PSBJ March 2017

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March 2017

SPEED UP HOUSE-BUILDING Government-backed pilot scheme launched to unblock infrastructure hold ups

On time with off-site

Aid and protect

Sporting a new look

Off-site construction proves a smarter and faster choice for Dagenham school

Why providing safety for less able-bodied individuals around doorways is imperative

Speller Metcalfe has undertaken a ÂŁ10.5m revamp for Perdiswell Leisure Centre

We have a style to match yours

Aluminium

Traditional and modern gutters, pipes and hoppers come in a comprehensive range of aesthetic styles, materials and colours to suit all buildings and budgets.

For more information please call 0113 279 5854 or email info@rainguard.co.uk

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Copper, Zinc & Stainless Steel

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Welcome Note Editor in Chief

Hannah Frackiewicz

hannah@mixedmediainfo.com

Editorial Assistant Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@mixedmediainfo.com

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@mixedmediainfo.com

Studio Manager Chris Lilly

chris@mixedmediainfo.com

A new Government-backed pilot scheme has launched to unblock infrastructure hold ups that are delaying the building of new homes. See page 30.

Production

Jack Witcomb

jack@mixedmediainfo.com

David Perry

david@mixedmediainfo.com

Sofia Franchi

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Accounts

Simone Jones

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Charlie Ivy

charlie@mixedmediainfo.com

Managing Director Sam Ball

sam@mixedmediainfo.com Publisher

Mixed Media Information

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Welcome to the March issue of PSBJ...

In a bid to “fix our broken housing market”, Theresa May announced last month a series of housing reforms. The released Housing White Paper revealed that 225,000 to 275,000 new homes per year will be needed to keep up with population growth and years of under supply.

Plans focus on getting homes built faster and giving councils more powers to build more rental homes, proposing a change in planning rules to facilitate this.

In response to the paper, Mark Robinson, Scape Group Chief Executive, comments: “This Housing White Paper puts local authorities centre stage of the country’s housing challenge.

The Government has rightly recognised the role that councils can play in delivering new homes, and it is about time that they were given the powers to do so – but the Government must also give them the resources they need. Without the planning and regeneration officers needed to process applications and complete Local Plans, the Government’s aspiration for hundreds of thousands of more new homes will fall flat.

“Simply chastising overwhelmed and under-resourced local authorities through a new monitoring system won’t speed things up. The Government has paid lip service to the financial pressure on planning and regeneration departments, but a crack team of super-planners and special deals for larger authorities will not be enough to tackle a national housing shortage.”

Until these measures are actually actioned, for councils it’s a case of improving current housing stock, ensuring that these homes are fit for purpose and provide adequate standards of living. In this month’s issue, we’ve profiled the landmark refurbishment of Chaucer House, which demonstrates how upgrades can be carried out while residents remain in occupation. Turn to page 24 to find out more.

Also in this edition, we bring you the latest high-profile case studies and talking points on Infrastructure, Security, Health & Safety, Drainage and Doors & Windows. You will also find a dedicated focus on key areas of the public sector – Healthcare, Education and Leisure.

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

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

@psbjmagazine

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Contents

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

08 Upfront The recently-opened Goresbrook School provides compelling evidence of how off-site construction has truly established itself as the smarter choice for education projects.

14 Talking Point Powerstar discusses how the public sector can utilise a local energy framework for all types of benefits.

16 Leisure A new £10.5m swimming pool, built by developer Speller Metcalfe, puts Worcester on the sporting map.

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18 Technical Focus

22 Education

26 Naidex Preview

Unwanted and intrusive noise is impacting on more and more lives. Chris Coxon at Eurocell considers the issue in the context of doors and windows.

Altro resin flooring is providing the ultimate in colour, flexibility and durability on an award-winning refurbished campus at North Hertfordshire College.

From 28 to 30th March, trade, healthcare professional and public visitors in the independent living and disability sector will gather at Naidex 2017.

20 Legal & Business

24 Housing

28 Healthcare

The Government's Industrial Strategy – what does it mean for procurement? John Houlden of law practice Burges Salmon explains more.

An innovative £8.9m recladding project, designed by Pellings, has been completed on landmark Chaucer House in Sutton, Surrey.

Croft Medical Centre is proof that a little attention to lighting design can go a long way towards a professional medical practice.

The all-new psbj.co.uk Your revitalised and purpose-built portal for public sector building specification PSBJ unveils the new-look online resource for building products designed for the public sector built environment.

Offering more content in an easy-to-navigate format, this refreshing, tailor-made new portal delivers the right content to the right audience in the shortest time possible.

Search ‘psbj’

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www.psbj.co.uk

Contents

24 36 Rain/SuDS

08

Interpave reveals how innovations with concrete block permeable paving help meet regulatory requirements for SuDS while cutting costs.

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30 Infrastructure

40 Doors & Windows

PSBJ explores a new HFI scheme, which has been launched to unblock infrastructure hold ups that are delaying the build of new homes.

Allegion explains why managers of healthcare buildings need to look deeper into how to protect vulnerable and less able-bodied groups.

32 Security

42 Ecobuild Preview

Are public sector clients keeping up with the digital building revolution? Steve Martin, ECA Head of Specialist Groups, explains more.

Ecobuild returns this month with an overarching theme of regeneration, which will be brought to life through an immersive exhibition and conference programme.

34 Health & Safety

45 Product Showcase

Manufacturer of fire safety products, Kidde Safety discusses the importance of keeping smoke, heat and CO alarm protection in housing up to date.

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

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Read the latest issue online Gain insight from industry experts Source products and suppliers Keep up to date with industry news Discover new innovative technologies Browse the archive of features and issues Manage your subscriptions Download the PSBJ app for your iPad, iPhone or Android

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News

INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

Planning permission granted for £35m Ecclesall Road development Austin-Smith:Lord recognised by double shortlisting Two Austin-Smith:Lord projects have been shortlisted in the international BREEAM Awards which celebrate ground-breaking sustainable building design – South Lanarkshire College’s Low Carbon Teaching Building and Ysgol Ffwrnes Primary School. Both projects have been shortlisted in the Education & Health category of the BREEAM Awards which recognise the achievement of those involved in the specification, design, construction and management of the ‘best of the best’ BREEAM certified buildings. Austin-Smith:Lord Partner, Iain Wylie, comments: “We’re delighted to be shortlisted for these two trailblazing projects.

Both exemplify our passion for sustainability and expertise in applying exciting new technologies to relevant projects across the varied sectors we work within.” The 2017 BREEAM Awards will be announced on 7th March.

REL adds Romford leisure scheme to expanding project list Building on its expertise in the leisure sector, REL has been awarded a contract to deliver the electrical works at a £25m leisure development. Located in Romford, the scheme is being built by Willmott Dixon for Havering Council. It includes an eight-lane competition swimming pool, training pool, fitness suite, 56 x 26m ice rink and associated leisure facilities within the heart of the town centre. Appointed

by Kershaw Mechanical Services, REL is responsible for the £2m electrical element of the project, which is scheduled to take 12 months. The Romford Leisure Development adds to a growing number of leisure projects for REL. Within the last 12 months, the team has also helped to deliver leisure complexes in Waltham Forest in London, High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire and Flitwick in Bedfordshire.

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Bond Bryan is delighted that planning permission has been granted for Ecclesall Road – a mixed-use residential and retail scheme. The £35m development looks to renew an acre and a half of a former low-rise and low-density car dealership site, with a high-rise urban scheme of residential apartments, student accommodation and retail space. Designed in two parts, an 11-storey student building adjacent to Pomona Street and a cluster of three residential blocks rise above a ground floor of retail spaces; the project is then unified around a first floor landscaped courtyard that is shared by residents. The ground floor units will be let to restaurants and bars and higherend shopping to complement the existing experience on Ecclesall Road. Director, Darren Southgate, commented: “Each building has its very own ‘character’, yet between the different parts of the development, a harmonious ‘family’ effect is created amongst them. Each of these buildings functions as a singular, but together – as a whole – they create a family of structures that respond to environmental and building science considerations through their orientation and relative siting, thus maximising their natural light and acoustic privacy.”

Public sector spending remains significant for Shaylor Group National principal contractor, Shaylor Group, has announced a consistent stream of new public sector-funded projects nationwide.

The company, currently delivering £60m of publicly-funded schemes in a forward order book of £200m, has credited the progression of the Government’s plans for leaving the European Union with easing sector uncertainty. In the heritage sector, Shaylor Group is on site at Chester Farm delivering a multi-million pound restoration project for Northamptonshire County Council. The site of a Roman walled town and traditional farm buildings dating back to the 17th century, Shaylor Group will transform the area into a major education and visitor destination providing

interpretation, conference, education and training facilities, a cafe and countywide archaeological resource centre.

The 18-month project is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund in addition to the council. Shaylor Group has also seen significant spending in the Justice and Custodial sector. The company currently has a number of projects on site for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) covering prisons, court facilities and probation service premises throughout the UK. Shaylor Group will begin delivery of a further nine projects for the MoJ before July, awarded through its place on the Strategic Alliance Agreement.

Companies to deliver new mixed-use scheme for South Yorkshire Leading property companies Dransfield Properties and Harworth Group have announced a joint venture agreement to deliver a new £50m retail, office and leisure scheme at Waverley, Rotherham – home to Yorkshire’s largest ever brownfield mixed-use redevelopment. The new 12-acre development is a key part of the strategic regeneration of the 740-acre Waverley development. The planned, high-quality local centre is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to the region and will deliver a 24,500ft2 food store, highquality office space, medical centre, transport hub, a new hotel, 70,000ft2 of further retail space, a gym and quality restaurants and coffee shops. The development will formally link the internationally-renowned Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and the residential area through a masterplanned retail and leisure development, incorporating muchneeded community facilities. A planning application is scheduled to be submitted in spring 2017 and will include a transport hub for Rotherham to improve connectivity to the region as well as a hotel and a new medical centre to serve the growing business and residential area.

Steelwork milestone for hospital construction project Conlon Construction has reached an important stage of the private hospital project in Hatfield, completing the erection of the building’s steel frame. Comprising 175 tonnes of structural steelwork, completing this stage of construction work means the scheme is one step closer to its completion, with the hospital expected to open by the end of 2017. The £40m, two-storey facility, called One Hatfield Hospital, will span four acres and be sited on land next to the Hatfield Avenue Porsche dealership. Commissioned by One Healthcare and designed by Manning Elliott, it will comprise 21 beds, three of which will be designated for critical care, three ultra clean ventilation (UCV) theatres, physiotherapy unit, 14 day-case pods, two treatment rooms and 10 outpatient consulting rooms. In addition, it will also have a high-tech diagnostic imaging suite and ample parking.

Speller Metcalfe appointed to £60m framework Speller Metcalfe has been selected as one of Staffordshire County Council’s appointed contractors for a major new Capital Works Programme framework.

The four-year framework aims to deliver new and improved facilities, mainly in the education sector, on behalf of the county council and also has provision for work in the commercial, industrial and leisure sectors for other partners and authorities connected to the county council. Following a rigorous tender process, Speller Metcalfe has been appointed to Lots 1 and 3, which will incorporate a variety of new-build, refurbishment and extension schemes to both new and existing sites. Lot 1 ranges from £0-£2.5m and will share £15-£50m of the council’s framework budget, delivered by six selected contractors. Lot 3 will be shared among four major contractors, with projects valued over £9m and a potential spend of between £30-60m.

Topping-out ceremony marks Stockport Homes HQ milestone Eric Wright Construction, part of the Eric Wright Group, is nearing completion of a new multi-million pound headquarters for Stockport Homes. The four-storey, 54,500ft2 building with additional basement car park in Stockport town centre for client Quorum Estates is expected to complete in May. Representatives from Eric Wright Construction, Stockport Homes, Quorum Estates and Stockport Council attended a traditional toppingout ceremony on the site of the former Lamborghini car showroom on Edward Street, which, along with adjacent industrial buildings, has been demolished to pave the way for the new Grade A office facility. Designed by AEW architects, the new building will consolidate Stockport Homes’ existing services into one modern, efficient location and house almost 400 staff. The new office will make accessing services easier for customers, and provides meeting rooms and community spaces that can facilitate groups and meetings in the heart of the town. The move will take place over a six to eight-week period from the end of June 2017.

Scape Group responds to Housing White Paper In response to the Government’s recent Housing White Paper, Mark Robinson, Scape Group Chief Executive, comments: “This Housing White Paper puts local authorities centre stage of the country’s housing challenge. The Government has rightly recognised the role that councils can play in delivering new homes, and it is about time that they were given the powers to do so – but the Government must also give them the resources they need. Without the planning and regeneration officers needed to process applications and complete Local Plans, the Government’s aspiration for hundreds of thousands of more new homes will fall flat. Simply chastising overwhelmed and under-resourced local authorities through a new monitoring system won’t

speed things up. The Government have paid lip service to the financial pressure on planning and regeneration departments, but a crack team of super-planners and special deals for larger authorities will not be enough to tackle a national housing shortage. However, what is clear is that the experience of local authorities across joint venture partnerships, major infrastructure projects and house-building is now beginning to be recognised. Local councils increasingly have the expertise, vision and understanding of their area to provide the new homes that local people need. The Government must continue to unlock the potential of local authorities to solve the housing crisis through new and innovative means – give them the funding and the finance, combined with new powers, and we could be on the cusp of a locally-led house-building revolution.”

News

“To be announced on not one, but two of the framework lots shows the scope and quality of work that Speller Metcalfe can deliver,” said Des O’Neill, Group Managing Director at Speller Metcalfe. “We have a wealth of framework experience, notably with the recent West Midlands Contractor Framework, where we ranked as the top KPI-scoring contractor throughout its duration.”

Morgan Sindall expands UK’s largest primary school Construction and infrastructure company, Morgan Sindall, is celebrating having reached a key milestone in the expansion of the UK’s largest primary school. The Morgan Sindall project team has completed the steel frame of Claycots Primary School in Slough, which is undergoing an £8.2m transformation. The school currently accommodates 330 pupils and the expansion will see the school increase to an eight-form entry facility, offering 120 places in each year group. Pupils from Claycots Primary School joined the Morgan Sindall project team at a special steel signing event to mark the progress of their new school building. The project is being delivered for Slough Urban Renewal, which is a partnership between Slough Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments, and will include an extension and alterations to the school’s historic Old Town Hall site on Bath Road.

The three-floor, steel frame extension will comprise 15 new classrooms, a medical room, library, kitchen and sports hall.

Morgan Sindall will also deliver a new plant room, a reprographics room and internal improvements to the existing building, including the creation of new offices and meeting rooms for staff.

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Upfront

OFF-SITE APPROACH IS THE PERFECT FIT

The design solution involved an acoustic upgrade to the windows and external walls of the facade facing the road

Project: Goresbrook School Location: Dagenham Principal Contractor: The McAvoy Group

The recently-opened ÂŁ18m Goresbrook School in Dagenham provides compelling evidence of how off-site construction has truly established itself as the smarter choice for education projects large and small, according to Orla Corr, Executive Chairperson of The McAvoy Group.

McAVOY FACT FILE: Over the past 40 years, McAvoy has delivered more than three million square metres in modular structures the length and breadth of Britain and Ireland within the education, health, leisure and commercial sectors.

It has built a 1200-pupil school in 22 weeks, installed classrooms on the top of a three-storey Victorian building and a high-tech operation theatre on a roof.

McAvoy’s continuous engagement with the client ensured the project ran smoothly

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The group has even delivered a 265-module, 10,000m2 modular hire project in just 10 weeks.

Upfront Goresbrook School stands as a paragon of modular construction, occupying a substantial site at Ripple Road, Dagenham

was awarded M cAvoy the contract for the 10,381m2 project through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework which is funded through the Education Funding Authority.

As principal contractor, McAvoy was responsible for leading the project from feasibility approval, outline and then detailed design through to planning and delivery of all internal and external aspects of the challenging and complex scheme.

“The role of principal contractor is one that suits our skillset and experience very well,” says Orla Corr.

“We very much pride ourselves in our ability to take the stress, uncertainty and project concerns off of our clients’ shoulders. Our unique approach, which incorporates partnership, collaboration and engagement underpinned by unparalleled sectoral experience, has been a key element in the building of our reputation as acknowledged

experts in off-site modular construction throughout the UK and Ireland.”

The McAvoy Group has been an off-site trailblazer throughout the UK and Ireland in recent years, becoming the first company of its kind to achieve BRE BIM Level 2 accreditation – well ahead of the Government’s deadline of April 2016. It was also the first off-site modular company to become involved in the Offsite Management School, a new industry-wide leadership group aimed at helping suppliers meet the challenges facing the construction industry over the next five years as part of the Government’s 2025 Industrial Strategy.

Light-filled spaces Goresbrook School stands as a paragon of modular construction, occupying a substantial site at Ripple Road, Dagenham, and providing continuing education for the children of its adjacent nursery school which opened in 2015. 

Off-site construction was a logical choice for the Goresbrook development

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Upfront The new institution forms a beautiful community hub and optimal learning environment for children

The new institution, run by London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s organisation United Learning, forms a beautiful community hub and optimal learning environment for children from three to 18 to develop, grow and learn, from reception to sixth form.

The outstanding new construction was completed ahead of schedule and features leading-edge, ecologicallysound materials. The structure was designed to create natural, lofty, light-filled spaces with complementary facilities including gymnasium and spectator seating. It is also wheelchair accessible with lifts throughout permitting access to all floors.

process, when coupled with BIM, also provides certainty around build times, whole-life costs and overall building performance.

The efficient and ‘joined up’ approach meant McAvoy teams were able to work simultaneously building modules at its Dungannon and Lisburn plants whilst undertaking demolition and enabling works on site. Stringent planning

conditions were met through close collaboration with London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

As a consequence, the school was delivered several months faster than would have been the case using traditional construction methods.

Goresbrook posed a number of challenges for McAvoy: it was a complex combination

of demolitions, alterations and refurbishments – also incorporating brand new modular builds.

The project involved the partial demolition of an existing leisure centre, including its swimming pool and administration block, as well as significant refurbishment on the remaining buildings on the site. 

Logical choice Off-site construction was a logical choice for the Goresbrook development, due to a number of factors, not least McAvoy’s trademark ‘Think Smart. Build Smart’ philosophy.

The ‘Smart’ ethos enables McAvoy to deliver large scale projects like this, within a challenging timeframe – with 80% of the classroom build taking place off site.

Furthermore, McAvoy’s modular

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The outstanding new construction was completed ahead of schedule and features leading-edge, ecologically-sound materials

Upfront

McAvoy was further faced with the challenges arising from increased noise and reduced air quality due to the school’s close proximity to the busy A13 dual carriageway alongside the site.

In response, the resultant design solution involved an acoustic upgrade to the windows and external walls of the facade facing the road, together with attenuation of the incoming ventilation grilles.

The new-build component of the overall scheme – the primary and secondary sections located at either end of the existing school building – each incorporated a merging of modular construction methods with traditional, which added pressure on the delivery of the overall programme of works.

The school was delivered several months faster than would have been the case using traditional construction methods

Overcoming the wide range of complex challenges required a huge amount of planning before a single sod could be cut. The design development process was therefore extensive. And, as is inherent in the McAvoy mindset of making clients’ lives easier, engagement with all stakeholders got underway very early.

Continuous engagement

Goresbrook School in Dagenham provides compelling evidence of how off-site construction has truly established itself as the smarter choice for education

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McAvoy’s experts and project managers scheduled consultations with members of the school trust, management and principal, with local planning officials and the EFA and instigated a series of specific design user groups.

McAvoy’s continuous engagement with the client ensured the project, which included 7000m2 of new-build and 3000m2 of refurbishment to existing buildings, ran smoothly from start to finish. In addition, McAvoy was able to provide temporary teaching facilities for the primary school for the duration of the works.

Phase 1 of the scheme, the primary school, was handed over in April 2016 with Phase 2, the secondary school, unveiled in September 2016.

McAvoy Group’s Managing Director, Eugene Lynch, said the speed at which McAvoy can co-ordinate and produce a bespoke solution tailored to suit any given environment was of particular benefit to the education sector.

“Off-site construction brings with it the benefits of speed, flexibility, decreased disruption and a greatly reduced impact on the environment.

“Our growing reputation across the UK for the quality of the school buildings we deliver has resulted in significant success across a number of major frameworks that have been established for the delivery of schools funded through the Education Funding Agency.

“In the past three years, we have completed 12 projects worth £81m under the auspices of various frameworks.”

Goresbrook was also the site of the first Buildoffsite Education Hub meeting in June 2016 when members had the opportunity to tour the showcase facility and discuss the various challenges addressed in the build as well as its key design features.

In recent years, McAvoy has had success on being placed on a number of prestigious building frameworks in the education, health and commercial sectors.

He added that the success of projects like this provide a snapshot of McAvoy’s vision for the future of a construction industry.

“As sectoral pioneers, we plan to continue that journey as a means of ensuring we can, with our professional partners, deliver better projects up to 50% faster than traditional construction methods, thereby positioning off-site front and centre of the broader construction industry.” 

 www.mcavoygroup.com

Talking Point

The storage solution will be able to dictate whether the energy needs to be stored for later use, or sent directly to areas of local demand

DRIVING A COMMUNITY-LED INFRASTRUCTURE Robert Hughes, Business Development Director for the Virtue energy storage solution, explains how using the technology can assist in creating a smart energy infrastructure for local communities, including homes and businesses, which is driven by renewables and flexible generation. we attempt to move A saway from a world

One of the only ways to harness renewable energy effectively is to use battery-based energy storage technology

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which is powered by fossil fuels, technology is changing at a rapid pace with solutions being developed that will harness the potential of renewable energy sources on a domestic, local and national level. Alongside this is also the idea of the Smart City infrastructure, including energy networks, where digital and telecommunication ‘Internet of Things’ technologies will be interconnected for the benefit of local communities.

Energy storage is one solution that is currently gaining traction towards a greater uptake in both of these throughout the world. As its name suggests, the technology works by storing the energy provided by the National Grid or directly from renewable sources, for use at a time when demand is highest.

One of the developing concepts in the area of energy management for Smart Cities is the proliferation of the microgrid network. As the

Robert Hughes is Business Development Director for the Virtue energy storage solution. He has a wealth of experience within the energy and public sector industries.

name suggests, a microgrid is a smaller version of the national energy grid, the main difference being that the microgrid is powered by energy sources, including renewable, that match power with local demand rather than national demand. For example, a microgrid network would connect both smallscale generation, such as solar panels, or large-scale windfarms to any new or current publicallyowned building or space within the local community.

Fuel Cells

Utility Grid

Talking Point

Industrial

Natural Gas

Energy storage, voltage optimisation, UPS, microgrid manager

Solar Generation

Wind Generation

Residential

Vehicle Charging

Cities Storage on a smaller scale can provide any current or new public building with the same benefits

However, from the outset there is an obvious stumbling block for microgrid development.

If the network became reliant on clean energy sources alone, which may need to be the case as many local councils have set their own targets for lowering carbon emissions, then there needs to be a solution which will address the unreliability of renewables, as if the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow, many vital public buildings will not receive an acceptable level of electricity supply.

Energy supply to meet demand One of the only ways to harness renewable energy effectively is to use battery-based energy storage technology. When connected to the microgrid, the storage solution will be able to dictate whether the energy needs to be stored for later use, or sent directly to areas of local demand, ensuring public sector energy supply will match demand.

Even with the use of energy storage solutions, sometimes the microgrid may be under significant pressure, with the requirement to draw additional

energy from the current National Grid infrastructure. When energy is supplied by both, an energy storage solution can act as the go-between, monitoring the predicted supply and demand of electricity to calculate when National Grid support is needed.

For example, there are currently significant charges placed on public buildings which consume a significant amount of National Grid electricity at high demand periods. These tariffs are unfortunately unavoidable, as each distribution network operator has a local monopoly on the supply of electricity and the charges can account for as a much as 15% of a local council’s energy costs.

By controlling supply, the energy storage solution will ensure all public buildings that are charged for consuming National Grid energy at periods of high tariffs are supplied with electricity from the microgrid network to negate additional costs.

Further benefits from energy storage in the microgrid include reducing costs by programming the technology to control certain isolated aspects of a local council’s electricity infrastructure, such

as street lighting, which may be expensive to manage on a traditional National Grid network.

The solution also offers full UPS (uninterrupted power supply) capabilities, which will provide up to two hours of guaranteed electricity if all other systems providing power shut down, making it ideal for critical public sector buildings, such as hospitals, which require electricity for lifesaving equipment.

Single building storage Energy storage does not have to be installed within a microgrid network to be considered a viable solution. Storage on a smaller scale can provide any current or new public building with the same benefits, including improving the reliability of renewables, reducing tariff charges and providing UPS capabilities. Also, with the Government significantly reducing the amount homes and businesses are reimbursed for producing energy from on-site renewable sources (FIT tariffs) rates, installing energy storage is now a more cost-effective solution than solar PV or smallscale wind generation.

There is also an opportunity for storage solutions to generate revenue for the public sector by supporting National Grid capacity through DSR (demand side response) schemes, which is provided for any method of assisting reserve, response, avoidance or capacity on the electricity network. Supporting grid capacity through DSR using energy storage can be significantly cheaper than maintaining electricity use through periods of high demand hours. What’s more, unlike diesel generators and CHP units, energy storage systems have the ability to be connected to the National Grid, allowing instant electricity discharge.

As a result, the technology will ensure all businesses successfully respond to at least 95% of all DSR demands.

There are a host of microgrids in operation around the world and with the growth of the Smart City concept and Internet of Thingsbased technologies, the idea of microgrids providing energy to local communities in the UK is not a distant pipe dream. 

 www.powerstar.com/virtue

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Leisure

CREATING A SPORTING CITY

Project: Perdiswell Leisure Centre Location: Worcester Architect: NORR Consultants

The pool hall hosts a new 17 x 10m teaching pool with a movable floor – creating flexibility for swimmers of all ages and abilities

Speller Metcalfe has undertaken a £10.5m revamp of Perdiswell Leisure Centre on behalf of Worcester City Council, with the focal point being a new eight-lane competition standard pool, designed to attract everyone from casual swimmers to Olympic and Paralympic champions. well as local authority A sfunding, Worcester City Council’s eligibility for National Lottery funding from Sport England has proved fundamental to the success of the scheme, attracting the maximum funding of £2m for the project.

The new facility provides a massive boost to the city of Worcester’s sporting credentials, guaranteeing it will become an important new destination for regional competition-level

swimming. The new centre also supports healthy and active lifestyles across the county, with the opening weekend seeing 6000 visitors through the door and over 750 new members signing up.

The build Speller Metcalfe began work on the new pool in November 2015, starting with the demolition of a large section of the existing building that was replaced with a two-storey extension

The renovation of this leisure centre has been an exciting project for national contractor, Speller Metcalfe

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which incorporates a range of new facilities. To meet Sport England’s requirements for the centre, project architect NORR Consultants invested in the principles of Sport England’s Design Guidance Notes (DGNs).

Great emphasis was placed by both Sport England and the client on disabled access and inclusivity with facilities for both spectators and pool users, including level access into the building, disabled lifts and parking within close proximity of the entrance.

The main 25 x 17m eight-lane pool boasts poolside seating for 284 spectators with a further 118 seats around the poolside for swimmers. The pool hall also hosts a new 17 x 10m teaching pool with a movable floor – creating flexibility for swimmers of all ages and abilities – and a key project driver to create a centre suitable for all. One highlight is the wheelchair access directly into each pool using pool pods, a platform that provides quick and simple access remotely operated by the user or assisted by pool attendants.

As well as a wet changing village (including separate ‘Changing Places’ and ‘assisted changing’ rooms) to support the pool area, the new extension provides a large welcoming atrium with cafe facilities and poolside viewing, a fitness gym with 110120 stations, a fully refurbished eight-court sports hall, and an air conditioned fitness studio.

As part of the refurbishment of the existing sports hall, Speller Metcalfe installed new LED lighting, acoustic wall panels and new tiered seating for up to 100 spectators. The first phase works also included the installation of a new mezzanine floor within the existing fitness studio to create a first floor spin studio, office and meeting room.

Externally, Perdiswell Leisure Centre has been transformed with a new, larger car park with the capacity for nearly 400 vehicles that includes coach bays, parent and child parking, disabled spaces and designated parking for motorcycles as well as a covered cycle store. The car park also includes a landscaped swale area designed to manage surface

requirements for the leisure centre to ensure the highest level of facilities for its members.

Leisure

The main 25 x 17m eight-lane pool boasts poolside seating for 284 spectators

Local benefits

water from the building and car parks during periods of heavy and persistent rainfall.

The challenges The project has not been without its challenges with the design brief evolving as the project unfolded. The design team developed alternative cost options for Worcester City Council which included refurbishing areas of the existing building to the same specification as the new build, whilst ensuring the project remained on time and to budget. It was also important that the interfaces between the existing and new structures were co-ordinated and integrated appropriately to create a feeling of seamless transition.

The main challenge was keeping the existing centre functioning while undertaking major construction works in and around the centre. The team were considerate of the impact that construction work would have on existing members and the logistical challenges that came with extending and refurbishing a live building.

Richard Savory, Senior Project Manager for Worcester City Council, believed that Speller Metcalfe’s ability to “co-operate and collaborate with the project management teams from both Raise Partnership and Turner & Townsend has been their greatest attribute”.

Collaboration is particularly evident in the relationship between the project team and Freedom Leisure, the leisure trust awarded a 10-year contract to manage all the council’s sport and leisure centres. Together, Freedom Leisure and the project team reviewed the fit-out

The renovation of this leisure centre has been an exciting project for national contractor, Speller Metcalfe, whose Worcestershire office was responsible for the build.

Managing Director, Des O-Neill, commented: “The leisure development will strengthen the city’s reputation as a sporting city, as well as continue providing other employment for our local supply chain from across the county.”

Other opportunities that arose during the scheme include Heart of Worcestershire College students getting a taste of the construction industry by completing work placements on site, with local school children also putting their mark on the leisure centre with their artwork featured on the 30m-wide window in the pool hall and above the main entrance.

The second phase of the project, which will incorporate a further refurbishment of the original centre, will provide two new air conditioned fitness studios and two teaching rooms and will be completed this month. 

 www.spellermetcalfe.com

The facility includes­­­­­­ separate ‘Changing Places’ and ‘assisted changing’ room­­­­­­­­­­­­­­s

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Technical Focus Completely sealing structures against noise is impossible – especially where one needs to punch through it with doors and windows

WINNING THE WAR ON NOISE Unwanted and intrusive noise is impacting on more and more lives; especially as pressure to build homes on brownfield sites is remorseless. Chris Coxon, Head of Marketing at Eurocell, considers the issue in the context of doors and windows. of noise and T hehowissue to deal with it in

Window reveals should be well sealed to prevent sound getting into the wall cavity

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new housing developments is becoming a more complex one.

Planning policy and the demand for city centre locations means that brownfield sites, which were once considered unattractive, are now under development.

The WHO guidelines for community noise recommend less than 30 A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) in bedrooms during the night for a sleep of good quality and less than 35 dB(A) in classrooms to allow good teaching and learning conditions. The WHO guidelines for night noise recommend less than 40 dB(A) of annual average (Lnight) outside of bedrooms to

prevent adverse health effects from night noise – Lnight is the equivalent continuous noise level over the night-time period, 23:00 to 07:00.

Masonry mass is really important in defeating sound. However, as Approved Document E of the Building Regulations 2010 – which devotes significant attention to the detailing of various wall types – acknowledges: completely sealing structures against noise is impossible – especially where one needs to punch through it with doors and windows, so creating a vulnerability to sound in the envelope. And here the regulation is not helpful, barely considering the issue at all.

Technical Focus

Approved Document N, dedicated to glazing, is similarly silent, concerning itself only with safety; while AD L – the Building Regulation most cited in the context of doors and windows – troubles itself only with energy (and not sound) efficiency.

For guidance then, we must look elsewhere: such as in BS EN 12758, Glass in Building – Glazing and Airborne Sound Insulation and BS 8233 2014 Sound Insulation and Noise Reduction. The latter is a comprehensive document deeply complex in calculation and detail, and is not to be approached lightly or by the generalist; while BS EN 12758 gives values for the sound insulation of windows.

The first thing to consider in respect of doors and windows is fit and quality – an area where modern PVC-U items may be thought to have advantages.

Not only are multi-chambered PVC frame profiles inherently sound attenuating, they are also warp-free. This is important as any kind of distortion in the frame can seriously reduce the effectiveness of the seal.

Window reveals should also be well sealed to prevent sound getting into the wall cavity. At a junction with a separating wall, it is desirable to close the external cavity with a flexible closer, such as Rockwool. If the cavity is likely to be filled for purposes of thermal efficiency, then the closer is unnecessary.

Some window specifications see the addition of an EDPM strip, fitted to the exterior of the window frame and lapping onto the cladding of the building.

Designed to improve weathertightness, these also provide increased noise attenuation.

It may be also important to consider other aspects of the glazing system. Trickle vents, for instance, are a pathway for noise; acoustic-rated vents are available, although these are a costly addition.

In respect of doors, the mass – as alluded to above in the context of masonry – is important as is, like windows, fit. It is essential that the door forms an airtight seal against its frame when closed, and joints between wall and frame properly stopped.

Not only are multi-chambered PVC frame profiles inherently sound attenuating, they are also warp-free

Thresholds are necessary and even escutcheons for keyholes should be considered in the most extreme circumstances.

Surprisingly perhaps, doubleglazing does not necessarily perform significantly “better than a single pane of mass equivalent to the thicker pane of the sealed unit, and should be used in a frame with good seals to realise its full insulating potential” (BS 8233). As the thickness and mass of a pane of glass increase, so does its sound insulation qualities, yet not exponentially and there are obviously practical limits to this.

Laminated glass performance, when formulated with resins that have enhanced sound attenuating properties, is better than single pane – ‘monolithic’ – glasses yet are often most encountered in safety and security applications.

Interestingly, gas filling of insulated double-glazing units has no effect on sound insulation and, with some types of gases, may be detrimental in the face of low-resonance noise such as that emanating from traffic and trains.

Again, the width of a cavity in a sealed unit has little effect except in triple-glazed applications; yet much of that

improvement may be attributed to the additional mass of the third glass pane.

Despite this, a cleverly designed unit – combined with engineered profiled frame materials, and part of a window properly fitted and sealed – can achieve a decent degree of sound insulation, and in excess of that provided by more traditional alternatives. Such a design would necessarily involve a laminated pane, and varying thicknesses of pane. One should be mindful that different pane thicknesses are associated with different resonances of sound; so should be specified in the context of a noise risk assessment – i.e. what type of sound are you most trying to screen out.

One curious effect is that height has little effect in reducing noise intrusion. This is simply because the higher the building, the more sources of noise it is exposed to and, in high-rise or dense urban environments, the reflectivity of hard facades will bounce sound vertically.

Whatever, the solution – and it is time the Building Regulations considered sound insulation in the context of sealed units, frame materials and airtightness

– with increasing urbanisation, we will have more noise. Not only more noise, but louder, more intrusive and more upsetting.

It will continue to grow in scale and severity because of traffic growth, population growth and the use of more mobile and powerful technologies. 

 www.eurocell.co.uk

The width of a cavity in a sealed unit has little effect except in triple-glazed applications

19

Legal & Business

The Government seeks to build an industrial strategy to ensure future growth of both the economy and productivity in the UK

THE GOVERNMENT’S INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY John Houlden, Procurement and Projects Lawyer at Burges Salmon, discusses the Government’s Industrial Strategy – what does it mean for procurement? month saw the L ast release of the first Industry Strategy dealing with a post-Brexit UK economy. In a comprehensive Green Paper, the Government seeks to build an industrial strategy to ensure future growth of both the economy and productivity in the UK. Procurement was a central theme with the aim of improving procurement being one of the 10 ‘pillars’ of the industrial strategy.

The Government set its intention to "use strategic Government procurement to drive innovation and enable the development of UK supply chains".

The procurement section focuses on: Stimulating innovation through Government procurement Supporting economic growth through better procurement practices through a “balanced scorecard” approach

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Procurement in key industries (e.g. health and defence) where the Government’s role can help to achieve wider benefits Transforming digital procurement.

This strategy indicates a move away from traditional public sector procurement to a more holistic and UK-centric approach.

This approach could impact the purchasing attitudes of the public sector due to shift in focus from straightforward value for money to ensuring more UK-based small businesses can compete for contracts.

The Government aims to stimulate innovation by ensuring companies retain the intellectual property rights of products developed, understanding how innovative suppliers can better meet the Government's requirements and allowing suppliers to commercialise an innovative product more widely so that Government procurement is not seen as marginalising a

particular innovator from access to the wider market(s). In this respect, the Government is building on steps that it has been taking over the past few years.

The Green Paper reiterates the use of the ‘balanced scorecard’ approach (see Burges Salmon article on page 20 of January 2017 issue). This will be twinned with a reporting mechanism for departments to provide reassurance that they are using the scorecard effectively. This also supports the Government’s targets of ensuring a third of its total procurement spend is with small businesses by 2020. Each Government department has a plan for engaging with SMEs and Government procurement projects are being restructured to ensure UK-based suppliers are in the best position to compete for contracts. For example, the Crown Commercial Service (the Government’s central purchasing body) is simplifying its tender documents and streamlining the tender process to allow for

John Houlden is recognised as a leading Procurement and Projects Lawyer with a track record of advising on highprofile and complex regulated procurements across a number of sectors for a wide range of public and private sector bodies.

increased SME participation.

Where the Government is the main customer in a procurement as well as the regulator, it has committed to driving innovation, particularly surrounding technology and its adoption within Government projects. This ties in with the Government’s focus on transforming digital procurement. The Green Paper highlights the Government’s use of its new G-Cloud platform to allow suppliers to join a ‘preferred supplier’ list considering capability, not purely the size of a supplier organisation.

Overall, the Green Paper suggests a positive move by the Government in prioritising SMEs and technological progress in procurement. Perhaps not revolutionary but certainly evolutionary. The Green Paper is the start of the consultation process – we shall have to see how the policy develops and is implemented in practice. 

 www.burges-salmon.com

Education

EXPRESSION THROUGH COLOUR

Project: North Hertfordshire College Location: Hitchin Architect: Scott Brownrigg

Altro resin flooring is providing the ultimate in colour, flexibility and durability on an awardwinning, £10m refurbished campus at North Hertfordshire College, in Hitchin.

Flexiflow and Altro A ltro MultiScreed EP Naturals have been used within the multi-functional hub space on the new campus, which links three teaching buildings. The award-winning design for the new campus was created by international design practice, Scott Brownrigg.

Associate Clark Barton explains how Altro resins played a part in his vision: “The new campus is open-plan, bright, colourful, modern yet functional, and it was vital that the flooring should reflect and complement this. We specified Altro resins for the college hub because these products offer the range of colours and textures to enable us to be innovative and flexible in our design. In addition, it was imperative that the flooring was high performance and practical, and Altro’s credentials offer this.

“The entire project was very much a collaborative effort,” added Clark. “We worked closely with Altro, the main contractor, the college, and also the students, who were instrumental in choosing colours and themes.”

Altro Flexiflow resin flooring was one of the key products in the specification, as Clark explained. “We chose this flooring for the ground floor hub, and leading into each of the other three buildings, because we wanted a seamless, solid, practical surface.

“It was also paramount that the flooring in this area was flexible enough to move with the building without cracking.

The hub space is multifunctional, with the furniture and layout changed on a regular basis, so the flooring needs to

22

be able to withstand this, which Altro Flexiflow is designed to do.”

Altro was able to create a special bespoke Altro Flexiflow colour for the college.

“Choosing the colour for the flooring was a collaborative effort, involving all the key stakeholders, college students and staff,” said Clark. “It was important that the colour complemented the overall scheme of the hub, and after much discussion, it was decided that purple would be ideal.

Altro were shown the shade the college wanted, and they were able to match it exactly. There are some great colours in the existing Altro Flexiflow palette, but from a design point of view being able to choose a bespoke colour is very appealing to clients.”

Altro Flexiflow is tough enough to handle high impact areas, yet flexible enough to move with a building. It gives a uniform and seamless finish with uninterrupted lines, and is self-levelling, which makes installation easy. With 28 colour options, it’s flexible enough to fit into any design vision.

On the upper floor of the college hub, Clark and his team chose another resin flooring – Altro MultiScreed EP Naturals, in White Yorkstone.

“This flooring works very well in contrast with the smooth texture of the Altro Flexiflow.

It’s also a tough, practical flooring that’s easy to clean.”

Altro Multiscreed EP Naturals is a tough surface that can handle the hardest bumps and knocks. A solvent-free epoxy resin system, it has a natural appearance with nine colours evoking tones of concrete and stone. The product has

It was important that the colour complemented the overall scheme of the hub

The students were instrumental in choosing colours and themes

Education improved performance and produces a high strength floor with exceptional abrasion and chemical resistance. With a nominal thickness of 4mm, it can be coved and laid to falls.

The Altro Flexiflow and Altro Multiscreed EP Naturals resin floors were installed by Resincraft, which has worked with Altro products for 30 years. The company is run by Directors Mark Brewer and Richard Mitchell.

Mark said: “As far as we’re concerned, Altro resins are the best on the market.

The company is also very professional, they deliver on time, give us great back-up and resolve any problems quickly.

“Laying the Altro resins at the college went very smoothly.

Altro Flexiflow is an excellent product and easy to work with.

First we prepared the new floor in the hub by diamond grinding to create a smooth surface.

We then put down a layer of AltroProof Solo, which is a waterproof layer, so effectively a DPM.

“Then we trowel laid the resin flooring – the product is very free-flowing, so it quickly finds its own level. Finally, two coats of top coat were applied. The whole process took about five days to lay 200m2.

“Laying 150m2 of Altro Multiscreed resin on the upper floor of the hub began with the same process of diamond grinding the screed,” continued Mark. “After this, we applied a coat of AltroPrime epoxy primer, then mixed the resin flooring and laid it with a sledge, a metal box that’s dragged along the floor to keep application even. It was then trowelled smooth, and two coats of sealant applied to finish off the process.”

Brian Sapsed, Head of Estates & Facilities for the college, commented: “This was a design-led project, and the Altro flooring has certainly made all the difference in helping us to achieve a modern and visuallyappealing new campus.

“Everyone entering the building notices the Altro Flexiflow flooring. It makes a

strong first impression because it’s so striking. We are so pleased that Altro was able to exactly match the colour the students wanted. But it isn’t just good to look at, it’s also very practical and hardwearing.

“The upper floor of the hub, where the Altro MultiScreed flooring is fitted, probably sees the most traffic, as that’s where students congregate. But two

years after it was fitted it looks just like new, so it really is a tough product.

“Everyone – from students and staff to visitors – has been very impressed with the new campus and we have achieved exactly the look we wanted.

Altro products have played a vital part in this.” 

 www.altro.co.uk

Everyone entering the building notices the Altro Flexiflow flooring. It makes a strong first impression.

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Housing

solution was to fix T hean exoskeleton-type primary framework over the existing glass reinforced plastic cladding to support the new windows, lightweight frame and rainscreen cladding panels. The primary framework was fixed to the concrete floor slabs of the building by bespoke brackets onto which the windows, striking new powder-coated metal rainscreen cladding panels and the secondary supports were also fixed.

Chaucer House was completed in 1965 and comprises 96 flats in the centre of Sutton. The original building had pre-cast concrete panels which had failed within 16 years and were then replaced by glass reinforced plastic (GRP) lightweight panels which by 2013 were failing, delaminating and allowing water into the building at junctions with adjoining panels and through windows. The panels were also poorly insulated and not up to current standard.

Complex project

FUTURE-PROOF FRAMEWORK

The successful Chaucer House regeneration is Sutton’s largest and most complex social housing improvement project to date

Project: Chaucer House Location: Sutton Building Consultant: Pellings

The £8.9m recladding of the landmark 17-storey residential tower, Chaucer House in Sutton, Surrey, has been completed using an innovative form of fixing solution to overcome significant technical challenges whilst allowing residents to stay in occupation and save time.

The new cladding provides greater protection against solar heat gain

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Pellings, the design, property and construction consultancy, was appointed by Sutton Housing Partnership in 2013 to carry out the feasibility report with the support of the partnering contractor Mulalley to establish suitable options available to overclad the building.

Jerry Austin, Executive Director of Property at Sutton Housing Partnership, says: “The successful Chaucer House regeneration is Sutton’s largest and most complex social housing improvement project to date. Chaucer House was a brutalist exemplar of how 1960s urban design often failed in its promise, resulting in homes that were hard to heat and unattractive to residents.

“The £13m programme of internal and external improvements, delivered on behalf of the London Borough of Sutton, has transformed Chaucer House from a 1960s eyesore to an iconic, innovative and energyefficient building, leading the way in UK social housing. The state-of-the-art features also include fire safety systems in every home and have halved residents’ household bills. This

Extensive consultations took place with the residents who were involved in the selection of the colour scheme for the cladding. Six options were put to the residents by Pellings at an open evening to discuss the feasibility findings and proposed works and following a ballot they selected an option matching Balaam House, a neighbouring residential tower, also controlled by Sutton Housing Partnership.

Pellings worked with its structural engineer to produce an outline proposal for the fixing of the new cladding system and windows which was developed by the contractor. Pockets were cut through the existing panels to accommodate bespoke brackets, attached to the concrete floor slabs, onto which the new supports, panels and windows were to be fixed.

Utilising the existing GRP panel provided two purposes.

The first was to provide a rigid backing for the insulation to be fixed to, and secondly to provide safe separation from the internal parts of the building so residents would not be disrupted throughout the works and could remain in occupation.

The primary framework was fixed to the concrete floor slabs of the building by bespoke brackets

Housing

project has not been without its difficulties and challenges, but has been delivered on time and on budget.

“SHP has a strong working partnership with building consultants Pellings LLP and contractor Mulalley and Company, building on our previous joint experience of similar works nearby at Balaam House, and the quality of works being delivered is reflected in residents’ satisfactions with the works completed,” comments Jerry.

Terry Hardy, Partner at Pellings, explains: “The challenge was to provide a solution whereby the residents could remain in occupation while the works were carried out to avoid rehousing disruption. This entailed constructing an exoskeletontype system over the existing cladding to provide structural support for the windows which could not be supported within the existing openings.”

Once the initial feasibility stage design was completed, different cladding systems were reviewed and a powdercoated metal rainscreen cladding system was adopted to extend the lifecycle of the system and materials.

The exoskeleton-type solution allowed risks to be designed out

The new cladding provides greater protection against solar heat gain and has reduced the effects of condensation on cold walls internally and interstitially within the thickness of the fabric.

Terry attributes the success of the scheme to the following: Early involvement of the partnering contractor greatly assisted the decision-making process with regard to the installation process and access requirements.

The exoskeleton-type solution allowed risks to be designed out or reduced by allowing flexibility with positioning of bespoke brackets.

The exoskeleton approach enabled all residents to safely stay within their property.

The vast majority of work was able to be carried out externally with the exception of installation of the windows as with standard window replacement works minimising disruption.

In addition to the external cladding project, Pellings acted as lead designer, town planner, contract administrator and CDM-C on the refurbishment of the £14m scheme.

Colin Watson, Operations Director for Mulalley, said: “We are extremely proud of the works we have completed, in partnership with SHP and Pellings, to totally transform Chaucer House, which is now an impressive, modernised block of flats that enhances the area and has improved residents' lives.”

Andrew Taylor, Chief Executive of SHP, said: “This project has not been without its difficulties and challenges, with many lessons being learnt along the way. It remains the most complex project of the Decent Homes Programme, but I’m sure we would agree that the final outcome is cause for celebration.” 

 www.pellings.co.uk

25

Naidex Preview

Naidex 2017 will be breaking ground in the disability and independent living sectors

improving the life of those with a disability and giving them the freedom and access to flexible and integrated solutions.

SETTING THE BAR FOR AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY

From 28 to 30th March, 12,000 trade, healthcare professional and public visitors in the independent living and disability sector will be taking over the Birmingham NEC for three of the most enterprising days the sector has ever seen. to see specialised E xpect zones, acclaimed expert speakers and live demo arenas, and this powerhouse event is completely free to attend.

Here’s a snapshot of what you will find at Naidex 2017.

Multipanel Vibrant and bespoke – providing impermeable, hygienic and stylish kitchens, bathrooms and wetrooms that will brighten up any home.

Plus, grout-free.

Autumn UK portable bathroom adaptations Experts in reusable shower/ toilet cubicles that provide a flexible alternative to a permanent wet floor adaptation, easy to install and innovative! Damien and Clive from Autumn UK will be discussing flexible adaptations in their seminar on each day at Naidex.

Sensory areas As the benefits of interactive technology and immersive sensory areas are becoming

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more well-known, public sector and commercial areas (from libraries and schools to shopping centres) are embracing sensory products to increase inclusivity. At Naidex you can see, touch and test some of the very latest kit from experts such as Rompa, Apollo Creative and SafeSpaces.

Ropox Peter Davies from Ropox will be discussing designing for disability and utilising space when converting or building bathrooms, kitchens, work and nursing environments. Ropox’s core values centre around “better ways to better days”,

Out and about Leaving the house can be stressful for people with a disability, yet clear information on accessibility and options available can vastly improve someone’s independence and quality of life. Naidex presents the top experts, ideas, tech and solutions for helping people realise the sky’s the limit! Including flying a plane (Mike Smith-Miller MBE, Aerobility), accessible parking (Helen Dolphin MBE, People’s Parking), DisabledGo (UK access info), Accomable and disabledholidays.com (from UK to the world!), disabled access reviews (Euan’s Guide) and accessible events (Alan Broadbent, Accessible Services).

Naidex 2017 will be breaking ground in the disability and independent living sectors, where visitors are presented with an unparalleled opportunity to join the most forward-thinking individuals in the sector today and gain unprecedented knowledge that is enhancing the day-to-day lives of the population with disabilities. 

 www.naidex.co.uk

Hasled – the power of lighting Pritesh Madlani has always held an interest in lighting and recognises its importance in relaxation. Speaking about his range of multifunctional and innovative products including a bulb and remote control kit, as well as the importance of accessibility across the board.

Mood Interiors Boutique interior design for the care and disability sector.

By actively sourcing the latest products and technologies they are bridging the gap between design and functionality. Preet Dhanoa from Mood will be discussing balancing interior design with functionality in her seminar on Thursday 30th.

Visitors are presented with an unparalleled opportunity to join the most forward-thinking individuals in the sector

Ecobuild is evolving with the industry, focusing on the issues that matter the most.

@ecobuild_now #ecobuild

/ecobuildnow

Be the changemaker in your business.

Put your brand in front of the UK’s most powerful audience of specifiers.

Call 020 7560 4469 or visit www.ecobuild.co.uk/exhibit

Strategic Partners:

Healthcare

Croft Medical Centre is an NHS practice under contract with NHS England, serving the local community

Project: Croft Medical Centre Location: Chelmsley Wood Lighting Designer: Engineering Services Consultancy

PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING FOR PROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE

Croft Medical Centre is a modern GP practice in Chelmsley Wood by Birmingham. It is proof that a little attention to lighting design can go a long way towards a professional and comfortable ambiance in a medical practice.

Wood is a C helmsley pleasant neighbourhood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, with a population of approximately 12,500. It is located near Birmingham International Airport, about eight miles east of Birmingham city centre. In recent years, there have been a lot of new developments in this area.

Croft Medical Centre is located

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in a brand new building in one of these developments.

A partnership practice Croft Medical Centre is an NHS practice under contract with NHS England, serving the local community. The practice moved into its new building in 2015, and brought the name with it from its former location in Craig Croft. The practice has a staff of six doctors,

Each consultancy room is well lit and equipped with a high-performance examination light

three nurses and two healthcare assistants, plus administrative staff. This small team currently has a patient list of 10,700. This is quite impressive, considering the total population of Chelmsley Wood. Three of the doctors are partners, and also owners of the new building. During planning and construction, the partners were determined to create the best possible setting for their patients

and staff. At the new Croft Medical Centre, this includes not only functional architecture and clean aesthetics, but also modern lighting technology and lighting design.

All lighting from one source The lighting scheme was designed by Engineering Services Consultancy and

GENERAL LIGHTING Consultancy rooms and offices • Glamox C70-R600 LED

Healthcare

SHOPPING LIST:

• Dimmable, glare-free recessed luminaires with a decorative frame and integrated emergency lighting system.

Front desk and back office • Glamox C15-R600 LED • Recessed LED luminaires for T-profile ceiling systems • Built-in emergency lighting.

Corridors and meeting rooms

Throughout the practice, the luminaires installed are bright, glare-free and dimmable LED products

• Glamox D70-R installed by Skerrit Electrical.

All luminaires in the practice are made by Glamox Luxo Lighting. This includes general and decorative lighting products such as recessed and pendant luminaires, as well as certified diagnostic lighting in the consultancy rooms.

Throughout the practice, the luminaires installed are bright, glare-free and dimmable LED products, which make for excellent viewing conditions and maximum comfort. There is three-hour emergency lighting installed throughout. Some of the emergency lighting is integrated into the general lighting luminaires. All lighting products installed in the practice are subject to Glamox Luxo Lighting’s extended five-year warranty.

rooms at Croft Medical Centre are designed and equipped identically so that the doctors and other staff members will not waste time searching for equipment. Each room is well lit and equipped with a highperformance examination light.

First impressions count Patients form their first impression of a medical practice when they enter the reception areas and waiting

rooms. At Croft Medical Centre, particular care has been taken to design a reception area with a professional yet inviting atmosphere. The lighting in this part of the building has a considerable impact on the look and feel of the practice: large, decorative Glamox A50-P pendant luminaires add a design feel to the lofty foyer at Croft Medical Centre. 

 www.glamox.com/uk

Stairwells • Glamox A10-S350 LED • Circular wall-mounted luminaires with decorative illumination and built-in emergency lighting.

Plant room • GPV2-600 LED • Heavy-duty industrial LED luminaires with polycarbonate diffuser.

Utility and storage rooms • Eminent 1200 LED • Rectangular multi-purpose ceiling-mounted luminaires with built-in emergency lighting.

Foyer • Glamox A50-P

What does an ideal practice look like?

Careful use of colour, furniture and lighting can make the atmosphere of a practice feel fresh and different. It can mitigate patients’ anxiety and stress as they enter the premises. For example, the use of decorative luminaires can create intimacy and soften the clinical ambience. Still, this is a professional working environment and ample lighting is required.

At Croft Medical Centre, this has been solved by combining the installation of decorative lighting products with recessed luminaires and downlights throughout. The practice is a showcase for good lighting solutions. All the consultancy

• Dimmable LED downlights in varying sizes with matt white trim rings.

• Decorative pendant luminaires for open spaces with high ceilings • Emergency lighting.

Corridors and stairwells • Glamox E85-R LED and Glamox E80-S LED • Recessed escape route emergency lighting system and surface-mounted exit signs.

MEDICAL LIGHTING Consultancy rooms • Luxo LHH LED

The lighting scheme was designed by Engineering Services Consultancy and installed by Skerrit Electrical

• Medical examination luminaires with an assortment of wall brackets and ceiling mounts for flexible mounting in all consultancy/minor treatment rooms.

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Infrastructure

UNBLOCKING INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS

The pilot scheme will seek to identify, assess and then unblock infrastructure problems in order to speed up housebuilding

A new Government-backed pilot scheme has launched to unblock infrastructure hold ups that are delaying the building of new homes. has been set T heup scheme

by The Housing & Finance Institute, which earlier this year published a major report that highlighted how failing water companies are severely infringing the ability of private developers to build more homes.

The pilot scheme is being carried out in the South East with the help of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, the Home Builders Federation, Laing O’Rourke, Anglian Water, Kent County Council, Essex County Council, KeepMoat, the Chair of the APPG for Infrastructure and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

It will seek to identify, assess and then unblock infrastructure problems in order to speed up house-building.

The scheme will pay particular attention to housing developments that have been delayed due to a lack of water,

30

sewage, electricity, gas or road connectivity. If successful, the plan is to roll the scheme out across the UK in 2017.

Natalie Elphicke, who previously authored the Treasury sponsored Elphicke-House housing report, says that the lack of local infrastructure on new housing sites is drastically slowing down the rate of new homes coming onto the market.

Mrs. Elphicke, Chief Executive of The Housing & Finance Institute, commented: “When we speak to housing developers, they often say it is water, electricity, gas, broadband and roads which are impeding their ability to build more homes faster.

“Water and sewage connectivity is a particular problem, with some water companies completely failing to deliver what housing developers require. This has been slowing down the rate of housing

completions right across the country.

“Our hope is that this new pilot scheme, which brings together key players from the private and public sectors, will provide us with a blueprint for fixing these issues and facilitating accelerated housing growth.”

The scheme will run until May 2017, with its initial report due by the end of January 2017, and its findings being reported to Housing & Planning Minister Gavin Barwell MP and Stephen Hammond MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure.

Housing & Planning Minister, Gavin Barwell MP, commented: “This Government is committed to speeding up housing delivery and ensuring that everyone plays their part towards building the homes our country needs.

“I welcome this new pilot scheme and its focus on identifying ways of working

together to overcome infrastructure barriers, and I look forward to seeing the initial report on its findings.”

A water company can currently take between six months and a year to connect a property and still meet their regulatory target. This is despite the fact that the water company will benefit from the revenues of the new connections for many years.

Research in the HFI’s summer report, Let’s Build More Homes Faster, revealed the scale of the failure currently being seen around the UK. Of the water connection performance, only Dee Valley, which operates in Wales and Cheshire, secured 100% of connections.

The company that has failed its performance targets most dramatically was Affinity Water.

Affinity Water services critical growth areas in the South East as well as in London. In quarter one of 2015, it failed its performance target by nearly 60%. Its average performance over the first three quarters of 2015 saw its performance fall by nearly 40%.

Significantly poor performances were recorded for Thames Water, Southern Water and South Staffordshire, all of which saw 20-25% failure rates in at least one quarter of 2015. 

 www.thehfi.com

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Security

Smart technology refers to any technology that enables devices within a building to communicate with each other

THE SMART BUILDING REVOLUTION

Are public sector clients keeping up with the digital building revolution?

Steve Martin, ECA Head of Specialist Groups, explains more. just 20% of C urrently the UK’s public sector and commercial buildings are considered to be ‘smart’. Yet over the next four years, it’s expected the global Internet-of-Things market will be worth over £1tn annually, presenting a number of opportunities and threats to public sector buildings.

But what does ‘smart’ or ‘connected’ technology really mean? Essentially it refers to any technology that enables devices within a building to communicate with each other, be controlled remotely through a connection to the internet and undertake automated and reactive tasks. This includes technologies such as security, fire and emergency systems, lighting and HVAC. Raising awareness of the scope of connected technology among public sector clients, such as local authorities, housing associations and consultants, is certainly key to a more comprehensive approach to the commercial and technological opportunities on offer.

To understand the current state of play, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Chartered Institution of

32

Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Scottish electrical trade body SELECT surveyed 229 building clients in November last year, including local authorities, consultants, end clients and facilities managers.

Broadly speaking, respondents said that buildings had at present adopted ‘a limited amount’ or ‘very little’ connected technology. Significantly, looking forward five years from now, over half of clients said that ‘a significant or overwhelming majority’ of buildings would have connected technology installed, highlighting the smart building revolution set to take place.

In terms of the technologies themselves, ‘CCTV and security’ was highlighted by respondents as the one most likely to be installed in buildings in five years’ time (78%), with fire systems (69%) also featuring prominently on the list.

The main reason why clients said that they would be willing to install connected technology at present is to ‘improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills’ (58%). However, with ‘CCTV and security’ the technology most likely to be installed over the next five years, there now

appears to be a shift in attitudes towards prioritising safety and security.

Almost four in 10 clients (39%) said that they didn’t currently take any steps to protect smart installations against cyber threats. This number is huge, when you consider the inherent risks in the modern day of not

securing your building from hackers, and is clearly an area which clients urgently need to address.

In terms of the main barriers to installing connected technology in buildings, clients identified ‘the cost of installing it’ (82%) as the main one, with ‘lack of clear advice/knowledge' (55%) also considered a major factor.

Given recent technological developments, there is actually a growing need for public sector clients to take a proactive role in the design of their buildings and systems. This will allow them to have access to the data, and have the control they need, with an infrastructure to support it. Effectively, if clients have a comprehensive smart building solution designed and installed, this will allow for enhanced building security, through improved monitoring and maintenance.

Alongside industry partners, including CIBSE and SELECT, the ECA will now be looking to establish how installers and clients, including those in the public sector, can work together more effectively on developing the connected buildings of the present and future. 

 www.eca.co.uk

There is a growing need for public sector clients to take a proactive role in the design of their buildings and systems

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Health & Safety

Building Regulations Part B only calls for heat alarms in some kitchens

UPGRADING FIRE AND CO SAFETY Kidde Safety discusses the importance of keeping smoke, heat and CO alarm protection in housing up to date – and what to look out for. doubt, smoke and W ithout carbon monoxide alarms

34

save lives. The latest guidance can be found in BS 5839-6:2013 for smoke and heat alarms, and BS EN 50292:2013 for CO alarms, and both apply to any domestic properties – whether existing or new.

Are alarms working and up to date?

Alarms may be missing or time-expired, with a designed operational life of between five and 10 years: the replacement date should be shown on the alarm. Any time-expired or defective alarms should be replaced.

Are there smoke and CO alarms in the property?

If there is no smoke alarm, fitting at least one is essential, as occupants are at least four times more likely to die in a fire in a home without working smoke alarms. Also, carbon monoxide poisoning causes an estimated 50 deaths and 200 serious injuries annually and CO alarms should be considered with any combustion appliances, irrespective of the fuel.

Consider upgrading to mains smoke/heat alarms BS 5839-6:2013 recommends ‘Grade D’ mains with back-up power, interconnected alarms – a legal requirement for Scottish rented properties – and excludes battery alarms from all rented homes.

Upgrading to the latest low-energy mains products makes sense, such as Firex alarms that cost less than £1 per year to operate (March 2016 average kWh cost from the UK’s top five suppliers, between £0.099/kWh and £0.109/kWh).

Upgrading to the latest lowenergy mains products makes sense, such as Firex alarms that cost less than £1 per year to operate

Consider adding carbon monoxide alarms Building Regulations and BS EN 50292:2013 allow either mains or battery-only CO alarms. Mains alarms are easily installed during other works and can offer extra features.

For example, Kidde’s mains CO alarms can be interlinked with each other and also with Firex hard-wired smoke and heat alarms using the ‘Smart Interconnect’ feature. It allows occupants to respond quickly, making the right choice from the very different actions for either fire or carbon monoxide.

Battery-only alarms should incorporate a battery designed to operate for the working life of the alarm. Here, Kidde’s selfcontained 10LLCO alarm range enjoys a full 10-year guarantee covering both the alarm and sealed-in lithium battery.

Is there a heat alarm in the kitchen?

Although over 60% of all domestic fires start in kitchens, Building Regulations Part B

only calls for heat alarms in some kitchens. In contrast, regulations elsewhere and BS 5839-6:2013 recommend them in all kitchens – and always interconnected with the smoke alarms.

Is there a smoke alarm in the living room?

For most properties BS 5839-6:2013 recommends a smoke alarm in the living room, as well as in hallways and landings.

Is there a CO alarm in the bedroom?

As well as near combustion appliances, BS EN 50292:2013 recommends CO alarms in rooms where occupants spend time, particularly bedrooms.

Using ‘Smart Interconnect’, Kidde’s hard-wired CO alarms in bedrooms act as sounders for the smoke alarm system, as well as protecting sleeping occupants against carbon monoxide. 

 www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk

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Rain/SuDS

The listed Parkside School building and surrounding landscape has been re-developed into a civic centre and library for the town

Project: Parkside Civic Centre Location: Bromsgrove Architect: Robert Bray Associates

Multifunctional paving

CIVIC SUDS

Interpave discusses how innovations with concrete block permeable paving help meet regulatory requirements for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) while cutting costs, optimising land use and enhancing external space – demonstrated at a recent civic centre development. and techniques, S uDS such as concrete block permeable paving, are essential tools in the fight against flooding and pollution – particularly with overloaded sewers, urbanisation and climate change. They are also a firm

requirement around the UK and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires SuDS on new developments of 10 or more dwellings in England.

In addition, NPPF prioritisation of SuDS in areas of flood risk and requirements that

developments should not make flood risk worse elsewhere apply to developments of any scale. Localised planning policies are also appearing, spelling out what local authorities expect from sustainable drainage on the ground.

The main courtyard is designed as an extensive, wall-to-wall infiltration blanket using concrete block permeable paving and flags

36

By its very nature, concrete block permeable paving is uniquely placed to help meet the multifunctional requirements for SuDS on developments.

Of course, hard surfaces are necessary anyway – whether for traffic, parking, cycling, walking or play. But permeable paving also provides an inherent drainage system, addressing both flooding and pollution issues by attenuating and cleaning water run-off at source.

Concrete block permeable paving can simply infiltrate to the ground where conditions allow or, more commonly, collect water for transmission to other SuDS features along the ‘management train’ or to conventional drainage and watercourses. And, after more than two decades of use, it has proved to be a predictable, reliable and low-cost SuDS technique.

Its capability to attenuate water flow during rainfall for gradual discharge is well-known.

Controlled sub-catchments This principle is transformed by considering distinct storage ‘sub-catchments’ of permeable paving – importantly, using simple orifice plate flow control chambers on outlets. This enables water storage to be strategically deployed around a site, with the flow controls demonstrating straightforward compliance to local authorities as part of the SuDS design approval process.

Dedicated water storage on valuable land and associated excavation and construction costs are avoided, and this technique can help satisfy SuDS requirements on high-density urban schemes without expensive storage structures. It is also useful for controlling flows within the pavement construction, maximising storage on sloping sites and increasing treatment times to optimise removal of pollutants.

And it can also be applied to infiltrating systems, exemplified by the comprehensive SuDS scheme at the Parkside Civic Centre redevelopment in Bromsgrove. 

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The listed Parkside School building and surrounding landscape has been re-developed into a civic centre and library for the town. Its location on generally free-draining sandy soil suggested fully infiltrating SuDS, although affected by several site factors. Accessible and useable permeable paving and landscaping, together with a series of flow control chambers to ensure full infiltration potential, define the SuDS solution designed by Robert Bray Associates.

Parking to the north of the access road is on contaminated ground and so required a liner beneath the permeable pavement. Water is therefore collected, cleaned and stored in the pavement, with each compartment having an orifice plate flow control chamber with internal overflows in case of exceedance rainfall conditions.

The flow from the car park passes down the western boundary in solid pipes next to buildings, then through perforated pipes and stone trenches where infiltration can be achieved.

Rain/SuDS

Parkside Bromsgrove

Parking to the north of the access road is on contaminated ground and so required a liner beneath the permeable pavement

Infiltration blanket

Roof water from the western elevation is collected by downpipes and conveyed to a stainless steel spout

The main courtyard is designed as an extensive, wall-to-wall infiltration blanket using concrete block permeable paving and flags with spacers, grass surfaces and free-draining plant beds. The tarmac access road is laid over open-graded crushed stone for water storage, linked to the rest of the courtyard surfaces.

The central grass lawn is slightly lower than its surroundings, acting as a detention basin in very heavy rain. A perforated pipe at the lowest part of the site provides a flow route, via a control chamber, to the western boundary as calculations suggest water may not soak away quickly enough beyond the one in 30-year return period. There is a final pipe link to the storm sewer that may also receive water from the library entrance.

Roof water from the western elevation is collected by downpipes and conveyed to a stainless steel spout that pours water down a granite sett cascade into a wetland rill.

Some water is diverted to a tank and recirculated down the

cascade by a solar pump when the sun shines. The infiltration rate for the site, together with the storage provided within the pavement profiles, almost meets the one in 100-year return period including a 30% allowance for climate change.

Accessible surfaces Of course, paving will help to define the design and character of any development. The growing choice of concrete block permeable paving products available from Interpave manufacturers – with numerous shapes, styles, finishes and colours – allows real design freedom. At the same time, they can provide completely level, well-drained, firm and slip-resistant surfaces that are accessible to all, without the need for cross-falls, channels, gulleys or other interruptions.

Rainwater ‘ponding’ is eliminated, reducing the risk of ice forming on the surface and preventing splashing from standing water. 

 www.paving.org.uk

39

Doors & Windows

Adjust door closers to suit your occupants

THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS

In hospitals, there are a variety of people who may not be able to pass through a doorway before the door closes on them

Managers of healthcare buildings, hospitals and care homes need to look deeper into how to protect and aid vulnerable and less ablebodied groups around doorways, says Simon Osborne, Commercial Leader of Allegion in the UK and Ireland. would be fair to say I tthat able-bodied people probably wouldn’t think twice about opening a door. It would quite simply be a natural choice of push or pull and pass through.

However, for the less able-bodied people, such as the elderly, young, injured or disabled, a door can represent a number of problems. It can be an obstacle approached with trepidation, a cause of anxiety and it may have an impact on one’s dignity.

In some cases, a difficult door can lead to unfortunate loss of life. One tragic incident occurred in October of 2011 when a 73-year-old pensioner was trapped in revolving doors at

40

South Tyneside District Hospital.

The man fell and fractured his hip, later passing away at the hospital.

A door is also expected to offer a safe exit for building occupants. For those of sound mind, again this is not a problem – they know where they are going and how to return safely.

However, for the groups who are mentally vulnerable, doors leading out can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

If we look at dementia as an example, which one million people in the UK are predicted to live with by 2025, the Alzheimer’s Society says that a main side effect is wandering.

This means a person with

dementia may feel the need to walk about for a variety of reasons, whether it is to relieve boredom or stress, respond to anxiety or if they are feeling lost in new environments.

For those suffering with dementia and who live or are based near main roads, we can start to see how the doorway becomes vital to that person’s safety.

For facilities managers and building owners of healthcarerelated buildings, our advice would be to look through the eyes of these groups, see how they use doors and interact with their furniture in order to better serve their needs and protect them from unwanted harm.

One of the common problems we see within buildings is that the force of a door closer is not considered for the occupants within.

In hospitals, there are a variety of people who may not be able to pass through a doorway before the door closes on them. This can prove difficult and dangerous for elderly, children, disabled or people who may be injured or have lesser upper body strength.

For these situations, using the right door closer adjusted to the right strength for the weight and size of a door is crucial. Not only will the door close at a speed optimum for users to pass through safely, it will also make the door easier to operate itself, requiring less strength and force from users.

Doors should also be tested in different air pressure scenarios, as during the winter more doors and windows are likely to be kept shut to lock heat in. This can mean that doors become more difficult to open and require more force, which some people may not have.

Monitor doors using technology One of the major continuing developments in the door hardware industry is electromechanical convergence, where we are merging mechanical hardware with electronics and digital systems.

The major advantage of doing so is the ability to monitor doors and their usage, keeping an audit trail and activity log for future refinement.

Doors can now be controlled and monitored via apps or central control systems, while latchbolt monitors can inform whether a door is closed fully or not.

One such event where monitored doors in a hospital could potentially have made a difference was in 2009. A 53-yearold patient, who was potentially suffering from mental health problems, managed to wander into an empty outpatients ward through staff doors at Colchester General Hospital. The patient was then unable to make his way back out due to a set of locked doors in the department. Tragically,

Doors & Windows

industry has been developing most, and products have now been introduced that can serve all these requirements.

Innovations like the Briton 571 EL electromechanical touch bar device can be integrated with access control systems.

While it is a normal panic bar from the inside, the Briton 571 EL uses an electric motor to operate the latch from the exterior, meaning you don’t have to compromise the security or access control aspect you may need for the entrance point. The push action also gives it a much easier operation for groups like children, elderly and disabled.

In the door hardware industry, we challenge ourselves every day to develop products that can better serve the needs of building occupants, whether it is for the majority or minority. We urge everyone within the chain of facilities and building management to do the same – and never rest on your laurels of keeping people safe and secure. 

 www.allegion.com Using the right door closer adjusted to the right strength for the weight and size of a door is crucial

the patient passed away in the night due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ease of use and convenience Consider how easy it is for patients and residents to use the doors and door furniture in your building, and the convenience for your own staff and resources.

For patients who find it difficult to operate doors and require assistance, it can become a question of dignity if each and every time they need to open a door they need to ask for help.

On the flip side, it can put a strain on your staff and resources if they need to attend to lots of these situations.

Modern door hardware can now make it easy to mitigate these scenarios.

Electromagnetic hold-open closers can now hold open doors, but close automatically in the event of a fire by being linked to fire alarm systems.

While electronics can help door operation, there should be care and assessment for the users before going ahead with installation. One stark revelation

made in the 2016 report by Alzheimer’s Society, ‘Fix Dementia Care, Hospitals’, revealed that in a poll of more than 570 carers, families and friends of people with dementia, 90% said that they felt the person with dementia became more confused while in a hospital.

We can only hazard a guess as to whether doors contributed to that confusion by being unfamiliar in design or operation.

Attention should also be given to the door hardware’s ease of operation. Arthritis is commonly prevalent in the elderly, meaning gripping traditional door handles and turning them could be a difficult and painful exercise. A universallyunderstood exit mechanism that can overcome these challenges is the age-old panic bar.

Mechanical panic bars are installed to comply with European Standards EN 1125 for panic applications or EN 179 for emergency applications to aid exit from a building. However, traditionally installing a panic bar could mean that security and functionality is compromised.

This is where the door hardware

Consider how easy it is for patients and residents to use the doors and door furniture in your building

41

Ecobuild Preview

Central to the experience will be Regeneration Drive, a boulevard running through the centre of the exhibition floor

ECOBUILD IN PREVIEW

Ecobuild returns in March with an overarching theme of regeneration, which will be brought to life through an immersive exhibition and conference programme that will redefine sustainability, identify future growth sectors and tackle the housing crisis. show for T hebuiltleading environment professionals, Ecobuild 2017 will see ExCeL London transformed into a ‘city’ – complete with a main street, distinct destinations and special feature attractions.

Central to the experience will be Regeneration Drive, a boulevard running through the centre of the exhibition floor, linking different aspects of the show and enabling visitors to experience the very best examples of innovation and creativity from across the built environment.

The show’s sustainability hub, City Hall, will see sessions hosted by the UK-GBC and World Green Building Council.

Architectural collective, Assemble, will present its Turner award-winning Granby Workshop project at the Campus, the show’s destination for innovative thinking and the latest technology, also home to the BRE Academy, for bite-sized CPD courses and learning.

In response to the increased Government and industry focus on off-site construction, Ecobuild has partnered with Explore Offsite to bring a significant showcase of the exciting opportunities offered by off-site technology in the future of construction, with the industry’s leading suppliers and a series of daily masterclasses.

The Arena will be home to the Ecobuild Conference with headline guest speakers staging a programme of keynote speeches

42

Another new partnership sees Ecobuild and UK District Energy Association creating a new and exciting area: the ukDEA District Energy Town Square, host to leading British suppliers and also international pavilions from Sweden and Denmark, two of the most mature district energy markets in the world. The ukDEA District Energy Town Square will be located adjacent to Ecobuild’s Performance Lab feature, with building performance and energy content produced in partnership with CIBSE. The Arena will be home to the Ecobuild Conference with headline guest speakers staging a programme of keynote speeches from industry thought-leaders and innovators across the three days.

Day one of the conference will focus on future-proofing building and construction. Further key topics will include large-scale regeneration of council estates, building homes for social rent and ensuring the industry delivers sustainable homes people can afford. Professor Tim Broyd, President, Institute of Civil Engineers, will be joined

by Adam Cooper of the National Infrastructure Commission and Professor Denise Bower, Executive Director at the Major Projects Association, to debate the UK’s infrastructure priorities.

The second day will see industry leaders debate solutions to the housing crisis, featuring a panel including Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor, Planning Regeneration and Skills, Greater London Authority and other sector experts. Topics will range from improving energy efficiency in nondomestic buildings to meeting the new zero carbon homes standard as part of the ‘Low Carbon London’ initiative.

Amongst other topics, day three topics include the possible legislation binding developers in an agreement to consider the wellbeing of future generations when planning. Reiterating the importance of effective building operation, speakers will discuss managing down energy consumption and using BIM for facilities management.

With such a wide variety of exhibitors and partners, this year’s show will provide the industry with the perfect platform to collaborate and address the key issues of sustainability and its role in shaping regeneration. 

 www.ecobuild.co.uk

Ecobuild Preview

Bauder back at Ecobuild Flat roof manufacturer, Bauder, will once again be bringing its roofing solutions to Ecobuild, the world's leading event for sustainable design, construction, energy and the built environment, having been ever present at the exhibition since its inception back in 2005.

At this year’s Ecobuild, Bauder will be showcasing its full range of bituminous, single-ply, cold liquid applied and hot melt waterproofing systems; which includes a variety of flame-free solutions that offer high-performance alternatives to more traditional applications and that satisfy the growing demand for improved safety within the industry. As always, there will also be a real emphasis on sustainability at the event and Bauder’s high-quality green roof and

PV systems will feature prominently. This comprehensive system offering enables Bauder to recommend the most suitable solution for every project, whether newbuild or refurbishment, ensuring that it answers the practical, environmental and budgetary requirements of your build.

To see Bauder’s industry-leading roofing solutions for yourself, be sure to visit Ecobuild at ExCeL London from 7 to 9th March on stand D124, nearby the N2 and

N3 entrances. Bauder’s specialist team will also be in attendance during the three-day event to answer any questions you may have and to provide expert technical advice so that you have complete confidence that you are specifying the right system for your future projects.

 www.bauder.co.uk  info@bauder.co.uk  0845 271 8800

EnviroVent to launch new product innovation at Ecobuild EnviroVent will be launching a new product innovation at Ecobuild 2017, which is set to make commissioning simpler for the installer and will offer greater control and flexibility for the end user. The new technology, which has been a closely guarded secret for over two years, has been designed and tested for performance and quality within the R&D centre at EnviroVent and complements the extensive range of MVHR units which will be showcased. Rory Percival, Technical and R&D Manager at EnviroVent, said: “The team have worked hard to design and develop this new technology and we can’t wait to be able to showcase it at the event.”

 www.envirovent.com

 info@envirovent.com

 0845 272 7810

Altecnic to launch most advanced electronic HIU at Ecobuild An advanced electronic heat interface unit (HIU) – offering a host of unique benefits to heating system specifiers – will be launched at Ecobuild by Altecnic. Part of the Caleffi Group, Altecnic is renowned for its technical innovation and ability to create market-leading solutions that deliver lifetime cost savings for the construction and plumbing industries. Altecnic’s HIUs are already the most efficient among UK volume manufacturers and keep running costs and even initial capital expenditure down to a bare minimum. The new SmartSat range to be shown on stand D138 will mark a paradigm shift in HIU technology, system efficiency and benefits for installers and users alike.

 www.altecnic.co.uk

 sales@altecnic.co.uk

 01785 218200

Ancon to expand product portfolio Keeping innovation at the top of its agenda, Ancon will further expand its wide product range with new product launches at the UK’s largest event for specifiers in the built environment, Ecobuild 2017. With four key product zones, the Ancon stand, B135, will feature the innovative Nexus brick-faced support system for prefabricated soffits, structural thermal breaks for balcony locations, KSN anchors for quicker, safer reinforcement continuity at construction joints and a comprehensive range of low thermal conductivity wall ties. The Ancon stand gives visitors an excellent opportunity to talk one-on-one with its experienced technical and sales support team who will be happy to help with specific project or business requirements.

 www.ancon.co.uk  info@ancon.co.uk  0114 275 5224

43

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

March 2017

COLOUR AND SHAPE

MORE THAN A CEILING

THE RIGHT BALANCE

Interface helps University of Bristol create distinct zones

ROCKFON system meets aesthetic and acoustic requirements

The importance of controlling sound in swimming pools

Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

INTERFACE HELPS UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL DEVELOP FLAGSHIP SPACE Carpet tiles from Interface have been used by the University of Bristol in its refurbishment of the former landmark Habitat store in Clifton. closely with AWW W orking Architects, the university has transformed this Grade II Georgian building into a learning hub. The study spaces have been designed to provide a variety of learning environments, from quiet study to meeting rooms and social interactive areas.

Beacon House is a new hub for the university in a high-profile, public location. The building also features a cafe which provides a welcoming space for visitors and students to interact.

With its heritage front of mind, the building has been sympathetically refurbished.

It was essential to balance the use of colours and materials to reflect the branding of the university but also to complement the aesthetics of the Georgian building. The palette of soft blues, greys and neutral tones from Interface’s Net Effect range of Skinny Plank carpet tiles were used to bring this concept to the flooring design.

Rebecca Rose, Project Manager at the University of

Bristol’s strategic projects office, said: “Beacon House is the focal point of the campus, the building is in a prime position allowing us to not only provide vital study space but also welcome the public and showcase some of our success stories.”

The University of Bristol brought in AWW’s interior design team to create a scheme for Beacon House. Naomi Cooper, Senior Interior Designer at AWW, said: “The building is open-plan, but through the use of colourways and textures we wanted to create clear zones. We specified Interface’s Net Effect Skinny Plank tiles in the blue Atlantic colourway for the study areas. To create a distinction between these quiet zones and the breakout space, we developed a walkway using three different shades – Atlantic, Black Sea and Caspian – from the same collection, laid in a herringbone formation.”

Green Hat Graphic Design was tasked with developing branding for Beacon House, which not only complemented the existing

The design scheme at the University of Bristol really proves the fact that design and sustainability go hand in hand and there's no need to compromise one for the other

university brand colours and designs, but also gave it a unique feel. This involved creating a branding document which was used by the designers to select details such as flooring colourways and furnishings.

As the university’s central hub to showcase its work, the building interior needed to look sleek and modern but in addition, it was also crucial that the materials used in

To create a distinction between the quiet zones and the breakout space, a walkway using three different shades was developed

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the refurbishment supported the institution’s sustainable management programme.

Around 93% of waste generated on-site was diverted from landfill and Beacon House achieved a Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors SKA rating of ‘Bronze’.

Naomi explained: “Net Effect didn’t just give us lots of scope to create a visually-appealing design through colourways, textures and shapes, it fit with the university’s sustainability principles as it is made from 100% recycled nylon.”

Becky Parrish, Account Manager at Interface, said: “The design scheme at the University of Bristol really proves the fact that design and sustainability go hand in hand and there’s no need to compromise one for the other. The building is a focal point for all visitors to the university, including prospective students and parents, and is a fantastic space to showcase the brilliant work that the university does on a daily basis.” 

 www.interface.com  interface.uk@interface.com  0207 490 3960

DORMA SLIMS DOWN WITH GROUND-BREAKING NEW MOVEABLE WALL Style, exclusive UK distributor for DORMA partitioning walls, is pleased to announce the launch of a revolutionary new moveable wall system that takes acoustic integrity to a new level.

Variflex 88 boasts D ORMA’s significantly improved sound insulation, up to Rw 58dB, but with a reduced wall thickness of just 88mm – which is approximately 12% thinner than other comparable walls.

In addition to improved acoustics, the new lightweight Variflex 88 demands less stringent structural requirements and is also easier to slide into place. When not in use, the 88mm thin panels take up less floor area than other systems, discreetly tucking into a small niche and ensuring the space is maximised to its fullest advantage.

“Most people would assume that to achieve better sound insulation you have to make a wall thicker,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s Group Managing Director. “However, DORMA have very cleverly achieved the direct opposite with this latest innovation.”

The acoustic performance of Rw 58dB has been achieved by primarily changing the construction of the frame. Sound bridges have been avoided and the structure has been created

with a low overall vibration rate, ensuring every panel functions like an optimised sound buffer.

In addition, profiles and sealing strips have been optimised, as well as the facing board which is highly impermeable.

The new 88 system comes with all the hallmarks of DORMA’s hugely popular

Variflex offering. Panel faces are manufactured separately to the frame, which means they are easy to change if one is damaged or scuffed over time, or if the interior design of a room needs refreshing. The system also provides a wide choice of panels and stacking/ parking arrangements, making

it adaptable for rooms with complicated proportions or where sloping ceilings and circular spaces have to be accommodated. Enhancing any interior decor, the Variflex panels are available in an almost limitless range of finishes.

Finally, if required, the Variflex 88 can be completely automated using the DORMA ComfortDrive system. This allows an area to be efficiently reconfigured in a matter of minutes, all at the press of a button.

“What DORMA has achieved by improving the acoustics on a thinner wall is quite spectacular and sets the bar at a completely new level in room division systems,” confirms Sargent. “To put it in context, 58dB means meetings or events can take place undisturbed either side and this very thin wall is so easy to manoeuvre you can divide a room into two with incredible speed and ease.”

Established for nearly 18 years, Style specialises in technologically-advanced, moveable partitions and is the UK’s sole distributor for DORMA Moveo, Variflex and Varitrans, SWG and the revolutionary, ceiling-concealed Skyfold partition. 

Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

When not in use, the 88mm thin panels take up less floor area than other systems, discreetly tucking into a small niche

 www.style-partitions.co.uk  sales@style-partitions.co.uk  01202 874044

In addition to improved acoustics, the new lightweight Variflex 88 demands less stringent structural requirements

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

FORBO SPHERA – A NEW ERA IN HOMOGENEOUS VINYL

Sphera, from Forbo Flooring Systems, has been born out of a brand-new, state-ofthe-art production facility

Sphera, from Forbo Flooring Systems, has been born out of a brand-new, state-of-the-art production facility, utilising all the latest insights and technology to set a new standard in homogeneous vinyl flooring. a unique in-house chip W ithmaking process and the use of innovative new colour pigment spheres, Sphera Element offers the freshest, cleanest colour palette available on the market with a harmonious range of contemporary tones.

Heralding a step change in how homogeneous vinyl is manufactured, Forbo’s new internal extrusion process enables the creation of multiple chip

sizes and shapes depending on the design effect desired.

New production techniques and processes means that Sphera achieves best in class dimensional stability, which helps to ensure the long-term appearance and performance of the floorcovering.

Manufactured and designed in Europe to reflect today’s most relevant colour trends, Sphera Element’s sophisticated palette consists of 62 shades, from

New production techniques and processes means that Sphera achieves best in class dimensional stability

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warm and cool neutrals that complement wood and stone, to calming pastels and bolder, more saturated hues for wayfinding, zoning and accent colours. The new homogeneous range is also truly non-directional – an added benefit for contractors.

The range benefits from SMART technology (Sustainable Modern Advanced Robust Technology), with the SMART-top finish ensuring Sphera has a high resistance to chemicals, scratches and stains. The in-line coating and subsequent embossing process results in superior appearance and durability, which sees the new Sphera range achieving the highest abrasion wear rating group T. Sphera flooring adds character and style to floors across numerous applications from demanding, hygienic healthcare environments and flexible, multi-purpose modern public buildings to education facilities and offices where durability and colour are key.

Julie Dempster, Marketing

Manager at Forbo, said: “We are committed to manufacturing floorcoverings that contribute to a healthier indoor environment and our new Sphera Element range is no different; it has low emissions and is 100% phthalatefree. What’s more, as light affects almost all vital processes in the human body and impacts people’s performance, health, safety and sense of wellbeing, we have ensured that almost half of the colours within the Sphera Element range have a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) higher than 40%, in order to maximise any natural or artificial lighting within a building.

“Sphera Element also coordinates well with other Forbo floorcoverings, including our Allergy UK-approved Marmoleum and other Tessera and Flotex textile solutions, offering end users and contractors a one-stopshop service.” 

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

Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

ROCKFON IS 'THE WORD' FOR STYLISH ACOUSTICS The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, is the iconic centrepiece of a multimillion pound regeneration project in the heart of South Shields. ROCKFON® Mono® Acoustic seamless ceiling system is installed throughout to meet the aesthetic and acoustic requirements – which helped the project win the prestigious 'Public Sector Interiors Project of the Year' award in the 2016 Mixology North Awards. engaging, open W ithplanandesign to encourage

specified ROCKFON for the project and explains why: “In exploration of the areas available terms of selecting ROCKFON, it and interaction with the various really was a natural progression activities on offer, visitors to The for us as we’d used the product Word are welcomed into the successfully in a previous project. building’s triple-height central The key to our specification was atrium which that we wanted ROCKFON forms the focal a monolithic point of the product that is Mono Acoustic is building. Inside also Class A-rated more than just a the atrium, acoustically – so visitors can take in ceiling. Now with a Mono Acoustic excellent views of was perfect. smoother, elegant all four levels of “ROCKFON the building and Mono Acoustic is render finish. beyond towards installed around the waterfront and River Tyne. A the perimeter of the galleries to stunning feature staircase sits in help create a homogenous and the heart of the atrium and leads continuous ribbon around the to circular galleries on all floors. circular atria of the building which Steve Dickson, Senior Director enhances the atrium’s stylish, at FaulknerBrowns Architects, contemporary interior design.”

ROCKFON Mono Acoustic is a unique product which combines the elegance of a seamless ceiling with high-performance sound absorption

ROCKFON's Mono Acoustic seamless ceiling system is installed throughout to meet the aesthetic and acoustic requirements

ROCKFON Mono Acoustic is a unique product which combines the elegance of a seamless ceiling with high-performance sound absorption – previously thought only possible with modular suspended ceilings.

To create a continuous finish, the ceiling tiles are installed and then finished with an impressive acoustic render to create an elegant, smooth-white, monolithic surface.

John Osborne, Senior Project Manager at Bowmer & Kirkland, was impressed with how well ROCKFON Mono Acoustic enhances the design scheme, he comments: “Aesthetically, it sits so comfortably in the building and complements the surroundings – specifically how it curves around the central atrium space seamlessly, almost like a halo.”

The atrium’s interior features a mixture of surfaces including glazing and concrete which have the potential to generate unwanted noise. To counter

this, Mono Acoustic provides Class A sound absorption which significantly decreases echo and reverberation levels, creating a relaxed environment where visitors can converse with ease.

John Osborne is also impressed with the acoustic performance offered by ROCKFON Mono Acoustic, which exceeded the demanding requirements stipulated in the building specification. “The system’s acoustic performance is unrivalled. We carried out stringent post-completion acoustic testing with our acoustician and all areas tested passed with flying colours. The client team are over the moon with the building and have been quoted saying the quality is the best they have ever had, which is testimony to our client and architect’s vision.” 

 www.rockfon.co.uk  info@rockfon.co.uk  0800 389 0314

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

FILASTOP DIRT can now be used on polished lappato tiles, as well as textured and unpolished porcelain

FILA INTRODUCES NEW FILASTOP DIRT FORMULATION Surface care specialist, Fila, has introduced a new formulation for its protective dirt-barrier treatment – FILASTOP DIRT. treatment T hecannew now be used on polished lappato tiles, as well as textured and unpolished porcelain. Once applied, it chemically bonds, without leaving a film, to create invisible protection against dirt build-up and promote fast and easy cleaning. The new formulation can be used inside and outdoors, where it provides a breathable, UV-resistant barrier without altering surface slip-resistant properties.

Following application to a dry, clean surface, FILASTOP DIRT improves surface resistance to foot traffic and general wear. It also provides

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long-lasting protection against watery and oily stains and limits water retention, as demonstrated by lab tests conducted on surfaces laid in accordance with UNI 11493. As well as high traffic areas – from shopping centres to office foyers – the treatment can also be used to ease maintenance in the home. It is also suitable for use on outside surfaces – including cladding – in parking areas and on terraces.

FILASTOP DIRT will not yellow, nor alter the material’s original degree of slipperiness, as proven in tests conforming to the B.C.R.A. and ASTMC 1028- 2007 methods, as well as in the English Standard BS

7976 Pendulum tests. The new formulation is available in 500ml cans, which provides increased coverage of approximately 35m2.

Established in 1943, Fila is a global, eco-focused company.

It specialises in surface care solutions for marble, natural stone, porcelain, terracotta and wood. Combining the traditional values of a familyrun firm with innovative product development, Fila products are recommended by over 220 manufacturers throughout the world. 

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

Fila has introduced a new formulation for its protective dirt-barrier treatment – FILASTOP DIRT

Grill ceiling completes look of Northbrook College A West Sussex college has been enhanced with a stunning grill ceiling, manufactured

by Hunter Douglas. The third phase of development at Northbrook College comprised an extension and refurbishment of the construction trades and engineering workshops and classrooms at a cost of £2.2m. Hunter Douglas Architectural, which manufactured 300m2 ceilings for the college’s first two developments, supplied a further 300m2 of solid timber grill in a 4-90-15-45 module in African Ayous for the common areas and reception in the newest scheme. The solid wood grill panels are constructed using black aluminium dowels, which are clipped onto a black grid system, making an unobtrusive suspension system, but allowing easy access into the void.

 www.hunterdouglas.co.uk  info@hunterdouglas.co.uk  01604 766251

Interface has supported Lancaster University in the refurbishment of its existing library building.

The university wanted to use materials that had a positive environmental impact and selected Interface flooring, which helped to marry the library’s two distinct buildings, while also meeting the university’s sustainability goals. 10,000m2 of Interface’s Urban Retreat 501 Skinny Planks collection was specified in a range of colourways, creating a striking design in the four-storey library. Colourways in granite, charcoal, stone and grass were used to surround a live ficas tree, giving a beautiful courtyard effect. Inspired by the principles of biophilic design, the Urban Retreat 501 range is evocative of dense woodland.

 www.interface.com

 interface.uk@interface.com

Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

Interface helps Lancaster University revamp library

 0207 490 3960

Designer Contracts launches new ranges As carpet remains a staple flooring option for the home in 2017, Designer Contracts has unveiled a number of new flooring collections. Soft Focus is a luxury, supersoft, easy-clean collection, manufactured from 100% finesse polypropylene. Sensation Twist is a luxury stain-resistant twist, while Portobello has a completely natural look and feel. Designer Contracts has also launched Sovereign – a sumptuous Saxony – made from 100% PA imprel finesse bounceback, it comes in 11 contemporary tones. Forest Twist in 40 and 32oz weights is created from 80% wool and 20% polypropylene. These affordable wool rich twists in 12 natural shades have wool fibres to provide strength and durability for all areas of the home.

 www.designercontracts.com  enquiries@designercontracts.com  01246 854577

Remmers' award-winning flooring installation Remmers has won the FeRFA ‘Large Industrial Project of the Year’ Award for a complex installation at a brand-new, state-of-the-art building – which has been constructed by bringing together two existing aging facilities – at advanced aerospace manufacturing, research and development facility, CDS Solihull. The flooring needed to fulfil the client’s high standards and requirements which consisted of: chemical-resistant flooring with chemical-resistant wall render, an epoxy conductive flooring system with an anti-slip textured finish and, finally, Remmers’ Self Smoothing Epoxy Resin with a slip-resistant seal coat. A total of 9500m2 of Remmers’ Resin Flooring was installed and, to complement the floors, 3500m (2.1 miles) of Remmers’ Epoxy Cove Skirting was also installed.

 www.remmers.co.uk

 sales@remmers.co.uk

 01293 594010

ROCKFON brings unrivalled experience to Skibbereen ROCKFON ceiling solutions were chosen for Skibbereen Community School, County Cork, because they either met or exceeded the acoustic requirements specified by the Department of Education. Fire safety was an important factor and ROCKFON products provide Class A1 fire resistance. Education buildings need to provide functional and pleasant spaces.

Major contributors to this are light and sound. ROCKFON Artic satisfies these requirements which is why it was installed in classrooms, offices and circulation spaces. ROCKFON Tropic D concealed edge ceiling tiles were specifically chosen for the special needs unit. Acoustics are an integral part of the design for these areas. ROCKFON Tropic provides Class A sound absorption which helps create a learning environment that offers optimum speech intelligibility.

 www.rockfon.co.uk

 info@rockfon.co.uk

 0800 389 0314

Polyflor flooring adds urban edge to BMet High-design concrete effect safety flooring from Polyflor was recently used at BMet college in Birmingham to create a fresh look for its reception area, common room and canteen. Safety flooring from the Polysafe Arena PUR collection was installed at the further and higher education college’s Matthew Boulton Campus. The Polysafe Arena range replicates on-trend stone, textile and abstract designs. Suitable for busy commercial environments where there is a high level of footfall, Polysafe Arena PUR design-led safety flooring incorporates clear aluminium oxide safety particles through the performance layer of the vinyl which are virtually invisible to the naked eye, ensuring an attractive yet safe floor finish.

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

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

SWIMMING POOL DESIGN – HOW TO GET THE BALANCE RIGHT

Public swimming pools are often busy, noisy places. The sounds of children playing, music for aqua aerobics, instructors calling to learners in the pool and public address announcements bounce around the room and spread across the surface of the water producing an environment with intense sound and poor speech intelligibility. sound I nstalling absorbing materials can help reduce and manage noise levels. But there are a few other factors to be aware of when selecting sound absorbers for what is a very challenging interior.

A pool interior is typically created with hard materials: ceramic tiles, glass and concrete. These surfaces are ideal for wet and chlorinated conditions, but they offer no sound absorption which results in sound waves being reflected off the hard surfaces back into the humid air. High humidity acts as an amplifier because it makes it easier for sound to travel. Heradesign wall and ceiling panels offer the highest level of sound absorption – Class A. Heradesign controls the ambient sound level and reduces reverberation, creating a comfortable environment.

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Very high humidity conditions combined with warm temperatures, particularly in thermal pools, can weaken the structure of some sound absorbent materials. Any materials used in a wet environment must be able to withstand fluctuations in air humidity and temperature.

Heradesign is 90% humidity resistant. This high resistance ensures the acoustic panels are long-lasting. For additional protection from mould and bacteria, Heradesign is manufactured with a specialist resistant coating.

The aesthetics of the interior are also important. Sound absorbent materials can offer a visual contrast to the many hard surfaces in the pool hall.

Heradesign is manufactured from sustainable wood-wool which gives it its organic, textured surface. Heradesign also offers

design flexibility as it can be ordered in any colour and fitted as wall absorbers, ceilings, baffles or rafts, enabling architects to realise even the most ambitious and creative ideas.

4a Architekten gives ceiling design a high priority. This

Heradesign controls ambient sound creating a comfortable environment

is evident in the new Vienna Thermal Spa in Austria which makes a feature of the ceiling using different coloured Heradesign panels to mimic the characteristics of moving water.

A spokesperson for 4a Architekten commented: “Heradesign really came into its own for this project. We not only achieved the required acoustic values, but also the fire protection characteristics and resistance to high humidity was also met. What was especially important was the flexibility of design made possible with the colour options.” 

 www.knaufamf.com  info@knaufamf.co.uk  0191 518 8600

Image © Cathrin Stukhard /Therme Wien

Different coloured Heradesign panels mimic the characteristics of moving water

Kalwall creates healthy shelter Around eight million people a year are expected to be sheltering under Kalwall at the beautifully-designed new bus station at West Croydon.

Designed by Transport for London Architects, this is an unusual example of how translucent Kalwall can offer many advantages above its normal use for translucent traditional building cladding and rooflighting.

The brief for this project was to create a user-friendly waiting and assembly shelter to service the thousands of passengers using this busy transport hub linking the 150 buses an hour with the adjacent tram

Acoustic panels aid history A significant new building project has recently been completed at one of the National Trust's most popular properties in Hampshire – Mottisfont Abbey.

Designed by Burd Haward Architects, the new welcome buildings are arranged around a central courtyard, raised above ground level to avoid risk of flooding and impact on the existing flood plain. Their form and materials, including extensive

use of internal acoustic panels, make reference to agricultural structures typically found on the edge of a large estate. The prefabricated engineered timber structure is clearly expressed internally, with bold and reductive detailing which allows the

Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

stop and West Croydon railway station.

The normal choice of construction for a translucent and weatherproof canopy would be to glaze the roof with glass. However in-house Architect, Martin Eriksson, and the TfL project team realised that Kalwall offered a better solution in this location which would not only solve the brief and contribute to a better design, but would offer many other benefits over traditional glazing.

For example, since Kalwall is much lighter than glass, it meant that the supporting structure needed to be less strong and far less chunky. In addition, not only would the shelter be shorter in height but the vertical supports would be less obstructive and open up a better view of the environment.

Also, due to the way it diffuses natural daylight downwards and at night reduces vertical illumination and reflection upwards, it controls light pollution on the surrounding high-rise buildings. Soil and detritus are less obvious on Kalwall than on glass and maintenance and cleaning is much simpler because access scaffolding is not required and maintenance staff can safely walk across its surface.

 www.structura-uk.com/kalwall  kalwall@structura.co.uk  01233 501504

buildings to be understood as contemporary interpretations of these familiar forms.

Externally, the shop is clad in weathering steel – the WCs in timber boarding – while the entrance area is glazed with deep timber fins to allow views through to the river and gardens beyond. In this very busy reception, the deep reveal theme is continued across the ceiling, with Troldtekt acoustic tiles cut to fit vertically between the ceiling joists. This helps to dissipate the sounds and echoes from visitors in an otherwise potentially noisy area.

Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of the 100% Troldtekt natural wood wool panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low-cost lifecycle performance and sustainability documented

by Cradle to Cradle certification at ‘Silver’ level.

The panels, used mainly on ceilings or walls, are specified to improve acoustics in many different projects, such as schools, leisure centres, pools, commercial and public buildings. Available in various sizes and in three grades – from extreme fine to coarse – they can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.

 www.troldtekt.co.uk  info@troldtekt.co.uk  01978 664255

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings Focus

KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING INTRODUCES KALEIDOSCOPE FLOORSTYLE

A user-friendly interactive specification tool, karndean.com/ kaleidoscopefloorstyle features all six geometric Kaleidoscope designs

A UK market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is introducing its sophisticated Kaleidoscope Floorstyle tool for architects, interior designers and flooring contractors looking to create a bespoke floor design.

A

user-friendly interactive specification tool, karndean.com/ kaleidoscopefloorstyle features all six geometric Kaleidoscope designs – Apex, Cubix, Pyramid, Tripoint, Pennon and Hexa – with over 100 colourways to choose from its established wood and stone designs.

Empowering architects and interior designers at the point of specification, users can select from various commercial spaces including office, restaurant and retail, and try out different laying patterns, angles and colourways to create their Kaleidoscope floor design.

“Kaleidoscope has taken the design community to the next level and enabled specifiers to create a unique floor design with shapes and patterns at the forefront,” explains Matthew Speck, Commercial Sales Director of Karndean Designflooring.

He continues: “Kaleidoscope Floorstyle allows the design community to take control and visualise their bespoke designs in an easy-to-use online tool.

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There’s no limit on the number of design combinations and, with 100 colourways to choose from, designers can push the boundaries to create a statement floor.”

Once Kaleidoscope designs have been created, users can save their favourite combinations and add free samples to their basket on karndean.com. There’s also a CAD service, allowing users to transfer designs to an external

CAD or 3D modelling program.

Kaleidoscope by Karndean Designflooring contains popular shapes and patterns, such as hexagons, chevrons and cubes, to name but a few, that can be cut in several colour combinations across Karndean’s established wood and stone designs.

Kaleidoscope also introduces block colourways, giving designers the ability to specify bright colours against wood and

stone for added visual interest in commercial spaces.

Kaleidoscope Floorstyle is available on desktop and tablet for free – karndean. com/kaleidoscopefloorstyle.

For more information, visit Karndean’s website. 

 www.karndean.com/ kaleidoscopefloorstyle  commercial@karndean.co.uk  01386 820104

Once Kaleidoscope designs have been created, users can save their favourite combinations and add free samples to their basket on karndean.com

HERADESIGN® acoustic solutions sound absorption, up to αW 1.00 (class A to EN ISO 11654)

 Excellent

 Impact

resistant (class 1A acc. EN 13964 Annex D)

 Customised

colour options (RAL, NCS, BS or StoColor)

Knauf AMF Ceilings Ltd. 1 Swan Road, South West Industrial Estate, Peterlee, Co. Durham, SR8 2HS Phone.: +44 191 51 88 600, Fax: +44 191 58 60 097 info@knaufamf.co.uk, www.knaufamf.com

 PEFC

and FSC certification available

 Class

0 building classification as standard (EN 13501-1 B-s1, d0)

5

different face patterns

 Different

thickness and edge details to suit various applications

ACCREDITED MEMBER

Focus & Innovation

High capacity surface water channels efficiently drain aircraft hardstanding Cork International is one of the Irish Republic's big three airports. It ranks between Dublin and Shannon in terms of passenger throughput, handling about three million passengers per year. Boasting modern infrastructure and onsite amenities, the airport offers sophisticated facilities for the traveller. The Government of Ireland owns the airport and it is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

Beginning in June 2003, a €144.3m investment in new 28,300m² facilities at Cork International Airport was completed in August 2006. The development included a new terminal and hardstanding for parked aircraft. The hardstanding area was drained by three sizes of Hauraton RECYFIX HICAP high capacity channels – 150, 200 and 300.

All the sizes had fixed ductile iron 28mm open slot inlets that comply with loading category Class F900.

Having supplied high capacity surface water drainage channels for aircraft hardstanding areas at both Gatwick and Heathrow, Hauraton was confident its RECYFIX HICAP channels would comply with the stringent specification asked for by the Cork Airport design engineers.

With aircraft tow trucks alone weighing 80 tonnes, manoeuvring aircraft imposes an enormous burden on any surface drainage system. Not only must the area be efficiently

drained, the installed system must also withstand the twisting forces exerted by turning an aircraft and numerous service trucks.

During the construction stage, just over 300m of RECYFIX HICAP were installed in the airport’s taxiways and hardstanding areas adjacent to the terminal building.

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

New push button offerings from STI

Long Rake supplies Seabrooke Rise Long Rake Spar was pleased to be involved in the 1339m² permeable paving project installed by SureSet at the Seabrooke Rise development in Thurrock. Long Rake Spar, a UK-leading supplier of decorative aggregates, was the natural choice for the supply of dried aggregate granules which were used extensively in the permeable resin bound surface, across the various communal areas throughout the site. Permeable paving contractor, SureSet, carried out the work using unique mixes of Long Rake’s products across the development.

Areas in excess of 1300m2 were covered, including patio areas, footpaths, steps, tree pits and a communal courtyard.

 www.longrakespar.co.uk  grantex@longrakespar.co.uk  01629 636210

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The indoor and outdoor push buttons within the StopperSwitch series from Safety Technology International have undergone some exciting new changes. The aesthetically-appealing, low/ high voltage push buttons can fit any standard UK-type switch socket box and are quick and easy to install. There are three types available: key-to-reset, momentary and pneumatic.

Indoor models are supplied as a dual mount, designed to fit either flush or surface on-site installations. Outdoor models are supplied with a weatherproof back box. Further options have been introduced which now include a ‘Standard Function Marking’ label sheet with 12 prevalent operating labels for a variety of uses, ready for self-assembly.

 www.sti-emea.com

 sales@sti-emea.com

 01527 520999

Visionary glass-to-edge windows from ES Finestra

ES Finestra’s Zeroframe window perfectly captures light and space, with a thin 44m of special coating printed directly onto the surface of the glass, cleverly hiding the sash and frame. This allows for a flush aesthetic when viewed from the outside, with the building hiding the frame – just a pane of glass exists. The sleek, clean lines of the frame blend into the uninterrupted expanse of glass, providing exceptional passage of light into an interior space. Stylish glass meets a neat chrome handle with a concealed locking mechanism within, proudly sitting on the serigraphy of any standard RAL colour you choose. Futureproof with Italian design excellence for evolving interiors, Zeroframe doesn’t compromise.

 www.bluebellarchitecturalproducts.co.uk  info@bluebellproducts.co.uk  01371 873334

Dudley's intelligent urinal flushing control, Kinetic, offers accurate water savings Thomas Dudley's new Kinetic is an intelligent, water-saving, all-in-one electronic urinal control, designed to reduce water consumption in any washroom installation.

Recently launched, Dudley’s stylish and innovative product guarantees accurate water savings through simple digital

precision set-up, without the constant requirement of refilling and emptying the cistern.

Focus & Innovation

The contemporary urinal flushing valve saves up to 80% of water in comparison with traditional petcock and automatic cistern installations and provides a choice to be installed onto pipework, walls or ceilings.

It can be powered by mains or battery and is suitable for water pressures of 0.1 – 10 bar. Kinetic has two flushing modes (12hour hygiene and 24-hour economy) and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The product is available in both glossy white and grey finishes which are suitable for any washroom environment.

The UK-based manufacturer’s extensive portfolio of water-saving products under the Dudley brand also includes Vantage and Miniflo concealed cisterns that offer 6/4, 5/3 or 4/2.6 litre dualflush to maximise water efficiency. Both products are approved by WRAS and the European Water Label Scheme and are ideal for domestic bathrooms and commercial washrooms.

The market-leading Dudley range of bathroom products is officially BIM compliant and are the products of choice for specifiers. For more information on Kinetic or Thomas Dudley, please visit the company’s website.

 www.dudleybathroomproducts.co.uk  sales@thomasdudley.co.uk  0121 530 7000

FDS Consult appoints former Hoare Lea Associate Engineer FDS Consult has appointed Steven Morgan to head up its growing London-based team, overseeing a rising number of projects in the capital. Steven joins the company as Associate Director, from international engineering specialist Hoare Lea, and has over 25 years’ experience in the industry. Throughout his career, as both a Fire Engineer and Chartered Building Control Surveyor, Steven has provided fire safety advice to designers, contractors and building operators across all sectors including large residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. His new role at FDS Consult will involve overseeing the growing consultant team in London, offering closeat-hand expertise and advice for the company’s capital-based clients.

 www.firedesignsolutions.com  info@firedesignsolutions.com  01322 387411

First incline lift on London Underground protected

by Avire light curtains Avire is safeguarding the first incline lift ever installed on the London Underground (LU) network. The former escalator at Greenford Tube station has been replaced with an incline lift equipped with Memco Panachrome door detectors. The detectors flash red and green to give passengers an indication of when it is safe to enter and leave. “We used the Panachrome for two reasons,” explained Jon Spragg, Lift Discipline Engineer at LU. “You’ve got the visual display as the lift doors open and close, which is great for meeting the Equality Act and keeping customers safe. But it’s also a good deterrent at keeping people out of the path of the doors, reducing faults.”

 www.avire-global.com

 pr@avire-global.com

 01628 540100

Portakabin Group joins Southern Modular Framework The Portakabin Group has been appointed to the Southern Modular Building Framework – a new framework which has been launched to facilitate the procurement of modular buildings for public sector projects across London, the South East and South West. This initiative aims to minimise procurement time and generate costsavings by reducing costly and resourceintensive competitive tendering. The appointment of Portakabin is for projects in excess of £100,000 through to multimillion pound schemes, requiring a design life of more than 60 years. The accreditation follows a rigorous assessment of Yorkon off-site solutions and services from the Portakabin Group, as well as performance for on time and on budget delivery, customer service, quality management procedures and regulatory compliance.

 www.yorkon.co.uk  info@yorkon.co.uk  0845 2000 123

57

Focus & Innovation

Bradite's Fastrac offers perfect ferrous protection Perfect protection and decoration for ferrous metals is now available from Bradite’s Fastrac single-pack, direct-to-metal coating.

Fastrac is available as a gloss or satin finish in eight ready-mixed colours – gold, silver, black, white, red, blue, green and yellow.

A modified silicon and polyurethane alkyd product, it features rust-inhibiting pigmentation, better opacity and longevity. This tough, flexible coating offers better protection and heat resistance up to 120ºC, alongside good resistance to mild chemicals, oils, hydrocarbons and sunlight. It is an easy-to-apply coating for a wide range of uses, including fencing, gates and other ironmongery and as a refinish for agricultural, construction and earthmoving equipment – where Fastrac’s inherent high flexibility is a considerable bonus.

 www.bradite.com

 james@bradite.com

 01248 600315

Setcrete launches new BULLDOG adhesive sealant Setcrete has launched BULLDOG, a brand-new professional grade construction adhesive sealant that the company is confident will become an essential ‘must-have’ component of every builder’s tool bag.

BULLDOG is Setcrete’s latest product innovation and was designed to provide builders and contractors with an all-round, moisture-curing adhesive and sealant that can be used in a variety of both internal and external environments. Once cured, the fast-drying adhesive sealant produces an extremely high strength, durable bond from as little as 60 minutes. Due to its non-shrink and flexible properties, BULLDOG can be used for gap-filling and is suitable for bonding most absorbent and non-absorbent building materials.

 www.setcrete.co.uk

lisa.shirley@f-ball.co.uk 

Frontier Pitts BIM objects now available As a UK-leading manufacturer of perimeter security and HVM (hostile vehicle mitigation) equipment, Frontier Pitts is offering BIM models for a selection of products available for free download from its website. With over 10 sample products, many available in different configurations, the company has created a comprehensive range of standard 3D BIM objects for security gates, barriers, blockers and turnstiles as well as HVM gates, blockers, bollards and turnstiles. All have been authored and certified by RIBA experts to the trusted NBS BIM Object Standard. Frontier Pitts’ BIM objects work closely with NBS Plus specifications, allowing architects, designers and consultants to easily specify Frontier Pitts’ equipment.

 01538 361633

 www.frontierpitts.com  sales@frontierpitts.com  01293 422800

SolidGear and ToeGuard's new safety footwear catalogue South Tyneside Council gets streetwise with Thorn Lighting Thorn Lighting has supplied over 5000 LED R2L2 lanterns as part of a retrofit project by South Tyneside Council (STC) that will replace street lighting on major infrastructures and residential highways in the area. The project has already shown impressive payback figures, with energy-saving calculations of over £200,000 per annum. Thorn supplied its R2L2 lantern incorporating the very latest LED technology to replace the old SON street lighting lanterns, whilst utilising the existing columns. Thorn’s R2L2 lantern was the perfect choice as the fitting comes in three sizes and has extensive optical, lumen and light distribution choices for all road applications up to ME1.

 www.thornlighting.co.uk  enduser@zumtobelgroup.com  01388 420042

58

The 2017 product and price catalogue has full details of the complete range of Hultafors UK’s stylish safety shoes, boots and trainers from the company’s own SolidGear and ToeGuard brands. With four very different types of products – TUFF, ATHLETIC, TREKKING and OCCUPATIONAL – there’s a product to suit almost every footwear need on site. There’s also other information on all the important product features – comfort and safety, fabrics and linings, BOA system technology, caps and plates, water repellency, oil and even heat-resistance – to get you working and walking safely, effectively and in comfort wherever you are on site, and whatever trade you’re in.

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

GEZE's smart solution for building management Imagine being able to manage your premises at the touch of a button. The popularity of smart building solutions is turning that into a reality and GEZE is introducing an interface module that will draw its door and window technology into that network. The IO 420 connects into the BACnet system – the standardised global data communication system which is independent of manufacturers and specific technologies – to manage light, heating, ventilation and alarm systems.

It provides a fast, standardised integration which works with GEZE window drives, automatic door systems, heat and smoke ventilation products and safety technology products, providing heat and smoke ventilation, secure escape routes and a pleasant, healthier indoor climate.

 www.geze.co.uk

 info.uk@geze.com

 01543 443000

TH 25

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L, O NT N S, NA WH E IO E FI S AM AT RIZ HE AM RN BR , P T TE TOU LE YS CH R CE AWA REA Y FO THE R TO VE TO T GI AYS E EN ANTS W IC R RE PR ENT MO ALF EW DH EN AN DUC O TR IN

ENTER THE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY’S 25TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Celebrating 25 years of offering golfers the chance to play golf regionally, make friends and build profitable relationships.

ENTER NOW FOR JUST £42 PER TEAM AND LOOK FORWARD TO GREAT GOLF IN 2017!

We take care of the matching and admin leaving you to enjoy playing golf in this famous six round knockout tournament. Share green fees and compete for a place in the Grand Final at Hanbury Manor’s acclaimed England championship course. Finalists also enjoy free golf, gala dinner and overnight stay.

The tournament starts March 2017. Call 01892 752300 visit www.thegolfclassic.co.uk email info@thegolfclassic.co.uk or fill in and return the entry form with your £42 entry per two ball team. Entrance closes 13th February 2017.

MEDIA PARTNERS

✁

SIMPLY COMPLETE THIS FORM AND SEND IT WITH YOUR CHEQUE FOR JUST £42 PER TEAM MADE PAYABLE TO ‘THE GOLF CLASSIC’ TO: THE GOLF CLASSIC, FREEPOST SEA12502, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT TN3 9BR. ENTER AND PAY ONLINE AT www.thegolfclassic.co.uk EMAIL info@thegolfclassic.co.uk OR CALL 01892 752300 FOR DETAILS AND TO ENTER PLAYER 1

PLAYER 2

Name

Name

Company Name

Company Name

Address

Address Postcode

Postcode

Contact Telephone Number

Contact Telephone Number

Email Address

Email Address

Name and Address of Golf Club

Name and Address of Golf Club

Golf Club Postcode FC&A1

Player 1 Handicap

Golf Club Postcode For full conditions and rules of play visit www.thegolfclassic.co.uk

Player 2 Handicap

LEVATO MONO porcelain paver system The Levato Mono porcelain paver system is the pinnacle of external raised flooring technology; enabling the specification of lightweight, slip resistant and attractive raised flooring solutions, combining incredible technical properties with uncompromising aesthetics; making them the ideal choice for commercial and domestic use alike.

20mm porcelain pavers 40x80 45x90 60x60 75x75 30x120 40x120 60x120 ‘Floating floor’ – installation over single ply membranes Eternal product - zero maintenance required – offering massive over-life savings

Highly abrasion and stain resistant Highly slip resistant ; R11 and achieved up to +65 wet in the BS pendulum test Lightweight – 45kgs per m2 High load bearing and impact resistance Timber & stone effects; 40+ finishes available

www.thedecktileco.co.uk t: 0845 2700 696

e: info@thedecktileco.co.uk

Completely non porous Ideal for balconies, roof terraces and piazzas, for both commercial and residential use Fire & frost proof Height-adjustable supports from 9mm up to 550mm