. Plus, it allows you to take furniture to the walls, leaving more safe space to move around.

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Modern technology is a great leveller for those with mobility issues, so don’t consider your project complete without checking the technology is configured to incorporate the latest gadgets designed to make life easier.

Cool, smart home tech is the future.

Whether you’re considering a simple Ring doorbell or a fully-integrated environment, these developments will make life much easier and even more critical when ageing.

As you can see, a futureproofed build isn’t about adding everything you may need from the outset but investing in planning by designing your home to accommodate your needs over time. With careful thought and by including smart, well-designed product choices, any future accessibility and mobility needs can be pre-planned to work with your chosen layout and decor rather than being retrospectively and unattractively shoehorned.

www.stiltz.co.uk www.livingwellathome.co.uk I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

SUSTAINABLE LIVING

)!e A Qf)Ea"aEcQeQ c From the heavily-insulated, suspended ground-floor slab to the wildflower meadow growing on the roof, the new home that Alison Mottram, Principal Architect at SISCO Architecture, has designed for her family can be seen as an exemplar of sustainability and energy efficiency.

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s an Architect and an advocate of contemporary design, Alison’s long-held ambition was always to build her own home. So, when the opportunity arose to build upon a greenfield site on the outskirts of a rural community called Easton, she embarked on the design and build of ‘The Meadow’. Here, Alison answers a few quick-fire questions about the project from our Editor, Rebecca Kemp.

RK: H)k d d q)V aBBE)ac f "a I "g q)VE d e I g" b E e f O AM: We knew we wanted a home that would hopefully

be our ‘last’, so we won’t have to move as we get older.

Therefore, we made sure there was a downstairs bedroom and en-suite and space for a lift installation later.

RK: D d q)VE BE) e c Q "e e d Q) c aQe E f)E a"q IBe c a Ee HV Ee !e "QI O AM: No, not really. Although the downstairs bedroom was important to accommodate my husband, Phil’s, elderly mother, who we were keen to have come to stay.

RK: H)k a"d k q d d q)V c ) )Ie Q I B )Q O AM: The land owner had received planning in principle in early 2019, which, at the time, was a very new type of permission to build. Being so new, selling agents didn’t recognise it as permission and advised him to get the I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

‘technical details consent’, which was the next approval stage. He called my practice to enquire if we could do this for him, and we gave him a fee, which he accepted. So, not having visited the site before quoting for the job, I decided to travel to Easton to have a look. When I got there, I was blown away by how amazing it was. ‘The view’ over the field towards the church was mind-blowing, and I knew immediately that this was the site I had been looking for. I phoned Phil and said: "You’ve got to come and look at this site." He did, and like me, he knew it was the location for us.

RK: H)k )"g d d Q Qa e Q) ga " B a"" "g Be E! II )" O AM: We purchased the site in August 2019 and submitted the technical details application at the beginning of October 2019. We received our permission in February 2020. Thankfully, the local authority, planning department and planning committee loved the design. The planner recommended approval, and the committee approved it unanimously. Contrary to what most laypeople think, planners like innovative, contemporary design.

RK: We Ee Q e Ee a"q c a e "g "g aIBe c QI Q) Q e BE) e c Q a"d b V d O AM: I had decided that a timber frame would be the best option to achieve as high energy efficiency and airtightness as possible. Unfortunately, the structural

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SUSTAINABLE LIVING

engineers appointed to do the structural design were not as experienced as they should have been in detailing the steelwork necessary for my design concept. Therefore, the steelwork for the balconies was inadequate and had too much movement to be safe. This resulted in all the steelwork being re-designed and replaced – thankfully, not at our cost. It did cost us about a month of time though, which was frustrating.

RK: D d q)V BE) e c Q !a"age Q e b V d q)VEIe f O AM: Not initially, as I appointed a builder I had worked with

in the past. However, I soon realised he didn’t really have a clear understanding of the project/drawings and was relying on me more than I had expected. I soon realised that I should just do it myself.

RK: H)k d d q)V aBBE)ac !aQe E a a"d BE)d Vc Q IBe c f c aQ )" O AM: As an architect, I have ideas about what I like and dislike. So, the choices I made were based on my experience.

RK: H)k d )e I Q e BE)Be EQq Ee IB)"d Q) BaII je )VIe BE "c B e I O AM: We took the passive house principles as far as we

could, but our budget meant that an entirely passive house build would not have been achievable. We earned an A rating for energy efficiency, which was our goal.

RK: H)k )"g d d Q e BE) e c Q Qa e O AM: We were on site for 14 months, and we predicted 12.

Considering our build took place during a pandemic where at times, some of the workforces were self-isolating after catching COVID, we think this is pretty impressive.

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SU S TAI N ABL E L I V I N G

RK: D d q)V Ee !a " k Q " Q e )E g "a b Vd ge Q O AM: We were on budget. Again, I’m really proud

of this. Whilst at work, I tell my clients not to change their minds during the build; otherwise, unforeseen costs will occur. So, the rule I adhered to was to make up my mind about what I wanted and stick to it. I also had all my prices sorted before we started building, so the spreadsheet of predicted costs was pretty accurate.

RK: P e aIe BE)j d e a" )je Ej e k )f Q e "Qe E )E a"d e pQe E )E IBac e M AM: The house’s exterior comprises three

interlinking ‘boxes’ of brick, zinc and larch timber.

The roof is flat, which enables it to sit low on the site compared to how it would if it had a pitched roof. The colours, buff and soft greys, were chosen as they are not harsh or bold, so everything fits in well in its rural location.

RK: W aQ d )e I Q e )c a c )!!V" Qq Q " )f Q e "e k BE)Be EQq O AM: Being contemporary and ‘different,’ the

house has received mixed views. I would say most people absolutely love it and tell us so. However, a few would have preferred something that ‘fitted in’. We didn’t build it for anyone else, though. We made it for ourselves, and we absolutely love it – not a day goes by without us telling each other!

I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

RK: W aQ kaI q)VE j I )" f)E Q e e pQe E )E m a"d Ic aB "g O AM: We have called the house ‘The Meadow’ as the site is quite

big and much larger than any other home we have ever owned. We knew we wanted a huge area of wildflower meadow, having seen the wildflower turf installation at the Olympic Park in 2012, which was simply stunning. The fantastic thing about wildflower turf is that it changes through the seasons and only has to be cut once a year, making it very low maintenance.

RK: H)k d d q)V d e c d e k c B a"QI Q) VIe O AM: I did have an idea of what I wanted and passed this on to our landscape designer, who came up with a planting plan which we adhered to about 50%

RK: H)kd)eIQegaEd"e EeIB)"dQ)QeIVEE)V"d"ga"dIcaBeO AM: Very well, we now have three areas of wildflowers at the bottom

of the garden, the front under the hedge and the side of the house. As the house is adjacent to a field at the centre of the village, which has a variety of wildflowers, it fits into the landscape very well.

RK: Haje q)V "c )EB)EaQe d a"q e pQe E )E fVE" QVEe N f ))E "g N Ic V BQVEe I )E kaQe E fe aQVEe I O AM: We have a wonderful David Harber ‘Torus’ sculpture in the

garden. We bought this direct through his website. He always has a stand at Chelsea Flower Show, where we have been now several times.

His sculptures are often incorporated in the show gardens at the show, and this is where I first saw his work.

www.omnie.co.uk www.siscoarchitecture.com

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SUSTAINABLE LIVING

OMNIE S WHOLE HOU S E S OLU T ION Determined to keep the supply chain as local as possible, Alison looked to English Brothers Structures in nearby Wisbech to supply and erect the closed panel timber frame exceeding Part L requirements. Heavy-duty timber girders also support the flat roof with its 5.4kW array of PV panels amidst the swaying meadow grasses. Just to ensure none of the sun’s energy goes to waste, Alison’s engineer husband, Phil, decided to buy a Tesla Powerwall with 13.5kW/hr battery storage capacity, which will keep the LED lighting and low-energy appliances running for a good while. However, maintaining a hot water supply for a 277m 2 home with four bathrooms – plus heating in the colder months – also required an integrated approach to the mechanical services.

“Although we were looking to use as many local suppliers as possible, our plumber, Adam Buckingham, suggested consulting OMNIE in Exeter because of his previous positive experiences

working with the company,” explains Alison. “Basically, OMNIE specified the entire system from the 9kW LV heat pump, with their Staple underfloor heating system installed across the entire ground floor, which is split between a polished concrete floor in the main kitchen-living area and engineered wood for the other rooms.

Then, upstairs, the UFH switches to OMNIE’s LowBoard system while the Zehnder MVHR system is installed in the smaller of our two plant rooms: the main one downstairs, where the 300-litre hot water cylinder and the indoor unit for the heat pump are located.” The MVHR extracts from the ‘wet areas’ like the kitchen, utility, bathrooms and the plant rooms, then feeds tempered fresh air to the living spaces and bedrooms.

Reflecting on the project’s success, Alison concludes: “We have been delighted with the real-time data we see on the house’s energy performance,

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: including the energy we are taking in from the sun as well as the water and room temperatures that are being maintained. Since understanding the OMNIE range and the detailed specification service they offer, we have decided to specify the company’s underfloor heating systems and other ranges for several clients. From an architect’s point of view, it is so useful to have a supplier who will provide all the necessary information before an order is placed so you can weigh the benefits.

We want to include all that information in our tenders, but many companies do not want to take that risk.”

The compact and very quiet running LV heat pump is located on a side wall of the house, close to the ground-floor plant room, with the main controller also wall mounted nearby. Alison is further using the OMNIE app, which is compatible with iPhones and other devices, offering precise monitoring and control of the various room spaces.

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LIGHTING & TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ELECTRICALS

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The need to meet the new Future Homes Standards and the stipulation that gas and other fossilfuelled boilers will not be permitted in new homes from 2025 make taking renewable heating systems and heat pumps, in particular, seriously ever more important. And, for environmentallyaware self-builders, a heat pump – either air source or ground source – simply makes huge sense, says Peter Spurway, National Sales Manager, Heating Projects – LG Electronics.

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here will always be more than one solution to renewable heating, and boiler manufacturers are understandably pushing the benefits of hydrogen. There will be room for hydrogen in various formats as we move forward. Still, the case for tried-and-tested technology that is already delivering heating and hot water very happily in countries with climates are far more testing than ours in the UK, highlights the importance of heat pump technology in the future of our heating sector. Most importantly, it’s available now and seeing hugely increased interest across the board. The necessary supply of hydrogen in bulk to help heat millions of homes is still a long way away.

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Heat pumps, in particular air-to-water heat pumps, have seen a huge take up in northern Europe, Scandinavia and Canada – all of which experience far worse winters and lower temperatures than we do in the UK – and seem set to grow in importance here.

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. And they can operate successfully at low temperatures – typically, a quality split has 100% capacity at temperatures as low as -7°C – and it’s very rare for temperatures in the UK to go 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 situated outside the home.

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RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY

A split heat pump unit has an outside unit that incorporates the heat exchanger and refrigerant and an internal unit that 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.

According to the MCS Installation Standard, low-temperature, air-towater heat pumps produce an indoor heat exchanger outlet temperature of 35°C, medium temperature, an outlet temperature of 55°C and high-temperature, airto-water heat pumps; an outlet temperature of 65°C. These systems don’t produce water as hot as a traditional boiler, as they generally only reach around 50°C at a maximum.

But unlike the hot water produced by boilers, they don’t need to see 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 ideally suited to new-build and self-build homes that tend to be well insulated. To be at their 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 first time, efficient heat pumps in the UK are now cheaper to run than gas boilers. That’s according to a new analysis by The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), an independent, nonpartisan, non-Governmental organisation dedicated to accelerating the transition to a clean, reliable and efficient energy future. This exciting news for renewables in the UK is mainly down to gas prices increasing more than electricity pricing.

The detailed analysis shows that with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 3, a heat pump becomes cheaper to run than a gas boiler. In the past, a COP of around 3.7 was required to achieve the same running costs as a gas boiler.

Heating 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 relatively easily achieved by an AWHP, and 4, or above, is possible for very 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.

Recent press coverage by EUA claiming that heat pumps will cost more to run was based on pessimistic assumptions of heat pump efficiency, assuming they only achieve a COP of 2.5. EUA data also assumed the best

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possible efficiency for gas boilers (92%), which is not supported by real-world data. In-situ monitoring studies of UK-installed condensing boilers have shown an average measured boiler efficiency of less than 85%, highlighting perhaps the sheer number of elderly, inefficient boilers that are still out there in homes around the country.

As a result, under the April 2022 energy price cap for UK energy suppliers, it can confidently be stated that a heat pump will be cheaper to run than a gas boiler if its ‘COP’ is at least 3.

This is a very important ‘tipping point’ for the UK and may only make the case for air-to-water pumps even stronger as the volatile price of gas continues to increase as it has done over the past 12 months. This situation will, of course, not be helped if the current issues between Russia and Ukraine persist, with further adverse effects on the high proportion of gas that is sourced via pipelines from Russia.

So, for self-builders, in particular, airsource heat pumps are increasingly looking like the most energy-efficient and, in the medium term, least expensive ways of providing heating and hot water in well-insulated homes. Heat pump technology is a tried-and-tested and proven method. Combined with other renewable technologies, such as solar, the genuine opportunities to switch from fossil-fuelled homes to renewable-driven systems is becoming a reality.

partner.lge.com/uk I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

I M PRE S SI V E I N NO V A TI O N

All images: © P aul Craig

RK: W aQ !aQe E a I a"d Qc e " BE)d Vc QI d ) q)V e IBe c a q f "d e BfV O JW: The eye-level Neff hide-and-

slide ovens work very well if you are

In 201, Jo Wright developed a spinal epidural abscess, resulting in a wheelchair user, and the pull-out the loss of movement in her legs. This meant she and her husband shelves under each hot appliance are needed to re-evaluate their living needs. They decided to build very functional (extra work surface where a new home that would meet their requirements and were lucky you need it!) and a safety feature for a enough to get permission to construct it in their very own garden. seated cook.

Here, Jo talks to i-Build’s Rebecca Kemp about planning a newA sink you can get your legs under is a build home for accessibility and Keith Myers, Designer at The Myersmust if you’re a wheelchair user, and I am Touch, runs through the design of the ultra-modern kitchen. pretty proud of my funny little drawer to Jo Wright, homeowner RK: I" Qe E!I )f ac c e II b Qq a"d fV"c Q )"a Qq N k aQ ke Ee q)VE !VIQ aje I f)E q)VE Qc e " O JW: We wanted a kitchen that would

work for all the family, enable me, as a full-time wheelchair user, to make food and access storage and look lovely in an open-plan space. My husband is a keen cook, so it had to work also for able-bodied chefs!

RK: H)k d d q)V aBBE)ac f "a I "g q)VE d e I g" b E e f O JW: This was the second accessible kitchen we had commissioned, and for both, the core design was done by Adam Thomas, who is the UK’s recognised expert in accessible kitchen design (www.

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adamthomasconsultancy.com). He worked with the architects (www. acgarchitects.co.uk) and us to agree on the overall shape and function of the kitchen. We then worked with The Myers Touch Kitchen Design Studio to finalise the detailing, pick the materials and appliances, etc.

RK: We Ee Q e Ee a"q c a e "g "g aIBe c QI Q) Q e BE) e c Q O JW: There were some minor

challenges blending the optimum design of an accessible kitchen (ideally U-shaped) with the architectural considerations. In particular, I wanted easy access to the outside terrace from the kitchen, which ‘broke’ the U shape. But, we found functional compromises, and the space looks great and works perfectly.

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hide washing up cloths in!

The Dekton worktop is straightforward to maintain, and an induction hob is so easy to clean that it makes keeping the kitchen spotless very easy. Large warming drawers we also use a lot – sometimes just to hide food from naughty dogs!

RK: A Ee Q e Ee a"q BE)d Vc QI q)V Ee c )!!e "d Q) )Q e EI )) "g Q) V"d e EQa e a" ac c e II b e Qc e " BE) e c Q O JW: Accessible sink and eye-level ovens (preferably hide-and-slide doors) with pull-out shelves underneath would be the priorities I’d recommend. In our first accessible kitchen, we had two electric rise-and-fall worktops, but for this one, we decided we could manage without – this saves money and also opens up the options for worktops.

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RK: D d q)V Ee !a " k Q " Q e )E g "a b Vd ge Q O JW: Yes, the kitchen budget was stuck to, mainly because final costs were only done when the detailed designs were complete.

RK: W aQ ad j c e k)V d q)V )ffe E Q) a"q)"e )) "g Q) V"d e EQa e a" ac c e II b e Qc e " d e I g" O JW: Contact Adam Thomas for the core layout!

Keith Myers, Designer at The Myers Touch RK: D) q)V aje !Vc e pBe E e " c e " d e I g" "g ac c e II b e Qc e "I O KM: We had worked with a client

who commissioned us to help design a kitchen that would enable their disabled child to access and enjoy their kitchen-living space. The most important thing about designing for a disability is you have to consider the practical issues first but make it functional and look beautiful.

Sometimes the default process that some customers go straight to is that they feel they need their accessible kitchen to be entirely practical, but that isn’t the case as we can create a space that is not only practical but looks elegant and stylish with plenty of attractive design features.

RK: W aQ I Q e !)IQ c E Q c a aIBe c Q )f d e I g" "g k Q ac c e II b Qq " ! "d O KM: We worked alongside the

architect practice, ACG Architects, and Adam Thomas, who is an accessible kitchen design specialist, to create this space that would allow Jo to live, cook and enjoy her home independently.

The design has been highly acclaimed in the press and is shortlisted for ‘House of the Year’ at the 2022 RIBA South Regional Awards.

We had initially received a conceptual design from Adam. From

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that, we created almost two kitchens in one space – one that makes it easy for Jo to use and one that her husband and grown-up children could use in symphony. For example, we looked at the conceptual moveable worktop around the hub and sink area (a standard disability-type function in a kitchen space). Because of the size of the space, it enabled us to fix a lower-level workshop in position for Jo and another worktop for her husband and grown-up children to use when they are all in the kitchen together preparing food.

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I M PRE S SI V E I N NO V A TI O N

RK: D d q)V e "c )V"Qe E a"q d e I g" c a e "ge I f)E Q I B E) e c Q O KM: The kitchen allows Jo to prepare, cook

and serve meals for her family independently.

We included wheelchair-level ovens with tray slides directly under two Neff hide-and-slide ovens, a Neff steamer and a microwave so she can hold/slide hot oven trays across each tray slide. We also incorporated a little pull-out shelf that allowed Jo to move food/ trays to her worktop level.

In front of the hob, a protective lip is at the edge of the worktop to stop a pan from boiling over onto the floor or Jo’s lap. The mix of SC10, S2 and SLC SieMatic cabinetry in tones of Sterling Grey and Graphite Grey allow her to clean the cabinetry easily, and the durable Dekton Keon worktops accommodate heavyduty use whilst looking attractive.

The architects included wooden slats across the entire ground floor, creating a stunning kitchen feature. The inclusion of this wood in the kitchen did create some technical issues that had to be overcome, such as how the doors opened without clashing with each other and keeping all the gaps the same size. The other tricky bit was ensuring that the slats ran precisely over the door units because they were designed off-plan first, so we had to ensure that they wouldn’t overlap over a door front.

There were also small appliances (a toaster and coffee machine) and pull-out drawers behind that area requiring isolation from power, so we included isolators on the door switches so that when the doors were closed, all the appliances would automatically switch off.

The kitchen has three different heights to enable Jo and her family to prepare and cook food. The end of the peninsula and the second sink area in the slatted wall area has a standard height of 900mm, the accessible worktop with the sink is 870mm and the worktop with the hob is 820mm.

The stone sink was also custom made by Cosentino, so it isn’t too deep for Jo to reach into. The waste trap was positioned right at the back rather than the centre of the sink so that Jo’s knee didn’t come into contact with the waste trap when sitting underneath it when she was washing up, putting dishes into the sink etc.

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RK: W aQ d ) q)V Q " !a e I Q I Qc e " IVc a IVc c e IIfV N akaEd k "" "g BE) e c Q O KM: We took each difficulty and turned it

into a positive outcome. We worked with our suppliers to create custom solutions in a range of sizes, shapes and positions that we wanted them to be, to provide Jo and her family with a kitchen they could all enjoy together or independently.

RK: A Ee Q e Ee a"q BE)d Vc QI q)V d Ee c )!!e "d Q) )Q e EI )) "g Q) d e I g" a"d b V d a" ac c e II b e Qc e " O KM: I visited Jo and her family after they had

been living in the space for just under a year, and I asked: "How’s it working for you?". Her answer was: "It is absolutely fabulous. Everything is in the right place. And everything works!". There is no better reward than hearing that from a client, especially as the kitchen has meant Jo feels independent again.

RK: W aQ IBaQ a md e I g" ad j c e k)V d q)V )ffe E Q) )Q e EI )) "g Q) V"d e EQa e a I ! aE BE) e c Q O KM: The first thing is to understand what

their needs and desires are and who else lives in the house. Including simple things, such as cabinetry with handles that allow drawers and cupboards to easily open, changing a tap to a hot water sensor tap and modifying one of the worktop heights, are great ways of altering an existing kitchen into a more accessible space.

Also, to create a fused kitchen design that works for each family member with varying needs and heights – I am delighted to say that it’s a space that allows the whole family to enjoy and create memories together.

RK: I" E)Vg f gVEe I N )k !Vc k)V d a Qc e " Ee ")jaQ )" e Q I c )IQ O KM: We would estimate a similar kitchen,

including appliances, would start at around £65,000, but the design would depend on the quality of materials, devices and bespoke work that would be undertaken.

www.themyerstouch.co.uk

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LIGHTING &BEDROOMS KITCHENS, ELECTRICALS & BATHROOMS

finished goal. For example, if you’re planning a multifunctional island unit, then it can help to factor in plug sockets and a sink, hob or integrated extractor fan. It’s easier to plan these in the early stages rather than adapting once an installation is underway.

When it comes to a self-build or renovation project, there is a real opportunity to choose a layout, features and materials that will truly enhance day-to-day life. Here, Karl Andrews, Head of Category, Bespoke & Modular Kitchens at Benchmarx Kitchens, discusses the key considerations when designing a kitchen.

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The joy of working with a new, custom space is that the room really is your oyster. In the first instance, it can help to gather ideas and decide how you want your kitchen to work for you, as this will naturally inform your design.

An L- or U-shape layout is a common option, particularly where an open-plan space is the goal. Although it can be tempting, don’t feel you have to put overhead cupboards on every wall, as this can leave the room feeling too enclosed. For a functional yet appealing look, opt for cupboards on two adjoining walls, or incorporate open shelving to soften the cabinetry.

It may sound like a contradiction, but in open-plan spaces, it is important to define different zones to create a space that includes exactly what you need, such as a dining area, lounging space or I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

additional workspace to prepare meals. For a minimalist look, choose to hide certain features behind cabinet doors, such as breakfast shelving, a bar area or integrated desk space that you’d prefer to shut away at the end of a working day.

An island unit or peninsula can provide extra preparation and storage space, as well as allowing you to include seating options that give your kitchen an individual edge. If you are using the island to incorporate a hob or sink area, be sure to include enough worktop space for food preparation or to stack the washing up. I’d always advise allowing a 1200mm buffer around the unit to allow room to move around comfortably.

Thinking about how you plan to use the area early on in the design process will help you ensure electrics, plumbing and both windows and doors align with your

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I always advise customers to challenge their preconceptions about how a kitchen should be designed – especially when working on an extension or self-build project. Rather than hosting a washing machine and dryer in your main kitchen, creating an adjacent laundry or utility area can pare back your design and maximise floor space.

Equally, building a boot room into your architectural plan can help contain muddy wellies and paw prints after a rainy walk. Also, consider integrating a walk-in pantry, separated by glazed doors or a room divider. Continuing the cabinets from your kitchen will help this space feel like a seamless extension of your wider design while offering all the functionality you need.

In smaller adjoining spaces and corners, achieve a flexible set up by incorporating a seating nook.

Building a small bench into surrounding units can really maximise floor space, and positioning a small table in front will create a versatile feature.

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I would always recommend getting experts involved in your kitchen design early on to ensure you maximise the features that are important to you.

There is a wealth of knowledge available at kitchen retailers who not only follow the latest trends but, working with the kitchen ranges day in and day out, are best placed to discuss ways to achieve a bespoke look. Many manufacturers will have options available that can replicate a look at a range of price points, so if you have a style in mind, then it is certainly worth talking this through.

KITCHENS, BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS

Specialist designers can suggest options for cabinets, work surfaces and appliances that will create your desired look within your budget. They can also help pull your ideas together into a bespoke 3D design, so you can see where must-haves are included or compromises can be made, and may even open up new possibilities not previously considered.

When involving a kitchen designer in the planning stage of your build, you might find that you align your desired design with your architect’s plans for maximum effect. For example, rather than filling dead space at the end of a run of cabinets, adding or removing a few centimetres can allow your kitchen to fit the space like a glove. This also applies to locating rooflights above an island, perfectly placed bi-fold doors and windows around a seating nook.

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Creative storage is a simple but effective tactic to ensure you make the most of every inch of space. While larders and pantries can play an important part – internal storage is also key. Integrated carousels are excellent for convenience as they allow you to locate different utensils quickly, and pan drawers provide the depth needed to store larger items whilst keeping them accessible. Internal drawers, pull-out wire shelves, and storage baskets can also help you stay organised; you will be thankful for paying attention to these details when using your new kitchen.

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Finding the right products to illuminate your kitchen can be just as important as choosing your cupboards or worktops.

By incorporating lighting early on in the design stage, you can add another dimension to the space.

In larger kitchens, customisable lighting can subtly divide a space using coloured lighting and shadows. This is an excellent option for multi-functional and transitional spaces, such as kitchen diners, to help define the purpose of each area of the room and emphasise certain features to draw the eye to a specific focal point, such as a dining table, breakfast bar or kitchen island.

Innovations, such as Sensio under cabinet, plinth and LED strip lights, offer increased control to create a personalised scheme at the touch of a button. Using voice activation and colour temperature control technology, it’s possible to seamlessly transition from warm to cool temperature lighting, making it the ideal accessory to create the perfect ambience.

www.benchmarxkitchens.co.uk

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U R BAN SANCTU A RY

All images: © F rench+ T ye Photography and MW Architects

tnipA h cfo aratc re When the last pub crawler stumbled out of The White H o use in H i ghgate H i ll, L o ndon, little did anyone know that the next time its doors were opened, it would be by someone who really recognised its potential. Here, we talk to Gizem Metin, Digital Marketing Assistant at I Q Glass – the glazier for the renovation proje ct – for some inside knowledge on the inspirational pub-to-home transformation.

RK: W aQ kaI Q e IQaQe )f Q e )E g "a b V d "g O GM: The White House was in a poor

condition when the architects got involved with the project, and the old bones from the 18th century were damaged, with many floors and walls left bulging. The last renovation was made in the 1970s and, unfortunately, that renovation made the structure worse when the walls were removed, putting additional stress on the old timber frames.

RK: W aQ !ad e q)V Qa e )" Q I BE) e c Q O GM: It was apparent from the brief that renovating and restoring the building would take some time and considerable care, but IQ loves to get involved with complex projects of this nature. It was an easy decision for us, discussing with the architects which systems would be best suited to the space I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

and ensuring the original structure of the building was protected at all times. When completing a project like this, seeing how functional the modernised home has become is the ultimate reward when considering challenging projects.

RK: W aQ ke Ee Q e !VIQ aje I f)E Q e Qc e " Ee ")jaQ )" O GM: The main aim was to create a light,

modern kitchen space for the whole family to enjoy. The homeowners wanted to create easy access to the garden and forge a solid connection to their outside environment from within the home. The main living space on the ground floor was dark and moody, lacking any connection or flow between the rooms. For this reason, sliding glass doors were the perfect choice for creating an indoor-outdoor style of living. Not only do the sliding glass doors create seamless access to the garden, but they also flood the kitchen with natural light throughout the day, making it easy to create an open-plan interior design.

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RK: What kaI Q e "IB EaQ )" f)E Q I BE) e c Q O GM: The inspiration was an

atmospheric 21st-century, bright and contemporary family home with enough space for everyone. All the areas within the layout were going to have a different character, and the new kitchen used a palette of pink-pigmented concrete, brass, reeded glass and timber. The combination of these materials and textures was inspired by luxury hotel design, with additional elements, such as open shelving, to create a more homely atmosphere. Biophilic design was another influence that inspired the glazing design, bringing the outside environment indoors with a structural glass roof and frameless glazing. The biophilic design inspiration was enhanced further by the use of living plants both inside and outside the kitchen, enhancing the connection to nature.

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U R BAN SANCTU A RY

RK: W aQ kaI Q e I ye )f Q e IBac e q)V ad Q) k)E k Q O GM: The renovation has changed all three floors of the townhouse and included the entire body of the building, kitchen extension and interior areas. The glass extension protrudes into the garden space by approximately 3m, with a smaller dining space set back about 1m from the sliding doors. For an area this size, it was imperative to utilise frameless or very thin framed glazing solutions for the most effective design.

RK: H)k d d IQ GaII aBBE)ac f"a I"g Qe d e Ig" b Ee f O GM: We worked closely with the architects to ensure the glazing

design was well suited to the surrounding structure, using structural glass as an integral element of the design to reduce the strain on the original restored structure without compromising on minimal, luxury design.

RK: We Ee Q e Ee a"q c a e "g "g aIBe c QI Q) Q e BE) e c Q O GM: Restoring original features can be challenging, and this requires

a great deal of time, patience and care from everyone involved in the project. The structural interventions planned by MW Architects included several bespoke-crafted items explicitly designed for the individual building. The immaculate attention to detail shown by everyone involved in the project helped overcome any sensitive issues.

RK: H)kq)V d aBBE)ac!aQeEaa"dBE)dVcQIBecaQ)"O GM: For such a sensitively-designed restoration, it made sense

to use the most minimal designs. The flexible nature of frameless structural glazing meant we could create horizontal and vertical glazed elements without detracting from the restored white building exterior. Ultra-slim-framed sliding doors were paired with the frameless glazing for the most subtle finish, with sightlines of just 21mm to create a coherent design in conjunction with the structurally-bonded glass.

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MOR E T IP S FOR A C ES S IB LE KIT C HEN R ENOVAT IONS b RK: A Ee Q e Ee a"q BE)d Vc QI q)V k)V d Ee c )!!e "d Q) Q )Ie )) "g Q) V"d e EQa e a" ac c e II b e BE) e c Q O GM: Slim-framed sliding glass doors are a great option for accessible projects. The head and base frames can be concealed into the building and floor finishes to create flush threshold detailing in the base track. That feature keeps the surface on the same level and grants stepfree access, even to the point where the tracks are safe for driving over with a car. The opening corner configuration is well suited to accessible house designs, thanks to the ability to slide both doors away from the corner junction and leave behind a large open aperture.

RK: W aQ ad j c e k)V d q)V )ffe E Q) a"q)"e )) "g Q) V"d e EQa e a" ac c e II b e d e I g" O GM: Speak to your chosen glazier about flush

threshold detailing and ensure you are using an architect with excellent attention to detail. The accuracy shown by MW Architects is what made this design truly accessible, with wide corridors and larger spaces to accommodate every means of travel within the home. Any glass door systems should be designed to be flush without compromising on performance and appearance.

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LIGHTING DOORS & & WINDOWS ELECTRICALS

F "d Q e E g Q c ) )VE f)E q)VE b V d "g !aQe E a I

Patrick Dean, Sales Director at Door-Stop International, explains the key considerations self-builders should make when choosing their front door.

We’ve found that the most popular colours for front doors in 2022 have been Anthracite Grey, Chartwell Green and Painswick Green, as well as the standard black and white.

All of these colours complement more traditional building materials and exterior finishes. Greys look great against a crisp white or cream render, painted stone and timber cladding. Greens also work well against a softer exterior, but lighter greens pair exceptionally well with a more weathered style of brick.

For those who are feeling bolder, Poppy Red can make the front door the statement piece of the exterior design, especially when paired with pale stone or lighter-coloured facades. If you aren’t quite ready for that, Duck Egg Blue can be a more subtle way to introduce colour.

If there is going to be lots of greenery near the door, try to incorporate the door colour either in the pots you choose or foliage you plant to create a sense of cohesion. The same goes for coloured tiles in the porch or pathway leading up to the door.

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The front door is a great place to experiment with colours that you might not use in your interior design. If your interior features more neutral tones, a strong colour that works outside against stone or brick may be overpowering, so find a bespoke door solution that allows you to have a different colour on each side.

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DOORS & WINDOWS

Of course, there are exceptions to this. A black or dark grey door can suit most interiors and can offer a striking contrast to a more muted design. If your door opens into a larger hallway, the space will be more forgiving of strong colour, so a brightlycoloured door can be used as a focal point. If you are already working with a more vibrant colour palette, why not bring this to the outside of the property too?

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When it comes to glazing, there are lots of shapes and designs to choose from, which allows you to find a style that suits your property. If you’re going for a more contemporary design, consider multiple smaller squares, a mix of shapes, such as a rectangle in between two smaller squares, or a crescent panel.

If you’re opting for a more traditional-looking front door, a single glazed panel may suffice, or if you’d like to add a little something extra, two thinner rectangular panels positioned underneath a crescent can allow a lot of light while being more visually interesting than a single glazed panel.

You don’t just have to install glazing in the door itself. Space allowing, you can add separate glazing panels to either or just one side of the door, or add a top fanlight which spans the top of the door frame.

The position of the glazing can also play a huge role in the design. We’ve seen glazing be used in lots of interesting ways: a double crescent on the opposite door edge to the handle; two full-length glazed panels with a full-length pull handle in the centre; and four half-length glazed panels across the door itself, and the panels either side of the door to create a symmetrical finish.

The design may be dictated by whether you’d like to have double or triple glazing. Double glazing is usually the standard option. Triple glazing offers improved thermal insulation making it more energy efficient, which is particularly important as fuel bills continue to rise. Triple glazing also offers improved noise reduction.

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Often, people are concerned that more glazing means less privacy. If you’re worried about this, choose a textured or opaque glass that still lets light through but obscures the view from outside.

Check the glazing is made from toughened safety glass. This means it has been reinforced to make it much harder to break and that you’re purchasing a front door that lets in light while protecting your home.

P E )E Q Ie Ie c VE Qq

While we’re on the topic of security – I know the security side of choosing a front door isn’t quite as exciting, but it is the most important element. According to the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, 58.7% of burglars gain entry through the front door.

Approved Document Q outlines how new dwellings can comply with the requirement Q1 (unauthorised) of the Building Regulations. Section 1 lists the security requirements of doorsets and states that: “Secure doorsets should be either manufactured to a design that has been shown by test to meet the security requirements of BS publication PAS 24:2012 or designed and manufactured in accordance with Appendix B. Doorsets satisfying other standards (as listed in Approved Document Q) that provide similar or better performance are also acceptable.

When choosing your front door, make sure it has a highperformance security lock. Look for anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump features, British Kitemark certifications and the Secured by Design logo so you can enjoy added peace of mind that your home is a safer place to be.

If in doubt about what door to choose, consult your door supplier or installer, who will be able to offer you advice on the best solution for your property.

www.door-stop.co.uk I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

LIGHTING PLANT ROOMS & ELECTRICALS

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The increasing popularity of renewable technologies means that more homes need plant rooms – and it’s vital to bear this in mind at the design stage. Hugh Jones, Product Manager for Low-Carbon Technologies at Viessmann, explains what’s essential to consider and why.

Even standard domestic boiler installations can benefit from a small plant room. This installation, by Vietec Heating in a large home in Kent, features a Vitodens 200 35kW boiler, Vitocell 200 300-litre cylinder.

Plantroom in Norfolk eco-home renovation, featuring a Viessmann Vitocal 300-G ground-source heat pump installed by Heat Different

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hether your homebuilding project is a new build or a renovation, you might be surprised that you need a plant room. The only way to check this is by accurately forecasting heating, cooling and equipment requirements. And the only way to ensure there’s enough space for that equipment is to include the plant room in your design and planning. Leaving such considerations until building work is underway – or worse still, completed – almost always causes problems and disappointments.

Though it’s tempting to dismiss plant rooms as something that only exceptionally large homes need, this is no longer necessarily true. Gone are the days of the default option, to simply stuff a boiler into a kitchen cupboard and a hot water cylinder into an upstairs cupboard or the loft. For one thing, natural gas boilers could be outlawed from UK new builds as soon as 2025. The other, of course, is that increasing numbers of homeowners are opting for renewable technologies, which don’t fit the same mould.

Today’s renewables make good sense for many different types and sizes of homes. In addition to handling the basic tasks of heating the home’s rooms and

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hot water, they can also take care of cooling, ventilation and generating electricity. What’s more, they don’t burn fossil fuels and can help in the fight against soaring energy bills.

All of this is highly desirable, but the technologies that provide these benefits have to be accommodated somewhere – and this is not as simple as stacking things like fridges and freezers on top of each other in a kitchen. It’s vital to allow enough space for equipment to be accessed for maintenance and repair work. As an approximate rule of thumb, you should consider needing the same space for a boiler or heat pump as for a fridge or fridge/freezer, depending on whether it has an integral hot water cylinder.

If not, you will require space for a separate cylinder and, if you have a heat pump or solar thermal, this will be larger as it’s a twin-coil cylinder to allow the heat capture to run at lower temperatures for longer.

Additionally, if you have a ventilation heat recovery or battery storage system, these will also need space – plus an extra area to the sides – to allow room for servicing and maintenance. All of this is best considered at the front end and, with a few technologies, you could be looking at a room around 2 x 3m, for example.

PLANT ROOMS

When deciding where to locate the plant room, it’s important to ensure its mechanical noises won’t affect other rooms and that maintenance engineers can get to it without traipsing through the house.

To identify what kind of equipment your home will need, it will be necessary to conduct a full heat loss calculation. This takes into account factors such as floor area, windows, insulation, the number of showers and baths in the home, the likely peak demand for hot water and whether you’ll be using existing radiators or underfloor heating.

These are all essential requirements, but it’s amazing how many homes get built without enough, or even any, forethought for the plant room. To avoid problems later – such as plant that doesn’t fit or can’t be accessed for maintenance – it’s essential to work with a heating engineer at the planning and design stage. Exploring heating options at this early stage also allows more time to carefully consider the solutions and products that will lead to greater efficiency and savings.

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What your heating engineer recommends will be influenced by whether your home is a renovation or new build, and whether it’s on or off the gas grid. Because older buildings are typically less well insulated than new ones, a higher temperature heat generator, such as a boiler, will usually be required. And, because the heating systems in new builds can typically run at a much lower temperature for most of the year, heat pumps will probably be more suitable.

Off grid, your options may be an oil-fuelled boiler (only condensing will do), biomass boiler or heat pumps. Whereas anything that consumes oil is environmentally unfriendly (and vulnerable to oil price fluctuations), biomass boilers use fuel from renewable sources and emit only about one-eighth as much CO2 as gas boilers.

However, biomass boilers are physically big and fuelled by bulky raw materials. This means they need plenty of space, usually an outbuilding and lots of maintenance, which sometimes includes manual loading of the biomass itself.

There’s an outdoor consideration with airsource heat pumps: the pump must be at least 1m away from your boundary, and its noise level must be no greater than 42 dB when measured from a distance equal to that separating the unit and the next-door property. The volume of the pump’s outdoor compressor unit (including housing) must be factored into its location. Meeting planning standards is another good reason to involve a heating engineer at an early stage.

It’s worth noting that installers who work with heat pumps must operate under a valid MCS qualification (under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme).

With ground-source heat pumps, outdoor space is also a crucial consideration.

Horizontal systems typically require about 500m 2 for underground water pipes.

Vertical systems’ boreholes are only about 20cm wide, but if multiple boreholes are needed, they will have to be 5 to 6m apart. There also needs to be enough space for the drilling rig to access the site.

To compensate for the slower heat-up speeds from heat pumps, particularly

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smaller pumps with an output of 10kW or less, it’s important to have a sufficiently large cylinder to harvest the heat during overnight operation and to store hot water. It’s advisable to estimate a heat pump allowance of an additional 0.25kW per person, per day, and to provide storage of twice the average daily domestic hot water requirement.

Depending on heat demand, air-source heat pumps may need to be complemented by a backup boiler. And you may wish to futureproof the heat pump system by also installing solar PV (photovoltaic) panels to generate your own electricity. Ideally, these need a south-facing roof, though a south-east-towest orientation also works.

You could sell the surplus electricity you generate back to the grid. Still, because this pays only about one sixth of what it costs to buy electricity, you may prefer to invest in a battery storage unit. This will ensure the availability of inexpensive power for when you need it. One of the key considerations for the future is for households to become self consumers with energy autarky. In which case, if you have an electric vehicle – something that will soon be true for many households – self generation, storage and consumption will also be helpful and reduce the impact of future energy price increases.

Because there are so many things to think about, it’s vital to plan the plant room and ensure it will be big enough to meet every conceivable need now and in the foreseeable future before the building starts.

Vital, too, to consult a suitably-qualified heating installer to eradicate the risk of making expensive or time-consuming mistakes.

www.viessmann.co.uk I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

I-BUILD - P A S I V H A U S THE PASSIVHAUS TRUST

Kintyre Passivhaus © T ate Harmer.

Photographer Kilian O’Sullivan.

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As energy bills soar and the climate crisis becomes ever more urgent, a tried-and-tested building design standard is coming into its own. The international Passivhaus standard is an ‘efficiency-first’ approach grounded in building physics. Passivhaus offers additional peace of mind through an independent quality assurance certification.

assivhaus works with any construction type, from straw bale to masonry, and any design style, from contemporary to traditional. The Passivhaus Trust’s dedicated self-build campaign page, ‘Passivhaus goes Personal’, features a selection of beautiful and inspirational self-build projects.

What’s more, the methodology can also be applied to existing buildings, with the EnerPHit standard established for Passivhaus retrofits.

So, if you’re struggling to find a plot for your self-build, retrofitting your existing home offers a brilliant alternative.

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A Passivhaus is a building that requires minimal heating because it is built in such a way that it holds onto the heat it already has – in much the same way a thermos flask keeps coffee warm.

This contrasts with most UK homes that need regular heating up, like a coffee percolator, for much of the heat to just escape through walls and air gaps.

High levels of airtightness, super insulation, use of triple glazing, and ensuring insulation and airtightness are continuous all contribute to this Passivhaus’ thermos flask’ effect. Passivhaus homes use up to 90% less energy to heat than typical uninsulated UK housing stock and have a space heating target of 15kWh/m2/year.

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Modelling the house in Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software is an essential part of the Passivhaus process and is a handy early design decision-making tool. PHPP enables the Passivhaus designer to model and refine their design to achieve the ‘magic’ space heating target of 15kWh/m2/year.

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Additional insulation, triple glazing and MVHR ventilation systems do add to the capital costs of building to Passivhaus by around 8%, but this will fall over time to about 4%, with economies of scale and as the industry and supply chains gear up.

It is well established that reduced energy bills in a Passivhaus will quickly pay back the initial financial uplift.

Moreover, for this slight uplift in cost, Passivhaus offers so many benefits, including: Warm in winter, cool in summer. Year-round comfort is a key element, and Passivhaus occupants often express high levels of satisfaction. Certified Passivhaus buildings must carefully consider summer comfort and avoid overheating risks through the modelling of glazing and shading strategies.

Indoor comfort. Draughts are virtually eliminated, thanks to quality construction and high levels of airtightness.

Passivhaus design also ensures no cold radiance or down draughting from cold surfaces internally.

Good indoor air quality. A high standard of indoor air quality is delivered by an ingenious - yet simple - piece of technology called MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery), which ensures that fresh air continually enters the building and is warmed up, through a honeycomb heat exchanger, by heat recovered from the air leaving the building.

Minimised energy consumption. Passivhaus helps deliver significant savings in energy bills, likely to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind due to the escalating hikes in the cost of living.

Reduced carbon emissions. 35% of global energy consumption comes from the building sector alone, with the largest contributor stemming from heating and cooling demand. The UK has some of the oldest and leakiest building stock in Europe. As we transition away from fossil fuels and electrify everything, energy demand reduction is essential to meet net-zero carbon targets and helps alleviate the peak pressure on the grid.

I-BUILD -

PASSIVHAUS

THE PA S SI V H A U S TRU S T

Tigh Na C r oit Passiv h aus. © H L M A r chitects.

W o odlands oak frame Passiv h aus. © M a rk B o lton.

Read our benefits guide for more: bit.ly/ PHTcostbenefit

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Most current new builds suffer a 60% ‘performance gap’ between design ambition and the reality of energy performance in use. The Passivhaus standard has been around for 30+ years now and has been extensively monitored. Data proves that Passivhaus eliminates the performance gap.

Passivhaus has a rigorous quality assurance certification procedure that offers a third-party check of the design and construction by an independent expert, giving confidence and peace of mind that the building will work as designed. Even when working with experienced Passivhaus professionals, certification ensures that no corners are cut during the design process or on site. Certification also offers would-be purchasers third-party verification, which is important for anyone considering selling a Passivhaus building now or in the future.

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Incorporate Passivhaus into your initial brief, ideally before your designs are complete and planning approved Work with a team that ‘gets it’ and has a cando attitude. Ensure you have at least one person experienced with delivering Passivhaus across all project stages, from concept to completion.

Keep it simple. A simple shape and ‘form factor’ will keep costs down and improve thermal performance.

Pay close attention to ventilation design, summer comfort and airtightness. Getting those right will help avoid additional costs further down the line.

Ostro Passiv h aus – Paper I g loo. © D a v i d B a rbour.

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Getting professional support The Passivhaus Trust has a map of UK Passivhaus professionals to find who may be able to help, or you can search by category.

Free resources Take advantage of free Passivhaus guidance and training on the Passivhaus Trust website to learn more.

Delve into the trust’s project gallery and ‘Passivhaus goes Personal’ pages for more self-build inspiration.

Passivhaus open days Experience the warmth and comfort of a Passivhaus first hand. Take advantage of the annual International Passivhaus Open Days, held in June and November each year.

NSBRC Passivhaus workshops The National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon holds Passivhaus workshops twice a year, offering a chance to hear from expert speakers and to explore related products and services.

For more information, visit the Passivhaus goes Personal section of the Passivhaus Trust website.

www.passivhaustrust.org.uk

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I-SCAPE ATLAS GLAZED ROOF SOLUTIONS

Winston Osborne, Technical Director at Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions, explains how to choose a conservatory or lantern roof that is much more energy efficient than you may have realised.

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s energy prices are hitting new heights, homebuilders should look closely at energy efficiency when planning new builds or extensions, including any plans for a conservatory.

If you opt for the wrong materials, a new conservatory or lantern roof could undo much of the work you are doing to bring down the longterm utility costs of your home. There are options available which can significantly mitigate any potential heat loss – without compromising on the aesthetic result of your build.

When consumer magazine Which? surveyed homeowners about their conservatories, they found that many had not looked into comparing the efficiency of different systems. This left them with extra costs and regrets with the final product – something that can be avoided with some research and the right advice.

If you are looking for a new conservatory/lantern, you should certainly be factoring in energy efficiency, as homeowners can find that their glazed extension is too cold in the winter and that the costs of heating rise accordingly. One of the main problem areas for heat loss is the glazed roof.

I-SCAPE - O R ANGE R I E S & CO N SE R V A TO R I E S ATLAS GLAZED ROOF SOLUTIONS

Given the potential heat loss from a glazed roof, it is worth looking for roofing systems that demonstrate maximum heat efficiency to reassure customers that they aren’t losing heat – and money – from a less efficient system.

Upgrading to a triple-glazed conservatory/lantern roof will result in even more savings on energy bills over the life of the extension – providing that the triple glazing is specified correctly and has the optimum spacer size.

With the changes in Part L of the Building Regulations coming into effect, the focus is on permitted U-values of various building

materials. The U-value measures the insulating characteristics of a material, or how much heat flow or heat loss occurs through the glass due to the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.

The U-values of glazing products, measured in watts per metre square kelvin (W/m²K), are extremely important indicators for self-builders to ensure the long-term energy efficiency of their project.

When choosing a roof lantern, it’s important to be aware of these U-values and look for a system that maximises glass, creates a ‘thermal break’ and offers triple glazing to the best specifications.

It’s also important to look at the specifications of the triple glazing as this can make a significant difference to the energy efficiency.

While you may initially be swayed by the design, it is vital to drill down into the specifications before buying.

Triple-glazed units are clearly an improvement on standard double glazing, but not all triple glazing is equal, and there are key pieces of data that should show you what you are getting and whether it will give you what you need.

Although standard U-values for a 28mm triple glazed unit are sitting around 0.9W/m2k at best, there is the option to vastly reduce this using 44mm triple glazing offered by Atlas. With this in place, on selected systems, the centre pane U-value of the glazing can come down to 0.5W/m2k, which is the best rating available on the current market.

As well as efficiency, opting for a secure and safe roof system is important. When weighing up the merits of roof lanterns – in terms of security – be sure to look for a system that offers safety and security testing results.

When choosing a system, ask if it has achieved Secured by Design status for aluminium roof lanterns – this will indicate an even more impressive level of security. Products should have been successfully tested to STS 222 BR1, which covers requirements for burglary resistance for construction products.

This can all be achieved without compromising on the aesthetic value of your home design, with manufacturers offering a range of colours and designs from contemporary to traditional.

With the peace of mind that comes from a beautiful design and secure system – coupled with the knowledge that they will be saving on energy bills – self-builders will be reassured that they are securing the best solutions for their longterm investment.

www.atlasroofsolutions. co.uk

I-NTERIOR - BL I N DS & SH U T TE R S GIRA

lathomepcK Here, Gira, one of the world’s leading full-range suppliers for intelligent building design and management, shares its expertise on how intuitive blind control systems in the home will enhance your comfort levels all year round.

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s consumers prepare for increasing energy bills as the cost of living rises in the UK, long-term investment in the home makes sense, with experts pointing out the difference that blinds and shutters can make when it comes to saving energy and creating an ambient indoor environment.

Given that weather patterns are also changing, it is wise to anticipate warmer summers in the UK, given the hottest summer ever recorded in England was in 2018, as extreme weather becomes the norm. According to research by the British Blind and Shutters Association, 20% of UK homes are prone to overheating, making it uncomfortable to sleep and relax. Children and older adults are also at risk from heat-related illnesses, and it has been proven that productivity and even students’ exam results1 can be affected by working and living in higher temperatures.

The good news is that solar shading, such as blinds, can cut the risk of overheating and reduce the need for internal cooling systems – saving you money on air conditioning and reducing carbon emissions. In fact, BBSA research2 indicates that internal shading can lower room temperatures by 8 to 13°C. As green technology develops in line with the market desire to bring more health and wellness solutions into the home, it has never been easier to use smart blind controls which are energy efficient, simple to use and seamlessly integrated with other smart home technologies. With this in mind, Gira has some energy-saving tips to help you make the most of your blinds this season.

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The more you make use of natural sunlight, the less you will spend on additional heating or air conditioning. That’s where smart blind control comes into play: having your blinds going up or down at precisely the right time is a surprisingly easy way to save energy. In today’s smart homes, energy-efficient processes can be automated and be responsive to your lifestyle with the latest presence detectors so you can set different routines for weekdays and weekends, for example.

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This means your blinds will work around the clock to either shield your house from the sun during the summer or warm it up (without extra heating) during the winter. Another benefit of smart blind control is that you can create automated time schedules to simulate your presence and ward off potential intruders whenever you’re away. When combined with a smart lighting system, your house will give the impression that everyone is at home as usual.

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If you live in an older home or a rented property, you don’t have to miss out on smart technology.

The latest wireless systems can be retrofitted without the hassle of re-routing cables or going into the walls, thanks to integrated Bluetooth solutions like the Gira System 3000, for example.

You can take advantage of a range of intelligent blind control functions, creating automatic programmes that will give you comfort and security. Your blinds will provide you with privacy and sun protection when required, as well as make your house look occupied when you’re away. Just imagine being able to synchronise your lights, blinds and temperature easily. Even better, you can operate the latest systems via an app on your smartphone or tablet to control your blinds wherever you are.

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No need to worry if your smartphone or tablet is out of charge or out of reach, as you can also lower your blinds to the right position with digital assistance. Voice commands are now an integral part of leading smart home systems like KNX and are compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant for ultimate ease and convenience.

With so many options to manage your blinds as much as you wish as part of your smart home, you’ll be pleased you took the opportunity to futureproof your property and be energy efficient all year round.

www.gira.com

I - NTERI O R GIRA

A l l images: The G i ra System 3 0

FOOTNOTES:

https://www.fenews.co.uk/skills/the-effects-of-heat-on-student-exam-scores-do-high-temperatures-impact-performance/

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2

https://www.thewindowshuttercompany.co.uk/our-shutters/shutter-solutions/reducing-heat-gain/

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I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

LEGAL & BUSINESS PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: ELISA | EARTHBORN | BLANCO | SETCRETE | THOMAS CRAPPER

Drink, prep, clean - all you need, in one place

Beautifully crafted. Built to last.

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remium British bathroom manufacturer Elisa has introduced a completely customisable, modular shower collection based around Aquahub – a unique, concealed valve technology innovated in-house. This stunning new mixer range offers a fully-personalised choice of fascias, shower outlets, heads and accessories, all compatible with the central Aquahub valve. Each component is available in a brushed brass, polished chrome or matte-black finish. Designed to blend beautifully within any modern bathroom setting, the Emilie shower fascia is available with dual- or triple-touch button controls. Discreet and minimalist in design, Rosa shower fascias from Elisa add a contemporary accent to any bathroom, with a selection of colour options.

Machined from high-quality, solid brass for extensive durability and reliability, the Aquahub valve sits at the heart of the Elisa shower system. When updating their bathroom in the future, homeowners can select from a multitude of fascias, accessories and colourways, without the need to replace the Aquahub platform itself.

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verything needed to work quickly and

cleanly in the kitchen is all in one place with the new BLANCO UNIT, a spaceand time-saving creative hub in the heart of the home. Sinks, taps and bins are the most frequently used items in the kitchen, so the BLANCO UNIT combines these premium kitchen products in flexible packs that let the buyer choose a mix to suit any style and lifestyle. Water is key in the kitchen, from drink and food preparation to washing, hygiene and cleaning. The BLANCO UNIT offers the choice of feature-packed smart taps, ultra-safe true-boiling water taps and stunning semi-professional or classic mixer taps in a

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variety of finishes.

Setcrete High Performance maintains integrity for conservatory floors

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etcrete High Performance floor-levelling compound is

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such as conservatories, prior to the installation of a floorcovering.

Setcrete High Performance

Let your walls breathe

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f you’re building a new house or an extension, you want to bring each room into use as soon as possible. Painting the newly-built walls is often the last step in a long process that you want to be finished. Using paint with a high level of breathability means that moisture doesn’t become ‘trapped’ beneath the paint’s surface. Using a non-breathable paint can lead to damp walls, causing the paint to bubble, peel and eventually blow completely, and contribute to a harmful living environment. The easiest way to ensure you’re creating a sustainable, environmentally-sound specification is to check the paint is Ecolabel approved. Earthborn paints have achieved this demanding standard, which covers every aspect of a product’s manufacture, use and disposal. Because they are virtually VOC free, they do not give off any toxic emissions so that rooms can be brought into use more quickly and are much healthier for the building and its occupants.

both absorbent and non-absorbent subfloors, including sand/

cement formulation, which performs a similar function to steel reinforcement in reinforced concrete. It is suitable for use over

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cement and concrete screeds, as well as granolithic, terrazzo, epoxy and polyurethane resins, ceramic and quarry tiles. In addition, the fibre reinforcement provides a level of flexibility that plywood subfloors.

Thomas Crapper creates a point of difference for new homes

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ynonymous with British-made bathrooms since 1861, Thomas

Crapper products add individuality and luxury to new-build homes. From WCs and basins to taps and showers, they mix the authentic style and quality of Victorian- and Edwardianera sanitary and brassware with 21st-century technology. The Thomas Crapper brand provides a point of difference while embracing the modern plumbing practices that go with a new home. Selfbuilders and high-end developers can take advantage of the opportunity to have a personalised cistern with the name of the property or owner cast into them. There is also a choice

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I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

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makes it suitable for use over

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Th i s c o n t e m p o ra y c o t a g e , b u i l t i n a s t u n i n g s e a s h o r e l o c a t i o n o n t h e y nL g e n p e n i n s u l a – a p ro t e c t e d h e r i t a g e a re a w e l w i t h i n t h e Arc t i c C i r c l e a n d o n e o f oN r w a y’ s n a t i o n a l p a r k s – i s d e f i n e d b y i t s re s p e c t f o r n a t u re a n d re s t ra i n e d m a t e r i a l p a l e t e o f oN r d i c G r e n c o p e r - c l a d w a l s a n d ro f s , s e a m l e s g l a z i n g a n d t i m b e r .

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norre Stinessen Architecture’s design for the new Aurora Lodge retreat aims to embrace the stunning panorama across the sea and a close connection with nature while retaining privacy. A small flat area within the natural landscape was perfectly suited to accommodate this low-intervention building. All vegetation was preserved or replanted, leaving the original trees virtually untouched.

A small creek has been preserved and now runs under the building. The lodge consists of the main building

I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

with a central terrace, a separate annexe suite and a sauna across the creek.

Stone paved steps set in the ground lead along the creek and amongst the trees, past the annexe to the entrance. A continuation of the entrance, and just over the creek, lies the central outdoor terrace, positioned between the kitchen/dining room and the living room, below the main roof. The creek continues its flow just beyond the concrete terrace floor with its own distinct contribution to the sounds of nature.

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Conceptually, the design is based on a natural platform in the landscape, providing a continuous floor for the main building, both internally and externally. This platform is then protected by an angular canopy, forming the eastern wall and roof – clad entirely in Nordic Green copper – providing high indoor ceilings.

The copper enclosure contrasts with wide-open views of the surrounding nature – including the northern

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lights in winter – through extensive, seamless glazing.

The same approach is taken with the two outbuildings, also enveloped with Nordic Green copper. Careful detailing and installation have resulted in graceful transformations between copper planes.

In terms of materiality, Snorre Stinessen explained: “Copper was chosen for its durability – particularly close to the sea and with air salinity – but also for its permanence, quality and beauty. The fact that copper is

PRODUCT GUIDE

a natural material and, of course, 100% recyclable are, for me, important factors – and certainly, its longevity is often overlooked. The Nordic Green prepatinated copper colour is intended to blend with the natural surroundings but is also a nod to how we most often see copper in Norway: on historic buildings.”

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The extensive Nordic Green, Nordic Blue and Nordic Turquoise ranges offer patinated copper surfaces straightaway that would otherwise take many years to develop in the environment. They have properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world.

As well as the solid patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available for each, with variable intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material.

Copper 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 throughcolour and making it very stable. It

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retains its golden colour and simply loses some of its sheen over time, as the oxide layer thickens with exposure to the atmosphere to give a matt finish. A wide choice of Nordic Decor mechanically-applied surface treatments is also available for various surfaces and alloys, particularly suited to interior applications.

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The Nordic Copper range also includes Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper, which offers lighter or darker shades. Snorre Stinessen added: “We are just about to start another new building in the same area as Aurora Lodge, although in somewhat different surroundings.

Here, we are still using Aurubis copper – but this time Nordic Brown.”

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. For more information, visit the website below. www.nordiccopper.com 01875 812144 g.bell@aurubis.com

I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

LEGAL & BUSINESS PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: ELISA | ISO-CHEMIE | KELLER KITCHENS | KNIGHTSBRIDGE | VIESSMANN

Keller Kitchens and Jetstone at the Kitchen Mile 2022

Beautifully designed.

Created for longevity

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lisa has announced the availability of its new line-up of premium taps, the Antonella collection. Designed to complement the recentlylaunched Elisa Emilie and Rosa modular concealed mixer shower range, homeowners can select from a large and small singlelever pillar tap, a discreet and elegant wall mixer tap, and a stunning free-standing bath filler with shower attachment. Making an attractive statement within any home interior, all models are offered in a choice of classic chrome, brushed brass or a matte-black finish with an ontrend, minimalist profile that adds a touch of understated luxury – creating the ultimate contemporary bathroom environment. Beautifully crafted and engineered to last, Antonella taps are manufactured from high-quality brass and feature easy-to-clean surfaces. Each tap delivers ultra-smooth movement, precise water flow control and comes with a matching pop-up waste. Furthermore, Antonella taps are effortless to install and are suitable for high-pressure and combi systems.

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ust like last year, Keller Kitchens will be

presenting the new items for the upcoming season together with the latest trends in worktops from Jetstone and composite brand, Caesarstone, at the Kitchen Mile in Germany. The brands have joined forces again and will come up with a stunning presentation of kitchen designs in the rustic ‘Haferhaus’ of the Gut Böckel estate. Keller will present four inspirational kitchen designs, which include the new colours, finishes, models and additions to its glass cabinet portfolio. With an array of new glass choices in several styles of glass for various interior styles.

www.kellerkitchens.com +31 0164 285106 info@kellerkitchens.com

Knightsbridge brings the great outdoors to book

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ith gardens becoming crucial to so many during the pandemic

lockdowns, the effective utilisation of outdoor space is more important than ever, and Knightsbridge – a leading

01959 560003

manufacturer of wiring devices,

www.elisabathrooms.com enquiries@elisabathrooms.com

accessories and lighting – has curated its impressive IP-rated outdoor ranges into a single collection that meets the needs of developers, contractors and homeowners alike.

Compiled into a single, handy reference, The Complete Outdoor

Iso-Chemie seals new Passivhaus certificate for multifunctional joint sealing tape

Range, the 49pp brochure is packed with high-quality, full-colour product and lifestyle illustrations and shows how Knightsbridge caters for all demands in weatherproof and garden installations. To discover the full Knightsbridge garden and outdoor collection, be sure to download the e-brochure using the link below.

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so-Chemie, a leading producer of foam sealant tapes for windows and doors, has secured an international energy-efficiency certificate for its multifunctional joint sealing tape, ISO-BLOCO Hybratec. Awarded the ‘Certified Passive House Component’ label by the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt, Germany, the tape can now officially be used in the construction of passive energy houses across the UK and Europe as a window connection airtightness system. In passive house construction, it is important for a building to be extremely airtight to minimise the heat input required to warm the house.

ISO-BLOCO Hybratec is a multifunctional window joint tape featuring the latest in hybrid technology to provide effective three-level sealing in line with RAL energy performance standards and resistance to driving rain in excess of 1050 Pa. In tests, the tape was found to have excellent airtightness and thermal protection when it came to the sealing between the inner room and external climate.

www.mlaccessories.co.uk/marketing-hub 01582 887760 sales@mlaccessories.co.uk

New Viessmann heat pumps for the easy replacement of boilers

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iessmann has launched two new ‘Super Silent

Design’ monobloc air source heat pumps, the Vitocal 150-A and Vitocal 151-A. Ideal for UK boiler replacements, their compact design means they take up 60% less space while installations are reduced by 90 minutes. Their 70°C maximum

flow temperature (without an immersion heater) means that, in some cases, the existing hot water cylinder can be retained, depending on its coil size, desired store temperature, insulation level and mechanical integrity. Subject to the system design requirements and seasonalised efficiency calculations, existing radiators may also be retained, depending on

07837 337220

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the heat loss from

www.iso-chemie.eu a.swift@iso-chemie.co.uk

the house.

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www.viessmann.co.uk 01952 675000 info-uk@viessmann.com

PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL: ONLEVEL

Frameless glass balustrades are ideal for decked areas and perfect for creating secure areas for children and safe barrier protection from height. So, if you’re looking to get your garden or external space looking cool, calm and sophisticated this summer, then consider frameless glass balustrading to give protection from the great British weather, and provide safe and secure areas whilst maintaining the sense of space and unrestricted outdoor views beyond.

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Create cool, calm and sophisticated spaces with stunning glass balustrades As t e m p e ra t u re s r i s e a n d t h e a m o u n t o f d a y l i g h t i n c re a s e e a c h d a y , d e s i g n e r s a n d h o m e o w n e r s a l i k e s t a r t o t u r n t h e i r a t e n t i o n t o t h e g re a t o u t d o r s . Th e f i r s t w a f t o f re s h l y - c u t g ra s i n t h e a i r o f t e n s i g n a l s t h e s t a r t o f o u t d o r p re a r t i o n s a n d o u r d e s i re t o g e t o u r g a rd e n s l o k i n g g re a t f o r o u t d o r l i v n g .

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n recent years (despite the British weather), the trend to make the most of your outdoor space has increased dramatically, with homeowners and families wanting to make the most of fresh air and the great outdoors.

Kitchen and rear extensions, orangeries and multifunctional spaces with large expanses of glass, bi-fold or sliding doors are now commonplace throughout the UK. These adaptable rooms, which ‘bring the outside in’ by retracting or opening glass doors, transform spaces into perfect places for alfresco living.

In addition to the popular trend for large expanses of glass, bi-fold and sliding doors is the demand for

www.onlevel.com

external balustrading and the dividing or screening of decked and outdoor areas. As we well know, the great British weather isn’t always that reliable, even in the middle of summer!

Therefore, to make the most of our gardens and outdoor spaces, we need to shield ourselves from some of the elements. Glass balustrading is perfect for this, especially frameless glass balustrading, which protects from the wind whilst maintaining views. Furthermore, as frameless glass balustrades provide a sleek, ‘all-glass look’, they don’t impose on the eye, creating the feeling of space rather than restricting the sense of room.

0161 804 9500

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ONLEVEL is well known for providing innovative glass hardware solutions, with its TL-6020 frameless glass balustrade profile leading the way in the UK for simple, no-fuss installation.

Glass is fitted into ONLEVEL’s range of ‘TL’ profiles using Flex-Fit, ONLEVEL’s innovative system for adjusting glass plates. With this system, it was possible to adjust each individual glass plate up to 40mm towards the perpendicular line.

It provides the safe alignment of glass balustrades. With just a simple sliding movement, the installer can precisely position glass and reduce the assembly time by some 30% – fast, effective and so simple. In addition, Flex-Fit is safer than traditional glass balustrade fixing solutions, which often require you to work from both the balcony side and the void side. Flex-Fit was fully operated from the balcony side. Not only is it safer, but rental costs for scaffolding or a cherry picker are also eliminated.

ONLEVEL’s glass balustrading solutions provide real cost savings due to installation ease and speed.

Furthermore, with ONLEVEL, you have peace of mind knowing its products have been successfully installed on numerous projects across the UK and Germany for many years.

ONLEVEL is the innovation specialist for Juliet balcony systems, glass clamps and high-quality balustrade profiles in all shapes and sizes. Providing aesthetically-pleasing, safe, tested, independently-certified, highly-durable balustrades for living or work spaces.

ONLEVEL supplies certified dry-glaze frameless glass balustrade systems in 0.75, 1.5 and 3kN performance standards, and Juliet balcony solutions up to 3m spans – with unique, patented, fast installation solutions. Additionally, ONLEVEL provides glass clamps, structural glass point fixings, stainlesssteel, aluminium and wooden handrails, Fischer, Wurth and Hilti fixings and accessories, such as stainless-steel cleaner, adhesive and glass cleaner. info@onlevel-uk.com

I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

WHAT DOES YOUR HOME SAY ABOUT YOU?

SAY IT WITH CARE

www.cedral.world

SAY IT WITH SUSTAINABILITY I BU I L DmA UG U S Tm**

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