PSBJ August 2016

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August 2016

AMBITIOUS VISION FULFILLED Innovative new sports centre is ahead of the curve

Replacing ageing housing stock?

High standards in healthcare buildings

North Lanarkshire has a healthy outlook

Take a holistic asset management approach

Key specification factors every facility should consider

PSBJ explores the impact of three new health centres

Relieve the pain of rising patient numbers

A rise of patient numbers means hospitals and clinics could face a facility shortfall putting pressure on healthcare management to provide more space quickly and economically.

Modular buildings from Wernick provide a modern, spacious, energy efficient environment for patients and medical staff which are fully HTM and HBN compliant. What’s more, while the building is being manufactured, the foundation is being prepared on-site. This makes it possible for us to deliver a building of exceptional quality very quickly and with a saving of up to 50% when compared to a traditional building.

Modular buildings can form permanent buildings with traditional features such as a brick finish and a pitched roof.

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Sustainable construction without compromise Sustainable construction without compromise For additional information visit www.wernick.co.uk/healthcare

0800 18 18 22

Welcome Note Editor in Chief

Hannah Frackiewicz

hannah@mixedmediainfo.com

Editorial Assistant Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@mixedmediainfo.com

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

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Steve Gull

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Rebecca Stratten

ree@mixedmediainfo.com

Studio Manager Chris Lilly

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Production

Jack Witcomb

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Artworker/Sub-editor David Perry

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Accounts

Simone Jones

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Managing Director

The new Clamart Sports Centre in France is ‘an authentic city of sports’ with a shape designed to follow the curves of the landscape. See page 18.

Welcome to the August issue of PSBJ...

As I write, later today David Cameron will leave Downing Street for the final time as Prime Minister, with Theresa May eagerly waiting in the wings to replace him. After losing the EU referendum in June, David Cameron quickly volunteered to step down, and eventually the former Home Secretary became the only remaining candidate in the Conservative leadership contest.

Mixed Media Information

So what does this mean for the industry? During her national campaign, Theresa May pledged to boost infrastructure spending, with more Treasury-backed project bonds for new infrastructure projects. As for housing, she claims: “We need to do far more to get houses built.” Above all, her stance has been to remain with the decision to leave the EU – meaning no second referendum. She has stated: “I couldn’t be clearer. Brexit means Brexit. And we’re going to make a success of it. There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it by the back door, and no second referendum.”

T: 01622 873229 F: 01622 320020 www.mixedmediainfo.com www.psbj.co.uk

Anyone expecting reform under Theresa May is likely to be disappointed, however the next few months will certainly involve settling nerves and boosting morale after a significant period of turbulence – and this will be aimed at all industries, not just construction. Only time will tell.

Sam Ball

sam@mixedmediainfo.com Publisher

Pear Platt, Woodfalls Industrial Estate, Gravelly Way, Laddingford, Kent, ME18 6DA

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The Publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

In this edition, we bring you the latest high profile case studies and talking points on Drainage, Health & Safety, Crowdfunding, Acoustics & Sound and Doors & Windows. You will also find a dedicated focus on each of the four key areas of the public sector build market – Healthcare, Leisure, Housing and Education.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information at your fingertips via Public Sector Build Journal’s state-of-the-art app. To download your version free of charge, simply search ‘PSBJ’ on Google play or the App Store.

Hannah Frackiewicz | Editor in Chief | hannah@mixedmediainfo.com Follow us on Twitter:

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Contents

06 News A round up of the latest industry updates including charity events, awarded contracts, completed projects and much more.

08 Upfront Preston-headquartered Conlon Construction has completed its most ambitious school construction project to-date.

14 Housing A new housing development at Grangeover-Sands has been welcoming its first residents, providing a welcome facelift to a formerly neglected site.

16 Talking Point Making the right asset management decision on your housing estate – refurbishment or redevelopment?

Pellings explores further.

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18 Technical Focus

22 Education

26 Healthcare

The innovative use of prefabricated wood products at a new sports centre has enabled an ambitious architectural vision to be fulfilled.

Lessons learned from the Cumbria floods – how one devastated school successfully overcame the immediate challenges.

Stephen Anderson, Head of the Aluminium Division at CMS Window Systems, discusses the impact of three new purpose-built health centres in North Lanarkshire.

20 Legal & Business

24 Drainage

28 Health & Safety

Sally Lloyd, Marketing Manager at Jaga Heating Products UK, explains why the RE:FIT extension is a positive step for public sector buildings.

Andy Buchan, Divisional Managing Director of ACO Building Drainage, explains why drainage has such a fundamental impact on hygiene performance.

Marcus Lockett of SPI Performance Coatings explores why many local authorities are turning to encapsulation rather than removal to manage asbestos.

The all-new psbj.co.uk Your revitalised and purpose-built portal for public sector building specification PSBJ unveils the new-look online resource for building products designed for the public sector built environment. Offering more content in an easy-to-navigate format, this refreshing, tailormade new portal delivers the right content to the right audience in the shortest time possible.

Search ‘psbj’

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Contents

36

14 08

30 Crowdfunding

26

32 Leisure

36 Acoustics & Sound

At Beacon Hill, the addition of a well thought-out play space from Timberplay has been a key factor in widening the appeal of the country park.

Knauf AMF discusses thermal mass and acoustics in schools and explains how vertical baffles can provide the necessary sound absorption required.

34 Doors & Windows

37 Product Showcase

The experts at JELD-WEN explain the numerous benefits of specifying timber windows when meeting required U-values.

A dedicated focus of industry news, products and case studies to help architects and local authorities make informed choices.

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Photograph courtesy of Carmo Wood, Portugal and Câmara Municipal de Arouca, Portugal

Lewisham Council is working with local partners to inspire people across the borough to shape their shared spaces.

How? Through civic crowdfunding.

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News

INDUSTRY UPDATES

Each month PSBJ rounds up the latest public sector construction updates, from new contracts to industry awards.

£5m restoration reaches important milestone More than 150 years after they were built, the future of 44 historic almshouses in the centre of Exeter is secured as a multi-million pound restoration project reaches the halfway point.

Now in the care of Cornerstone, Exeter’s largest independent housing association, 20 of the almshouses at Mount Dinham have been extensively refurbished with work already well underway on the next block of four houses.

To mark this milestone, Cornerstone invited councillors, stakeholders and local residents to view the completed homes and the extent of the refurbishment.

All of the refurbished homes feature brand new bathrooms and kitchens as well as ground floor extensions to provide a downstairs toilet as well as more living space.

Cornerstone has been providing affordable homes for the people of Exeter and surrounding districts since it was originally founded as the Exeter Workmen’s Dwelling Company in 1926. Today it is a not-for-profit, charitable housing association working closely in partnership with Exeter City Council to deliver new affordable homes.

Council calls for residents’ views on Wimbledon Park proposals Merton Council is asking residents and Wimbledon Park users for their views on how the park could look in the future. The consultation will run until 14th August. There will be special events where experts from the council and its design team, led by LDA Design, will be on hand to answer questions and explain the proposals face-to-face.

The consultation on the proposals is about

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involving the public in helping to shape the look of the park over the next 25 years.

To help develop the proposals for residents to consider, the council has been working for a number of months with park users as well as landscape and structural architects to understand what should remain the same and what could change. Option one proposes the least number of changes, upgrading facilities within the existing layout. Option two focuses on Capability Brown’s lake, making it more visible and accessible from within the park.

The third option proposes the greatest level of change, with upgraded sports facilities, an improved lake setting and wildlife habitat.

The consultation and information about the proposals is online at www. wimbledonparkconsultation.com.

which will be available for pupils to move into in autumn 2016.

During the second phase of the project, the Morgan Sindall project team will demolish the rest of the existing school and construct an external play space, which will include a new multi-use games area.

Woods Hardwick designs new primary school and community hall

Morgan Sindall celebrates progress at £12.4m primary school Construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall has held a special ceremony to celebrate progress on the new £12.4m Moreland Primary School and Children’s Centre in Islington.

The three-storey building for Islington Council is being constructed so that the primary school can double its capacity, from a single-form entry, to a two-form entry facility.

The Morgan Sindall project team was joined by the Mayor of Islington, local councillors and children and staff from the school to celebrate the completion of the structure of the new building. At the ceremony, attendees wrote special messages in the cavity of an external wall which has been sealed ready for future generations to discover.

The project began in July 2015 and is being completed in two phases. The first phase includes the demolition of part of the original school and the completion of the new building,

According to the newest RIBA report, too many school buildings are poorly built because of a rigid one-size-fits-all ethos adopted by the Education Funding Agency (EFA). But, as demonstrated by Bedfordbased architects Woods Hardwick who were appointed to design Lace Hill, a new single-form school and community hall in Buckingham, every school has to be assessed individually.

The overall site provides a mixed use of educational facilities, community use and leisure facilities, as well as associated infrastructure, amenity and landscaped areas to serve the immediate residential development. A linear plan format provides a principle entrance foyer that leads into a main corridor or 'street' that runs for the whole length of the school and provides access to all areas of the accommodation.

Attention was paid to creating integrated space, bringing together the information and communication technology (ICT) and library areas that form the heart of the school; at the same time the architects allowed for independent activities taking place simultaneously without interrupting each other, demonstrated by the location of the main hall and committee room.

Woodland View opens its doors Woodland View, a £46m adult acute mental health and community facility located in Irvine, Scotland, has opened its doors to service users.

The 206-bed new build hospital, designed by IBI Group and constructed by Balfour Beatty, is focused on delivering inpatient and outpatient mental health services for adults, including: rehabilitation, continuing care, addictions, forensics and intensive psychiatric care.

The hospital’s design also provides organic and functional services for elderly mental health, specifically dementia care, and incorporates research by the Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University. Supportive design features comprise: corridor seating areas overlooking beautiful landscaped gardens, ‘wander loops’, dementia-friendly signage and a considered colour, artwork and wayfinding strategy to help trigger service user memories.

Planned around service user and staff wellbeing, the building is safe, spacious and sustainable. Full of natural light, the design promotes excellent observation inside and out, offers gender flexible wards that maintain privacy and dignity, and encompasses landscaped gardens that promote exercise, rehabilitation and recovery.

PHP selects Civica to improve resident services Civica, a market leader in critical software applications, digital solutions and outsourcing, has entered a strategic partnership to provide its integrated Housing Cx system for Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), a housing company owned by the Borough of Poole.

Supporting PHP’s strategic business transformation, the solution will improve the customer experience, introduce more streamlined ways of working for its staff and deliver better, more efficient services for managing over 5200 Borough of Poole homes.

Civica Housing Cx delivers the flexibility to meet the changing needs of the housing market. It will enable PHP to automate and streamline processes to spend more time helping its residents. The system will also allow PHP to instantly find customer information, previously siloed within over 700 separate documents amongst different departments.

This will free up more time for staff to spend with residents and allow managers to monitor and adjust staff workloads and operational performance more efficiently.

Derby children get lessons in world of work

Pozzoni completes multi-million pound new academy

G F Tomlinson welcomed more than 50 children from Breadsall Hill Top Primary School onto one of its construction sites as part of the successful ‘Just Imagine…Working Here!’ scheme.

The budding ‘Bob the Builders’ visited Al Madinah Primary School construction to see some of the many skills carried out by construction workers as part of the Derby City Council initiative, designed to inspire young people about the world of work.

The construction of a new multi-million pound secondary and sixth form free school in Warrington, designed by Pozzoni Architecture, is now complete.

King’s Leadership Academy is the latest facility for the Great Schools Trust and is designed around a central, double-height feature entrance with the building’s wings split with classrooms to the west and a community block accommodating leisure and sports facilities, to the east.

Sports facilities at the academy include a large sports hall suitable for a range of activities including performing arts, changing areas and a regional fencing centre. Outside boasts a floodlit, synthetic multi-use games area.

The block where the sports facilities are located is designed to be accessible out of school hours with a separate entrance enabling the remainder of the building to be secured and locked down when required.

Sustainability features have been incorporated throughout the design of the new school including a natural ventilation system with louvres integrated at the top of the windows. Swales have also been created in the corners of the site to store and collect surface water run-off which can be used as ecological garden spaces.

News

Christine Hopson, Year 5 Teacher and Assistant Head from Breadsall Hill Top Primary School, said: “The children were thrilled to get the chance to see behind the scenes of a building site and learn how much planning, preparation and teamwork is involved in a construction project.

“It has been great to take our learning outside of the classroom and see first-hand what it’s like to have a job. We would like to thank G F Tomlinson for inviting us along and inspiring pupils to see how maths, science and technology can be used practically in the world of work.”

HAs join Mayor’s drive to increase affordable homes Chief executives of housing associations met last month at City Hall as part of a drive by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to strengthen confidence in the capital’s housing industry and deliver a step change in the number of genuinely affordable homes built in London.

The meeting, convened by James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, was attended by representatives of the G15 – the organisation that represents London’s 15 largest housing associations – together with a number of small housing associations.

They discussed their shared ambition for a more strategic and longer-term relationship between London’s developing housing associations and the new administration at City Hall to help increase the level of home-building in the capital, particularly in the challenging aftermath of the recent European Union referendum result.

James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, said: “We are determined to build more new and affordable homes in London, and housing associations have an essential role to play in making this happen.”

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Upfront

LEADING THE WAY IN INNOVATIVE EDUCATION DESIGN

Project: King's Leadership Academy Location: Warrington Contractor: Conlon Construction

Conlon Construction has recently transformed greenfield land to provide state-of-the-art facilities to accommodate 840 pupils at King's Leadership Academy in Warrington, Cheshire.

C

reated to nurture the leaders of tomorrow, the King’s Leadership Academy in Warrington is the third free school to be developed by the Great Schools Trust and builds on the varied experience of main contractor, Conlon Construction in the education sector.

The project was awarded to the Preston-based firm via the Education Funding Agency (EFA) Regional Contractors

Framework after the previous contractor appointed via an alternative framework went into administration.

Designed by architect firm, Pozzoni, the multi-million school embeds community engagement within the fabric of the building, with a zoned layout and hireable sports, performance and meeting facilities to optimise the building’s use and provide opportunities for revenue

generation that will help the school deliver its ambitious goals.

Unconventional approach “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit”, proclaims the Great Schools Trust website, quoting Aristotle to explain its ethos for driving levels of achievement within its schools. The same philosophy

Conlon and the project delivery team have succeeded in constructing a school building that meets the Great Schools Trust’s expectations

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can also be applied to the construction programme for the school, with Conlon working closely with the trust, the teaching staff, the students and the local community to ensure that the school was delivered on time and to the highest standards with full accountability for every milestone in the 51-week project aligned to a meticulously scheduled programme.

Zoned layout The Conlon team worked closely with the architect to deliver the existing design and develop a programme based on hitting key milestones throughout the programme. The scheme had to complete before the start of the summer recess to enable the trust to prepare for the start of term in September.

The two-storey building is designed around a zoned concept with a central doubleheight atrium at its centre. The atrium creates a welcoming space filled with natural light and leads to four blocks, each designed to provide a different type of accommodation. Block C leads directly from the atrium to the left and accommodates the library, the IT suite, the

music rooms, the staff rooms and the medical room. Blocks A and B branch out from block C and contain classrooms and science labs respectively.

To the right of the atrium, the sports hall, gym, dance studio, fitness studio and canteen are accommodated in Block D, with two 5-aside MUGA pitches in the block D grounds. The hall includes moveable bleacher seating and a moveable partition wall, creating a flexible multipurpose space that has been specified to Sport England standards for sporting activities, is suitable for performance and presentation use or can be partitioned for use as an exam room and overflow seating for the canteen.

Peter continues: “The concept behind the school design is to move away from a traditional model based on inflexible designated spaces and closure of the whole campus outside of school hours, replacing it with a flexible, practical, multipurpose building. 

Upfront

finished school so we had to ensure that every aspect of the build met our standards.

Where possible the materials we were forced to remove were reused and the remainder were recycled.”

Conlon was tasked with getting the scheme back on track as quickly as possible, after the previous contractor went into administration

“The project was unconventional for reasons beyond the innovative design of the school building,” explains Conlon’s Project Manager, Peter Carroll. “The original contractor had gone into administration mid-build, leaving the client with an urgent need to replace them and pick up from where they had mothballed the site.

“Our task was to get the scheme back on track as quickly as possible while ensuring that the existing work met our stringent quality standards.

We also needed to provide the trust with complete confidence that they’d have a completed building by the agreed deadline with thorough planning and regular, candid communication.”

Conlon began by assessing the current state of the build and, where necessary, some elements, including the first fix mechanical and electrical installation and the roof of the sports hall, had to be removed and reinstalled.

Peter continues: “While we were inheriting a partiallyconstructed building, Conlon was accountable for the

Designed by architect firm, Pozzoni, the multi-million school embeds community engagement within the fabric of the building

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Upfront The two-storey building is designed around a zoned concept with a central double-height atrium at its centre

“Most of the facilities that will be used by the local community are located in block D so that blocks A, B and C can be secured at the end of the school day while external hire and activities take place. The only exception to this is the music rooms in block C, which include rentable, professional standard recording studios but, thanks to the way in which the school has been zoned, this too can be opened to external users on an isolated access basis.”

Building services The design strategy that has enabled this zoned approach to open up the school for external groups and activities has been delivered through zoning of building services through the BMS (building management system). Specific areas of the school can be opened or locked down with the access control system, intruder alarm, heating and lighting controls activated only for the relevant areas.

The building services have also been designed to optimise comfort and energy efficiency,

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with underfloor heating throughout the building linked to both temperature and CO2 controls to deliver optimum comfort using low temperature hot water provided by gas boilers. The same sensors also operate the school’s natural ventilation system, with louvres on all windows to bring fresh air into the building as required.

PIR absence detection lighting controls are also installed throughout the building, switching lights off after 20 minutes of inaction and providing zoned manual on and off switching. Meanwhile, the school’s external lighting is controlled by timers.

While the school does not use rainwater harvesting for a grey water supply, two water swales have also been installed as part of the project to help with local flood defences.

Peter explains: “The water table in Warrington is quite high and the swales will capture rainwater for slow release into drainage channels, safeguarding against flooding.” 

The building services have also been designed to optimise comfort and energy efficiency

Upfront

pupils from the local primary school and the parish council, along with newsletters for surrounding residents.

Peter adds: “This school will have a local student catchment and has been built with community engagement in mind so communicating progress was important.

“We also wanted to ensure that the construction programme itself would benefit the local area, which is why almost all of our supply chain for materials and labour was sourced from within a 50 mile radius.”

Meeting expectations

To the right of the atrium, the sports hall, gym, dance studio, fitness studio and canteen are accommodated in block D

Close collaboration Conlon completed the project on schedule in June, handing the building over so that the trust could finalise the move from the school’s temporary accommodation during the summer recess.

Much has been done throughout the programme to prepare for the transition to the new building with active

engagement throughout the build with students, local residents and the client.

“Gaining the client’s confidence was essential to the success of the project,” explains Peter, “and to do that we not only needed to deliver high standards on time, we also needed to communicate progress and work flexibly where required.

“For example, the switch on of utility supplies was delayed and we adjusted the programme to accommodate that change, ensuring we communicated effectively with the client with a positive approach.”

Conlon also kept the school’s staff and students and the local community up to speed, with visits to site for King’s Leadership Academy students,

The school will have a local student catchment and has been built with community engagement in mind

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As the school continues its countdown to the first day of learning in its new building, it’s clear that Conlon and the project delivery team have succeeded in constructing a school building that meets the Great Schools Trust’s expectations.

“We have been impressed with Conlon’s project management, attention to detail and communication throughout the process, which have given us the peace of mind of knowing that the build was on track,” adds King’s Leadership Academy’s Principal, Shane Lerston. “We’re delighted with the results and the students cannot wait to move into their new school building.” 

 www.conlon-construction.co.uk

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Housing

AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE

Project: Cedric Walk Location: Grange-over-Sands Housing Association: Two Castles Housing Association

These new homes are helping to address the ever-pressing need to build quality affordable homes in local towns like Grange-over-Sands

Housing Association, said: “With thousands of South Lakeland families on the housing waiting list, these new homes are helping to address the everpressing need to build quality affordable homes in local towns like Grange-over-Sands.

“From the beginning, this scheme has benefitted from tremendous input from our partners, the local community and from the Berners Grange Project Group. Working collaboratively under the Hadrian Development Solutions Partnership, we have created a scheme to be proud of.

“We are delighted that this energy-efficient scheme has also breathed new life into a former brownfield site for the benefit of the local area – creating sustainable homes for the future and keeping energy costs down for our tenants.”

Each new home has been built using traditional building materials such as natural slate, stone elevations and a timber frame to reflect the character of the wider Grange-over-Sands conservation area.

Built to exceed Code for Sustainable Homes Level Three Standards, each property on site will also include a range of energyefficient features to help make homes even more affordable.

The vision for the scheme was developed by the Berners Grange Project Group with support from South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) and Grange Town Council. Part-funded with an investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the

A new multimillion pound housing development at Grange-over-Sands has been welcoming its first residents, providing a welcome facelift to a formerly neglected brownfield site.

Castles Housing T wo Association, working alongside Esh Property Services, has completed 43 new affordable homes in the new £6m development at the site of the former Berners swimming pool, providing much-needed affordable homes for local people.

The scheme, now named

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Cedric Walk, includes a mix of houses and flats – 11 of which have been made available for sale under a shared ownership agreement. The remaining 32 properties have been let at an affordable rent to local people with an existing connection to the town.

Rob Brittain, Property Services Director at Two Castles

The vision for the scheme was developed by the Berners Grange Project Group with support from South Lakeland District Council

Housing Each new home has been built using traditional building materials such as natural slate

scheme was also made possible thanks to SLDC agreeing to sell the land for £1 and making available a grant of £230,000 towards the project.

Meeting demand Councillor Heidi Halliday, South Lakeland District Council’s portfolio holder for Housing and Strategic Development, said: “We are delighted to have worked closely with partners including Two Castles Housing Association and Grange Town Council to help bring this new development forward.

“This helps to address a need for more affordable housing in Grange and contributes to our long-term ambitions for 1000 new affordable homes for rent in South Lakeland by 2025.”

Councillor Ron Shapland, Grange Town Council Chairman, said: “This excellent development has helped to fulfil the local need for rented accommodation and is conveniently situated overlooking Morecambe Bay and has easy access to Grange Town Centre and the promenade.”

Esh Construction’s Regional Managing Director, Simon Phillips, said: “We have been delighted to be part of this

hugely worthwhile and muchneeded development for Grange-over-Sands.

“It’s been an opportunity to work closely with some great partners in realising a truly sustainable, attractive and, fundamentally, accessible place to live which will continue to deliver

value for decades to come.

“Aligning with our key company aims, it remains very important to us that the majority of these homes will be taken up by those with strong local connections, easing housing pressures and creating a lasting legacy for the town’s residents.

“We have also been pleased to have the opportunity of giving something back through the creation of local employment and through our Building My Skills education initiative for the area’s schools.” 

 www.twocastles.org.uk

Each property on site includes a range of energy-efficient features to help make homes even more affordable

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Talking Point

HOLISTIC ASSET MANAGEMENT To refurbish or redevelop? First know your housing stock, explains Alan Davison, Head of Building Surveying at Pellings LLP.

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o deliver the ongoing comprehensive upgrade and replacement of the UK’s social housing stock, and to provide more and better housing of different types of tenure, requires a holistic asset management approach.

This includes establishing the condition of the existing

housing portfolio to gain a better understanding of the benefits of upgrade or tear down.

This is, of course, a continuous process, which was reinforced at the beginning of this year when former Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a loan fund

of £140m would be made available to help rejuvenate 100 of the most run-down housing estates around the UK as part of a comprehensive package of measures to end poverty and improve the life chances of the most disadvantaged.

Clearly, £140m spread across 100 estates means that the funding for each project will be somewhat limited; nevertheless, it could be used to fund early stage viability/feasibility studies or community engagement, together with smaller scale 'quick win' projects that deliver benefits for the community where redevelopment is not currently viable or necessary.

Examples could include community buildings, public spaces or external wall insulation projects.

Exploring options

The starting point is identifying the condition of existing properties by undertaking a housing stock condition survey

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As design, property and construction consultants, Pellings regularly works with landlords to explore the ‘demolish and rebuild’ versus ‘renovate and remodel’ options.

By necessity, this also includes examining the cost of decanting and rehousing residents which is a significant factor for landlords, especially in London and the South East which have the highest accommodation costs.

Alan Davison MRICS MBEng is a Senior Partner and Head of Building Surveying at Pellings.

Alan works with a number of local authority clients on a range of refurbishment and regeneration projects, leading on strategy, parenting, quality and continuous improvement.

Point blocks (i.e. vertical tower blocks) are often the most difficult to make the numbers add up, as demolition releases relatively little land for redevelopment, and they regularly house 100+ households.

However, a huge amount can be done with residents in occupation, including recladding, winter gardens, sustainability improvements to common areas, lifts and internal improvements as well as finding additional homes within the existing envelope in under crofts and underused spaces.

The team at Pellings have also used very successful decanting procedures moving residents permanently into refurbished properties within the block.

The starting point is identifying the condition of existing properties by undertaking a housing stock condition survey.

Making decisions While undertaking a survey is an important first step in making the refurbishment or redevelopment decision,

it can of course serve other parallel purposes including the following: To identify immediate repairs, for five-year planned maintenance or 30-year business planning in order to budget accordingly.

To ensure the housing portfolio meets the Decent Homes Standards or the landlord’s own alternative.

To meet the 29-point check list of the Housing Health & Safety Rating System such as falls on stairs, damp and mould growth and presence of asbestos.

To comply with legislative requirements such as energy improvements through improved insulation and lighting, for example, and the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order focusing on items such as the proper working order of fire doors, and smoke detection systems.

The benefits to landlords come in accurate, well-thoughtout, scoping of the survey which ensures correct survey numbers, predictable survey costs, accurate and consistent datasets and ensuring that expectations are managed and the survey is delivered on time

and on budget. the survey or where there The survey provides an are special sensitivities with important opportunity for a tenants. This could include landlord to understand the known difficult tenants or nature of its housing stock elderly residents who need and to have an up-to-date, to be treated with greater comprehensive picture of awareness and patience. its holdings. That not only The landlord can help to avoid includes the physical condition error by having a pilot survey of the buildings undertaken and their energy initially and Often there is efficiency proactively confusion as to what involving itself in but, also, the surrounding the landlord actually weekly progress environment, reports. does own and the provision It is prudent of additional for the landlord whether there are community to undertake specific occupancy the survey in facilities and the types of manageable issues. occupier tenure. phases rather Where the survey template than trying to analyse one is clear and meaningful it will huge dataset. This avoids help improve consistency in the compounding misinterpretations survey and will reduce the risk which could have been of error. discovered in the early stages.

Often there is confusion as The message is clear; if the to what the landlord actually owner has detailed knowledge does own and whether there of the housing assets it owns, are specific occupancy issues and the state they are in, it relating to the properties to be will be able to optimise repairs surveyed. For example: and maintenance activities, There is no point in including and introduce preventative leaseholders in the survey as maintenance practices where they are generally responsible appropriate, which can for their own internal significantly extend the life maintenance. of the asset. Or failing that It is incumbent on the landlord a decision can be taken to to be aware of properties where redevelop.  there are health and safety issues for those undertaking  www.pellings.co.uk

Talking Point

Pellings regularly works with landlords to explore the ‘demolish and rebuild’ versus ‘renovate and remodel’ options

A huge amount can be done with residents in occupation, including recladding, winter gardens and sustainability improvements to common areas

17

Technical Focus

AHEAD OF THE CURVE The innovative use of prefabricated wood products enabled an ambitious architectural vision to be fulfilled.

STRUCTURE IN DETAIL

T

a tennis court – all in one floor.

“This project is really exceptional, not just because of its size, but also because of its shape. With its curves, unusual dimensions and wide opening in the roof for the track and field area, very few pieces of wood used were identical,” explains Antoine Roux from the Clamart project’s engineering contractor Charpente Concept.

Due to its complex geometry, the roof and framework design of the Clamart Sports Centre

posed advanced technical and aesthetic challenges, such as the double curve in certain areas of the roof. Metsä Wood’s Kerto LVL replaced glulam, which is generally used for building long curved beams.

Extensive 3D design In line with the local authority’s wishes, a primary architectural objective for the Clamart Sports Centre was to recreate a link between two highly contrasting urban environments:

Image © Sergio Grazia

he new Clamart Sports Centre is ‘an authentic city of sports’ with a shape designed to follow the curves of the landscape. The design work was based on the definition of the architectural concept

by Gaétan Morales and his team from Gaëtan Le Penhuel architect agency. The technical solution linked the facade and roof together in a continuous structure. The sports complex includes a gym, a martial arts dōjō, a track and field area and

Kerto LVL rafters covered a 5200m2 area of the building’s frame and roof structure

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Image © Sergio Grazia

Bracing with diagonals structure

Project: Clamart Sports Centre Location: France Architect: Gaëtan Le Penhuel

The Clamart Sports Centre has a shape designed to follow the curves of the landscape

a residential zone of detached houses, and a district of tower blocks. The entire building was sized and designed in 3D, taking 3000 hours of design work and producing the 4000 construction drawings that can now be reused at different scales.

"We discussed structural efficiency and produced analyses with our modelling and calculation systems to identify the most appropriate solution. In particular, we worked extensively on the layout. All the design process was done in 3D, which was necessary due to the complex shape of the building," explains Gontran Dufour, Associate Director and Joint Managing Partner of VS-A design office.

"The 3D modelling process enabled us to export information about the elements to be used for the manufacturing process," Cedric Roux, Manager of the

Technical Focus

Technical Information: Surface area 130 x 40m = approx 5200m²

contractor, Poulingue Design Office concludes.

A strong frame The innovative use of Kerto LVL enabled the widest possible freedom of curvature to support the architectural vision of the complex. Metsä Wood’s delivery consisted of Kerto LVL rafters for the building’s frame and roof structure, covering an area of 5200m2.

This material choice enabled greater architectural liberty, allowing wide spans, and optimising the wooden structure itself. The form of the beams in turn enabled optimising the material as much as possible and also limited waste due to precise cutting.

Since the geometry of the wooden roof structure is extremely complex, the main challenge was to ensure that the elements supported the loads imposed by the shape of the roof. The stability of the building was achieved by a grillage frame structure made of Kerto LVL

beams. The structure transfers the loads from the roofing, while delivering the desired architectural form. Certain areas in the structure were reinforced in order to optimise the cross sections and reduce the material cost of the diagonals.

Aesthetic and accurate solution In the Clamart project, the high connection strength of cross-bonded Kerto-Q was found to reduce the amount of required connectors and thus the size of the steel plates.

All of this allowed significant savings for the builder, both in

terms of material and time. The mechanical properties of Kerto Q LVL, notably the cross veneers, also improved the resistance of fasteners. The hollow cavity of the beams was used to hide most of the steel plates and embedded metal fasteners such as brackets, bolts and dowels.

The engineering office designed high-performance steel assemblies suited to Kerto LVL, which for the most part were invisible. Detailed design work enabled structural engineers to erect the huge spans easily to their place in the structure. 

 www.metsawood.com/uk

18 x 36m oval opening above the track and field area Over 500m3 of Kerto LVL used 70,000 dowels and bolts 120 tonnes of steel 1000 steel assemblies, all different 4000 construction drawings/3000 hours of work for Charpente Concept 12,000 hours of cutting and assembly of box beams Volume of Kerto-S used: 53m3/volume of Kerto-Q used: 546m3 Height of largest rafter:1200mm Maximum beam span: 30.4m between supports

STRUCTURE IN DETAIL Complex project made possible with 3D design

19

Legal & Business

CARBON REDUCTION PLANS ACCELERATE

It is estimated that the new framework will result in up to £1.5bn of retrofitting work in public sector buildings nationwide

Sally Lloyd, Marketing Manager at Jaga Heating Products UK, discusses how the RE:FIT extension is a positive step for public sector buildings.

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he recent developments on the RE:FIT scheme are an excellent indication that plans to reduce carbon emissions from the UK’s built environment are accelerating. The programme was initially London specific, whereby the Mayor of London and European Union European Regional Development Fund helped the likes of NHS bodies, central government agencies, schools and universities, borough councils and heritage organisations to guarantee cost savings in the development and delivery of more energyefficient measures in their buildings.

Now, 16 energy service companies have been selected to work in conjunction with the HM Treasury and the Local Government Association to provide the same support and guarantees to public sector clients outside of London.

It is estimated that the new framework will result in up to £1.5bn of retrofitting work in public sector buildings nationwide.

Whilst public bodies will still have to fund the retrofitting of

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their buildings themselves, the benefits of RE:FIT are that the representing energy company that carries out the work must guarantee a minimum level of energy savings. As a result, public sector organisations will save significant time and money because the procurement process will be considerably shorter and more reliably informed.

Essentially, we are looking at greater collaboration between the Government, contractors and public sector buildings that is focused on significantly reducing the energy consumption in thousands of buildings across the country.

The changes that can be made to a building and in which the RE:FIT programme will help to procure in a more efficient way are plentiful. Lighting, insulation, voltage optimisation and draught proofing all can have a significant impact on a building's energy performance.

Perhaps where building operators can make the biggest strides in reducing carbon emissions and fuel bills, is how they manage the energy required to heat their buildings.

A building’s heat source and the means by which the heat is transferred into the building have been an unnecessary drain of energy for many years, despite there being technologies available that can make a genuine difference.

With the support of the RE:FIT programme, the benefits of these technologies and the subsequent savings are likely to become a lot clearer, helping to remove the doubts regarding the return on investment from their installation.

For example, if a building replaces old inefficient radiators with low mass, low water content equivalents, they can expect energy savings of up to 16%.

Subtract that percentage from a building’s annual running costs and the financial benefits can be huge, whilst preventing unnecessary carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere.

What’s more, the benefits stretch into that actual heating performance within the building in terms of comfort. Low mass and low water content use a tenth of the water required to heat a standard steel panelled

Marketing Manager since March 2015, Sally Lloyd is an expert in energy-efficient radiators and technologies.

She is fully immersed in the sustainable philosophy that Jaga lives by, and is a keen advocate of using sustainable building practices to help preserve our planet for future generations. radiator which means that the radiators are highly responsive and can provide better comfort levels for the occupants.

It will be exciting to see how RE:FIT impacts sustainable public sector development over the coming months. Quite often these buildings are significant local landmarks, and if they are seen to be making strides towards a future that is less reliant on energy-thirsty practices, perhaps it will spark greater urgency in the private and residential sectors too. 

 www.jaga.co.uk

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21

Education

SCHOOL OVERCOMES IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES

Project: Newman Catholic School Location: Carlisle Client: Cumbria County Council

Each building provided open-plan teaching space for around 34 children to supplement the former primary school facility

In this article, Robert Snook, Director and General Manager at Portakabin, looks at how a secondary school devastated in the Cumbria floods successfully minimised the impact on education provision and shares some of the lessons learned.

flooding U nprecedented across Cumbria was caused by storms and when the banks of the River Eden burst, havoc was wreaked in homes, schools and businesses, affecting around 3000 children in the region. After tremendous effort, Cumbria County Council and the schools involved were able to ensure that

all children could return to classes for the start of the spring term in either adapted buildings or interim teaching accommodation.

The worst-hit school was Newman Catholic School, a secondary school and sixth form in Carlisle which was irreparably damaged – and flooded for the second time since 2005. Flood

waters rose to 7ft, with most of the ground level rooms and facilities left under heavily contaminated water. There was extensive water damage to the science laboratories, data communications, ICT suites, chapel, main hall, sports halls, children’s work and precious exam coursework.

Twelve single Portakabin classroom buildings were supplied complete with furniture, data communications and alarm systems

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The teaching staff had to begin almost from scratch but the first priority was to get Christmas back on the agenda for the children, demonstrating that the school was still serving the local community, even though its building was not. The Christmas carol concert went ahead at another local school and was a resounding success.

The Portakabin local emergency response team had its first meeting with the school within days of the disaster and plans to reopen on the site of a former primary school were put into action with additional interim classrooms being installed very quickly. This could ensure the facilities would be in place for the start of the spring term for its 650 pupils.

Twelve single Portakabin classroom buildings were supplied complete with furniture, data communications and alarm systems as a first response to get the school up and running again while a longer-term accommodation solution could be designed and constructed.

Each building provided openplan teaching space for around

According to Owen David, Project Manager at Cumbria County Council: “Speed of response was exactly what we needed on this project. The Portakabin team was extremely quick to arrive on site to assess and respond to the situation. And by using a building partner who could handle everything for us, we could focus our efforts and resources in other areas that needed addressing because of

Education

34 children to supplement the former primary school facility.

Twenty-four general classrooms and highly fitted-out specialist rooms including for ICT, design and technology, food technology and science were then delivered to site to help create the interim school. The buildings, totalling 2100m2, were supplied in just 12 weeks, designed and built to permanent standards, and will be in use until a long-term solution is developed.

Portakabin provided Cumbria County Council with a full service for Newman School’s new site following the flood disaster – ground works for the buildings, all fitting out, air conditioning, fire and security alarm systems, access ramps and walkways, emergency lighting, furniture, service connections and data communications. The scheme also included the provision of sports changing rooms, showers, toilet facilities and a furnished sixth form common room.

The general and specialist classrooms were configured as 12 double classroom blocks which are located on either side of a central ‘street’. Some of the buildings are linked together, and all the rooms have movement sensors to reduce energy consumption.

This was a challenging project on a difficult site and required in a very fast timescale to minimise disruption to the children’s education: The new accommodation had to be sited on a water-logged playing field which required gas, electric and water services bringing in.

The site was located in a constrained residential area so an access road had to be constructed for delivery of the buildings.

The construction team had to work through very poor weather conditions and still deliver the project on time and on budget.

Portakabin provided Cumbria County Council with a full service for Newman School’s new site following the flood disaster

the seriousness of the flooding across the county. This is just the sort of help and collaboration that schools and local authorities need in an emergency situation.

We would certainly recommend the approach, which worked really well for us and the buildings that are now in use are excellent.”

Lessons learned Acting quickly and collaboratively is imperative in an emergency situation.

On this project, the school, council and key suppliers, such as Portakabin, worked well together and had developed an urgent first response solution within a matter of days of the disaster to reopen the school.

Providing a sense of normality for the students as quickly as possible was the overriding priority. This proved to be hugely beneficial.

Students are surprisingly resilient but equally, this experience has shown that it is vital for timetables to remain the same throughout to maintain a strong sense of continuity. The rooms may have changed but neither the teachers nor the subjects have, which this project has shown really helped.

Forming a partnership with a good emergency response building supplier was critical, and involving the modular company immediately, and not seven to 10 days after the crisis is very important. This allows resources and available

buildings to be allocated to the priority school sites.

Check at the outset that the modular supplier has the capacity and building stocks required for the project, when the accommodation is needed – as few suppliers in the UK can offer lead times of just a few days. Does the modular partner have adequate project management resources, design expertise and site supervision in place? For disaster recovery, it is vital that buildings are delivered on time, on budget and to the required standard.

Newman School needed a partner with the fleet resources immediately available to provide the volume of buildings

required. The school also benefited from the Portakabin team’s wealth of knowledge in disaster recovery and its years of experience working closely with major school insurers.

This all helped to ensure that disruption to teaching was minimised from the outset.

Speed of response is always essential as is delivering teaching accommodation of the highest standards and in line with Department for Education guidelines. There should never be any compromise on children’s education just because they are working in interim classrooms. 

 www.portakabin.co.uk

Providing a sense of normality for the students as quickly as possible was the overriding priority

23

Drainage

MAINTAINING GOOD HYGIENE WITH DRAINAGE Every healthcare facility is looking for ways to optimise hygiene and yet one of the key areas that’s often overlooked is drainage. Here Andy Buchan, Divisional Managing Director of ACO Building Drainage, explains why drainage has such a fundamental impact on hygienic performance and what key specification factors every healthcare facility should consider.

In such hygiene-critical environments, it’s important to consider every aspect of the drainage process

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Your drainage should be easy to clean and disassemble

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here’s no doubt that hospitals and healthcare facilities are one of the most challenging environments in which to maintain hygiene. With a complex mix of building types, often comprising a wide range of services and functional units all of which inter-relate, and a continuous flow of visitors, optimising hygiene can be a real challenge. Many factors come into play but a critical factor that is, at best, only considered as an afterthought is drainage.

Although patient and employee safety, hygiene, infection control and cost control are clearly all vital factors, for many healthcare facilities drainage is out of sight and therefore out of mind. Drainage, however, is fundamental to the optimisation of hygiene in any building and in a hospital or healthcare environment it can have a significant impact on public health. Within this complex environment, which includes everything from A&E units to commercial kitchens, drainage systems perform the vitally important tasks of removing waste fluids and maintaining the necessary standards of hygiene.

Unfortunately, a lack of awareness for the impact drainage can have means that many drainage systems are poorly designed and fail to optimise hygiene. At best, this leads to a costly, ongoing cleaning and maintenance programme, and at worst it can result in cross-contamination and temporary closure of a

facility. In such hygiene-critical environments, it’s important to consider every aspect of the drainage process from initial design and installation through to cleaning and maintenance.

So what do operators of healthcare facilities need to understand when it comes to drainage and what are the key considerations with regard to specification?

One of the first considerations is which material to use. Steel is widely considered to be the material of choice for a host of valid reasons but one of the commonly-held misconceptions is that steel is clean. This isn’t true.

A more accurate statement is that steel is cleanable and unlike many alternative materials, such as plastic, it can be cleaned to the required standards.

When it comes to ‘cleanability’ and the likelihood that a drainage system could harbour bacteria, the design of your drainage has a significant impact.

In addition to making it as easy as possible to meet the requirements of the NHS Health Technical Memorandum 00 Policies and Principles of Healthcare Engineering, your drainage design should satisfy three key criteria: the facilitation of cleanliness and cleaning, the need to encourage desired behaviour and a requirement for easy cleaning.

To optimise cleanliness and cleaning, I’d advise healthcare facilities to only specify drainage products that are designed in accordance with

Drainage the hygienic engineering design principles of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) – a European organisation closely linked with the food manufacturing industry.

Like healthcare, food manufacturing is a hygienecritical environment and there’s much to be gained by looking at what the food sector has learned and the best practice principals it has developed. Healthcare facilities also have additional hygiene issues caused by the random influx of the general public into their buildings, and this makes the specification of hygienically-designed drainage even more important.

Hygienically-engineered drainage systems are designed not to harbour bacteria and to minimise the build-up of harmful

A hygienically-engineered drainage system is vital to the delivery of safe and efficient healthcare

pathogens and biofilms. Key design features include a sleek slope function, rounded corners with a minimum radius of 3mm and hygienically-designed foul air traps (FATs), which enable end-users to benefit from a fully-drainable system that has no stagnant odours caused by waste fluid.

To minimise the risk of bacterial growth throughout the drainage system, drainage also needs to be designed to connect hygienically with the surrounding floors – an often overlooked consideration.

When it comes to encouraging desired behaviours, your drainage should be easy to clean and disassemble. This makes cleaning a relatively quick and easy process

while minimising the risk that cleaning operatives will take shortcuts in the cleaning process or even skip cleaning altogether.

For example, poorly-designed foul air traps are often so hard to remove that cleaners simply decide not to put them back in place or not to clean them. This enables unpleasant odours to enter a building. More importantly, it removes the barrier between the inside and outside world, enabling bacteria and other unwanted ‘guests’ to enter your facility.

Functionally-designed drainage will also minimise cleaning costs via the delivery of savings on manpower, detergents and downtime caused by cleaning or repairs.

Healthcare facilities also have additional hygiene issues caused by the random influx of the general public into their buildings

With regard to easy cleaning and minimal maintenance, make sure your drainage and its cleaning requirements have been developed in partnership with premium cleaning agent suppliers and it is manufactured to high standards. For example, hygienic drainage should be made from fully pickle passivated steel for optimum durability and corrosion resistance – a factor which affects its hygienic performance, operational costs and product life.

Clearly, drainage specification can have a very real impact on the successful control and prevention of healthcareassociated infection (HCAI) and the hygienic performance of a healthcare facility. Effective drainage helps mitigate hazards from the external environment and is also central to a safe and hygienic operation internally.

Just as an effective facility needs excellent workers, effective tools and reliable equipment, a hygienically-engineered drainage system is vital to the delivery of safe and efficient healthcare.

There are many factors to consider when it comes to drainage and the input of an expert design team can be hugely beneficial, but if operators of healthcare facilities simply consider the specification criteria highlighted here then they would go a long way towards improving the hygienic performance of their drainage and to ensuring it is fit for purpose. 

 www.acobuildingdrainage.co.uk

25

Healthcare

Hub South West Scotland led the campaign to deliver the new centres

approach A collaborative to creating new

A HEALTHY OUTLOOK FOR HEALTH CENTRES

Project: Three health centres Location: North Lanarkshire Architect: Reiach & Hall Architects

Stephen Anderson, Head of the Aluminium Division at CMS Window Systems, discusses the impact of three new purpose-built North Lanarkshire health centres on the communities which rely on them.

Scottish healthcare facilities has transformed access to health services for people across North Lanarkshire, and has demonstrated how local communities can reap expansive benefits when locally-based, sustainably-focused supply chain partners are appointed.

With research by health economists demonstrating that, with appropriate support from the NHS and the Scottish Government, there is enormous potential for health improvement in Glasgow and the wider area, the construction of a trio of new healthcare centres offering a range of vital and complementary services was deemed to be of great value to the North Lanarkshire community.

With this in mind, hub South West Scotland led the campaign to deliver the new centres, as part of a ÂŁ48m investment programme funded by the Scottish Government. Appointed by main contractor GRAHAM, and working to designs by Reiach & Hall Architects, CMS was contracted to manufacture and install aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling for the three facilities.

Community benefits

The Metal Technology curtain walling systems were transported to the sites as prepared components before being assembled and installed on site

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The scope of works completed at the three North Lanarkshire sites has arguably revolutionised healthcare provision in the area, with sophisticated medical facilities allowing patients to be treated more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

A key topic in the design and specification process was how to encourage local residents to reap the benefits of the health centres.

CMS’ experience with public sector projects was especially valuable here: designs prioritising light, bright interiors, with a focus on natural light and intelligentlychosen glazing solutions, helped to create a more sympathetic medical environment, making going to the doctor a more pleasant experience for patients.

Cost savings and speed of delivery were additional benefits of the funding model for the works programme. With the financial backing of hub South

Healthcare

West Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire and the Scottish government, the three individual health centres could be grouped together into one revenue-financed hub Scotland project. This allowed construction to start much earlier than would have been possible if the client had sought traditional capital funding for the programme.

Specification CMS provided a variety of building envelope elements for the health centres, using thermally broken aluminium systems from Metal Technology and thermally efficient sealed units made from Saint-Gobain Glass products. With structural mullions and outer frames, as well as bespoke thermal isolators and foam profiles, these specifications ensured the finished complexes would benefit from the optimal combination of thermal comfort, energy efficiency, longevity and excellent visual appeal.

Designed as ‘stick’ systems, the Metal Technology curtain walling systems were transported to the sites as prepared components before being assembled and installed onsite. This helped to minimise disruption to the community during the construction process, as well as reducing lead times.

The scope of works completed at the three North Lanarkshire sites has arguably revolutionised healthcare provision

Houldsworth Centre, Wishaw The new £23m Houldsworth Centre in Wishaw is a three and five-storey complex providing NHS healthcare facilities alongside North Lanarkshire Council’s new housing office and library, a shop and cafe.

Centrally located at the heart of the community, the building replaces the former Wishaw Health Centre and Wishaw Library.

CMS manufactured and installed all the aluminium curtain walling and side-hung windows for this contemporary building, specifying curtain walling from Metal Technology’s System 5-35Hi and System 5-20 ranges to create the external glazing and the five-storey internal atrium, with a focus on thermal consistency and maximising natural light.

Community Health Centre, Kilsyth In nearby Kilsyth, CMS worked alongside GRAHAM to provide aluminium curtain walling, windows and doors for the town’s new Community Health Centre.

This £7.8m facility is around twice the size of the health centre it replaced in the town, representing a step change in the quality of the healthcare facilities and services available to patients locally.

Featuring an enclosed twostorey courtyard and internal atrium specified and glazed

by CMS, the features of the Community Health Centre work together to maximise natural daylight within the building.

Hunter Health Centre, East Kilbride

CMS provided a variety of building envelope elements for the health centres

The third new medical centre built as part of the project is the £17m Hunter Health Centre in East Kilbride. Home to six GP practices, as well as a dental surgery and a variety of other medical services, the 6300m2 facility features a large glazed central atrium space,

intended to create a calming atmosphere and maximise natural light within the building. CMS played a key role in creating the four-storey building’s envelope, installing thermally efficient units to regulate its internal temperature.

A healthy outlook With works completed in mid2015, all health centres are now open and operating. The positive effects of the clinics on the local communities cannot be underestimated; Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said of the project: “It is important that people across Scotland have access to the best health facilities. That is why we are investing hundreds of millions in infrastructure to ensure both staff and patients can work and be treated in the best possible surroundings.”

CMS was delighted to be involved with these healthcare building projects: they are hugely important to the communities around us, in which many of the CMS team and their families live. It was extremely pleasing to have secured the contract from GRAHAM to be part of this building programme, an appointment which contributes to CMS’ business success and ensures that the business can continue to provide more local jobs and apprenticeships. 

 www.cmswindows.com

27

Health & Safety

Encapsulation involves covering the asbestos with performance coating

ASBESTOS ENCAPSULATION Marcus Lockett, Managing Director of SPI Performance Coatings, a leading European supplier of polyurea and polyaspartic materials, explores why many local authorities and maintenance managers are turning to encapsulation rather than removal to manage asbestos. was extensively A sbestos used by the UK construction industry from the 1950s to the mid-1980s for a wide range of applications, the most common being fireproofing and insulation.

Take the education sector, for instance. From the 1950s to the 1980s, ‘system buildings’ were one of the most popular methods of erecting school premises. However, this method of construction relied on structural columns being fireproofed with Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM).

Although asbestos was made illegal in 1999, it’s highly probable that any building that was built before the year 2000 contains some form of asbestos.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) asbestos materials in good condition are considered safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials become damaged. And it’s these ‘damaged’ particles that have been proven over the years to present a health risk, with asbestos being linked to diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis and diffuse pleural thickening.

Given this risk, individuals

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and companies responsible for maintaining and repairing premises have a duty to manage asbestos as part of the Control of Asbestos Regulations, which came into force in 2012.

What’s more, an abundance of Government-funded research and funding has resulted in many schools being tasked with the challenge of finding an asbestos management solution that suits their property and meets their budget and timescale.

However, what many people do not realise is that according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulations, asbestos that is in good condition, can be left where it is, providing an in-place management plan is exercised.

While asbestos removal may seem like the obvious choice for dealing with asbestos, it’s often complicated, expensive and can result in extensive downtime. In contrast, asbestos encapsulation within a seamless, protective coating is possibly the safest and most cost-effective method of asbestos management. It involves little disturbance of the asbestos, therefore minimising risk.

But that’s not the only advantage to asbestos encapsulation. For example,

roofs are an area where asbestos tends to be rife, with an estimated 1.5 million nondomestic properties reported to have an asbestos roof. Opting to encapsulate roof asbestos as opposed to removing it: Eradicates the need to dispose of the material, which can be hazardous, costly and is subject to strict controls Can be completed more efficiently which, in turn, reduces overall disruption, on-site time and any associated costs Encapsulation involves covering the asbestos with a performance coating that predominantly: Protects and repairs any damaged asbestos and seals any exposed, raw asbestos edges Increases the useful life of the material Reduces any fibre release through general degradation Protects against accidental knocks and scrapes Improves the overall appearance of the material

Special polyurea products are used to apply the coating, which typically only has to be applied once and can often seal asbestos that’s present in hard to reach places. What’s more, another advantage offering by the coating is that it’s less likely to flake or crack over time.

Compared to other more traditional materials like polyurethane and epoxies, polyurea technologies offer fast and reliable application. Touch-dry in a matter of minutes, layers can be built up quickly, which means a site can return to service in hours, rather than weeks.

As with any polyurea treatment, encapsulation is conducted by trained staff in controlled conditions and in accordance with the latest industry regulations and standards. Although every encapsulation is tailored to each site, most processes tend to typically involve adequately preparing the area to ensure the best possible results and regular follow-up checks to assess the condition of the asbestos over time.

While many people’s instinct might be to remove asbestos, it’s worth remembering that it’s not necessarily the safest or most cost-effective solution. Providing the asbestos is deemed to be in good condition, taking the route of asbestos encapsulation is a highly effective, more affordable way of managing asbestos, not to mention, less hazardous and more efficient. 

 www.spiperformancecoatings.com

Asbestos that is in good condition can be left where it is, providing an in-place management plan is exercised

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In the event of an emergency, can you evacuate safely?

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Crowdfunding Three years ago, Lewisham was named the most unsafe place in the country by the Institute for Economics and Peace. Now it’s in a renaissance period of civic transformation as Lewisham Council is working with local partners to inspire people across the borough to shape their shared spaces. How? Through civic crowdfunding. the first Lewisham S ince fund launched on Spacehive – the world’s first crowdfunding platform for civic projects – at the end of last year, 20 projects have already been successfully crowdfunded.

The projects ranged in theme and size from small environmental projects like the £700 children’s art project made from recycled materials to more ambitious, creative projects like the StoneCrabs Young Directors Festival which needed over £43,000 to hit its target. But what made Lewisham Council turn to crowdfunding in the first place?

Battling budget cuts Analysis by the FT last year showed that local Government services were struggling to balance growing demand alongside increasing budget cuts

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equalling £18bn since 2010.

When Lewisham Council adopted civic crowdfunding as a way to distribute its grants, it was naturally looking to address funding cuts, but just as importantly it was looking to create a more sustainable funding model for the broader voluntary and community sector as well as building the skills and capacity of local organisations.

With a funding pot of £100,000 the council invited local groups to upload their project ideas to Spacehive and demonstrate community support before they then pledged up to £10,000 towards the best.

The future of crowdfunding Lewisham is currently one of 15 London boroughs working with Spacehive to transform their communities. In February this year, the Greater London Authority was recognised as one of the top 10 Government innovations in the world for its civic crowdfunding programme

Locals are empowered through creating and delivering projects which matter to them

with Spacehive after the Mayor of London pledged over £840,000 towards 58 projects across the capital. And across the UK, cities like Manchester, York and Hull are following suit and have created their own crowdfunding initiatives.

In Lewisham the potential for growing the programme is huge as more grant pots are added to the mix and citizens are given a greater opportunity to become change makers within the community.

Learn more about the Lewisham crowdfunding initiative here – www.spacehive. com/initiatives/LewishamHive – and discover how companies, councils and grant-makers are working with Spacehive to transform communities. 

 about.spacehive.com/partner

Image © Jamie Sproates

CREATIVE COMMUNITY PROJECTS

London boroughs investing in civic crowdfunding. The impact of funding is maximised by the increased number of co-funders at the same time as transparent public support de-risks the decision to fund projects.

Locals are empowered through creating and delivering projects which matter to them.

What started off as one funding pot – the Small and Faith fund – has now grown to four with even more looking to get started in the next few months.

The numbers so far Lewisham projects have now collectively raised over £158,000 from over a thousand funders, making it one of the most active

Lewisham is currently one of 15 London boroughs working with Spacehive to transform their communities

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Leisure

COUNCIL CREATES PLAYGROUND HAVEN

Project: Beacon Hill Location: Loughborough Local Authority: Leicestershire County Council

A triangular platform combination has been coupled with wobbly bridges, climbing nets and rope crossings

Situated on the edge of Loughborough, Beacon Hill country park is the perfect place to take in panoramic views of the surrounding Leicestershire countryside. The park is maintained by Leicestershire County Council and is very popular with dog walkers, ramblers, cyclists, runners and horse riders.

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A climbing structure was also utilised, offering challenging and risky play

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he addition of a wellthought-out play space from Timberplay has been a key factor in widening the appeal of the country park.

Back in 2013, a play area was created close to the lower car park to ensure that little legs did not have too far to go. This play area has lots of equipment selected specifically for toddlers and younger children, with a hut combination, rocker and small see-saw.

The play huts featured within the Beacon Hill site are one of archetypal designs created by

Hilde Richter Spielgeräte in 1966 when she first started the Bavarian play company which Timberplay is proud to represent within the UK. Created to perfectly fit the dimensions of a 3/4 year old, so they can touch the ceiling and the walls, the play hut remains one of the most enduring products within the Richter range.

In addition, to give stimulating play opportunities for older children, a climbing structure was also utilised, offering challenging and risky play. To increase dwell time the play

Leisure Children can clamber across their own hill top whilst parents rest and admire the view

area was also situated alongside a picnic area which is busy throughout the summer months.

Beacon Hill is the second highest point in Leicestershire, so the next play development set to exploit this, positioned close to the upper car park. The choice of equipment also offers improved elevation, affording magnificent views across open countryside.

Child's play A triangular platform combination has been coupled with wobbly bridges, climbing nets and rope crossings, so children can clamber across their own hill top whilst parents rest and admire the view from the adjacent seating area. A cradle nest swing, jumping discs, double see-saw and dwarf hill complement this focal product combination to present a wide range of play experiences.

Parks are increasingly needing to look at methods of increasing

their revenue in order to address the shortfall in funding, common across the vast majority of public authorities. The inclusion of a stand-out play area increases the use of the park, and also the amount of time people choose to spend on the site. As they spend longer at a venue, they are more likely to invest in the other facilities, and parking costs are also becoming a key component in the council’s business plan. The Beacon Hill project benefitted from a grant from the National Forest.

The equipment is nestled within a birch copse, providing shade from the sun and protection from the wind. As well as Timberplay play equipment, the Beacon Hill site also has bespoke wooden carvings created by local Artist Peter Leadbeater who serves as the park’s Artist in Residence. A number of figures are displayed around the park, adding interest as families make their way across the expansive site. Many of these are figures, for example, an axe man and wizard, but the play areas are also complemented by cute animal sculptures including a rabbit, frog, mole, fox and raven. These attractive features add character and personality to the site.

A spokesman for Leicestershire County Council said: “The setting is so important to Beacon Hill country park as people who come to the park want to see the many different vistas and terrains it presents. It is this wildness that

makes it so popular for many activities, from bird watching and rambling to orienteering and rock climbing.

“We were focused on ensuring that any play addition was not to the detriment of this rich country environment – so naturalistic equipment that respected the setting was of utmost importance to us. We think the final play areas achieve our objectives perfectly, the equipment, its positioning

and the wider landscaping fits exceptionally well within the rural country park.

“We are already enjoying increased numbers from families, with many visiting for the day at the weekend with picnics. We are expecting this to increase further throughout the summer holidays and we are currently looking at how we can further enhance the visitor experience.” 

 www.timberplay.com

The Beacon Hill project benefitted from a grant from the National Forest

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Doors & Windows

THE IMPACT OF TIMBER WINDOWS ON U-VALUES

Innovations in glazing, cavities and glass coatings mean that all timber windows, no matter the chosen design or application, can be fit for purpose

The experts at JELD-WEN, a leading manufacturer of timber windows, doors and stairs, explain the numerous benefits of specifying timber windows when meeting required U-values, and improving the overall quality of properties for both housing associations and their tenants. to adhering I ntoaddition Building Regulations, housing associations have a duty of care to create a warm and comfortable environment that ensures the wellbeing of tenants. Taking an intelligent approach to energy efficiency and considering U-values can deliver this and more, especially as windows are one of the largest sources of heat loss if the glazing and material type isn’t taken into account.

As prescribed by Part L of the Building Regulations, windows need to provide minimal heat loss to ensure low energy use and the reduction of CO2 emissions. Failure to do this will not only have serious repercussions on energy usage, but will impact the overall build quality, which housing associations must prioritise if they are to achieve the greatest return and create

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real ‘life time’ homes. More significantly, if the required U-values are not met this can have a significant impact on the overall warmth of the home, or lack thereof, which may contribute to the ill-health of tenants.

Cold and draughty homes can of course cause discomfort, whilst condensation and the resulting mould may exacerbate health problems.

Furthermore, as well as ongoing maintenance and repair costs, tenants who are unhappy with their accommodation may be less likely to take pride and care for its upkeep, potentially leading to additional repair costs for the housing association.

Whilst it might be tempting to meet U-values by overcompensating on certain elements, such as added insulation within the wall

Choosing a reputable manufacturer will mean specification support is always available

Windows need to provide minimal heat loss to ensure low energy use

cavity, the likelihood is that the home will still underperform overall if appropriate window U-values are not achieved.

Instead, prioritising aspects which have the ability to offer exceptional thermal performance, such as timber windows, can work alongside doors, ceilings and floors as part of a ‘whole house approach’, delivering a solid return through energy savings, as well as ensuring a highquality and long-lasting build.

The performance gap between manmade materials and timber has also closed significantly and as such, the many merits that timber offers, especially over alternatives such as uPVC, are starting to come to the fore. This isn’t just thanks to developments in product design and the manufacturing process, but also due to the fact that timber

Importantly, housing associations should remember that choosing a reputable manufacturer will mean specification support is always available. This will ensure that the most appropriate timber window to meet the set U-values is always recommended, with added thought around Building Regulations, alongside considerations to achieve the appropriate aesthetic for the building or the surrounding area. The JELD-WEN Elegance Flush casement range, for instance, is the ideal choice for projects in conservation areas with its traditional flush sash design combined with modern performance abilities.

Ultimately, timber windows can offer exceptional thermal performance which rivals the performance of uPVC models, along with the added benefit of an undeniable aesthetic appeal which is vital for conservation areas or period property refurbishments. By taking a ‘whole house’ approach and recognising that timber windows are an essential component of a property’s thermal efficiency, a more efficient, comfortable and healthy living environment can be created. 

Doors & Windows

is naturally less thermally conductive than uPVC, and therefore makes it easier to reach the set U-value.

Innovations in glazing, cavities and glass coatings mean that all timber windows, no matter the chosen design or application, can be fit for purpose. Choosing timber windows with glazing that has inert gas-filled cavities, commonly argon or krypton, means that excellent thermal efficiency can be achieved and U-values reached. While gas is a more expensive option, the thermal properties it offers is in the case of argon 30% higher than air. Furthermore, glazing with low-e (‘low emissivity’) coatings also prevent heat from being absorbed out onto the colder outside surface, instead reflecting it back into the room, and in turn resulting in greater U-values being achieved.

In addition, considering the glazing panels themselves and choosing either a double or triple glazed option will go a long way to assure the thermal efficiency of windows. For example, timber windows such as JELD-WEN’s triple glazed Stormsure Energy+ Casement range can easily achieve a high A+ energy rating in compliance with the BFRC Window Energy Rating scheme, and reach U-values as low as 0.8W/m²K.

 www.jeld-wen.co.uk

Housing associations have a duty of care to create a warm and comfortable environment that ensures the wellbeing of tenants

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Acoustics & Sound

Architects are fitting thick concrete soffits to store and release thermal energy to help regulate the temperature of the school building

THERMAL MASS AND ACOUSTICS WORKING IN HARMONY

How we build schools that are ‘fit for learning’ in the 21st century has changed over the last six years. In 2010, the Government’s Priority Schools Building Programme was introduced with the aim to design and construct school buildings that are cost-effective to build and run, maximise natural light and ventilation and provide acoustic and thermal comfort.

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Baffles bring a new aesthetic to classrooms

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ew design guidelines state that thermal mass should be used to manage the cooling and heating of classrooms and learning areas, instead of relying on air conditioning. To achieve this, architects are fitting thick concrete soffits to store and release thermal energy to help regulate the temperature of the school building.

Concrete and acoustics were thought to be conflicting and hard surfaces are notorious for having high reverberation levels which can lead to poor speech intelligibility. Previously, a traditional suspended ceiling would provide the necessary sound control, but by covering the soffit it prevents radiant heat and convection transfer around the room. Fixing vertical ceiling baffles to the soffit allows the air to circulate freely and at the same time provide excellent acoustic control.

Installing vertical baffles provides the necessary sound absorption required to control the level of reverberation in the classrooms, helping create learning environments where children and staff can

easily hear and understand one another, improving work efficiency and wellbeing.

Baffles offer flexible installation possibilities depending on the acoustic requirements of the space.

They can be positioned in any configuration, at any height and at different angles.

Knauf AMF Thermatex Alpha baffles were chosen for a building extension to an existing secondary school in Fleet. In the large open library there are areas reserved for quiet work while others are for more social activities. For these two uses to work in harmony, the baffles were suspended selectively in order to ensure intense sound absorption in busy spaces and minimise disturbance in the quieter areas. By varying the distance between the rows of baffles, or changing the size of each baffle, the correct acoustic performance can be achieved.

Heradesign ceiling baffles from Knauf AMF were installed in a new primary school in the heart of the Kent countryside.

Heradesign is manufactured from high-quality wood-wool and offers the highest Class A sound absorption which enabled the architect to reduce the number of baffles specified, saving on construction costs.

As well as improving the acoustics, baffles bring a new aesthetic to the classroom.

Baffles are available in a range of sizes, shapes, frame designs and colours offering architects freedom to create truly unique interiors. Baffles are easy to install thanks to their light weight. Suspended by discreet cable hangers, the panels appear as if floating in air, enhancing the contemporary design of the building.

By combining baffles with additional acoustic products, for example, wall panels, architects can achieve the optimum level of acoustic comfort for the most demanding environments without hindering air movement, helping to improve learning and reduce energy bills at the same time. 

 www.knaufamf.co.uk

Modular Buildings

Wernick Buildings worked closely with Acivico to create a modular building that held true to the original architectural concept, but at a more economical price

He comments: “We wanted to stay close to the aesthetic concept used by Acivico, but at a much lower cost. We used an optimised modular design for maximum manufacturing efficiency, and this ultimately brought the cost into the desired bracket for Birmingham City Council.”

A cost-effective process

WERNICK REALISES ARCHITECT’S VISION FOR COMMUNITY CENTRE Until recently, Edgbaston Community Centre operated from the local junior school, but thanks to school expansion the centre has needed to find a space of its own. facility A purpose-built was required, and with support from Birmingham City Council they approached architectural firm Acivico for a new building to be designed.

The building promised multifunctional rooms, changing facilities, a spacious hall, a working kitchen and a cafeteria. The exterior was to be finished with brick and render and topped off with a stylish butterfly roof.

But when the council approached a traditional ‘onsite’ construction firm, they found the cost quoted to be far too high for their intended budget. When the construction firm discovered this, they recommended Wernick Buildings to provide a costeffective, off-site solution.

Wernick Buildings worked closely with Acivico to create a modular building that held true to the original architectural concept, but at a more economical price. Wernick’s new design reduced the cost of

the building by 30%, bringing it within the range of the council’s budget.

Managing Director of Wernick Buildings, Andy King, was involved in the design of the new building.

Once designs were approved the centre was built off-site at Wernick’s main manufacturing site in Kenfig, South Wales, in two weeks. The building was installed in just two days, a substantially quicker, and thus more cost-effective, process than that of a traditional build.

Wernick managed to deliver everything requested in the original brief, including the butterfly roof which perfectly matches the building's original aesthetic design. Tony Bailey, the Centre Manager, says that staff and visitors alike were impressed with the new building. “It’s spacious, airy and light; it’s really got the wow factor. It’s a much nicer working environment for the staff, and our visitors have nothing but complements for the building.” 

 www.wernick.co.uk  sales@wernick.co.uk  0800 181822

Wernick’s new design reduced the cost of the building by 30%, bringing it within the range of the council’s budget

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HVAC/HVP

Self-regulating window vent for wind-impacted applications As a specialist in natural ventilation, Renson provides window vents that ventilate buildings and at the same time meet the acoustic requirements. Renson Fabrications in Maidstone, Kent, provides these solutions to the UK construction market.

The Invisivent EVO HR is a self-regulating, thermally broken overframe flap ventilator, which offers a maximum airflow of 15.9 l/s/m at 2Pa and a sound reduction in open position up to 42dB. This solution provides the ideal solution for wind-impacted applications such as high-rise buildings (up to 1200Pa) and apartment buildings on the coast. It contains acoustic material, that muffles external noises as much as possible (e.g. wind, seagulls and traffic), which increases user comfort. The presence of

various types of sound damping foam in the interior profile provides three possible levels of sound insulation – basic, high or ultra. In addition, the rain cap, which is mounted as standard, ensures perfect water resistance in even the most extreme conditions. Extra mounting screws and clips guarantee satisfactory stability and sturdiness of the entire window.

Renson Sonovent is a thermally broken acoustic vent which can be installed on glass or at transom. 16 options are on

offer as there are four types, each with four different free area possibilities. This acoustic vent offers a maximum airflow of 26.7 l/m/s at 2Pa. Equipped with non-combustible mineral wool as a noise damping material, it provides an excellent sound attenuation figure whilst in open position: up to 56dB.

 www.rensonuk.net  info@rensonuk.net  01622 754123

LG celebrates MCS approval for Therma V

Rinnai UK’s technical know-how on tap Rinnai UK, supplier of A rated continuous flow Infinity gas fired water heaters, has a dedicated technical service team to ensure customers get service performance that matches the excellence of product performance, with a view of adding value that by far surpasses the transaction stage. Rinnai Technical Services offers all customers help and advice throughout the complete life cycle of a product. The team can, and will, respond to any queries on specification, installation and operation of a Rinnai unit. Operating from Rinnai UK’s Cheshire headquarters, the principle members of the team includes Ian Jenkins, Technical & Compliance Officer; Pete Seddon, Technical & Product Development Officer and Danny Kay, Design Support Officer.

 www.rinnaiuk.com  info@rinnaiuk.com  01928 531870

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LG has received MCS approval for its Therma V high temperature heat pump. This makes the unit available for the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI) with immediate effect. This model of the popular Therma V range of air to water heat pumps can deliver hot water at up to 80°C for cascade dual refrigerant cycles of R410a and R134a and up to 65°C for single refrigerant high temperature systems.

The new high temperature version of the unit is ideal for projects where replacement of an older heating system with an air source heat pump is required and other energy efficiency measures are not possible.

 partner.lge.com/uk

 hvac.marketing@lge.com

 01932 331400

Vent-Axia celebrates 30th year of commercial fan Now celebrating 30 years as the UK’s favourite commercial fan, Vent-Axia’s first T-Series fan rolled off the Crawley production lines in 1986. Becoming market leader in its first year, the T-Series was big news dominating the commercial sector with fans being fitted in public buildings, banks, offices, prestigious department stores, pubs and clubs. Known for its robustness and quality, the T-Series’ high quality design has stood the test of time and has evolved with new and improved motors, impellers and grilles. With both window and wall options available, the T-Series meets ERP regulations and is both durable and reliable.

 www.vent-axia.com

 info@vent-axia.com

 0844 856 0590

HVAC/HVP

Big Foot announced double finalist in RAC Cooling Industry Awards

Big Foot Systems is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted in two RAC Cooling Industry Awards. The company’s new Stand range has been nominated in the ‘Air Conditioning Product of the year: Accessory, Component or Process’ category and in the ‘Air Conditioning Innovation: VRFS, Splits and Associated’ category. The winners will be announced at the RAC Cooling Industry Awards on 28th September at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. The Stand range bridges a gap in the market as the only off-the-shelf solution for ground-mounted air conditioning units currently available, offering a simple solution for AC contractors.

 www.bigfootsupport.com

 enquiry@bigfootsupport.com  01323 844355

Big Foot Systems launches ground-mounted support solution Big Foot Systems has expanded its impressive range and can now offer a Stand range to support air conditioning units on the ground. This addition bridges a gap in the market as the only off-the-shelf solution for ground-mounted applications. This offering is a simple solution for contractors who have previously made DIY supports out of struts as a quick-fix on site. This convenient, lightweight solution comes boxed and ready to use and is a superior solution for contractors. Big Foot Systems’ ground-mounted support system caters for a wide variety of condensing units, with two ranges that suit mini splits and VRF/VRV condensing units.

 www.bigfootsupport.com

 enquiry@bigfootsupport.com

 01323 844355

Omnie heats social services Underfloor heating systems from the Omnie range have been employed in the refurbishment of the Wat Tyler building in Exeter, providing energy efficiency and helping to create a healthy indoor environment. The main floor of the Wat Tyler building, where Omnie Foilboard underfloor heating panels and other equipment have been installed, is divided up into two consultation rooms, a treatment room, waiting rooms and a circulation space. The five areas are served by a five-port Axios manifold. In total, 400m of the high-performance heating pipe was laid across the Foilboard Floating panels, installed on top of the building’s existing sub-floor.

 www.omnie.co.uk  projects@omnie.co.uk  01392 363605

39

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

MARMOLEUM DELIVERS MULTIPLE BENEFITS FOR NHS TAYSIDE'S NEW CAMHS UNIT Four designs and eight colourways from Forbo's extensive Marmoleum floor collection have created a durable, design-led, resilient surface flooring solution for NHS Tayside's new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) unit.

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uilt in Dundee, the new £8m facility provides round the clock care for young people across the north of Scotland coping with mental health conditions.

Director at Dundee-based Gauldie Wright & Partners and Project Architect for the CAMHS unit, Peter Kingston, commented: “Designed with the

complex needs of the users in mind, now and in the future, the building is bright and welcoming and we wanted flooring that would enhance its design internally. The Marmoleum collection offers a great range of designs with the advantage of a large colour palette, allowing us to create exactly the finish we were looking for.”

Setting the tone Adding an extra dimension to the corridors with its retro yet modern linear design, 600m2 of Marmoleum Striato in the warm tone of Compressed Time has been fitted throughout the building, whilst the multishaded Colour Stream sets

600m2 of Marmoleum Striato in the warm tone of Compressed Time has been fitted throughout the building

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Marmoleum is especially good from a durability and cleaning perspective for general circulation areas like receptions and corridors, canteens and waiting areas

the tone perfectly for the art resource room.

In classroom areas the Lavender Field colourway has been combined with the complementary Donkey Island from the Marmoleum Vivace collection, to help create a positive learning environment.

In the bedroom wings, Marmoleum Real, with its classic marble structure, features in three contrasting colours in a floor scheme designed to help patients, visitors and staff with wayfinding.

Peter continued: “Marmoleum is particularly versatile. Apart from achieving an A+ rating in healthcare, as assessed by BREEAM, it is especially good from a durability and cleaning perspective for general circulation areas like receptions and corridors, canteens and waiting areas. It also offers health and hygiene benefits thanks to its inherent antibacterial qualities, which for a healthcare environment is obviously essential.” 

 www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/healthcare  info.flooring.uk@forbo.com  0844 822 3928

Fila range tackles all surface cleaning needs Fila’s surface care range includes cleaning solutions, designed to care for all types of tile and natural surfaces. Suitable for postinstallation cleans and ongoing maintenance, the range spans pH-neutral detergents, to epoxy grout and grease removers. All production is supported by Fila’s ISO 14001:2014 certification and the range is recommended by over 220 leading flooring brands.

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Bestselling ‘core’ cleaning products include FILA Deterdek, FILACR10, FILA Cleaner and FILAPS87. FILA Deterdek is a concentrated acid detergent, with a fume-free buffered formulation for safe application. It’s ideal for the removal of building site dirt, including cement and adhesive residues, from acid-resistant surfaces. FILACR10 is also ideal for post-installation cleaning, safely removing epoxy grout residues from non-porous materials including porcelain, glazed ceramics and glass mosaics. For deep cleaning and ongoing maintenance, FILA Cleaner provides a universal, pH-neutral option and can be used on all surfaces including polished and porous stone, and wood. Three-in-one degreasing, stain removing cleaner, FILAPS87 then caters for porcelain and unpolished stone, especially heavily soiled, stained and textured surfaces where it can restore original aesthetics and slip ratings.

Fila’s range also includes protectors, finishing products and troubleshooting treatments. Many solutions form part of Fila’s award-winning Green Line, offering a solvent-free treatment with very low or VOC-free concentrations.

 www.filasolutions.com/en  filauk@filasolutions.com  01584 877286

Safety facelift for Millennium Walkway

The safety of the Millennium Walkway at New Mills in the Peak District has been improved with the addition of an anti-slip surface. Rotten timber panels were replaced with durable Glass Reinforced Polyester anti-slip panels by Polydeck. Chris Spooner, Managing Director of Polydeck, said: “We suggested the installation of our 30mm thick foam core structural GRP anti-slip panels which are mechanically fixed to the steel substructure. The panels are designed to take a loading of 5kN per square metre uniform distributed load with a less than 1/200 deflection, to prevent sway. The panels had to be supplied in a specific grey colour to comply with the original planning conditions imposed when the walkway was built.”

 www.polydeck.co.uk

 sales@polydeck.co.uk

 01934 863678

Fila launches new porcelain and ceramic-focused CPD

In response to industry demand, Fila has launched a new RIBA-approved CPD seminar. The new seminar, entitled ‘Cleaning, Sealing and Maintaining Porcelain and Ceramics’, will examine the impact of maintenance regimes and solutions used. It will also discuss how surface care specifications can be adjusted to maximise aesthetics and performance. Seminars will have a standard 30-minute duration and will be available throughout the UK. With a strong practical focus, Fila’s seminar will examine the various cleaning stages – from initial builder’s clean to ongoing maintenance. It will discuss the various issues that can arise as a result of adopting an incorrect regime or using unsuitable products.

 www.filasolutions.com

 filauk@filasolutions.com

 01584 877286

Polyflor creates eye-catching design at Havering College

Flooring from Polyflor was used to create a unique, geometric floor design for a new STEM learning centre at Havering College of Further and Higher Education in Hornchurch, Greater London. Highperformance vinyl flooring from Polyflor’s Classic Mystique PUR range was installed in the Havering Innovation in Science, Engineering and Technology Hub. Three complementary grey shades – smokestone, nocturne and quartz – were selected to produce this striking design. Polyflor’s inhouse design service team used waterjet technology to cut the vinyl flooring into pieces so this design could be put together. Available in 16 colours, the range is enhanced with PUR, Polyflor’s exclusive and robust polyurethane reinforcement.

 www.polyflor.com  info@polyflor.com  0161 767 1111

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Doors & Windows

High performance door hinges for commercial developments Leading architectural ironmongery developer, Carlisle Brass, is proud to offer the finest range of high performance door hinges available in the UK.

Through its collaborative approach with leading architects, specifiers, ironmongers, builders merchants and developers, Carlisle Brass has developed, and supplies, all highquality hinges from Grade 7 through to Grade 14, as detailed by BS EN 1935:2002, for all residential and commercial properties.

Part of the Eurospec range of marketleading door hinge hardware, Carlisle Brass’ door hinges satisfy all requirements from Grade 7 (ideal for social housing developments), right through to Grade 14 (ideal for high specification public sector build projects). The company’s range of architectural door hinges has been

specified on many public sector buildings throughout the UK, and is the preferred choice among architects and developers alike.

Available in a range of materials and finishes, including bright/satin stainless steel and stainless brass, all hinges are CE Marked, certified to KM 82991 and BS EN 1935:2002, and carry a fire resistance rating of FD30 EN 1634-1.

There are also a number of styles to accommodate the aesthetic needs of a variety of public sector developments, including ball bearing hinges, washered hinges and concealed bearing triple knuckle hinges (Grade 14). Concealed

bearing hinges have grown in popularity significantly as they are hidden and offer beautiful and contemporary aesthetics, while offering optimum performance for discreet door operation.

Carlisle Brass has been designing and manufacturing architectural quality ironmongery for 30 years, and offers a comprehensive and industry leading product range to provide the complete ironmongery solution.

 www.carlislebrass.com  enquiries@carlislebrass.com  01228 511030

Specifying rooflights to meet Part Q requirements

GEZE UK is ahead of the curve Manchester’s new elliptical Library Walk Link was designed to connect two of the city’s historic buildings – it needed doors that not only allowed people to enter and exit with ease, but reflected the dramatic glass architecture. GEZE UK was appointed

by Waagner Biro to install Slimdrive SC automatic curved sliding doors to create the two main entrances into the Library Walk Link, as well as four Slimdrive SL NT automatic sliding doors providing access into Manchester’s Library and Town Hall. GEZE’s energy-efficient Slimdrive SC, a curved automatic door operator, was chosen for its sleek appearance and versatility as it can be tailored to bespoke radii and door dimensions.

 www.geze.co.uk  info.uk@geze.com  01543 443000

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Recent changes to Building Regulations Approved Document Q: Security in Dwellings means that anyone wishing to install rooflights in ‘easily accessible areas’ will need to ensure that they specify products that are compliant with Part Q. Glazing Vision’s Secure and Secure+ rooflights have been tested to the latest LPS 2081:1 2015 standard, which is designed to replicate a typical stealth attack. Secure and Secure+ rooflights are the first in the UK to be backed by the official Police security initiative Secured by Design to LPS2081:1 2015.

Compliant products include the fixed Flushglaze rooflight range and the hinged ventilation rooflight ‘VisionVent’.

 www.glazingvision.co.uk

 sales@glazingvision.co.uk

 01379 658300

Take the Eurocell Modus S taste test Slim sightlines and an authentic traditional appearance make Modus S – the latest addition to the market-leading Modus range of PVC-U windows from Eurocell – especially suitable for discerning tastes, premium properties and homes in conservation environments. The Modus S range is possible thanks to additional precision-engineered mouldings inside the frame which remove the need for diagonal corner welds – a distinctive characteristic of standard PVC-U windows. As a result, the mechanically-jointed flush sash casement window looks like timber, but delivers the optimum energy efficiency and virtually maintenance-free performance benefits of PVC-U.

 www.eurocell.co.uk

 chris.coxon@eurocell.co.uk

 0800 988 7300

Doors & Windows

Door closer meets social housing needs Samuel Heath is reporting increased interest from the social housing sector for its Powermatic concealed, controlled door closer thanks to ease of fitting and the safety, reliability and low maintenance benefits that the door closer delivers.

Sales Manager, Dr Lloyd Blewett, explains: “Powermatic is ideal for projects where social landlords wish to improve safety, enhance the living environment and reduce maintenance.

“Our experience suggests that, in addition to its excellent fire performance and accessibility credentials, Powermatic is winning in the social housing sector due to the additional benefits that come from the fact that it is totally concealed when the door is closed and requires no maintenance after installation.”

Powermatic is completely concealed

when the door is closed, and not easily visible when open, assuring a more homely, less institutionalised environment for the dwelling. It also significantly reduces the opportunity for the door closer to be vandalised. Together with the fact that the door closer is maintenancefree, this attribute can result in fewer callouts and reduced maintenance costs.

Reduced risk of vandalism also provides significant safety benefits; a damaged door closer can prevent the door functioning altogether, resulting in inconvenience for residents and reducing fire safety.

British designed and manufactured, Powermatic door closers can be fitted into existing door installations or easily incorporated into the manufacture of complete doorsets. They are CE Marked, making them suitable for use on fire doors, comply with BS 8300 and can enable doors to meet the accessibility requirements of Approved Document M.

 www.concealeddoorclosers.com  info@samuel-heath.com  0121 766 4200

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Focus & Innovation

NEW BUILDS REMAIN ATTRACTIVE AND DEMAND IS HIGH FOR MODERN TOUCHES Almost 70% of people would like new build properties to be better equipped for modern living, with people citing a desire for more storage, renewable energy and pre-wired TV and broadband. These figures come from a nationwide survey commissioned by Sky to explore consumer expectations of new build properties against a backdrop of changing media consumption and rapidly advancing technology. and TV services ranked in the B roadband top five essential services, just behind more traditional utilities such as electricity, water and gas with 55% of people expecting to have TV services in place either before they move in or within 48 hours. At the bottom of the table, 18% of people considered a security system essential and just 8% couldn’t live without supermarket deliveries.

It seems people are also still finding getting access to services one of the key stresses of moving into a new property. Over 70% of people said that they find it stressful to take time off work to have services installed.

Chris Collinson, Sky’s Sales and Marketing Director, comments: “Sky is committed to delivering solutions for property managers and their clients. The demands of modern living mean that people have less time to wait for services to be installed and being connected has become essential to people’s lives. Expectations are rising, with people demanding more from their properties and those who manage them on their behalf. Sky Q not only helps to meet consumer demand, but it also means that buildings are future-proofed and gives residents the most advanced TV experience available – something that really sets a property apart.”

The majority of people (53%) said that having broadband and TV services setup and ready to be used ahead of moving in made new builds more appealing than an existing property – a staggering 93% of people said they would be attracted to a property that offered this. Surprisingly, this was far more important than a property having stateof-the-art appliances – only 32% of people said this would make them move into a new build. Demonstrating the importance of connectivity, only 4% of people would avoid a TV service entirely and less than 1% would turn down broadband. 

 www.sky.com/communaltv  08442 410373

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The demands of modern living mean that people have less time to wait for services to be installed and being connected has become essential to people’s lives

Lindab has a passion for simplifying construction and for over 50 years has introduced and developed products with that in mind.

Most of all, the Rainline rainwater system has grown to include innovative and clever products, which provide solutions to specific problems. The latest of these include the new RSKR radius gutter bracket and the Vandal range of reinforced downpipes.

Vandal-proof products The new Lindab Vandal range is a series of reinforced downpipes and outlets that have been designed for use in areas with a lot of foot traffic such as school playgrounds or public car parks.

The downpipes are made of 2mm hot-dipped galvanised steel or 1.5mm stainless steel plate and have in-built stainless steel wall brackets and either a pipe shoe or a self-cleaning leaf trap with stainless steel filter.

The vandal-proof products can be installed on the bottom 2m of each rainwater pipe stack and easily connect

Focus & Innovation

Rainline solutions keep rainwater simple

to a standard Rainline gutter and upper pipe section.

Rainline is ahead of the curve The new RSKR bracket has been designed to provide a radius gutter solution to enable installation on curved eaves sections and balconies.

To achieve this, the expert product development team have created a fascia bracket that also functions as a gutter joint with a rubber seal and a tolerance for a 4° alignment deviation at each joint.

Sections of standard gutters can easily be installed fitting to a radius in a faceted arrangement which will service a unique bow-fronted building or convex feature without the need for expensive bespoke gutters.

 www.lindab.co.uk/rainline  buildingproducts.sales@lindab.co.uk  0121 585 2780

Render system completes pioneering care centre

The high performance weber.rend MT multi-coat render system by Saint-Gobain Weber has been applied as the exterior finish on the new build Woodward Close, a pioneering 60-bed dementia care home in Winnersh, Berkshire. The complex clover leaf layout of the five linked buildings has been achieved using timber frame construction with much of the fabrication carried out off-site including the curved outer skin formed by the render carrier board for the weber.rend MT system. weber.rend MT is a lightweight render system which incorporates glass-fibre meshcloth reinforcement with a resin-rich adhesive coat that can carry a choice of finishes in a wide range of colours.

 www.netweber.co.uk

 enquiries@netweber.co.uk

 08703 330070

ROCKFON displays deep acoustic and aesthetic design know-how

Rawlins Academy College in Leicestershire is proud of its new Deep End Activity Centre. To help create a healthy acoustic environment here, ROCKFON VertiQ A wall absorbers and ROCKFON Eclipse ceiling islands were installed throughout. YMD Boon Architect, Sharesh Setayesh, specified ROCKFON acoustic solutions and explains why: “ROCKFON acoustic products deliver excellent sound absorption. The ceiling rafts and wall panels withstand wear-andtear and provide an excellent quality of finish.” ROCKFON Eclipse are suspended ceiling islands made of 40mm stone wool with smooth, durable surfaces. ROCKFON VertiQ A are 40mm thick highly sound-absorbent (Class A) wall panels. They have a woven surface that is resilient to withstand occasional impact.

 www.rockfon.co.uk

 info@rockfon.co.uk

 0800 389 0314

Permo forte underlay – helping roofers stay safe Among its market-leading vapour permeable roofing underlays, Klober Permo forte SK2 is a heavy-duty, four-layer product designed to help prevent falls through the roof. Its mesh reinforcement gives a degree of strength vastly superior to lightweight membranes and has self-adhesive edge tapes which provide a lasting airtight seal at laps. As one of the most widely specified underlays since such products were first introduced, Permo forte can be used on fully supported or unsupported tile and slate roofs. In addition to having BBA and IRB certification, it has also been independently tested by the BRE for wind uplift.

 www.klober.co.uk  klober@yourresponse.co.uk  01332 813050

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Focus & Innovation

Spire has realised an average reduction in energy consumption of 60%

FES PRESCRIBES LED LIGHTING FOR DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

Formed in 2007, Spire Healthcare has grown to become the second largest provider of private healthcare in the UK. Now with a network of 38 private hospitals, 12 clinics and two specialist centres for the treatment of cancer, the organisation undertakes a wide variety of activities and offers a full range of integrated surgical, medical and diagnostic services. social C orporate responsibility (CSR) and sustainable operating practices are very important to the company, with energy conservation guidelines available on Spire’s intranet for all its hospitals to minimise the amount of electricity and gas consumed.

Recognising the need to reduce its lighting related energy spend, in 2014 Spire began an extensive programme of upgrading 1400

luminaires across 33 sites to light emitting diode (LED) technology.

Firmly established as one of the world’s leading energy performance solutions providers, FES won the original tender and since then has completed two phases of the project. In order to maximise return on investment (ROI) on the designated capital expenditure (CapEx) budget, the first comprised 21 of the largest energy consuming sites, which

Before the install, FES undertook a comprehensive and feasibility study to scope the objectives and to determine the optimal LED lighting solution for the warehouse areas

46

achieved in excess of 73% energy savings from a simple point-forpoint replacement, while also providing 25% better light output.

The second phase concentrated on 12 further sites and Marcus Brodin, Commercial Director at FES, comments: “We calculated that Spire Healthcare will save in excess of £700,000 over a 10-year period thanks to lower energy costs, reduced maintenance, environmental tax savings related to its inclusion in the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, and additional resource savings. The effect on the environment will also be significant as carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be reduced by 11,928lbs per annum, mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx) will be lowered by 28lbs and sulphur dioxide (SO2) by 68lbs over the same period – this is the equivalent of four acres of forest being saved or two cars being removed from the road.”

The third phase has recently been completed and this focused on Spire Healthcare’s National Distribution Centre. Based

in Droitwich, this 100,000ft² facility provides a platform to procure and supply goods and services to the company on a daily basis through its internal logistics network.

There are no statutory workplace lighting levels in the UK and Regulation 8 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations simply requires that lighting at work is ‘suitable and sufficient’. However, the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) Lighting at Work booklet (HSG 38) sets out minimum recommended safe lighting levels and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) offers guidelines regarding light levels required in correlation to workplace activities, stating that warehouses should have 150-200 lux at floor level and 300 lux in task areas.

As with the previous phases of the project, FES undertook a comprehensive and feasibility study to scope the objectives and to determine the optimal LED lighting solution for the offices, mezzanine and warehouse areas. It decided to replace 339 116W batten and 400W high bay luminaires with 59W LED battens and 178W high bay luminaires. These state-of-the-art products provide high efficacy of >110lm/W, low luminous decline, excellent colour rendering and unrivalled uniformity.

By incorporating zone-based lighting sensors and daylight harvesting, this installation will achieve energy savings of over 75%, with a 732kW saving per day, while providing significantly improved light levels. Also, since the rated life of the new devices are well in excess of the previous luminaires, Spire Healthcare will make a 90% saving on its ongoing maintenance spend. With a 10-year gross energy saving of £338,000, the environment will benefit, with over 1200 tonnes of CO2 saved over the duration of the business case.

The new lighting infrastructure has been given unanimous approval by those working in the facility. 

 www.feslighting.co.uk  marcus.brodin@feslighting.co.uk  0207 908 3921

Sika breathes new life into car park At the refurbishment of the multi-storey car park on Walkden Street in Mansfield, Sika supplied a comprehensive range of repair systems to transform the ageing site, including Sika MonoTop concrete repair mortars and Sika Galvashield galvanic anodes for corrosion control for the soffit areas, followed by the application of Sikagard-675 anti-carbonation coating.

This was also used on the lower decks to seal around gully outlets to prevent water ingress into the shops below.

Approximately 4600m2 of Sikafloor Pronto fast-curing decking system was applied to the entire deck area and access ramps to provide a slip-resistant and hard-wearing waterproof surface.

When it comes to structural waterproofing, TREMCO is leading the way with a single-source package for car parks that combines stateof-the-art membrane technology with a comprehensive range of highquality movement joints. Specifying a single-source car park deck waterproofing solution from TREMCO ensures system compatibility, as well as peace of mind thanks to the back-to-back system warranty.

There is no confusion regarding where accountability might lie in the event of a problem occurring. TREMCO has four systems available to suit the specific requirements of different car park areas. All of the systems help a building structure remain functional for longer by preventing water ingress.

 www.tremco-illbruck.com

Roofing, Cladding & Focus & Innovation Insulation

TREMCO’s single-source solution ensures quality, performance and peace of mind

 info.uk@tremco-illbruck.com  01942 251400

Nullifire offers complete solution for specialist fire contractors

 www.sika.co.uk  enquiries@uk.sika.com  01707 394444

Steve Plater, UK Sales Manager of Nullifire, comments: "Nullifire has recently introduced the SC900 series to its portfolio, which is proving successful in the 120-minute sector for both offsite and onsite work. The SC900 series has answered the demand for a product that is high build and fast cure. It means that buildings can be protected in a matter of hours as opposed to days or even weeks if using a conventional product. The initial benefits extend to the speed that follow-on trades can get into the area, the product can be used at lower temperatures and is more shower-resistant than any other product. SC900 is now being used across the globe for prestigious projects where a contractor needs to save both time and money."

 www.nullifire.com

 01283 722588

Pop Up Power Supplies provides safe, outdoor power supply to Covent Garden

Pop Up Power Supplies recently supplied six retractable service power units for installation in the piazza at Covent Garden. The 450kg units are buried out of sight and are raised out of the ground when required. When not in use, the units do not impact on the historic appearance of the piazza as they are barely noticeable. Covent Garden technical services team needed a power solution for temporary stalls and events that are put on throughout the year. The solution was Pop Up Power retractable service units, providing pop up electric sockets, located near to the Transport Museum.

 www.popuppower.co.uk

 info@popuppower.co.uk

 0208 227 0208

Portakabin Group helps to meet increase in demand for school places in London

The Portakabin Group has completed its sixth project for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council (LBBD), a £5.3m school building constructed using a Yorkon off-site solution. Designed by Surface to Air Architects, the latest scheme on the City Farm site has expanded the existing facility. Both buildings are now occupied by a free school and accommodate more than 500 primary, secondary and special needs children. It will then be converted into a five-form entry primary school. The Portakabin Group’s design and build contract included a full turn-key service comprising design, planning, off-site building manufacture, ground works, fitting out and provision of a multiuse games area, football pitch and additional play areas.

 www.yorkon.co.uk

 info@yorkon.co.uk

 0845 200 0123

Eye-catching Brett paving solution for £15.5m school refurb Sarum Academy in Salisbury has regenerated its external grounds using a proven permeable paving solution from Brett Landscaping. The eye-catching scheme has been created using Piatto block paving with its vibrant colours and clean, modern design, combined with classic Omega and Omega Flow rectangular block paving from Brett Landscaping. The Omega Flow permeable paving allows rainfall to permeate naturally between the paving blocks into a permeable sub-base as part of a SuDS solution, designed to help prevent flooding. This product selection has been used to create a variety of patterns which complement and reflect the contemporary lines of the school itself.

 www.brettpaving.co.uk  landscapinginfo@brett.co.uk  0845 6080 577

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Focus & Innovation

In schools, increased natural lighting leads to longer attention spans, better behaviour and reduced sickness days

Yet the Condition Improvement Fund can help academies and sixth form colleges replace rooflights which are proving problematic.

To help win that funding, Whitesales, a UK leading supplier of high-performance rooflights, offers free site surveys, condition reports, costings and advice.

How much does fresh air matter?

The air outside comprises less than 0.04% carbon dioxide (CO2). The air we exhale has a concentration reaching 5.6%. Put dozens of people together indoors – as we do in classrooms, hospital wards and office buildings – and CO2 concentration will continue to rise over the course of a day.

What are the effects of excessive CO2?

AIR CIRCULATION AND DAYLIGHT IN PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDINGS

Drowsiness, lack of concentration, reduced energy and awareness and lower productivity and performance are virtually inevitable. The worst case scenario, where CO2 reaches dangerously high levels, includes frightening side effects from dizziness and confusion, to low blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. It’s no surprise that CO2 is classed as a substance hazardous to health.

Link a CO2 monitor and a rooflight fitted with ventilation, and the improved air quality will help people perform at their best.

How much does daylight matter?

The effects of natural light have been the subject of numerous studies from all around the world.

These are some of their findings: In schools, increased natural lighting leads to longer attention spans, better behaviour, reduced sickness days, increased energy levels and improved academic results.

In hospitals, increased natural lighting has been linked to stronger immune systems and faster and better recovery rates.

In workplaces of all kinds, increased natural lighting has been proven to improve the bottom line, with better productivity, performance, staff retention and recruitment, morale, motivation and teamwork and reduced turnover and absenteeism.

So when you’re considering cost-cutting measures for public sector buildings, or requesting a refurbishment, remember those simple but cumulatively important facts. The more daylight and fresh air that’s available, the better we all feel and perform. 

 www.whitesales.co.uk  sales@whitesales.co.uk  01483 271371

Could one seemingly simple specifying decision affect the quality of life and future health of a building’s inhabitants? When that decision is about rooflights, the answer is a resounding yes.

The reasons can be found in the air we breathe and the light we see. recent years there has I nbeen a worrying trend in public sector properties.

With the aim of cutting heating costs and avoiding an initial investment in roofing work, existing rooflights were being covered up with false ceilings.

The thinking was that these ageing skylights leaked warm air out and drew draughts in. It would be cheaper to hide them

48

and forget about them than replace them.

But what does that really do? Unseen water leaks and expensive subsequent repairs are the very least of the problems this easy fix creates. Boarding over a rooflight does the very opposite of what current building standards demand – it reduces fresh air and increases reliance on artificial lighting.

The more daylight and fresh air that's available, the better we all feel and perform

Focus & Innovation

Monolithic drainage system with high attenuation volume Hauraton has introduced RECYFIX MONOTEC into the UK, its new high capacity channel system for the surface drainage of pavements, bicycle routes, car/van parks and roadways in and around residential, commercial and light industrial areas where the channels need to have high lateral strength, are capable of withstanding continuous compressive loads and where ease of installation is Complying with the requirements of EN a major consideration.

The RECYFIX MONOTEC one metre long channel component is of a sturdy monolithic design where the grating and tongue and groove linking system are integral to the channel moulding. The unit is made of polypropylene (PP), formulated to be very resistant to temperature fluctuations, including the ultra violet (UV) spectrum.

1433, the PP is given its UV resistance by adding carbon black as a stabiliser so that the structural strength is unaffected and a consistent appearance is maintained.

MONOTEC channels are offered in two nominal grating widths of 100 and 200mm, both suitable for a loading category of up to Class D400. The 100mm channels are available in three heights: 230, 280 and 380mm and provide channel cross sections of

190.5, 245.5 and 355.5cm2 respectively.

The 200mm channel has a cross section of 746.1cm2, so has an attenuation volume in excess of 74 litres per meter.

The three sizes of 100mm channels can be arranged in a step fall arrangement with different channel heights connected by special transition adaptors that ensure the water drains away smoothly and quietly with the increased flow velocity playing a considerable role in cleaning the channel run.

 www.drainage-projects.co.uk  janine.kennedy@hauraton.co.uk  01582 501380

T-T provides the complete pumping station package

T-T’s Planet pumping stations provide an efficient and economical way of installing a sewage and drainage pumping station. The Planet range of pumping stations contain a preformed chamber element, assembled off site along with its own internal pipe work and valve system integral to the same chamber, delivered to site in short timescales and ready for installation. The package pumping station is taken from a range of standard designs available on very short lead times.

T-T works with its customers right from concept to adoption to ensure that the right pumping system is installed for that specific application.

 www.ttpumps.com

 response@ttpumps.com

 01630 647200

Construction United welcomes Morgan Sindall partnership Construction United, a coalition of some of the construction industry’s key stakeholders which aims to change perceptions of the sector, has recently welcomed leading UK construction and regeneration group, Morgan Sindall, to its ranks. As one of the initiative’s partners, Morgan Sindall will support Construction United in its three key objectives: improving public perceptions of construction, encouraging young people to consider careers in the industry and maximising the health and wellbeing of its workers.

Formed in February 2016, Construction United has already gained the support of trade bodies including the Finishes and Interiors Sector and the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association, and leading skills certification scheme, CSCS.

 www.constructionunited.co.uk

Primary school pupils see the benefits of non-slip decking Rice Lane Primary School in Liverpool has used Marley Eternit’s JB Citideck for the walkways surrounding its new innovative eco POD due to its non-slip properties.

JB CitiDeck was used for the walkways at both the front and behind the eco classroom – with steps leading to the front doors and a ramp for wheelchair access at the rear. The safe use of the walkways all year round was the prime concern for the school’s leadership team, so the non-slip timber deck board from Marley Eternit was ideal. JB CitiDeck is also one of the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly hard landscaping products available.

 info@marleyeternit.co.uk  01427 675588

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Focus & Innovation Images © TimCrocker

KAWNEER HELPS JESTICO + WHILES MEET PART L

All Kawneer products were fixed over 17 months by specialist sub-contractor Leay

The redevelopment of a London primary school into two new schools features Kawneer glazing systems throughout.

from the complete E lements range of architectural

Kawneer’s AA100 zone-drained capped curtain walling, AA540 fixed light and AA541 tophung casement windows, medium-duty swing and series 190 heavy-duty commercial entrance doors, feature throughout the school

50

aluminium glazing systems from Kawneer have been used on the £20m redevelopment of a primary school in a London borough.

Kawneer’s AA100 zone-drained capped curtain walling, AA540 fixed light and AA541 top-hung casement windows, mediumduty swing and series 190 heavy-duty commercial entrance doors, feature throughout the 1.5-hectare site at Abbots Park, Tulse Hill in Lambeth. It also includes, as rooflights, Kawneer’s 451PT framing system which was designed in close collaboration with SCAPE. The rebuilding of Fenstanton Primary School for 638 children and creation of a new 1100-place academy, known as City Heights Academy, for sponsor E-ACT was completed in two phases over two years by main contractor Carillion.

A special requirement of the brief to regular Kawneer specifiers Jestico + Whiles architects was that the buildings should meet Part L of the Building Regulations.

Architect Daniel Bryan-Harris said: “The energy efficiency of the buildings was very important.

Achieving good daylighting of teaching spaces was critical but this had to be balanced against limiting solar gains and preventing overheating.

“The window frames and glass spec had to be thermally efficient to achieve the stringent

Part L Building Regulations requirements. But the 50mm sightlines of the windows – the transoms and mullions – were also important in the overall composition of the elevations.”

He added: “We had successfully used Kawneer on previous education projects and they offered a wide range of products to suit the variety of windows and curtain walling types required for the project.”

In addition to providing two quality schools for local children of all ages, one of the key aims of the project was to allow community use of the facilities. A performance hall, sports centre, cafe and learning resource centre have all been positioned where they can be easily and securely accessed by local people.

Constructed on a flat slab, all Kawneer products were fixed over 17 months by specialist sub-contractor Leay within a proprietary cold-rolled structural framing system and finished with externally insulated render, facing brickwork, rainscreen cladding and multi-coloured brise soleil.

Daniel added: ”Aluminium is easily recyclable, this was decisive.”

He concluded: “The academy is in its infancy, thrilled to be in such a contemporary new building that it can grow into as student numbers increase year-on-year.” 

 www.kawneer.co.uk  01928 502604

Scotscape greening solutions create healthier places Greening the built environment has never been more important. With the increasing urbanisation of our planet, our vibrant cities demand greening solutions to create healthier places in which to live and work.

Living walls offer the perfect antidote bringing the following key benefits: Green aesthetics Improved air quality Living walls provide great insulation Improved urban biodiversity Reducing the urban heat island effect

Flood mitigation Reduction of noise pollution – improved acoustics

Scotscape Living Wall system: Full design service available For use in commercial or residential projects

Focus & Innovation

Available in five panel sizes or bespoke to suit individual projects Suitable for exterior or interior use Available if required with integrated insulation to increase building U-values Maintenance contracts available Can be installed by professional contractors Scotscape operates a thriving CPD program for architects and its clients focused on the design, installation and maintenance of living wall systems citing many interesting case studies, which is available face-to-face or as a convenient to book webinar service.

For landscapers and contractors, interactive workshops with hands-on installation experience are delivered throughout the year, enabling other professional contractors to successfully adopt the Scotscape Living Wall system and integrate vertical greening into their service offer with full support from the experienced Scotscape team.

To discuss living walls with Scotscape’s experienced team or to book a CPD presentation or CPD webinar, visit Scotscape’s website.

 www.scotscape.net  sales@scotscape.net  0208 254 5000

Snickers’ Next Generation of ALLROUND working clothes

Snickers’ Next Generation Workwear symbolises the brand’s commitment to delivering the very best in modern working clothes.

The latest ALLROUND workwear family has been designed to cope with just about everything in everyday working environments.

For professional craftsmen, they are probably the most advanced working clothes of their kind with modern designs that ensure smart, professional looks and an amazing fit. Garments like work trousers, jackets, rainwear, shirts and sweaters combine to deliver maximum, hardwearing comfort and innovative functionality. They really are the ultimate choice for today’s professional craftsmen, perfectly suited to all kinds of work in all kinds of everyday onsite environments.

 www.snickersworkwear.co.uk  info@snickersworkwear.co.uk  01484 854788

FAKRO L-shaped windows for Severnside Housing development

Glebe House is a development of three-storey apartments off Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, built by Morris Homes on behalf of Severnside Housing. The builder specified FAKRO L-shaped roof windows with bespoke elements for the project. These combine a traditional roof window installed at the eaves with an adjoining element which takes the glazing into the wall. Top windows and flashings were in standard grey, but the two lower elements were manufactured in white complete with white flashings to match ground and first floor windows. Fitting was in single and double combinations across the roof.

 www.fakro.co.uk

 sales@fakrogb.com

 01283 554755

TTA promotes hygienic characteristics of tiled surfaces The Tile Association and its members are promoting the hygiene advantages of correctly installed tiled surfaces, especially in commercial kitchens and food preparation environments. Tiled surfaces are entirely safe to install and use in hygiene-sensitive installations, particularly if large format porcelain tiles are used with epoxy grouts. Brian G Newell, Chair of the TTA’s technical committee, points out that porcelain tiles are in fact to all intents and purposes impervious, with less than 0.5% porosity and that epoxy grouts are also impervious, to the extent that they can have an approval for use in nuclear power stations, since they are not porous to radioactivity.

 www.tiles.org.uk  info@tile.org.uk  0300 365 8453

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Focus & Innovation

The new panels have rejuvenated a tired old building and brought it up to date for the 21st century

GUERNSEY FLATS GO MODERN WITH TRESPA A landmark high-rise apartment block that was once thought to have outlived its usefulness has been given a new lease of life and a fresh appearance thanks to Trespa Meteon cladding panels. in 1963, Cour du B uilt Parc is 11 storeys high and the tallest building on the Channel Island of Guernsey. Only five years ago it stood empty of tenants and was considered to have reached the end of its useful life. Then an imaginative refurbishment and upgrade was given the go ahead by the States of Guernsey planners.

The result is an eye-catching structure where its previously uninspiring, dun-coloured brickwork has given way to vibrant Trespa Meteon cladding panels in two shades of light green.

“Visually, the improvement to the building and the ability to detail openings and vary colour to enhance vertical features were key to choosing Trespa,” says Phil Roussel, Development Manager of Guernsey Housing Association, which carried out the transformation in partnership with the States of Guernsey Housing Department.

“The new panels have rejuvenated a tired old building and brought it up to date for the 21st century,” says Architect, Ricky Mahy whose practice, Create, masterminded the new design.

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Of crucial importance was protection against the elements.

By using a ventilated facade system, the continuous airflow draws air through the cavity between the cladding and the inner layer of the exterior wall aiding in the removal of heat and moisture from rain or condensation.

“On the subject of environmental impact, using a ventilated rainscreen cladding system allowed us to increase the amount of insulation, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the building,” says Mr Roussel.

“There were less expensive options we first looked at but, with knowledge of other uses of Trespa on the island both at Sir Charles Frossard House and Oakvale School, we were satisfied that the product was capable of withstanding the harsh coastal environment to provide a long-term solution without high maintenance costs,” he adds.

The refurbishment project reconfigured space internally to provide 50 flats where previously there had been 42 and also made provision for an additional lift. The end result has been

a welcome increase in social housing units for the island.

Says Mr Roussel: “GHA is a long-term owner of this property so we wanted something without a high maintenance requirement. Trespa Meteon panels have good resistance to dirt, so we are confident the building will look good for many years.”

Trespa Meteon is a decorative high-pressure compact laminate (HPL) with an integral surface manufactured using the company’s unique in-house technologies; Electron Beam Curing (EBC) and Dry Forming (DF). It is the company’s leading family of architectural panels for facades and exterior applications, created, as with all Trespa products, in close collaboration with architects, designers, installers, distributors and end-users. 

 www.trespa.com  info.uk@trespa.com  0808 234 0268

The refurbishment project reconfigured space internally to provide 50 flats where previously there had been 42

Reynaers provides facades for impressive Manchester development

Manchester’s newest independent film hub and visual arts centre has an impressive facade using curtain wall products from Reynaers.

The external cladding and roofing work on Home, found on the city’s First Street, was carried out by Prater. This was made possible due to funding from the European Union for a joint venture between Ask

Developments and Manchester City Council.

Overall, a total of 51 units of Reynaers’ curtain walling product CW 50 were installed, as well as Reynaers’ CS 68 aluminium windows. Reynaers was consulted about the

Focus & Innovation

design of the facade in the prefabrication stages to help ensure the system allowed for building movement and live loads.

Rebecca Cope, Marketing Manager at Reynaers, said: “Lead architect Ernst ter Horst’s brief was to make the building of the highest quality and present itself as warm and welcoming. He was inspired by ideas of filling the building with life and the playful interaction with daylight.

“Our curtain walling system, Concept Wall 50, offered unlimited design freedom and maximum transparency for this build.” Home needed a strong identity, so Netherlands-based architects Mecanoo International developed a dramatic cantilevering prow to mark the front entrance to the building and shelter an external cafe terrace. The building’s triangular shape combined with soft, curved corners sets it apart from the adjacent developments, with its elevations articulated to protect against solar gain.

Ian McHale, Project Manager at Prater, said: “We chose Reynaers because of the vast experience it has with bespoke high-end, complex commercial projects, as well as the team’s outstanding product knowledge and expertise.”

 www.reynaers.co.uk  reynaersltd@reynaers.com  0121 421 1999

UVEX phynomic gloves eliminate skin irritation

Darren Cooper is Site Manager of Rydon Construction. Darren has suffered from eczema since childhood. The condition flares up if his hands are in contact with certain products and the condition can be inflamed through wearing gloves. “It started as a rash on my hands, but became worse,” he explains. “I stopped wearing the gloves and my eczema improved.” Upon hearing of Darren’s problem, a UVEX regional sales manager went to visit him, taking samples of UVEX’s phynomic range. UVEX’s phynomic glove range has passed the Oeko-Tex 100 standard and has been dermatologically tested and approved by proDERM. Darren’s eczema cleared up very quickly once he had changed to the phynomic gloves.

 www.uvex-safety.co.uk

 safety@uvex.co.uk

 01252 731200

Growth continues for Thomas Dudley’s foundry division with team expansion Thomas Dudley’s foundry division has appointed a new Business Development Manager. Dave Edmunds has joined the company to help develop its surface box and manhole cover portfolios. Dave brings with him a wealth of expertise within the municipal castings market and over 15 years’ experience of selling manhole and grates into the UK and Ireland, as well as the Middle East and Australia. Commenting on the new appointment, Mick Cramphorn, Foundry Director, said: “Dave’s understanding of the market and experience will be invaluable as we look to define more innovative solutions for our customers and grow our presence within the market.”

 www.thomasdudleycastings.co.uk  0121 530 7000  foundrysales@thomasdudley.co.uk

Optimising space to attract custom 20% of business’ customers are disabled – who spend £80bn a year. Many people with special needs can’t spend that money where they want because they can’t go to the toilet. Yet, many wheelchair-accessible toilets in those locations have the space needed (7.5m2) and only require a couple of fixtures. “People with disabilities need a carer to help with their toilet requirements and often need a changing bench and hoist,” explains Campaigner, Samantha Buck. “It’s surprising how many wheelchair-accessible toilets already have that space. Making better use of facilities and turning them into Space to Change toilets by including an adult-sized changing bench and hoist is an acceptable compromise.”

 www.clos-o-mat.com  info@clos-o-mat.com  0161 969 1199

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Focus & Innovation

The escalators are to NR specification with some additional features bespoke to the Leeds Station project

STANNAH LIFT PRODUCTS STAR IN LEEDS STATION Opened on 3rd January 2016, the new southern entrance to Leeds Station features four Stannah escalators and two passenger lifts. multiple escalator F ollowing and lift installations at the Midlands hub of Birmingham New Street and Grand Central for Network Rail and Mace, Stannah was again the chosen supplier and installer of all vertical transport within the southern entrance building (known as the LSSE scheme), this time working with main contractor Carillion to fulfil the brief. The work was completed by the Stannah Escalator & Moving Walkway Department and Stannah Major Projects team in just 12 weeks.

Funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds Council, the Department for Transport and Network Rail, the new extension provides an attractive new accessible entrance and additional concourse built on the River Aire. The building was created to diminish congestion at this busy commuter station into and out of West Yorkshire and the North of England, making it an attractive route for tourists again.

Up to 20,000 passengers (or 20% of current footfall) are estimated to benefit from using the new entrance, shortening commute times and providing easy access from the south of Leeds.

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The four escalators provide continuous vertical transportation for ambulant people. Those travellers with heavy luggage, child buggies or wheelchair-users are well provided for with two bespoke 13-person traction passenger lifts located just inside the entrance.

The tight restraints on the site meant some of the features of the lift equipment had to be modified

to achieve the design and vision without compromising safety.

The escalators are to NR specification with some additional features bespoke to the Leeds Station project. These features were based on the tight restraints of the site and the designer's risk assessment required to mitigate those risks.

This included special software so that all the machines operate

to a special design philosophy when stopped in an emergency situation, including installing an additional stop button on each machine during mid travel.

Bespoke manufacture of the machines at 35º instead of the standard NR specification of 30º, and the reduction of the speed of the machines from the standard NR .65m/s to .05m/s all result in safe, efficient travel within the constraints of an unusual and stunning building design. With no room for housing external controllers, these became an integral part of the escalators.

The lifts had restricted space, so machine room-less traction equipment was installed to enable the largest capacity possible within the tight footprint of the new building.

The new pedestrian entrance will be a great benefit to people living and working south of the river, and will open up new travel opportunities providing a further stimulus to redevelopment and expansion of the city centre, and will support the continued regeneration of the southern quarter of the city.

Stannah continues to add to its portfolio of high-profile rail projects, helping Network Rail achieve its target of ‘step-free access’ across the rail network. 

 www.stannahlifts.co.uk  liftsales@stannah.co.uk  01264 339090

The lifts had restricted space so machine room-less traction equipment was installed to enable the largest capacity possible

Focus & Innovation

ARMSTRONG LAUNCHES AN EVEN SOUNDER OFFER TO ACOUSTICS The new Perla OP dB 40mm mineral tile combines the high sound absorption of Armstrong’s OP range with the high sound attenuation of its dB range for ultimate acoustic flexibility. is designed I tsto launch help specifiers, particularly in the education sector, to reduce the amount of sound transferred from traffic routes to learning areas and also to reduce the noise of rain on lightweight roof constructions, an issue also encountered in the office sector. In this area, using the Perla OP dB tile shows a 20dB improvement compared to roofonly construction.

It is therefore recommended for use in open-plan and closedplan spaces where acoustics cannot be compromised, and

in particular for spaces such as music rooms, corridors and classrooms, and individual offices and meeting rooms next to open spaces.

A sound choice Performing to sound absorption Class A (aw = 0.90), sound attenuation Dnfw 40dB and sound reduction (singlepass) Rw 20dB, the Perla OP dB tile can be mixed with Perla, Perla OP 0.95, Perla OP 1.00 and Perla dB tiles to solve specific acoustic requirements while maintaining the same visual.

The new Perla OP dB is recommended for use in open-plan and closed-plan spaces where acoustics cannot be compromised

Comprising 36% recycled content and fully recyclable, it is available as Perla OP dB board in 600 x 600mm and 1200 x 600mm, Tegular 600 x 600mm and MicroLook 90 600 x 600mm.

In addition, the stylish, contemporary Perla OP dB tile provides high light reflectance of 85%, reducing the number of artificial lighting units required, as well as ultra-low VOC emissions for excellent indoor air quality, ISO 5 cleanroom classification and humidity resistance to 95%.

Also featuring the new MicroLook 90 edge detail for improved durability, fit and visual, it is available with a 30-year system warranty when installed with Armstrong suspension systems.

The Perla OP dB board tile is available as a BIM file from the National BIM Library. For more information on the new Perla OP dB tile, visit Armstrong’s website. 

 www.armstrongceilings.co.uk  sales-support@armstrong.com  0800 371849

The stylish, contemporary Perla OP dB tile provides high light reflectance of 85%, reducing the number of artificial lighting units required

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Multiple shapes in 3 materials Integrated solutions A ceiling for every space* 3 prestige projects 32 plans

*The information is given for guidance only. Photo credits: Thinkstock - aressy.com - 05/16 - 10166

100% design focused

LESS HASSLE. MORE CREATIVITY. www.armstrongceilings.co.uk