PSBJ May 2020

Public Sector Build Journal May 2020

Healthcare

Education

Leisure

psbjmagazine.com

Issue 93

SLEEK NEW HOME FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL STUDENTS Aesthetic and cost-saving requirements met thanks to an innovative facade system

Housing

Where does the future of social housing lie amidst the COVID-19 pandemic?

The principal designer: providing clarity on the ambiguous role

Top tips from industry experts on making schools safer places to be

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WELCOME NOTE

Editor

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Jim Moore

jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Glenn Dixon

glenn@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Digital Design Manager

Shackerley’s innovative facade system met the spec for Langtry Langton Architects for the construction of a new three-storey building at Ilkley Grammar School.

See page 08.

Matt Morse

matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Production Assistant Philip Coyle

philip@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Accounts

Jackie Dearman

jackie@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Sales Support & Administrator

Klare Porter

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Publisher Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Published by

Cross Platform Media Ltd.

Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5BZ

Welcome to the May issue of PSBJ...

In an ordinary world, we would be discussing the upcoming school summer holidays or the May half term; however, we are currently not living in ‘ordinary’ times, and we have all had to adapt to a new way of life following the Coronavirus outbreak, and children are certainly not exempt. Aside from “vulnerable pupils” and the children of key workers, the UK’s youngsters have been home-schooling for little over a month now, and while there have been mixed reports surrounding schools’ reopening dates, we’re set for at least another month of ‘learning from home’. With an extended break from schools’ usual holiday calendars, this happening needn’t be enshrouded in pessimism and does allow for a comprehensive reflection on our schools’ current stock, suitability and, in some cases, a dire need for modernisation.

In this month’s issue, we have talked to a handful of professionals regarding school sites and premises. And, while there may be confusion surrounding ongoing construction labour and the ‘lockdown’ of late, the recent green light of HS2 (despite the Government’s measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19) is undoubtedly a boost of positivity for the future of public sector construction companies and workers. So, while now may be a somewhat difficult time to start hiring contractors to undertake school building works, it’s certainly an opportune time to assess property and start mapping out any much-needed improvements.

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

To kick our school focus off, on page 16, we have talked to long-established wrought-iron components specialist F.H. Brundle. In this article, the expert looks at schools’ duties to keep their students safe and lists effective means of security and protection to do so.

Meanwhile, on pages 08-11, facade system manufacturer Shackerley talks us through its involvement in the new look of Ilkley Grammar School in Bradford.

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

Rebecca

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

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CONTENTS

06 News

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

08 Upfront

Following Bradford Council’s investment in extending and enhancing the facilities at Ilkley Grammar School, Langtry Langton Architects specified Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite ventilated facade system for a new three-storey building.

12 Housing

Nick Worman, Senior Associate and Head of Social Housing at national property consultancy Bruton Knowles, shares his thoughts on the key areas that are most likely to impact the social housing sector in the year ahead.

14 Public health

Amid the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, Jamie Johnson, CEO of FJP Investment, talks to PSBJ about the virus’ impact on the construction industry.

16 Paints & Coatings

Schools aren’t just about education. They’ve also got a duty to keep students safe. In this article, long-established company F.H. Brundle gives its top tips on making schools safer places to be.

BRUNDLE

08 18 Education

Stephen Bottom, Director at AHR’s Building Consultancy team, discusses the ongoing confusion surrounding the principal designer role and what duties clients need to undertake to ensure the regulations are adhered to.

20 Legal & Business

Jon Roberts, Partner at law firm Nelsons, discusses the different categories a breach of contract can fall into and what the remedies are.

22 Talking Point

As the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Council and Managed by Denbighshire Leisure, enters its fourth year, Jamie Groves, Managing Director at Denbighshire Leisure, reflects on its success.

24 Fire Safety

Austin Stone, Technical Director at Profab Access, explores the importance of specifying riser doors that have been bidirectionally fire tested.

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CONTENTS

20

30 26 HVAC

In this article, Franz Huelle, Head of Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, explores the popularity and potential of smart heating control solutions.

30 Technical Focus

Ed Swift, National Sales Manager – Public Sector for Polypipe Building Services, talks about solutions for drainage stack replacement in public sector buildings.

12 34 Product Showcase

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

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SETTING THE STANDARD FOR SCAFFOLDING SETTING THE STANDARD FORinSCAFFOLDING The NASC is the national trade body for access and scaffolding the UK and has been setting the industry benchmark for nearly 80 years. Our full contracting members are among the best The NASC is the national trade body for access and scaffolding in the UK and has been setting in the business, accounting for the vast majority of the UK’s scaffolding spend – with a total the industry benchmark for nearly 80 years. Our full contracting members are among the best annual turnover in excess of £2 billion – and are independently audited every year. in the business, accounting for the vast majority of the UK’s scaffolding spend – with a total annual turnover in excess of £2 billion – and are independently audited every year.

For demonstrably safe, skilled and compliant contractors it has to be NASC. For demonstrably safe, skilled and compliant contractors it has to be NASC.

www.nasc.org.uk www.nasc.org.uk

05

NEWS

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

Foster + Partners shares the prototype design for a reusable face visor To aid the fight against COVID-19, Foster + Partners has designed a general-purpose prototype face visor, suitable for cleaning and reuse. It is specifically aimed at fast mass production.

Foster + Partners is sharing the design templates and material specifications as an open-source design asset. This is to encourage both designers and, in particular, large-scale manufacturers to investigate the potential of digital and laser-cutting machines as an alternative to 3D printing technology.

The prototype visor, designed by a team of industrial designers, model makers, architects and analysts, is made from three components: a visor made from 0.5mm optically clear PETG, an interlocking soft

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PP headband and a surgical silicone rubber head strap that ties the two together. These are all cut on the practice’s digital flatbed cutter. Each visor can be cut from sheets in under 30 seconds, and the elements can be assembled in under a minute. With the firm’s single cutting machine, Foster + Partners was able to cut and assemble components for 1000 visor masks in a day, representing a reduction of days in the time taken to produce 3D-printed alternatives.

The visors can be produced and assembled or flat-packed and distributed in

large quantities in a short span of time. An important advantage is that the visor can be easily disassembled, cleaned, sanitised and reused, addressing the growing shortage of raw materials for visor production. Foster + Partners is now delivering these prototype visors to a number of London hospitals where they are being tested. The firm is also exploring means of getting the design approved for mass production and use by health workers. 

www.fosterandpartners.com

NEWS

Image © Aaron Hargreaves/Foster + Partners

Sir Robert McAlpine helps construct Jersey Nightingale Hospital Sir Robert McAlpine is helping to deliver a temporary Nightingale Hospital as part of Jersey’s response to COVID-19. The Jersey Nightingale Hospital will create an additional 180 beds for coronavirus patients, who will be provided with acute, enhanced and ongoing levels of medical care, including oxygen provision but not invasive ventilation. Sir Robert McAlpine is working on the project alongside its J3 joint venture partners Garenne and FES. The hospital is under construction on Millbrook Playing Field and will be operational in the first week of May, less than a month after the decision was taken to build it. The Jersey Nightingale Hospital will provide the extra in-patient care capacity expected to be required on the island as the number of islanders needing medical support in hospital increases. Sir Robert McAlpine brings to the project its experience working on the NHS Nightingale Hospital North West in Manchester, while the company’s J3 partner FES worked on the Glasgow SEC Nightingale Hospital.

Gleeds works against the clock to deliver 1000 beds for North Wales Image © Foster + Partners

SMALL VISOR

100mm Visor: 0.5mm PETG or equivalent Headband: 0.75mm Polypropylene (PP) or equivalent Strap: 1mm Silicone

HEADBAND

LARGE VISOR

SILICONE STRAP

Gleeds has been appointed by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to manage the delivery of more than 1000 new hospital beds for patients battling the novel coronavirus across Wales. Following the completion of emergency works to prepare Wrexham Maelor Hospital for an influx of confirmed cases, Gleeds was further appointed by the board to provide project and cost management services for three new ‘rainbow’ hospitals in North Wales, so named after the symbol which is being widely used to support the NHS. Now nearing completion, the facilities at Ysbyty Enfys Glannau Dyfrdwy (Rainbow Hospital Deeside), Ysbyty Enfys Llandudno (Rainbow Hospital Llandudno) and Ysbyty Enfys Bangor (Rainbow Hospital Bangor) will open their doors this month. In addition to supporting the board’s reaction to the pandemic, Gleeds is also appointed as project and cost manager for a further two of its ongoing capital projects.

This design for a flat pack laser cut visor (the Design) is created and owned by Foster + Partners Limited and is licensed for non-commercial use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International Public License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode#s2b) (“the CCL Terms”).

As set out in Section 5 of the CCL Terms, no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the Design are given.

By downloading and or using the Design files, you: · accept and agree to the CCL Terms. · acknowledge that: · this Design has been created by Foster + Partners in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic; · Foster + Partners has no prior expertise in the design and manufacture of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and therefore this Design has neither been made by reference to any specific regulations nor subject to any formal testing regime; · that any user of the Design shall assume all responsibility for developing the design in conformity with regulatory and testing requirements of any markets it intends to make the visor available in.

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UPFRONT

SHACKERLEY PROVIDES TOP-CLASS CLADDING SYSTEM FOR ILKLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL A high school for students aged 11 to 18 with high academic standards, Ilkley Grammar School in Bradford is part of the Moorlands Learning Trust multi-academy trust. Set in beautiful surroundings on the edge of Ilkley Moor, the school can trace its history back to the 1600s. It has a traditional 19th-century main building, along with a host of enviable facilities, including tennis courts, a fully-equipped drama studio and an indoor swimming pool.

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UPFRONT complement this T oexisting estate, the school has put in place a threeyear Academy Development Plan, which sets out its goals. To help the school deliver those goals, Bradford Council has invested in extending capacity and enhancing facilities still further with the construction of a new teaching block on the campus.

Designed by Langtry Langton Architects, this threestorey building comprises 15 new English and humanities classrooms, a new dining hall, offices and toilet facilities. Part of the design brief was that the new building should be sympathetic to the local built environment in Ilkley, which is characterised by dark grey slate and creamcoloured Yorkshire sandstone.

Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite ventilated facade system in a natural creamy-beige honed LOPAR colourway enabled the architectural team to deliver the design intent of a natural

aesthetic in-keeping with the local built environment while offering reduced structural loadings, cost advantages and long-term maintenance benefits as compared to natural sandstone.

SureClad Ceramic Granite The new stand-alone teaching block is part of a wider build programme at Ilkley Grammar School, which has also involved internal remodelling of the existing school building to create a new layout enabling clusters of classrooms by academic subject.

Tony Hubbard from Langtry Langton Architects explains: “The challenge for the project was to deliver the range, scale and layout of facilities required to increase the school’s student intake, while providing a new building that is both practical and appropriate for the campus in terms of materials, height and style. 

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UPFRONT

“Using local stone would have been the obvious choice for the facade, however, this not only had implications for the cost of the stone but also for the cost of the wider build because of the structural loading, lead times and build times involved. We had never used Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite facade system before. Still, it offered us an excellent match for the aesthetic we were trying to achieve along with significant cost savings on the building structure along with buildability benefits.”

Low-maintenance facade Shackerley’s creamy-beige LOPAR SureClad Ceramic Granite panels also offered a naturallooking alternative with a stonelike variation.

Brian G Newell, CEO and Founder of Shackerley, comments: “We are finding that SureClad Ceramic Granite in LOPAR is one of our most popular finishes because it provides a low-maintenance, lightweight and technically superior alternative to sandstone while giving the facade a natural appearance.”

Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite also offers a low-maintenance solution that maintains its high-quality appearance over time – even when specified in pale colourways – thanks to the impervious nature of the material. Resistant to discolouration due to U/V or pollution, Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite will not be damaged by the effects of freezethaw conditions and is resistant to both graffiti and algae growth.

It is also certified as an A1 noncombustible material to BS EN 13501-1.

Tony continues: “This project is a major investment for the council, so we wanted to ensure that the building looks just as good years down the line as it did on the day we handed it over. The choice of cladding materials is essential in this regard, and we were impressed by the longevity of the system in terms of performance, aesthetics and fire safety.”

To create contrast with the pale-coloured LOPAR SureClad Ceramic Granite panels, the Langtry Langton Architects team also specified the Shackerley SureClad system in Rio Black.

This colourway has been used to create horizontal details at the top and bottom of each elevation and for the window reveals and soffits.

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Tony continues: “The Shackerley team was very helpful and provided fully-mounted samples to aid our product selection process.

Being able to specify both facade materials from the same supplier and inspect the samples, which had been pre-mounted using the Shackerley Hang On system made specification much easier.”

Ease of installation The cladding installation was carried out by Specialist Cladding Systems (SCS) – part of CA Group – which has previously used the same SureClad Ceramic Granite system on previous projects in the residential, leisure and hotel sectors.

Kevin Baynes, Project Manager at SCS, comments: “The lightweight SureClad panels are not only ideal for a lighter structure but are also much easier to handle on site. For this project, we used the SureClad Hang On system, which was very easy to work with and helped us complete the installation of the facade within the businesscritical deadline required by the school to enable the increased student in-take.”

Shackerley worked closely with SCS to ensure that the production schedule for manufacture of the SureClad Ceramic Granite panels was used for the Ilkley Grammar School project. The SureClad system was pre-fabricated as installation-ready panels at Shackerley’s ISO 9001-accredited factory in Lancashire, and each fully-traceable consignment was sent to site on a just-in-time basis, aligned to the installation schedule.

Kevin continues: “Shackerley made it easy to identify each panel on the installation schedule. We found the company very easy to work with, which helped the project run smoothly.”

A modern twist on tradition The new teaching block at Ilkley Grammar School has now been completed, in time for the new school term. The project is a contemporary addition to the school’s new building but continues a tradition of quality and educational achievement that dates back 400 years. 

www.shackerley.com

UPFRONT

ELEVATION – EXTERNAL STONE PANELS AND SUPPORT RAILS AND CAVITY BARRIERS

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HOUSING

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL HOUSING Nick Worman, Senior Associate and Head of Social Housing at national property consultancy Bruton Knowles – which specialises in multiple property sectors including social housing – shares his thoughts on the key areas that are most likely to impact the sector in the year ahead.

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piece was originally T his intended to be an insight

A promise to increase available funding

into my thoughts on how we can address issues of social housing, reviewing what was announced in the Spring Budget on 11th March and what this could mean for the future of the sector.

The arrival of COVID-19 has already and will continue to cause huge disruption to planned social housing projects and intended funding outlined within the recent Budget announcement.

In the immediate term, little can be done. But post-COVID-19, it is likely there will be a different environment and new priorities.

Although the plans presented in the Spring Budget are likely to change, let’s take a look at what was proposed including the promises of a multi-year settlement of £12bn earmarked to extend the Affordable Homes Programme and £1.1bn allocated for the Housing Infrastructure Fund to build nearly 70,000 new homes.

The big news for housing within the Budget referenced the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), a competitive £5.5bn fund awarded to areas with the greatest need to support new infrastructure projects. Promised back in 2016, £3bn has already been allocated to deliver muchneeded housing.

In the Spring Budget, the Government suggested they would unlock a further £1.1bn from this funding to build nearly 70,000 homes in high-demand areas such as London and the South East.

Another key announcement in the Budget covered funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, with a promise of an additional £9.5bn, creating a new £12.2bn programme from 2021/22. It was encouraging that the issue had been recognised and a solution identified, with a

commitment to funding homes for social rent, for homeless families and also helping people into homeownership.

Other measures presented in the Budget included reduced interest rates on lending for social housing, by one percentage point, and a new £400m fund for mayors to build on brownfield sites.

Whether all of these initiatives will still go ahead as planned remains to be seen. The Office for Budget Responsibility is already forecasting a very significant fall in GDP in the short-term and the potential for a massive rise in unemployment levels. However, the likely impact on housing needs means that, in my view, the housing sector is likely to remain an obvious target for short-term fiscal intervention as the Government fights to restore economic activity in the postpandemic era.

Nick Worman is Senior Associate and Head of Social Housing at national property consultancy Bruton Knowles

A broken cross-subsidy model In recent years, many housing associations have relied heavily on private sales to fund new social housing developments. But a weaker housing market, particularly in the South East, and the impact of Brexit, has recently resulted in disappointing house sales. It is increasingly recognised that one of the issues housing faces is a broken cross-subsidy model.

And the impact of COVID-19 has only exacerbated this trend, with more and more construction sites being mothballed in the shortterm. The private sales market is currently at a standstill and activity is unlikely to resume in a meaningful way for some time.

HOUSING

buildings. But this new process has already encountered significant issues, including a lack of qualified surveyors able and willing to undertake such reviews.

And some landlords estimate it will take up to three years for all affected buildings to be properly surveyed. If nothing changes, large numbers of flat owners may be unable to sell their homes for an extended period.

Looking more widely, perhaps the building industry as a whole needs to embrace a more joined-up way of thinking about building safety. A similar theme is wellillustrated in the recently published report into the failure of the Toddbrook Dam in 2019, and which concludes that there is a clear gap between “compliance” and “safety” which should be closed.

The report concludes that the dam owner had never received any statutory safety notices, had carried out all relevant checks and inspections on the reservoir dam over the years and according to the legislation the dam was compliant in every way.

But yet, there was still a very major incident which could have become a major disaster.

No doubt the scale of the problem will become increasingly evident as we continue into 2020/21 and unearth more cases of unsafe housing, not just with social but also privately owned blocks.

Conclusion

Interestingly, last year, Terrie Alafat CBE, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), discussed research produced by a coalition of housing organisations which stated that £12.8bn a year needs to be invested for the next decade in order to fix the housing crisis.

According to The National Housing Federation, England alone needs 145,000 new social homes every year, including 90,000 at belowmarket rent.

Prioritising building safety Building safety, including structural integrity and fire safety, remains an increasingly important issue, in light of Grenfell Tower and a series of other fires in

modern apartment blocks in 2019 – many of which were owned by social housing providers – with examples across the country including Worcester Park in South West London, a Supported Living complex in Crewe and a student block in Bolton.

The issue was prioritised in the Budget, with a new Building Safety Fund worth £1bn promised, for the removal of all unsafe combustible cladding from private and social residential buildings taller than 18m.

It was an essential step forward but there are other related issues which will need to be considered post-COVID-19 – including fire safety in buildings under 18m high and the use

of other innovative materials in building construction such as timber, laminate or plastics which could still be dangerous.

Construction methods need to be reviewed holistically to gain an understanding of how individual components act together. There is a clear political imperative to provide safer housing, but it will take time to achieve.

These issues have increasingly impacted on the ability of flat owners to sell flats in high-rise blocks. As a result, the building industry – led by RICS – has introduced a new External Wall Fire Review process which is designed to provide clarification and confirmation about the safety of high-rise residential

The COVID-19 pandemic is already having very significant impacts on the UK economy.

This factor coupled with the massive increase in emergency Government funding commitments in recent weeks means that change in financial priorities is inevitable once we reach the other side of the pandemic. Any promises made in the Spring Budget are likely to be re-reviewed, with funding and planning revised. Until then, we remain in a state of uncertainty over the future of social housing.

This could be disheartening given the Government’s recent commitment to social housing as one of the key priorities on the political agenda. But my view is that one of the likely consequences of COVID-19 and the very considerable needs arising from it will be that social housing will have an even greater role to play in future UK housing policy. 

www.brutonknowles.co.uk

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PUBLIC HEALTH

COVID-19 AND THE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY COVID-19 is affecting the global economy in a way not witnessed since the 2008 economic recession. Market volatility is resulting in sudden movements across the major financial markets, as investors and traders alike react to the latest developments concerning the virus outbreak. As a result, COVID-19 is affecting the daily lives of those involved in almost every single industry, says Jamie Johnson, CEO of FJP Investment. is, sadly, not C onstruction impervious to this. The sector is concerned that their development projects are now in jeopardy as a result of potential labour shortages, building resource supply chains and parties being unable to honour their contractual arrangements due to factors entirely outside their control.

However, it is important to keep in mind both the resilience of the construction sector and the temporary nature of the current pandemic. Admittedly this public health crisis does come at a particularly frustrating time, given how 2020 was poised to be the year of the UK Government’s ‘housebuilding revolution’.

Thankfully, the financial

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allocations for new builds that were outlined in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first budget show us that the Government has not overlooked the needs of the wider property market.

Support is being provided In conjunction with the Government’s assurances, private membership organisations in the construction sector have been quick to offer assistance.

In a joint statement, both the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) and Build UK outlined what they are doing for their members to ensure minimal disruption to the industry – as well as their actions to certify that those who are eligible for UK Treasury tax relief are aware of it.

Much of their advice is simply imparting the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for organisations that continue to operate active worksites in the current public health climate.

These include the desired ratio between employees and hygiene facilities for minimum contagion opportunities, how to review safety-critical elements of your project, and the importance of splitting your team up so that any infection risk can be contained to a select few should an outbreak occur.

The main concern is for those for whom COVID-19 represents a ‘force majeure’ event concerning their contractual obligations. As the go-to clause for those requiring contractual relief,

one must demonstrate precisely how they are now unable to fulfil their duties, as well as how they had exhausted all precautions to avoid it.

For a virus that we know so little about, heeding these often-stringent requirements may pay a heavy toll on those already under pressure to adequately prepare for what this pandemic may bring.

This is why it is extremely positive to see that Build UK and CECA are providing clarity in such discussions by providing thorough information on force majeure and their relationship to COVID-19. By doing this, they are, in a sense, defining the legal nature of COVID-19 with regards to construction-related contractual obligations.

PUBLIC HEALTH

In addition to this, both bodies are also positioning themselves as the ‘go-between’ for firms needing Government assistance, whether it be for clarity on a public development project they have been commissioned for, or simply requesting the delaying of taxes for those whose cashflow has taken a hit.

The above examples demonstrate the general lobbying efforts that are being taken on behalf of the construction industry. The bigger questions are how can the Government truly show that it adequately values the construction industry and that it understands fully the present industry conditions that have been brought about as a result of the coronavirus?

Long-term challenges for Government As previously stated, 2020 was set to be a year for celebrated levels of public-private partnership to end the UK’s housing crisis. After numerous years observing the issue’s neglect and witnessing successive short-lived housing ministers – Boris Johnson’s ambitious commitments on the number of new builds and the scale of the financing offered were heartily welcomed by industry professionals.

How can the Government ensure the industry’s stability in the coming months?

Ultimately, by providing financial assurances for those whose livelihoods were tied to construction projects. Business relief measures have already been put into place for many, ranging from business mortgage ‘holidays’ to business tax rate relief. The Government should introduce targeted measures to support the construction industry and provide assurance that those who fail to fulfil their contractual obligations through no fault of their own shall still be financially compensated.

Construction, and the UK property market generally, have previously demonstrated remarkable resilience during times of global economic shock, and I am confident it will continue to do so. From Build UK and CECA setting an example for how industry bodies can provide support for those affected, I am confident in the long-term growth prospects of the industry. Unlike other financial crises, we can be entirely sure that COVID-19 shall pass and normality shall return; and when it does, I look forward to construction playing an integral part of solving the critical lack of homes this country still faces. 

www.fjpinvestment.co.uk

15

PAINTS & COATINGS

STUDENTS IN, INTRUDERS OUT – HOW TO KEEP A SCHOOL SITE SECURE

Schools aren’t just about education. They’ve also got a duty to keep students safe. Long-established F.H. Brundle, which stocks an extensive range of perimeter security fencing and lock products, gives its top tips on making schools safer places to be. come a long way from W e’ve the era where the most valuable thing in a school was a chalkboard and some sports kit.

Modern educational buildings have become multimedia hubs, full of millions of pounds of computers, tablets, projectors and other stateof-the-art equipment – and for burglars, that’s made them more attractive targets than ever.

But when it comes to security, schools have a lot more than just thieves to contend with. First and foremost, they’ve got a duty of care towards their students – and to protect them from anyone or anything that might do them harm.

And if that wasn’t challenging enough, they’ve got to achieve all of the above without making a school that looks like a fortress.

Bare brick walls and barbed wire don’t make for a particularly pleasant learning environment – and research suggests that clearly fortified buildings actually attract more criminal activity than those that aren’t.

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So how do you square that circle?

Perfecting your perimeter The first place to start, unsurprisingly, is with the school perimeter itself. It’s that more than anything else that’s going to keep staff, students and other building users safe. Conduct a comprehensive audit of the site’s perimeter security.

Many schools are old, and funding is limited – it’s possible that whatever walling and fencing was installed originally may have degraded, and now not be fit for purpose.

All school infrastructure has to take a lot of punishment – and if it’s had to withstand decades of teenagers kicking footballs against it, it’s likely that a fence may no longer be up to scratch.

Another useful exercise is to ask site users where they think problem areas might be – teachers, students, ground staff and others all use different areas around a school site, and all could provide valuable feedback.

If part of the site’s existing perimeter needs replacing, the next question is what you should replace it with. Solid barriers were once the norm, but in recent decades there’s been a move away from more forbidding boundaries to solutions that you can see through, and are more aesthetically pleasing.

Products like the Nylofor 3-M offer high levels of security, and are difficult for would-be intruders to scale, while remaining almost completely transparent – perfect for schools and other contexts where you want children to be secure, but also need the environment to still be open and welcoming.

What’s more, it’s been specifically designed to be both cost-effective and quick and easy to install – it can be fitted 20% faster and needs 20% less concrete and posts than other systems of its type.

Our Paladin Classic is another popular choice, thanks to its balance of robust security and pleasing aesthetics, while Roll Top fencing offers a unique and user-friendly design, with a rolled top and bottom edge and no sharp edges, helping avoid accidental injury.

Locks: not to be overlooked Another crucial step is controlling access to the site and the most critical areas within it. One simple but extremely effective method for controlling who’s permitted on site is an ID badge system.

They’re already commonplace in many educational institutions around the country, and easily allow staff to differentiate between authorised visitors and intruders.

PAINTS & COATINGS But increasing numbers of schools and colleges are now investing in more high-tech access control systems. One of the key challenges around lockable doors in the school environment is the need to keep intruders out of sensitive areas but allow building occupants to quickly and easily escape in an emergency.

Products like the Locinox or Gatemaster gate lock have been designed to allow exactly that – presenting external users with a sturdy lock, but internal ones with a clearly-labelled push pad to allow for speedy egress. Keypad combination locks are also now much more competitively-priced than was once the case, making them an accessible and effective way of securing critical areas of the school site.

Photographs: Jules Lister Artwork: Leah Bartholomew

Get some friendly guidance Today, there’s a wider choice of robust, long-lasting and costeffective perimeter security solutions on the market than ever.

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www.fhbrundle.co.uk

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EDUCATION

THE PRINCIPAL DESIGNER: PROVIDING CLARITY ON THE ROLE As part of the CDM 2015 Regulations, on any construction project with more than two contractors, the client has a duty to appoint a principal designer to comply with the regulations. However, long-term confusion around this legislation has meant the client isn’t always made aware of their responsibilities.

Stephen Bottom, H ere, Director at AHR’s Building Consultancy team, discusses the ongoing confusion surrounding the principal designer role and what duties clients need to undertake to ensure the regulations are adhered to.

The safety of the people who both construct and use buildings are paramount during any building project, and Building Regulations are under constant review to ensure that safety is enforced.

When changes are made to Building Regulations, teething issues surrounding any new introductions are typically ironed out within a few months. However, changes to the CDM Regulations made more than five years ago continue to cause confusion amongst construction sector clients.

In 2015, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM Regulations) were revised in an effort to

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reduce the risks associated with construction and maintenance. As part of this, the principal designer role was introduced. Brought in initially to replace the CDM coordinator, a principal designer is responsible for ensuring the client’s duties relating to health and safety are managed and mitigated throughout a construction project. They are responsible for planning and coordinating all building work undertaken and can positively influence the design of a building throughout the project.

While the CDM Regulations 2015 dictate that any construction project with more than one contractor involved must have a principal designer, there is still some confusion, particularly amongst less experienced clients, as to whose responsibility it is to appoint the principal designer.

The regulations stipulate that the duty falls with the client – not

EDUCATION the lead designer, contractor or project manager. To add to this, if a client fails to appoint a principal designer, the responsibility of the role remains with the client themselves, making them liable for the health and safety in a field to which they are unaccustomed, for the entire construction project.

Challenges in the public sector In most cases across the public sector, construction projects have dedicated project management teams with construction backgrounds, who should be aware of their responsibility of appointing a principal designer.

But where issues can arise is in typically smaller projects led by clients or teams without existing knowledge of the legislation. A typical example of this is a project within the education sector – where individual schools may appoint contractors to complete work.

School buildings regularly need repair work. According to the National Education Union, it’s estimated that 3731 schools are currently in need of immediate building work, while 9872 are expected to require work within the next two years.

For small- and mediumsized projects, organising the building work typically falls to the school itself – in many cases,

the headteacher. It would; therefore, be the headteacher’s responsibility to appoint a principal designer for the works, no matter how small.

Without prior knowledge of the regulations, headteachers are unlikely to be aware of their duties and may fail to appoint a principal designer. In these circumstances, the role would legally fall to them, and the headteacher would be required to ensure health and safety has been planned as far as possible

prior to the appointment of the principal contractor. In cases where such planning has not been made, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the powers to stop construction work and take further enforcement action against the client.

In the event of an incident involving significant injury or worse, the client could be liable for prosecution.

While the construction industry often remind clients of their duties under the legislation,

a lack of communication between multiple parties on this role can lead to clients only realising that they have to appoint a principal designer once significant design work has already commenced.

Understanding the role of the principal designer before starting any project and working closely with one allows clients to better mitigate costs and delays whilst limiting their own liability. 

www.ahr.co.uk

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LEGAL & BUSINESS

BREACH OF CONTRACT – WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? It’s always important to have the right contract in place for any transaction. However, no matter how strong a relationship is, sometimes you simply cannot stop a breach of contract.

Jon Roberts, Partner at law firm Nelsons, discusses the different categories a breach of contract can fall into and what the remedies are. the outset of a A tconstruction project, parties should ensure they have the right contract in place – particularly as schemes tend to involve a complex chain of companies.

What is a breach of contract?

A breach can occur: If a party refuses to perform its contractual duties If the work or goods supplied are defective Due to not paying for a service or not paying on time From a failure to deliver goods or services, or being late without a reasonable excuse.

A fundamental breach of contract is where the severity is such that the contract can be terminated by accepting the repudiation of the contract. For example, if a contractor was to

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abandon the site. An anticipatory breach is where a party expressly communicates that it will not be carrying out a term of condition of the contract.

Great care must be taken, however, with any acceptance of a repudiation. If a later claim is unsuccessful, any notice or letter asserting repudiation will, itself, be deemed to be an act of repudiation.

What are the remedies?

Damages are used to put the claimant back in the position it would have been if the terms of the contract had been met. Liquidated damages can only be awarded if the terms specify that an express amount (usually per week) should be paid if one side breaks the contract. They must, however, not be a penalty, and must be based on a properly assessed

estimate of the losses that the innocent party would be likely to occur from the late delivery of the project.

Otherwise, damages can be awarded for quantifiable losses, including loss of net profits.

Contractual terms can limit the sums of damages recoverable, provided that the limitation clause is reasonable.

A less common option for breach of contract is ‘specific performance’, where a court orders the other side to carry out their contractual obligations.

How can I sue?

There is a six-year statutory limitation period for bringing a court claim – or 12 years if the contract is made in a deed.

Again, a contractual term that is reasonable can limit that and/or ensure that the parties resolve their dispute through arbitration.

Jon Roberts, who qualified as a Solicitor in 1986, has particular expertise in complex commercial disputes, civil fraud claims and construction adjudication work. He is also solicitoradvocate with full rights of audience in civil proceedings in the Higher Courts of England and Wales.

Construction contracts are also subject to the statutory right of either party to have disputes determined by an adjudicator (but only one dispute at a time) – a fast, but sometimes ‘rough and ready’, form of resolution.

It will also be expected that you have taken reasonable steps to mitigate your losses to reduce the impact of the breach of contract. Losses cannot be recovered if they could have been reasonably avoided.

If you are considering taking court action due to a breach of contract, the legal costs should be weighed against the amount likely to be received in damages.

The loser normally pays the reasonable costs of the winner, and most cases settle before they get to court. 

www.nelsonslaw.co.uk

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TALKING POINT

UK LEISURE FRAMEWORK DELIVERS MORE THAN £40M IN LEISURE INVESTMENT As the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Council and Managed by Denbighshire Leisure, enters its fourth year, Jamie Groves, Managing Director at Denbighshire Leisure, reflects on its success.

Why have local authorities and leisure trusts chosen to manage capital projects through the UK Leisure Framework?

The UK Leisure Framework is unique in that it delivers an end-to-end solution for leisure developments. Whereas most frameworks simply procure and manage the transformation of physical buildings, the UK Leisure Framework offers services that contribute to whole-community engagement, providing an efficient means of increasing opportunities for physical activity through the creation of inspiring active spaces.

Alliance Leisure, our appointed leisure development partner, has been managing leisure developments for more than 20 years, delivering a wealth of knowledge and experience to every project.

Alliance Leisure works with a carefully selected supply chain to ensure projects are delivered to the highest possible quality whilst maximising efficiencies and meeting community active leisure needs.

Evidence-based feasibility studies drive all design and facility mix decisions. Most local authority in-house legal, procurement and leisure management teams are pushed to the max just delivering against day-to-day requirements. Adding a potential multi-million-pound leisure development project to the mix is beyond the resource of most. Providing a solution that enables project delivery, by leading leisure development experts, from concept to completion, resolves this resource issue.

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Jamie Groves, Managing Director at Denbighshire Leisure

Describe a typical project delivered by the framework.

There is no such thing as ‘typical’. Project values ranging from £200k for the installation of Anglesey’s first 3G pitch to £18m for a new-build destination water park in North Wales. Some authorities have required refurbishment of a single site whilst others have sought a complete reconfiguration of entire leisure stock portfolios. Whatever the project value, the framework’s focus is always on the delivery of community value.

Some public sector leisure providers may be reluctant to invest in a non-statutory service such as leisure. What would you say to them?

Councils taking a longer-term view of community wellbeing should consider calculated investment in leisure provision, even during times of austerity. Redevelopment can bring economic, health and social benefits to whole communities, delivering a return on investment that is hard to match.

Closing down a tired leisure facility that no longer meets the needs of its community is not always the only or the best solution. Alliance Leisure has worked with local authorities up and down the country, presenting and proving a case for reinvestment and regeneration in leisure. When the correct facility mix is applied in a vibrant, inspiring environment, whole communities re-engage, and leisure facilities become economically sustainable.

TALKING POINT

CASE STUDY: THE TRANSFORMATION OF MONMOUTH LEISURE CENTRE In a construction-first, the UK Leisure Framework designed and built a 25m swimming pool and spa within the existing structure of a sports hall. This impressive feat of architectural and construction engineering was as part of a £7.4m refurbishment and extension of Monmouth Leisure Centre for Monmouthshire County Council.

The phased project, managed by UK Leisure Framework Development Partner, Alliance Leisure, completed in spring 2019 and included a new gym, exercise and group cycling studios, a toning suite, children’s play area and cafe.

As a result of the investment, the following have been recorded: 290% increase in membership 800-1000 visits by families to the soft play area every month 53,000 swims recorded between February 2019 and January 2020 In January 2018, 987 people attended a group exercise class. In January 2020, this figure was 18,369.

How are UK Leisure Framework projects funded?

Through multiple funding sources. Many projects are funded through prudential borrowing from the PWLB whilst others use capital, privately sourced by Alliance Leisure. There is also the opportunity to incorporate third-party grants. Some projects incorporate a mix of funding options. The UK Leisure Framework is built to be flexible, making it as easy as possible to invest.

There are lots of frameworks.

Why are public sector leisure providers choosing the UK Leisure Framework?

The UK Leisure Framework adopts a full-service approach, supporting all elements that contribute to a successful, sustainable development including; design, business planning, funding, construction and marketing. Most other frameworks do not have this bandwidth, instead focusing on individual elements.

This approach helps to mitigate investment risk. Working with experts in leisure regeneration and maximising efficiencies at every stage of the development helps ensure the finished project delivers desired outcomes and creates income-generating opportunities which drive sustainability. 

www.denbighshireleisure.co.uk

Overall, the development has succeeded in encouraging more physical activity among people of all ages, preferences and abilities.

ABOUT THE UK LEISURE FRAMEWORK...

Denbighshire County Council launched the UK Leisure Framework in 2017, naming Alliance Leisure as leisure development partner. The UK Leisure Framework provides an efficient and effective means of procuring and managing leisure development projects and is open to all named public bodies and third-sector leisure organisations across the UK (which is all UK local authorities).

Completed, current and committed projects: 33 Completed projects value: £40.7m Project questionnaires authorised: 81 Call-off contracts signed: 31 Projects currently on site: 6

23

FIRE SAFETY

THE BENEFITS OF BI-DIRECTIONAL FIRE TESTING The Hackitt Report revealed major concerns regarding the quality assurance of fire doors and the issues surrounding the transparency of information and the availability of audit trails with regard to these types of building components.

Austin Stone, H ere, Technical Director at Profab Access, explores the importance of specifying riser doors that have been bi-directionally fire tested, to not only provide the highest standards of safety and compliance with current Building Regulations, but to successfully future-proof public sector buildings for years to come.

Following the release of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, the issues regarding fire doors and their consistency of fire-resistance performance was, and remains, a significant concern for the industry.

The report, along with subsequent amendments to Building Regulations Approved

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Document B (Fire Safety), prompted significant changes to the adequate testing of fire doors, particularly with regard to the way in which these building components are manufactured, tested, installed and maintained.

Focusing on the specification and fire safety of riser doors, in particular, the sufficient fire testing of these products is paramount to ensuring the successful prevention of the spread of fire to other parts of the building via the riser shaft.

Whilst timber riser doors were traditionally popular among architects and specifiers, concealed steel riser doors offer superior fire performance, whilst also offering a range of enhanced aesthetics and security benefits.

FIRE SAFETY Throughout the specification process, professionals should look to utilise steel riser doors that have been fire tested to BS EN 1634-1:2014+A1:2018 (as outlined in Approved Document B Volume 2) and BS 476 Part 22.

The doors should also comply with BS 476-31.1 for smoke tests, BS 8214 for the installation for fire doorsets and BS 9999:2017 for the code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.

However, if the industry is to drive a cultural shift in the specification of these types of passive fire safety products, architects should look to specify riser doors that have been bidirectionally tested, superseding current industry requirements.

As the riser door is physically tested in both directions, it offers the highest levels of fire safety as professionals can be confident the riser door will withstand exposure to fire and smoke from both directions for the allotted time period. This adequately prevents the spread of fire throughout a multi-storey building as the opportunity for the fire to enter the riser shaft through a riser door located in a corridor and

exit through another riser door in a different area or floor of the building is entirely eliminated because both sides of the door have been successfully tested.

Professionals here should look to specify riser doors that have been fire tested by a certified third party, providing a clear audit trail of test evidence that confirms compliance with all relevant regulations by demonstrating the integrity of the riser door for the specified duration. This includes the maintenance of the riser door’s frame, limitation of the spread of fire and the transmission of radiant heat.

For many architects, the configuration of double or triple riser doors in a single unit is a popular choice due to the style of aesthetics they offer over individual riser doors that are spaced at specific intervals. Professionals should here look to work with a manufacturer that offers bidirectional fire testing across a whole suite of configurations and complementary riser door products, successfully meeting the visual requirements of each individual project, without having to compromise on the fire safety of these elements.

Whilst bi-directional fire testing isn’t a current industry requirement, this proficient approach to fire safety also futureproofs the building as the architect has gone above and beyond the current specification to meet the requirements and regulations of the future.

This step-change in the specification of riser doors must be implemented from the very initial stages and, in order to be successful, professionals should choose riser doors that are supported by a wide range of BIM and CAD files, along with comprehensive fire test certifications. This will aid the specification process and streamline the initial design stages, whilst also providing a clear audit trail of evidence and subsequent due diligence, supporting Dame

Hackitt’s ‘golden thread’ of true transparency and accountability.

The test certifications play a vital role in helping architects facilitate the ‘golden thread’ of information, which seeks to extend fire safety best practice beyond fire professionals into wider society, successfully communicating key information about a building and the components utilised throughout its construction.

As Dame Hackitt encourages the industry not to wait for legal changes to start the process of behavioural change with regard to fire safety within commercial and residential buildings, professionals within the public sector can continue to drive this shift change through the specification of bi-directionally fire tested riser doors. 

www.profabaccess.com

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HVAC

and adaptable E fficient heating systems remain a key objective for those building and specifying commercial and residential properties, and the need to select the best possible solution is only becoming more pressing. Alongside this, end-users are now becoming increasingly aware of smart control technology, and how it can provide greater levels of control over their system, its performance and its effects on the built environment.

Bearing in mind that the world market for smart controls has more than trebled in size since 2017, it is unsurprising that property owners are more aware of better ways to heat their premises. This advancing technology allows for greater choice when heating buildings, and when combined with innovative solutions such as underfloor heating, opens up opportunities to reduce bills and increase energy efficiency through advanced heating control.

Benefits of underfloor heating

SMARTER UNDERFLOOR HEATING For constructors and developers, the need to select efficient and intuitive building systems is a vital aspect of any project. Heating is a prominent part of this overarching concern, with smart controls growing in popularity for both residential and commercial properties that use underfloor heating technology. With that in mind, Franz Huelle, Head of Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, explores the popularity and potential of these solutions.

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The benefits of underfloor heating from an occupant’s perspective have long been well-documented. They include better heat circulation, which helps better prevent the creation of thermal bridges and cold spots that can lead to draughts, and subsequent mould growth and damage.

The even distribution of underfloor heating also reduces air movement and allergen circulation, in turn reducing the amount of dust and dust mites in the ambient air, resulting in a healthier indoor climate. Most obviously for the occupant, because an underfloor heating system is built into the floor, underfloor heating systems allow for greater living and working space, and can open up exciting new room design possibilities.

Yet for many building owners, the key draw of underfloor heating is that, in contrast to conventional radiator-based systems, it allows for a more uniform distribution of heat. As a result, a temperature of about 20º is sufficient for ensuring optimum occupant comfort.

This lower temperature can be translated into reduced energy bills, with a drop of only 2º allowing heating cost savings of up to 10%. 

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HVAC Furthermore, because underfloor heating requires less hot water to heat an open space, and uses a lower water temperature of 45º, it is more efficient than its radiator counterparts.

Consequently, when viewed in terms of total cost of ownership and ongoing costs, the benefits of selecting such a system are clear to contractors and developers.

Smart control combinations Though the financial and convenience-based appeal of these systems certainly make them appealing options, these benefits can be again augmented through the use of smart control technology. Specifically, by adopting heating controls that offer adjustable temperature on a room-by-room basis, a level of modularity to suit changing building demands and functions, and the ability to meet fluctuating demand based on time-of-day and working patterns, overall efficiency can be further improved.

As such, smart technology is clearly very attractive and opens up a wealth of possibilities.

However, building engineers need to balance this growing desire for smart technology with ensuring such solutions are adaptable and practical for the end-user.

Additionally, by choosing controls with excellent ease of installation that can be simply configured and operated, specifiers are better able to meet highly variable residential and commercial heating demands.

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Because of this, specifiers are also able to better guarantee that these systems suit a diverse and ever-expanding range of buildings and applications, and help occupants realise further energy efficiency and cost benefits. This is particularly the case when specifying high-end heating solutions for new or refurbishment projects, such as underfloor heating. For these builds, smart controls are often a sought-after addition to optimise and automate building energy usage, further enhancing occupant comfort.

Future-facing innovations Alongside providing further modularity and efficiency for underfloor heating systems, the latest smart control devices also offer a high degree of adaptability. Using data from their own sensors and weather patterns gleaned from the internet and occupants’ habits, these latest models can offer more energyefficient heating schedules, resulting in further savings.

Alongside this, the increasing use of geofencing technology in such solutions, which determines occupant location to help inform

when buildings require heat, offers further avenues for efficiency and convenience and also provides the means for remote maintenance.

Consequently, the technology has evolved to a level where it can continually adapt how it heats individual zones in order to ensure no energy is being expended unnecessarily. This includes shutting off heating during periods of warmer weather or reducing activity at times when it is not required – for example, in office blocks after the end of the working day.

In conclusion, key stakeholders in project construction must select appropriate heating system solutions based on anticipation around costs and efficiency.

While underfloor heating systems offer clearly valuable benefits to both the developer and end-user, their appeal is strengthened still when combined with smart control technology. Implemented effectively, these solutions can minimise installation costs while allowing key stakeholders to meet increasingly high specifications within the tight construction times mandated by multiple sectors. As such, it is clear why underfloor heating systems, regulated with smart control technology, are increasingly seen as a go-to option for developers and contractors. 

www.rehau.uk/neasmart

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TECHNICAL FOCUS

‘lockdown’ T heandGovernment rules around social

SOLUTIONS TO REPLACING AGEING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS Ed Swift, National Sales Manager – Public Sector for Polypipe Building Services, talks about solutions for drainage stack replacement in public sector buildings.

MILLBROOK TOWER LIVE STACK REPLACEMENT

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distancing in 2020 have impacted on many areas of industry – not least those involved in repairs and refurbishments to public sector housing.

Many drainage systems in tower blocks need replacing, but this often requires moving residents from their homes. A lot of these systems are the original cast-iron drainage systems which were installed in buildings that are 40 to 50 years old.

Issues arising from these ageing systems may include underground leaks, corroded pipes and internal blockages. A failing drainage stack can also lead to sanitation issues that affect the health and wellbeing of residents.

The advantages of using a live stack replacement service, such as the Terrain service offered

by Polypipe Building Services, start from the first survey with ultra-sonic testing which will give building-owners an accurate prediction on the estimated working life remaining in the existing drainage stack.

As part of the service, installers are trained by specialists from the manufacturer before they use the products which, along with the key stage inspections carried out by Polypipe’s building services technical team, will mean a smoother and more efficient installation.

The combination of planning and offsite manufacturing allows drainage systems to be replaced in sections. This ensures a fast, efficient replacement process – during which residents can remain in their homes.

An existing drainage system can then be replaced section by section, floor by floor, without having to disturb the majority of residents in a building at any one time.

Live stack replacement is a method that allows public sector organisations and their sub-contractors to work with manufacturers at the outset of a project.

The service enables building owners and contractors to build a viable timeline plan, and to consider and anticipate other remedial works that could be conducted during the same works period in order to minimise disruption to the residents. 

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TECHNICAL FOCUS

With the Carr House project, Polypipe Building Services was approached by housing association Wakefield and District Homes (WDH) to manufacture a solution to replace the 11-storey building’s “aged and blocked” cast-iron internal soil stacks.

WDH agreed to Polypipe Building Service’s live stack replacement solution to use 22 stacks of Terrain FUZE, manufactured offsite, as it would be easy to install and allowed the tenants of Carr House to remain in their homes during the retrofit work.

Polypipe Building Services worked with Barnsley-based contractor Hughie Construction to ensure there was minimal disruption for residents during the install. Despite the challenges of replacing the stack in a high-rise property, the installation took 10 days to complete.

CARR HOUSE LIVE STACK REPLACEMENT

Fire protection

Millbrook Tower and Carr House The replacement service has been used on nearly 300 high-rise buildings including the Millbrook Tower in Southampton and Carr House near Wakefield.

Millbrook Tower is more than 50 years old and owned by Southampton City Council (SCC).

The building had a cast-iron drainage system that had started to rust and fail, causing excessive leaking in the 144 flats.

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SCC chose to work with a manufacturer specialising in offsite production of building components. The team from the council was able to complete the installation work across all of its 144 flats.

SCC underwent a training programme, giving its direct labour organisation the technical skills required to better understand the specification, assembly and installation of plastic drainage stacks.

This in-house technical ability enabled the council to start a programme within the city addressing drainage issues that were having an impact on residents and structural elements of the buildings.

Working with manufacturing experts, SCC assessed the failing drainage stacks in Millbrook Tower. A long-term solution was required, which would eliminate emergency callouts and recurring reactive repairs in this and other residential blocks within the city. A high-density polyethylene system was selected for offering a number of key benefits over other more traditional materials.

As much of the assembly of the replacement drainage system was carried out in factory conditions and then delivered to site, the residents of Millbrook Tower were able to remain in their properties, as the installation process could be completed much quicker than when assembling loose products onsite.

Jim Simpkins, Housing Refurbishment Project Manager for SCC, said: “Millbrook Tower has been standing for 50 years and the drainage systems in place were not functioning as well as required. Polypipe Building Services gave our team expert advice with the specification, manufacture and installation of replacement drainage stacks.”

Conducting drainage stack replacement work also provides an opportunity to improve the fire protection provisions deployed upon drainage systems, with a number of firetrap and fire sleeve solutions available.

Many existing stacks will need new fire-trapping installations, so it makes sense to also fully replace old stacks when rectifying the fire protection provisions.

The Terrain firetrap sleeves, for example, provide up to four hours of fire compartmentation for drainage soil stacks, while the collars provide up to two hours so that Building Regulations are not just met, but exceeded.

When installing plastic pipes in any high-rise building, it is important to protect them from the effects of fire. The passive fire protection products specified for use with drainage stack systems need to comply with BS 476 Part 20 and BS EN 1366-3.

Authorities are now looking for more elegant holistic solutions that allow for more refurbishment issues to be addressed as part of a wider assessment of the safe operation of the building.

With up to 4500 tower blocks to maintain, early diagnosis of drainage concerns combined with live stack replacement is the optimal solution for public sector asset teams to keep residents at home while completing vital work. 

www.polypipe.com/buildingservices

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

THREE HAURATON DRAINAGE SYSTEMS INSTALLED AT BIOMASS PLANT The Margam Green Energy Biomass Plant is a 40MW electricity power station utilising chipped wood waste as fuel otherwise destined for landfill. When fully operational, the project will use around 300,000 tonnes of waste wood from nearby regions.

Hauraton supplied three types of channel to meet the rigorous specifications for surface drainage of the main concreted yard surrounding the plant, weighbridges and car park.

Three sizes of RECYFIX HICAP high capacity channels were installed in the yard – 3m of HICAP 1000, 303m of HICAP 2000 and 255m of HICAP 3000. The total water capacity of the HICAP channels was just over 20,390l.

By installing this system, the channel runs were kept to a minimum so saving on installation costs and future maintenance.

Factory fitted with 14mm slotted ductile iron inlets, the channels comply with a loading Class of F900 so can easily take the weight

of a HGV fully laden with wood chips. Importantly, once installed, the complete system is highly resilient to the twisting forces imposed by the laden vehicles.

42m of FASERFIX SUPER 150 channels with Class F900 ductile iron 20mm gratings were installed around the two weighbridges. The FASERFIX channel component is made from the company’s fibre reinforced concrete with galvanised steel angle housings moulded into the top edges of the channel during production.

This specification is highly resistant to extreme loads and constant dynamic forces and was found to be ideal for the weighbridge application.

INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE HELPS KEEP PEOPLE MOVING

The FASERFIX gratings are secured by SIDE-LOCK patented boltless system. The system allows gratings to be installed and later, removed quickly.

Finally, 39m of RECYFIX PRO 100 Type 75mm factory fitted with FIBRETEC heel-safe gratings were installed in the car park. The FIBRETEC grating is moulded from a fibre strengthened polyamide (PA-GF) and allows loadings up to Class C250 (BSEN 1433).

All the RECYFIX channel components specified for the project are made from 100% recycled polypropylene derived from post-consumer and postindustrial sources.

www.drainage-projects.co.uk 01582 501380 janine.kennedy@hauraton.com

Image ©Rasmus Hjortshøj/COAST Studio

Social trends in sports are changing. Urban activities traditionally consigned to the urban landscape are now being embraced by the mainstream and incorporated into the interior sports environment. Sports such as parkour, street football and street basketball have been adopted by leisure companies to attract younger members and to keep people moving.

This new encouragement in sports, movement and activity has led to a new generation of buildings offering urban activities in a raw industrial environment and which require specialist architectural innovation. For example, Troldtekt wood-wool panelling is frequently used to combat the effects of noise and reverberation around these large spaces while offering visual aesthetic appeal.

This trend is examined in detail

by Troldtekt in its latest theme on sports and movement, which can be found here https://bit. ly/2vR90l6. The theme includes expert articles and interviews with architects and sport science lecturers along with relevant case studies.

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A good example is the 23,000m 2 Holbaek Sportsby in Denmark which encompasses a swimming pool, racquet sports, multi-purpose hall and mountain bike trails together with a modern health centre.

Here, Troldtekt acoustic panels offer robustness and strength and natural breathability from the wood. The panels, with their superior acoustic properties, dramatically reduce reverberation where physical activity takes place.

Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of 100% Troldtekt natural woodwool panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low-cost

lifecycle performance and sustainability. Available in various sizes and in four grades from

www.troldtekt.co.uk

extreme to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.

01978 664255

info@troldtekt.co.uk

KNAUF AMF IS THE PLACE TO FIND ARMSTRONG METAL PRODUCTS IN THE UK Knauf AMF is now the place to find Armstrong metal ceilings, metal mesh ceilings, metal canopies and metal baffles in the UK and Ireland. This iconic, superbly engineered portfolio of products is available in the UK exclusively from Knauf AMF for new and existing projects. Metal is versatile, durable, almost maintenance free and really packs a visual punch. It also works really well with the other Knauf AMF ranges, including HERADESIGN and mineral tiles. The company see’s it as a natural progression in its aim to offer the most innovative and comprehensive range of aesthetically-led, acoustic ceiling and wall solutions for any interior.

www.knaufamf.com 0191 518 8600 info@knaufamf.co.uk

Amtico has expanded its Signature 36+ collection of premium and safety Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring to suit a variety of commercial applications, including healthcare environments. The flooring’s toughened 1mm upper wear layer provides all the resilience and long-lasting properties that Amtico’s Signature collection is known for, while offering enhanced slip resistance for the lifetime of the product. Signature 36+ comprises 24-Woods, 9-Stones and 3-Abstracts to help architects, designers and specifiers create spaces that promote well-being and meet safety guidelines. Signature 36+ also contains an active ingredient which has been shown, under blind independent lab tests, to resist the growth of bacteria such as MRSA and E.coli throughout the useable lifetime of the floor.

www.amtico.com/commercial

0121 745 0800

FOCUS & INNOVATION

SAFETY FIRST WITH AMTICO FLOORING

info@amtico.com

AKW LAUNCHES NEW SHOWER WALL PANELLING RANGE AKW has launched its new Origins Wall Panel range, offering installers and end-users alike even more design, colour and finish choices.

The new range comes in both tongue and groove and square edge formats and is available in 16 different colourways. Having the option of 900mm and 600mm width tongue and groove panels or the 1200mm width square edge version means that no matter what the quality of the existing surface, there is a wall panel solution to suit. In addition, the 16 contemporary decors in the range have been inspired by the latest interior design trends, enabling a touch of style to instantly be added to any space.

www.akw-ltd.co.uk

01905 823298

sales@akw-ltd.co.uk

LONG RAKE LOOKS TO ITS CUSTOMERS FOR FEEDBACK Customer service should be the driving force behind a business.

So it was with this in mind that Long Rake Spar recently sent out a customer satisfaction survey to gain valuable feedback on how it could improve the customer experience. As a leading supplier of specialised decorative aggregates, Long Rake has been supplying decorative stone into merchants for over 150 years. To maintain its leading position in the market, Long Rake feels it is imperative to seek customer feedback on ways in which service levels can be improved. With the offer to win a £100 high-street voucher for completion, the survey received a strong response with Erinstone Ltd receiving the prize. Long Rake was delighted to receive over 90% customer satisfaction but is committed to continually improving processes with the aim to achieve a near 100% satisfaction result in the future.

www.longrakespar.co.uk sales@longrakespar.co.uk 01629 636210

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

RAF NURSERY SECURED WITH ASSA ABLOY UK SPECIFICATION ASSA ABLOY UK Specification, a UK division of ASSA ABLOY, has specified a range of solutions for a new RAF nursery in Oxfordshire, delivering assured access and safety for children using the facility.

Working in partnership with designer Frankham Consultancy Group and contractor Antac, the company specified a series of door opening solutions to the new nursery at RAF Benson.

The RAF base required an extension to its existing nursery facilities, increasing its capacity to cater for more than 100 children. As a result, the specification process demanded products that were fully compliant and tailored to the

needs of the young children that would be using this facility.

Products specified by ASSA ABLOY UK Specification include the DC500A CAM-Motion door closer, delivering a low opening force while providing sufficient closing forces to satisfy fire legislation, and ASSA modular high-security deadlocks, delivering a strong locking solution for doors.

Other solutions specified include P600 cylinders, patented to ensure keys cannot be duplicated by

unauthorised parties, and ScanFlex door furniture, offering classic Scandinavian design in hardwearing stainless steel.

The doorsets provided are all oak laminate with a horizontal grain, complete with PVC edges – making them easy to clean – and factory-painted frames, meaning the products arrive to site in their finished condition, ready for a

0845 070 6713

quick installation. ASSA ABLOY UK Specification also supplied the graphics for the toilet doors in a self-adhesive vinyl.

With access and safety for young children of paramount importance, solutions such as ASSA finger guards and thumb turn locks for the toilets, installed at a lower height, were other crucial considerations.

www.assaabloy.co.uk customerservices@assaabloy.co.uk

COMAR LAUNCHES THE ECO LT WINDOW AND DOOR SYSTEMS Designed specifically for the British market and offering a truly British engineered solution, Comar profiles have thicker walls providing extra strength and durability.

Comar ECO LT sightlines have been minimised whilst not sacrificing product performance. Large sizes come as standard from the same range of profiles.

With low U-values, energy ratings of A++ and Document Q compliance with Secured by Design status this is a feature-rich system which guarantees a quality installation. BS 6375 Weather performance is unquestioned with the high ratings.

Comar ECO LT is a lightweight version of the ECO range, but the aluminium profiles' wall thickness has not been sacrificed, ensuring guaranteed long-term performance. Due to Comar’s robust British design, the size and weight limitations surpass the competition on a size-by-size basis.

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Comar 5P.i ECO LT Aluminium Casement Window System has both internally and externally glazed options. With the resurgence of slim aluminium, high security externally beaded with sloped beads minimises the sightlines and maximises daylight.

The square chamfered profiles are a distinctive feature of this system, keeping the square look of a truly aluminium solution.

Comar 7P.i ECO LT Aluminium Door System has both inward and outward opening options in single or double door combinations. There are two thresholds available, high weather performance and lowrise for seamless balcony terrace integration. Utilising Comar’s trademark P.i. – Polyamide Insulation – thermal break

technology, it delivers superior thermal performance with an aesthetic edge. Security concerns

are alleviated with the Comar 7P.i ECO LT door exceeding the requirements of PAS 24:2016.

www.comar-alu.co.uk 0208 685 9685 projects@parksidegroup.co.uk

Modern Art A stunning balance of light and shade, deft brushstrokes, a perfect rendition of its subject – surely the work of an old master.

The paintings aren’t bad either.

Hand-finished with more tonal variation than any other Millboard decking colour, new Antique Oak recreates the attractive, historic look of aged flooring, while being engineered for the future. It’s slip-resistant, won’t warp or rot and retains its looks for years to come – without restoration.

Antique Oak. The art of outdoor design.

See the real thing. Request a sample at: millboard.co.uk

Live.Life.Outside.

FOCUS & INNOVATION

STILL BEING ACCOMMODATING Abet Laminati’s exterior grade MEG high-pressure laminate is still going strong on two developments of B3Living’s housing portfolio.

MEG has been used throughout the Fishers Close and Coopers Walk developments to revitalise and refresh the concrete exteriors as well as internally and externally on the stairwells and balconies. A range of different pastel colours were used to break up the exterior and to create interesting architectural details.

MEG was chosen as it carries a BBA Agrément Certificate and, most importantly, F1 panels from 6mm and thicker are rated Class B-s1, d0. This makes them fully compliant for all non-residential applications and up to 18m high for residential schemes.

This scheme is a perfect example of high-performance MEG in action where the need for high performance and durability is married up with low lifecycle costs and aesthetic design.

The range comprises 58 colours and 31 woodgrains together with five concrete and metal-effect finishes. MEG is also able to incorporate Abet’s digital printing technology. This means that almost any design, photograph or pattern can be reproduced in stunning detail to give architects and designers unparalleled freedom to create unusual and dramatic building facades.

MEG is a self-supporting high-pressure laminate (HPL) for cladding the exterior of buildings, balconies and other applications.

It features high resistance to temperature, climate shock, weathering, UV light and impact.

Furthermore, its chemical resistant nature and closed structure do not allow paint in spray cans, various inks, emulsion paints, lipstick or pastel paints to penetrate into the decorative layer.

DFGS – OPTIMISING DELIVERY AND EFFECTIVENESS As the Government announces a further record amount of funding for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs), deliverers are being reminded of how to utilise available resources to optimise efficient execution.

“A pot of £505m has been allocated for 2020/21. Almost 60% of grants allocated in 2018/19 were for less than £5000, and more than half the adaptations completed involved the bathroom,” observes Stephen Edwards, Head of Marketing at Closomat. Closomat already has a comprehensively trained nationwide team of product specialists to work alongside local authority adaptation teams. It can also help assess how the adaptation can be most effectively implemented, as far as toilet requirements are concerned, to deliver a positive outcome where the recipient is empowered to remain in their own home. The expertise includes adapting the WC to enable the disabled person to use it without care intervention, through to aids to assist with independent or supported safe transfer on and off the WC.

www.closomat.co.uk 0800 374 076 info@closomat.co.uk

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uk.abetlaminati.com 020 7473 6915 sales@abet.ltd.uk

OSMO UK’S FASTEST DRYING WOOD FINISH Polyx-Oil Express from Osmo UK is a premium fastdrying wood finish guaranteed to keep wooden surfaces in top condition. Taking just 1.5 hours to dry in between coats, Polyx-Oil Express offers a solution that eliminates long downtime, whilst still providing all the professional features of a traditional oil-based finish. Ideal for solid wood and plank wood flooring, blackstrip, OSB and cork floors, as well as furniture, Polyx-Oil Express is a high-quality, water-repellent and dirt-resistant wood finish based on natural ingredients. It is the fastest drying product that Osmo UK has ever created. It dries within 1.5 hours in between coats when used with the Osmo UK 6632 Hardener.

Polyx-Oil Express is available in a clear satin finish for a subtle, noble shimmer that resembles satin and emphasises the wood grain modestly, and a clear-matt finish for an almost completely natural look, with light reflections diffused.

www.osmouk.com 01296 481220

The new £15m Activity Centre at St George’s College, Weybridge, is a beautifully designed sports hall which sits perfectly in the College’s Grade II Listed park. Here, architect firm Scott Brownrigg has sympathetically created a striking building complete with Kalwall translucent cladding to maximise diffused daylighting and thermal insulation.

Kalwall was specified for the clerestory daylighting and shaped to follow the lines of the curved roof. This allows for diffused daylight to be cast deep into the interior sports areas, thereby removing shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade. The even distribution of

Image © Hundven-Clements Photography

light makes it easier for players to distinguish markings on the floor as well as spotting balls and other equipment. Kalwall is also highly resistant to impact, making it excellent for use in this type of school gymnasium environment.

Another important aspect of the specification is that Kalwall is inherently highly insulating. For example, a 70mm-thick panel can offer values up to 0.28W/m2K –

equivalent to that of an insulated cavity wall. The unique ability to transmit large amounts of usable light with low levels of solar heat gain means less radiant energy is transmitted. With increased natural daylight, energy-consuming artificial lighting and air-conditioning costs are dramatically reduced.

Kalwall is a popular choice for projects where performance, long lifecycle and low maintenance

FOCUS & INNOVATION

MAXIMISING DAYLIGHT AND THERMAL INSULATION

are required, coupled with an aesthetic finish. The lightweight system reduces the need for supporting structures while offering the highest protection in terms of wind-borne debris and resistance to impact, abrasion and point loads.

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

SOUTH WALES CHURCH WARMS TO CIRCOBOARD PERFORMANCE

DESIGNER CONTRACTS AT THE READY Designer Contracts is preparing for a staged return to work. The company is bringing some staff out of furlough, resuming vital fitting services, pushing ahead with plans to move into a new and much bigger head office facility and opening a third unit in Scotland. The company is working with national and regional housebuilders as they reopen sites around the country, accelerating its activities and replenishing stocks at its central distribution warehouse to meet the slow but steady resumption in demand.

Following risk assessments, fitters will install flooring in unoccupied properties, where it is safe to do so, complying with SOP V3 and ensuring every member of the team and every fitter has a copy.

The congregation of a church in the Vale of Glamorgan can look forward to physical and spiritual comfort during services next winter, thanks to an upgrade of the building’s heating provision, with a full underfloor heating system from Circoflo having been chosen to deliver efficient warmth.

CircoBoard panels were fitted flush on the angle brackets supplied between the joists before installation of the finished floor. CircoBoard is one of six floor construction options available from CircofloPro. Its unique two-, three- or four-port ‘universally versatile’ minifolds can be installed in a variety of ways with the standard fittings supplied, and the 12mm pipe supplied in lengths of 50, 70 or 90m for the ultimate in efficiency.

www.circoflopro.co.uk

info@circoflo.co.uk

01392 360457

OFFSITE SOLUTIONS LAUNCHES UTILITY POD RANGE Offsite Solutions, a UK bathroom pod manufacturer, has launched a range of MEP utility pods. Fitted out in the factory and delivered to site fully completed, this latest advancement in pod technology is designed to accommodate all the mechanical, heating, technology and building services required for individual apartments or studios for buildto-rent or build-to-sell developments. This is a premium product manufactured entirely offsite to suit specific project requirements. All the utility pods will undergo stringent factory testing and quality inspections before arriving on site.

These include full function and resistance tests undertaken by an NICEIC-approved electrician. Air testing is carried out on every pod at pre-calibrated static testing stations.

www.designercontracts.com www.offsitesolutions.com/utilitypods

01278 780807

info@offsitesolutions.com

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