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July 2015
A true landmark
New library meets the 21st century needs of the public
Setting the standard
Final BIM hurdles
Smooth operations
– Meeting the demand for more school places
– Is the industry doing enough to hit the deadline?
– How to form effective and seamless collaborations
Crest Nicholson development of 193 apartments and houses.
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Editor
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The dlr LexIcon – located in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland – is a physical manifestation of how libraries must change to meet the needs of the public in the 21st century. See Page 8.
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Welcome to the July issue of PSBJ. In this month’s edition, we’ve brought you some truly outstanding project profiles. Turn to page 8 and you’ll find a tribute to the new dlr Lexlcon – a physical manifestation of how libraries must change to meet the needs of the public in the 21st century. Architects, Carr Cotter Naessens’ design creates a new public space that will transform the heart of Dún Laoghaire, Ireland leading visitors in a natural progression from the seafront up to the town. When viewed across the water, the building is a true landmark, its monumental window dramatically rising up towards the harbour, providing breathtaking views from inside. Its landscaped garden has been designed to knit back the structure of the town with the seafront, making new routes and visual connections. Creating a more vibrant and safer community through a town’s landscaping is also explored in this month’s Street Furniture feature. FM Conway describes how it has implemented new systems into the regeneration of Twickenham’s high street ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Turn to page 38 to find out more. Elsewhere in this issue, we bring you the latest high profile case studies and talking points on Drainage & Wastewater, HVAC, BIM and Paints, Coatings & Finishes. You will also find a dedicated focus on the four key areas of the public sector build market – Healthcare, Housing, Leisure and Education. I hope you enjoy this edition. Don’t forget you can access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information at your fingertips via PSBJ’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 Hannah Frackiewicz | Editor | hannah@mixedmediainfo.com Follow us on Twitter:
@psbjmagazine
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Public Sector Build Journal 3
Contents 18 08 06 News A round up of the latest industry news, including charity events, awarded contracts, partnerships and event announcements.
08 Upfront The dlr LexIcon is a physical manifestation of how libraries must change to meet the needs of the public in the 21st century.
14 Housing Terrie Brett at Novus Property Solutions reveals her top five secrets for completing work smoothly with housing associations.
16 Technical Focus
20 Legal & Business
28 Healthcare
PSBJ explores the use of British Gypsum’s CasoLine MF system, which has been used at the University of Oxford's Mathematical Institute.
Penny Norton, Director of ConsultOnline, discusses a new approach to public consultation in a bid to reduce the number of failed applications.
To close the gap between hospital and home, two local GP practices have combined to form a single hub – the new Nelson Health Centre.
18 Talking Point
26 Education
30 Leisure
Morgan Sindall’s Lyndsay Smith talks to PSBJ about the demand for more school places, and reveals how standardisation could hold the answer.
Cross laminated timber (CLT) is becoming the structural system of choice to deliver educational development programmes, explains the X-LAM Alliance.
CitySport, one of the largest sports facilities to be developed in central London is now open, offering a sports facility for City University London.
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, tailor-made new portal delivers the right content to the right audience in the shortest time possible.
Search ‘psbj’
4 Public Sector Build Journal
www.psbj.co.uk
28
30
36
32 Drainage & Wastewater
38 Street Furniture
Nearly two years on, Kayflow's SuperDeep 170 rainwater system is still performing beyond expectation at Castilion Primary School.
Lawrence Bowen from contractor FM Conway explains how intelligent design and smart use of street furniture has made Twickenham welcoming to all.
34 HVAC
40 Paints, Coatings & Finishes
Space Group and Arch Homes have completed four new houses in Blyth, Northumberland – each equipped with renewable technologies to provide residents with sustainable homes.
Here, Tony Walker from Johnstone's Trade talks to PSBJ about the most common issues that can be faced with housing maintenance.
36 BIM
42 Product Showcase
As we head to closer to the deadline, Mark Leeson, head of design disciplines at McBains Cooper, asks are we doing enough to make BIM the standard?
A dedicated focus of industry news, products and case studies to help architects and specifiers make informed choices.
38
Read the latest issue online Gain insight from industry experts Source products and suppliers Keep up to date with industry news Discover new innovative technologies Browse the archive of features and issues Manage your subscriptions Download the PSBJ app for your iPad, iPhone or Android
Public Sector Build Journal 5
News
Battersea Power Station public park is unveiled On behalf of the Battersea Power Station shareholders, Battersea Power Station Development Company (“BPSDC”) unveiled the latest images showing the redevelopment’s new public park, designed by LDA Design. The six acre park shows the shareholder’s commitment to the public realm and will deliver a new public park for London. The new public park, which secured detailed planning consent earlier this year, is due to open in phases from 2017. This new green space – the size of nearly three and a half full sized football pitches – will play a key role in the over-arching place-making strategy and will connect the Power Station, Circus West and Phase 6 to the River Thames, with a riverside promenade. The park will feature large event lawns, terraced river gardens and form a highly flexible, multi-programmable space for use throughout the year. Rob Tincknell, CEO of BPSDC, said: “We are excited to see the plans for this fantastic riverside park progress. We have always worked hard with our development team to ensure that this river front, with the backdrop of the impressive Power Station was created as a public space for people to enjoy. The new designs offer space for wide ranging activities throughout the year alongside London’s prize asset, the River Thames.”
Tower Hamlets secures £24.8m from new scheme Tower Hamlets Council has secured £24.8 million this financial year (2015-16) from the government’s New Homes Bonus scheme. The borough has received more than any other local authority in the country. The funding comes as a result of the council’s hard work in ensuring the building and developing of housing. It is recognition from the government of Tower Hamlets’ commitment to ensuring it increases the
6 Public Sector Build Journal
available housing stock for its residents. Between 2011 and 2015, Tower Hamlets has increased its housing stock by 14,547, and brought 769 empty homes back into use. Aman Dalvi, Corporate Director of Development and Renewal, said: “Once again the government has recognised the hard work that we do, day in day out, to build affordable housing for the people in this borough. It’s all down to our commitment to making sure that Tower Hamlets becomes a great place to live for everyone.” Since the inception of the New Homes Bonus scheme in 2010, Tower Hamlets has secured the most amount of funding out of all local authorities in the country – amounting to £74.7m in five financial years. The New Homes Bonus is a grant paid by central government to local councils in recognition of the complexities of providing additional homes.
Dover waterfront regeneration sets sail Leslie Jones Architecture has been appointed by the Port of Dover and Bride Hall Real Estate Partners to design and deliver the commercial strategy of the partnership’s Dover waterfront regeneration project. The significant mixed-use development is expected to include residential, retirement living, catering, retail and leisure facilities to revitalise the town and elevate the area’s tourism offering. Leslie Jones’s designs will complement Dover’s historical context, while bringing a modern mixeduse development to the world’s most iconic international transport hub concepts. James Cons, Managing Director at Leslie Jones Architecture, comments: “Our appointment to deliver a viable mixed-use development for one of the UK’s most significant transport hub regeneration projects is testament to our team’s expertise of applying successful designs to varied contexts. We understand how to capture successful elements of mixed-use schemes across the UK, and adapt, then transfer them to the benefit of other
developments. We are excited that this waterfront location will be brought back to life and become a destination that local people and visitors call home.”
Balfour Beatty boost for grass roots sports Nearly £25,000 has been distributed across 12 London boroughs courtesy of the Balfour Beatty Sport Development Grants, helping local authorities to nurture grass roots community sport. The 2015 grants (recipient details below), funded by the London Youth Games’ title sponsor, Balfour Beatty, will go towards free coaching sessions and creating new community clubs for thousands of London’s disadvantaged young people. The sports to directly benefit are angling, archery, athletics, BMX, cycling, fencing, football, handball, judo, kayaking, netball, rowing, sailing, swimming, table tennis, trampoline and weightlifting from a total funding of £23,600. Since the grants were launched in 2007, over £420,000 has been invested directly into community projects across London. Recent successes have included the development of Frenford Falcons Wheelchair Basketball Club in Redbridge and the growth of BMX in Ealing via schools coaching. Southwark’s Peckham Pride basketball club were born in 2007 with the assistance of the grants and have gone on to be National under 15s champions and London Youth Games champions.
Green light for St Joseph's expansion Architectural and planning consultancy, Cassidy + Ashton, has been granted planning consent for a £750,000 expansion and alteration of a primary school and new chapel near Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley. Commissioned by the Society of Jesus Trust, a new chapel is to be created in the upper storey of the existing fine stone building, with an additional classroom created on the footprint of the old chapel,
News by the addition a 170m2 two-storey extension to St Joseph’s RC Primary School. The renovation will provide additional space, maintaining the existing capacity but providing improved pastoral facilities and multi-purpose dining / teaching space for use by both the school and parish. A new entrance complete with staircase and lift will also offer greater accessibility to a new chapel within the school’s existing premises. All will be sensitively developed to create an attractive extension that sits comfortably within the context of the surrounding area.
MSPS-designed Lairdsland Primary School completes Robbie McKillop, public sector director at Morgan Sindall Professional Services (MSPS), the multidisciplinary design consultancy, was delighted to see the official hand over of Lairdsland Primary School on 20th May 2015 to celebrate the completion of the sustainably-built school. MSPS provided mechanical and electrical (M&E) and BREEAM services to the project, working with architects Walters & Cohen. Key to the successful delivery of the 266-pupil primary school was passive energy efficient solutions, value for money and its exemplar design, a design that leads its field, setting an industry standard that can be used as a blue-print and adapted in scale to respond to different primary school briefs. The school is also expected to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. As the project’s main contractors, Morgan Sindall PLC invited feedback from clients East Dunbartonshire Council and Hub West Scotland as part of an ongoing commitment to accommodating clients’ requirements regarding timescales, design coordination, budgets and key deliverables. ‘Perfect Delivery’ was achieved by completing the design efficiently and delivering the project safely, on time, snag free, and with a customer that would recommend the service and rate themselves as ‘delighted’.
with the first five bungalows in Eastleigh Close, and will also include eight bungalows on two sites off Camwood Crescent, three bungalows off Whitehorn Grove and four bungalows off Clematis Approach. The project is due for completion in March 2016 and was procured through the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa ii) Minor Works Framework.
Pick Everard delivers Olympic legacy vision
Axiom opens new facility for young people
Work on a £6.6million Olympic legacy project creating a haven for mountain biking, cycling and for families has been completed by independent management, design and construction consultancy Pick Everard. Hadleigh Park in Essex hosted the exhilarating London 2012 Olympic mountain bike events. Pick Everard has been working on behalf of its client Essex County Council to maximise the use of the site for current and future generations. The spectacular mountain bike course has been retained but adapted for use by members of the public, creating a legacy for mountain biking. But the development has continued far beyond this breathing new life into Hadleigh Farm and Country Park with an 18km network of walking and cycling paths and trails, connected to the mountain bike course. The network is at the heart of the project improving access across the 500 hectare Hadleigh Country Park and Hadleigh Farm for cycling, mountain biking, walking, running and for horse riders. The attraction also includes a visitors’ centre, a children’s play area, re-developed business units, offices for rangers, a bike hire shop and additional facilities for The Salvation Army to expand its valuable work with vulnerable local people.
A former industrial site in Gainsborough has been transformed into much-needed homes for young people, thanks to collaboration between a leading supported housing provider, West Lindsey District Council and the Homes and Communities Agency. The new foyer accommodation, which has space for 12 young people, has been designed by Allan Joyce Architects and built by construction company Robert Woodhead Ltd. Craig Pygall Construction Director, from Robert Woodhead Ltd, said: “This has been a fantastic project and a real team effort, working in partnership with Axiom and West Lindsey District Council. I know the scheme and the accommodation will provide a valuable and much needed support service for vulnerable young people. “We were delighted to be engaged with the project from a very early stage and as a result we have been able to ensure the build process has been as efficient as possible, we were on site within four weeks and are delighted to have been able to regenerate what was previously a brownfield site in the town.” Axiom Housing Association acquired the site in Wembley Street from housing group, Acis last year, enabling it to develop it as part of a satellite extension to its Market Rasen Foyer.
First bricks laid in Birchwood scheme Work has officially started on a City of Lincoln Council scheme to build 20 new bungalows in Birchwood. The new homes, being constructed by Woodhead Living on land formerly occupied by garages, will help the council meet a growing demand for bungalows in the area. Last year, the council’s Executive agreed to earmark £15m to build 150 new council homes in the city over the next six years. The scheme has begun
Public Sector Build Journal 7
Upfront The roof that tapers towards the sea is formed of a series of precast V beams with glazed roof lights between them
Fact File Client: Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Architects: Carr Cotter Naessens Architects Quantity Surveyor: Deasy Walley Partnership Services Engineer: Arup Structural Engineer: Horgan Lynch Fire: Jeremy Gardner Associates
Cultural centrepiece
The dlr LexIcon – located in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland – is a physical manifestation of how libraries must change to meet the needs of the public in the 21st century.
D
ún Laoghaire, once a sleepy fishing village, was transformed in the early 19th century by a number of ambitious infrastucture projects. The harbour, pier and suburban railway were significant developments of great economic and social benefit to the town and greater Dublin area, while the promenade, and parks with their bandstands and bowling greens were an integral part of the urban realm, enjoyed by all.
8 Public Sector Build Journal
At this time there was a consensus about the value of pleasure as well as commerce in the public domain and the parks, promenades and bandstands have continued to be integral to the borough’s infrastructure and are unique assets. Historically ecclesiastical and major civic buildings would have been the landmark structures and focal points of the public realm. Most of the modern development in the town to date has
been commercial and residential. It is therefore significant that Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council have elected to make the new library and cultural centre the centrepiece of a new public space that will transform the heart of the town. The project is the first significant piece of civic infrastucture in the town since 1900. The extended role of the library as a facilitator for all sorts of community, educational and cultural events has inevitably shaped new ways of thinking about the design of the buildings and space they require. This building, the result of an RIAI two stage international competition held in 2007, exemplifies this design paradigm and offers a mix of intimate and expansive public rooms, places to congregate, or to sit quietly with a book and enjoy the view. The modern library is the last bastion of truly public space.
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...designed for the future Industrial
Rail
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Landscaping
Architectural
Upfront
Moran Park occupies a strategic location in DĂşn Laoghaire
The particular character of the site generates the building form; this integration with public space enriches the building and reaffirms its role as mediator between the city and global knowledge networks.
Site analysis Moran Park occupies a strategic location in DĂşn Laoghaire; it visibly demonstrates the natural fault line between the harbour and the town. The old park was dysfunctional,
the abrupt changes in level and restrictions to movement around an old reservoir reinforced the disconnection between the commercial precinct of the town and the harbour. The project was an opportunity to knit back the structure of the town with the seafront, making new routes and visual connections between town and harbor.
Landscape strategy The landscape strategy for the design responds to the characteristics of the
The project is the first significant piece of civic infrastucture in the town since 1900
existing park and aims to integrate the proposed building form and the existing park to form a new urban ensemble. The building is wedged in to a granite escarpment and directly relates to the two levels of the park. The upper level at Haigh Terrace reconnects to the grounds of the Royal Marine Hotel and includes a pond, reconfigured as a series of weirs, and a raised belvedere extending towards the sea view. The pedestrian path around the pond continues to a stone paved forecourt at the library entrance; this is enclosed in turn by the Mariners Church, which overlooks the entrance forecourt. The lower park level relates directly to the Metals walkway. A new public space on the footprint of the original bowling-green is envisaged as a garden room, sheltered by a grove of trees. The cultural centre may be
The Lexicon comprises a central library with processing, outreach and archive facilities for all libraries in the county
10 Public Sector Build Journal
Upfront
The material of the building is spare – a voluminous concrete shell
accessed here; a grand staircase leads up to the library and cultural space at the higher level while the foyer cafe can spill out on to the outdoor space. The grove of trees anchors Moran Park House in a domestic landscape; parterre planting recalls the original kitchen garden.
DĂşn Laoghaire, once a sleepy fishing village, was transformed in the early 19th century by a number of ambitious infrastucture projects
Architectural form and context The building footprint is generated by the long narrow plot available between Haigh Terrace on one side, the pond and bowling green on the other. Onto this footprint is imposed a new plane, tapering from the entrance forecourt, shared with the Mariners Church and rising up to make a tall portico facing the sea. The building is organised with two distinct forms. Along Haigh Terrace is a regular sequence of intimate rooms,
îš…
Public Sector Build Journal 11
Upfront workshops, meeting space and reading rooms, with windows that address the street. The park-side of the building by contrast provides voluminous space, the lounge and main lending floor above, each with long windows with views to the park. The tapering roof above is cut with large beams spaced with skylights. The roof that tapers towards the sea is formed of a series of precast V beams with glazed roof lights between them. The Lexicon comprises a central library with processing, outreach and archive facilities for all libraries in the county. The library will include a busy “living room” overlooking the park, with space for internet use, newspapers and magazines as well as rooms for book-clubs, meetings and seminars and a room for crafts games and modelmaking. The art gallery and associated workshop is also on this floor. The level above, the piano nobile, includes general reading rooms and the junior library. The top floor is a quiet space and includes the local history department and study spaces. On the lowest level the park edge of the building is lined with public rooms: an auditorium, cafe and a long stairs that ascends to the library on the level above. Behind this the working section of the library is house along Haigh Terrace:
The top floor is a quiet space and includes the local history department and study spaces
Passive solar design has been a key consideration in the design of this building
Offices Process rooms staff facilities storage and kitchens. The material of the building is spare, a voluminous concrete shell, into within which are inserted oak linings for books and sound modulation. Externally the building is clad in a warm granite, or soft red brick. The large window assemblies and entrance portal are clad in bronze. Traditional materials used in a contemporary manner.
Environment Primary energy for the project will be provided from renewable sources where possible. Wood pellets or chips from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown parks will provide fuel for the biomass fired boilers. Passive solar design has been a key consideration in the design of this building. Each facade (with the exception of north facing elevations) is provided with solar shading devices such as external fins and overhangs, this will reduce the solar gain during the summer months. Natural ventilation will provide the predominant method of maintaining air quality and temperature control. Many aspects of the design of the building maximise the opportunity to naturally ventilate the building – high floor to ceiling heights, depth of the building with ventilation shafts located in the centre, large areas of exposed thermal mass will act to moderate the internal temperatures within the space. To provide for a diverse range of use and to protect against periods of inclement weather, mixed-mode (natural and mechanical) ventilation is also provided. The distinctive roof cowls terminate 11 concrete shafts that are also key structural elements. Filtered fresh air will be heated or cooled using a thermal heat transfer system located in the cowls, and supplied to the floor void for discharge at low level. Waste heat from the exhaust air will be used to preheat incoming cold fresh air.
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12 Public Sector Build Journal
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Housing
Throughout work, it is important to remain in contact with clients and their customers
Novus has a robust CSR strategy and strives to give something back to the communities within which it works
Advice for the considerate contractor Completing any type of construction work for housing associations entails working in partnership with the association's customers and with a variety of other stakeholders. Here, Terrie Brett, Customer and Community Manager at Novus Property Solutions, reveals her top five secrets for completing work smoothly while going the extra mile to keep all parties feeling positive.
I
t may sound obvious, but involving a housing association’s customers in a contract prior to any work being carried out is of great importance if a contractor is to gain early buy-in from all stakeholders. Pre-work consultations present the opportunity for customers to have an input in many decisions, even down to the format and content of prework literature being issued. Design consultations can also be carried out ahead of the work, and Novus’ customer support team often liaises one-on-one with those living in a property to establish their personal preferences – for example, they can specify the style of units they would prefer if kitchen refurbishments are part of a programme. If language is a barrier, services such as
14 Public Sector Build Journal
telephone interpreting can be called upon to ensure all customers are in the know. Some housing associations, meanwhile, involve their customers even prior to a contractor being chosen, with panels having an input in the tendering process. This helps to gain their confidence during the primary stages of work, which sets strong foundations. Throughout work, it is important to remain in contact with clients and their customers, holding daily meetings and regular coffee mornings to ensure any issues are ironed out. Communication via other channels, such as social media, should also be encouraged – whether the feedback is positive or negative – to maintain and build good relationships with all stakeholders.
Plan and prepare Providing customers with a step-by-step programme of works can be a great reassurance to them, but it is essential they realise that sometimes a programme can be held up for reasons beyond a contractor’s control. A programme will ensure customers have an idea of what will be happening around them on a day-to-day basis and an understanding that things don’t always go to plan. Giving people any necessary information with regards to temporary parking changes, deliveries or diversions, for example, is advisable as this will ensure logistics run smoothly for everyone involved. At Novus, we take deliveries once a week on residential sites, rather than every day, to minimise disruption. If our team is working on kitchen replacements in one area, for example, we will ensure all kitchens are delivered on Monday and stored away ready for installation later in the week, so that vehicles aren’t constantly unloading and disturbing people in the vicinity.
Have a positive attitude Those engaging with the community must be patient, approachable, a problem solver, friendly, quick thinking and a great communicator. If there has been a delay with work, for example, customers may be unhappy, so members of staff need to relate to people and listen to them in order to solve problems. A positive
Housing
Novus has offered work placements, apprenticeships and other recruitment opportunities to local people during contracts
attitude and the ability to not take things personally is a must-have, and being openminded is also an essential as customers are often from varying backgrounds and have different needs. This should be communicated to customer care staff, and also to operatives working on site. Novus carries out ToolBox Talks with employees to ensure they are not only fully aware of the health and safety of themselves and those around them, but also aware of the code of conduct, values and mission of clients, so they can adapt and adhere to these when on-site.
Good housekeeping Any waste material created during works should be cleared away at the end of every day and taken to a compound, while noise should be kept to a minimum if working near homes. As well as considering the immediate environment and customers’ comfort and health and safety, the wider environment should also be taken into account. Many of Novus’ clients monitor and measure our environmental credentials through Key Performance Indicators, including the amount of waste we send to landfill. At Novus, we have reduced waste to landfill by 97% and continue to improve on this. Along with additional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity, this has helped the company to secure the Responsible Small Business of the Year award at
Recently a local community centre was given a makeover with help from children at a nearby school
Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards earlier this year.
customers in how to apply wallpaper, while when carrying out work for another client, a local community centre was given a makeover with help from children at a nearby school. Meanwhile, we have also offered work placements, apprenticeships and other recruitment opportunities to local people during contracts. This ensures people in the area gain more than just a new kitchen or redecorated home from the contract and creates buy-in, keeping all stakeholders and the wider community feeling positive.
Give something back Novus has a robust CSR strategy and strives to give something back to the communities within which it works – whether that is by hosting a fun day, completing a garden makeover or donating a bench to a local green space. Involving a housing association’s customers in something other than the work helps them to feel valued, included and invested in. For one client, Novus has recently held skills workshops to mentor
www.novussolutions.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 15
Housing Focus Technical
Perfect formula
The geometric, perforated line pattern was chosen as a striking contrast to the Rigitone 8/18 boards
A British Gypsum ceiling system has been used in the development of a new £70m building for the University of Oxford's Mathematical Institute. The CasoLine MF system was used throughout the prestigious Andrew Wiles Building to achieve high visual impact, acoustic performance and improved indoor air quality.
A
combination of acoustic boards was selected as part of the CasoLine MF system, including Rigitone 8/18 which was installed in atrium areas to reduce sound reverberation and increase sound absorption in the large, open communal areas of the building.
CASOLINE MF CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Reflected ceiling plan: Rigitone
Gyptone Line 6 was installed to the underside of the floating staircase to provide greater sound absorption in areas directly outside classrooms. The geometric, perforated line pattern was chosen as a striking contrast to the Rigitone 8/18 boards, creating an attractive design in keeping with the interior theme of the building.
The building, which features six lecture theatres, workspace for over 500 researchers, and will serve 900 undergraduates, is occupied by students, staff and guests who spend long periods of time studying, teaching and learning in the building. The Gyptone ceiling board was therefore specified with British Gypsum’s innovative ACTIVair technology which absorbs and converts formaldehyde, a common volatile organic compound (VOC) into inert compounds. It has been demonstrated in laboratory testing to decompose up to 70% of formaldehyde from the air, and improves the air quality within the building.
Perimeter parallel to Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section: Rigitone
Perimeter perpendicular to Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section: Rigitone
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Rigitone Boards
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Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section
3
Gypframe MF6 Perimeter Channel
16 Public Sector Build Journal
4
Gypframe MF7 Primary Support Channel
5
Gypframe MF8 Strap Hanger or Gypframe FEA1 Steel Angle
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Gypframe MF9 Connecting Clip
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Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section
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Technical Focus
KEY
Gyptone Line 6 was installed to the underside of the floating staircase to provide greater sound absorption
David Portman, Director at Rafael Vinoly Architects P.C., who designed the project, said: “We chose this combination of ceiling board as it offers high durability and acoustic performance which really is essential in multi-use buildings. We always recommend that steps are taken to improve air quality in buildings such as these, and now British Gypsum’s ACTIVair is available across its Gyptone range, we were able to combine the practical performance we required from a ceiling solution, with the health benefits of ACTIVair.” ACTIVair technology was specified as a solution to airborne formaldehyde and other VOCs emitted into the atmosphere from everyday items, such as carpets and furniture, that can affect the productivity of occupants. The World Health Organisation (WHO) concerns about formaldehyde in relation to human health are well published (WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants; 2010). Dr Keith Gillow, Project Manager at the University of Oxford, comments: “The Andrew Wiles Building serves as a flagship development for higher education in the UK, so it was crucial that every last detail, from acoustics, to the ceiling design, was right. By using the British Gypsum ceiling boards we were able to achieve superior acoustic performance to prevent sound travelling from room to room, an attractive design that complements the interior of the building, and we have also improved the air quality for all occupants of the building.”
1
Gyproc plasterboard or Glasroc specialist board
2
Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section
3
Gypframe MF6 Perimeter Channel
4
Gypframe MF7 Primary Support Channel
5
Gypframe MF8 Strap Hanger or Gypframe FEA1 Steel Angle
6
Gypframe MF12 Soffit Cleat with MF11 Nut and Bolt
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Gypframe MF5 Ceiling Section with ends tabbed and fixed
8
Gyptone Access Hatch (510 x 510mm) with frame (600 x 600mm)
9
Access panel (by others)
10
Gyptone board
CASOLINE MF CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Access panel installation
5
3 2 4
1
9
Gyptone Access Hatch installation
6
5 2 7 4 3 10
8
www.saint-gobain.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 17
Talking Point
Funding capital projects Lyndsay Smith, Director of education and frameworks at Morgan Sindall talks to PSBJ about the pressure and demand for more school places, and reveals how standardisation could hold the answer.
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he shortage of pupil places is often presented as a ticking time bomb. As a metaphor, ‘explosion’ certainly has merit. Everyone in education knows the problem of demand exceeding supply goes well beyond the anxieties of parents whose children start at primary school this autumn. Most local authorities are facing the vexing challenge of trying to figure out how to fund capital projects. At the start of the current school year the Local Government Association reported that 130,000 extra primary places will be needed by 2017 – the equivalent of 500 new schools. It says council budgets are plugging a national black hole of at least £1bn in school places funding. Areas under the most pressure include Bristol and Manchester, as well as parts of London such as Croydon, Harrow, Waltham Forest and Newham. As a contractor at the sharp end of building the UK’s schools’ estate Morgan Sindall has done its share of wrestling with the problem. Aside from funding, the main challenge is delivering new schools without reducing the design quality. Tight budgets cannot be allowed to negatively impact on educational outcomes. The James Review of 2011 talked of massive inefficiencies in schools procurement. It led the private sector down a path towards standardised designs and
18 Public Sector Build Journal
offsite modularisation. However, it soon became clear that there was still a lot of wastage in the procurement process, as well as continued inefficiencies in terms of the time and costs associated with delivering school buildings. Morgan Sindall has worked with educationalists, leading designers and services engineers to come up with a new approach. Our response has been to develop a range of solutions based around the standardisation of components and classroom layouts. This investment has produced a new range of primary and secondary solutions that not only fully comply with the EFA Baseline Designs but which reduce design time by 50% and show cost savings of up to 60%. As part of Morgan Sindall Group we also understand that cost benefits can be gained though delivering batches of schools at the same time. Our sister company, Morgan Sindall Investments Limited, which employs a team of professionals skilled in property and development, can work with local authorities to unlock valuable assets, thus leveraging best value from the overall estate. In our view this is not the age of austerity – it’s the age of reality in the delivery of the school estate. We believe that public educators and private providers must
Lyndsay Smith is Director of Education and National Frameworks for Morgan Sindall. She delivers a range of public sector in education, defence, and leisure, typically through PFI and other investmentrelated procurement routes. work collaboratively to solve the problem, and our approach is designed to facilitate positive education outcomes. It’s worth remembering that each era has produced its share of studies about the school environment. Even the Victorians, where children were to be seen and not heard, debated issues like classroom ventilation, heating and air quality. Schools are always influenced by political, social and economic movements, and new technologies. Some trends come and go but it’s clear that in recent years the whole issue has been elevated. There’s now more focus than ever before on the question of how buildings respond to all our children’s needs.
Talking Point
Morgan Sindall plc has been appointed to a £5.2 million contract to rebuild and expand John Ray Infant and Junior schools for Essex County Council
Morgan Sindall is on site at five primary schools in South Lanarkshire. One of the five is Braidwood Primary School with a value of £5.8m
Morgan Sindall plc has been appointed to a £19 million contract to construct Trumpington Community College, a new secondary school in Cambridge
Morgan Sindall shares the view that classroom design can have a positive impact on attainment. We start from the perspective that educational outcomes are the key driver to design, not the iconicity of the building. This belief was recently backed up by a year-long study carried out by The University of Salford and architects, Nightingale Associates. It found that the classroom environment can affect a child’s academic progress over a year by as much as 25% – an immense difference. Further buy-in was demonstrated by the Education Funding Agency when it produced its Baseline Designs after the demise of the Building Schools for the Future programme. There’s a strong focus on environmental conditions. The impact of this new environmental emphasis on energy efficiency is an important consideration. As a contractor
at the sharp end of delivering the next generation of school buildings, Morgan Sindall starts from the perspective that it’s possible to have both sustainable design and improved learning outcomes. They are not mutually exclusive. We have invested heavily in establishing good design principles that strike a balance between providing the right environment and energy efficiency. These have benefited from best practice in the delivery of over 32,000 pupil places in the last four years. Our approach to both primary and secondary schools has seen use of innovations such as breathing buildings, which have provided energy savings of up to 43%. We achieved this through key measures such as: Thermal efficiency – minimal external wall area to reduce heat loss
Windows positioned to enhance daylight and finishes which provide reflected light Spaces modelled for sound reverberation and absorption, improving classroom acoustics This thinking will certainly be factored into the five secondary and seven primary schools which Morgan Sindall is delivering in the North West for the Education Funding Agency’s Priority School Building Programme. The entire project has a capital value of between £80m and £120m, with schools due to be handed over by September 2017. Our team will deliver places for 8150 pupils at schools located in Blacon, Wigan, Neston, Prenton, Blackpool, Birkenhead, Halton, Stockport and Manchester.
www.morgansindall.com
Public Sector Build Journal 19
Legal & Business It's not surprising that all development proposals have an online presence, whether intended by the applicant or not
Online consultation Despite Localism, despite the NPPF and despite hours spent in pre-app meetings, 12% planning applications fail because of issues related to public consultation, explains Penny Norton, Director of ConsultOnline.
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reviously a public meeting and an advert in a local newspaper would suffice. But now it’s not enough just to do consultation: how it’s done, how effective it is and the results generated are what local authorities are looking for in a Statement of Community Involvement. And while traditional methods still play an important role, online consultation is increasingly seen by local authority planners as enabling truly effective consultation. According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, 76% UK adults now access the internet every day. So it’s not surprising that all development proposals have an online presence, whether intended by the applicant or not. Planning applications are posted on local authority websites; community groups and activists discuss and debate proposals on Facebook, Twitter and in blogs, and the local media gathers residents’ views to inform online news stories – which results in a further sequence of online engagement. Thanks to the Web 2.0, the consultation toolbox has expanded considerably to
20 Public Sector Build Journal
include online videos, audio, polls, forums, picture boards, blogs, and interactive Q&As and masterplans. Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation can be available at the touch of a button and consultations can be very effectively promoted online. Developers and planners sometimes express a concern that websites may be overwhelmed by negative comment. I have found the reverse to be true. This increasingly accessible and enjoyable form of communication helps give a voice to the “silent majority” – those who do not object to the proposals, who won’t necessarily struggle out to a public meeting on a wet December evening, but would happily give their approval when passed a link by a friend. Analysis by ConsultOnline reveals that highest rates of activity are among the 35-44 age group (typically hard-to-reach working parents and commuters); that most interaction taking place around 10pm, and that no fewer than 78% of those who take part do so via mobile devices. Online consultation is effectively removing hierarchies. In a busy public
Penny Norton, Director of PNPR Limited, was the first to use social media in consultation and set up ConsultOnline in 2013. Penny has worked with many leading developers in commercial and residential property and has written extensively on the subject of public consultation.
meeting, attendees may defer to a dominating character, figure of authority or group leader. Yet online, particularly behind the veil of a username, individuals are more likely to voice their opinions without fear of repercussion. Cost is another perceived barrier to online consultation – wrongly so. Using a website, ideally promoted using social media, a developer can half the cost, so make considerable savings. A screen will never compensate for a human face and for that reason offline methods should not be abandoned, but online consultation can add considerable value and will continue to do so as more and more people choose to communicate online. And long term, the impact of good consultation goes beyond planning consent, benefitting community relations and ongoing community engagement – it lays the foundations of a sustainable community.
www.consultonlinewebsites.com
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Health & Safety
Clients should be very wary of asking designers to undertake the PD role without checking that they do have the right skills
For most domestic projects, an architect with some design risk management training should be capable of undertaking the Principal Designer role without assistance
What is also clear, and has been confirmed by the HSE, is that:
Principal Designer – the facts uncovered The amount of incorrect information regarding the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM2015) that is being written in magazines is really quite worrying – especially as much of it is coming from lawyers who should know better about being sure of their facts before going into print.
O
ne of the areas where there seems to be a degree of misunderstanding is around the issue of who can be a Principal Designer (PD). Quite a lot of published articles say that the former CDM coordinator cannot be the PD but that is absolute rubbish if the CDM coordinator is also a designer, as indeed a large number are. In fact those former CDMCs who are also designers are extremely well placed to be a Principal Designer. In a perfect world, the best person or organisation to be the Principal Designer is the lead designer on a project. But for them
22 Public Sector Build Journal
to be able to take on that role they need to have sufficient skills, knowledge and experience with regard to health and safety and the technical ability and skills to be in control of the pre-construction phase. A Principal Designer must be a designer and a designer that currently designs – not someone who has retained their design institute membership but has not actually undertaken design for quite some time. This is important as to discharge the PD role you need to be up to speed with design, design issues and the development that the construction industry has undergone over recent years.
The Principal Designer role does not have to be undertaken by a designer working on the project in a technical capacity. Yes this is the ideal scenario but it is not law. The Principal Designer can employ others to assist them to discharge their duties but by doing so they cannot offset their legal duties under the CDM Regulations. The problem faced by the industry is two-fold. Firstly some design institutes are not adequately advising their members that they need to have health and safety skills, knowledge and experience – as set out in CDM2015. The CDM2015 Regulations are a subset of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and, as such, are regulations about health and safety only, not whether or not an architect knows how to design a building technically. Secondly there are still numerous architects and building surveyors who know precious little about CDM and design risk management and are being scared by messages that they must be the Principal Designer on their projects. This is not true for all projects. On domestic projects they may well be the only designer and therefore almost certainly will be the PD, especially if the client does not appoint anyone else but on commercial projects and larger domestic projects that is not the case. It is very important to understand that the requirement for the Principal Designer to have health and safety skills, knowledge and experience is in proportion to the
Health & Safety
nature, size and complexity of the project in question. For most domestic projects, an architect with some design risk management training should be capable of undertaking the Principal Designer role without assistance. They certainly should not require the appointment of a sub-consultant adviser, unless the project happens to be a something like a million pound mansion in Surrey with a basement swimming pool! For commercial and larger projects the issues around design and construction health and safety tend to become more complex and in those situations it would be prudent for the person or organisation being offered the PD role to consider whether or not they have the necessary health and safety skills, knowledge and ability to plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction health and safety and then coordinate the matters arising from this process. In these situations it may be prudent for the designer, if they don’t have these skills within their organisation, to consider employing someone with the right capability to assist them with the PD duties. An alternative, longer term, approach would be for the designer to undertake training on how to discharge the Principal Designer role. Clients should be very wary of asking designers to undertake the PD role without checking that they do have the right skills, knowledge and experience as the CDM2015 Regulations place a strict duty on the client to ensure that both the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor comply with their duties. In addition, the success of the project
The success of a project in terms of health and safety relies heavily on how well the preconstruction phase is planned and managed
in terms of health and safety relies heavily on how well the pre-construction phase is planned and managed and as we have learnt over the last 20 years, good health and safety is good for business. So how can a client determine if the person or organisation they are appointing is suitably capable to discharge the Principal Designer role? Because of the need for skills, knowledge and experience to be proportionate to the project requirements, being on a register of Principal Designers does not necessarily determine if they are capable of undertaking the specific project. The client needs to do some ‘digging around’ to find out firstly if they are a designer and then secondly what training the designer has had regarding health and safety, and in particular the coordination of pre-construction health and safety, and then look at their experience of similar projects. Accreditation with Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) as a Principal Designer will also be a starting point for
larger practices. Essentially, the PD role can be undertaken by any person or organisation that undertakes design and has the right mix of health and safety skills, knowledge and experience. This could be an individual, a design practice, a local authority with a technical department or a client employing a CDM Adviser and instructing designers under their control. ‘Under their control’ means having a contract with them for their design services and paying them accordingly. All of this will, no doubt, come out in the wash over the coming months but the industry needs clear advice on these issues from the start if we are to avoid months of confusion and people taking on legal responsibility for CDM duties that they don’t actually have the capability to discharge.
www.aps.org.uk
info@aps.org.uk 0131 442 6600
Public Sector Build Journal 23
ed ed! lifi is ua gn t q co Ge et re g &
The MCIAT Professional Assessment
– a new qualifying route What is the MCIAT Professional Assessment?
The MCIAT Professional Assessment is a flexible, rigorous, robust and quality assured qualifying process, based on performance and designed to recognise the diversity of Architectural Technology. Candidates must provide an in-depth critical analysis clearly summarising their professional experience. This should be a reflective report and should refer to challenges and successes encountered whilst working on projects and how any issues were resolved. Applicants should also undertake a self-evaluation highlighting their strengths and weaknesses in relation to their area(s) of practice. The Professional Assessment process is based on four core competencies: • Designing • Managing • Practising • Developing (self)
Who can apply for the MCIAT Professional Assessment? Any applicant working in or on, for example, academia, general practice, component design, refurbishment, small residential projects, large commercial projects etc within Architectural Technology, should be able to apply their own experience to the Professional Assessment process, but they must hold one of the following membership grades: ACIAT, TCIAT or profile candidate. Each application will be assessed on its merit. However, each applicant will need to demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge and understanding and professional competence/experience in relation to their sphere/s of practice and demonstrate to the Institute they can meet the expectations of a Chartered Architectural Technologist, MCIAT.
How much does it cost? To apply for the Professional Assessment, applicants are required to pay £300 for the assessment of the application and the Professional Assessment Interview.
For further information email our Membership Director, James Banks via james@ciat.org.uk or call us on +44(0)20 7278 2206
Security
Boon Edam has designed the Speedlane Lifeline Series to be intuitive, interacting with all who approach it
Design meets security
Speedlane Lifeline Series. The new product range, which includes the slimmest security barrer in the industry, consists of three models, the Slide, Swing and Open, each of which are available in a variety of options. Whether it’s for a higher security level or disabled access, numerous combinations are possible. Recognising that each installation is different, the modular systems mean the product is highly customisable. Customers can accentuate their chosen product by selecting from an array of different colour options and finishes. Whether making a statement, fitting with corporate identity colours or creating a harmonious interior design. The Speedlane Lifeline Series can be ordered via Boon Edam subsidiaries and distributors across Europe. Interested customers also have the opportunity of visiting Boon Edam’s showroom in Edam, The Netherlands, to see the full product range first hand. Visits can be arranged via the company’s website.
The business world is ever changing. With people passing through all day long, the security of sensitive areas of buildings, as well as the personal safety of the people visiting must be guaranteed.
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ecognising this, Boon Edam has created a brand new security product range to manage the flow of people in and around a building. But how can a secure entrance environment be achieved whilst still being inviting? The ever changing business world has seen traditional 9-5 working days being replaced with a twenty-four seven culture. With this, a new view on building security is required as it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of who is in the building, where and when. Using new technologies and premium materials, Boon Edam has developed the new Speedlane Lifeline Series – an innovative and highly customisable security barrier for access control. On its journey to determine the requirements for the new product range, Boon Edam studied the behaviour of pedestrian mobility and listened to architects, building managers and tenants alike. This insight opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the company to create something truly unique. “As work environments become increasingly dynamic, the need for increased security measures within
buildings grows. Knowing this, we started seeing things from a new perspective to step ahead and meet changing demands,” explains Product Manager Daan van Beusekom. “As the name ‘Lifeline’ indicates, the product is alive and living. A sophisticated entry management system, we have designed the Speedlane Lifeline Series to be intuitive, interacting with all who approach it and guiding visitors through a secure gateway to their destination.” Taking into consideration the company’s findings, Boon Edam has launched the exquisitely designed,
www.boonedam.co.uk
Boon Edam has created a brand new security product range to manage the flow of people in and around a building
contact@boonedam.co.uk 01233 505900
Public Sector Build Journal 25
Education
Attainment through innovation and technology Speed, strength and sustainability – three compelling reasons why cross laminated timber (CLT) is becoming the structural system of choice to deliver educational development programmes throughout the UK. Cross laminated timber delivers maximum benefits, reduces capital and life cycle costs, whilst minimising the impact on the environment.
C
ross laminated timber is being used as a positive means of enhancing educational environments. The impact of internal materials on the comfort and wellbeing of end users is an area where more research is required but now strong anecdotal evidence is emerging – particularly from the educational sector – about the role timber can play in creating comfortable internal environments. CLT is becoming the material of choice for specifiers because of its inherent structural qualities such as speed and accuracy of construction, airtightness and
The main highlight of this project was delivering an exceptional educational facility that is valued by both staff and pupils
26 Public Sector Build Journal
carbon sequestration but it is also gaining recognition from end users for its beneficial effect on the internal environment – particularly when left exposed. Positive outcomes include: Exposed timber creates a natural, inviting and calming environment Enhanced acoustic properties, dampens sound Generates a peaceful space for effective teaching and learning Introduces sustainability and environmental awareness to students
Scientia Academy in profile In 2012, Staffordshire County Council put together a comprehensive school expansion plan including changing Christchurch Infants into a primary school, building a new school for St Modwens Catholic Primary and the creation of the new Scientia Academy. With an extensive portfolio of educational projects, the X-LAM Alliance was commissioned via Entrust Design Consultancy, to build the Scientia Academy. Built on the former Belvedere Park school site, the new Scientia Academy is designed to meet the needs of the growing student population of the Burton-on-Trent area. A hybrid structure was selected as the optimum solution, using cross laminated timber and structural steelwork to create flexible and open learning spaces. The central courtyard features mezzanine walkways which connect the teaching areas to supporting ancillary spaces. The academy encompasses places for around 420 foundation and primary school stage pupils and includes the redevelopment of the adjoining bowling club and upgrading of parking facilities. A new access road was also built for residents of Belvedere Road affected by the development. The build forms part of the council's plan to create an extra 1000 school places in the Burton-on-Trent area over the next decade in a bid to accommodate the rapidly rising birth rates in the town. The key driver for this innovative project was to provide a new purpose built educational establishment to serve an increasing population of school age children, while enabling staff to deliver outstanding education through the provision of exceptional facilities. These facilities include
Education
the core central hub area, together with erecting the full height panels to the sports hall. In order to overcome the challenges, rigorous and efficient planning and detailing was conducted in the early stages which led to a flawless design that worked perfectly. The main highlight of this project was delivering an exceptional educational facility that is valued by both staff and pupils. The positive feedback from the client has been outstanding with the contracts manager reporting: “Possibly the most stunning school I have ever worked on which was delivered without a hitch.”
A hybrid structure was selected as the optimum solution, using cross laminated timber and structural steelwork to create flexible and open learning spaces
Precision and punctuality Programme certainty and project planning is of vital importance – this is particularly true with new build educational projects, as with the Scientia Academy, the start and finish dates are often aligned with schools terms. Precision engineered in factory controlled conditions for onsite installation, using cross laminated timber as a core structural component reduces site construction time, which makes project planning less weather-dependant, more predictable and therefore, reduces programme risk. Internal works can proceed earlier to ensure the critical path run more smoothly, which improves construction and project delivery time, reduces costs, saves money and maximises efficiency on all levels. Site limitations, both access to the site approach and onsite space restrictions, impact on most educational developments and this was a challenge with the construction of Scientia Academy which is located in an urban, highly populated area – therefore to ensure programme certainty, consideration has to be given at an early stage of the design to the transport of material to and movement around the site.
The X-LAM Alliance was commissioned via Entrust Design Consultancy, to build the Scientia Academy
a 4D cinema, touch screen ICT suite, rooftop garden, spacious playgrounds and expertly designed classrooms. The new Scientia Academy has been developed by maximising offsite technology from sustainable engineered timber frame systems, manufactured in factory controlled conditions. The benefits of offsite construction include high quality standards, increased airtightness and the reduction of waste onsite. The hybrid structure of cross laminated timber and steel divides into seven blocks with a connecting central area that forms a hub of breakout spaces, creating a focal point for the school. It is formed from a combination of structural wall panels and steel brackets that are connected to the cross laminated timber wall panels with adjoining steelwork for the central core. The engineering of this was imperative due to the intricacy of the ‘spider’s web’ steelwork. All blocks are interlinked with two
storey corridors constructed from cross laminated timber with steel floor and roof beams. The central area is formed from steel with a cross laminated roof and metal deck walkway. The school has been carefully located – being developed in a built up area, offering excellent accessibility for pupils, with many living within walking distance of the Academy – resulting in a reduction in traffic around the sounding streets. The design team have managed to deliver a truly unique school environment which enhances the experience for both pupils and teachers. This has been achieved by creating flexible spaces which surround a central hub, providing opportunities for varied and small group teaching beyond the traditional classroom bases. Challenges for this project included ensuring that the central hub steelwork met with the receiving connecting brackets around the mezzanine floor surrounding
Future generations Timber is the number one renewable mainstream construction material that can produce greener buildings with a lower carbon footprint. The X-LAM Alliance adopts and applies Best Practice sustainability principles through all aspects of its processes, from raw material procurement through to manufacture, offsite processes and onsite assembly. Offering only PEFC or FSC certified timber ensures clients are guaranteed of Full Chain of Custody.
www.xlam-alliance.com
Public Sector Build Journal 27
Healthcare
At the heart of the primary care service delivery, two local GP practices have combined to form a single hub
Practices join forces The NHS Five Year Forward View, with its focus on breaking down barriers in care and bringing services closer to communities, is an ambitious vision for change, but one that has already been made into a reality on a former hospital site in Wimbledon, South West London.
T
he new Nelson Health Centre opened its doors on 1st April this year, with much celebration from professionals and residents alike, two years to the day after construction work had begun on the
site of the old Nelson Hospital. Facilitated by Community Health Partnerships (CHP), and conceived and delivered through a partnership between NHS Merton CCG and PPP South London
Health Partnerships Ltd, the £14m facility has greatly improved the accessibility of a range of health care services for local residents. By offering integrated primary, acute and community care services, the state-of-the-art centre is set to help reduce unnecessary trips to hospital, as those who previously travelled to St George’s Hospital, over three miles away, can now access a range of outpatient and diagnostic services locally. Dr Andrew Murray, Chair of NHS Merton CCG, said: “When we were planning the development, we really wanted to focus on offering residents high quality, seamless care from hospital to home, with the patient at the heart of it all. We worked really hard to develop the right mix of on-site services to help people understand and manage their own conditions, as well as treating new conditions.”
21st century buildings
The modern design of the building makes the clinics more accessible
28 Public Sector Build Journal
The new centre has been built on the site of the old Nelson Hospital (originally opened in 1912) but, although similar in size to the previous building, it has an entirely new configuration, designed to accommodate a more integrated set of health services, tailored according to the needs of the local population and befitting a 21st Century NHS. At the heart of the primary care service delivery, two local GP practices – The Cannon Hill Lane Medical Practice and The Church Lane Practice – have combined to form a single hub, The Nelson Medical Practice, that unites the best of both surgeries have to offer. Dr Caroline Toyn, GP at the Nelson Medical Practice said: “The new centre has
Healthcare
allowed the two practices to join forces and work more collaboratively. In addition, the modern design of the building makes our clinics more accessible, which helps us to maintain the highest possible quality of care for our patients.”
Integrating multiple services In October 2014, after a competitive tender process, the CCG appointed St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as specialist service provider for the centre, providing consultation and diagnostic services, and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide ophthalmology outpatient services. St George’s outpatient clinics at the new centre include rheumatology, orthopaedics and cardiology alongside a range of diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, endoscopy and x-ray, while South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust are providing community health services including an older peoples’ memory clinic and an eating disorders unit. Miles Scott, Chief Executive of St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Primary and community care is at the heart of the modern NHS and delivering services at the Nelson Health Centre will support St George’s vision of closing the gap between hospital and home. We look forward to working with Merton CCG to deliver improved outcomes for all our patients who receive healthcare in a community setting.” Other services delivered in the new facility include Musculoskeletal (MSK) clinics led by Sutton and Merton Community Services, and outpatient physiotherapy and podiatry and Holistic and Rapid Investigation services (HARI), which has a new remit to support a wider age group, catering for complex needs and diabetic eye screening.
Utilising technology Nelson Health Centre also houses community pharmacy services and is the new home of the Merton Recovery and Support Team. The Nelson Medical Practice, located at the centre, uses text messaging to remind patients of upcoming appointments. Whether a patient has arrived to see their GP or for a referral, they can use any of the check-in screens around the building, since they operate on a fully integrated system. Each kiosk provides appropriate directions for the patient, depending
The new centre has been built on the site of the old Nelson Hospital
The new centre has allowed the two practices to join forces and work more collaboratively
on where they check-in. All receptions, irrespective of who they work for, are set-up to help anyone coming into the building. Merton CCG led on the planning of the clinical services at the facility and worked with the appointed service providers to equip and prepare the building for opening its doors to patients.
London Health Partnership to Community Health Partnerships, who is now managing the facility as head tenant. Antek Lejk, Executive Director at Community Health Partnerships said: “The development of the Nelson is a testament to the benefits that can be reaped from a thorough and practical review and refresh of existing health and social care needs, services and estate. “We are proud to have supported the local health economy, addressing both financial and clinical challenges by working with key partners to align the estate with new service delivery models.”
A blueprint for healthcare When the construction and fit-out of the new Nelson Health Centre were completed in January 2015, responsibility for the building was passed from South
www.communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 29
Leisure Education
The design approach recognises the important role to maintain City University London's pre-imminence
Seamless sports facility One of the largest sports facilities to be developed in central London is now open; tp bennett was the architect and interior designer on CitySport, which offers sports facility for City University London. The project is part of a wider mixed-use regeneration scheme for the University.
A gym has been fitted with the latest fitness equipment
30 Public Sector Build Journal
M
easuring 3289m2 (35,402 sq ft), CitySport is 80% larger than Saddlers Sports Centre, which it replaced, and incorporates a six-court, multipurpose sports hall that is able to stage county standard badminton, basketball, indoor football, hockey, volleyball and netball events. tp bennett was originally appointed by City University London to complete a feasibility study and then worked together with developer Generation Estates to fully explore the site’s potential. At the time, it housed a redundant 1960s development, as well as Saddlers Sports Centre and two student residence blocks. The initial scheme sought to replace and update the existing sports centre as well as provide state-of-the-art student accommodation. After further discussion, a broader strategy was developed to create a first-class sports facility, for students, staff and alumni, and accessible to the local residential and business communities. This was to work alongside new education space for the university as well as the new en-suite student residences. The site was constrained on three sides by Goswell Road, Bastwick Street and Peartree Street; tp bennett’s challenge was to deliver a design that fitted seamlessly onto the site while respecting the adjacent streetscape, and improving the public realm so that it fitted harmoniously within its urban setting.
Leisure
CitySport has been designed to provide a local hub for sporting activities
A broad strategy was developed to create a first-class sports facility
The brief for CitySport was developed with Kevin Gibbons, Director of Property and Facilities at City University London and Alan Artus, Director of Generation Estates working alongside Bill Thompson, Head of Sport and Leisure at City University London, and Sport England. Bill Thompson, Head of Sport and Leisure at City, said: “CitySport has been designed to provide a local hub for sporting activities, with its large hall for team games, studios for wellbeing classes and a gym fitted with the latest fitness equipment. These fantastic facilities maximise the available space by combining great design with leading edge technology, making it one of the best university sports centres in the country.” Throughout the design phase, tp bennett overcame a number of challenges. The first was finding a way to incorporate the county standard sports hall measuring 36 x 27m, which also needed to seat 400 people from concealed bleacher seating. It required 12m clear headroom to meet Sport England’s standards and in addition a large span structure over the top. tp bennett’s solution involved excavating the hall a full level into the ground. Bill Soper, Principal Director of tp bennett, said: “Our design approach recognises the important role to maintain City University London’s pre-imminence and enhance its offer in the increasingly competitive market.
The scheme relates harmoniously in its setting while still providing high quality, modern facilities for the university and the wider community.” The CitySport building also includes a separate team entrance that enables disabled sport person event to be staged there, as well as meeting space, exercise studios and staff offices. As well as CitySport, tp bennett completed two student residential blocks which have been occupied since September 2014.
www.tpbennett.com
These fantastic facilities maximise the available space by combining great design with leading edge technology
Public Sector Build Journal 31
Drainage & Wastewater The stark lines and angles of the building are further enhanced by the effective SuperDeep 170 rainwater system
The strength of the SuperDeep 170 system comes from its carefully designed structure and superior wall thickness
Gold star guttering A new build extension at Castilion Primary School in North Thamesmead was one of the first developments in the UK to benefit from Kayflow's SuperDeep 170 rainwater system. Nearly two years on the highstrength, high-capacity system is performing beyond expectation.
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astilion Primary School is one of a number of community primary schools in the London Borough of Bexley, with admissions from nursery to 11 years old. Earning an Outstanding from Ofsted the school has a favourable reputation and is popular locally and further afield. Environment and facilities play an important role in pupil development. The school Mission Statement is ‘Raising the standards and expectations of all pupils based on their needs, attributes and achievements in a secure, happy and stimulating environment.’ This is further supported by comments from Headteacher, Steve Pepperrell, “…we are a strong team of
32 Public Sector Build Journal
The SuperDeep 170 has a huge drainage capacity and each fascia bracket is able to carry a weight of 125kg
experienced and committed staff working in a modern building with excellent facilities.” The school’s new two storey extension is representative of this commitment.
Fun, flexible space Completed over nine months, the new block replaces three portable buildings, two doubles and a single which had housed five classrooms. The extension offers much needed space and flexibility; it comprises six classrooms, the Deputy Headteacher’s office, toilet facilities, storeroom, two intervention rooms and a disabled lift which gives access to the first floor. Additional outdoor space allowed the school to extend the nursery playground and create a multi-
Drainage & Wastewater use games area (MUGA). The new building also created an additional pupil entrance. While simplistic in shape and form project architect, Martin Arnold Associates injected personality into the build using a tonal combination of materials. Creating distinct layers; warm neutral toned bricks intersperse traditional red brick, increasing from one course to five at the roofline. Wood-effect PVC-U casement windows and fascia boards complement the brickwork. The stark lines and angles of the building are further enhanced by the effective SuperDeep 170 rainwater system, an impressive feature in black.
Mental arithmetic A project manager from the Major Projects team at the London Borough of Bexley explains the principles behind the specification of the Kayflow system. “We had to ensure that the rainwater goods would handle all the rainwater from the pitched and flat roof areas which included any water directed from existing roofs into the new guttering and downpipes. Our calculations enabled us to determine guttering depth and volume and the number of downpipes required. “Through experience we ensure that a rainwater system can handle a little more than the volumes calculated for the total roof area. For Castilion Primary School we required 170mm guttering and 110mm diameter downpipes.”
Super powers With a market leading flow rate of around 10 litres per second, the SuperDeep 170 has a huge drainage capacity and each fascia bracket is able to carry a weight of 125kg, that’s around 19.5 stone. Recommended for fixing at 600mm intervals, once the brackets are in position the guttering simply clicks into place, it is an extremely easy product to install. The SuperDeep 170 system is available in black or grey. This outer skin is co-extruded onto a white base which helps to deter heat build-up, a common enemy of large guttering systems; reducing expansion and contraction within the system and the risk of leaks. The strength of the SuperDeep 170 system comes from its carefully designed structure and superior wall thickness. The fittings are designed with strength in mind and are positively fixed, including the 90˚ angle which has been produced in external and internal formats. This increases
The Kayflow system installed at Castilion Primary School has endured some of the worst weather to hit the country in over 100 years
the strength of the system and provides additional support in the areas where it is needed most. “We specified PVC rainwater goods because they are cost-effective and maintenance free. Also, if we were to require replacement items at any point in the future they are readily available,” continued the project manager from the Major Projects team for the London Borough of Bexley.
homeowners, businesses and farmers, up and down the country. The associated repair work, namely roofs, roofline and rainwater systems was said to keep tradesmen and contractors busy for most of 2014. There were new rainfall records set in east Scotland, south west England and south Wales, while south east and central southern England also broke their winter record on 11th February 2014, totalling 439.2mm; a record held since 1914-15. The Kayflow system installed at Castilion Primary School therefore has endured some of the worst weather to hit the country in over 100 years. “Following bouts of extreme weather we’ve had no defects and have received no complaints about surface run-off or drainage issues. We can happily assume that since the rainwater goods were installed they are performing as they should,” said the project manager from the Major Projects team for the London Borough of Bexley. On a daily basis the premises manager is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the school. “Since it was installed the rainwater system has been excellent. We’ve had no issues,” he said. “Considering we are surrounded by trees, we haven’t had any blocked gutters, drains or downpipes; the water just drains away.”
Rain, rain go away! A study in 2006 by the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia reported a century-long trend towards more intense precipitation. Findings in Document 15: Changing intensity of rainfall over Britain by Tim Osborn and Douglas Maraun showed a decreasing number of wet days, resulting in an overall reduction in total precipitation but in some regions of the UK the intensity of rain had increased. This pattern of fewer wet days but increasing intensity of rainfall events, which will test the capacity of existing drainage systems, is set to continue into the next decade of the 21st century. The winter of 2013-14 saw the UK besieged by rainfall; it was officially the wettest winter on record. Around 6500 homes were affected by the floods and the heavy and persistent rainfall highlighted many more problem areas for councils,
www.kayflow.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 33
HVAC Space Group and Arch Homes have completed four new houses in Blyth, Northumberland
Affordable heating solution The need to build more energy efficient homes is becoming more apparent. Whilst alleviating the damage to our environment is a well-documented reason for doing so, the social and economic benefits of sustainability cannot be underestimated.
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pace Group and Arch Homes have completed four new houses in Blyth, Northumberland. Each is equipped with renewable technologies to provide residents with homes so sustainable that their heating and power costs are included in the rent. The need to reduce tenants’ energy bills was the primary reason behind the commissioning of these new ‘Spacehus’ homes. Research undertaken by Arch Homes – a development group run by Northumberland County Council – shows that 77,000 families in the North East have experienced energy debt. Space Group CEO, Rob Charlton said: “There’s been a lot of talk around energy companies failing to pass on lower costs to their customers, and this building model provides an affordable alternative for the region’s families and young working professionals. The aim is to take this model and apply it nationally, which is a really exciting prospect.” In realising its goals, how Space Group set about heating the buildings efficiently was an important factor. A sufficiently sustainable, powerful, yet entirely affordable solution was required. Jaga’s wall-mounted Strada radiators
34 Public Sector Build Journal
were chosen to warm the living spaces, while the Sani Bow towel radiator was selected for the bathrooms. The Strada is equipped with Jaga’s unique Low-H2O heat exchanger, meaning it is a low mass, low water content radiator. This makes it highly responsive to temperature change, and helps to cut energy bills by 10% when compared with a standard steel panel radiator. The Sani Bow towel radiator features a stylish, minimalist design and blends in perfectly with the buildings’ contemporary aesthetics. Because both radiator models are compatible with any low pressure hot water central heating system, they were the ideal solution. But the decision to employ Jaga’s renowned heating technology did not just result from the exceptional performance of the radiators. In creating these homes of the future, Building Information Modelling (BIM) was utilised throughout the design and building process. Because Jaga can provide Revit compatible BIM files for its products, Space Group was able to incorporate the radiators into their designs early on. The advantage of using BIM was that Space Group could virtually build and test every element of the buildings’ performance and construction, with the
Jaga's wall-mounted Strada radiators were chosen to warm the living spaces
designs being reinforced with accurate data to help predict its long-term operational performance. They could physically see, in advance, how Jaga’s radiators would help to achieve the aim of sustainably combatting high energy costs. At a time when building construction and performance is under the spotlight, Jaga’s all-encompassing service and technologically sophisticated product selection can guide specifiers towards sustainable, affordable heating solutions.
www.jaga.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal
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Public Sector Build Journal 35
BIM
BIM works best when teams are integrated and fully interdisciplinary
The final hurdles
Mark Leeson, head of design disciplines at McBains Cooper, asks are we doing enough to make BIM the standard?
W
ith only a year to go before the Government mandates Level 2 BIM on public sector projects, uptake remains slow. The annual survey by BIM resource NBS showed just 48% of respondents report using BIM, down from 54% last year, while law firm Pinsent Masons’ BIM 2015 survey found 71% believe the industry will fail to reach Level 2 capability for all procured projects by 2016. Last year this was 64%, so scepticism is growing. On the plus side, main contractors are clearly starting to understand the significance and Interserve were the first to be Level 2 accredited in midMay. On the architect front, uptake is encouraging, but there are very few formal accreditations; BDP were the first company certified at Level 2 late last year. Meanwhile, other disciplines remain further behind and are unlikely to meet the April 2016 target. Looking ahead to that critical point, the challenges faced by the industry remain the same: the process of becoming accredited is not a simple one and the cost of uptake – software, hardware and
36 Public Sector Build Journal
training – is significant. Protocols are not easy to set up and there is a world of difference between establishing them and putting them into practice. Another cultural problem is that although firms recognise the potential benefits, most are daunted by it, don’t fully understand it and have very real resourcing issues in managing it. In the public sector, especially, there is a real link between austerity and capability, so at a time when cutbacks are being made to front line services, it is a major challenge for clients to make significant commitments to invest in IT and people with the skills needed for full BIM adoption and conversion. As a result, there is not the ‘top down’ push and insistence on going beyond Level 2, where the major benefits to clients in terms of facilities management and longterm operations lie. In tandem, the supply chain remains fragmented. BIM works best when teams are integrated and fully interdisciplinary. But teams are currently struggling with problems such as different versions of software, including niggles like once work
is saved in the newer version of Revit it cannot be saved back to earlier versions such as 2012. There are also a plethora of related issues such as IP, copyright, professional indemnity insurance, scope and definition of design responsibility, level of modeling, security and control of external data. Crucially, there remains a fundamental lack of a full understanding of BIM too. A little like sustainability when it first became the buzzword of the day, the general understanding is still a superficial one. I recently heard a contractor describe the benefits of BIM as the ability to produce fly-throughs and excellent 3D views. This is of course true in part, but that is not the broader benefit, or the real point of it. At McBains Cooper we are now working on two major projects in both the public and private sectors that will achieve BIM level 2: a divisional headquarters in the public sector and a private sector training facility. We are working towards business wide Level 2 accreditation and the aim is to achieve this in the autumn well in advance of the April deadline, though in reality, we have been working at Level 2 style protocol for some time. My concern is that few others in the industry are near this level yet, and the clock is definitely ticking.
www.mcbainscooper.com
Contact:
www.portakabin-group.co.uk information@portakabin.co.uk 0845 401 0010
Quality - this time - next time - every time
Portakabin Group increases school support
The Portakabin Group has expanded its work with schools, universities and young people with a range of new initiatives as part of its corporate social responsibility programme. So far this financial year, the Group has helped 16 schools and universities and more than 550 pupils and students. Recent activities range from interview practice days and mentoring programmes in schools, supporting careers events, providing research projects for university students, to stimulating interest in apprenticeships and encouraging more children to consider science, technology and manufacturing as a career. Derek Carter, Chief Executive of the Portakabin Group, said: “We want to harness the enthusiasm and expertise of our staff from across the Portakabin Group to inspire young people and open up a world of opportunities and possibilities. Our aim is to help them develop their confidence, life skills, and give them an insight into different career choices, how business works, the fantastic construction industry and into a great British manufacturer.”
Public Sector Build Journal 37
Street Furniture
FM Conway needed to find a solution that shifted the balance in favour of the pedestrian
Reinventing the streets of Twickenham Accessibility is a key concern in Richmond Council’s major regeneration of Twickenham town centre. Lawrence Bowen from contractor FM Conway explains how intelligent design and smart use of street furniture has made the brand new town centre welcoming to all.
Decorative lighting columns have been installed along the length of the riverside area
I
n September and October of this year, the town of Twickenham will play host to one of 2015’s most anticipated sporting events: the Rugby World Cup. By the time the tournament begins, the biggest regeneration project in Twickenham’s recent history will have been completed. The project is a multi-million pound public realm overhaul, designed to refresh the look and feel of the town centre and cement its place as a true destination for residents and visitors alike. Led by the London Borough of Richmond-uponThames and delivered by FM Conway as the main contractor, the regeneration is taking place across the whole of the town centre, but with a particular focus on the junction between King Street and Church Street – the heart of the retail and leisure district – and the riverside embankment area a short distance from the town centre. The accessibility of the new town centre area is of vital importance to the council, along with the visual aesthetics of the area as a key destination. The challenge has been to create an interesting and engaging public space while ensuring that clutter is kept to a minimum to maximise accessibility; all set against the background of reducing the dominance of traffic on one of the area’s busiest main roads. It is a delicate balance to strike, and one that has required intelligent design and the smart deployment of street furniture to achieve.
Shared spaces On the surface, the simplest way to make a town centre more accessible for shoppers is to pedestrianise the entire
38 Public Sector Build Journal
Street Furniture
Towards the eastern end of the riverside area, a permanent ‘play beach’ has been created
area. However this can have a detrimental effect on footfall. People can find the lack of vehicle access inconvenient, and will be less likely to use the high street for ‘click and collect’ – one of the key drivers of recent high street revivals. In the case of Twickenham, King Street is a key commuter route, so pedestrianising the road was simply not an option. But with noisy, busy and congested roads unwelcoming to shoppers and tourists, we needed to find a solution that shifted the balance in favour of the pedestrian. The most impactful way of doing this is to widen pavements as much as the street will allow. This gives shoppers a greater share of street space, increases the number of people who can access stores and physically moves traffic away from shops. The existing bus stops on King Street – which were located in the middle of the main high street – have been moved to either end of the town centre, allowing us to widen the footways by up to 1.5 metres. This allows retailers and leisure providers to ‘spill out’ onto the street – breaking down barriers between the road and stores and creating a more vibrant space.
Intelligent use of street furniture Safety has to be a key consideration when designing a public realm in which pedestrians and road users will closely interact, and the temptation is often to deploy barriers and street furniture to create a division between the road and footway. We’ve found, however, that by bringing the level of the road close to that of the pavement – especially at key pedestrian
crossings – traffic slows down naturally as drivers become more aware of the pedestrians around them. It may seem counter intuitive, but by making one level street scene and removing pedestrian barriers, you remove a false sense of security and force drivers to think more carefully about their speed. We have used this approach on Church Street – a retail and leisure hotspot that plays host to a number of prestigious independent shops and restaurants. Combined with a new speed limit of 20mph introduced by the council, we have created an area that is safe and accessible for pedestrians, while being free from clutter – something that’s especially important for disabled users.
Modern benches have been installed in the main square at the junction of King Street and Church Street
installed opposite the waterfront, with seating areas built in between the planters alongside eight semi-mature Pin Oaks. Towards the eastern end of the riverside area, a permanent ‘play beach’ has been created at Champions Wharf, with seating areas located nearby to allow parents to watch their children as they play in the beach area.
In with the new The street furniture that remains in the town centre at Twickenham has been wholly replaced, using materials and styles that complement the town’s historic architecture. The modern benches that have been installed in the main square at the junction of King Street and Church Street are built around newly planted trees, creating quiet and easily accessible seating areas in the middle of the town centre. The area has also been repaved with 2000 square metres of high-quality York Stone, and new lighting columns have been installed. Less than 200 yards from the junction of King Street and Church Street, the riverside embankment area has been given a similarly extensive overhaul. Decorative lighting columns have been installed along the length of the riverside area, which is now surfaced with new heritage gravel. A series of five large planters have been
A showcase for public realm design Around 800,000 rugby fans from around the world are expected to arrive in the UK this autumn, of which a large portion will be visiting Twickenham to see one of the Rugby World Cup matches; either at the stadium itself or in one of the town’s many bars and pubs. It will be the ultimate test of the design of the regenerated town centre. However with accessibility having been front of mind for the entirety of the project, both FM Conway and the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames are confident that the new-look Twickenham will pass the test with flying colours.
www.fmconway.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 39
Paints, Coatings & Finishes High traffic areas such as entrance halls, corridors and lift lobbies can be particularly problematic as paintwork can quickly look dirty
Local authorities must provide properties that are in a good state of repair
Delivering a lasting finish For those responsible for maintenance across public sector housing stock, it is imperative to create welcoming environments. One way of doing this is to implement effective maintenance programmes. Here, Tony Walker from Johnstone’s Trade, looks at some of the most common issues that can be faced and explains how coatings can help deliver lasting solutions.
H
ousing providers are increasingly facing the arduous task of ensuring their buildings are protected against damp and mould and residents are protected from the potential associated health risks. In areas prone to high levels of moisture and condensation, such as kitchens and bathrooms, simply repainting over damp can be incredibly time-consuming and costly. While a midsheen or acrylic eggshell product is highly recommended, specialist coatings can help prevent damp from coming back. Opting for a specialist anti-condensation paint, which works by providing a matt finish that insulates the surface and absorbs then releases the condensed water back into the air, can help to prevent unsightly streaks made from condensation runs. Damp-proof paints, which contain a water-reactive agent that eliminates residual surface moisture, are also readily available for use on interior walls and ceilings, with Johnstone’s Damp Proof paint flexible enough to be used either as a primer or a finish in its own right.
40 Public Sector Build Journal
Don’t fan the flames All public sector bodies have a legal ‘Duty of Care’ and with the safety of residents being paramount, taking steps to minimise fire risk in their premises is essential. As regular redecoration is an unavoidable part of any maintenance programme, taking a fresh look at the type of coating used can provide extra protection from fire. Several leading paint manufacturers, including Johnstone’s, now offer systems specially formulated to inhibit the surface spread of flame, which will simplify the specification process for both newly painted and previously painted surfaces.
Ensure a robust finish As well as creating healthy environments and ensuring the safety of residents, local authorities must also provide properties that are in a good state of repair. High traffic areas such as entrance halls, corridors and lift lobbies can be particularly problematic as paintwork can quickly look dirty and in need of refreshing. Specifying a durable paint which will perform in busy
environments and stand up to regular cleaning is the ideal way to combat this perennial issue without the expense. Such products have been designed to retain their aesthetic appeal, helping to keep the decor looking fresher for longer.
Be aware of external forces Unfortunately it isn’t just everyday wear and tear that needs to be addressed and sadly not all damage to properties is accidental. Graffiti to both internal and external areas can also be a recurring problem and the negative effects that this form of vandalism can have on the local community are significant, with graffiti leading to a fear of crime and contributing to the overall dilapidation of the area. Traditional methods of removal include the use of pressure washers, either using hot or cold water or a bicarbonate of soda solution and although these methods can be effective, they can be costly and offer little or no protection to the fabric of the building itself. Older buildings are particularly vulnerable, as not only can the graffiti cause damage to porous masonry but the use of high-pressure washers can also eventually lead to surface erosion. The need to combine protection with effective removal has therefore led to the development of anti-graffiti coatings and paints, such as Johnstone’s 2 Pack Anti-Graffiti Glaze and 2 Pack Anti-Graffiti Finish. When applied and used correctly, such products enable buildings to be safely and continuously cleaned without compromise.
www.johnstonestrade.com
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, tailor-made new portal delivers the right content to the right audience in the shortest time possible.
www.psbj.co.uk
Search ‘psbj’
Public Sector Build Journal 41
Doors & Windows
A clear view to patient privacy Patient privacy is a basic human right and is of upmost importance to Trusts and healthcare facilities across the country. With this in mind leading provider of door, people and places protection, Intastop Ltd, has launched a range of unique IntaGlaze vision panels that provide discretion whilst at the same time allowing increased visibility.
A
s a leading innovator in the healthcare sector, Intastop has developed IntaGlaze to ensure the dignity of staff and service users within a variety of health, mental health and other public buildings. The panels, which are also designed in accordance with the Department of Health Environmental Design Guide for Adult Medium Secure Units, utilises a triple glazed system that benefits from 20mm double width stripes which provide up to 45% visibility – giving privacy and visibility equal importance. Sarah Barsby, Marketing Director for Intastop Ltd commented: “Keeping patients safe whilst ensuring their privacy is of paramount importance within many facilities in which we work. Vision panels are an area in which we conducted extensive research and found that a more simple operation and mechanism for staff and patients using them would mean they are seen as an essential element to the make up of doors where this is a requirement. The unique design of IntaGlaze offers flexibility in glass and size combinations yet still offers impact resistance.”
42 Public Sector Build Journal
The panel utilises a triple glazed system that benefits from 20mm double width stripes which provide up to 45% visibility
IntaGlaze Vision Panels benefit from a frameless design which gives flexibility in sizing and thickness, ideal for retrofit projects. The unique design features of IntaGlaze Panels mean they can be tailored to individual requirements including antiligature. Additional features offered within this quiet manual operated panel include omni-directional (idea for both left and right handed users) option for operator comfort, dual or single lever operation on one or both sides, standard key, Lifeline Key or anti-ligature knob. “The Lifeline Key element was an area highlighted by our customers. They wanted a safe but uncomplicated operation and one that could be compatible with operating the full doorset, including door locking and a removable doorstop,” commented Sarah. “The varying operational choices plus variety of sizes or colours available does make IntaGlaze a truly essential element for assessing and preventing potential self-harm risks as well as ensuring staff privacy.” As is standard with Intastop products the IntaGlaze Vision Panels are fire rated to
FD30 and FD60 and tested to BS476:Part 20 and 22. They are available as rectangular 254 x 804mm, 254 x 404mm or 404 x 404mm square other sizes are available on request. Finishes include a variety of beading options such as hardwood timber, PVC-u in a range of colours and stainless steel frame for mental health applications.
www.intastop.com
sales@intastop.com 01302 364666
Additional features offered within this quiet manual operated panel include an omnidirectional option for operator comfort
Doors, Windows & Facades
EOS Facades partners with Interserve Construction Light steel frame manufacturer, EOS Facades has announced it has entered into a partnering agreement with Interserve Construction to build seven state-of-the-art new schools. This is part of the Hertfordshire, Luton and Reading (HLR) Schools development plan, which falls under the Priority School Building Programme. EOS Facades is the appointed supplier of material for the steel framing systems (SFS) at the new HLR Schools. This news comes on the back of an announcement from the Education
Funding Agency (EFA) that Interserve Construction have won the contract worth a capital value of between £100m and £150m, for the first privately financed batch of schools procured under the programme. Steve Thompson, Managing Director for EOS Facades comments: “This is a significant milestone in the evolution of EOS Facades, and demonstrates our capabilities as a leading supplier of steel framing systems. We are delighted to be involved with such a rewarding project and look forward to working with Interserve Construction in this outstanding venture.”
Each school will be purpose-built, benefiting more than 8900 pupils and are planned for completion in August 2016. The schools set to benefit include: Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School, Hatfield, Hertfordshire; Goffs School, near Cheshunt, Hertfordshire; Kings Langley School, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire; Longdean School, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire; Reading Girls’ School, Reading, Berkshire; Stopsley High School, Luton, Bedfordshire and Westfield Academy, Watford, Hertfordshire. www.eos-facades.co.uk
enquiries@eosuk.org 01325 303030
Schueco guide to help obtain BREEAM certification
Yale launches AutoSecure multipoint lock Yale Door and Window Solutions has launched AutoSecure, an innovative new multipoint lock designed to help protect properties and keep residents safe and secure. The new Yale AutoSecure multipoint lock delivers improved resident security and reduces maintenance call outs and fees for social landlords, thanks to an automatic mechanism which fires all locking points at once. This reliable new door locking system features a central hook to provide added security and offers a reduced risk of crimes where residents have been followed, as once the door is closed all the hooks throw instantly. www.yaledoorandwindow
solutions.co.uk
With sustainability becoming increasingly important in the design and construction of new buildings, Schueco has produced a Guide and comprehensive set of documents to assist architects in the selection of Schueco aluminium windows, doors and facades best suited for BREEAM projects.As well as explaining the fundamental aspects of BREEAM and the scoring system, the Guide demonstrates the influence Schueco products can have on the various BREEAM categories where credits are scored – the main ones being Management, Health and Wellbeing, Energy, Materials and Waste. www.schueco.co.uk
mkinfobox@schueco.com
01908 282111
KeyPad escutcheon offers SMARTair security ASSA, part of Security Solutions, a division of ASSA ABLOY UK, has launched a KeyPad escutcheon that features multi-factor authentication, providing extra security for its SMARTair wireless access control system. SMARTair is a door management system that allows sophisticated proximity access control using minimal wire-free door units. The new KeyPad escutcheon offers three levels of user authentication: it can be opened by 4-digit code, by RFID-enabled smartcard, or can require both to permit access. With no wiring required, the bolt-on SMARTair unit and KeyPad escutcheon can easily be installed onto virtually any mechanical door, minimising disruption to the day-to-day operations of buildings.
info@yaledws.co.uk
01242 221200
www.assa.co.uk
sales@assa.co.uk
0845
070 6713
Public Sector Build Journal 43
Roofing, Cladding & Insulation
‘Z-wave’ technology in FAKRO roof windows FAKRO FTP-V Electro windows, most notably the natural pine and FTU-V white, PU-coated pine roof windows now incorporate ‘Z-wave’ wireless technology. This enables them to be controlled alongside blinds and appliances from over 200 manufacturers, whether you are home or away. Operation can be through single or multi-channel wall keyboards, programmable remotes or smart phone and the low-power radio frequency device can also be retrofitted. Range is virtually unlimited and the ZWPTV multi-channel remote has an active screen and capacity to operate up to 36 receivers. www.fakro.co.uk
sales@fakrogb.com
01283
554755
Eltherington inspires with Metal Showcase Eltherington, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high quality architectural metalwork solutions, has unveiled its Metal Showcase, an inspirational new 20 page ‘look-book’ style brochure. Metal Showcase features the company’s full range of high quality metalwork facades which, over the last 55-plus years, have been specified on some of the UK’s most recognisable and iconic buildings. Each of Eltherington’s architectural metalwork solutions has its own section within Metal Showcase, to make the guide easy to use and to allow designers to quickly identify their preferred ‘look’. www.eltherington.co.uk
info@eltherington.co.uk
01482 320336
BRE confirms airopen underlay performance Klober Permo air has been independently tested for wind uplift by the BRE and found to be suitable for use up to Zone 5 on the recently introduced BS 5534 wind speed map (with laps taped or battened in zones 4 and 5). The BBA-certified, air-open underlay has consistently proved to be the most breathable membrane available and provides the perfect means of preventing formation of roof space condensation during a building’s critical drying out period. With a water vapour resistance of 0.03 MN/sg, the NHBC has also approved its use without supporting high level ventilation. www.klober.co.uk
klober@yourresponse.co.uk 813050
01332
VMZINC compact roof for Wyre Forest Crematorium
Panel Systems installs at a great place A new social housing development being built on behalf of Great Places Housing Group is benefiting from stylish cladding panels fabricated and supplied by Sheffield-based Panel Systems. Main contractor Balfour Beatty appointed Panel Systems to supply 600m2 of Marley Eternit’s EQUITONE [natura] external cladding for the Richmond Park development in Handsworth, Sheffield. Panel Systems cut the panels to size and drilled them to meet the project’s requirements, so they would be quicker and easier to fit on site. The company worked closely with Balfour Beatty, to ensure supply panels on call-off, ensuring a quick and straightforward installation.
A standing seam roof in VMZINC QUARTZZINC PLUS has been used in Howl Associates’ design of the new Wyre Forest Crematorium in Kidderminster. It consists of a series of ‘floating’ roof forms separated from walls with frameless clerestory glazing. Acoustic considerations were a prime concern due to the proximity of an adjacent industrial estate, major road and rifle range. Zinc, with its Green Guide A rating and compact roof build-up, was selected to deal with the complex geometry of the main chapel building and used alongside green roofs on the site maintenance building. www.vmzinc.co.uk
sales@panelsystems.co.uk 0114 275 2881
44 Public Sector Build Journal
vmzinc.uk@umicore.com
01992
822288
Pro-tecting best value for leisure facilities East Staffordshire Borough Council is delivering best value in leisure provision through the redevelopment of Uttoxeter Leisure Centre. Uttoxeter’s future leisure needs will be protected long term, via the Council’s use of Protan single ply roofing membrane. Some 2000m2 of mechanically fixed dark grey Protan SE1.6mm standard overlap membrane has been used to create a new roof over the upgraded and extended facility. “Retaining and upgrading existing, and adding new facilities was deemed the most appropriate option to meet the future leisure/ sports needs of the Borough,” explained Mark Rizk, East Staffordshire Borough Council Shared Services Manager.
www.panelsystems.co.uk
www.protan.co.uk
customercare@protan.co.uk
01925 658001
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Public Sector Build Journal 45
HVAC
Hartpury College swaps big bills for biomass Natural energy supplier, Euroheat is helping a leading agricultural and sports college save an impressive 400,000kg of carbon per year by making the switch to biomass technology in a bid to reduce its annual £800,000 energy bill, while receiving Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments of just under £80,000 per year. Hartpury College campus, in Gloucester, covers some 360 hectares and is a residential learning hub for more than 1300 students working towards qualifications in equine, sport and animal and land studies.
The site already boasts solar pv panels, so it was a natural progression that further green technology was installed. Simon Holden, co-founder of Euroheat, explained: “We’re delighted the college
is now reaping huge benefits by opting for a biomass district heating system. We have installed four Euroheat prefabricated Energy Cabins, each containing a 199kW HDG Compact wood pellet boiler, integrated 14 tonne pellet store and 4000 litre accumulator. “As a result, campus managers can now look forward to saving on the cost of over 150,000 litres of oil previously used on-site, replacing it with the estimated 300 tonnes of wood pellets the boilers will use.” Completed in December 2014, the project required a solution to supply heat and hot water to the accommodation, kitchen and Further Education buildings. Euroheat was identified as the best supplier for the project by Steve Luker Associates, consultant for the project, who added: “There were no real issues with installation; once the preparation work had been completed to link into the existing oil system, which is being retained as back-up; the Energy Cabins were simply and swiftly installed.”
www.euroheat.co.uk enquiries@euroheat.co.uk 01885 491112
Equinix chooses Munters IEC Equinix, one of the world’s largest data centre operators and Internet exchanges, has chosen Munters Oasis Indirect Evaporative Coolers (IEC) to achieve world leading sustainable server climate control for its new London LD6 data centre in Slough. The new data centre will meet the demand from Equinix’s customers in financial services, cloud and enterprise segments and aims to achieve platinum level accreditation in Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED). Forty Munters Oasis IEC 200’s will supply over 8MW of cooling for the IT Load for the first phase of LD6. The new LD6 data centre will provide a capacity of 8000m2 equivalent to housing 2770 server cabinets. www.munters.com
info@munters.co.uk
01480 432243
Commercial meets domestic with new Bosch boiler Leading manufacturer, Bosch Commercial and Industrial Heating, has enhanced its market-leading range of gas-fired boilers with the launch of a 50kW GB162 boiler. The new appliance has been introduced to offer even more installation flexibility for heating engineers and perfectly bridges the gap between domestic boilers and Bosch’s current light commercial GB162 range. With net efficiencies of up to 110% and NOx emissions of less than 40mg/kWh, the GB162 range provides clean, low-carbon heating and hot water and can also be installed in a cascade arrangement up to 800kW with the ability to modulate down to as little as 2.5% of the total output.
A standing ovation for Hamworthy boilers The New Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Kent is reaping the benefits of hugely reduced gas consumption thanks to a rebuild and heating upgrade to Hamworthy Purewell VariHeat boilers. The old theatre was fitted with six Hamworthy UR atmospheric boilers from the 1980s that were no longer operating efficiently. The boilers were replaced with six Hamworthy Purewell VariHeat 110kW cast iron, condensing modular boilers installed by Canterbury based contractor Halsion Limited. These boilers provide the heating via heating coils and air handling units in the auditorium. They are also the indirect heat source for a calorifier to supply the domestic hot water for the building’s showers and taps. www.hamworthy-heating.com
www.bosch-industrial.co.uk commercial.enquiries@uk.bosch.com 0330 123 3004
46 Public Sector Build Journal
sales@hamworthy-heating.com 0845 450 2865
HVAC
Pre-payment solution meets Metering & Billing Regulations With the recent introduction of the heat network (Metering & Billing) regulations for District and Communal heating systems, building owners, developers and Housing Associations must now ensure meters are installed in each dwelling to accurately measure energy use for residents. Prior to these regulations it was common place for residents to pay a flat rate for heating and hot water, which was not based on usage but just divided equally by all dwellings. Evinox Energy offers a simple solution to meet the regulations with their PaySmart pre-payment technology, which is inbuilt in every ModuSat Heat interface unit. Not only is the technology integrated, it can also be activated remotely at any time, providing a flexible billing approach. The Evinox Energy range of ModuSat heat interface units is the only product available that features integrated pre-pay ready billing technology. Other pre-payment
systems require additional hardware to be installed in the dwelling, which can add cost to the project. In addition, many other solutions are also wireless, which may sound attractive, but can bring a host of issues especially where there is an unstable connection. Unlike Evinox’s hardwired Bus or Ethernet system, which is not susceptible to any of these wireless connectivity issues. The PaySmart system enables residents to be in control of their own energy bills by paying in advance and therefore removing any burden of building up unpaid bills or debt. Unlike traditional pre-payment systems, the process of adding energy credit to the PaySmart system is automated so
there is no requirement for the resident to insert a card for activation. Residents can purchase their energy online using the Residents Website 24hrs a day, at a local Payzone outlet, by monthly Direct Debit or Standing Order, using the Web App on a smart phone or tablet any time or over the telephone. www.evinoxenergy.co.uk info@evinox.co.uk
01372 722277
Equinix LD6 Smart Data Centre use Oasis™ Indirect Evaporative Coolers Equinix, one of the world’s largest data centre operators and Internet exchanges opened their sixth London data centre LD6 in Slough. The company use forty Munters Oasis Indirect Evaporative Coolers to achieve world leading sustainable server climate control, meeting the demand from Equinix’s customers. Supplying over 8MW of cooling for the IT Load for the first phase of LD6 the new data centre will provide a capacity of 8,000 square metres equivalent to housing 2,770 server cabinets. Equinix ‘s investment in the LD6 data centre, utilises Oasis’s award winning innovative patented indirect evaporative heat exchanger and 100% natural ventilation. “LD6 is a hugely exciting project; the facility will be the most advanced data centre in the UK. We are committed to providing continuous improvement for our customers and set new standards in efficiency and sustainability,” said Russell Poole, managing director of Equinix UK. •High efficiency cooling •Annualised cooling PUE of 1.06 •Fully separated air •Use of any fresh water type •Annualised project PUE of 1.2 Full case study available at: www.munters.com/equinix
08708 505 202
dryair@munters.co.uk
munters.co.uk
Public Sector Build Journal 47
Floors, Walls & Ceilings
Flowfast floor supports sports and celebrations The award-winning SSE Hydro arena utilised several high performance resin flooring solutions from Flowcrete UK to create surfaces that would maintain an attractive finish despite being continuously walked and danced on top of by thousands of revellers. Over 9000m2 of Flowcrete UK flooring solutions were installed throughout the venue. This includes 8500m2 of Flowfast Quartz in the arena’s main bowl area and a further 511m2 of Mondéco Classic in the VIP lounge rooms.
The robust, easy to clean nature of these floors makes them ideal for a stadium setting, as they are able to withstand the movement of large bodies of people over an extended period of time to maintain a seamless and unblemished surface. The floor in the main arena would also be at risk from a variety of other damaging factors that could crack an inadequate floor finish. The durability of Flowfast Quartz means that it will be able to overcome these challenges. Flowcrete UK’s Flowfast range includes the fast cure methyl methacrylate (MMA) catalyst, which speeds up the rate of
cure to only a couple of hours. The floor in the SSE Hydro’s VIP lounge rooms would have to face similar challenges – as the environment’s luxurious aesthetics couldn’t be allowed to be diminished by a cracked, stained or failing finish. To ensure that the floor enhanced the stylish surroundings of the VIP rooms, a dark Mondéco Crystal floor was installed with a blend of mirrored and clear glass chippings incorporated into the surface to create a shimmering lustre underfoot. www.flowcrete.co.uk
ukweb@flowcrete.com 01270 753000
Johnstone’s Trade chosen for Fusion21 framework
Polyflor celebrated as top Green Manufacturer Vinyl flooring manufacturer Polyflor was recognised for its green credentials when it received the prize for Green/Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year at Insider’s Made in the North West awards recently. The prestigious awards dinner took place on the 21st May 2015 at the Park Royal Hotel in Warrington. Manchester-based Polyflor was selected by the team of judges from the manufacturing sector to receive this year’s Green/Sustainable Manufacturer award which was sponsored by The Manufacturing Institute. Polyflor was chosen because of the company’s long term commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing of materials. www.polyflor.com
info@polyflor.com 0161 767 1111
48 Public Sector Build Journal
Leading coatings brand Johnstone’s Trade has joined forces with award-winning social enterprise Fusion21 on one of its key frameworks. The partnership means that Johnstone’s Trade is now the nominated supplier of coatings to Fusion21’s 60 members across the UK, when they access its External Painting and Repairs framework. These members include a wide range of registered social landlords, local authorities and NHS bodies. Johnstone’s long-held commitment to improving the communities in which it works was also a deciding factor in Fusion21 specifying Johnstone’s Trade. The brand regularly supports family fun days and contractor DIY taster sessions where they provide decorating tips and advice to residents. www.johnstonestrade.com
tiplady@ppg.com
01924
354354
Interface and Dulux Trade help bring halls to life Interface, global modular flooring manufacturer, and Dulux Trade, leading paint manufacturer, were enlisted to help to bring to life the industrial inspired design of a new city-based student accommodation block built for the University of Northampton. The brief was to create a design scheme that reflected the historic context of the build with the addition of a contemporary twist, and therefore the Dulux Trade neutral paint colours were complemented with Interface’s vibrant Sabi II collection in the corridors in contrasting red, blue and green patterns. To create an impact in the reception and seating areas, products from Interface’s Urban Retreat range were used to echo the earthy notes of the paint colour scheme. www.interface.com
interface.uk@interfaceflor.eu
0161 817 6600
Floors, Walls & Ceilings
Tough love for walls, doors and corners Altro has expanded its range of wall cladding with the introduction of new Altro Fortis – a system that provides seriously tough protection for walls, doors and corners. Altro Fortis keeps interiors safe from impact and scuff damage, and looking good for longer. Altro Fortis has been developed to work with the popular Altro Whiterock range to create aesthetic consistency between hygienic and general areas. Where Altro Whiterock offers an ultra-hygienic wall protection system, Altro Fortis offers enhanced protection for areas where scuff and impact protection is the priority. Altro Fortis also combines perfectly with Altro’s 2.5mm safety flooring ranges, providing a complete, durable and fully-integrated system for hard-working areas. www.altro.com
enquiries@altro.com
01462
New Altro additions to T&R’s resilient range T&R has introduced two new safety floors to its resilient range – Altro Wood Safety and Altro Walkway 20. Both surfaces provide a host of safety, hygiene and eco-benefits, and are ideal for contract environments – including schools, nursing homes, leisure and retail environments. New Altro Wood Safety is a robust, heterogeneous vinyl sheet product with a 0.7mm wear layer. It has an R10 and TRRL≥36 slip rating classification, which is retained throughout its lifecycle, and it is offered in 16 timber designs. Altro Walkway 20 is a 2mm safety floor offered in 42 colour options, including bright and subtle shades, and decorative chipped designs.
489516
Hunter Douglas showcases innovation at CEMAST A key element of the multi-million pound regeneration project at the Daedalus airfield in Hampshire is CEMAST Fareham – Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Advanced Skills – for Fareham College. The state-of-the-art centre, designed by architects Perkins Ogden, features 670m2 of the Hunter Douglas solid wood linear open ceiling system in fire treated Siberian Larch. This has been installed by contractor Broadsword Projects in three different widths – 70, 92 and 114mm. A further 455m2 solid wood linear open system in Siberian Larch, fully treated for external application, was also installed under the striking canopy that welcomes visitors to CEMAST. www.hunterdouglas.co.uk
info@hunterdouglas.co.uk
www.trflooring.com
info@trflooring.com 925 7711
0115
01604 766251
Heradesign receives Stamp of approval at Post Office HQ
Forbo’s Flotex solves school’s cleaning problem Whinstone Primary School has been won over by the unique characteristics of Forbo Flooring Systems’ Flotex range. Poorly performing flooring was replaced by Forbo’s hybrid flocked flooring product; and its durability and cleanability continue to impress. In order to complement the existing interior decoration and furniture, Forbo’s linear designed Flotex stratus – in the colourways fossil and onyx – was installed within 12 classrooms and one small group room. Forbo’s hybrid flocked floor covering is 100% waterproof, allowing the product to be washed right down to the flock, unlike other textile floor coverings. This makes Flotex the perfect solution for areas that are exposed to heavy foot traffic on a daily basis. www.forbo-flooring.co.uk
info.flooring.uk@forbo.com 01773 744121
The Post Office has relocated its head office to Finsbury Dials in London with the help of architects HLW International. Their brief was to design open plan offices on three floors with a flexible events area and cafe on the ground floor. Heradesign ceilings in bold colours were installed in the two main entrance areas which lead to striking touchdown zones that wrap around the main atrium. Senior Designer Mustafa Afsaroglu of HLW International explains what attracted him to Heradesign: “I liked the depth in texture of the panels – it added another layer to the ceiling. Acoustic control in the open area was key and Heradesign provides the necessary Class A sound absorption.” www.amfceilings.co.uk/heradesign info@knaufamf.co.uk
0191
518 8600
Modern open cell system from SAS International SAS International has developed open cell ceiling System 810 Tricell, which is an aesthetic development of the well-established Trucell System. Tricell offers specifiers an alternate cell pattern for an impactful, unbroken and monolithic appearance. System 810 Tricell is ideal for public spaces such as airports, shopping centres, leisure facilities and commercial offices, due to easy airflow management and rapid smoke extraction, crucial in high traffic areas. Comprising series of open cell triangular aluminium modules which were designed to lay onto a 15mm Tee suspension grid, the lightweight and easy to install ceiling tiles can easily integrate within other metal ceiling systems and plasterboard ceilings. www.sasintgroup.com
enquiries@sasintgroup.com
0118
929 0900
Public Sector Build Journal 49
Focus & Innovation The UK and northern European markets are amongst some of the most heavily legislated in the world when it comes to the HVAC industry
Industry requires centralised body to stay informed Tony Gittings, of water heating product manufacturer Rinnai, argues that the industry is in dire need of a central body or council to co-ordinate the burgeoning weight of new and pending standards, legislation, Codes of Practice. This includes emerging support technologies such as BIM which needs clear and concise communication to the marketplace.
W
ithin the next 10 years the HVAC industry could change out of all recognition as we face an unprecedented set of challenges here in the UK and Europe. The industry is facing the relentless drive to ever greater energy efficiency and lower emissions – all in line with the UK’s legally binding carbon reduction target of 80% CO2 (on 1990 levels) by 2050. The UK Government and European commission’s growing agenda for the enablement of the greening of industry has resulted in the emergence of new Building Regulations, green technology accelerators such as RHI and the commercial green deal. Also part of this is the introduction of new technologies, such as BIM, designed to unlock more efficient ways of working at all stages of the project life-cycle. And there is more – the implementation of Energy
There is a need for one recognised source delivering clear and concise information on all current and impending legislation
50 Public Sector Build Journal
labelling to energy related products across the HVAC industry is currently underway. The UK and northern European markets are amongst some of the most heavily legislated in the world when it comes to the HVAC industry. The regulatory horizon will see amendments to the Building Regulations; the introduction of energy labels for water heating equipment; the tiered approach to emission reductions taking full effect from 2015 and beyond (under the guidance of ERP) thus continually driving efficiencies and emission reductions. There is such a blizzard of mandatory information that it is a job in itself to keep up with it all – and all in addition to maintaining and servicing existing customers and, winning new contracts. There is a pressing need, I believe, for complete and transparent harmonisation of
key product parameters and measurements to ensure simple and accurate communication. This need can be answered in the form of a centralised body – or council of existing bodies and organisations – which can co-ordinate all the information swirling around on industry topics which are of such major importance. The body or council – whichever wishes to take up the baton – should represent the information needs of the contractor, consultant, end-user, and property owner and manager. There is an overwhelming need for one recognised source delivering clear and concise information on all current and impending legislation. Manufacturing corporations can also make a difference bearing in mind that the marketplace needs ready-to-go products that obviously meet and exceed all existing legislation as well as pending legislation and new practises. This is where innovation is critical and manufacturers should truly commit to the research and development of new products and methods to make installation quicker and easier, and product performance better and more efficient. We cannot continue trying to wring the last vestige of life from modes of seriously outdated provisions of water heating in the commercial and residential arenas, not in today’s mercurial marketplace. I believe that the industry needs a single body for all the information needs. We would be readily prepared to financially support such an initiative. We can supply a value-added solution for today and the future – now.
www.rinnaiuk.com
info@rinnaiuk.com 01928 531870
Focus & Innovation
James Latham now offering KYDEX James Latham is now the exclusive UK distributor of KYDEX sheet, the exceptionally durable thermoplastic sheet that will enhance virtually any commercial, retail or educational styling theme. Supplied in a wide range of colours, textures and patterns, KYDEX thermoplastic sheets offer designers the ability to create an almost unlimited variety of flat and three-dimensional effects which can be achieved through techniques including; thermoforming, membrane pressing, post forming, brake forming, laminating and machining. This allows different parts to be produced using the most efficient technique yet still match in appearance.
KYDEX sheet can be formed to compound corners and contoured edges, minimising the need for moulding and edge banding and enabling large area installations to have the appearance of one seamless, single application. Even brand logos and messages can be embossed into the material. Offering unrivalled, long term performance from its exceptional impact, chemical and scratch resistance, KYDEX will not chip, crack, break, or snap, making it the perfect surface solution for demanding, high traffic or high impact applications in sectors such as retail, aviation, mass transit, marine and industrial.
The KYDEX thermoplastics range will be distributed on a national basis by James Latham’s wholly owned specialist panel company, Advanced Technical Panels (ATP) which already has expertise in a number of these sectors. KYDEX sheet is available in over 3500 colours, including granite, metallic and wood grain patterns as well as multiple surface textures and thicknesses from 0.71mm to 12mm. And if none of these choices meet your needs, we’ll make a custom colour just for you. www.lathamtimber.co.uk
kydex@lathams.co.uk 0113 387 0850
Newton unveils External Waterproofing video
School seeks modular to deliver education facility Wandsworth Borough Council is investing £10m into permanently expanding 11 of its primary schools. Granard Primary is one of the schools benefiting from a £1.9m investment in an education facility which will be delivered by Roan Building Solutions. With a structural design life of up to 60 years, the new facility is Roan’s first Building Information Modelling (BIM) project – a process covering the entire life cycle of a building from conception to demolition in a 3D digital model of its physical and functional characteristics. Granard’s new building will include mono-crystalline PV panels to reduce energy costs, wind catchers to increase ventilation and sun pipes to use more natural light. www.roanbuildings.co.uk
sales@roanbuildings.co.uk 0845 121 1687
In a new video filmed at Newton Waterproofing Systems’ training facility in Tonbridge, Richard Crossley Senior Technical Manager, talks about Type A External Waterproofing solutions. Richard explores the grades of waterproofing protection defined by BS 8102:2009 Code of Practice for Protection of Structures Against Water from the Ground and outlines how to design a robust waterproofing solution. Richard then outlines the benefits of Newton 403 HydroBond external waterproofing membrane. HydroBond has a hydrophilic coating which provides self healing of punctures to the membrane. Over 50,000m2 of HydroBond has been installed throughout the UK and Europe. www.newtonwaterproofing.co.uk/members
info@newtonwaterproofing.co.uk
01732 360095
RadioLINK provides council with simple upgrade Sheffield City Council has changed its smoke alarm specification for maisonettes to feature Aico’s RadioLINK mains powered smoke alarms, which provide wireless alarm interconnection. The decision was made by the Council following a number of tenants’ refusal of the alarm upgrade from battery to mains powered alarms due to the disturbance that comes with fitting a hardwired interconnection. Mark Beeley at the council, explains: “Originally we had hard wired alarms written in to the smoke alarm specification, but residents didn’t want the disturbance that lifting floor boards and carpets, moving furniture and the like brings when running the wires to interconnect the alarms. We solved this by turning to Aico’s RadioLINK.” www.aico.co.uk
enquiries@aico.co.uk
01691 664100
Public Sector Build Journal 51
Focus & Innovation
Lindab Rainline has been used by Forrest Construction on a new-build residential development project, Queens Court
Rainline carries the load Lindab Rainline has been recently specified by Liverpoolbased Denovo Design for two new build residential schemes on behalf of Halton Housing Trust. Renowed for their durable and maintenance-free qualities, these rainwater goods provided the ideal solution.
A
rchitect Denovo Design recently provided Halton Housing Trust with architectural services for a fully HCA compliant affordable housing scheme for a vacant brown-field site, a former car park, on Lacey Street in Widnes Town Centre. The overall scheme included 12 terraced houses and an additional three houses in a separate infill site nearby at Kingsway. The challenge was to make the homes as sustainable as possible, with an array of environmental specifications, whilst also working within increasingly tight budgets. Denovo say: “Mild steel rainwater goods were specified because they need no maintenance, are more durable, much stronger in resisting snow loading than plastic, have the lowest carbon footprint and are 100% recyclable.” Lindab supplied Rainline steel rainwater system in a plain galvanized finish for the project. The dwellings achieved Code for Sustainable Homes, Level 3 and ‘Lifetime Homes’ standards. Elsewhere, Lindab Rainline has been used by Forrest Construction on a new-build residential development project, Queens Court, which comprises of 17 one- and two-
52 Public Sector Build Journal
Lindab supplied Rainline steel rainwater system in a plain galvanized finish for the Lacey Street project
bedroom apartments, each with access to open space. The scheme sits on the original site of the historic Queens Hall where musicians including The Beatles and Stone Roses once played. The hall closed its doors to the public in 2004 and was demolished by the council in 2012 following a fire at the site. Architect, Denovo Design; appointed to the project by Halton Housing Trust; specified galvanised steel rainwater drainage for its durable and recyclable characteristics and to coordinate with safety railings on the upper terraces. Neil Ashworth, head of new build at Forrest said: “The development has seen us regenerate the entire Queens Hall site with new affordable homes built to a high specification of sustainability and energy saving standards.” Steel is much lighter than cast iron, easier to handle than aluminium and offers minimal thermal movement compared to plastic (which can move and crack causing
leaks). Lindab Rainline also has the lowest CO2 life cycle impact compared to any of its competitors. Lindab Rainline requires no sealants in its installation further reducing its environmental impact and eliminating possible future issues of cracking and shrinkage.
Material and colour choice Lindab Rainline is available in a choice of 10 colours and finished in high-build polyester paint which is UV stable and will not fade or crack. The whole system is also available in pure natural copper. Lindab Rainline High-Build Polyester coated products all come with a 15 year guarantee (subject to terms & conditions). Galvanised finished product is excluded from the 15 year warranty.
www.lindab.co.uk
sales@lindab.co.uk 01604 788350
Focus & Innovation
New energy-saving smoke and heat alarms launched Low energy consumption is high on the agenda for the new Firex range of smoke and heat alarms. The latest generation of Firex optical and ionisation smoke alarms, and heat alarms now offers Standard, Long Life and Rechargeable battery back-up versions of each sensing technology, giving nine options in all. The latest range is fully compatible with all previous Firex alarms and highlights several new advanced features. A particularly important benefit is the substantially lower, maximum mains energy consumption of less than 15mA – in the order of just 3.5W and less than many household items left on standby. www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk
sales@kiddesafety.co.uk
01753
Contour helps to remember ‘The Few’ The National Memorial to ‘The Few’ in Kent, occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of all those who have visited this moving site. The Wing is the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust’s new building at this site. The building was designed by Folkestone architectural practice Godden Allen Lawn. Contour was then specified as the manufacturer tasked to develop a series of innovative solutions to overcome some arduous design challenges. All the column casings were manufactured, including those with 5 degree angled tops, in-house by Contour using the company’s technical expertise combined with its advanced CAD facilities.
766392
Pop Up Power Supplies specified at 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 site beneath the famous cobbled piazza and are raised out of the ground when required by a turning handle. 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. They now have access to a combination of 16A and 32A sockets in both single and three phase all with RCBO protection. www.popuppower.co.uk
info@popuppower.co.uk
www.contourcasings.co.uk
enquiries@contourcasings.co.uk 290498
01952
0208 551 8363
Ark flood defence develops flood door in Rehau profile
A modern approach to lighting requirements Durham University’s estate team recently approached Thorn for advice and guidance as to how its outdated T8 switchgear could be updated and if a new system could also incorporate some level of lighting control, something that was completely lacking in the old lighting configuration. Thorn engineered a number of special Duoproof IP65 LED luminaires with customised external dimensions and Tridonic LED light engines, unlike the company’s standard modular T5 version. Approximately 400 LED luminaires were supplied in total for for this project of which 50% required special engineering.
Ark Flood Defence Network has developed an innovative flood door system which has achieved the essential ‘Zero’ leakage score in the PAS1188:1 2014 test for flood defence products using REHAU TOTAL70 outer frame profile. The Ark Flood Defence door uses a high specification multi-point locking mechanism which creates a tight compression seal between the door sash and the frame, making it more watertight than a standard door. Phil Woodhead, a Director at Ark Flood Defence said: “Our new flood doors in a REHAU outer frame offer the security and reassurance they require and, as a result, present a really great new sales opportunity for trade installers.” www.rehau.co.uk
simon.blazey@tridonic.com 01256 374300
01989
762600
BLÜCHER launches new 315mm pipe BLÜCHER, the world’s leading innovator in Stainless Steel drainage systems has added an impressively large 315 mm diameter pipe to its extensive BLÜCHER EuroPipe Stainless Steel push-fit water and waste pipe range in response to increasing customer demand. The new dimension provides large volume flow and, manufactured in grades 304 and 316L, is suitable for both above and below ground installations. Manufactured to EN 1124 and now available in size range from 40mm up to 315mm diameter confirms BLÜCHER EuroPipe as the leading drainage pipe system.
www.tridonic.com
irene.smith@rehau.com
www.blucher.co.uk
mailuk@blucher.co.uk
01937 838000
Public Sector Build Journal 53
Focus & Innovation
Making a splash At the heart of Burdett Estates community is Stebon Primary School, serving its local community and surrounding areas. Stebon Primary is a multi-faith, multi-cultural, multi-lingual school, with its pupils and staff hailing from over 20 different countries.
S
tebon is a two-form entry school currently expanding to a threeform entry school, and Amwell is delighted to be a part of such a significant refurbishment for this thriving school. With the school constantly growing, improving and moving from strength to strength, the company understood how important it was for Stebon to have robust, reliable products to suit the needs of the school, its pupils and staff. With Amwell Systems having a great understanding of how important school toilet cubicles are to pupils, it was able to provide exactly what Stebon School wanted and needed. It understands school cubicles need to be inviting, child-friendly and safe. As well as this, it understands school cubicles need to be durable, strong, and great value for money. With this in mind the Splash and Acorn range were well-suited for Stebon Primary. Both were a perfect choice; Splash as it is a fun, vibrant washroom, yet is strong enough to withstand all sorts of rough and tumble, and Acorn as it offers a versatile and practical washroom solution that looks inviting and works hard. With the gently rounded doors and sweeping divisions, the Acorn range was specifically chosen for Stebon’s Reception class pupils. Not only do these cubicles have all this to offer, but they also come in a varied choice of spectacular colours and prints. Stebon Primary School chose to go with Charcoal and Citrus for the Splash cubicles, as they continue with Stebon’s fresh new colour scheme, which flows throughout the school!
54 Public Sector Build Journal
The Splash and Acorn range were well-suited for Stebon Primary
Having successfully and proficiently completed Stebon Primary with Amwell products Akaal-Ltd has now become an approved installer for Amwell Systems. Harjender Singh Batchu, the Director of Akaal-Ltd, had the following to say about Amwell: “Our experience with Amwell has been great. They provide a very personal service and have quality products that provide a high standard of finish. Installation was very straightforward, as fitting instructions were easy to follow. Going forward, we would definitely recommend the Amwell brand to our clients.”
www.amwell-systems.com
sales@amwell-systems.com 01763 276200
Stebon Primary School opted for Charcoal and Citrus for the Splash cubicles
Focus & Innovation and educational furniture which are of the highest quality and durability. KI delivered a total of 600 Maestro chairs and 75 of these also had tablets added to them. We selected different shades of Maestro chairs, so that they complemented the rest of the colour scheme chosen for the school hall. We also specified 200 Postura laboratory stools, all the stools are 700mm high fitted with plastic seats and sled base metal frames.” KI’s Maestro chairs were specified for the main hall in black, blue grey and cottonwood (white) polypropylene colours. Maestro is a contemporary, light and comfortable stacking chair making it a fitting choice for this particular space; its sleek appearance and colour choice makes an interesting and striking contrast against the backdrop of yellow and slate black colour scheme of the main hall. Postura+ stools were specified for the college workshops/laboratory. They’re lightweight yet tough making it easy for students to come together for practical group work and class demos, the seats are easy to clean and highly durable.
KI furniture joins the space age at Leigh UTC KI has supplied Leigh UTC with over 600 Maestro chairs and 205 Postura+ laboratory stools for the UK’s future engineering and computer science workforce. The Leigh UTC is one of the first of its kind in Kent which focuses on computer sciences and engineering alongside core subjects. This is part of a new scheme aimed at forging closer links between education and local businesses. Adam Goodayle, Senior Project
Designer of Red Apple Designs commented: “Red Apple Designs were the FF&E consultant for this project. Working with the client we specified the KI Postura and Maestro chairs for Leigh UTC. KI products were the best option because they are a well-known manufacturer of commercial
www.kieurope.com sales@kieurope.com
020 7404 7441
Sutton War Memorial respectfully restored
Foundation trust chooses yorkon off-site solution Frimley Park Hospital chose a Yorkon offsite building solution from the Portakabin Group for a new 34-bed emergency care ward to help address the increased pressure on health services particularly during peak periods. The two-storey ward building which provides beds for critical and elderly care was handed over after just four months on site. The use of off-site construction ensured any disruption to the hospital was kept to an absolute minimum and radically reduced the programme time to allow earlier occupation to the benefit of the local community. www.yorkon.co.uk
info@yorkon.co.uk 0845 2000 123
The expertise of Brett Landscaping in natural stone was instrumental in helping to restore a historical touchstone in time for the World War One centenary commemorations in November 2014. Brett Landscaping worked with property design consultancy NPS Group to recondition a 93 year old war memorial in Sutton-on-Hull village located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. NPS’s work with Brett resulted in the installation of 140m² of Brett’s Highcroft Diamond Sawn natural stone, chosen for its combination of functionality and aesthetics, and 110 L/M Highcroft Diamond Sawn edgings for the creation of new kerbs to surround the memorial and encase replanted shrubs. www.brettpaving.co.uk
landscapinginfo@brett.co.uk
0845
60 80 577
Hauraton drainage at University of York With the Heslington East Campus site being quite flat, deep drains were not possible so rainwater from roofs, road and pathways had to be directed in a series of culverts, surface drainage channels and rills, eventually discharging into a lake. The scheme included the control of rainwater from roofs via downpipes into a series of buried, stepped shallow culverts made from two sizes of FASERFIX SUPER channel fitted with solid ductile iron covers. Surface water drainage with ductile iron gratings were provided in the same channel runs where channels crossed paved footpaths or asphalted areas. www.drainage-projects.co.uk
janine.kennedy@hauraton.co.uk
01582
501380
Public Sector Build Journal 55