PSBJ June 2012

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June 2012

Community education Learning achievement met through design

Home delivery Innovative model for housing needs

Targets Vs Tactics Do new schools need a green agenda?

Off-site solutions Modular construction meets NHS demands

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Cover image A trio of products from Schl端ter-Systems are proving instrumental in the success of tiling installations within the brand new state-of-the-art Chetham's School of Music in Manchester _ the largest specialist music school in the UK. Editor Dawn Frosdick-Hopley editor@psbj.co.uk Publishing Director Sam Ball sam@mixedmediainfo.com Account Executive Adele Mason adele@mixedmediainfo.com Design & Production Chris Lilly chris@mixedmediainfo.com Credit Control Manager Vickie Crawford accounts@mixedmediainfo.com Publisher Mixed Media Information Barham Court, Teston Maidstone, Kent ME18 5BZ T: 01622 232702 F: 01622 816874 www.mixedmediainfo.com www.psbj.co.uk

Welcome. . .

Having a permanent place to live is at the core of a stable society. As we are now witnessing, the escalating housing needs in this country are having an increasing impact on wider issues such as health and education with families becoming more stressed and transient. With hundreds of thousands of people sliding down the economic ladder, the situation is a long way from improving.

According to the charity Empty Homes, there are nearly one million unoccupied properties in the UK, and 350,000 of them have been empty for more than six months. The Government believes local authorities already have enough power to address the issue of empty buildings within their areas and therefore feel more legislation is not necessary. And whilst demand for housing certainly outstrips the occupancy offered by the empty homes in this country, surely more focused legislation would offer one solution to the growing need.

There is also much discussion as to whether the Government is going far enough in encouraging affordable housing developments. With sustained high demand for social housing across the UK, the need for more investment and a continuing willingness from developers is imperative.

But it is not all doom and gloom. All over the UK there are developments which are making a significant difference to communities. In this issue of PSBJ, we look at a housing project in Gateshead, where a significant proportion of the planned properties are to be delivered as affordable homes. This joint venture between The Home Group and Galliford Try, in association with Gateshead Council, is a beacon of light in a dark tunnel of decreasing public funding.

Dawn Frosdick-Hopley | Editor | editor@psbj.co.uk 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 editors hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Mixed Media Information 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.

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Contents

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08 Upfront Olympic legacy – PSBJ looks at the issues in developing leisure resources which can serve a community whilst offering world-class training to future athletes.

14 Housing An innovative new partnership model is paving the way to deliver the largest housing project of its kind outside of London.

18 Talking Point Mark Robinson, CEO of local authority controlled company Scape, discusses what can be done to ensure that any new educational premises created, generate a positive learning experience without breaking the bank.

22 Education

28 Modular buildings

The award-winning St Paul’s Way Trust School in Bow, Tower Hamlets, has become a beacon of hope for the local community and a place of inspiration for pupils.

A new classroom facility at Langley Academy in Slough to accommodate its rapidly expanding 6th form intake, was provided by Wernick Buildings in just 11 weeks.

20 Acoustic Ceilings

26 Acoustics & Sound

30 Healthcare

A ceiling system that provides the best possible acoustic environment for teachers and students has been launched by Ecophon.

To help combat the growing problem of noise disturbances, PSBJ looks at a company providing bespoke solutions in a variety of public places.

Simon Ambler, Director of Yorkon, looks at how off-site construction is helping healthcare providers meet the increasing pressure on services.

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Public Sector Build Journal

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34 Fire Protection/Health & Safety

41 PlayFair 2012 Preview

Falls from height still remain the largest cause of workplace injuries.

PSBJ looks at the various roof access systems available.

PSBJ previews how PlayFair 2012 will be covering the modern demands affecting play spaces today.

37 Paints, Coatings & Finishes A new online technical resource, offering a new approach to the delivery of specification plans, has been launched by Crown Paints.

42 Canopies, Shelters & Shading

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A brand new range of eye-catching canopies has been designed by Tensile Solutions to keep children safe whilst playing and learning outdoors.

38 Leisure

44 Swimming Pools & Water Treatment

Leisure projects need tough, durable materials that stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use. The new pavilion at Oxford City Football Club has achieved the right result using GTEC LaDura from Lafarge Plasterboard.

Geoff Renshaw, from energy saving technology specialist Powermaster, explains how a typical pool can dramatically reduce its energy bill by using nothing more than clever engineering.

45 Product Showcase The latest product and installation news, helping specifiers make informed choices.

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News

New calls for austerity cuts in Government departments come as no surprise says KPMG Following calls by Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, for Government departments to set aside an additional five per cent of their budget to help meet austerity measures, Alan Downey, partner and head of KPMG’s public sector practice says this should come as no surprise.

“One of the puzzling aspects of the financial crisis is why it took so long for the shockwaves reverberating around private industry to rock the foundations of the public sector. It was always clear that a time lag would exist between the two, but

hiatus has never been mistaken for an escape from the need for austerity, especially given the continued economic uncertainty.

“There may have been some who thought more money would be found if the going got really tough,” continues Downey, “but, with two years passing since deficit reduction became a mantra for the coalition, it should really come as no surprise that calls for cuts are being extended. There are also indications that public sector bosses accept the enormity of the task ahead, with four out of five agreeing

that they need to make productivity improvements to meet current and future challenges and two-thirds admitting that they need to amend their business operations.

“The worry remains, however, that is just a small minority who see cash flow and improving working capital management as a critical priority.

Successful deficit reduction depends on the quality of day-to-day financial management and unless tough decisions are taken now, we may not be able to protect the most important public services in the long-term.”

National advice role for CoRE Chief Jonathan Davis, Chief Executive of CoRE (the national Centre of Refurbishment Excellence) has been appointed to a key group giving guidance on Government policy on green issues.

Sustainable design expert Jonathan, will serve on the Green Construction Board’s Knowledge and Skills working group, chaired by Professor George Martin of Coventry University.

The Green Construction Board has been established to provide leadership across Government and industry on how to cut carbon usage while

promoting growth of the UK design, construction and property industries.

Jonathan Davis was appointed as the first Chief Executive for the new CoRE centre on its opening in January, 2012.

“It is a great privilege to be appointed to work with such a high level and talented team on the Green Construction Board Knowledge and Skills group,” said Jonathan.

“The aims of the Green Construction Board mirror those of CoRE in many ways and the relationship will be mutually beneficial. The Board has

HLM-designed performing arts school opens in Cornwall

A new £17.2m building commissioned

by Cornwall Council for Brannel School, a specialist English and performing arts school in St Stephen, Cornwall, has opened.

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Public Sector Build Journal

The state-of-the-art school designed by architects HLM, provides 6,622m2 of teaching space for up to 750 pupils, plus a theatre, performing arts spaces and an outdoor amphitheatre. It also

been tasked by the Government to develop and implement a long-term strategic framework for the promotion of innovation and sustainable growth.” features a multi-use games area and all-weather, floodlit sports pitch.

The scheme is rated BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and features ground source heating, solar water heating and green roofs.

Pupils from all years were involved in the design of the school, as were school staff, members of the local community and Cornwall Council staff, following several months of close consultation with HLM. Ray Bell, head teacher at Brannel School, said: “Consultations with pupils, staff and the local community went very well and HLM was superb in the planning process, working in close partnership with us to help realise our vision. We have created a very special place of learning.”

News

New workshops for Plymouth College of Art £8m contract for Premier Interlink The off-site manufacturing specialist, Premier Interlink (Waco UK Ltd), has been awarded a school building contract worth around £8m by Leeds City Council as part of a four year ‘Basic Needs Framework’ agreement.

Three modular buildings will be built to provide a total of 3380m2 of accommodation to the Roundhay (above), Bracken Edge and Wykebeck area and will comprise a total of 106 steel-framed modules, which will be manufactured off site in a controlled factory environment at Premier Interlink’s facilities in East Yorkshire.

These will be delivered by road and craned into position ready for the final stages of fitting-out on site.

The Wykebeck and Bracken Edge

school buildings will comprise singlestorey extensions to the existing schools providing additional classrooms to meet demand for places. Wykebeck’s design features will include composite insulated panel cladding with a brick slip plinth and the external design of the Bracken Edge modular building will be a mixture of composite insulated panel and brick slip. The Roundhay school project is the largest of the three. The end result will alter the age range of the school and expand Roundhay School Technology and Language College making this Leeds City Council’s first two-form entry school providing education for a child from the start to the end of their school career.

Premier Interlink has also recently purchased the intellectual property rights of Britspace, who ceased trading in 2011, including the design rights for Britspace products.

Plymouth College of Art has appointed Mansell through the Construction Framework South West for a £4m project to design and build a new art, craft and digital design workshop block on an area of vacant land adjoining the college in the centre of the city.

The scheme aims to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Sustainable features include heat recovery processes, and renewable, low, or zero carbon technologies are also being considered.

The new workshops are the first phase of a master plan to redevelop the college as part of Plymouth Council’s ‘Vision for Plymouth’ urban redevelopment plan.

Construction begins in the summer of 2012, with completion timed for the start of the 2013 academic year.

MITIE appoints new national social housing director MITIE, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing and energy services company, has appointed Peter Griffin as its new Social Housing Director with responsibility for consolidating its existing social housing offering under a unified national business.

With a 30-year career in the

construction industry, and having held the position of Group Managing Director for EPS1 from 2001 until 2009, Peter brings a wealth of experience in the social housing sector to the role.

Peter joined MITIE in 2009, when EPS was acquired by MITIE, where he took up a national strategic role

working on projects across the division. Peter specialises in social housing maintenance and renewable energy services. He has experience of traditional contracts and partneringstyle arrangements and has overseen new build, responsive maintenance and refurbishment contracts of all sizes.

Shepherd Group launches education delivery package The Shepherd Group has announced the launch of a new initiative that is designed to take a holistic view of reducing the cost of education building projects by up to 40%.

Responding to the challenges posed by the James Review into Education and the Government’s new construction strategy, the ‘Options’ package is based on utilising the combined thinking, expertise, processes, solutions, techniques and engagement principles employed by the Group’s operating

companies and supply chain partners.

The Shepherd Group believes this pooled approach, drawing on a palette of standard components, will drive out any waste and duplication through the planning process and project delivery to achieve the best solution to meet a client’s needs, whether it’s a modular construction, traditional new-build or refurbishment, or a hybrid of traditional and modular.

However Gary Edwards, Executive Director of Strategic Development for

Shepherd Group Built Environment, explains this is not just about offering a standardised off-the-shelf model: “We have listened carefully to all stakeholder groups. Offering a solution that standardises the process, materials and certain aspects of design whilst leaving clients with a product that really suits their individual needs is critical – Options allows this. Whether for a nursery, primary or secondary school, there is no doubt that we can deliver school buildings for less.”

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©Girts Gailans

Upfront

The £25m Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex in Uxbridge features a range of amenities to meet the diverse range of local needs

A sporting chance The London Olympics has increased focus on the need for competition-standard sporting facilities to help nurture future elite sportsmen and women. At the same time, these facilities must meet the needs of local communities and commercial operators. These competing demands call for early stakeholder engagement, as well as an experienced contractor. Cliff Thomas, Regional Director of the Leadbitter Group's Central Construction division, explains.

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ith this summer’s London Olympics on the doorstep, providing leisure infrastructure that promotes sporting excellence and provides a lasting legacy for future generations has never been more high profile.

Local authorities have to provide facilities to nurture future talent, work to combat childhood obesity and improve the health of residents, while delivering world-class sports and leisure facilities.

Historically, the local swimming pool was the centrepiece of a council’s public health and leisure strategy, but now it is just one part of an overall package of sporting and recreational facilities required in modern leisure centres.

Swimming pools and sports halls need to be balanced with gym

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Public Sector Build Journal

and fitness elements and are often run by private companies looking to ensure the long-term economic viability of the centre. Modern leisure centres are also community hubs, including cafés and restaurant facilities, as well as providing crèche and meeting spaces. Clearly, early stakeholder engagement is vital and needs to be addressed proactively, so that all interests are taken into account.

Recreation & competition At the top end of the scale, as seen in the run-up to an Olympic Games, an additional challenge in designing multiple-use environments is to deliver facilities suitable for elite athletes. The key to all this is to provide flexible space.

Typically, the most attractive solution, particularly for larger projects,

is to offer both recreational and competition standard pools on one site. By incorporating features such as moveable walls and floors, the same spaces can be used differently by various sectors of the community throughout the week.

Economic viability now sits at the heart of the sustainability argument and will do so even more as budgets are tightened. So contractors face the challenge of delivering a building that meets both the commercial aspirations of the end operator, while remaining true to the council’s original vision.

Clearly, open dialogue between all parties is essential.

The Leadbitter Group has found that by forging strong relationships with design professionals, other contractors, the client and their

Upfront

The University of East London's Docklands Campus will play a key role at the 2012 Olympics, providing a base for the United States Olympic Committee

Leadbitter has employed this approach to ensure the successful delivery of a number of leisure projects in London and the South East over the last three years, in particular the Sports Dock at University of East London’s Docklands campus and the Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex in Uxbridge.

The new £21m Sports Dock complex at the University of East

London’s Docklands Campus in Newham is a prime example of how modern leisure centres can deliver a range of facilities for multiple users.

Sports Dock is designed to provide elite-standard facilities for UEL’s sports scholarship students – fulfilling its longterm ambition to be number one for sport in London, while providing facilities that the local community can also use.

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business partners, it is possible to successfully overcome all the many and varied challenges which arise. An ethos of positivity and co-operation adopted by the entire team can deliver huge rewards, whether the project aims to support a local community through the delivery of a public leisure centre or is designed to deliver a facility for the country’s elite athletes.

The new £21m Sports Dock complex at the University of East London's Docklands Campus in Newham is a prime example of how modern leisure centres can deliver a range of facilities for multiple users

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The state-of-the art Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex boasts the first 50m Olympic-sized indoor pool to be built in London for 40 years

the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), means contractors must have a detailed understanding of national policy and provision, as well as a supply chain that can deliver specialist products and materials.

Selection of materials and control of the construction process is critical to avoid long-term defects, particularly in a swimming pool environment or when considering the physical impacts likely to occur in a sports hall. Specifications and detailing have to be robust and easily maintained to cope with all year round opening and periods of intensive use. At the same time, value for money is always a crucial issue.

Back with a splash An experienced contractor can bring this specialist expertise and supply chain to a project, helping to control costs while fulfilling the requirements of even the most exceptional environments. This was particularly evident during Leadbitter’s contract to deliver the £25m Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex in Uxbridge.

Funded by the London Borough of Hillingdon, the London Development Agency, Sport England and a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant, the scheme involved the complete refurbishment and restoration of the Grade II listed 1930s outdoor Uxbridge Lido (the last remaining example in the country of a

©Girts Gailans

Denne, part of the Leadbitter Group, was awarded the design and build contract for the centre in early 2010, with work starting in earnest in September of that year.

The centre will play a key role at the 2012 Olympics, providing a base for the United States Olympic Committee, with more than 1,000 athletes, coaches and support staff using the centre during the games.

The opening was set for March 2012. It was therefore important the construction programme did not slip; hence the decision to choose a design and build contract. The project team included Denne, architect Clague, engineer Knapp Hicks, surveyor Daniel Connal Partnership and sports consultant Ball Hall.

The centre replaces a single-storey structure and includes two full size sports halls and an all-weather floodlit pitch, as well as a facilities building connected to the sports halls. There are also lecture and teaching rooms, changing rooms, a health and fitness suite, gymnasium and main auditorium with seating for 400 spectators.

The buildings were designed with sustainability in mind and include green roofs, as well as photovoltaic cells for solar energy production and a biomass boiler for heating to meet a 20% target for renewable energy production.

The site, historically part of the Royal Albert Dock, was subjected to various surveys before construction began. These included ecological and archaeological examinations and an extensive unexploded ordnance survey to ensure safe installation of the 700 concrete piles supporting the 17,720m2 teardrop shaped building.

Meeting the requirements of sporting bodies such as Sport England and the London Organising Committee of

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©Girts Gailans

Upfront

The £25m Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex involved the complete refurbishment and restoration of the Grade II listed 1930s outdoor Uxbridge Lido

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Upfront

©Girts Gailans

12-sided ‘star’ outdoor swimming pool).

Today, the state-of-the art venue boasts the first 50m Olympic-sized indoor pool to be built in London for 40 years.

The 1930s grandstand was retained and incorporated into the design of the new building, comprising a structural steel frame with composite concrete suspended floor and standing seam and single ply roof. The façades consist of a mixture of insulated concrete cladding, painted render, curtain walling and a composite cladding system.

Designed for both training and community use, the indoor pool can be split in two and features a hydraulically controlled floating floor for variable depth, providing maximum flexibility in adapting the pool space for different

uses. An electronic starting system and scoreboard and seating capacity for 386, including 84 top balcony seats, complete the pool.

The centre also features a range of amenities to meet the diverse range of local needs, including a health suite (including sauna and steam room), gym, exercise studios, four-court sports hall, plus conference facilities and a café.

The result is a major new competition venue and one fit for training athletes for the 2012 Olympics and beyond.

With continued cuts in public spending, it remains to be seen whether the development of publicly funded world-class pools and sporting facilities will continue beyond the Olympics, or whether contractors like

©Girts Gailans

Leadbitter will be working increasingly with schools, colleges and universities to develop sports facilities for public use as additional revenue streams.

What is certain is that the demand for such facilities will not fall, with the government drive to reduce childhood obesity and major leisure facilities often playing a key role in an area’s regeneration plans.

And with the proposed merger of UK Sport and Sport England after the Olympics, specialist contractor knowledge and wide stakeholder engagement will be all the more important as funding for elite athletes and local facilities comes under one roof.

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Swimming pools and sports halls need to be balanced with gym and fitness elements

www.leadbitter.co.uk

©Girts Gailans

The 1930s grandstand at Uxbridge was retained and incorporated into the design of the new building, comprising a structural steel frame with composite concrete suspended floor and standing seam and single ply roof

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Online Enquiry 005

Housing

The Gateshead housing regeneration project is just one part of a broader portfolio of development that Home Group has planned over the next four years. It has secured one of the largest funding tranches from the Homes & Communities Agency_ some £40.5m _ under the Affordable Homes Programme which runs until 2015

Home delivery The Home Group _ one of the UK's leading housing associations, has signed a deal to deliver the largest housing project of its kind outside of London in partnership with FTSE-listed developer Galliford Try and progressive local authority, Gateshead Council. PSBJ investigates how this innovative model will operate and how the work of the Home Group is delivering significant cost savings to the public purse.

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s areas of outstanding regeneration go, Gateshead has to be high on the list when it comes to making a statement. The instantly recognisable Angel of the North, the eye-catching, Lord Fosterdesigned The Sage Gateshead and the engineering feat that is the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, all captivate visitors and the indigenous population alike.

While these are the icons of years of strategic regeneration driven

by Gateshead Council, there are substantial improvements on-going to transform the area. Chief among these is a £347m programme to deliver 2,400 homes across 19 sites in the borough over the next 15 to 20 years.

Home Group, which has 55,000 properties across the UK, teamed up with Galliford Try to jointly win the work under the banner of Evolution Gateshead. The two organisations will deliver the work in partnership with Gateshead Council rather than purely as suppliers.

This innovative model will enable a significant chunk of the planned properties – some 600 – to be

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delivered as affordable homes, with the council’s commitment to the project being the provision of land for housing development.

The three partners have formed a local asset-backed vehicle to build the properties with work expected to start on the first sites later this year.

The first package of three sites will see the development of 318 homes, 55 of which will be for affordable tenures. All homes will exceed current Homes & Communities Agency space standards.

Funding challenges Mark Henderson, Home Group Chief Executive, explains that the Gateshead joint venture gives a pathway for delivering affordable housing against a backdrop of ever decreasing public funding: “The UK has endured a number of difficult years brought on by the economic crisis and the subsequent weak recovery. While this has understandably forced significant belt-tightening in Whitehall, it has also driven the numbers of people desperately in need of affordable homes skyward. We need to find a

route through this problem as the Government has been clear that funding beyond the current programme is, at best, uncertain.

“Home Group and Galliford Try bring their respective development specialisms to this exciting £347m new homes programme and the approach

by Gateshead Council to come on board as a partner is crucial in ensuring this is a success.”

The Gateshead housing regeneration project is just one part of a broader portfolio of development that Home Group has planned over the next four years. It has secured one of the largest funding tranches from the Homes & Communities Agency – some £40.5m – under the Affordable Homes Programme which runs until 2015.

This will support the building of more than 2,100 properties. An additional 1,900 homes will be built by Home Group over the next four years as part of an overall investment by the housing association of £450m into its development programme.

Beyond building new stock, Home Group has diversified its approach

A changing landscape Housing is increasingly being recognised by the Government as being at the heart of a range of needs and a key to delivering services that support society in new ways. Home Group already works with the Ministry of Justice to deliver accommodation and support services for people on bail and home detention curfew. It is also working closely with the NHS on a pilot in the North East of England to support terminally-ill people wanting to live longer in their own homes.

Both the justice and health services run by Home Group deliver significant savings to the public purse at a time when the Westminster mood music demands that government departments find fresh approaches to service delivery.

Henderson comments: “We are operating in a rapidly changing landscape that places significant challenges at the doorstep of society.

The Government cannot deliver everything to everyone from a central hub. Instead, there are difficult choices to be made about priorities and there have already been significant cutbacks

in services as a consequence.

“What Home Group is offering the likes of the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health, is a third way approach which capitalises upon the

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to help it meet its mission of ‘helping customers and clients to open doors to new opportunities and healthy lives’.

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Housing

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Housing future funding. The Government has made fundamental changes to the Welfare State that will impact on benefit payments in a number of areas.

This is expected to inflate arrears in the longer term which would reduce the working capital available for new housebuilding.

Innovative approach

experience we have of delivering social housing for the past 75 years and our expertise in social care in a way that offers a significant saving to the public purse without having a detrimental impact on society or the people that are helped.

“A home is at the hub of so many issues that society faces and being more joined up about the way we deal

with housing needs alongside social needs goes a long way to reducing the cost to the taxpayer of addressing the problems that some of our clients face.

Taking this approach also provides a much better, more joined up service for vulnerable people.”

There are significant challenges facing social housing providers in addition to the questions surrounding

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Mark Henderson, Home Group Chief Executive. Before joining Home, Mark was a County Council Chief Executive and, prior to that, was Operations Director for regional development agency One North East

Henderson continues: “We cannot escape the challenges we face so we have to look at innovative approaches to delivering new homes. We have committed to delivering further development as a core element of our new 5-year business strategy and we are confident we can do this.

Undoubtedly it will require innovation on a similar scale to our joint venture with Galliford Try and Gateshead Council and we’re currently working on a plan to implement the new strategy that will incorporate fresh approaches.

“Home Group was brought into being by an Act of Parliament 75 years ago, the only housing association to be formed in this way. We’ve been building new homes ever since and I know we’ll continue to do so for many years to come.”

www.homegroup.org.uk

Gateshead Millennium Brige. Photograph courtesy of Gateshead Council

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Talking Point

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The Sunesis concept, which delivers standard whole building designs at a fixed price, is a joint initiative between local authority controlled Scape and construction partner Willmott Dixon

Targets Vs Tactics With rising demand for primary school places, Mark Robinson, CEO of local authority controlled company Scape, discusses the current issues surrounding school facilities and what can be done to ensure that any new educational premises created, generate a positive learning environment without breaking the bank.

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any parents will have found out in recent weeks whether or not their child has been accepted by their first choice primary school for the 2012/13 academic year.

Reports suggest that quite a number are having to settle for their second, third or even fourth choice of school for their youngster come September.

Considering the UK population is growing by the fastest rate in 50 years (Office for National Statistics), it is hardly surprising there is a rising demand for places. Some say pushy parent syndrome is part of the problem, with choices being driven by Ofsted figures rather than proximity to the home. Others believe there is no getting away from the fact that demand is outstripping supply.

There’s no doubt that the Internet and increased openness resulting from the Freedom of Information Act has made it easier to access facts and stats more quickly. That’s why there’s more competition for places at the best performing schools. People are now judging these institutions by their official ratings in areas like pupil achievement and behaviour, quality of teaching, and leadership.

But where does the green agenda fit in? Do parents make a call on their preferred school based on how sustainable it is? Possibly not, but I believe that many would echo the view

Talking Point

Mark Robinson is Chief Executive Officer of Scape, the local authority controlled company which delivers cost and timesavings to public sector construction projects across the UK. He has 20 years’ experience in local government, with a background in construction management and a particular focus on procurement, corporate governance and asset management. Mark has previously worked for Sheffield City Council and Derbyshire District Council where he set up an Arms Length Management Company (ALMO) for the Authority to manage and improve all or part of its housing stock.

given its pledge to be ‘the greenest Government ever.’

It’s more likely that the move has come off the back of internal pressures to pave the way for Free Schools.

The whole premise behind a Free School is that it can be housed in any suitable building and set out in any way without restriction. So if the BREEAM targets no longer exist for the education sector, it will be easier for the Government’s latest schools policy to come to fruition.

Is BREEAM too bureaucratic?

As the debate on the issue has flared in recent weeks, other views have also been put forward. Some see BREEAM as too bureaucratic for schools to administer; others argue it’s too broad in the way it assesses sustainability.

Whilst BREEAM as an approach may not be perfect, we need to remember that it’s still the best measure out there.

A common myth has also resurfaced in the discussions – that going green is cost-prohibitive due to the limited short-term return on investment generated. As the James Review has highlighted, cost is king at present, and the system for delivering new schools needs to focus on improved procurement and reduced build costs.

However, going green doesn’t have to cripple local authority budgets.

We’ve shown that through our partnership with Willmott Dixon in launching Sunesis fixed price schools.

This approach offers schools a way of making substantial savings on a new facility by purchasing a sustainable whole building design at a set cost.

Not everyone likes the concept of an ‘off-the-shelf’ school. According to some, it undermines good design and architecture, and does nothing to contribute to the overall end user experience. That’s not a fair conclusion in our view, so we’ve taken steps to address this misconception.

The Design Council has carried out an independent review of one of the five Sunesis school designs.

It concluded that the Keynes model provides a valuable learning environment and offers a successful way of delivering new schools. That’s great news, particularly as work is now

The fast-track Sunesis construction programme at Oakfield Primary School in Rugby, is due for completion by the new academic year this September

well underway at Oakfield Primary in Rugby, the first ever Sunesis school to be built in the UK. And although there has been speculation that Government policy may be moving away from standardisation in favour of developing basic design guidance for schools, we remain committed to this new approach. Some parts of the industry may not like it because they perceive standardisation as cheap and of poor quality, but that’s simply not the case.

The Sunesis concept offers a high specification, extremely flexible and affordable solution.

Scape and Willmott Dixon must continue to champion this innovation.

The challenge has been set, the industry needs to respond and the Government needs to give sufficient time for delivery. It is not good enough to write off standardisation at such an early stage at the expense of giving our children a better educational experience. We will continue to work hard to meet the needs of strategic policy makers and local delivery partners to future-proof our schools and showcase sustainability to the next generation.”

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that if we want to set an example to our children, then we must encourage them to see sustainability in action.

And that should be demonstrated in the very fabric of the schools and buildings they learn in.

Over recent weeks, there’s been an interesting debate about the Department for Education’s proposals to scrap green targets for new schools.

Otherwise known as BREEAM, these measures set out to assess energy and water consumption, land use, ecology, materials, health, wellbeing, pollution and transport. Combined, these factors help to determine the environmental credibility of a building from a design, construction and operational perspective.

Any gradual erosion of best practice would undermine the efforts of both industry and the public sector in striving to reduce school running costs.

I don’t believe the Coalition wants to head in this direction, particularly

www.scapebuild.co.uk Public Sector Build Journal 19

Acoustic ceilings

Optimised acoustic classrooms assist with learning, concentration and memory

Acoustic ceiling is top of the class A brand new acoustic ceiling system specifically designed for schools, has been launched by Ecophon. Master™ Rigid sets a new benchmark for performance and durability and has been designed with demanding classroom environments in mind.

E

cophon, part of leading international materials company Saint-Gobain, has used its years of education experience to develop a ceiling system that provides the best possible acoustic environment for teachers and students. Master Rigid helps to increase the comfort and quality of learning while standing up to the rigours of everyday classroom life.

It uses a completely new reinforced Akutex FT surface which is a sandwich construction proven to be 10 times stronger than Ecophon’s original Akutex FT. The Connect™ grid ensures the tiles are securely installed yet also easily demountable.

Master Rigid is manufactured using Ecophon’s 3RD Technology.

This combines at least 70% recycled glass wool with a plant-based binder rather than a traditional petroleumbased one, helping to reduced the environmental impact.

“Put simply, the best acoustic ceiling system for the classroom is now ‘kid-proof’,” says Shane Cryer, Concept Developer for Education at

20 Public Sector Build Journal

Ecophon. “The system will play a key role in promoting excellent speech communication between teacher and student without the need for teachers to strain their voices, leading to a reduction in physical and mental stress.”

Increased classroom acoustic comfort is achieved through lowered reverberation times reduced sound pressure levels and especially increased low frequency bass absorption. This is essential for the 33,000 hearing impaired students in mainstream education in the UK, but has also been proven beneficial to all students.

“Optimised acoustic classrooms also assist with learning, concentration and memory,” continues Shane. “Master Rigid’s excellent durability means it is ideally suited to the classroom environment where impact and tampering from below are very real possibilities in some UK schools. In turn, this also helps to reduce wear and tear, increasing the life span of the ceiling, which helps reduce costs. In fact, it had not previously been possible to offer this level of impact resistance without

compromising on aesthetics, but Master Rigid meets stringent acoustic standards while still giving a high end finish.”

In 2009, Ecophon was involved in groundbreaking research at Sweyne Park School, a mainstream secondary school attended by a number of deaf and hearing-impaired children, to test the effect of applying different acoustic standards to problem classrooms.

Alan Knibb, Senior Engineer in Asset Management at Essex County Council, who part-funded the study, is keen to stress the need for acoustic treatment in all schools.

He says: “What we discovered during the tests was that it wasn’t just about prioritising classroom acoustics for children with hearing requirements, but that there were many benefits for all children at the school, and teachers too.

Having seen the difference for myself, I don’t doubt the hugely positive effect good classroom acoustics can have.”

Simon Smith, Learning Environment Leader at Sweyne Park School, adds: “Good acoustics can make a fundamental difference to the quality of teaching and learning. Being involved in the study really opened my eyes to the importance of acoustics in classrooms and the difference that acoustic treatment can make. Creating an optimised acoustic environment that helps teachers to share knowledge and pupils to learn, is vital to ensure stress levels are reduced and behaviour improves.”

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Education

The school and local council proudly state that St Paul's Way Trust School is one of the most exciting places of learning in the whole of

Community education A £36m rebuilding project has transformed St Paul's Way Trust School in Bow, Tower Hamlets, from a school that was struggling to meet its full potential to an inclusive, inspirational environment for use by pupils, staff and the local community. Designed by Astudio, the school recently won Best Built Project _ Community Scale Scheme, at the Mayor's London Planning Awards.

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environment to encourage students’ intellectual, physical, spiritual and emotional growth.

The new building, built adjacent to the existing school, brings the school back to the street front. In doing so, it demonstrates physically and symbolically St Paul’s Way Trust School’s pivotal importance within © James Brittain

unded by Tower Hamlets Council as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme and aided by a £1m grant from the London Thames Gateway Corporation, the St Paul’s Way Trust School project comprised a 36-month design and construction programme to create a secondary school with the facilities and

The new St Paul's Way Trust School is both a sign and a catalyst for further regeneration, an inspiring success story and a beacon of hope locally.

22 Public Sector Build Journal

the community, removing traditional barriers like gates and fences which ordinarily separate schools from their surroundings. The local area is part of a broad regeneration scheme, which includes general street improvements, new and restored housing and a new health centre. With its building and grounds designed to be inspirational and accessible to the local community as well as school users, St Paul’s Way Trust School draws the diverse community together, providing easy access to a £7m public library, theatre and sports complex from the main street, while clever internal planning and careful access control allows students full use whenever they need it.

The sports complex and a Faraday Science Centre stand at either end of the new three-storey building, linked by a wide circulation system. The Faraday Science Centre – which makes St Paul’s Way Trust School London’s first Faraday specialist school, was officially opened by school patron Professor Brian Cox OBE. Headteacher Grahame Price said: “The school engages confidently with the community it serves and the community facilities have made a huge impact locally, helping us win back trust from our residents.

It is a powerful expression of how the school is engaging with and

Education

London where all users, teachers, pupils and the local community, share great facilities

span steel stairs. Particular attention has been paid to the acoustic properties of the space, using acoustic plaster and floor coverings to ensure that noise levels are not obtrusive – no mean feat in an open space where teachers and students have uninterrupted line of sight over all three school floors.

Another important element of the design brief was the building’s sustainability in use. Environmentally,

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intimidation by removing the out-ofsight corners and corridors which lead to vulnerability.

It was important to maximise the use of space. Clever design and structural engineering – combined with an eye for the aesthetic and the need for an open environment – resulted in the creation of a 22m concrete walkway on the top floor, a 7.5m cantilever over the main entrance to the theatre, and 11.5m

© Will Pryce

uniting the community.”

Within the building, the assorted learning environments range from corridor-free spaces which allow passive supervision to classroom areas which can be changed easily to create larger or smaller open-plan teaching spaces. Such is the versatility that each floor could be opened out into a single open-plan level.

Maximum flexibility was one of the priority features of architectural design, subscribing fully to the belief that teaching styles and learning opportunities should never be limited by the physical environment. In this way, space will never restrict the introduction of new educational principles.

Open house The school is also IT-rich. The new design makes this one of the best equipped schools in London, with full wireless IT provision throughout. A new sixth form will open from 2013, with links already set up to universities and the commercial world of business.

The school is designed as four distinct centres of excellence, known as houses. A feature classroom is the focal point of each house, where the achievements of the house members are showcased, and a cinema-style projection system can be used to screen lessons from around the world.

Each house opens onto a three-storey, top-lit atrium which provides access to the dining hall, library and specialist teaching facilities. A high-tech building control system is used to control the large sliding doors between each teaching area. These are usually left open to create a fully transparent building which tackles bullying and

With its building and grounds designed to be inspirational and accessible to the local community as well as school users, St Paul's Way Trust School draws the diverse community together, providing easy access to a £7m public library, theatre and sports complex from the main street

Public Sector Build Journal 23

Maximum flexibility was one of the priority features of architectural design for St Paul's, subscribing fully to the belief that teaching styles and learning opportunities should never be limited by the physical environment

it achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating thanks to highly sustainable construction practices, waste management, recycling and a low in-use energy design. Expected annual energy consumption is only 22kgCO2m2. This is largely achieved passively. By developing a building layout and massing that responds optimally to internal use, orientation and external environmental conditions, the need for expensive engineering solutions was avoi ded. Careful modelling ensures that the concrete structure acts as an excellent heat sink, with the atria drawing excess heat from south-facing areas and the naturallyventilated north-facing areas using stack effect and smoke vents.

plant room, enables the school’s energy base load to fit well with the residential loads, reducing further the school’s energy use. This will further increase the statistics of what is already a high performing building.

There’s been a complete reversal in fortune for the school since 2009. A new school has been delivered, which is already having a massive positive impact

and has been recognised by major awards. In January 2012, St Paul’s Way Trust School was awarded Best Built Project – Community Scale Scheme at the Mayor’s London Planning Awards; the new school was recognised as one of the country’s 50 most improved schools in 2011; and in 2010 the new building design was long listed for a World Architecture News Award.

The school and local council proudly state that St Paul’s Way Trust School is one of the most exciting places of learning in the whole of London where all users, teachers, pupils and the local community, share great facilities. At the official opening ceremony, Mayor Lutfur Rahman of Tower Hamlets Council said: “St Paul’s Way Trust School boasts some of the best learning facilities in the country, while providing an unprecedented amount of new facilities for the local community.”

The new St Paul’s Way Trust School is both a sign and a catalyst for further regeneration, an inspiring success story and a beacon of hope locally.

With facilities adaptable enough to serve well into the future, and a head teacher determined to make the school outstanding in every way, the prospects for local children are bright and promising – just as they should be.

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© Will Pryce

Education

www.astudio.co.uk

Reversal in fortunes The building is prepared for the future as it consists of a simple column and beam structure enabling no internal loadbearing walls between classrooms.

This allows each entire house to be opened up into a large format floor plate should the vision on future education methods change. In addition, there is a neighbouring development of housing which has a CHP plant. A piped connection from the school’s plant room to the housing development’s

24 Public Sector Build Journal

The new building, built adjacent to the existing school, brings the school back to the street front

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Acoustics & Sound

Sound bites

In 2010 there were 130,000 noise disturbance complaints in the capital alone. To help combat what is seen as a growing problem, Mute Soundproofing® is an innovative company providing bespoke acoustic solutions in a wide variety of locations.

M

ute Soundproofing® designs tailor-made systems to counteract the two main acoustic problems; sound transfer and sound reverberation. The projects undertaken by Mute vary greatly and cover the whole breadth of acoustic disturbances, meaning that each project is dealt with on an individual basis.

In October 2011, Mute Soundproofing® was approached by the Disabled Children’s Team, part of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which provides help and support for families with disabled children in the borough. The Team was working with a boy who had severe autism, causing his behavior to often be both very vocal and physical. As well as creating difficulties and stress within the family home, his parents were also aware that the neighbours could be affected and wanted to find a long-term and unobtrusive solution to this.

Mute worked with the family to create a ‘safe room’ for the child, soundproofing his bedroom within the

26 Public Sector Build Journal

family’s converted Victorian terrace house. As the room was small, it was important for Mute to develop a system that was space efficient whilst offering the best insulation possible; a bespoke version of the ‘Thin Wall’ system was used to soundproof the walls of the room, whilst the ceiling and door were also addressed to contain the sound.

The project was a success as it not only dealt with the noise disturbance, but also meant that the boy and his family were able to concentrate on each other, rather than worrying about who else might be affected by any noise created.

The project for Hammersmith and Fulham Council demanded working closely with the clients, altering and developing systems to best fit their unique needs, but there are noise disturbance problems that are generic to particular types of buildings. Much of Mute’s work is within large, sparsely furnished public spaces, such as halls, period buildings or offices, where reverberation and echo create an

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Mute installed the Cloudsorption system in Wimbledon Park Primary School, where the high, barreled ceilings and hard surfaces in the pre-1900 school hall, were creating severe reverberation problems

increase in volume and disrupt the clarity of sound. Mute installed the Cloudsorption system in Wimbledon Park Primary School, where the high, barreled ceilings and hard surfaces in the pre-1900 school hall were creating severe reverberation problems. In this multi-use space (used daily as an assembly hall, dining room and gym), the solution had to be effective, space efficient and sympathetic to the traditional aesthetics of the building. Cloudsorption is a system where sound absorption panels, which reduce reverberation time, are hung horizontally from the ceiling. By creating a space below and above the panels rather than the traditional method of applying panels to the ceiling directly, sound absorption can be more effective by counteracting the reflection of sound through both sides of the panel.

When working with schools, Mute is keen to introduce them to Deafness Research with the view to presenting the charity’s workshop called the Bionic Ear, an interactive, educational show that helps to raise awareness of the importance of hearing and how to protect and avoid damaging our ears. Working closely with issues related to sound, Mute is very aware of the importance of hearing and the accuracy of sound, and the varied projects the company has worked on and solutions it has developed, aim to minimise noise disturbance and promote purity of sound.

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Modular Buildings

Modular conversion Top left: Wernick Buildings completed the new classroom facility at Langley Academy, Slough in just 11 weeks Above: The new facility at Langley Academy can be divided into three classrooms or converted into one large space

Wernick Buildings was selected to build a new classroom facility after a competitive tendering procurement process by Langley Academy in Slough, to accommodate its rapidly expanding 6th form intake.

28 Public Sector Build Journal

with a 22.5° traditional tiled Dutch barn roof which matches the existing neighboring building.

As well as the three classrooms, the new facility includes male and female toilets, an office, unisex shower, IT room, large archive store, and substantial circulation corridor.

Janine Tuck, Facilities Manager at Langley Academy, commented: “When I received all the tenders back for the new proposed facility, I was surprised at the speed at which the project could be finished by Wernick Buildings. We are a very busy Academy and minimal disruption to our site is important for all our students and staff.”

Janine was very happy with the fast track build provided by Wernick.

She commented: “Communication with the Wernick team from start to finish was excellent and any issues arising were dealt with promptly. I am totally impressed by how the finished building looks ‘just like a traditional building’. Wernick offered a 14-week programme – however, they achieved the entire project in just 11 weeks. Our whole experience of engaging Wernick Buildings to deliver our new facility was exceptional and most importantly for us – on budget”.

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he newly constructed classroom facility at Langley Academy comprises three individual classrooms, which have been designed with the flexibility of being converted into one large assembly room. This is achieved with specially designed foldaway partitions which provide an exceptional 48db soundproof rating.

The inside to the facility has a full suspended ceiling grid throughout which is complemented by a high standard of internal finishes and the latest state-of-the-art IT equipment.

The facility externally features a visually pleasing finish of real brick and render, which is fully complemented

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Healthcare

The shape of the site at Colchester General Hospital demanded a very complex modular layout, it was highly constrained, and there was only a short window for construction

Off-site health solutions Simon Ambler, Director of Yorkon, looks at how off-site construction is helping healthcare providers meet the increasing pressure on services by providing highly innovative solutions to delivering world-class facilities on the most constrained hospital sites.

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ff-site construction continues to challenge conventional site-based building methods through innovation – and a series of recent projects demonstrate the value it can add to building procurement by addressing space planning issues in the health sector.

Constrained hospital sites are a huge issue for healthcare providers, at a time when there is increased pressure on services to meet both Government targets and policy, and to address the needs of a growing and ageing population. And when you consider the critical need to minimise disruption to the provision of existing services and to reduce programme times to improve patient care and operational efficiency,

30 Public Sector Build Journal

it is easy to see why more NHS trusts are choosing an off-site solution to expand their facilities.

With good design, highly efficient processes, a robust and flexible building system, and enlightened architects, contractors and healthcare providers, off-site construction can deliver comfortable and welcoming environments for patients and staff, with complete long-term flexibility to meet changing local needs, full compliance with NHS best practice for building design – and on some of the UK’s most challenging and restricted building sites.

Modular buildings can be sited in completely enclosed courtyards, on raised platforms, and on the roofs

of existing buildings. This means that areas of a hospital can now be expanded or developed which may not have access to the plant, materials and equipment required for conventional building methods.

This is a key benefit for hospital sites where space for expansion is severely restricted.

Traditionally constructed buildings can also be extended using an offsite approach, both vertically and horizontally, giving healthcare providers even more flexibility to expand capacity requirements and optimise efficiency in the use of space.

Disruption to patient care during construction on a busy hospital site can be a major concern during construction

Healthcare projects. However, by using an offsite solution, the manufacture and assembly of the building structure and envelope, and a high proportion of the fitting out, are carried out off site, significantly reducing disruption to staff and patients. Construction work can be carried out without the need for decanting and the cranage operations can be timed for weekends, keeping any disturbance to an absolute minimum.

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Colchester General Hospital Working with Kier Eastern, Yorkon provided a major scheme at

The use of off-site construction at Colchester General Hospital, allowed an existing ward to remain in use until just days before the final phase of modules arrived on site

Colchester General Hospital to increase the Trust’s capacity in time for the peak winter period. The building accommodates a new children’s department, an elective care centre and a surgical ward.

The shape of the site demanded a very complex modular layout, it was highly constrained, and there was only a short window for construction.

The use of off-site construction allowed an existing ward to remain

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Facilities were expanded at Harrogate District Hospital by craning in a new storey onto an existing ward building.

The project was carried out by Yorkon with main contractor Interserve, as part of the rationalisation of office accommodation across the hospital.

The new scheme was constructed on top of a traditionally built two-storey building to create a centralised hub for administration, helping to address the constraints of the site.

The use of an off-site approach minimised disruption to the hospital during the building project, significantly reduced the programme, and overcame the challenge of severely restricted access.

The development at Colchester General Hospital includes a new children's department, an elective care centre and a surgical ward

Public Sector Build Journal 31

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Available for sale or hire.

Healthcare in use until just days before the final phase of modules arrived on site, and it reduced the programme time by around six months. It also helped the Trust provide additional capacity elsewhere in the hospital to deal with unexpected pressures.

Addenbrooke's Hospital

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Yorkon, working with main contractor ISG Jackson, has recently been appointed to help increase theatre capacity at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

A new modular theatre block will help meet the major trauma requirements for the region and will provide the Trust with additional operating theatres to free up capacity for emergency care services.

This complex building will be located on a raised steel platform to connect it to the existing third floor theatre department. It will also be built with the potential to be extended by an additional floor. The double cantilever arrangement will facilitate patient flows and access to the department’s support facilities. The challenging cranage operation will be carried out in just three days and will involve Yorkon lifting the steel-framed modules over live power supplies.

www.yorkon.info

Facilities were expanded at Harrogate District Hospital by craning in a new storey onto an existing ward building

A new modular theatre block at Addenbrooke's Hospital will be located on a raised steel platform to connect it to the existing third floor theatre department.

It will also be built with the potential to be extended by an additional floor

How to Select an Off-site Specialist 1 Check the supplier’s resources and track record. In these challenging economic times, it is absolutely imperative that any contractor can demonstrate strong financial stability.

Look at statistics for the number of projects delivered on time and on budget over the past five years. This is a good performance indicator and will help reduce the risk of budget overruns and delays.

What services will be provided?

How will the project be managed?

Does the contractor have the required expertise and technical back-up? This is particularly important if the site is constrained, which will bring its own challenges.

Will the off-site specialist appoint a dedicated project manager?

2 Look at the manufacturer’s experience. The contractor should have specialist healthcare experience. Talk to other NHS trusts and contractors that have used the system and visit completed buildings.

Always take up references.

3 Independent approvals and warranties. Look for and verify, independent endorsements, approvals and warranties such as: • Quality – ISO 9001 certification should be in place for the whole process, not just selected elements;

• OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety management; • ISO 14001 for reducing impact on the environment; • Acoustics, Insurance, BBA certification, LABC approval, LPCB certification for fire resistance; • A 30-year structural warranty for the load-bearing elements of the building and a 5-year product warranty to cover the external fabric should come as standard for all modular buildings.

4 Assess the contractor’s approach to sustainability.

• Can the contractor demonstrate ongoing reductions in waste and carbon emissions?

• What ‘green’ design options are available for the system such as rainwater harvesting, ground and air source heat pumps, and passive ventilation?

• What in-house capability does the manufacturer have to value engineer the building design for maximum energy efficiency and whole life value?

• How does the system perform without any adaptation in areas such as air permeability to meet Building Regulations Part L 2010? Look closely at the test results achieved for completed buildings.

Public Sector Build Journal 33

Fire Protection/Health & Safety

Safe & secure Although recent years have started to see a reduction in falls from height, it still remains the largest cause of workplace fatalities and one of the main causes of injury. SAFETYWORKS & Solutions takes a look at the various roof access systems available, and their most suited applications.

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here are of course various reasons to access roofs, including the need to complete such tasks as routine maintenance, equipment inspection, minor roof repairs, and changing HVAC filters. Less frequently, work may require employees or contractors to be on roofs for extended periods of time, such as when constructing new buildings, re-roofing or installing ventilation systems.

It may be necessary on certain roofs (including fragile roofs) to provide a level non-slip surface and, coupled with the increasing requirement for extended longevity of roofing materials, this has led to an increased need for the use of walkways.

When installed in conjunction with handrails, roof walkways serve to provide a collective approach to safe roof access. Walkways provide safe access across roofs, and they can be used on many different roof types including; • Standing Seam • Membrane (Protan, Bitumen, Trocal)

34 Public Sector Build Journal

• Metal profiles (Composite, Secret Fix, Built Up)

• Traditional (Slate, Tile, Copper,

Lead, Cement) By creating a designated walkway across the roof, maintenance costs are lessened as the amount of foot traffic is minimised, which in turn helps to extend the lifespan of the roof. It also allows for any roof maintenance works to be completed more easily and no additional end user training is needed.

Lightweight design Walkways are particularly ideal for installation on standing seam aluminium roofs where regular access is required.

A walkway system will allow for easy, safe access for maintenance personnel and avoids the need to use the seam as a step. The load is spread on large regular bearers, reducing the risk of damage to aluminium roof trays and cement roofs, and preventing personnel from falling through brittle cement/ asbestos roofs.

A peripheral fall protection system,

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Access steps and ladders installed with a Flexideck Walkway, handrails and lifeline

such as SAFETYWORKS & Solution’s Fallguard System can be used in conjunction with its Flexideck Walkway System. This combination will ensure that if a user falls sideways, they will not pass through a brittle roof sheet.

It is essential that the installed walkways and fall protection systems are lightweight in design, easily cleaned and rot-free. As they are nonpenetrative, the roof’s integrity will not be compromised during installation. It is usual for the walkways to be produced in a light grey colour, but where the environment is particularly hazardous, bright colours such as yellows and reds can be specified or used as edgings.

Roof lights are a major hazard on roof structures, and personnel accessing the roof must be aware of the drops around the outer edges. Covers or guardrail systems may protect roof lights, or alternatively, employees working around roof lights may be protected with personal fall arrest systems.

Access Ladders offer a secure and steady access route onto, and across the roof for maintenance works, and in the event of a fire within the building, they could be one form of escape route out onto the roof.

Steel ladders can be supplied with safety cage or vertical fall arrest systems for permanent access, and can also include landing platforms. They can take the form of Vertical ladders to access areas at height, Up and Over ladders to access plant etc., and Cat ladders.

Ideally, ladders should not exceed 6m, and vertical fall arrest systems should never be used in conjunction with cages.

In summary, it is important to consider the following before specifying the most suitable roof access system: • How often will the roof require access, and for how long, and by how many people?

• Identify hazards; • Assess risks; • Specify the most suitable roof access systems; • Ensure personnel are fully trained to utilise the equipment correctly; • Carry out Annual Inspection and Certification of Equipment to ensure it meets industry standards.

www.safetyworksandsolutions.co.uk

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Paints, Coatings & Finishes

PaintSpec Finder™ is an invaluable resource for specifiers looking to access detailed information in a highly effective format

Online paint planner Crown Paints used Ecobuild 2012 as a platform to launch its new online resource, PaintSpec Finder™ which heralds a new approach to the delivery of instant and technically-detailed specification plans for architectural, construction and property professionals. features, such as scrubbability or anti bacterial protection.

Once the responses are analysed, appropriate systems are drawn from the Crown Trade, Sandtex Trade and Sadolin ranges, with a brief overview of their attributes.

High-spec resource The relevant technical, and health and safety data, can also be attached to the completed specification, which comes with a personalised cover sheet showing the customer’s name, the project and the user’s own details. This information is then delivered in the format of the user’s choice, either as a printable document or in an email direct to their inbox.

Vernon Kinrade, Crown Paints Specification Sector Manager, said: “PaintSpec Finder™ is an invaluable resource for specifiers looking to access detailed information in a highly effective format – and we were delighted to launch it at Ecobuild.

“The concept is based around

the premise that 80 per cent of specifications can be standard if the specifier can answer some straightforward questions. However, for users, the personal service element associated with Crown Paints remains a key theme. Throughout the process, there is the option to request help from our Specification Services team, with support from one of our consultants either by phone or email.”

The launch of PaintSpec Finder™ is the latest initiative developed by Crown Paints to help the specification professional access best in class service and fit for purpose products – all delivered with an emphasis on sustainability, without any compromise on quality.

Last year the company launched a pioneering Carbon Footprint Tracking system. This assesses the carbon footprint of every product in the Crown Paints’ range.

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enerating tailor-made, accurate specifications in an accessible format regardless of the complexity or size of the project, PaintSpec Finder™ at www. crownpaintspec.co.uk represents Crown Paints’ continued investment in specification support services and transforms the delivery of the company’s existing Master Spec concept.

Visitors to Crown Paints’ stand at Ecobuild were shown the features of PaintSpec Finder,™ which is a user-friendly, pictorially-led interface, offering benefits including immediatelydelivered, precise specifications and access to constantly-updated technical information. Users are guided through a highly visual and intuitive process to obtain their bespoke specification data.

The results are based on a series of questions relating to internal and external areas and the different types of substrate that require decoration or redecoration. The facility also signposts users who need to select additional

www.crownpaintspec.co.uk Public Sector Build Journal 37

Leisure

The right result A new changing pavilion was just one of a number of improvements at Oxford City FC which was made possible by funding from the Football Foundation, Sport England, The Football Association, England Netball, Oxford City Council and the Oxford Sports Council

Specifying for the leisure sector presents unique challenges. Projects need tough, durable materials that stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use and there's also a need to keep costs to a minimum so that construction stays within budget. PSBJ takes a look at how Lafarge Plasterboard's GTEC LaDura scored a hat-trick at Oxford City Football Club's new pavilion.

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s well as being fit for purpose, leisure projects in particular, benefit from being visually impressive. Leisure centres, sports grounds and community facilities serve as focal points for the local area, so aesthetics really do count.

Often projects have had to trade off cost, durability or appearance but, with advances in staple materials, new options are being opened up for designers and specifiers so they can deliver on all three. The key to delivering a top-class finish without breaking the bank is to identify where outmoded approaches can be replaced with more modern, efficient methods.

In January, a new sports facility was opened at Oxford City Football Club, consisting of a full size floodlit artificial grass pitch, six floodlit netball courts and a new changing pavilion which was made possible by a total of £2.1m of funding from the Football Foundation, Sport England, The Football Association,

38 Public Sector Build Journal

England Netball, Oxford City Council and the Oxford Sports Council.

The Southern Football League Premier Division club had originally specified painted blockwork for the partitions at the team’s new pavilion.

However, as Duncan More, Managing Director for the project contractor Facilitas SMC, explains, the blockwork had been chosen as a tried and tested option, rather than as the best available solution: “What became clear when we started to really ask the client why they wanted certain things, was that the client was not aware of the other options they had. Because their existing facilities all had painted blockwork, they thought that was the best thing to do.”

What emerged when Facilitas scrutinised the designs was that it could make significant cost savings and aesthetic improvements by switching to a high-performance plasterboard, GTEC LaDura, for the pavilion’s partitions and still retain the same performance in terms

of fire, sound and impact resistance.

GTEC LaDura is Lafarge Plasterboard’s strongest ever board and serves as a perfect example of how new materials are changing the way the industry specifies modern projects. The high-performance board’s innovative composition, which includes a dense gypsum core with 8% hard wood particles, makes it strong and means it is ideal for challenging interior spaces. The upshot is that specifiers can turn to the board to replace more traditional materials and provide a clean, up-to-date look.

It’s also quick and easy to use. There is no need for power tools on site as the board can be cut using the traditional score and snap method using a Stanley knife which is a quick and efficient process that reduces installation time and, subsequently, costs less in labour.

At Oxford City, GTEC LaDura was used throughout the reception, function rooms, circulation areas,

Leisure

Instead of the originally specified painted blockwork, it was soon realised that significant cost savings and aesthetic improvements could be made by switching to a high-performance plasterboard for the partitions in Oxford City FC's new pavilion

Award. These awards recognise the success of innovative environmental technologies, products, processes and techniques and the board took first prize in the innovation category for its combination of exceptional strength and environmental performance.

And the crowd goes wild!

Made with recycled paper, GTEC LaDura’s 8% wood particle content is a zero-carbon renewable material.

It is manufactured using the same low-energy process as standard plasterboard and typically achieves A and A+ ratings in the BRE Green Guide.

Not only is GTEC LaDura making a sizeable difference to the quality that

contractors can provide, it’s also winning the praise of customers. Colin Taylor, Managing Director at Oxford City FC, adds: “Our aim for this project was to provide state-of-the-art sporting facilities, so we were determined that our new pavilion would only use the most efficient materials. It has really benefited from the stylish finish that GTEC LaDura provides.

“It is durable and easy to work with, so it has also helped us to keep our costs down because it is a long-lasting material that is designed to stand the test of time and also takes builders less time to install, which is a particularly important consideration in a project like ours.”

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changing rooms and the showers of the new pavilion.

More, whose firm used GTEC LaDura for the project, continues: “Painted blockwork and exposed brickwork looks great at first, but after a couple of months it gets dirty and can look weathered and old.

“GTEC LaDura provided the perfect alternative because it was strong and durable enough to meet our technical needs and gave us a high-quality finish.

Having a great finish is a really important consideration for any project that requires a fresh and modern look, and when we started looking for a durable board, we found that GTEC LaDura was ideal. At the pavilion they’ve got a facility that feels very high class, is great quality and has a professional look they wouldn’t have received before.”

The key with GTEC LaDura is that its exceptional strength means it can be used in environments where standard plasterboard simply wouldn’t be tough enough, enabling it to be used for a whole new set of projects.

Since its launch, GTEC LaDura has been used for large-scale builds across a range of sectors, including residential and education as well as leisure. In all of these, its durability has made it ideal for any areas with heavy point loads for severe duty walls, such as corridor hand rails, sanitary ware, benches and sinks.

GTEC LaDura has also started to get industry recognition. In December 2011, the board won the Association of Interior Specialists’ Product Innovation

www.lafarge.co.uk

GTEC LaDura is ideal for severe duty applications. It has been used here to back a climbing wall

Public Sector Build Journal 39

Delivering answers June will see thousands of housing professionals join forces for three days of intensive debate, radical thinking and practical solutions to the challenges facing us at a time of enormous change. It’s the place where housing shares the latest ideas and insights with trailblazers, generates fresh strategic directions and exchanges good practice and hands-on solutions.

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cihhousing.com

PlayFair 2012 Preview

The concentration of sports, play and amenity equipment on display at PlayFair offers visitors an effective way to keep up-to-date and assess all the equipment available

Make time for play!

PlayFair 2012 is the UK's largest trade event for everyone involved in the selection, purchase, upkeep and replacement of children's play equipment. Taking place at Stoneleigh Park on June 19th and 20th, PSBJ previews how the event will be covering the modern demands affecting play spaces today.

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his year’s PlayFair will commemorate five years of the UK’s only play-dedicated annual trade show highlighting the latest innovations in play space construction and design.

The first PlayFair was held in 2008 in order to provide a platform for API (Association of Play Industries) members to promote their products directly to communities and schools.

PlayFair is an ideal event for local authority staff from different sectors, such as children and youth services, parks and open spaces teams, head teachers, school governors and sports teachers.

The concentration of sports, play and amenity equipment on display, offers visitors an effective way to keep up-to-date and assess all the equipment available. This includes the latest in Safer Surfaces, Natural Play, 3 Generation Play and Techno Play.

Every year, PlayFair features a comprehensive seminar programme with several guest speakers who talk on various topics from funding and play

design, to community engagement and the value of consultation.

Last year’s PlayFair was a highprofile success with the attendance of Olympic gold medallist, Sally Gunnell, who gave an inspiring talk on the need for the government and communities to embrace active play as a pathway to sport in order to meet the London 2012 legacy targets.

This year’s two-day seminar programme begins with Susan Allred from ENTRUST (Landfill Communities Fund) discussing What is the Landfill

Communities Fund and how does it work? Susan will be talking about how to find funding, key funding facts and ‘Object D’ – public amenities.

In the second seminar of the day, Bidding for Success, Gill Jolly from Achieve Consultants, will be explaining the fine line between completing funding applications and launching a successful bid for play space funding.

She will also be providing the audience with useful pointers, tips and advice.

The final seminar on day one of PlayFair will be taken by Chris Campbell from Spacehive and is entitled: Play On! Creating Playgrounds on a Budget. Chris will be detailing Spacehive’s innovative new funding platform which allows communities to gather online donations for playgrounds through their own project micro-site, as well as an exclusive equipment discount from participating API members.

On Wednesday, June 20th, Malcolm Fawcett from the Department of Health, Change4Life Partnerships Team, will begin the day’s programme with Games4Life, Legacy and Beyond… a presentation on the latest initiatives from the Change4Life project, including sporting activity for children, both in and out of school, getting children engaged with active play and how the London 2012 Olympic legacy might contribute towards healthier generations.

The final speaker is Dr. Len Almond FRSA from the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health. In Active Play for All Ages, Dr. Almond will be presenting the results of three studies to identify what environments will stimulate more physically active play and how to encourage more energetic play. He will explore how physically active play has a profound influence on brain development, particularly amongst early years children.

For more details on PlayFair 2012 and how to register, visit:

www.playfairuk.com Public Sector Build Journal 41

Canopies, Shelters & Shading

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and a caterpillar walkway which can all be designed in school colours if requested. The canopies come with a 10-year guarantee (the structure must be maintained by an approved company in accordance with its maintenance manual) and have full engineering to meet all local weather conditions and are also 100% waterproof. They provide an attractive and essential addition to the school playground, nursery, public park, festival site and other various environments.

The first installation of a Creature Canopy was at Eastington Primary School in Gloucestershire. This was met with huge enthusiasm by children, staff and parents alike. “The ladybird is colourful and attractive but also very functional, as the material will block harmful UV rays in the Summer,” said Malcolm Strang, Headteacher “The children are very excited about it and it has become a real focal point for the playground.”

The Creature Canopies are bright and appealing to children with a choice of a ladybird, bee, monster and a caterpillar walkway which can all be designed in school colours if requested

www.tensilesolutions.co.uk

Creature comforts A recent survey revealed that around 40% of children experience sunburn whilst at school. In response, NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), has advised that suitable structures to help children seek shade may help reduce their UV exposure.

PSBJ takes a look at a brand new range of canopies designed to keep children safe whilst playing and learning outdoors.

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ensile Solutions based near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, has designed and engineered a special range of Creature Canopies that provide 100% UV protection, in a series of fun designs that children will love to play under.

Having two young children themselves, directors Sam and Heather Walker, fully understand the importance of sun protection. Sam Walker explains: “With young children it is vital to get outside as much as possible and we need to be so careful with their skin care.

The UK seasons are quite extraordinary at the moment but our new Creature Canopy range enables children to play outside safely, whatever the weather.”

The Walkers started Tensile

42 Public Sector Build Journal

Solutions Ltd., in November 2010 and the company prides itself on its creativity, high level of customer care, attention to detail and safe systems of work whilst providing professional and cost-effective solutions across a wide range of activities within the tensile fabric industry.

Fun and functional Working with architects, contractors, private clients and other specialist companies, the company provides a full range of services including design and build, tensile fabric structure installation, project management and canopy cleaning and maintenance.

The Creature Canopies are bright and appealing to children with a choice of a ladybird, bee, monster

Creature Canopies also provide a creative, fun and sheltered outdoor classroom for lessons and activities

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Subscribe FREE at www.psbj.co.uk Keep up-to-date with the latest news, legislations, projects & building information with Public Sector Build Journal.

As a product information magazine PSBJ showcases the latest innovative building products as well as showcasing them in use within public sector building.

If you are an Architect, Building Contractor, Specifier, Developer, Local Authority, or work within building for Healthcare, Education, Housing or Leisure and have the power to purchase building products, subscribe now for free.

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Swimming Pools & Water Treatment

Driving down energy costs Geoff Renshaw, a director of Powermaster, the energy saving technology specialist for pools and spas, explains how a typical pool can dramatically reduce its energy bill by using nothing more than clever engineering.

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t’s not uncommon to hear about people fitting variable speed drives in the buildings that house swimming pools to control heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as elevators or solar panels. However, the unique nature of a building containing a 50m pool of water that needs to be constantly refreshed, presents a far more interesting challenge for public sector facilities managers.

The key to making swimming pools more efficient is to fit drives on the motor powering the pool circulation pump itself, not just on the motors in the rest of the building. In many swimming pools, the VSD is set manually to decrease the motor’s speed during the day by 10% and during the evening by 20%. So,

44 Public Sector Build Journal

during the day, at 90% speed, the load only requires approximately 73% per cent of maximum power and during the evening at 80% speed, it only requires 48%. In essence a relatively small speed change produces a large fall in the energy usage.

As an added bonus, the motor will require less maintenance, because it is no longer running constantly at full speed. This can be a big benefit in a swimming pool, where maintenance often means closure and motors are difficult to reach.

So why do so few companies building and installing pools and spas include variable speed drives as part of their proposal to the building owner? This question is especially pertinent when,

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The key to making swimming pools more efficient is to fit drives on the motor powering the pool circulation pump itself and not just on the motors in the rest of the building

in the public sector, a certain degree of energy saving technology is mandatory.

Furthermore, why do so few pools and spas make this very small, and often publicly funded capital commitment that will allow them to reduce their expenditure so radically? My belief is that capital expenditure is prioritised much too highly and operating expenditure is vaguely written off as something that tomorrow’s accountants can deal with.

In the case of a variable speed drive controlling the pump or pumps in a swimming pool or spa, a modest addition to the system cost in the form of a variable speed drive, which will control the motor at either pre-set levels or in accordance with the pump’s requirements, could reduce the energy bill and thus the lifetime cost of the application by a minimum of 30%.

The extent of technology in older pools was using a massive fan at either end to create water movement.

Using variable speed drives to actually decrease the amount of energy spent on water handling is quite revolutionary in this sector.

www.power-master.co.uk

Variable Speed Drives in action Opened in 1970, Wyndley Leisure Centre, Birmingham boasts a main 25m heated deep water pool for swimming and diving and a separate shallow teaching pool. It also has a 400m athletics track, six squash courts, five badminton courts, a gym, an allweather pitch, a children’s playroom and a studio cycling room.

Powermaster’s variable speed drive installation cost only £10,671, including the price of a five year warranty, and saves £3,527 per year, resulting in a payback period of 2.7 years.

Another Birmingham-based leisure centre, the Northfield Pool and Fitness Centre, has recently undergone a massive refurbishment. The £3m project included a larger gym, refitted dance studio and a new sauna and steam suite.

Both of the centre’s pools were refitted and the reception area was redesigned.

Our part in the project cost just over £6,000 and produced a bill reduction of £2,119 per year, resulting in a payback period of just over three years.

Water Treatment

Environmentally friendly limescale solution for homes NoCalc is a patented product designed to prevent the build up of lime scale prevalent in homes located in hard water areas, which makes up a staggering 70% of UK properties.

Until now residents in hard water areas have had to resort to water softeners to prevent the unsightly ‘scum’ on the top of hot drinks and lime scale damage to pipework and appliances. NoCalc is now available in the UK, providing a much less expensive, easier to fit and more environmentally friendly option for these homes.

NoCalc works by dispensing a tiny

amount of silico polyphosphate into the water as it enters the home – this is done through a patented dosing system. Silico polyphosphate simply coats the calcium and magnesium in the water allowing it to flow freely through the pipes. The beauty of this substance is that it is of food grade quality and therefore 100% safe for drinking water, so when digested, releases these much needed

minerals into the body.

The alternative water softening devices cost at least double that of NoCalc to set up and run and literally take all the calcium out of the water.

They also require a lot of water and salt to regularly flush and clean the equipment, so are proving not to be very environmentally friendly.

Lesley@javaproductions.co.uk enq 028

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Floors, walls & Ceilings

Making a difference Karndean Designflooring has identified 10 key products for specification in local authority and housing association installations.

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hosen because of its hardwearing nature and stunning appearance, Karndean Designflooring offers quality and style together with a simple maintenance regime.

Flooring is an important part of any environment and social housing is no different; it’s key that the finished floor creates a welcoming atmosphere and can work hard to meet the demands of daily life whilst offering a homely feel.

Karndean Designflooring is a high quality product specified by contractors, architects and interior designers working within the housing association and social housing sectors.

The Knight Tile range is ideal for domestic scenarios and within this collection there are five wood effect

and five stone effect products available for projects within these sectors.

Offering a well-balanced selection of popular wood and stone effect finishes, these Knight Tile products are

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The Knight Tile range is ideal for domestic scenarios and within this collection there are five wood effect and five stone effect products available

a durable choice that can bring a really homely feel to any space.

The range available for social housing and local authority housing projects also features four brand new products for Karndean Designflooring to provide even greater breadth of choice.

Paul Barratt, Commercial Sales Manager at Karndean Designflooring, comments: “There are two deciding factors when it comes to choosing the right flooring for local authority and housing association environments; cost and aesthetics.

“This market is driven by tight budgets and we have worked hard to ensure our product range for this category is available at the right price point. Designflooring has many benefits to offer – wide range of finishes available, ease of installation, hardwearing and durable year after year – and coupled with a competitive price tag, it makes for a compelling proposition.

“Furthermore, Karndean Designflooring looks the part too. It’s important to remember that social houses are actually people’s homes, where warm and inviting details such as Karndean Designflooring can make all the difference.”

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Instrumental installation

■

The atrium in the new building at Chetham's School of Music where products from Schlüter-Systems have been installed

number of our market-leading products working in harmony to ensure that the tile installations around this fantastic new building don’t fall flat, is great news.

Many of our products really strike a chord with architects, tiling professionals and specifiers, thanks to their ease of installation and suitability for almost any occasion with the Schlüter®-SCHIENE, Schlüter®-RENO and Schlüter®-TREP ranges particularly appropriate for busy locations such as this which experience a large footfall.”

Schlüter®-SCHIENE is the original finishing threshold strip and offers the perfect protection. It finishes tiled surfaces and protects the outer edges of ceramic and natural stone floor coverings from mechanical impact.

The threshold profiles of the Schlüter®RENO series create a smooth transition before adjoining floor coverings at different heights, protecting the exposed tile edge. All profiles are available in a range of heights and finishes such as brass, aluminium, anodised aluminium, stainless steel and brushed stainless steel and contribute to the aesthetic and lasting appearance of the floor covering.

Stair nosings and stair profiles from the Schlüter®-TREP range are designed to improve safety on stairs, protect the edges of the stairs from chipping and cracking and provide an aesthetically pleasing finish. These are available in a wide variety of styles, heights, materials and finishes.

With over 7,000 products in its range, Schlüter-Systems has an essential role to play in every professional tiling project.

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A trio of products from Schlüter-Systems are proving instrumental in the success of tiling installations within a brand new state-of-the-art facility for a world class school of music in Manchester.

C

hetham’s School of Music is the largest specialist music school in the UK and the only such facility in the north of the country. This £20m project has seen a new, six-storey building constructed adjacent to the existing campus in the heart of the city, providing a mix of music and academic facilities for around 300 pupils.

Protecting tile installations in the atrium and a recital room are threshold profiles

48 Public Sector Build Journal

from the Schlüter®-SCHIENE and Schlüter®-RENO ranges of edge profiles whilst stair nosing profiles from the Schlüter®-TREP range have also been installed on a prominent feature staircase in addition to several other staircases around the building. All this was carried out by tiling contractors, The Tiling Company.

Carl Stokes, Divisional Manager for Schlüter, comments: “To have a

A recital room at the new Chetham's School of Music building in Manchester

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Creative connections with Tessera Circulate Cleverly combining sharp geometric lines with softer contrasting organic curves, new Tessera Circulate from Forbo, demonstrates a fresh approach to random lay batchless carpet tile design.

With Tessera Circulate, concentric circles intersect, overlap and merge with strong tonal blocks of colour, creating unpredictable connections in every direction. The result is a unique

and intriguing pattern that will enhance interior environments of any scale, from narrow corridors to large public areas and open plan offices.

Tessera Circulate tiles are laid in a

completely random fashion but the installation will always deliver a cohesive effect. With no directional rules to follow, fitting time is greatly reduced and waste is kept to an absolute minimum.

The range of eight on-trend Circulate colourways is complemented by 16 additional cut pile shades from Forbo’s Westbond N9000 carpet tile collection that can be used to create beautifully colour-co-ordinated meeting spaces, break-out zones or feature areas.

Tessera Circulate is tufted in a textured loop construction from 100% solution dyed yarn and manufactured in line with Forbo’s Green Design principles – the yarn has 20% recycled content and the tiles are precision cut to reduce wastage.

Effectively batchless, these tiles can be ordered in quantities as low as a single box so there is no need to order and store spare stock, making Circulate an ideal carpet tile solution for office spaces that may be required to change shape or be extended in the future.

info.flooring.uk@forbo.com enq 034

An Array of design options Heckmondwike has introduced its new Array fibre bonded carpet tiles, which combine the aesthetic appeal of a tufted carpet with the construction and performance only available from a fibre-bonded product. They feature a mid-width rib design, with a charcoal background enhanced with a subtle linear pattern in six different colourways. The tiles can be cut onsite without fraying, allowing individual flooring designs to be created. They can also be combined with other colours and textures from Heckmondwike’s Broadrib range. Their outstanding performance is backed by a 10-year limited wear warranty, allowing them to be specified in complete confidence. achandler@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk enq 035

Ceiling tiles offer high humidity resistance Thermatex Aquatec is a new ceiling tile from Knauf AMF offering 100% humidity resistance, combined with a washable surface and high sound absorption. Thanks to its special composition, new Aquatec remains inherently stable even in permanently high humidity and temperatures ranging from 0 to 40°C. New Thermatex Aquatec is perfect for use in spas and swimming pools where excellent acoustic performance and humidity resistance are essential requirements.

The surface of Aquatec can be easily cleaned with water and is also available with a Hygena anti-microbial treatment. Available in a variety of sizes, the tiles can be sales@amfceilings.co.uk enq 036 installed in Knauf AMF’s new Ventatec Grid.

Sports surface is a winner Taraflex™ Sport M Evolution was selected as the most appropriate and versatile surface for the huge range of sports played within the multifunctional sports hall at Holly Lodge Girls’ College in Liverpool.

At 7mm thick, Taraflex™ Sport M Evolution incorporates a number of innovative features including dynamic double density CXP (Cellular Extreme Process) foam backing for unparalleled comfort, and D-Max, a multi-layer surface to ensure maximum performance throughout the product’s lifetime. Taraflex™ Sport M Evolution is available in 15 colourways and two wood designs.

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Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

Innovative new website launched

by Eurobond Following 12 months of intensive work, Eurobond is pleased to announce the launch of it's new website. Behind the fresh and clean appearance, the new site is designed to seamlessly respond to both customer and specifier requirements.

The new Eurobond website: www.eurobond.co.uk delivers a more refined visitor experience, enabling swifter navigation to the required information. In addition, the site content has been totally reviewed and updated.

One of the innovations is a new project gallery with a navigable map to pinpoint the location of projects supplied across the UK. A registration page, via the product sites, provides access to detailed technical information and

visitors can be kept up-to-date and informed of the company’s latest developments through subscription to its e-newsletter ‘The Core Issue’.

The new main website also acts as the hub to quickly direct visitors to the most appropriate Eurobond product micro sites, should this be needed. These micro sites are also new and have been sequentially rolled out over preceding months. They include, a brand new Eurobond Doors website, a sister company of Eurobond

Laminates, and a supplier and manufacturer of complementary door and ancillary products to the Eurobond panel range.

The site is dynamic and provides open access for future enhancement by the Eurobond marketing team.

The company’s aim is to keep the information up-to-date and accessible and it hopes you will find time to visit the site and it welcomes your feedback.

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Project specs at the click of a button

Flexible format Marley Eternit’s Duo Edgemere interlocking slates have been specified for the Alt Estate in Oldham due to their small format aesthetic appeal and thin leading edge. Built in the late 1960s, this large social housing project comprised 332 properties, all of which were in need of significant redevelopment including 137 new roofs, each measuring an average of 50m2. With a machine made groove along the centre surface, Duo Edgemere slates, mimic the appearance of smaller slates but on a much larger format tile (420mm x 330mm). Edgemere has the ability to perform at pitches as low as 17.5°, which gives it the versatility to be used on a wide range of roof types.

info@marleyeternit.co.uk

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Brit-Spec is the professional’s quick and easy system for producing complete Tactray 90 project specifications and associated information requirements within 4 to 5 ‘Clicks’. All information can then be stored in a project specific folder for future use and for distribution to the entire design team. The information provided by BritSpec can be specifically tailored to suit the designer’s personal requirements or the requirements of each individual project. The Tactray 90 Structural Support System provides unique and BBA Certified qualities and benefits for each and every project. For this reason Tactray 90 forms the Structural Foundation for the Brit-Spec System. sales@britmet.co.uk enq 040

Kingspan supports Snowhill development 32,000m2 of Kingspan Structural Product’s Multideck 60-V2 have been installed as part of the new office and retail building, Two Snowhill, currently being constructed in Birmingham city centre. Kingspan Multideck 60-V2’s unique profile allows it to save up to 20% concrete volume compared with typical reentrant profiles. The 60mm high trapezoidal profile of the system also creates an excellent union between the steel and concrete, allowing spanning of up to 4.5m without props. Multideck 60-V2 has a guaranteed minimum yield strength of 350N/mm2 and its one meter standard cover width also means it requires fewer panels and sidelaps, helping to reduce overall installation time. marketing@kingspanstructural.com enq 041

Roofing, Cladding & Insulation

A glittering success

The ‘golden’ roof crowning Worcester’s brand new library and history centre posed an unusual challenge for Sika Sarnafil registered roofing contractor RLW Roofing Limited. The £60m building – known as The Hive – is covered by approx.16,000 golden tiles made from copper alloy shingle installed across seven ‘conical’ roof structures, which optimise daylight and natural ventilation. The team installed 668m2 of Sika Sarnafil G410-18ELF membrane to the pyramid tops and roof gutters across the roof, which spans 3,000m2. The RLW team was on site from April to September and even in ambient conditions the roof doubled or even trebled the temperature.

sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com enq 042

'Self-cleaning' renders PermaRock ‘self-cleaning’ ThermoSan-NQG renders incorporate the latest innovation in clean façade renders – Nano-Quartz technology, which offers superior levels of performance in terms of cleanliness, colour stability and provide unparalleled resistance to the elements. The renders provide the added benefit of cost savings over the lifetime of the cladding system through reduced maintenance requirements in comparison to standard acrylic and silicone-based renders. ThermoSan-NQG renders are constructed from organically cross-linked nano-particles which form a compact, mineral-hard, three dimensional quartz-matrix structure which protects against soiling and keeps façades cleaner for longer and the special silicone resin/binder combination also generates water repellent, highly water vapour permeable surfaces. permarock@permarock.com enq 043

Glidevale helps light up education The geography of Ryton Park Primary School in Worksop meant some areas of the new £7.3m steel frame with single ply roofed school could potentially have dark areas. The solution has been the incorporation of over 40 Sunscoop™ tubular rooflights – 30 of which each measure 450mm dia.

– and a further two Metrodome rooflights, all manufactured and supplied by Glidevale Ltd. Glidevale’s Sunscoop™ comprises a glazed roof dome which allows almost 90% of the external natural daylight down highly reflective tubing to a ceiling-mounted diffuser in the room below. The company’s Metrodome rooflights allow up to three times the amount of natural daylight into a info@glidevale.com enq 044 building than an equivalent sized window.

Metrotile offers all-round versatility Metrotile Lightweight Steel Roofing can be found on the rooftops of a variety of different projects, and thanks to the product’s versatility, specifiers have found Metrotile roofing is ideal for smallerscale projects as well. Metrotile has recently found favour with conservatory manufacturers and renovators – small projects that benefit just as much from a Metrotile roof as large scale projects such as The Priory Academies in Lincoln.

Whatever the size of your Metrotile roof, you enjoy the benefits of an industry-leading 40-year guarantee and the many traditional material-beating benefits Metrotile offers. sales@metrotile.co.uk enq 045

Ideal windows for high humidity areas FAKRO manufactures 13 sizes of both white polyurethane-coated, close-grain redwood pine and uPVC roof windows.

Both are ideal for high humidity areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and wetrooms or simply to match existing white windows and doors. All have sleek frames in a contemporary style which give a bigger overall glazing area and there is a choice of opening options including centre pivot and the unique FAKRO preSelect® top hung and pivot. U-values are as low as 0.97 W/m2K while windows benefit from topSafe hinge and lock reinforcement and, with most profiles the V40P automatic air vent. sales@fakrogb.com enq 046

Lightweight fastening system

Axter’s new GENERAL FIX lightweight fastening system secures roof mounted equipment such as PV amorphous ‘thin film’ modules, crystalline panels and other plant, without penetrating the waterproofing system or compromising the structural integrity of the building.

GENERAL FIX® applies the VELCRO® hook and loop fastening principle and tolerates heavy-duty stress in a few square centimetres. It is easy to install and is designed to anchor all types of plant securely without ballast on retro-fit and new build projects.

GENERAL FIX® eliminates the need for expensive, heavy array support systems and allows easy removal of the plant for maintenance.

info@axterltd.co.uk enq 047

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Kitchens, Bathrooms & Washrooms

Educational prints help children learn Amwell has launched a brand new range of fun, exciting and most importantly, educational digital prints for washroom cubicles

Along with its ever-popular ladybirds print, Amwell has introduced Flags of the World and a new and improved dinosaur print for use in childrens’ washrooms.

In a recent survey, 95% of students said they loved Amwell’s brand new Flags of the World design. They commented that they: “would be able to learn the names of some of the countries they had never heard of and their flags.”

And teachers from The Spinney Primary School in Harlow agreed: “There isn’t much time in the curriculum to teach children (flags of the world) so it would be a great opportunity for them to learn.”

Children can also learn a little natural history with Amwell’s new and improved Dinosaur print. Pupils can spot the different species of dinosaur whilst learning their names – a fun design that will encourage children to look after their washroom, and keep them learning at the same time!

contact@amwell-systems.com enq 048

Beko celebrates trade mission to Turkey Lord Stephen Green (left), UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, has visited Beko’s stateof-the-art washing machine plant in Çayırova near Istanbul as part of the UK Trade and Investment and Confederation of British Industry’s first joint trade mission to Turkey. Ragip Balcioglu (right), Managing Director of Beko Plc in the UK, attended the trip and discussed the company’s presence and progress in the UK with Lord Green. “We look forward to a strong performance in 2012 and will continue to work collaboratively with the British Government’s efforts to increase the presence of Turkish companies in the UK market,” commented Balcioglu.

amanda.castle@beko.co.uk enq 049

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Lifting showers doors Impey Freedom is the latest technology in shower doors for those with mobility issues.

Innovative Impey Freedom incorporates an air assisted spring mechanism that lifts the doors off the ground by pressing a lever which prevents the floor seal dragging, prolongs the life of the watertight seal and ensures easy operation.

The doors are strong, have a lightweight powder coated frame, anti-shatter PETG panels and are secured in position by gently pressing down on the handgrip. Visit www.impeyshowers.com or call 0845 468 1627. chris.marmion@cubecreative.co.uk enq 050

Improved accessibility RAK Ceramics has introduced a series of extended projection WC’s to its new RAKRIMLESS™ Range. Offering improved accessibility and a hygienic rim-free design, the new range includes both extended close coupled and extended back to wall WC’s, in a variety of formats. All models are HTM64 compliant and suitable for wheelchair users and healthcare settings. They are also compliant with the Water Regulations Approved Scheme and feature a dual 4/2.5 litre flush, which reduces water consumption by a third. Designs include extended projection close coupled WC’s with a 45cm comfort height and reinforced ring seat/chrome hinge marketing@rakceramics.co.uk enq 051 or soft close wrap over seat.

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Focus & Innovation

Xtratherm sponsors CIOB Student Challenge Finals 2012 Xtratherm underlined its commitment to education in the built environment by sponsoring the recent Chartered Institute of Building's (CIOB) Student Challenge Finals.

Xtratherm sponsored the National CIOB Student Challenge Finals which took place at the CIOB’s Head Office in Englemere on Wednesday 14th March, as well as sponsoring the regional heats in Ireland.

Improved efficiency Viessmann has launched a new model to its line of Vitocrossal 300 gas-condensing commercial boilers, for heat outputs ranging from 787 to 1400 kW. The Vitocrossal 300 is perfect for systems with large water volumes such as district heating networks, schools and hospitals and other buildings with large radiator coverage or underfloor heating systems. The boiler’s open water ways and doubled output within a single unit negates the need to purchase cascade/add multiple products. The Vitocrossal is also less expensive to install and maintain and offers estimated savings in running costs of approximately £2,300 per year compared to the operation of two 311 kW Vitocrossal boilers, or their equivalent.

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For both finals, Xtratherm presented the Student Challenge Trophy. Phil Ward and Danny Kearney (second left) of Xtratherm were on the judging panels. The overall winners were Glasgow Caledonian University with

University of Wolverhampton in second place and the Institute of Technology Carlow in third.

Speaking about the awards, Danny Kearney, Technical Manager at Xtratherm said: “As we look towards a sustainable, energy efficient future, it has never been more important to ensure that the architects, designers and builders of tomorrow are well educated to understand how modern materials and techniques can deliver zero carbon and energy efficient performance. We see our collaboration with construction colleges and training organisations such as the CIOB to be vital for the future.

“The standard of entrants at both the Irish and National Finals was breathtaking and the competition overall served to reassure that the future is in good hands.”

The CIOB represents skilled managers and professionals with a common commitment to achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards in the total building process.

gemma.hynes@xtratherm.com enq 055

Timoleon system offers double efficiency The Timoleon Staple System was specified to supply below floor warmth evenly throughout two underused farm buildings which have been used to create the EaRTH centre at Bicton College in Devon. The Timoleon Staple System is simple and can be rapidly laid even in awkward areas.

When in use, heat from the pipes is reflected upwards from the insulation sheet, optimising warmth for the room above. The Timoleon system also acts as a Surface Cooling System, a more energy efficient alternative to air conditioning. When the outside atmosphere demands it, Timoleon’s sophisticated controls switch the system from heating to cooling modes. samantha.perry@timoleon.co.uk enq 057

Smart two-way communication Evinox has launched SmartTalk™ for communal heating systems which uses two-way data communication to enable the heating and hot water system in each dwelling to be remotely metered, controlled, interrogated and tested.

A first for communal heating, the Evinox software has the ability to not only download data from the heat interface unit but to also upload data to provide control remotely.

SmartTalk™ has been designed for Evinox ModuSat communal heating systems and is well suited to social housing, sheltered accommodation, student info@evinox.co.uk enq 058 accommodation and apartment developments.

Focus & Innovation

Forest Fountain takes water play to new heights Timberplay has created a combination of equipment which takes water play to new heights, bringing together several exciting pumps and fountains to introduce the Forest Fountain.

The Forest Fountain concept creates a dynamic landscape, with masts of differing heights and a large selection of jets and sprays. With water play enjoying a recent renaissance, and many

councils, as well as private organisations seeing the benefit of introducing water to their play facilities, the innovative offer comes at the perfect time.

Paul Collings, Managing Director at Timberplay comments: “To the unsuspecting eye the Forest Fountain looks like a series of vertical and horizontal timbers. However, when the seesaw or alternative pumps are activated, the equipment is transformed.

Children are delighted by the relationship between cause and effect, seeing how their actions result into the response from the various fountains. Working together, groups of children can activate all the pieces, whilst others enjoy playing in the cascading water.”

The Fountain can incorporate a

variety of equipment, with pumps such as the seesaw and long handle pump, and jets which force the water out in a variety of ways. The Horizontal Star Rotor spins the water out, whilst the Low or High Collision Disc forces two jets of water together to create a Catherine Wheel type effect. Clients can select any combination of equipment and can even incorporate existing water play equipment, where compatible.

sales@timberplay.com enq 059

• Family Inclusive • Played By Throwing Or Kicking • Proven To Reduce Anti-Social Behaviour • Post Installation Community Worskshops • Anti-Vandal Fixings & Heavy Duty Framework • Packed Full Of Educational & Developmental Benefits

Revolutionising Multi Use Games Areas

Call now 020 8838 8958 or email sales@playinnovation.co.uk

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Focus & innovation

Alumasc expands Harmer roof drainage brand Alumasc has significantly expanded its Harmer Roof Drainage range. With the addition of new products and the launch of its new Drainage Calculator software, Alumasc's Harmer brand offers benefits to all professionals involved in the design and specification of rainwater and roof drainage products.

A significant development within the Alumasc Harmer brand is the introduction of a comprehensive range of cast iron rainwater outlets to create competitive choice for designers

who have a preference for cast iron drainage products. The new range of outlets provides for inverted and warm roof construction whilst improving fire safety as well as accommodating

wheel load capacities to meet the requirements for car park and podium deck drainage applications.

A new Mini Balcony Outlet is now included within the aluminium range, featuring a shallow sump and interchangeable gratings in stainless steel or nickel bronze. The Harmer Modulock system consists of an all-new product offer comprising an adjustable linear channel system that meets the requirements of Part M Level Access compliance manufactured in galvanised or stainless steel.

The Harmer range is suited to different roof types including structural concrete, metal deck, timber deck, warm roof, cold roof, green roof and inverted roof. Harmer Roof outlets can be used with all types of membrane including asphalt, built-up felt, single ply and wet-applied systems.

info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk enq 061

Safety solution for university roof

Versatile LED ceiling panel The Nova 600x600 LED ceiling panel has lightweight slim design, is versatile in its application with easy installation.

The Nova has three independently controlled panels that provide total flexibility, with instant illumination for 50,000+ hours. Available in two colour temperatures and emergency back up option, ensures that the Nova is the perfect product for commercial environments. Exled can provide onsite evaluations, detailed project assessments with specific advice on which LED solutions will benefit your organisation. The company’s in-house technical team can provide support for the application with light plots and CAD drawings.

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SAFETYWORKS & Solutions has recently provided a comprehensive roof safety solution for installation on the McLaughlin Building at The University of Hertfordshire. For edge protection and easy movement around the roof areas, 242 l/m of Easyguard freestanding handrails were installed. To ensure safe roof access to the tank room, SAFETYWORKS & Solutions manufactured and installed a 4m Free Standing Access Ladder.

In addition, SAFETYWORKS managed on-site logistics to ensure the smooth completion of this installation, including provision of cranes, the delivery to site of 12 tonnes of ballast, and the placement of 500 PV panels and stands on behalf of the PV installation company. info@safetyworksandsolutions.co.uk enq 063

Increased interest in rainwater harvesting Wilo is seeing a huge increase in interest in rainwater harvesting across the board from commercial applications. The company has recently been responsible for the impressive rainwater harvesting system at Belfast Metropolitan College – part of the Titanic Quarter development in Belfast – through systems for both new social housing and private housing developments, as well as individual properties, including a number of self-build projects across the country. Wilo rainwater harvesting systems can reduce demand on the potable water supply, reduce water costs and show a significant reduction in the sales@wilo.co.uk enq 064 volume of ‘clean’ water used.

Focus & Innovation

Swistherm EWI delivers high performance facade Alumasc's Swistherm External Wall Insulation (EWI) system has provided a high performance, weather tight façade at George Hall Court in Swindon, an eight-storey tower block comprising 30 flats managed by Swindon Borough Council.

George Hall Court had an existing EWI system which no longer met Part L of the Building Regulations and therefore required a thermal upgrade.

The solution was to overclad the building with 2000m2 of the Alumasc

Swistherm system utilising 30mm EPS insulation. The new system resulted in the scheme’s energy efficiency being improved from a U-Value of 0.46W/m2K to 0.33W/m2K. The ST Silkolitt decorative silicone

finish has created an attractive rolled texture for the building, and was also used to face Alumasc’s renderonly system on the low level external concrete skirting and as a decorative finish in the foyer. Importantly, the nature of the EWI system enabled residents at George Hall Court to remain in their homes for the duration of the refurbishment work.

Swistherm is BBA accredited, fully warranted and ideally suited to properties that require thermal upgrading and aesthetic improvement.

It is manufactured under ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001: 2004 Quality and Environmental Management Systems, is fully weather resistant, and can be faced with Alumasc’s range of Silicone or Mineral renders which are available in a choice of textures and colours.

info@alumasc-exteriors.co.uk enq 065

Prestigious project for Rainguard A range of products from Yeoman Rainguard have been fitted to a stunning development located on the edge of the world famous Roundhay Park in Leeds. The Yeoman Rainguard Aluminium XL range now graces the Victorian Beech Lodge as well as townhouses located at the rear of the property and carports. Two new innovative additions to the Yeoman Rainguard range have been fitted including timber frame bracket for oak buildings and rainwater diverters.

Speaking on behalf of the main contractors Caddick Construction, Simon Laycock, the Project Manager said: “We were very satisfied with the advice and products supplied by Yeoman Rainguard.” sallyann@rainguard.co.uk enq 066

Comar 7 Commercial Door passes security tests Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems has announced that its Comar 7 Commercial Door has passed LPS 1175 SR 2 and the new security standard BS EN 1627 Class 3. Comar is also the first company to gain Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) approval to EN 1627 (Pedestrian doorsets, windows, curtain walling, grilles and shutters. Burglar resistance.

Requirements and classification). BS EN 1627 is the new European security standard that has recently been ratified by all member states. These security standards ensure that in commercial applications, as far as is reasonable, the security features are tamper resistant on the non-attack side from tools such as soft body impactors, projects@parksidegroup.co.uk enq 067 screwdrivers, knives or glass cutters.

Clean water pumping services Boasting over 50 years experience in the pumping industry, T-T is committed to delivering service and maintenance for all types of clean water pressurisation and boosting systems. Skilled T-T engineers with fully equipped vehicles are based around the UK, and endeavour to carry out work onsite to all makes of systems. The team is dedicated to working exclusively on clean water pressurisation and boosting systems avoiding any cross contamination.

Services include: Breakdown service for minimal disruption • Servicing of hot and cold systems • Chlorination of water tanks • Water testing with fully independent certification • Pressurisation of vessels • Remote monitoring for around the clock support.

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Focus & Innovation

Brochure simplifies specification

Contemporary pods for traveller site Evesham-based Rooftop Housing Group has completed the installation and refurbishment of housing pods at the Houndsfield Lane Gypsy and Traveller site, which were supplied by Rollalong Ltd. Each of the new 30m2 pods are contemporary in design and come complete with a pre-fitted kitchen and bathroom, plus a living area, which the existing brick buildings on site did not have. The new units all have DDA accessibility that includes wider doorways, ramped access, grab rails and wet rooms, ready to accommodate an ever-aging community. Rooftop has been allocated funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to deliver 72 new Gypsy and Traveller pitches across the Midlands by March 2015.

alison.stickland@rollalong.co.uk enq 069

As part of Moores Furniture Group’s ongoing commitment to its customers, the leading provider of kitchen furniture has redesigned its Public Sector range brochure to make specification even more straightforward. Packed full of useful information from adding value and service levels through to kitchen ranges and technical info, the brochure is a great reference tool for those specifying to the social housing market. The latest version features handy section tabs to make it even quicker and easier to find the information you need. With years of experience, Moores is well placed to offer advice and installation services to ensure a job is completed to the highest standards. marketing@moores.co.uk enq 070

Challenging cranage operation Off-site construction specialist, Yorkon, has completed a challenging cranage project at Ninestiles School, a new high achieving academy in Birmingham. The site operation involved the use of a large 350-tonne crane to lift the steel and concrete building modules over the top of an existing building and into a completely enclosed courtyard in the centre of the school. Design features of the six new classrooms will include brick cladding to the ground floor with a contrasting white finish to the upper floor; windows, doors and aluminium cladding panels in anthracite grey; a full height glazed stairwell, and a link contact@yorkon.co.uk enq 071 corridor to the main school building.

New CPD from Promat Promat UK has announced the availability of a new RIBA-accredited CPD presentation that gives participants a thorough insight into passive fire protection. The hour-long presentation is intended for architects and specifiers and can be delivered at their own premises by one of Promat’s passive fire prevention specialists. Entitled ‘Understanding Passive Fire Protection,’ the presentation covers a wide variety of subjects ranging from the behaviour of fire and UK legislation covering the subject (such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and Approved Document B), through to the design of passive fire protection measures such as compartmentation and structural steel protection. sappleton@promat.co.uk enq 072

New glazing partnership A new partnership between façade specialists Wicona and Fendor has resulted in the launch of a sliding aluminium window system specifically designed for antiligature applications, such as mental health and custodial facilities. The new system has a number of key features to make it anti-ligature and to reduce security risks including: a smooth, flush internal face with no ledges or lips and a reduced number of joints; anti-ligature window hardware; a perforated aluminium mesh fixed into the aperture to maximise fresh air and sight lines reduced by around 40 per cent to allow a high level of natural light, helping to enhance the internal environment info.wiconauk@hydro.com enq 073 and wellbeing for building occupants.

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Fexible FastTrap

FastTrap, a one-piece drain ideal for wetrooms on timber, in solid floors and also for installation in screed, is now available from Dallmer Ltd. While this latest addition to the extensive Dallmer product list is suitable for new-build situations, the FastTrap, with a height of only 100mm, has proved particularly popular for installation in older properties where lack of build up height has to be overcome.

Tested to a flow rate of 45 litres per minute, the new trap is specifically designed for use with the latest high-powered showers. FastTrap has a height adjustability of up to 46mm for the floor finish.

info@dallmer.com enq 074

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