PSBJ June 2020

Public Sector Build Journal June 2020

Healthcare

Education

Leisure

psbjmagazine.com

Issue 94

MEET THE LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE Hawkins\Brown’s design for the Plumstead Centre provides a new type of multi-functional community building

Housing

The untapped potential of MMC in the retirement housing and care sector

A touch of glass: why specify the material for public and commercial buildings?

How to create well-designed, cost-effective wheelchair accessible bathrooms

WELCOME NOTE

Editor

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Jim Moore

jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Glenn Dixon

glenn@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Digital Design Manager

When the Royal Borough of Greenwich appointed Hawkins\Brown for a complete architectural overhaul at Plumstead Library, the plans transformed the building into a multi-functional space.

See page 08.

Matt Morse

matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Production Assistant Philip Coyle

philip@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Accounts

Jackie Dearman

jackie@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Sales Support & Administrator

Klare Porter

klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Publisher Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Published by

Cross Platform Media Ltd.

Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5BZ psbjmagazine.com 01622 232725 crossplatformmedia.co.uk

PSBJ is a proud supporter of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.

Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope. No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor's hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Cross Platform Media Ltd. The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher. The Publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Welcome to the June issue of PSBJ...

Following last month’s much-anticipated announcement from our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, construction sites are a hive of activity once again – of course, with some added social distancing changes. As the industry comes together to assist Boris Johnson’s plan to re-open Britain, there’s been a surge in submitted proposals, green lights and contract wins in the public sector over the past few weeks. In this issue, we have highlighted just a handful of projects that will kick-start public sector construction once again. Turn to page 06 to learn more.

This month, we take a look at a completed innovative project in the heart of London’s Greenwich – the recently reimagined Plumstead Library. A Grade II Listed building, the library had fallen into disrepair and severely lacked inspirational spaces for the public with restricted access and a mundane aesthetic. However, when the Royal Borough of Greenwich appointed Hawkins\Brown for a complete architectural overhaul, the plans transformed the building into a multi-functional space; comprising a cafe, children’s soft play area, badminton and gym area and much more. The final space provides the public sector with a glimpse of what dilapidated library spaces can be transformed into and their untapped potential. To observe how Hawkins\Brown brought a library, health and fitness, sports as well as performing arts all under one roof, turn to page 08.

Elsewhere in this month’s issue, Trevor Dowd, Executive Director at Trident Building Consultancy, discusses the undiscovered potential of MMC for retirement and healthcare schemes – turn to page 14 to find out more. Gerry Myton, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, explains how to negotiate VAT challenges in the current pandemic – find his article on page 20. And on page 28, Anthony McNamee, Associate at Farrer & Co, and Hugh Petter, Director at Adam Architecture, ask who’s building the conservation areas of the future.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can also access all of the magazine’s features, product news and supplier information on PSBJ’s user-friendly and engaging website. Fully responsive, the website allows you to read all the latest stories on-the-go either on your phone or tablet. Simply visit www.psbjmagazine.com.

Rebecca

Rebecca Kemp • Editor • rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Find us on Social Media:      @psbjmagazine

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CONTENTS

06 News

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

08 Upfront

In 2016, Plumstead Library was a neglected and underused local authority facility, serving a small section of the community in a deprived neighbourhood. Flash forward to 2020, and the Grade II Listed building has received a new lease of life thanks to an architectural design

by Hawkins\Brown.

12 Housing

Even though they’re mostly hidden away behind concrete and plaster, the water networks built into the structures we live in are vitally essential systems that we rely on every day to keep us healthy and well. Here, Uponor explains how you can design a hygienic water network for social housing projects.

14 Healthcare

Trevor Dowd, Executive Director at Trident Building Consultancy, considers the ability of modern methods of construction (MMC) to address the urgent need for aged care.

08 16 RCI

20 Legal & Business

18 Education

22 Talking Point

Julian Thurbin, Director at Wallbarn, explains how a modular approach to green roofing presents an excellent opportunity for more public sector clients to take advantage of the many benefits of urban greening.

Stephen Boulton – Technical Service Manager at F. Ball & Co. – talks about achieving a long-lasting professional flooring finish for colleges, schools and universities while working to school holiday tight deadlines.

Gerry Myton, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, offers an all-encompassing guide on an often-overlooked financial area in construction – claiming VAT. From savings and overcharges to real-life construction moneysaving stories, Gerry explains all.

Richard Besant, Director of Powdertech (Corby), explains some of the terms that are often bandied around to quantify corrosion in order for the specifier, manufacturer, installer and end-user to appreciate key points of powder coatings.

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CONTENTS

24 30 Technical Focus

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Here, Sean Downey, Team Manager – Engineering at the British Board of Agrément, explains how you can combine structural and thermal performance in floors.

28

24 Washrooms

In this article, Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, explains how specifiers in the public arena can create well-designed wheelchair accessible bathrooms, cost-effectively.

26 Community

Tim Foster, Partner at Foster Wilson Architects, talks PSBJ through his involvement with Polka Children’s Theatre in Wimbledon – a small theatre with big ambitions.

27 Balustrades

Here, Simon Boocock, Managing Director of CRL Europe, looks at the options when using glass in public and commercial buildings.

28 Placemaking

Who is building the conservation areas of the future? Anthony McNamee, Associate at Farrer & Co, and Hugh Petter, Director at Adam Architecture, investigate in their article on placemaking in the public sector.

32 Leisure

East Cheshire Council turned to Combined Heat and Power to improve the efficiency of its leisure centres. Here, Mark Gibbons, National Sales Manager for CHP at Baxi Heating, reports.

34 Product Showcase

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

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NEWS

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

Laying foundations for the future of learning Bus interchange plans kickstart Stevenage regeneration Stephen George + Partners (SGP) has submitted detailed plans for a new £6m, 1100m2 bus interchange, which will be the first step in Stevenage Borough Council’s long-term plan to regenerate Stevenage town centre. With a gross development value of £1bn, the 20-year regeneration programme aims to attract large-scale investment to the town centre and create new homes, offices, retail and leisure facilities, including a state-of-the-art library, and a wholesale transformation of the public realm. SGP’s design provides an upgraded modern bus station as well as improving connectivity between rail, bus and town centre services. The planning decision is expected June with work on site due to commence summer 2020.

Willmott Dixon inspires next generation Willmott Dixon has given local residents a unique glimpse behind the scenes at the University of Kent’s new Kent and Medway Medical School’s construction site as part of the national Open Doors week. Opening the doors to Kent and Medway Medical School and other construction sites is part of Willmott Dixon’s aim to inspire a new generation to consider a career in construction, as well as allow people in the community to see what is happening behind the hoardings and meet the construction team. Willmott Dixon has put construction in the spotlight on a number of occasions in the past few months.

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Students at Burnham Grammar have swapped their pens for spades, stepping out of the classroom to mark the start of the school’s redevelopment. Leading specialist education contractor, Wates Construction, commenced its build on the new school facilities, marking the milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Students from the school stepped out to join the Wates Construction team, including Jonny Wates, senior staff, the DfE, Joy Morrissey MP and governors on site as the contractor began work on the new 8,321m2 facility, which is set for completion by autumn 2021. Construction work will see the creation of a brand-new threestorey ‘superblock’, which will provide secondary education for over 1050 11 to 18-year-old pupils.

HL appointed to design new Mo Mowlam Academy Howarth Litchfield has announced its latest multi-disciplinary commission in the specialist education sector, on a new multi-million project, which is the first of its kind to be constructed in Redcar. Working as part of Interserve Group Limited’s (Interserve) team, following the main contractor’s appointment by the Department of Education (DfE) Construction Framework to design and build the new Mo Mowlam Academy, Howarth Litchfield will act as lead designer and provide a broad range of services on the scheme. The project is being delivered as part of the Government’s £4.4bn Priority School Building Programme which is rebuilding or refurbishing those school buildings in the very worst condition across the country.

Caledonian Modular secures 528-bed student development Caledonian has been awarded a £40m turnkey contract by Studytel for its 528 student bedroom development at Penryn, near Falmouth in Cornwall. This is the latest in a series of major new multi-million-pound contract wins for the Newark-based business.

The development will provide high-quality accommodation for students studying at the Penryn Campus, which is shared by Falmouth University and the University of Exeter.

Providing a new, high-tech and innovative approach to student accommodation, the Studytel scheme includes single bedrooms, self-contained studios and cluster apartments with shared kitchens and communal spaces.

G F Tomlinson secures place on major higher education framework G F Tomlinson is celebrating its successful selection as a key contractor on the prestigious University of Birmingham Build Higher framework. The new £500m 10year construction framework will focus on improving higher education facilities in the West Midlands, concentrating on the enhancement and development of the University of Birmingham’s own estate as well as procuring capital projects over the next decade. It is also available to other higher education institutions across the UK. The University of Birmingham has significantly invested in its campuses in the last decade and the framework will enable the delivery of innovative academic spaces to facilitate the Russell Group university’s world-leading research, and will support ambitious infrastructure and capital development plans as part of this.

NEWS

Homes for Lambeth sets out plans for hundreds of new homes

Plans for Aberdeen market go before planning committee Final plans for the transformation of the Aberdeen market building and surrounding area has gone before councillors to approve from Aberdeen City Council planners. Images by the developer, PATRIZIA, show how the area will be transformed to provide a new pedestrian area and green civic space for public art installations and outdoor events, including markets and performances. The design reveals how the new glass and granite building will complement the adjacent buildings and become a focal point for the surrounding streets, creating an attractive indoor and outdoor environment that captures the southerly aspect and shelter of the adjacent buildings.

Over 55s housing development opens its doors Saunders Boston Architects has utilised its experience in the retirement living sector with the design of a brand-new £4.8m development for LACE Housing. The Burrows, located in Nettleham, Lincolnshire, has been designed exclusively for over 55s and will provide a total of 36 affordable, safe and secure homes for the local community. The development is made up of 22 two-bedroom apartments and 14 twobedroom bungalows which are designed to provide light, spacious and accessible accommodation. Each home contains fitted kitchens with built-in ovens and a wetroom comprising a modern three-piece suite with double shower enclosure, wash hand basin and WC.

Homes for Lambeth (HfL) has asked Lambeth Council to approve ambitious plans for almost 1200 new homes to help tackle the borough’s housing crisis. HfL, the council’s wholly-owned housing company, has published its latest business plan, covering its detailed programme of work for the period 2020-23. The blueprint continues a programme of building homes for the people of Lambeth which, in the last year alone, has seen HfL start building 80 homes on two Lambeth estates – and push ahead with plans to build hundreds more. This major housing investment has added significance in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, which is having huge impacts on every aspect of our lives. It will plough £375m into the local economy, creating new jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities as well as creating opportunities for local businesses at a time of unprecedented challenge.

Green housing scheme in Liverpool given go-ahead An innovative, green housing scheme in south Liverpool has been given the go-ahead after a successful planning appeal. The 12acre development in Woolton will see half of the site dedicated to a new wildlife park accessible to the public. Woolton Manor is an ambitious £7m scheme being developed

by Rushton Properties and consists of nine single-storey detached four- and fivebedroom executive homes with roof and ground-level gardens, a warden’s bungalow for 24-hour security, the reconstruction of a former shelter to form a bat roost, the repair and restoration of paths, a pond and a beehive. Adam Morgan, Director of the scheme’s architect Studio RBA, said: “We’re really proud of this scheme as it provides public access for the first time to areas which are currently dilapidated and overgrown.”

£13m residential scheme brings 65 new homes to Croydon Work has completed on £13m residential scheme in Croydon, bringing 65 new homes to the London borough. The Waldrons scheme includes nine three-bed, 29 two-bed, 19 one-bed and eight studio flats, with over 30% of the homes being dedicated to affordable housing. The development also includes roof gardens and green roofs on the stepped sections of the building, space for up to 67 bicycles and 32 parking bays. London-based CPMG Architects has been responsible for the delivery of the design, which was constructed by contractor Cube Construction on behalf of UK Land Assets Limited.

Flexible workout space forms part of £2.3m leisure redevelopment Leicester City Council has engaged Alliance Leisure to convert a sports hall into a flexible workout space. The project is part of a £2.3m leisure regeneration scheme which incorporates redevelopment works at three leisure centres across the city. Cossington Street Sports Centre and Evington Leisure Centre will undergo substantial modernisation to create physical activity environments more in-line with the needs of the communities they service. Aylestone Leisure Centre will involve a remodelling of the fitness space. Works will start at Cossington Street Sports Centre, and aim to complete by the end of this year.

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UPFRONT

PLUMSTEAD LIBRARY STARTS A NEW CHAPTER In 2016 Plumstead Library was a neglected and underused local authority facility, serving a small section of the community in a deprived neighbourhood. Although the Grade II Listed building had character, it had fallen into disrepair and the public had access to only two rooms – a sizeable proportion of the building had been mothballed for decades.

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Royal Borough of T heGreenwich appointed Hawkins\Brown that year to explore how investment, not closure, could redefine the role of the public library. How could repurposing, not demolition, bring a new lease of life to the building? How could a high-quality design solution bring a 120-year old, Grade II Listed building into the 21st century? And how could architectural design create an adaptable framework that ensures that Plumstead Centre’s spaces evolve alongside the needs of the local community?

The result has been a transformation from a previously unloved facility into a thriving, multi-functional civic building with the library service at its core. A retrofit and extension has given the building a new lease of life while preserving the historical significance of one of the first Carnegie-funded libraries in the UK. In addition, the development kickstarted the borough’s planned regeneration of Plumstead High St and the wider district. The building’s design was developed through close engagement with residents and stakeholders and delivers what is arguably a new model for local public library provision.

UPFRONT

A new kind of library Although the UK has seen a significant decline in book borrowing over the last decade, libraries retain an important role for some groups within society – not everyone can afford to buy their reading material. In addition, the children’s library is a place for young families to socialise, and libraries provide a comfortable and public workspace for those without computers or places to study at home. Retention of these important functions provided the cornerstone of the brief.

Through consultation with a broad section of stakeholders, the team helped develop the library offer while supplementing its key functions with co-located leisure and hospitality services that offer a service greater than the sum of the parts. Local residents wanted to see sports facilities to replace those recently lost through the closure of a temporary gym in a nearby converted bus garage. The borough’s leisure service provider, Better, advised that the demand for dance and yoga facilities had been growing in recent years and that children’s soft play space would be in demand and help generate revenue. A public consultation exercise in the library suggested a cafe would be very

welcome in the area (this end of the high street has none).

Perhaps the most important finding of the consultation was that no-one could be quite sure what would be the most successful or most necessary requirements in five or 10 years, so the building had to be adaptable. In addition, the briefing process revealed the local councillors’ ambition that the new building be a statement of intent and demonstrate the borough’s commitment to the community in Plumstead.

The challenge As the project progressed to the next stage, the challenges of the brief became clear: how could the client’s ambitions be realised within the existing listed building which occupied the entire site?

How can we create a statement building whilst respecting the historical setting, and secure planning permission? Finally, how can the development provide an accessible and attractive community hub?

The site as found in 2016 comprised the original two-storey structure adjacent to the High St, designed by Frank Sumner, and a single-storey extension to the west, built in 1936. The listing

covered the whole structure but noted the rear section of the building was of a lower significance. Early consultation with the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Conservation Officer and Historic England confirmed that demolition of this rear section to make way for the additional uses would be acceptable if the new design was of sufficient merit.

There followed an intense period of pre-application consultation with the local authority conservation department and Historic England to develop the design. Hawkins\ Brown proposed a two-storey extension to the rear of the main library building to provide the new leisure facilities – the gym and badminton court plus all the necessary ancillary space required to service the whole development.

These functions necessitated a significant volume of building, all with a limited requirement for natural light – i.e. a blank box.

To offset this, at the threshold between old and new, a full-height glazed ‘courtyard’ was designed as a statement entrance to draw visitors from the high street. This glazed entrance is also positioned at the midpoint of the sloping site and provides level-access entrance

to the building for the first time.

Within the foyer space, a broad elephant stair dubbed the ‘book mountain’ provides an informal social setting for reading, working or a place from which to watch the world go by.

During an early site visit, the architects made an exciting discovery. On the first floor, there was a cramped and dated local museum space. A climb into the ceiling void revealed the museum exhibition structure had been built under an impressive barrel-vaulted ceiling, which had been hidden away for over 70 years. In the completed building, this space has been opened up, complete with reinstated skylights to provide a light-filled multi-purpose area at the heart of the new building.

The choice of materials for external walls of the new building was key in winning planning consent. The extension has been constructed with a high-quality klinker brick carefully chosen to complement the Edwardian brickwork of the original building.

The new brickwork incorporates decorative features that pick up the compositional rhythms of the original building. The result is a modern building that is sympathetic, but stylistically distinct from its neighbour. 

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UPFRONT

CENTRE SECTION

Site works The building was constructed by Osborne – a contractor selected by the team partly on the strength of its work delivering Hackney Town Hall (a previous successful collaboration with Hawkins\Brown). The library was procured under a design-andbuild contract, with Hawkins\ Brown novated to the contractor team for the final technical design and construction stages. Building on their existing relationship, the contractor and architect worked closely to resolve the numerous technical difficulties relating to the restoration of the existing fabric and the integration of modern facilities into a historical structure. The brickwork design and detailing benefited from close collaboration between architect and brickwork subcontractor Swift and has been laid with precision by a skilled workforce to great effect.

The new multi-functional spaces created in the building require modern servicing, including mechanical ventilation and IT. These new services are carefully woven through the existing fabric, utilising basement areas, existing ducts (including a disused dumbwaiter used for moving books to the old reference library) and are hidden behind 253 linear metres of bespoke shelving in the refurbished library.

Many original features of the library were revealed during the strip-out of the existing building.

And the importance of close collaboration between builder, architect and conservation can’t be overstated in ensuring these features are incorporated into the final scheme. With Project Architects Jack Penford Baker and Magda Pelszyk on site on a weekly basis and through in-

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FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

depth discussions with heritage specialists, the project team were able to retain and enhance a variety of discovered heritage features such as mosaic floor tiling in the main stairwell.

Although the budget didn’t allow for the restoration of every feature such as murals painted on the ceilings in the old reference library, these features have been recorded and protected for the benefit of future generations.

The future After four years of collaboration between client, design team and contractor, the Plumstead Centre is open and ready to welcome the community. The design has capitalised on the potential of the existing listed building and provides a new type of community building – a library with bells and whistles, if you like – but one that can also adapt and change with the evolving needs of the local community in Plumstead.

On completion of the project Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “I am incredibly proud of the centre and the new year-round opportunities it will offer residents through its flexible and adaptable design.” 

www.hawkinsbrown.com

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UPFRONT

HOUSING

KEEPING WATER CLEAN: HOW TO DESIGN A HYGIENIC WATER NETWORK Despite the fact that they’re mostly hidden away behind concrete and plaster, the water networks built into the structures we live in are vitally important systems that we rely on every day to keep us healthy and well. These systems are often highly technical and complex, especially in demanding developments such as high-rise residential housing, where large volumes of water are required for a great number of people. it’s in social housing or high-end W hether residential, if the water network in a high-rise building is not up to the challenge, then it can result in a number of serious consequences, such as the proliferation of bacteria throughout the piping. One of the worst-case scenarios is that Legionella, which can cause a potentially fatal form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease, takes root within the pipes. The Legionella bacteria is normally found in natural water bases such as ponds and lakes, but it can also breed in any stagnant water between 20 and 45°C. The most common sources of Legionella within a building are hot and cold water systems, but it can also be found in other areas such as cooling towers, dehumidifiers, water fountains and shower outlets. To avoid outbreaks of this disease within large housing developments, a Legionella control scheme

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needs to be implemented which takes into account factors such as water usage, water temperature control and disinfection measures as well as regular monitoring and reporting.

Common plumbing problems In addition to taking preventative action, there are also steps which can be taken to reduce the likelihood of bacteria colonising within a property’s domestic water system. A common problem is when repairs to an existing system or re-routing of water pipes result in ‘dead-legs’ or ‘blind-ends’. A dead-leg is a run of pipework that is not commonly in use and blind-ends are lengths of pipe which have been terminated. If either of these are present, pockets of water can stagnate and provide bacteria with an ideal breeding ground. Any blind-ends must be removed straight away and pipework that is rarely used should either be removed or

scheduled for constant action to make sure that the water within the pipes is flushed through after a maximum of five days without use.

The above issues are typically found in older buildings where repairs have led to the pipes being altered. However, modern systems aren’t always problem-free with a common issue being that a designer will choose to use more efficient water outlets to reduce water consumption, which can sometimes lead to oversized supply pipework. Unless the network has been specifically designed to adapt to these reduced flows, there is a high risk of water within the system becoming stagnant.

It might not even be the layout of the pipework that’s the problem. Pipe systems made from traditional materials such as copper can harbour limescale build-up, which can be a perfect environment for bacterial growth and bio-film. Unprotected, open-ended metal

HOUSING pipes can harbour dirt and bacteria before they are even installed, and once the bacteria have established into a bio-film, these contaminants are virtually impossible to remove. Even new copper plumbing can cause issues, as corrosion of new pipes can lead to ‘blue water’, which is when high levels of copper gives a blue tinge to the water coming out of the taps.

Hygiene-enhancing solutions Due to their extremely smooth inner surface, plastic-based systems such as Multi-layer Composite (MLC) pipes reduce the chance of limescale building up within the pipes, making an MLC system more hygienic than one built using a traditional material like copper. The smoother internal surface also improves flow rates and reduces friction losses, which maintains the water pressure and ensures a good flow of water at the outlet.

An additional benefit of multi-layer pipes is that they reduce the number of connections required in the network. Fixed length stainless steel and copper pipes inevitably require a lot of connections, as they can’t bend around obstructions and are typically supplied in 3m lengths, necessitating joints at every obstacle and at the end of each pipe.

Crevices in connections can become sites of bacteria build-up and; therefore, the more connections in the system, the higher the risk of bacterial contamination.

MLC pipes can be supplied in very long coils that can be cut to specific lengths and threaded around obstacles, creating a joint-free pipe system between the water source and the outlet. Installing this type of pipe network not only removes the need for connections, but it also increases the system’s performance while reducing installation time, costs and the risk of leaks.

Installing on-demand hot water generation, instead of a traditional water tank, improves hygiene levels in a similar way to the multilayer pipes, as water tanks are common sites of bacterial growth.

Loop plumbing advantages To further increase the hygienic properties of multi-layer pipes, they can be installed in a ‘loop’ configuration which means that the water is flushed through the whole local pipe network every time any water outlet is opened. This prevents stagnation and removes the potential to have a dead-leg within a local network, making it a highly effective method for reducing the possibility of bacterial growth. A loop design utilises only one consistent pipe size throughout and requires fewer connections and fittings than a traditional ‘T’ or branch-type installation.

Loop systems can be combined with intelligent flushing stations that actively monitor the water within the system. If the

monitoring identifies that water has remained stagnant for over five days, it will take action by flushing hot and cold water through the network and all the outlets.

The future of shared water networks With the UK currently experiencing a boom in both social housing and high-rise living, choosing the right water system for new large-scale residential projects has never been more important. This is evident from the £12bn investment which the Government committed to the Affordable Homes Programme, supported by research from New London Architecture (NLA) which estimated that 76 buildings of more than 20 storeys were completed last year in London alone, which is a threefold increase on the previous year.

This move towards more people living closely together in sites that share water networks underlines the importance of making those systems as hygienic as possible.

The right solution needs to be specified during the development and construction phase of any new high-rise residential project to ensure that the building’s residents can trust that the water coming out of their taps is clean and safe. 

www.uponor.co.uk

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HEALTHCARE

THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR MMC IN THE RETIREMENT HOUSING AND CARE SECTOR Trevor Dowd, Executive Director at Trident Building Consultancy, considers the ability of modern methods of construction (MMC) to address the urgent need for aged care. of people enjoying I mages new homes – and alarming stories about the lack of them – typically feature young couples and families. While this highlights an indisputable need, it also overlooks the fact that the UK has an ageing population. Housing availability affects both ends of the demographic spectrum.

According to research, the number of purpose-built retirement homes in the UK is set to increase by 30% in five years, yet we still face a significant shortage of homes for those in later life. This increase will only go some way towards alleviating the

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shortage, providing just one home for every 16 people aged over 65 who would consider downsizing. The same report states that due to our ageing population, the shortfall will continue to intensify.

There are now more people aged over 65 than ever, and as people age, they are more likely to want a home that offers some form of care or support – posing a further gap in provision.

Last year the Treasury called for 30,000 ‘later living’ homes to be built each year. This followed research which demonstrated that the NHS is overwhelmed by nearly a million extra older people

suffering injuries after falling, which, when cared for in hospital increases costs by £2bn each year.

Modern methods of construction (MMC) provides a means by which buildings can be supplied twice as fast and one third cheaper than using conventional methods.

Furthermore, the issues of disruption to neighbours, unpredictable weather and labour shortages are reduced, and MMC results in 60% fewer trucks on the roads and 90% less waste.

McCarthy and Stone, Housing 21, L&G and Urban Splash are already using MMC in the sector. The arguments

for MMC are clear. After all, no-one would buy a top-ofthe-range car constructed anywhere but in a factory, so why not choose a home built this way? Constructed with all the benefits of efficiency, economies of scale, quality control, supply chain and onhand expertise that a factory can offer.

With MMC increasingly being used to create entire communities, I am surprised that it hasn’t yet caught on for whole retirement schemes – not only the housing element, but healthcare, community facilities and ancillary uses such as retail.

HEALTHCARE

The key ingredients of a retirement village, according to Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI), are space and flexibility; daylight in the home and in shared spaces; balconies and outdoor space; adaptability and ‘care-ready’ design; positive use of circulation space; shared facilities and ‘hubs’; plants, trees and the natural environment, energy efficiency and sustainable design, storage for belongings and bicycles, external shared surfaces and ‘home zones’. All of which is achievable through MMC. In relation to the healthcare element of retirement schemes, the offsite approach allows for efficiencies to be gained when units of the same specification are required at scale. This means that bedrooms in a residential home or wards in a hospital are well suited to this method. And the mass production capabilities can still be combined with a bespoke approach, creating hospitals and care homes that are high quality, tech-ready, bespoke and flexible.

MMC first received backing from the Government following the Farmer Review, which identified ways to modernise and assist the UK’s struggling construction labour market. This has been followed by supportive fiscal and planning incentives and backing from Homes England.

Furthermore, MMC will enable the industry to meet the targets set out in the Government’s Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy which requires projects to be delivered 50% faster, reducing construction costs by 33% and lowering emissions by 50%.

The combined incentives of demographic and social change, political support and a chance to invest responsibly will, I have no doubt, release billions of pounds from investors and pension funds into the housing within the care sector. The sector itself would surely welcome efficiency and swift delivery along with the high levels of insulation and flexibility that MMC provides. At Trident Building Consultancy, our plans for expanding into this sector are at an advanced stage, and as befits the raison d’être of MMC, we anticipate a radically changed approach will revolutionise the market in a surprisingly short timeframe. Watch this space. 

www.tridentbc.com

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RCI

GREEN ROOFS THAT ARE BOX-FRESH FOR INSTANT INSTALLATIONS Transforming unused flat roof areas into attractive green spaces is easier and quicker than many imagine and delivers a raft of benefits that are really attractive to public sector clients – from improved air quality, urban cooling and rainwater management to better learning environments with reduced noise levels for students and environments that boost mental wellbeing for building occupants, writes Julian Thurbin, Director at Wallbarn.

UK, London leads I nthethegreen roofing charge, with 42% located in the capital (2016 data), a figure largely due to the success of the Mayor of London’s Living Roofs and Walls Policy introduced 12 years ago. Other cities, including Manchester and Cambridge, are keen to make their mark in this sector and the Scottish Wildlife Trust has included green roofs in its ’50 things to happen in Scotland in the next 50 years’.

A well-executed green roof will last for years (75 and counting for one development in Germany) and require minimal maintenance. They are accepted for improving living and working environments but, importantly, planners working with the Mayor of London have also identified their worth in making locations more attractive to investors.

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Traditional or modular?

Traditional extensive green roofs consist of a roll-out system which requires the installation of separate elements – generally a protection layer, root barrier, drainage layer, geotextile filter, growing medium and sedum plants.

The alternative is a modular solution containing all elements of the green roof in a robust cassette tray. This is a relatively new approach – Wallbarn has been supplying this solution for more than 10 years with a fifth-generation design currently on the market – with leading manufacturers investing heavily in research and development in order to offer a system that is straightforward to specify, install and maintain. Cassettes are pre-planted with hardy native British-grown sedum and/or perennial wildflowers, increasing biodiversity and providing a haven

for pollinators. For designers and environmental campaigners asking questions about encouraging native wildlife into towns and cities, it is a perfect solution.

How can a green roof be modular?

A modular approach actually lends itself very well to this roofing style. It is a prefabricated system prepared off site and clicked into place on site to deliver an instant green roof suitable for homes, schools, hospitals, shopping centres, offices, transport hubs and retail developments – anywhere with a flat roof. Everything required is contained within the easily transportable cassettes, making it a quick, easy and clean installation. The best systems offer 100mm deep substrate specifically developed to slowly release nutrients to ensure the sedum or wildflowers are properly nourished

throughout their lifetime. Trays have in-built drainage/moisture reservoirs and simply click together by hand. Importantly, any of the cassettes can be lifted should access be required to the roof deck post-installation.

Two key considerations when ordering pre-planted modular cassettes are time spent in transit and the need to unpack them within 24 hours of delivery to ensure optimum plant health. If left for too long on transport crates – we consider 48 hours the absolute maximum – enzymes begin to breakdown the plants. This is an especially critical consideration at present given the impact of COVID-19 on cross-border deliveries and the haulage industry.

It is; therefore, hugely important to identify where the system is coming from and how long it will be in transit. Good suppliers will have year-round availability.

RCI

Other considerations are: Load-bearing The first consideration for any modular or roll-out green roof installation is assessing the load-bearing capacity of the structure. A structural engineer will provide this information.

We find that our system can be retrofitted on to the vast majority of roofs given it weighs 100kg/m2 saturated. For newbuild projects, the required structural integrity can be designed in.

Technical considerations Fire regulations require a hard border between vegetation and building walls and around features such as rooflights and fall arrest systems (consult the GRO Code for further details).

This is achieved with border pebbling. The roof also needs to be relatively level.

Maintenance Sedum plants are hardy and will tolerate extreme conditions – there are green roofs worldwide thriving in a wide variety of climatic conditions.

In dry conditions, it may be necessary to water the roof, but a simple irrigation system can be installed.

Design A good supplier will design a layout guide with estimates for trays, geotextile fabric (to protect the roof membrane and act as a filtration layer) and border pebbling and provide ongoing technical support.

Benefits Green roofs are proven to improve air quality and the thermal performance of buildings (retaining heat in winter and cooling in summer), reduce the urban heat island effect and manage heavy rainfall by slowing stormwater run-off. Recent research has also shown clear evidence that they prolong the life of roof membranes due to the reduction of UV damage. And that’s in addition to the increased amenity they bring to roof spaces, the ability to ‘upgrade’ them to blue or biosolar installations and their ability to aid planning applications.

Conclusion Green roofs are increasingly being considered an essential sustainable design consideration, and the modular approach presents a really good opportunity for more public sector clients to take advantage of the many benefits of urban greening. There is a huge push to green public spaces and many thousands of square metres of littleused flat roofs on schools, libraries, sports centres, hospitals, public and local authority buildings, even bus stops and garages. And, being modular, you can green as much or as little of the roof as you wish – or add to the planting at a future date with ease. 

www.wallbarn.com

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EDUCATION

FAST-TRACK SOLUTIONS FOR INSTALLING FLOORCOVERINGS IN EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Flooring installations in schools, colleges and universities often face severe time constraints, frequently requiring completion over a weekend or during a school holiday. Flooring in these locations must also deliver long-term durability, requiring contractors to select suitable products and avoid common causes of floor failure. Stephen Boulton, Technical Service Manager at leading manufacturer of subfloor preparation products and adhesives, F. Ball & Co., talks through achieving a long-lasting professional flooring finish in these settings while working to tight deadlines. floorcoverings in I nstalling any environment requires proper subfloor preparation to ensure a long-lasting professional appearance. Incorrect or insufficient preparation can create the potential for floor failure, leading to costly recalls and remedial work. In educational settings, there can be additional pressure for projects to be completed as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, the latest fast-track subfloor preparation products and flooring adhesives enable flooring contractors to do in a day what would have once taken a week.

Before undertaking any flooring installation, a thorough assessment of the subfloor should be completed to ensure it is sound, smooth and free of contaminants.

If the subfloor is a newly-installed screed, laitance may still be present, and floors that are being refurbished may be contaminated with old adhesive residues. To avoid costly floor failure, both laitance and contaminants should be mechanically removed before proceeding with a flooring

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installation. Dust or debris should also be swept away, and damaged subfloors should be repaired with an appropriate floor repair compound.

Safeguarding against moisture Unmanaged moisture, whether residual construction moisture or rising damp, is one of the leading causes of floor failure, causing adhesives to de-bond, carpet underlays to rot, wooden

floors to warp and resilient floorcoverings to blister. Moisture can also lead to the growth of mould and bacteria, which can potentially cause a health risk.

A moisture measurement test should; therefore, be conducted as part of any flooring installation to ascertain if excess moisture is present, and appropriate action can be taken if necessary, such as application of a waterproof surface membrane.

To comply with British Standards, subfloor relative humidity (RH) levels within the subfloor should be measured using a pre-calibrated hygrometer. If RH levels exceed 75% – or 65% when installing timber floorcoverings – a moisture management solution will be required to stop excess subfloor moisture damaging floorcoverings and adhesives and potentially causing floor failure.

Liquid waterproof surface membranes are the usual moisture management solution.

Two-coat, water-based systems are available that create a barrier against residual construction moisture where RH levels are up to 95%, and dry within two hours.

Epoxy waterproof surface membranes are also available, in single-coat, fast-drying formulations, that will provide protection against RH levels as high as 98% in areas of residual construction moisture or rising damp.

EDUCATION

Prime importance Once the subfloor is suitably sound, smooth and dry, or a suitable moisture management solution is in place, in almost all circumstances, it is essential to prime the subfloor. When used over non-absorbent surfaces, such as waterproof surface membranes, priming promotes adhesion between the subfloor and subsequently-applied levelling compounds. Applied over absorbent subfloors, such as concrete, sand/cement screeds or plywood, priming also prevents the unacceptably rapid loss of water from the levelling compound into absorbent substrates, maintaining its working time.

Priming also prevents ‘pinholing’; small holes in the levelling compound that have the appearance of pinholes or blisters caused by the slow escape of air from absorbent surfaces as the levelling compound cures.

Creating a base Once the subfloor is primed, the application of a levelling compound is recommended to create a perfectly smooth and sturdy base for the receipt of new floorcoverings.

The fastest setting products on the market are ‘walk-on’ hard in 30 minutes and ready to receive new floorcoverings from 45 minutes, allowing installations to proceed faster than ever. In education facilities, it is important to select levelling compounds that are low odour and protein-free. This ensures they are suitable for the most sensitive environments.

As has been stated, in most cases, old adhesive residues must be removed before installing a levelling compound. However, there are specialist high-performance levelling compounds available that can be applied directly over bitumen and adhesive residues which offer significant time-saving benefits for contractors. One such product, F. Ball’s Stopgap 1200 Pro, takes as little as 60 minutes to set and is ready to receive floorcoverings from as little as four hours. In most applications, including when it is applied over old adhesive residues, it is not essential to prime beforehand, saving further time.

In some areas of schools, colleges and universities, such as corridors, floors will be expected to receive high levels of daily foot traffic, so using a highstrength levelling compound will help ensure long-term durability of the floorcovering.

Choosing the right adhesive The contractor can then select a suitably fast-working adhesive to install appropriate floorcoverings.

The choice of adhesive will be determined by what type of floorcoverings are being installed and where, but there are options for when time saving is a priority.

Vinyl, which is easy to clean and maintain, is popular in educational facilities and is best adhered by an adhesive with good initial tack and high final bond strength. Nowadays, acrylic and vinyl adhesives are available that build up a strong enough bond to allow for foot traffic in less than an hour after the application of floorcoverings.

Carpet tiles are another popular choice for areas such as libraries or common rooms, not least for their ability to be removed and replaced

if individual tiles become worn or damaged. For this floorcovering, a carpet tile tackifier provides a permanently tacky film that prevents the tiles from moving laterally under everyday traffic, while allowing individual sections to be lifted and replaced with ease. Carpet tile tackifiers are available that, once applied, only take 30 minutes to form a permanently tacky film ready to receive floorcoverings.

It is advisable to always check the compatibility of particular floorcoverings and adhesives. To do this, contractors should consult the adhesive manufacturer’s recommended adhesives guide or see the floorcovering manufacturer’s instructions. 

www.f-ball.com

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LEGAL & BUSINESS

NEGOTIATING THE VAT CHALLENGES OF THE CURRENT PANDEMIC The current economic climate means that businesses must manage their finances in smarter ways, maintain effective credit control and look to make efficiencies and savings where they can. One area often overlooked is VAT on construction projects, as Gerry Myton, Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, explains. of current and A review ongoing projects could lead to improved cash flow, or even a VAT refund depending on the taxable status of the developer or use of the property. A review of future projects could present cash flow savings through decreased funding or borrowing and again, could save some developers the cost of irrecoverable VAT.

But isn’t VAT just ‘in and out’?

For some developers, yes. They pay VAT to the contractor and then claim it back from HMRC. There are two potentially negative aspects of this. Firstly, the VAT cost must be factored into the financing of a project which increases borrowings and overall costs. Secondly,

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as anyone who has had a VAT enquiry regards a VAT repayment claim can attest, sometimes getting a VAT refund can be like getting blood from a stone.

Depending on the type of property being developed and the ultimate use of the building, some developers cannot recover VAT on construction costs and professional fees. The VAT becomes an absolute bottomline cost. But there are ways to mitigate this and in some cases, remove the VAT loss completely.

So how exactly can you ‘save’ on the VAT? The best way to mitigate VAT is to remove it completely, or as much as possible, from the equation. If a contractor does not charge VAT in the first

instance, then there can be no issues with either input tax recovery or irrecoverable VAT. Most developers are aware that new residential dwellings are covered by legislation for the construction to be zero-rate VAT. Some developers will be aware that a conversion from commercial to residential use is covered by legislation to allow the reduced rate to apply. A smaller number of developers will have heard that contractors can apportion their VAT charge if they are working on a mixed new-build development, say new commercial and new dwellings.

And an even smaller number of developers are aware that zerorate on construction applies to buildings being used for Relevant Residential Purposes (RRP) and

Gerry Myton is a Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants

Relevant Charitable Purposes (RCP), or that the reduced rate also applies to renovations where a dwelling has not been lived in for two years (empty homes rule) or where a conversion results in a different number of dwellings in a building – e.g. a house converted to flats (changed number of dwellings conversion).

These VAT reliefs exist for a reason, and it is up to developers and contractors to use them to best effect.

So how do we make sure we are not ‘overcharged’ VAT? Whilst some contractors and construction companies are very good in this area, our own experiences with small, medium and even large contractors is that they often take the path of least resistance. Many take the view that simply applying VAT at 20% means they themselves will have no issues with HMRC. Some just don’t want the hassle of having to consider applying VAT at different rates. Some just don’t understand that VAT does not always have to be levied at 20%.

LEGAL & BUSINESS What we can do, and have done for many clients, is review the work involved with a construction project to determine whether or not some or all the work qualifies for VAT relief through either zero-rating (0% VAT) or reduced rating (5% VAT).

We can work with the contractors to ensure that VAT is charged correctly moving forwards, or seek refunds for past projects.

Some projects could have a mixture of two VAT rates; some could have a mixture of all three.

By analysing the specifics, we can determine the appropriate VAT rate for each element of work undertaken, or to be undertaken, and agree on an apportionment method with the main contractor(s). We have found that by working with contractors in this way, and by explaining everything in advance (where possible), they are usually more receptive to the idea of issuing invoices with different VAT elements.

We have helped a number of developers in this way, and this has led to significant VAT savings for them.

A £70m+ saving On behalf of our developer client, we worked with a large multinational contractor on a £70m+ project involving both newbuild and renovation of existing buildings, with commercial and residential units, and had a mixture of 20%, 5% and 0% VAT rates on different aspects of the work.

By agreeing to apportionment with the contractor, this removed approximately £7m of VAT from the initial construction cost, which translated into decreased borrowing for the developer and greater flexibility if the intention to dispose of changes.

Refunds in overpayment A developer converted a basement area of an existing block of flats into new residential units. The contractor initially applied VAT at 20% on the basis

that this was refurbishment work. Our analysis provided for a different approach in terms of VAT, which saw the majority of the work liable to 5% VAT. The contractor issued a credit note along with a refund for over £200k in overcharged VAT. As the building was being used for exempt residential lettings, this was a significant cost saving to the developer.

Whilst each project is different and can have different VAT issues and solutions, the scope to save VAT applies equally to major development projects and smallerscale conversion contracts.

What can be done?

The VAT position for previously completed construction projects to ensure that VAT has been correctly charged can be checked. This is especially useful for developers that have constructed property where VAT could not be claimed, such as dwellings constructed as portfolio stock for residential lettings.

Where a project has been incorrectly billed with VAT, say in the last four years, there is scope to have the contractor issue a credit note and a VAT refund.

Where a developer constructs new dwellings to be retained for residential lettings, there is scope to utilise a mechanism which allows for ownership to be retained, whilst providing for full VAT recovery on construction costs and professional fees.

Whatever your individual position is, if you have been engaged in previous development projects, it is well worth asking professionals to review the VAT position if you have been unable to claim VAT in full. Similarly, if you are currently or soon to be undertaking a major renovation, refurbishment or newbuild works, it would be prudent to review the project from a VAT perspective to ensure optimum cash flow is achieved. 

www.nelsonslaw.co.uk

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TALKING POINT

MITIGATING THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF CORROSION Powder coating architectural metalwork provides protection and colour. In this article, Richard Besant, Director of Powdertech (Corby), explains some of the terms that are often bandied around to quantify corrosion in order that the specifier, manufacturer, installer and end-user all appreciate some of the key points.

Aluminium facade, powder coated (Anomatch) to meet the demands of an inner city environment

Budget for the correct process as well as the colour Corrosion is a subject that may appear quite simple but in reality, is complicated. Guarantees often mention corrosion alongside colour and gloss, but it is a more nuanced element and requires serious consideration. As I often say to customers: “It’s no use asking for a great colour if it’s all peeled off and laying on the ground in five years.” This is my first point when specifying metal finishing – the relative cost between one colour and another may not be a major cost driver whereas, in the long term, using the correct process is.

A simple questionnaire will confirm your project corrosion category Approved architectural powder coaters will have access to powder manufacturers’ databases of locations and

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related corrosion data. For example, you will be able to get information on corrosion levels affecting a hotel in Brighton or a car park in Bradford from 40 years of project experience and environmental monitoring. A simple questionnaire confirming the location, elevation, distance from the seashore, prevailing winds and other factors will enable a powder coater to confirm the availability of a corrosion guarantee and the process required to achieve it.

Corrosion categories are becoming more frequently used.

Look for notations C1 to C5 which define the corrosion features of that particular environment. The relevant standard is BS EN ISO 9223: 2012, annex C; of which describes categories C1 to C5.

The categories are defined by the first-year corrosion rates of standard specimens of exposed copper, steel, zinc and aluminium.

In practice, the corrosion rates can be estimated using the description of the environment.

Category C3 Outdoor is described as: “A temperate zone with medium pollution (SO2) or some effect of chlorides (Cl), e.g. urban areas, coastal areas with low deposition of chlorides…”.

From this, we can see the key determinants of the corrosive categories are pollution, measured by the atmospheric concentration of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and salt, measured by the atmospheric concentration of chlorides (Cl). When combined with elevation, wind direction etc., the specifier builds up a picture of the atmosphere.

Coastal locations are those closer than 2000m to the shore Land-locked Bradford and coastal Brighton may have the same ‘C’ category, but in Brighton it will

Richard Besant is Director of Powdertech (Corby), a specialist architectural powder coater, established in 1988 and a leading industry supplier.

Powdertech is a member of CAB (Council for Aluminium in Building) and ALFED (Aluminium Federation), and Richard is a member of the committee for EN 13438 – the European standard for powder coating on galvanised steel.

depend upon the actual distance from the shore to the building in question. The cut-off point is usually 2000m, i.e. a building that is more than 2000m from the shoreline is not generally considered to be coastal in the UK. Knowing the corrosion category gives us a start point for the specification of the powder coat finish.

TALKING POINT

Aluminium facade, designed and polyester powder coated to suit environmental conditions

Harsh conditions for metal in a coastal environment

Qualicoat class 1 and class 2 powder products have no difference in corrosion protection properties In most UK locations, a single coat of polyester powder with an average thickness of 60 microns will give excellent longevity. An increase in SO2 or Cl (higher pollution or shorter distance to the sea) will require a thicker single-coat film or perhaps a primer coat beneath to further protect the metalwork.

Discussing your needs with your powder applicator and powder manufacturer (preferably an approved applicator/manufacturer partnership) will result in the best practice. It is worth noting that use of either Qualicoat class 1 or Qualicoat class 2 products has absolutely no influence on the corrosion resistance of the system.

The performance properties of a more expensive Qualicoat Class 2 powder relate to the retention of colour and gloss – not corrosion.

Chrome-free and chrome-based pretreatments are equal and equivalent Between the powder coat and the metal is perhaps the most important process of powder coating – the bit that you don’t see – pre-treatment. For best results in final coating, it is worth budgeting for chemical pre-treatments that are approved to powder coating standard BS EN 12206 or Qualicoat specifications. The treatments will change dependent on the corrosion category. You may hear of two types of pre-treatment, Chrome VI and Non-Chrome. Performance-wise there is no difference between the two; however, Chrome VI may be withdrawn from use.

Design detail influences the performance of metal finishing in architectural applications An attractive, functional design is important but must address the corrosion category and powder coating process so that its lifespan is not compromised.

Specific design details are key; namely the bends, folds, welds, gaps, edges, material gauge, recesses and fixing points of an architectural fabrication. For instance, sharp edges are corrosion origination points, so need eliminating. Similarly, if the material needs to be coated all over to achieve corrosion resistance, then the design must allow for this to happen. Your powder coater can provide helpful advice on all of these issues.

Sharp edges are a corrosion origination point

Low maintenance is not ‘no’ maintenance Finally, it makes sense to specify and design a system that supports a low-maintenance solution. This can be achieved by spending time (and money) at the start of the process so that the cost can be quantified. For example, ensuring no water traps where chlorides (salt) can build up and initiate corrosion will add a known cost, whereas the future cost of repair and replacement is unknown. Design with access for cleaning is also important. Low maintenance is not ‘no’ maintenance, and your maintenance plan will generally be a simple regular washing routine.

I hope that I have persuaded you that knowing and understanding the corrosion ‘rating’ of your environment, discussing pre-treatments and paying attention to design elements are essential stages in your powder coating selection. Once this framework is set, you can select colour, texture and sheen with confidence that will look good for its guaranteed period and often longer. 

www.powdertechcorby.co.uk

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WASHROOMS

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS – IF NOT NOW… WHEN? In November last year, an influential coalition of housing and charity groups, including RIBA and Age UK, said that “the next Government should make all new homes accessible and adaptable”. The open letter went on to say: “Without action, we face an ever-mounting bill, with councils spending greater sums on trying to adapt homes retrospectively and the costs to our health and social care systems spiralling”. there are many factors impacting inclusive housing, A lthough there still remains a highly valid social and business argument for increasing the amount of suitable housing stock in this area of need.

Here Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, explains how specifiers in the public arena can create well-designed wheelchair accessible bathrooms, cost-effectively.

Good wheelchair accessible bathroom design The first thing to understand is that well-designed wheelchair accessible bathrooms needn’t cost the earth but should incorporate some well-designed necessities, so that the space is fit-for-purpose and effective in the long-term.

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So, what does a well-designed bathroom look like when it comes to a wheelchair accessible bathroom? There are a range of common elements that should be included when specifying or installing any wheelchair accessible bathroom. The following is some best practice advice taken from the Building Regulation’s Doc M for wheelchair user dwellings and also from Kate Sheehan, Occupational Therapist of The OT Service, for a well-designed wheelchair accessible bathroom. For the full story, download the wheelchair design guide on AKW’s website:

Promote movement around the space Manoeuvring into and inside the bathroom are key considerations.

With this in mind: Prioritise level access throughout the space – use a wetroom former, or a recessed or ramped shower tray Ensure doors are outward-facing – this increases space in the bathroom and helps in case of emergencies Ensure easy and safe level shower access – this can be done by using a corner design for the shower space Incorporate a raised height toilet – to allow for easier transfer from wheelchair to toilet seat

Minimise any gradient near the WC – a level access shower area has a gradient to help the water drain. Ensure that this is not part of the WC transfer zone, to minimise wheelchair tipping hazards.

Ensure toilet accessibility on both sides if possible – this is best practice advice and facilitates transfers, personal assistant support and potential changes in need for the wheelchair user Ensure that there is no external plumbing and pipework – to promote ease of movement around the space, all pipework needs to be concealed within the walls Think about the placement of radiators or towel rails – these can hinder wheelchair movement. Always opt for low surface temperature heat sources and consider underfloor heating as an alternative.

Use slip-resistant flooring to maximise the traction of the wheelchair and minimise falls Use a wall-hung sink – to improve access. Consider one with handles or a concave design to make things easier for a wheelchair user. The sink’s height should also be tailored to the user’s requirements (although compromises might be needed if the space is also used by the wider family).

WASHROOMS

KEY: Two sites: A: WC access zone B: Alternative permitted locations for a wash hand basin (in a bathroom) or a hand rinse basin (in a WC) C: Fittings can encroach up to 500mm one side or the other (not both) D: 1500mm diameter clear turning circle – may overlap max 500mm with shower E: Hatched area shows 1000mm-long x 1000mm-high x 100mm-wide zone kept for fitting of grab rails.

Good design promotes independence The aim of any accessible bathroom is to promote the dignity of the user. If they are also able to use the space independently, then these are key elements to include: Think about shower placement as this will impact movement around the space. For example, fittings can encroach up to 500mm on one side of the space (not both).

Use technology to promote independence – for example, AKW’s SmartCare Plus remote controlled shower helps the wheelchair user control everything with no additional assistance

Add a handle or rail to the door to help the wheelchair user close the door behind them, without the need for additional assistance Tailor the placement of grab rails to suit the abilities of the wheelchair user. Think about rail placement beside the WC, washbasin and level access shower. Depending on the bathroom’s layout, fold-up rails may benefit some users and any personal assistants.

Incorporating a bidet promotes user independence. If this is something that the wheelchair user would benefit from, remember to include an isolated electrical supply in compliance with Building Regulations for this.

Think about the user’s reach – to ensure that all of the essential fixtures and fittings (such as the toilet flush, light switches and bath/ shower controls) are at a height and reach that supports functional use.

Good design makes life better There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to accessible wheelchair design, so think about the following: Does the wheelchair user have small children in the house? For some, removing the bath could impact on their role as a parent. In this case, if there is space, include a level access shower and a bath.

Does the wheelchair user have a

visual impairment or dementia?

Refection, glare and contrast are all key to the selection of tiles, flooring and fixture colours. For more information on how to design bathrooms for these specific needs, visit our website and check out AKW’s visual impairment and dementia bathroom design guides.

Good design needn’t be expensive. For more details on how to ensure the best possible wheelchair accessible bathroom design, why not download the new occupational therapist co-written guide – www.akw-ltd.co.uk/ wheelchairbathroomguide. 

www.akw-ltd.co.uk

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COMMUNITY

MEET THE SMALL THEATRE WITH BIG AMBITIONS Polka Children’s Theatre in Wimbledon is a small theatre with big ambitions. Its mission is to produce a “world-class theatre for children” and it is recognised as one of the leading producers of children’s theatre in the UK. The theatre was originally created in 1979 in a former church hall, and an adjoining shop building and had seen little alteration since. Here, Tim Foster, Partner at Foster Wilson Architects, talks PSBJ through the building's restoration.

F

oster Wilson Architects was appointed by Polka, via a limited competition, in 2009 so it has taken over 10 years to bring this project to fruition. The intervening years have been spent wrestling with the difficulties of raising sufficient funds in the post-2008 climate, and the scheme has been through many iterations to arrive at a solution which meets the theatre’s aspirations at an affordable cost.

The old building presented itself poorly to the street; the cafe was too small, and the Creative Learning Studio was housed in an asbestos annexe at the back of the site. These proposals are about re-imagining the public areas of the building to improve the

facilities they offer and the way in which they present themselves and improving the financial sustainability of the theatre, both by reducing running costs and providing more opportunities for generating income through the cafe, the shop and the hiring of spaces for private events. They provide an enlarged cafe, improved foyers, a new adventure theatre for early years children, a creative learning studio within the building and a rehearsal room. All public areas needed to be available for external hires to assist with income generation. As a children’s theatre, all performances and activities take place during the daytime, so the building is available for other uses in the evening.

Much of the existing building has been retained and reworked, including the main theatre on the first floor, while a new twostorey building at the rear of the site replaces the old annexe and provides a new adventure theatre on the ground floor with a rehearsal room above it.

At the front of the site, the previously closed shop fronts have been opened up to create a new box office and shop facing the street.

A new fascia and canopy across the whole frontage incorporates signage, show advertising and lighting. Between the main building and the shop units, a new glazed entrance leads into a central spine, opening into the box office and shop on one side and a new enlarged

Tim Foster is a Founding Partner at Foster Wilson Architects and chairs the ABTT Theatre Planning Committee. He is also chairman of the OISTAT Architecture Commission, was a member of the international jury at The Prague Quadrennial in 2019 and a trustee of The Theatres Trust from 2009 to 2015.

cafe on the other, and leading on through the site, via the main foyer, to the new adventure theatre at the back. The cafe has been doubled in size by expanding sideways into the adjoining shop, with a new kitchen, toilets and access to the courtyard at the rear. Finishes are generally robust but are enhanced by the decorative interior designs of Laura McEwan, creating a magical environment for children.

The elevations to the new building facing the courtyard are faced in a dark brick, which is covered by a fret-cut aluminium screen in a tree pattern, which provides solar shading to the south- and east-facing windows and a decorative world, which children will enjoy.

We hope we have created a more sustainable and child-friendly destination which children and their families will visit and enjoy for many years to come. 

www.fosterwilsonarchitects.com

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A TOUCH OF GLASS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDINGS How can glass be used in public and commercial buildings? What are the maintenance issues with regard to this material, particularly with regard to safety when used for situations such as glass balustrades, and how can specifiers ensure that lengthy and costly downtime for maintenance can be limited? Simon Boocock, Managing Director of CRL Europe, looks at the options. is increasingly being G lass chosen for use in public buildings such as schools and leisure centres, bringing with it many positives. From an important practical perspective, safety and protective glazing helps improve security, but the advantages actually go far further than this alone.

Socially, open-plan and light-filled spaces are better for wellbeing and for creating environments that make people feel safe and included.

To capture, pass on and share daylight and artificial lighting, glass has become the material of choice, allowing light to

filter from one space to the next. Glazing has the added benefit of providing clear vision between spaces, offering a sense of openness, connectivity and security, which is important; particularly in larger buildings and in those where there are lots of people.

BALUSTRADES

The fact that installing glass is cost-effective is another big bonus.

This is a very durable material that will last a long time and creates a timeless impression, so won’t need to be frequently replaced with any modernisation of a building’s interior. Letting natural light through also has the added benefit of saving on energy bills.

One of the potential pitfalls of the overuse of glass for commercial buildings though, is the effect of solar heat gain; warming a building with the flow of natural sunlight certainly increases energy efficiency and makes for sustainable construction, but too much uncontrollable heat will make the interior uncomfortable.

It is important, and entirely possible to find a balance; a lightfilled open-plan-inspired space with good acoustics where everyone can work in harmony. Keeping the look and feel of an open-plan environment, the use of glass enables natural light to flow and a high-end look to be achieved, while acoustics and privacy levels can also be managed more effectively.

One of the biggest challenges is getting natural light into parts of the building’s interior where there are few, if any, exterior windows.

To overcome this, toughened safety glass and impact-resistant glazing is now quite commonly used in light wells, stairwells, corridors, wall partitions, lobbies and interior courtyards. These transparent fire-protection barriers allow light to pass from one area to another, blending natural and artificial lighting into spaces deep inside the building.

But what does this mean for installers? How are issues of installation times, labour costs and maintenance downtime to be overcome with such a great presence of glass within buildings?

From a practical viewpoint for installers, toughened glass, wherever it is used in a building needn’t be difficult to install or maintain. With the use of dry glazed systems, for example, glass is straightforward to fit, even retrospectively, enabling the open-plan space to be easily adapted to suit changing requirements. Such systems are particularly effective for public buildings, as they are quick and easy to install, resulting in minimal downtime and ultimately providing maximum transparency and an elegant appearance. 

www.crlaurence.co.uk

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PLACEMAKING

WHO IS BUILDING THE CONSERVATION AREAS OF THE FUTURE? Anthony McNamee, Associate at Farrer & Co, and Hugh Petter, Director at Adam Architecture, investigate.

I

n a recent report into placemaking, Adam Architecture and Farrer & Co outlined how the UK could adopt a different approach to community development, one that moves from a narrative of pure numbers and units to one of quality and community.

At its heart, the report is about educating landowners in the public sector (and others) on a higher quality approach to developing communities, that can still turn a profit in the current planning, financial and legal regimes. We set out to showcase and establish the foundations of some of the UK’s ‘best-in-class’ examples, where landowners had taken a patient approach to profit and in doing so have brought forward community developments that could be the conservation areas of the future. While its focus is very much on the present and what people can do now, we have a number of initial recommendations for Government at local and national level, that would help to encourage landowners to take a long-term approach and leave a positive legacy. These vary from empowering local planning authorities to the

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challenge of tax costs and how we can best navigate the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Facilitating engagement and financial possibilities Local planning authorities need to be adequately resourced and empowered to go out and contact landowners to persuade and incentivise them to put forward sites or facilitate them putting sites forward together. Whilst this clearly does not need to go as far as nationalising the land promotion industry, to best streamline and empower this process, local authority planners need to be able to be planners in the fullest sense where possible.

On a separate note, new entrants and landowners trying to act independently should not be disadvantaged when trying to access publicly backed funding streams – such as those administered by Homes England. We would recommend establishing a fund to enable development (by way of grants or low-interest loans) which is of genuine high quality and helps meet the aspirations of the relevant Local Plan.

Tax reforms The lag between when tax costs are incurred and when funds are received can affect project viability and incentivises a ‘quick buck’ approach. The tax system should be reformulated to incentivise an approach to land development that encourages a landowner to take a long-term view. For example, in some cases, there can be a deferral of capital gains tax (CGT) for commercial development.

Such an approach would have merit if applied to high-quality community developments.

Planning reforms Many have found their experience of the planning process long and expensive. Ultimately, it

will be the land value which bears that cost, but there are several reforms that should be considered to improve and streamline the planning process.

For one, there needs to be a greater use of Local Development Orders or a quasi-zoning system for those with a proven and trusted track record in terms of delivering quality and affordable housing. While professionals have access to data and information, for the purposes of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); for example, it was felt that systems could be put in place in each local authority area to provide baseline information available for the whole area. This would help lessen the numerous studies submitted with planning applications that

needlessly replicate underlying investigations. However, implementing such a system is not to say there is no need for site-specific surveys, but a shared baseline (which importantly would already have been approved by the local authority) would help quality and speed up decision-making.

Furthermore, greater objectivity and specificity in planning policies is needed.

Interviewees accepted that planning officers rightly are the guardians of planning policies, but when policies require reams of background paragraphs and aids to interpretation, it cannot be said that they are providing certainty. Another point of consideration is that greater certainty would also free planning officers from spending time on development management, allowing them to focus on development planning.

By adopting these recommendations and ensuring they are backed with adequate resources and supported by a shifted mentality, which respects planning as an essential function on a par with education when the public considers local authority purpose, the planning process could be improved considerably.

On-site and neighbouring infrastructure is often brought forward by a development.

Applicants should be allowed to apply for access to CIL to fund a proportion of on-site infrastructure to ensure that local plan aspirations for residents are met, especially in areas where property values might not support the level of investment which a local plan aspires to.

Additionally, development may need some other piece of infrastructure to come forward (or at least be shovel-ready) before a decision can be made to make an application or commence development itself.

Not all areas can generate the level of CIL needed to fund such infrastructure – and CIL is not universally adopted at present. It may be that Government should reconsider a national form of CIL in the way that the Mayor of London and the London Boroughs operate together (for example, 15% of CIL could go to a regional or national pot). This would be especially useful where necessary, enabling infrastructure such as a new bridge is not within the same local authority boundary as the proposed development.

PLACEMAKING

Infrastructure levy reforms

Going forward The above recommendations are in no way an exhaustive selection but can perhaps push the conversation on planning reform along. The upcoming Planning White Paper and subsequent Planning Bill are great opportunities for those who care to lobby Government to embrace a patient approach to creating communities. A new approach is needed, or in 20 years we may face a bleak future of soulless dormitory towns covering the UK’s countryside.

The opinions expressed here are those of the authors alone and do not represent the opinions of the publication. You can find a link to the Placemaking report, ‘A patient approach to creating communities’, here: https://www.farrer.co.uk/ legal-services/property/placemakinga-patient-approach-to-creatingcommunities/



www.adamarchitecture.com www.farrer.co.uk

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TECHNICAL FOCUS

COMBINING STRUCTURAL AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE IN FLOORS Traditional floor constructions consist of either a groundbearing or suspended concrete slab, or a suspended timber floor bearing on masonry. Tighter Part L requirements and the prevalence of off-site construction have swung the market towards precast concrete products – either beam and block or precast floor elements, writes Sean Downey, Team Manager – Engineering at the British Board of Agrément. have distinct B oth advantages: beams and blocks are readily available as stock items from suppliers and can be installed with minimal plant requirements; precast elements can be rapidly installed and provide an immediate working platform for follow-on trades.

Until fairly recently, the division of duties was split clearly between structural and insulator components. The primary structural performance of the floor was provided by precast or cast in-situ concrete or suspended timber and the insulation added to meet the required floor U-value.

Increased thermal performance requirements and a drive for construction efficiency created an opportunity to redesign floor systems to meet more exacting standards and recruit the insulation into a dual-purpose role. No longer

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must it simply offer low thermal conductivity, the performance envelope has widened, and it must now also be sufficiently robust and stiff to contribute to the performance of the structure, resisting concentrated loads, uneven stress distributions, creep and short/long-term deflections – and at an attractive price point.

Beam and block The most common form of structural insulated floor is ‘beam and poly block’, consisting of pre-stressed concrete beams, expanded or extruded polystyrene (EPS or XPS) infill system and a concrete topping. In many cases, the EPS or XPS will be load-bearing,

transferring imposed loads from the concrete topping to the supporting beams. The mechanism through which the loads are transferred varies from system to system but, in most cases, the stiffness of the concrete beams and toppings relative to that of the insulation means that recruitment of the flexural and shear strength of insulation is not readily achieved and the insulation acts in direct compression in the region of the beam header. This gives rise to significant concentrated stresses to be resisted. As both EPS and XPS exhibit viscoelastic behaviour, deflections due to creep must be accounted for.

The serviceability of the floor is further complicated by the need to preserve both the micro properties and thickness of the insulation needed to fulfil its thermal function.

TECHNICAL FOCUS This is where the engineering trade-off is made between low-density, lower-cost and lowthermal conductivity materials and stiffer, dense grades of insulation, with a floor system often being optimised with a range of materials which puts the stiffer materials in the highly-stressed areas but minimises thermal bridging.

Insulation materials applied in this manner require rigorous testing and analysis for the required serviceability and durability to be ascertained.

For beam and block floors, the most obvious example of this conflict between thermal and structural performance can be found at the floor edges. To achieve the lowest linear thermal transmittance (Ψ) value at the wall-floor junction, it is preferable to place the first-floor beam as far as possible from the wall.

However, doing this creates a cantilevered section of insulation and concrete topping. The concrete typically has a limited depth of no more than 75mm and minimal reinforcement to resist the imposed stresses. Such a thin concrete element is also less tolerant to poor construction practice and needs careful preand post-pour attention to avoid problems with shrinkage, bleeding and thermal stresses, especially

on exposed sites or during warm or windy weather. Nonetheless, when designed and executed correctly, this can provide a satisfactory floor solution with excellent thermal performance.

Fibre-reinforced concrete Of significant concern is the replacement of traditional steel reinforcing mesh in concrete toppings with steel or polymer fibres, which can offer time and material savings. Design of fibrereinforced concrete is not covered by current Eurocode standards, so achieving acceptance by warranty providers and building control professionals has been a difficult task for floor system providers.

These fibre suppliers and warranty providers, in conjunction with the British Board of Agrément, have conducted, over several years, a multitude of full and small-scale load tests to develop, prove and refine their offerings. Certification is granted only to those systems considered to satisfactorily perform as a system and manufactured under the strictest quality controls to ensure constancy of performance.

Ensuring quality The absence of definitive design standards for structural insulation materials in floors, and the complex interaction between the insulation and

concrete components, increases the risk of failure due to product substitution. Such practice should be avoided at all costs.

Independent certification of a floor system means little if there is not adequate ownership of the quality of the installation and the quality assurance procedures adopted on-site. Floors can be quickly and easily constructed, consist of materials with time-dependent performance characteristics and are often quickly concealed by finishes and the rest of the structure; a floor could be a hiding place for future problems. The requirement to adhere rigidly to the approved construction details for proprietary systems, with adequate inspection and sign-off by competent persons, cannot be stressed enough.

The potential for future problems has led to warranty providers being selective about which systems they will accept.

This is best seen by the NHBC’s prohibition of microfibre toppings which are normally still certified by certification bodies and used by the construction industry at large. (In 2018, the NHBC prohibited the use of micro-polymer fibres in concrete toppings for all but a few systems on sites for which it offers warranties).

Hackitt review implications One of the key challenges facing the construction industry, as highlighted in the Hackitt review, is the establishment of ownership over the design and procurement chain. While individual components will often be covered by their own British or European standards, this is not a guarantee that the assembled system will function satisfactorily as a whole and therefore does not cover aspects relating to design and installation.

Fit and safe When innovative solutions are introduced, construction product procurement processes should be properly and clearly defined to ensure all flooring systems have the correct safety standards intact.

The recognised technical expertise of certification bodies such as the BBA plays a vital role in gaining market acceptance of these innovative systems and provides reassurance to the end-user that the floor on which they are standing is, and will remain, fit for purpose for the life of the building. 

www.bbacerts.co.uk

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LEISURE

POOLING ENERGY SAVINGS WITH CHP With tighter environmental goals to meet and a commitment to improving the health of local residents, East Cheshire Council turned to Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to improve the efficiency of its leisure centres. Mark Gibbons, National Sales Manager for CHP at Baxi Heating, reports. council-run leisure L ocal centres have played a vital role over the years in ensuring both the physical and mental wellbeing of local communities. However, as intensive energy users, these facilities typically impose high operating costs on local authorities and managers.

Heating and hot water alone can account for up to 65% of energy bills, particularly in complexes with swimming pools. Electricity usage is also high, especially in centres that use it extensively for air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, fans, pumps and more.

So when the opportunity arose for East Cheshire Council to refurbish the heating system at Macclesfield Leisure Centre, the energy department was keen to monitor energy use across the site and explore ways of reducing energy demand and costs where possible. With a 25m swimming pool and a learning pool in addition to a fully equipped gym, studio and changing facilities, Macclesfield Leisure Centre is one of the council’s largest leisure complexes.

A mechanical condition survey by consulting engineer SVM-Building Services Design (SVM-BSD) for Engie – the

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council’s principal contractor and FM provider – revealed that 60% of the existing boiler plant was not operational and beyond repair. Replacement was; therefore, essential to avoid an emergency situation and potential building closure.

Highly efficient technology Cheshire East Council put a programme in place to upgrade the plant as part of multiple refurbishment projects at the centre. SVMBSD’s recommendation was to refurbish the heating system with an ultra-low NOx condensing CHP unit operating in conjunction with high efficiency condensing boilers.

This was a particularly effective solution for Macclesfield Leisure Centre given its continuous requirement for electricity and heat.

CHP generates electricity and heat simultaneously on site in one highly efficient process.

Instead of rejecting the ‘waste’ heat to the atmosphere like traditional power stations, the heat generated by CHP can be re-used to provide high-grade heating and hot water.

“CHP was the obvious choice for us when the opportunity became available for the council’s energy department to improve the efficiency of Macclesfield Leisure Centre,” said Colin Farrelly, Energy Manager at Cheshire East Council.

“The leisure centre is one of our largest energy users and, as such, the impact of applying CHP will be significant across the whole estate.”

Well-integrated system design Pairing CHP with high-efficiency condensing boilers is an effective means of ensuring that the system performs to its full potential, reducing operational costs while generating electricity at lower gas prices. The CHP unit operates as the lead boiler with the condensing boilers providing additional heat during peak periods when required.

The design scoped by consulting engineer SVM-Building Services Design (SVM-BSD) identified a Remeha R-Gen 50/100kW ultra-low NOx condensing CHP unit working in conjunction with six Remeha Quinta Ace 160 high-efficiency condensing boilers to optimise overall system efficiency.

For SVM-BSD, there were clear advantages of using one supplier for all the components.

“Working with Remeha has ensured a smooth delivery and installation process,” said Sean.

“It will also simplify future maintenance and servicing, as all spare parts can be accessed immediately from a central hub.”

Paul Towler, Director at CM Oxendale – the project M&E Contractor – agreed. “Having one point of contact certainly makes life much easier,” he said.

Ensuring good integration of CHP and boilers is also key, as well as considering long-term maintenance options from the outset. Good suppliers will be able to support on both these areas.

“A major benefit for us is that the Remeha team have an indepth understanding of both technologies which has resulted in a well-integrated system,” continued Paul. “They supported us throughout, from the design stage and hydraulic arrangement to the final ‘fine-tuning’ of the system for optimum performance.”

LEISURE

Careful planning Minimising disruption was the key priority for Engie, the council’s principal contractor and FM provider, as the leisure centre needed to remain open throughout the works.

“Ensuring that the building and its services were unaffected during the works required careful planning, co-ordination and collaboration,” explained Karl Durber, Engie’s Senior Projects Manager. “Working in a live environment can present complex logistical challenges. But this was a really good team effort with regular progress meetings ensuring excellent communication throughout the project.”

Remote monitoring To ensure that the CHP operates continuously and at optimum performance throughout its lifetime, the Remeha CHP team monitor the unit remotely.

An estimated 85% of reported CHP faults are able to be corrected and reset remotely.

So, from an FM perspective, the remote monitoring service

at Macclesfield Leisure Centre provides Engie with peace of mind that, if a problem should occur, it can be easily resolved – often without the need for a service visit.

The CHP system has been designed to use all the 100kW of heat it generates per hour to heat the swimming pool, providing space heating throughout the leisure centre, feeding the air handling units and satisfying the hot water demand.

The scheme has proved so successful that the council is now looking to install a second Remeha R-Gen CHP unit in another of its leisure centres.

CHP typically reduces energy bills by around 30%, but the ability of CHP to generate on-site electricity at lower gas prices boosts returns still further. The greater the ‘spark spread’ – or difference between gas and electricity costs – the greater the savings from a CHP system. So, with electricity prices currently at around three times the cost of gas, Cheshire East Council

can anticipate significant energy and cost savings at Macclesfield Leisure Centre moving forward.

Cheshire East Council has set the ambitious target of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025. “Since 2009, when Cheshire East Council was established as part of structural changes, the council has reduced its CO2 by 40%,” said Colin.

“Alongside our environmental goals, the council has the ambition to improve the health of residents by providing them with access to leisure centres. So, it makes perfect sense to make them as efficient as possible – and CHP is helping us do just that.” 

www.remeha.co.uk

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

NEW ALTRO WOOD ADHESIVE-FREE FLOORING SETS HIGH STANDARDS Brand-new Altro Wood adhesive-free safety flooring has been fitted in Kaimes Special School, in Edinburgh, setting a high standard for easy-to-fit, slip-resistant and homely surfaces for pupils and staff.

The installation of the flooring was part of a wider refurbishment of the school by the City of Edinburgh Council.

A spokesperson from the Interiors team at Edinburgh Council, says: “The biophilic design principles of bringing nature into schools have been proven to aid learning, promote calm and improve mood among pupils. Using a wood-effect flooring is a great way to create that atmosphere, and this is why we use Altro Wood adhesivefree – it’s a beautiful, homely and comfortable surface that also has very high slip resistance. It ticks all the boxes for us.

“We worked closely with Altro on Kaimes Special School, and they recommended their new Altro Wood adhesivefree flooring for several reasons. Pupils at Kaimes all have complex emotional needs, and creating a calm, comfortable space is very important. Reducing sensory overload and harsh colours is a vital part of this, and the existing floors were solid blues and greens, which were too overpowering visually.

“The adhesive-free element of the new flooring was also vital for this project because the existing flooring had traces of asbestos in the adhesive. In other circumstances, we would have had to lift the old flooring; a very costly and time-consuming process. But we were able to lay the new Altro adhesive-free flooring straight on top of the old surface, which rendered the asbestos completely harmless. It was incredibly quick to fit as well, going down in just a day, which hugely reduced disruption in the school. And, of course, there is no adhesive, so no lingering odours.”

www.altro.co.uk 01462 489516 enquiries@altro.com

RECORD FLOWCONTROL CONTROLS FLOW IN YOUR PREMISES, TO AID SOCIAL DISTANCING The record FlowControl is an automatic people counting system, which controls the number of customers entering your premises and employees using shared areas, to enable safe social distancing.

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Designed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the record FlowControl is a cost-effective system which is ideal for use in retail stores, public buildings, offices and factories, education facilities, banks, healthcare and hospitality and leisure (once opened) to aid social distancing.

Completely automated, the ‘traffic light system’ reliably counts all people in both directions; in and out. Once the pre-defined people count is reached, the entry door is automatically deactivated to prevent further access until someone exits the building or shared areas.

Suitable for use on all manufacturers’ sliding, swing and folding automatic doors, this user-friendly system alleviates the need for employees to man the doors, enabling them to be re-deployed to other areas. The system, which is easily adjustable to suit peak or off-peak hours and working patterns, takes two to four hours to install, ensuring minimal disruption to businesses.

With social distancing set to continue for the foreseeable future, the record FlowControl is a valuable system for any building that has to limit the number of people inside.

www.recorduk.co.uk 01698 376411 info@recorduk.co.uk

Image © John Sinclair

BRINGING LIGHT AND LIFE TO ART The McLean Museum and Art Gallery in Greenock, Scotland, has reopened following a three-year £2m refurbishment using Kalwall translucent cladding at its heart.

FOCUS & INNOVATION

Much of the refurbishment hinged around the problem of the original large glass roof over the atrium. There has always been an issue between allowing direct light into museum spaces to view objects in a natural environment. This is because of the associated degradation and damage caused by solar radiation and ultraviolet lights on artefacts such as paint, varnishes, wood, textiles, pigments and dyes. Many museums will often limit the annual exposure to daylight by rotating displays.

At this museum, the glass roof had been covered with layers of black paint to block out the daylight to reduce damage. This, however, made for a dark and depressing space.

Consequently, when Collective Architecture was appointed to refurbish the building, Kalwall was specified to replace the existing glass running the length of the central atrium.

Collective Architecture, working with Historic Environment Scotland, chose this translucent cladding for its ability to transmit diffused daylight deep into the space below. Its unique structure also deflects harmful UV-A and UV-B rays for the lifetime of the product, unlike coatings used on other solutions which gradually wear away. The lightweight nature of Kalwall also meant the existing supporting structures could be used, while additional insulation was also incorporated to achieve a U-value of 0.57W/m2K. Kalwall is a popular choice for projects where performance, long life cycle and low maintenance are required, coupled with an aesthetic finish. It offers the highest protection in terms of wind-borne debris and resistance to impact, abrasion and point load and is also very secure, making it popular for projects such as this where valuable artefacts are on display.

www.structura-uk.com/kalwall 01233 501504 mail@structura.co.uk

OFFSITE SOLUTIONS AWARDED FOURTH BATHROOM POD CONTRACT FOR STUDENT DEVELOPER Offsite Solutions has been awarded its fourth project for student accommodation developer, urbanest. The £1.8m contract is to manufacture over 500 high-specification en-suite shower pods for urbanest City in London. The £90m mixed-use student scheme at Vine Street in the City of London is under construction by Balfour Beatty and will deliver 656 student beds alongside 75,000ft2 of commercial offices and 10,000ft2 of incubator space for start-up businesses. Offsite Solutions has a long-standing relationship with urbanest, having supplied bathroom pods for other high-quality student schemes across London. By moving bathroom construction into a controlled factory environment, fewer materials and labour are required on site, which is a key benefit for a constrained central London site. Angus Kearin, Head of Development at urbanest, said: “Maximising offsite construction saves a huge amount of work on site and allows us to dispense with several processes.

The quality of bathroom pods is superior, and delivery is www.offsitesolutions.com consistently on time and 01278 780807 on budget.” info@offsitesolutions.com

NATURAL OIL WOODSTAIN Osmo has the solution for all exterior wood surfaces!

• Natural wood grain remains visible • Fast drying, two coats in one day • Finish doesn’t crack or peel • Very water, dirt, weather and UV resistant • Reduces wood swelling and shrinkage • Resistance against algae, mould, mildew and fungal attack • No sanding necessary for future applications

www.osmouk.com

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

BRINGING THE WARMTH OF THE MEDITERRANEAN TO WARWICK Powdertech Corby’s Evolution shade, ‘Cracked Clay’, has been used to coat 900m2 of aluminium cassette panels for the roof and facade of phase one of new student accommodation at Warwick University. The new development, Cryfield Village, is built as a series of townhousestyle apartments and studios and will eventually house around 830 residents. buildings are fitted T hewithnewphotovoltaic panels that convert the sun’s energy to electricity, supporting the university’s aim to reach net-zero carbon by 2030.

Richard Besant, Director of Powdertech (Corby), explains:

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“The designers were keen to make a statement with the village properties and to impart a warm and welcoming feeling for the first-year students. Terracotta has a wonderfully warm and eye-catching appeal and is a marked improvement on the outdated existing buildings.”

Terracotta shades, including ‘Cracked Clay’, have become very popular, and Powdertech Corby has a palette of similar shades in its Landscape and Evolution library of colours. Landscape also has many stone-coloured shades within its range and Evolution

includes shades that give the appearance of rusted steel, ‘Corten’ and Verdigris copper. All of these shades and more can be viewed in the Colour Library on the Powdertech (Corby) website.

In line with all architectural powders used by Powdertech, Cracked Clay meets the Reaction to Fire Standards for fire classification A2-s1,d0, suitable for use on multi-storey residential buildings. The finish also has a 25year guarantee for gloss, colour and adhesion and Powdertech’s rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the panelling free from corrosion for up to 40 years.

With increasing concern for the health of our environment, it has become paramount to design buildings that work with and complement the natural landscape.

Combining the Landscape and Evolution ranges, which are free of solvents and VOCs, with 100% recyclable aluminium and chromefree pre-treatments, supports an eco-friendly agenda. Architects and environmental planners are coming to see buildings and other landscape structures as organic elements of a larger ecosystem.

Ecologically built structures that resonate with our ideals will create less stressful environmental footprints, promoting ecological connectivity which will enhance the quality of life and the overall look of our buildings.

The need to satisfy the growing ecological and sustainable demands of the buildings has spawned extensive research and innovative new products, together with interest in natural shades, reflecting and blending with the landscape. Powdertech Corby has close relationships with its powder manufacturers, all of which number amongst the world leaders, and the company makes it a priority to stay ahead of the colour trends. Powdertech also creates its own finishes such as Evolution, Anomatch and PWF.

www.powdertechcorby.co.uk 01536 400890 pcl@powdertech.co.uk

Tata Steel has launched Urban Seam Façade, a new A1 firerated steel standing seam cladding system that delivers a modern aesthetic and importantly, exceeds the fire safety standards set by the updated Building Regulations. As a development of the Colorcoat Urban range of products, the facade system has been engineered with the needs of residential developers and contractors in mind. Urban Seam Façade is suitable for use on buildings over 18m high with a residential purpose where all external cladding elements must have a reaction to fire rating of A2 or better to meet the requirements of Building Regulations.

9MM MAGPLY GIVEN ‘PURPLE PASSIVE’ TREATMENT FOR PECKHAM PROPERTIES A development of two- and three-bedroom terraced homes on a brownfield site in South London is making use of Magply boards’ fire resistance and other physical benefits: receiving a special polymerbased, purple-coloured membrane finish to provide excellent airtightness as part of an ‘eco-homes’ energy specification.

The high-performance MgO boards will be overclad with black timber boarding across a batten cavity, with widths varying from 50-120mm which conceals the rainwater downpipes. Project Manager, Tony Buck, commented: “...The client...wanted the additional protection provided by a firerated sheathing board and we are using 9mm Magply boards on the outside of the timber frames.”

01244 892434

FOCUS & INNOVATION

TATA STEEL LAUNCHES NEW A1 FIRE-RATED FACADE SYSTEM

www.tatasteelconstruction.com colorcoat.connection@tatasteeleurope.com

NEW F. BALL ADHESIVE SAVES ICE RINK INSTALLATION F. Ball & Co.’s Styccobond F73 PLUS adhesive has been used for a rinkside flooring refurbishment at Slough Ice Arena. The adhesive was called upon to secure Norament rubber tiles on the walkway. Westcotes Flooring required a replacement adhesive after the product specified for the job failed to bond. A site visit from F. Ball resulted in a switch to Styccobond F73 PLUS to complete the installation. Styccobond F73 PLUS has been developed to provide the high bond strength required to hold a range of textile and resilient floorcoverings, including rubber, firmly in place in areas that will be subject to heavy loads and high foot traffic, as well as surface water.

www.magply.co.uk 01621 776252 john@magply.co.uk www.f-ball.co.uk

01538 361633

mail@f-ball.co.uk

BUSINESS SOARS AT DESIGNER CONTRACTS Turnover at Designer Contracts leapt by nearly a quarter in its last financial year. Figures for the year to October 31st, 2019, show the company grew by 23%, boosting turnover from £38m to £46.7m and creating 74 new jobs. It is the second successive year of significant growth – last year the Derbyshire-based company was up by almost 15% year-on-year – taking its average number of employees from 276 to 325. Current numbers stand at 350 across its 15 UK regional facilities. Said Designer Contracts MD, Peter Kelsey: “Our bold expansion strategy has allowed us to grow our customer base considerably. We’ve taken on business in new sectors, including the public and care arenas, and expanded in areas where we were already prominent. Despite the current situation with coronavirus, we remain positive and are confident that we can reach our target £80m turnover and increase the number of staff from 300 to 600 by 2023.”

COUNTRY COLOUR • The wood structure remains visible • All colours can be mixed with each other • Weather-resistant and robust against small damages • Resistant to saliva and perspiration, suitable for children’s toys

www.osmouk.com

www.designercontracts.com

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

USING DUTCH TECHNOLOGY, HYDROROCK AQUIFER SUDS ARRIVE TO THE UK Earlier this year, Hydrorock Solutions launched its Natural Aquifer sustainable drainage system in the UK and Ireland. Using Dutch technology and years of research and development by Rockwool has created this revolutionary green Hydrorock Natural Aquifer SuDS System – an aquifer drainage system made from natural materials, designed specifically to help overcome worsening flooding and drainage problems due to climate change. The system replicates exactly how the natural water cycle works; retaining and properly managing rainfall where it falls, controlling runoff and preventing flooding, whilst also benefitting water quality, soil condition and biodiversity.

www.hydrorocksolutions.com

01233 510094

info@hydrorocksolutions.com

CUT-TO-FALLS MULTIBOARD SPEC SPEEDS PROTECTION OF SEMI-BASEMENT TO SOMERSET HOME A refurbishment on a residential property near Exmoor has included the specification of cut-to-falls Marmox Multiboard.

The work is being carried out by NTG Property, while Peter Reid of P2 Design drew on his experience of using Marmox Multiboard. He commented: “...There was a habitable semibasement level where water had been getting in over a long period and causing damage...We went to Marmox to obtain calculations on the heat loss: to maximise the energy retention and avoid any risk of interstitial condensation forming. And there was also the added bonus that utilising the tapered boards allowed us to speed construction and do away with one of the wet trades.”

www.marmox.co.uk

01634 835290

DEANESTOR SUPPLIES CLINICAL FURNITURE FOR THREE NHS FIELD HOSPITALS Deanestor has provided clinical equipment to three of the new NHS field hospitals – Harrogate, Glasgow and Birmingham.

Two projects were completed for principal contractor BAM Construct UK and with architect firm BDP, supplying a total of 12 lorry loads of specialist equipment to the Harrogate Convention Centre which was converted into an NHS Nightingale Hospital. Clinical workbenches and modular storage units totalling 500 items were offloaded, unpacked and delivered just 48 hours after receiving each instruction. This project has delivered a 500-bed level-three critical care field hospital for COVID-19 patients for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

www.deanestor.co.uk 01623 420041 enquiries@deanestor.com

sales@marmox.co.uk

TG ESCAPES SUPPORTS FESTIVAL OF LEARNING SPACES

F. BALL SUPPORTS KEY WORKERS AT LEICESTER HOSPITAL Products donated by F. Ball & Co. have been used to help support the wellbeing of NHS staff at a hospital in Leicester during the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound was used to create a base for new floorcoverings as part of ‘The Secret Garden’, a charitable restoration project at Glenfield Hospital, part of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. After ensuring that the subfloor was sufficiently sound, dry and free of contamination, contractors proceeded to apply F. Ball’s Stopgap 1200 Pro, fast-setting, fast-drying, two-component levelling compound to the floor at a thickness of 3mm.

Running from 1st June to 10th July, the festival features over 40 webinars over six weeks as well as a whole host of engaging and thought-provoking on-demand content to view at your leisure. James Lee, Managing Director at Step Connect, said: “We’re delighted to announce TG Escapes as a festival headline sponsor. Since I launched Education Estates eight years ago, TG Escapes has been a valued exhibitor, and we’re delighted that they are supporting us in this ambitious and exciting festival.” Included in the programme will be practical advice and guidance, addressing the current situation; industry resilience; examples of how projects are being progressed and how to do stakeholder engagement in these current times.

www.tgescapes.co.uk

info@tgescapes.co.uk

UPGRADING WINDOW INSTALLATIONS WITH UPRATED TRICKLE VENTS Ahead of the ongoing consultation around changes to Part F of the Building Regulations in England and Wales governing ventilation, The Window Company (Contracts) has begun upgrading its installations with uprated trickle vent solutions. The award-winning commercial window and door specialist has switched to the new generation of 5000mm2 trickle vents for all of the windows it now installs so that it can easily comply with the draft recommendations in the consultation document, which are likely to come into force in June. The Window Company (Contracts) has taken advice from its trickle vent supplier, Glazpart, to ensure that it is only fitting 5000mm2 units or multiples thereof on all newbuild and replacement window projects from now on.

www.f-ball.co.uk 01538 361633 mail@f-ball.co.uk www.thewinco.co.uk

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0800 917 7726

01245 268120

thornton@thewinco.co.uk

Howard Trotter, Business Manager at Shelforce fire doors are a life F ireshel safety product intended to protect escape routes by preventing the spread of fire and smoke, designed to mitigate risks and limit harm and damage from fire, smoke and burglary.

After the Grenfell tragedy, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has worked with third-party certification bodies to develop minimum standards of assurance for fire doors.

As Government-funded organisations set the standard for the wider housing sector, fire and security safety for local authorities is imperative – and when it comes to specifying a fire door solution for any local authority or housing association replacement project, the above standards must be met.

Having worked with local authorities for many years, we understand what they need and have the answers to the questions they must ask when it comes to correctly manufacturing and installing fire, smoke and securityresistant doors.

WHAT MUST LOCAL AUTHORITIES LOOK FOR WHEN SPECIFYING FIRE DOORS? With Shelforce having launched its new fully compliant Fireshel 30-minute fire, smoke and security resistant door, the window and door manufacturer’s Business Manager Howard Trotter provides advice on what local authorities should be looking for when it comes to fire doors – and why the Fireshel is the perfect solution for all those who need fully EN-tested third-party-accredited, replacement fire, smoke and security doorsets, that are compliant with the latest 2020 MHCLG Annex A recommendations.

Fire performance – field of application It is a legal requirement for fire door manufacturers to provide test evidence to show their product’s ability to resist fire. The field of application is the document that collates all the test evidence and makes the official statement that doorsets within the size ranges listed are all compliant; without the field of application, variations of tested composite door sizes are not allowed.

Any fire door installed must have a field of application from the manufacturer, and if it does not, then you will not be fitting the right door, making the consequences potentially catastrophic.

The Fireshel field of application confirms that the door has been fire tested to EN 1634 -1 from both the inside and the outside and has proven fire resistance performance.

All fire doors must be third-party audited for both fire and security compliance and have third-party certification.

Fireshel doors are Q Mark 170 Scheme 3rd Party Accredited. The independent Q Mark audits at the Fireshel production facility ensure that the tested fire and smoke door specification is consistently and repeatedly manufactured with the exacting specification as the security door specification.

Independent third-party auditing provides an additional level of assurance that the product is produced to the same specification and quality as that originally tested, and that the original test behaviour and criteria are both met and reliably maintained consistently.

FOCUS & INNOVATION

Consistency – fire, smoke security doorsets, independent third-party accreditation

The Fireshel Our Fireshel fire and security doorset solution has achieved all the new stringent recommendations set by the MHCLG and has proven 30-minute fire resistance consistency having been fire tested from both sides many times to EN 1634 -1, achieving 49 minutes fire resistance.

The low-maintenance door, complete with fanlight glazing panel, has also been PAS 024 Security tested and Q Mark 3rd Party independent audits inspect the Fireshel for both fire and security compliance.

The Fireshel composite fire door utilises the FireFrame dual fire, smoke- and security-compliant fire doorset solution from Winkhaus, which includes the FD30/FD60 FireFrame outerframe, and the Winkhaus AV2 auto-locking multipoint door lock with optional access control. Fireshel tested to resist security and fire including TS008compliant letterplates, numerals, eye viewers, door knockers and security chains.

When specifying a fire door solution for any local authority replacement project, the Fireshel system offers assurance that all the components used in the manufacture of the doors have been tested and approved against the new 2020 Q Mark 170 Scheme Fire and Security Composite doorset requirements. 

www.shelforce.com 0121 603 5262 shelforcesales@birmingham.gov.uk

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