PSBJ November 2021

Public Sector Build Journal November 2021

WORLD-CLASS FACILITY OPENS ITS DOORS NHS Lothian’s new hospital brings together vital children’s services into one inspiring place

Healthcare

Education

Leisure

psbjmagazine.com

Issue 111

Domus Ventilation explores the ins and outs of air pollution

Housing

Tackling fuel poverty in the social housing sector

Why luxury vinyl tile is leading the way in design and safety

WELCOME NOTE

Editor

Hannah Woodger

hannah@redhutmedia.com

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@redhutmedia.com

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@redhutmedia.com

Jim Moore

jim@redhutmedia.com

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

jack@redhutmedia.com

NHS Lothian’s new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, designed by HLM Architects, has officially opened its doors.

See page 08.

Digital Design Manager Matt Morse

matt@redhutmedia.com

Welcome to the November issue of PSBJ...

Accounts

Rachel Pike

accounts@redhutmedia.com

Sales Support & Statistics

Klare Ball

klare@redhutmedia.com

Publisher Sam Ball

sam@redhutmedia.com Published by

Red Hut Media Ltd.

30 The Shoreway, St Mary’s Island, Chatham, Kent, ME4 3SL

psbjmagazine.com 01622 946150 redhutmedia.com

As the winter months creep ever nearer, the issue of fuel poverty becomes an even more prominent talking point. With increasing fuel prices and a lack of energy-efficient measures in social housing, residents are all too often finding themselves under fuel poverty status – and this needs urgent attention from the Government. Combined with insufficient ventilation measures, which in turn lead to condensation and mould, this season brings to light many of the problems still to be tackled within our country’s housing stock.

In this month’s issue, we speak with Anthony Watton from Baxi Assure, who explores the cost-efficient heating and hot water options available for public sector new-build and RMI projects. From air source heat pumps and flue gas heat recovery to heat networks, there are plenty of solutions that can be employed by social housing providers to reduce fuel poverty.

Turn to page 18 to find out more.

The climate, as we’ve read above, and more specifically, climate change, has a direct impact on product specification. Flash floods, for instance, have forced us to readdress some of our existing drainage systems as they simply cannot cope with the intense downpours we’ve been experiencing lately. So, what can those in the built environment do to mitigate the risks of flash flooding? Turn to page 30 where Martin Lambley, from Wavin Stormwater Management, explains the importance of sustainable drainage systems.

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.

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

Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope. No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor's hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Red Hut 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.

Hannah

Hannah Woodger • Editor • hannah@redhutmedia.com 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

NHS Lothian’s new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences brings together all children’s services into one inspiring place.

12 Leisure

National contractor Brymor Construction has recently completed a new ‘Exploria’ attraction, as part of a major revamp of Pyramids leisure centre in Portsmouth.

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14 Healthcare

18 HVAC

22 Legal & Business

16 Housing

20 Renewable Technology

24 Education

Buro Happold explains how the business has adopted digital innovation to transform how organisations work together to create a clear approach to building facilities.

Paul Williams, Domus Ventilation Product Manager, discusses the ins and outs of air pollution, from what they are to how to address them.

Anthony Watton of Baxi Asssure explores the cost-efficient heating and hot water options available for public sector newbuild and RMI projects.

Carlton Cummins, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of Acleron, explains the part that battery technology has to play in reducing our carbon emissions.

Neil Sherreard, Deputy Chairman at Beard Construction, explains why prompt payment improvements are encouraging but not enough.

The pioneering Harris Academy Sutton, designed by Architype, is the UK’s first Passivhaus secondary school and the largest Passivhaus school in the UK.

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CONTENTS

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24

26 Talking Point

John Welch, Deputy Director for Crown Commercial Service, talks to PSBJ about the Government’s Construction Playbook and what it means for the sector.

28 Surfacing

Sophia Wise, Regional Commercial Manager at Amtico, explains why luxury vinyl tile (LVT) floors are perfect for revolutionising education and leisure environments.

30 Technical Focus

Martin Lambley of Wavin Stormwater Management explains how having more sustainable drainage systems can support the UK in building climate-resilient cities.

32 Glass & Glazing

Peter Daniel at The Rooflight Company discusses the importance of natural light in office spaces and how to channel light through a workplace environment.

28 34 Product Showcase

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

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NEWS

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

Godwin Developments submits revised proposals for major regeneration scheme

AHTO to invest £1bn in new affordable housing in England and Wales

UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments, working in partnership with Lowesmoor Regeneration, has submitted updated plans for its waterside mixed-used scheme Lowesmoor Wharf in Worcester, as a direct response to feedback received from local stakeholders and residents. The development is an ambitious regeneration scheme of eight buildings and public spaces, designed by award-winning architecture firm Apt. When built, it will completely transform the currently industrialised canalside location in central Worcester into a vibrant, well-considered destination of exceptional quality.

Created to meet the city’s aspirations to bring more residents into the city centre, Lowesmoor Wharf will provide 238 modern spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with balconies.

Occupants will have access to private indoor and outdoor spaces – such as rooftop terraces and community areas – across the six residential buildings. The scheme will also help bring more businesses and jobs into Worcester through the provision of office, retail and food and beverage spaces, all set within generouslysized, fully-landscaped public areas.

AHTO Group Ltd (AHTO) ‘Affordable Homes to Own’ has announced plans to help those finding it difficult to buy their own home, by investing £1bn over the next five years in Intermediate Rent-to-Buy homes. These will be acquired from shared ownership or privatesale housebuilders in cities and towns across the UK. AHTO will then lease acquired properties to a partner, with customers able to buy their home at a discount to open market value at the end of their tenure. AHTO is a privately-owned business with a social purpose driven by outcomes that benefit local communities. Fully funded and supported by a network of investors, AHTO was established in 2020, with a head office in London. AHTO provides an affordable Intermediate Rent-to-Buy (IRTB) product that supports Government and local councils’ efforts to help thousands more people onto the housing ladder. AHTO’s IRTB product allows customers to transition to full homeownership at a demonstrably lower cost than shared ownership, and is a product that is compliant with the National Planning Policy Framework.

AEW’s outline application for redevelopment of Hengrove Leisure Park approved AEW UK Core Property Fund (AEW) has announced that its outline application for the proposed redevelopment of Hengrove Leisure Park has been approved by Bristol City Council. AEW’s outline application includes the development of up to 350 new homes, including one- and two-bedroom apartments and a combination of two-, three- and four-bedroom townhouses. 30% of the proposed development will be allocated to affordable housing for rent or sale, ensuring that members of the local community can remain living in the area and the much-needed housing can be used for people on the council’s housing register. AEW’s proposals offer an opportunity for a modern, sustainable urban lifestyle, with the plans being formed around a central pedestrian and cycle link, a green spine. This will connect the new neighbourhood at Hengrove Leisure Park with Hengrove Way, the local bus network, surrounding play, retail and leisure facilities, and adjacent green space. In addition to the development offering car-free zones, green connections and trees, the proposed new homes will use air source heat pumps and other sustainable energy solutions.

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JCA-designed smart single-family rental homes submitted for planning Sustainable single-family homes, designed by the award-winning Jo Cowen Architects (JCA), have been submitted for planning approval as part of the University of Cambridge’s development at Eddington. JCA has designed cutting-edge rental homes as part of a new £160m GDV neighbourhood that will promote healthy and sustainable living within the University of Cambridge’s 150-hectare Eddington masterplan. As well as designing the housing at Present Made at Eddington, which will be developed, owned and operated for the long term by Apache Capital’s Present Made single-family housing platform, JCA designed the wider masterplan for the Present Made neighbourhood. The masterplan seeks to create a cohesive neighbourhood proposal that integrates into its surroundings, whilst creating a new context for future phases of the development. Present Made, which is wholly owned and fully funded by Apache Capital, is targeting a net-zero carbon operational model, with JCA’s designs for both the homes and wider neighbourhood having sustainability at their very core. The homes at Eddington will be highly energy efficient thanks to a combination of smart technology and modern methods of construction, with the houses precision-engineered in a factory environment in a process that is less wasteful, disruptive and time consuming compared to traditional construction techniques.

NEWS

Contractors appointed to £1.6bn public buildings, construction and infrastructure framework 47 contractors have won places on a new £1.6bn framework to deliver new-build, infrastructure and refurbishment works for the public sector. The Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB3) framework from LHC allows local authorities, social landlords and other public sector bodies to source contractors for works relating to the construction and refurbishment of educational, healthcare, emergency service and community buildings. It can also be used for residential properties within mixed-use developments, student accommodation, conversion of commercial building for residential use, and can include associated infrastructure works. The framework is worth up to £750m in England, £750m in Scotland and £100m in Wales. Dean Fazackerley, Head of Technical Procurement at LHC, said: “Building on the success of our previous Schools and Community Buildings framework, we’ve broadened the scope of PB3 to allow local authorities to easily source quality contractors that will also help them to achieve low-energy and zero-carbon buildings and infrastructure projects. We’re pleased to have a range of regional and national contractors appointed to the framework, and with over 40% of the appointed companies being classed as an SME.” The framework has four workstreams covering: new build only; refurbishment only; new build and refurbishment; and new-build, refurbishment and infrastructure for projects at three different value bands.

New school retrofit model will revolutionise the path to net zero EQUANS, the new name for ENGIE’s services-led activities, has launched a school retrofit model that promises to support the Government’s 2050 net-zero-carbon ambitions through a two-pronged approach: decarbonsing the buildings and encouraging the teachers and children who use them to get involved in the net-zero agenda.

There are 32,000 schools across the UK and just a small number can boast net-zero-carbon credentials. EQUANS believes that schools sit at the very heart of communities, presenting a valuable opportunity to influence positive behaviours and strengthen support for the net-zero transition. School Zero is an innovative, holistic and flexible model, in which EQUANS collects and analyses energy and carbon data, surveys buildings, benchmarks current emissions and then plans impactful decarbonisation measures to achieve net-zero carbon in operation.

This can be achieved quickly through a comprehensive range of measures, such as improving heating system controls, swapping gas boilers, installing thermal-efficient windows and doors, providing EV charge points, installing smart building sensors and also enhancing school grounds with tree planting.

Pagabo launches bidding for £1.6bn civils framework National framework provider Pagabo has launched bidding for suppliers to join its brand-new, £1.6bn civils and infrastructure framework, which is set to go live at the start of 2022. The framework will run for four years and will allow local authorities and public sector bodies to procure a range of projects such as rail, nuclear, bridges, roads, maritime, water and power projects.

The Civils and Infrastructure Framework will feature four lots, covering value bands of up to £30m and above. Each lot will feature six regional and national organisations, along with three reserve organisations. Jason Stapley, Managing Director at Pagabo, said: “We’re really pleased to be welcoming bids for our latest framework, which is designed specifically for civils and infrastructure projects within the built environment. The framework will cover a range of areas, ensuring that the projects procured through it over the coming years are working towards tackling the climate crisis. The framework has been designed with the Construction Playbook in mind, which will help our clients to meet its principles in the most effective manner. This is the first framework that Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, will be acting as the contracting authority for, and we’re very much looking forward to receiving bids, appointing suppliers, bringing this new offering to the market, and, most of all, getting projects procured through it.”

Somerset’s new £18m SEN school completes construction Construction has now completed on Polden Bower SEN (special educational needs) School in Bridgwater, Somerset – creating additional much-needed school places for SEN students across the region. The £18m project, which started in June 2018, comprised the design and build of a brand-new, purpose-built school for students aged 4 to 16 who require custom support and facilities. The scheme features fully-accessible classrooms equipped with the latest teaching technology, a warm-water pool for physiotherapy, a sports hall and external spaces – as well as a cafe to help students develop vocational skills and encourage engagement. Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle – a company jointly owned by Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM – was appointed by Somerset County Council to complete the project as part of the local authority’s wider initiative to increase SEN school provisions throughout the district. Victoria Brambini, Managing Director of Perfect Circle, said: “We’re very proud to be part of Somerset County Council’s plan to create additional SEN school places throughout the region, improving educational infrastructure for young people across the county and allowing students to have access to high-quality academic and vocational opportunities. Leaving a lasting legacy in the communities we work within is at the core of Perfect Circle’s ethos, and this project will enable us to do just that by enhancing the lives of present and future generations.”

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UPFRONT

WORLD-CLASS SPECIALIST FACILITY OPENS ITS DOORS NHS Lothian’s new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences officially opened its doors earlier this year, bringing together all children’s services formerly located at Sciennes into one inspiring place.

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ocated next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France, the hospital, designed by HLM Architects, brings together outpatient and inpatient facilities for paediatric care, specialist neonatal care, neurosciences and adult and children’s emergency departments, creating a centre of excellence for staff and patients alike.

The design has delivered a fantastic new identity for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department for Clinical Neurosciences (RHCYP and DCN), which redefines and improves the entire arrival experience for those approaching the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Lorraine Robertson, Director at HLM Architects, said: “We are very excited to see this new state-of-the-art hospital become fully operational. The building has been designed as a flexible, modern space, built entirely around patient needs across its new wards, theatres, and therapy and emergency departments, greatly enhancing the healthcare provisions available to children

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and young people across Edinburgh and beyond.”

The design team shared NHS Lothian’s ambition to further improve its status as a worldclass service provider enabled by an excellent built environment.

The site has been arranged into three distinct elements and easily identifiable component parts that reflect and respond to the client’s clinical brief, design statement and ethos statement. The ‘Podium’ defines the edge of an extended public realm that connects all the main arrival points from Old Dalkeith Road to the new Hospital Square. The curved spine wall forming the edge of the podium becomes a strong visual feature, encompassing bespoke artwork developed with staff and patients. This defines the extent of the new unifying high-quality public realm and differentiates public and private areas. It provides a wonderful, grassed area that gently sweeps up, creating a private, secure setting for the CAMHS unit, giving the building its own unique setting within the hospital campus.

Sitting within and on the podium, ‘Big Brother’ is the acute block containing all facilities that are shared, including the diagnostic and treatment core and the main ward accommodation. The vibrantly-coloured ‘Little Brother’ then becomes the children’s hospital outpatient facility with the pod space at its heart, full of life and activity. Little Brother sits independently of the Podium and is located within the public realm, defining both the entrance to the RHCYP to the south and the entrance to the DCN to the north of a shared top-lit atrium and street space.

Throughout the design of the project, continued design ownership was encouraged with staff and end users – listening, encouraging and harnessing the passion and motivation of all contributors.

Calum Campbell, Chief Executive at NHS Lothian, said: “Our wish for this project was for it to be designed in collaboration with patients and their families, as well as our staff, and the facilities

that are available within the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Department for Clinical Neurosciences are testament to the success of that approach.

“The spaces are welcoming, but also fun; intended to put children and young people at ease at a time when they might otherwise be frightened, unsure or upset. The designed space is complemented by the inclusion of the latest clinical thinking and technology, enabling our teams to provide the best treatment and care for our patients not just now, but for years to come.”

Understanding the challenges that come with delivering a facility that takes account of the demands of different service users from children with physical and mental healthcare needs to vulnerable adults who require investigation and treatment for neurological conditions was key. This has been accomplished through an approach that is inclusive, open, honest, client/person centred, evidence based and outcome driven. 

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UPFRONT

UPFRONT

The simple arrangement of the principle building elements, such as arrival experience, entrances, light, scale, materials, finishes, art and wayfinding, ensure that each area has its own specific character albeit derived from a unified concept for the whole building. A friendly and welcoming environment starts on the approach to the building through the significant public realm. It continues throughout with provision of a caring and reassuring atmosphere which feels non-institutional through the integration of art throughout. Clear identities for departments and information points eliminate confusion and reduce anxiety.

A key aspect of the building is the art and therapeutic design programme which was commissioned based on extensive research which demonstrates that art and therapeutic design can help reduce stress and promote patient recovery.

The large-scale programme was funded through a £3.1m cash injection from the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and another £2m from the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation. More than 20 projects, and 30 different artists, were curated and produced by art and design consultant, Ginkgo, which worked with patients young and old to create a totally unique programme in what is the largest capital commission for art in a new hospital in the UK. 

www.hlmarchitects.com

Project Fact File: Client: Multiplex Construction/ NHS Lothian Location: Edinburgh Value: £150m Services: Architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture

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UPFRONT

LEISURE

NEW ADVENTURE AT PYRAMIDS IN PORTSMOUTH National contractor Brymor Construction has recently completed a new ‘Exploria’ attraction as part of a major revamp of Pyramids leisure centre in Portsmouth. has been a P yramids popular and well-known leisure centre in Portsmouth for generations of families and visitors since its construction three decades ago. Now, a new attraction built by Brymor Construction – Exploria – has opened as part of a major revamp at the landmark complex at Southsea. The large ‘play and bounce’ adventure play centre has breathed new life into the complex, replacing its ageing and loss-making swimming pool.

Pyramids – which opened in 1988 – is run by leisure and event operator BH Live on behalf of Portsmouth City Council. The city council instructed Portsmouth-based Brymor – an £85m-turnover firm with 160 staff – to create Exploria in the Clarence Esplanade area of the centre.

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Brymor Chairman, Stephen Morton, said: “Although we serve multiple sectors across the country, it was an absolute pleasure to carry out this work on our doorstep for BH Live and Portsmouth City Council.

“It means that the much-loved Pyramids has been updated from an ageing facility into a modern leisure centre, which can be enjoyed by families for years to come, including many Brymor employees.”

Pyramids was reaching the end of its design life when Portsmouth City Council decided on the revamp. The building opened in 1988 and was originally designed to last 30 years.

It became well known as a live music venue over the years, as well as for its leisure pool, gym and fitness centre. However, its pool was ageing and had become

loss-making, with a multi-million-pound investment required for refurbishment to allow it to remain open. The council took the difficult decision to instead repurpose the space for a new facility that would serve local people and visitors.

Work on the project was completed during the pandemic and included the removal and isolation of all swimming pool machinery.

Mechanical and electrical services were overhauled to improve reliability, efficiency and sustainability. Existing air-handling units were refurbished, new power systems fitted and solar shading installed on a high-level glazed atrium to prevent solar gain in the summer months.

The project also involved redecoration, upgrading and maintenance with general cleaning, duct cleaning and repairs.

For Exploria, a reception, locker rooms, toilets and cafe were built to deliver a highquality customer experience for parents, carers and guardians, as well as children.

Specialist subcontractor House of Play was employed to design and install Exploria

with play and bounce equipment including climbing frames, interactive play and slides.

Most features were manufactured off site and then erected at Pyramids, like a big jigsaw puzzle.

Described as ‘a world of fun and wonder’, Exploria boasts three adventure worlds: Junior Play Zone, Baby and Toddler Zone and Bounce Activity Zone.

They include challenging climbs, slippery slides, ball pits, rope bridges, spider webs, interactive play, bash bags, dive platforms, stunt boxes and foam pits. Other elements include mazes, tunnels, ball cannons, racing slides, battle and balance beams, log rolls, a drive tower, dodge ball and an interactive play wall.

Exploria’s Junior Play and Bounce Zones are primarily aimed at five to 12 year olds, while the Baby and Toddler Zone includes downsized fun for younger visitors and their parents/carers.

There are also party rooms themed as an Egyptian tomb, Mayan ruins, a volcano and a waterworld.

LEISURE

Exploria was created to be 100% compliant with disability accessibility guidance, including toilets, rest/seating areas and the cafe. There is level access in and out of the building, with no steps or ramps. One additional feature is an interactive sensory room, which supports exclusive, scheduled sessions for children with autism and other learning difficulties.

Challenges during the construction included allowing continued access to Pyramids’ gym and fitness facilities, which remained open to the public. Brymor erected screens to a bridge that linked to the building during the course of works. Brymor’s team were also faced with design challenges to create a bespoke, new facility in an unorthodox building, yet this also provided the opportunity for a blank canvas to create an exciting and innovative attraction.

Extracting the swimming pool and associated machinery under tight space constraints was also factored into project timescales – taking into account the centre’s location immediately next to the beach and just 25m from the sea.

The lion’s share of work was carried out during the pandemic, with close communication between Brymor, the city council and operators to agree safe and suitable scheduling and ways forward during the nine-month lifespan of the project.

Stephen Morton added: “There were a number of challenges, not least those posed by the pandemic. This had an effect at an operational level but we were also well aware how difficult a time it was for the council and the leisure industry in general.

“A collaborative approach was important and we were keen to see Portsmouth City Council’s vision for the Pyramids made reality with an exciting attraction to help ensure the viability of the centre in the coming years. We are proud to have been a trusted contractor for the council on this project.”

Under the revamp, more people of all ages are expected to use Pyramids to get active and have fun. Families, tourists and visitors have been flocking to enjoy Exploria, especially with an influx of holidaymakers and ‘staycationers’ over the summer. Crucially, it has also provided an all-weather destination for families when the great British summer delivered rain rather than sunshine.

Brymor has a long track record in leisure over many years, including leisure and fitness centres, swimming pools, hotels, theatres and entertainment venues – understanding the sector’s particular challenges and the importance of working closely and collaboratively with clients. This fast-evolving and competitive sector often requires highquality solutions with innovative designs, specialist equipment and bespoke fittings to create exciting attractions for an enhanced customer experience.

The ‘best-in-class’ project in Portsmouth has given young adventurers the chance to explore their very own pyramid while ensuring a local landmark in Portsmouth has a bright future for many years to come. 

www.brymor.co.uk

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HEALTHCARE

HARNESSING DIGITAL PLATFORMS TO ADVANCE COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION Developing healthcare estates requires a huge amount of collaboration between the many organisations and individuals that bring projects to life. Gavin Thompson, Partner and former CEO of UK-headquartered global engineering consultancy Buro Happold, explains how the business has adopted digital innovation to transform how organisations work together to create a clear approach to building facilities.

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don’t know about you, but it’s become second nature for me to turn to an app or website when I need to know or do something.

Whether it’s shopping, booking a holiday or buying a car, almost everything can be done digitally. It’s often quicker and more convenient and this has completely changed the way we live and work – and the COVID-19 pandemic has only cemented this.

In the built environment and healthcare, software is transforming how buildings work too. Improved data capture, automation and AI and smart products allow us to create buildings that more actively help deliver care and

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support staff. In the UK, NHSX has been established to drive this digitisation in public sector healthcare to rethink how people receive care and treatment.

But harnessing this technology isn’t just limited to engineering and the products used in buildings. There’s also an exciting opportunity to improve how healthcare professionals and myriad consultants involved in the sector collect, share and update the critical information used to plan, design and build modern facilities.

Often, organised volumes of files are used to bring together the strategies, masterplans and guidelines

that planners, architects and designers need to create new facilities for a client.

If a process like this is used for a project, the information is brought together into collections of PDFs that are not easy to navigate or add to.

There may also be conflicting standards, particularly in countries that draw on different international design standards, and these need to be reconciled so consultants and clinicians are clear on which to follow, and the approach healthcare providers want to take.

Importantly, a ‘knowledge hub’ like this is only useful if its information is current and regularly updated. It has to

evolve and capture changing guidance and new ideas, or it won’t instil confidence that the process is offering accurate information or driving continual improvement. This is tricky to achieve efficiently with basic files and folder structures, where volumes of documents are hard to update and are disconnected from one another.

The concept of a central repository for all information and development standards for a healthcare provider is, of course, a solid one, but we’ve been challenging ourselves at Buro Happold to think about how to maximise efficiencies and we’ve looked to software for the solution.

HEALTHCARE Gavin Thompson is Partner and former CEO of UKheadquartered global engineering consultancy, Buro Happold

A new digital solution for Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar We’ve been working on a groundbreaking project in Qatar with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to design and develop a new digital information hub, called the HMC Design Standards Framework (DSF).

HMC has brought together many expert clinicians and consultants from around the world to plan, design and build new hospitals and upgrade existing sites. With tens of thousands of employees across the organisation, it’s critical that HMC has a standardised, common approach to how facilities function to consistently operate a single model of care.

HMC challenged us to make this happen and we responded by developing new software around a framework of managing data, building from an existing website hosting PDFs, to catalogue the information needed to plan and design facilities – essentially, a single source of truth.

The DSF is holistic and includes everything from HMC’s national strategies and site masterplans to more detailed

site information, such as how operating theatres should be configured, all set in an easy-to-navigate platform.

An enhanced framework, taking the next step Importantly, what sets the DSF apart from other systems is a governance process that’s at the core of reconciling information and driving continual improvement. Within the software, users can highlight conflicts in information, and feedback suggested changes to the client, in this case HMC’s management team.

Differing opinions can be discussed and resolved through the same governance process too. This creates an evolving system bespoke to a healthcare provider that keeps itself current.

The DSF is also easy to access and search. We want consultants to be able to move seamlessly through all information and learn from other disciplines. Using a navigation panel, content can be found in the software easily using a computer, tablet or smartphone. This saves time and allows users to see the route of

information and where it comes from, as well as understand the reasoning behind it to make more informed decisions.

And, critically, this in turn unlocks more opportunity for innovation, which users are actively encouraged to think about.

Ideas for improvements or changes can be marked within the system and, again, these are sent to the client for review and approval. This means learnings are captured as projects progress.

The programme really has been a game-changer for HMC. We’ve seen it deliver significant efficiencies and encourage collaboration among a disparate group of consultants and clinicians. By creating a common approach, we’ve saved time and cost and have also improved facility performance.

But the DSF is more than just about streamlining processes. It’s resulted in huge steps forward in the rate of continual improvement. We’re able to better capture the new ideas and experience of consultants working on projects. By deploying this latest thinking, HMC is able to deliver ever more cutting-edge facilities.

While this work has been born out of Buro Happold’s collaboration with HMC, the DSF can be used by any healthcare provider.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that we look for smarter ways to capture everything we’ve learnt about delivering care amid a global healthcare crisis. I believe systems like the DSF will play a key role in this, as well as improving how we collaborate more widely. 

www.burohappold.com

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HOUSING

Measures to tackle air pollution have been announced by the Government, which cover both NOx (the collective name for oxides of nitrogen) and PM2.5 (particulate matter which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets such as soot). It aims to have new legal air pollution limits in place

by October 2022, which will be informed

by WHO guidelines. The Government has also said it will invest an extra £6m for local councils to improve air quality.

So, air pollution is being taken seriously and measures are being put in place, but are we in danger of missing the elephant in the room? We spend 80 to 90% of our time indoors and, whilst we are at risk of polluted external air entering our homes, that’s not the full story. By focusing on external air pollution, are we in danger of sidelining indoor air pollution?

What are the indoor pollutants?

THE INS AND OUTS OF AIR POLLUTION In this article, Paul Williams, Domus Ventilation Product Manager, looks at indoor air pollutants, which include external NO² and PM2.5 pollutants, but also those generated by activities conducted within the house such as cooking and cleaning. He also covers the ways these can be addressed, from removing the pollutant at source through to dispersing them through effective ventilation.

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ir pollution is well and truly headline news, be it clean air zones and debates around their implementation and effectiveness, through to the inquest this year on the death of a nine-yearold girl in 2013, which found she had been exposed to “excessive” levels of pollution near her home in south-east London which contributed to her death.

The inquest found surrounding levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO²) exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Union guidelines. This is the first time

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air pollution has been recognised as the cause of a person’s death in the UK. London is far from the only place in the UK to exceed pollution limits and thousands of people are directly affected by continually breathing in toxic air. The Government’s latest data shows that NO² limits are being exceeded in 33 out of 43 air quality assessment zones.

Earlier this year, the UK was found guilty by the European Court of Justice of “systematically and persistently” breaching air pollution limits.

When it comes to outdoor air pollutants, the focus is very much on NO² and PM2.5, with the key emissions sources being transport and domestic fossil fuel burning respectively.

For those living near busy roads and in builtup areas, these emissions remain a problem indoors, as well as outdoors, as they readily enter homes around closed doors, through windows etc.

But pollution is also generated by activities conducted within the house.

Levels of PM increase by burning fossil fuel such as gas cookers and heaters. Cleaning equipment often contains harmful toxins that accumulate indoors. Even seemingly innocuous items, such as furniture and the very materials homes are built from, can release potentially harmful pollutants if properties are poorly heated and ventilated.

Sadly, this is a much under-studied area and our knowledge of the sources and worst effects of indoor air pollution is lacking.

How to address indoor pollutants The first and easiest way to address potentially harmful pollutants indoors is for tenants to switch to non-toxic cleaning products. However, that is clearly out of your hands.

The second is to move away from fossil fuels in properties. For most, that means moving to electric.

Whilst the first two focus on removing the pollutant at source, the third way to address pollutants in residential properties is to disperse them through effective ventilation.

Basic mechanical ventilation, such as bathroom and kitchen fans, are essential and will remove a level of pollution, but to truly make a difference you need to turn to mechanical ventilation systems.

Effective ventilation = mechanical ventilation Mechanical ventilation, in the form of intermittent extract, continuous extract or supply and extract, are recognised as the most proficient means of ventilating a modern property.

HOUSING leg of the ducting system of a mechanical ventilation system and prevents up to 99.5% of NO² pollution from entering a home. There are two units in the range with the second one having the added benefit of a PM2.5 pre-filter.

Because of the nature of these systems, which require extensive ducting, they are mostly suited to new-build properties. For existing properties, the most costeffective options are bathroom and kitchen intermittent extraction fans (axial and centrifugal) and positive input ventilation units (PIV). PIV units are a cost-effective method of eliminating moisture from the home by gently pressurising a dwelling to expel stale and humid air through natural ventilation points. They can be mounted either in the loft area of a house, or a hallway cupboard of a flat.

Mechanical extract ventilation (MEV) and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems actively extract air from wetrooms (kitchens, bathrooms, utility spaces) via ducting to a central ventilation unit which exhausts to the atmosphere. In the case of MVHR, there’s the added benefit of supply and extract ventilation combined as these systems re-use waste heat from the extract air and use it to

efficiently pre-warm the fresh air drawn into the building using a heat exchanger.

The filtered, pre-warmed air is then distributed around the home, effectively meeting part of the heating load in energyefficient dwellings. Domus Ventilation’s new HRXE-HERA and HRXE-AURA MVHR units feature advanced heat exchange proficiency, enabling up to 95% of waste heat to be recovered.

Both MEV and MVHR systems provide effective ventilation, are energy efficient and extremely effective at dispersing polluted air.

Even with these clever systems, they still rely on bringing outdoor air in so, in more polluted areas such as cities, you will need to combine them with a filter. The Domus Ventilation NOX-FILT, for example, works on the supply

Getting to grips with indoor air quality We certainly don’t want to detract from the work being done to improve external air quality – it’s literally life saving – but we do need to start taking indoor air quality seriously. We should feel safe in our homes. 

www.domusventilation.co.uk

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HVAC

TACKLING FUEL POVERTY IN THE SOCIAL HOUSING SECTOR With fuel prices continuing to rise, so too is the issue of fuel poverty in the social housing sector. Anthony Watton, Head of Residential Specification at Baxi Assure, explores the cost-efficient heating and hot water options available for public sector new-build and RMI projects. housing S ocial development continues to be expedited through increased and accelerated funding, as the UK Government endeavours to meet rising demand for affordable homes. Yet, sustained growth of the social housing sector is resulting in a heightened problem of fuel poverty for households across the country.

Rising fuel costs, hard-totreat homes, lack of energyefficiency measures in homes and economic vulnerability are the main contributing factors to fuel poverty status, as more and more householders spend a high proportion of their income keeping their property at a reasonable temperature.

An estimated 3.18 million were living in fuel poverty in 2019, which has led to the Government setting out targets to reduce this number.

With figures showing that the majority of fuel-poor occupants live in Energy

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Performance Certificate (EPC) band D or E properties, outlined fuel poverty targets include aims to improve energy-efficiency measures and move as many homes as possible to a minimum of band D by 2025, and a minimum of band C by 2030. Better EPC ratings will mean residents can benefit from lower energy bills and, ultimately, avoid fuel poverty status.

The social housing sector is already under pressure to decarbonise homes as part of the Government’s wider target to achieve net zero by 2050.

More immediate fuel poverty targets intensify the obligation for social housing providers to install more energy-efficient heating and hot water solutions, that will sufficiently increase both EPC ratings in RMI projects and SAP ratings in new-build developments.

Air source heat pumps Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) can be installed instead of

a gas boiler to provide lowcarbon heating and hot water.

An ASHP runs at a consistent, low temperature and uses less electrical energy than the heat it produces, making it very energy efficient. Baxi Assure provides a tailored design service to ensure the best SAP ratings for new-build homes and reduced energy costs for householders.

For RMI projects, ASHPs can also be retrofitted with boilers to form a hybrid solution that maximises heat performance and reduces running costs. EPC ratings can be moved from band E to B and C and beyond for hard-to-heat properties, as well as those that have limited capabilities to upgrade the fabric of the building or other energy-saving features.

Flue gas heat recovery (FGHR) Also compatible with current heating technologies, FGHR is a low-carbon solution that improves the efficiency of

domestic boilers. The Baxi Assure FGHR is suitable for new-build properties and can be retrofitted to existing Baxi Assure boiler systems.

As waste flue gases pass through the FGHR, any heat that remains is extracted, meaning heat from the flue gases that would normally be expelled into the atmosphere is recycled and used to pre-heat water coming into the boiler from the cold mains supply. This significantly reduces the amount of gas required to heat the water.

Research testing shows that FGHR saves between 37 and 50% of the gas used to heat hot water annually, which means lower energy bills and greater carbon savings.

Heat networks Heat networks serve as heat distribution systems for multidwelling buildings. Made up of insulated pipes, a heat network takes the heat from a centralised energy source and circulates it to a number of homes.

HVAC The centralised energy source can range from an individual plant room to largescale district heating plants.

These can be for various multi-unit dwellings, including apartment buildings, multiple block districts and housing developments. Each dwelling has its own heat interface unit to control comfort settings and the amount of heat used, allowing end-users to regulate their energy usage.

Heat networks are more efficient than installing individual boilers as they reduce heat waste across multiple properties, affording a better balance of supply and lower costs of heating for households.

HEAT NETWORK IN A MULTIOCCUPANCY BUILDING

Sustainable development As the pressure mounts to meet looming Government targets, social housing providers can take solace in the fact that there are plenty of options to provide cost-efficient heating efficiency for future homes and fuel-poor households. Baxi Assure offers a full suite of products to provide the best solution for each application, along with expert support and advice. To this end, the social housing sector can help to reduce fuel poverty and forge a path to sustainable development. 

www.baxi.co.uk/assure

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RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY

USING BATTERIES AS A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCE

Aceleron Essential battery

Carlton Cummins, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of clean technology company Aceleron, explains the part that battery technology has to play in reducing our carbon emissions.

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ccording to the Government’s Energy Trends report (April to June 2021), renewable energy generation fell, compared to the same period the year before, due to less favourable weather conditions. This led to an increased reliance on gas to make up for the shortfall which may have worked in the short term but clearly isn’t going to work longer term – especially if we want to reach net zero by 2050.

The truth is, we have become accustomed to using ever-increasing quantities of energy – thanks, in large part, to our reliance on technology and the use of electric vehicles.

This is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future and has resulted in an increased focus on how energy can be sourced, stored and managed more sustainably.

We need to be able to store renewablysourced energy to provide supplementary power even on cloudy or windless days and this is where battery technology comes in. If energy storage in the form of batteries is added to a building’s infrastructure, we should be able to meet the increased demand for power without needing to rely so heavily on less sustainable energy sources.

The benefits of adding battery storage to a building’s energy infrastructure:

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Battery storage allows power to be unlocked faster than a typical grid can deploy, meaning that electric vehicles can recharge and go quickly and efficiently – or using high-power machinery will not mean compromising on power use in other areas.

Keeping costs down It is really important to consider the lifecycle of a battery when adding to a building’s energy infrastructure, as they can be a costly investment. A typical battery will need to be replaced when it no longer works as they can’t easily be serviced and this puts costs up.

The technology we have designed at Aceleron means that our batteries are built to last a lifetime.

Using a unique compression technology, every part of an Aceleron battery can be repaired or replaced, with the replaced parts being fully recyclable – or even reusable. This means that once the initial purchase is covered, the battery storage system can be serviced and repaired on an ongoing basis, reducing long-term costs significantly.

Energy management and sustainability Businesses are now evaluated for Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and the conversation about what we can do to reach net zero is only going to get louder and more intense.

Increased operational capacity

Backup power supply

There are times when a building will need to draw a lot of power at once – for running highpower machinery or recharging a fleet of electric vehicles, for instance – and this can result in requiring extra grid capacity.

Historically, backup power has been supplied by diesel generators – harmful to the environment and costly to run, repair and replace. Battery technology has advanced to the point where diesel generators will soon become obsolete. Batteries, such as the

Carlton Cummins is Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of clean technology company, Aceleron

Essential, can provide a reliable, clean power source, which can be monitored and controlled remotely, making it sustainable as well as ‘smart’.

Using battery storage, as a means of efficiently managing energy use and supply, is a valid and – perhaps more crucially for some – cost-effective means of contributing to our goal of reaching net zero by 2050. 

www.aceleronenergy.com

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LEGAL & BUSINESS

PROMPT PAYMENT IMPROVEMENTS ENCOURAGING BUT NOT ENOUGH

Neil Sherreard, Deputy Chairman of Beard Construction, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building and a Chartered Environmentalist

It should be incumbent on all stakeholders to a building project to ensure the fair treatment of the supply chain. However, there are still stories of unscrupulous tactics by some contractors withholding or delaying payments to their supply chain, yet many clients are not asking for evidence of payment practices when awarding work. Neil Sherreard, Deputy Chairman of Beard Construction, explains more.

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rom the contractor’s perspective, withholding or delaying payments is not only morally questionable, but also doesn’t make business sense. After all, we are all striving to achieve the same outcome – to be treated fairly, produce beautiful spaces together and be rewarded for our efforts at the right time.

Poor payment practices can only serve to frustrate this.

Therefore, ensuring companies look after the people helping them to deliver for their customers must surely be a prerequisite for awarding contracts.

Sadly, this is not a new debate. Prompt payment and the fair treatment of suppliers has been a topic of discussion in the construction industry for decades. However, the pandemic has intensified the debate around the issue, with smaller supply chain companies able to inject much-needed capital into the economy.

Small businesses are a growth engine for the UK

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economy, employing 61% of the private sector workforce (16.8 million) and generating 52% of turnover. Yet almost 50,000 go out of business each year due to cashflow problems.

A significant number of these businesses will operate in the construction sector, as construction sites generate a significant amount of work for smaller suppliers and sub-contractors.

That’s why it has never been more important to ensure fair treatment of suppliers and sub-contractors including prompt payment of invoices.

Earlier this year, the Government announced changes to the Prompt Payment Code (PPC) which came into force from 1st July 2021. The new rules state that suppliers that have signed up to the PPC have to pay suppliers with fewer than 50 employees in 30 days.

Despite this positive step, according to the small business commissioner, who oversees

the PPC, £23.4bn worth of late invoices are currently owed to firms across Britain.

Recent research from Build UK suggests that things are moving in the right direction at least. Its latest survey found that average payment times have improved over the last six months. The figures show that, on average, contractors paid sub-contractors within 34 days, which is 11 days quicker than in July 2018 when they first started collecting data.

However, these improvements are set against the backdrop of worker and material shortages. It seems clear that one of the ways to mitigate the risk of projects running late due to supply chain issues is to ensure prompt payment, as that will inevitably mean better working relationships with those suppliers and sub-contractors.

The multi-faceted nature of the construction industry means that, as a contractor, you have to recognise your position sitting near the top of the supply chain,

and that prompt payments assist many other suppliers in managing their businesses successfully. We cannot operate in isolation without consequences for the rest of the industry, upon which we all rely.

At Beard, it’s long been part of the business’ ethos to commit to a maximum of 30day payments, while striving for shorter times, because it is the right thing to do. With the general shortage of people currently, certainty of payment should help to attract more people into the construction industry and help alleviate some of the current issues.

It’s better for the long-term pipeline of opportunities as well, if you’re able to deliver your projects in harmony with a committed and loyal supply chain. Some customers are increasingly asking their contractors for evidence that they are paying their supply chain promptly, but not all.

Customer interrogation of fair treatment of the contractor’s supply chain may, in the long run, be the greatest driver of prompt payment for all and subsequent long-term health of our industry. 

www.beardconstruction.co.uk

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EDUCATION

UK’S FIRST PASSIVHAUS SECONDARY SCHOOL The pioneering Harris Academy Sutton is the UK’s first Passivhaus secondary school and the largest Passivhaus school in the UK. new building forms the cornerstone T heof the London Cancer Hub, featuring world-class research and treatment facilities.

The school has a special focus on the science disciplines, aiming to inspire scientists of the future and building links with employment partners to enhance student experience and support the transition to further education with university-style learning.

The scheme is also one of the largest educational projects in the UK to have a structure made predominantly from cross-laminated timber (CLT), together with glulam beams, with only the ground floor – partially submerged under the sloping site – constructed from concrete.

Value for students and community Accommodating up to 1275 students from ages 11 to 18, Architype has developed a wayfinding strategy including connecting lightwells and coloured stairs to help pupils navigate the new space. Copper has been used as a visual separation for the areas of the building which are multi-use, serving the public as well as students. For example, the stunning 715m2 sports hall is clad almost

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entirely with copper and internally finished with exposed timber. The facility will be used by students as well as local residents after hours, contributing to the healthy living values of the wider site.

Classrooms are light and inspiring with optimised spatial orientation – the result of extensive daylight, noise, transport and ecology surveys conducted by Architype.

The teaching accommodation spans over four storeys, including 11 labs to suit the STEM school’s science-focused aspirations. A flexible demonstration lab can accommodate up to 60 students to encourage participation in extra-curricular research and national events, such as British Science Week.

CLT roofs reflect the natural harmony of the building, with non-toxic materials providing exemplary air quality and environmental credentials. The central spine of the school has alternating wings and halls to provide an optimised massing.

This dynamic layout maximises the site’s useable external areas with terraced seating and social courtyards, further adding to the knowledge sharing and ‘university campus’ feel of the scheme.

Design process The floor slabs were designed to bear only on external walls, glulam structure and central spine CLT walls, made possible by large continuous CLT panels.

As a consequence, internal walls can be added or taken away to reflect changes to teaching methods or uses that change over time.

Exposed soffits show the timber, helping the design language to be easily understood. Architype’s designs incorporate the circular economy of the structure; the bolted connections to the glulam frame can be dismantled and reused at the end of its life. Additionally, the exposed timber structure makes the building more lightweight, assisting in reducing the need for piled foundations, which significantly reduced the embodied carbon of the building.

Biophilia and designing for wellbeing The design’s Passivhaus approach is in line with the council’s ‘One Planet Living’ strategy and low carbon targets. Extensive public and authority consultation has helped to shape the building‘s volume to minimise its visual and overshadowing impact on its neighbours, as the building steps down to the north, and to form the local infrastructure plans and improvements, including encouraging staff, pupils and parents, to take sustainable routes to the school.

EDUCATION Nature is at the heart of the materiality. All classroom spaces have exposed ceilings, with acoustic rafts below and corridors feature exposed CLT. Architype’s research into biophilia has provided anecdotal evidence that the non-toxic, familiar materials help to produce a calming and nonstressful learning environment.

Where timber wasn’t used, Architype opted for a palette of similarly natural materials, including copper cladding on the sports hall exterior to reference the science-focused nature of the site. Historical trees have been preserved and incorporated as part of the ecology-focused landscaping plan, providing the benefit of harnessing a mature feel for the new school, contributing to the improved horticulture of the site and creating a buffer between the building and its residential neighbours.

Contractor collaboration Architype provided lead consultancy, architectural and principal designer services, working closely alongside contractor Willmott Dixon. The project demonstrated a ‘one-

team ethos’ from start to finish, collaborating with the client, contractor and sub-contractors to ensure that ambitious environmental standards were met. Architype’s expertise in Passivhaus, alongside Willmott Dixon’s flexibility in construction, has helped to deliver a super-low-energy building, with optimum internal conditions which hope to save as much as 90% on its heating bills. Each room is served with a very small domestic scale radiator and light sensors to help students and teachers know how to use the room’s minimal light and heating most efficiently. The school has achieved an exemplary air leakage score of 0.3ACH, and is in the process of gaining Passivhaus certification.

Christian Dimbleby, Lead Architect at Architype, comments: “As a collaborative team, we have overcome the significant technical challenges of delivering Passivhaus design and quality on this scale to create what will be the UK’s first Passivhaus secondary school and the UK’s largest Passivhaus school, once certified. Building on insights gained from our previous

Passivhaus buildings, we have delivered a low-carbon, timberbased school that offers pupils and staff excellent light and air quality, non-toxic materials, lower energy bills and a beautiful and inspiring building that is connected to its suburban setting.

“Taking a Passivhaus approach means we know the building will achieve significant savings on operating costs and carbon

emissions – using up to 90% less energy than a typical educational building. The non-toxic materials palette including copper and timber helps the building act as a landmark building for sustainability and will ensure that the learning environment will maximise pupils’ alertness and concentration and result in a brilliant future for all.” 

www.architype.co.uk

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TALKING POINT

THE CONSTRUCTION PLAYBOOK Published in December of last year, the Government’s Construction Playbook aims to encourage collaboration and better strategic relationships between the public and private sectors and to drive improvement and innovation within the construction industry. John Welch, Deputy Director for Crown Commercial Service, explains further. result of deep T heengagement with stakeholders across the UK’s construction industry, the Construction Playbook captures commercial best practices and specific sector reforms, setting out the Government’s expectations of how contracting authorities and suppliers, including the supply chain, should engage with each other from the start of any programme.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS), an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, is the UK’s largest public procurement organisation. Our procurement professionals include experts in construction, facilities and estates management, building materials, energy, water and fuels, as well as dozens of other categories across all the common goods and services procured by the public sector.

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Having led the drafting process – covering early supplier engagement, outcomebased specifications, effective contracting, risk management, long-term planning and the overall procurement process – CCS continues to be part of the steering group supporting and overseeing the Construction Playbook’s implementation.

What the Construction Playbook says The Construction Playbook sets out 14 key policies for how the Government should assess, procure and deliver public works projects and programmes, to enable the UK to build back better.

All central Government departments and their armslength bodies are expected to follow these policies on a ‘comply or explain’ basis – if

necessary, explaining why their unique circumstances mean they go their own way.

The playbook sets out what is expected from the industry, including continuous improvement in building and workplace safety, cost, speed and quality of delivery, greater sharing of better data, investment in training the future workforce through upskilling and apprenticeships, and adoption of the UK Building Information Management (BIM) framework – providing greater certainty to construction through long-term plans for key programmes.

It also puts the onus on the public sector to develop detailed project pipelines, considering alliance arrangements and earlier and more detailed market engagement, and building its own expertise around consistent, effective contracting.

John Welch is a senior commercial and procurement professional, chartered with extensive construction experience.

He was recently appointed Chair of the NEC Users’ Group and is currently responsible for the strategic delivery of multi-billion-pound commercial agreements in Crown Commercial Service (CCS), supporting Government departments in delivering their construction programmes.

How to build the playbook into your procurement process Here are four ways you can ensure your construction procurements are in line with the recommendations of the Construction Playbook:

1. Put enough resource into planning The planning stage of any procurement will determine its success or otherwise. Make sure you assess the health and capability of your supply market, plan long term to drive value for your key assets and engage early with your supply chains.

TALKING POINT

The role of leaders

Putting the correct resource into the planning stages of your procurement will boost opportunities for competition and innovation, help you effectively allocate and manage risk, and set your project or programme up for success.

2. Choose a route to market and a delivery partner that suits you Choose the right delivery model for your needs and follow an evidence-based process. Large procurement frameworks can offer a mix of suppliers with different areas of expertise, potentially including SMEs from

your area, as well as standard terms and conditions to protect you from insolvencies and build the latest best practice into your contracts.

3. Benchmark and incentivise No construction project is completely unique, so benchmark yours against past projects and create a ‘should cost’ model to make sure your investment decisions are informed ones. Incentivise your chosen suppliers to deliver on time and in a sustainable manner, in line with your priorities around social value, modern slavery and carbon net zero.

4. Go digital CCS is supporting the rollout of Building Information Modelling (BIM) across the public sector, and particularly for local authorities. In a BIM process, a project team contributes information and data about a proposed building or structure in a shared digital space called a common data environment.

This information can be used to create a 3D model of the proposed structure, with tags for materials, manufacturer, cost, and much more. This data can then be shared with involved parties, putting data at the heart of the design process.

There are lots of things you can do practically to ensure your procurements follow the latest guidelines and best practice. But just as important is the attitude you take, and the leadership behaviours you display.

Behaviour and leadership is key – suppliers have to want to be part of building back better, and public sector customers have to recognise where more innovative arrangements will bring benefits.

Suppliers also need to consider and demonstrate how they’ll deliver against carbon net zero targets, supporting social value and health and safety, and tackling modern slavery.

I would recommend working in a collaborative fashion, potentially as part of an alliance. This can be a real gear change to some in the industry, up and down the chain. Take that leap, be competitive and collaborative and, together, we can build a more sustainable construction industry. 

www.crowncommercial.gov. uk/products-and-services/ buildings/construction

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SURFACING

THE POWER OF LVT FLOORING Flooring is one of the biggest surfaces in a building and it plays a multitude of roles. From contributing to the overall look and feel of a venue, to providing safety and durability, luxury vinyl tile floors are perfect for revolutionising education and leisure environments, says Sophia Wise, Regional Commercial Manager at Amtico. the largest surface A sused in a building, specifiers are often lured by the aesthetics of a flooring.

However, aside from the way it looks, this essential product needs to deliver on many more levels and when it comes to commercial design, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) floor is leading the way. Not only is it incredibly versatile, it is also one of the most durable and hardwearing products available.

As specifiers across all sectors look to create more flexible spaces, which carefully balance attractive design with functionality and safety, LVT flooring is quickly becoming the flooring of choice. It offers complete design freedom, while also presenting a commerciallybeneficial alternative to other materials, such as natural wood or stone, sheet vinyl and laminates. Additionally, it provides the shapes, angles/ geometry and scale needed to optimise a space, yet remains incredibly durable while meeting VOC requirements for wellbeing and air quality.

The durability of LVT lies in the complex construction of its layers. For manufacturers of high-quality LVT, a typical product consists of up to six laminated layers, plus

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a urethane coating. Each has its own dedicated role, although the crucial layer aiding specification in education or leisure is the performance wear layer. The thickness and density of this correlates significantly with the durability of a product and should be carefully considered during the specification process – especially when longevity is required. Indeed, Amtico uses a 1mm wear layer for its Signature collection, which also carries a 20-year commercial warranty.

Nonetheless, if a floor is to be noticed, it won’t be because of the thickness of its wear layer. Rather, it will be the design and laying pattern. There is, of course, no mistaking the distinctive finish of natural wood or stone, but they aren’t typically the most practical in a commercial environment, where there are other factors to consider; the time required to lay the product, safety non-slip options, cleaning schedules and the opportunity to offer something ‘different’. The latter is often the main driver for using LVT, as it not only provides the look and feel of a natural product, but also offers specifiers unlimited possibilities.

Design makes it possible to evoke an emotional response in a person occupying a space, ranging from boosting productivity in a collaborative space, to a feeling of relaxation and comfort in a break-out area. While furniture and paint colours are naturally the first items considered to evoke such a response, flooring also plays an integral role. For instance, a quiet ‘concentration’ zone in a sixth-form building can benefit from calming wood designs, natural palettes and simple laying patterns. Additionally, LVT planks and tiles can be enhanced with acoustic performance backing layers to reduce sound disruptions from rooms on higher levels.

Whether used individually or in combination, each of these can make a positive impact on the occupant(s) and how they use the space.

However, the right choice of floor product and design – coupled with a generous commercial warranty – goes a long way in meeting the practical needs of a user, while ensuring durability and longlasting performance. For these reasons, LVT meets a wealth of specification requirements and offers an attractive, and yet practical, alternative to other traditional flooring materials, such as natural wood, stone, sheet vinyl and laminates. 

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TECHNICAL FOCUS

SUDS: A NATURAL, BUT SCIENTIFIC, SOLUTION TO FLASH FLOODING What can those in the built environment do to help mitigate the risks of flash flooding?

Martin Lambley – Wavin Stormwater Management Product Manager, North West Europe, UK and Ireland – explains how having more sustainable drainage systems, or SuDS, can support the UK in building climate-resilient cities.

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head of COP26, the Environment Agency has reported that climate change is exacerbating the pressure on our water environment, with more flooding, more droughts and more extreme weather events. Emma Howard Boyd, the agency’s Chair, said we risk disastrous situations, such as the recent flooding in Germany, coming to the UK’s shores if the country does not quickly become more resilient.

With climate change making flood incidents more frequent and severe, our built environment needs to change the way it deals with stormwater and flooding. As the construction industry strives forward, aiming to bounce back from the pandemic, now is the time to start incorporating more innovative flood mitigation systems into both new projects and existing urban spaces.

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We need to start by looking at why climate change is causing more extreme weather events. Essentially, it’s because warmer atmospheres are able to hold on to moisture for longer, meaning when it does rain, we’re seeing more intense downpours over a shorter period. These can quickly overwhelm traditional urban drainage systems, often leading to disruption, damage and hazardous situations for the population.

The key issue with flash flooding is not being able to remove the high level of excess water away quickly enough. What’s needed here are solutions where excess water can be collected swiftly, but managed in the local environment in a controlled manner, and this is where SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) come in.

SuDS combine the natural filtration features found commonly in rural environments with mass-water storage systems to create a truly holistic and reliable solution. Rather than a pipe-based approach, SuDS recreate the natural process of surface water management.

There’s no question that SuDS will prove evermore valuable as we start to see more extreme weather events.

Solely surface-based SuDS, which manage excess water while mimicking naturallyfound ponds and waterways, are effective but often require large amounts of space, which is not always available. This can be extremely difficult, or even sometimes impossible, to achieve in urban settings. With the pressure on converting as much space as possible to residential areas, the longterm viability of surface-based

SuDS needs to be carefully considered in the planning phase of a development.

Finding opportunities for SuDS Below-ground SuDS, such as Wavin’s Q-Bic Plus, which come in the form of geocellular attenuation tanks, can be used to enhance the resilience of urban areas. These solutions, along with elements such as permeable paving, can prove valuable when it comes to managing high volumes of surface water without taking up as much above-ground space.

These geocellular structures are particularly beneficial when compared to conventional tanks or large diameter pipes, thanks to their spatial versatility, ease of installation and maintenance, as well as the option for infiltration through a geotextile liner in suitable soils. They capture excess water quickly, but then slowly and gradually filter it back into the natural landscape, which ensures that the surrounding environment is not overwhelmed with water, either during, or after, the rainfall.

Incorporating both options into urban designs is a significant step forward in proactively addressing the impact of climate change, but also improving our overall drainage infrastructure on the huge scale that’s needed.

TECHNICAL FOCUS There is already a requirement that SuDS are considered as part of new developments under the National Planning Policy Framework, but making new builds more climate resilient won’t be enough on its own. Urban designers need to start looking at retrofitting SuDS into many existing areas.

Below-ground SuDS are the ideal solution here, and offer fantastic opportunities for increasing the flood resilience of our cities, without having a major impact on design schemes.

Added value with sustainable drainage As well as providing a sustainable management tool which deals with flood water, there are other benefits that come from incorporating SuDS into towns and cities.

For example, they’re proven to boost biodiversity levels in surrounding areas. A holistic approach to SuDS, including natural, surface-based elements, can support the creation of environments in which flora and fauna thrive. With the Government currently looking at plans to make biodiversity net gain a requirement for all new developments, using SuDS is a fantastic way to futureproof projects.

Another advantage of SuDS is their ability to improve water quality in the surrounding environment. Traditional drainage systems allow a multitude of contaminants, such as animal waste, litter and fertilisers, to be mixed in with surface water runoff. A comprehensive SuDS solution on the other hand, separates surface water runoff from sewage, thanks to its ability to lower the flow rate and increase natural filtration. This, in turn, lessens the burden on local authorities as water isn’t processed unnecessarily and prevents pollutants from flowing into natural water bodies.

When looking at the future of our built environment and its resilience against climate change, SuDS are a clear solution which need to be taken advantage of in new developments and retrofitted into existing ones. It’s sometimes seemingly small steps that make the biggest difference when it comes to climate action. By improving the capacity and water control capabilities of our drainage infrastructure, we can effectively mitigate the impact of climate change, protect the population and safeguard our towns and cities. 

www.wavin.com

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GLASS & GLAZING

emerge from the pandemic A sandweprepare for the workforce to

HOW TO CHANNEL LIGHT THROUGH AN OFFICE SPACE Peter Daniel, Product Innovation Director at The Rooflight Company, discusses the importance of natural light in office spaces and how to channel light through a workplace environment.

return to the office, it’s important that workspaces are safe, suitable and inviting.

Natural light is vitally important to both physical and mental health, and in our own homes that’s easy to control. After all that homeworking, staff will be keen to reap those benefits in the office too.

Natural light in the workplace can have vital benefits for vision, orientation, productivity, alertness and general health.

Those who work near to sunlight are 6.5% less likely to take sick leave, according to a study by the University of Oregon.

So, with the benefits of natural light clear as day, how can you get more of it into your office space? Here’s a quick guide.

The first thing to consider is the orientation of the building and where your windows are in relation to desk space, as that will impact the amount of natural light that will reach workers. The time of day and the time of year will also have an impact. For example, if the room in question is east facing, the room will be in direct sunlight in the morning, but shady by the afternoon.

A useful tool to experiment with is daylight-visualising software, which will map how light will move inside a room.

There are a variety of apps available that allow you to mock up a room and track light patterns at different times.

In larger buildings, where people are more likely to be further away from an exterior wall, the creative solution would be to install rooflights. They can bring daylight into central spaces, meaning light is more effectively distributed around a larger room or warehouse.

Several smaller rooflights are often more effective than one single rooflight as they allow for a wider variety of glazing options, which can be used to improve the thermal efficiency of the glass panes and, therefore, of the building.

In an office, maximising space is a high priority, and large windows with bulky frames can get in the way aesthetically.

Choosing a window or rooflight with unobtrusive, clean lines and fixings, which appear frameless on the inside, is an effective option. They will look not only modern and professional, but also ensure that the maximum amount of light can enter a room. Our neo range is a good example of this, they’re sleek inside and out, with a tophinged opening that will further maximise space. They also come with our unique Thermoliner, which manages condensation and is important in a large open space where ventilation may be limited.

Natural light improves productivity and creativity, boosts mood and performance and reduces sick leave. So, if you invest in daylight, like the Said Business School at the University of Oxford, you’ll be onto a winner. 

www.therooflightcompany.co.uk

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DOORS & WINDOWS

NATIONWIDE WINDOWS LAUNCHES TRAINEE INSTALLER SCHEME TO FUTURE-PROOF QUALITY Nationwide Windows & Doors has launched an independent pilot programme to provide quality training to the next generation of installers, creating real career opportunities and helping to improve communities, housing and homes.

The scheme has been structured to provide a blended approach, including classroom education alongside both offsite and onsite training, tackling the skills gap and futureproofing Nationwide’s high-quality standards to tenants.

Starting in June, the first batch consisted of two recent school leavers under 18 years old, with four more trainees who had previous careers in other industries joining the programme in July.

Enrolees begin training as competent labourers, partnering with existing installation teams and supported by Nationwide’s dedicated training team, with those showing potential given the option to progress further and become professional installers. Additional training will be fully funded by Nationwide, which will also be providing NVQ qualifications and other nationally-recognised qualifications to demonstrate competence.

Led by Helen Owens, Learning & Development Manager, the Nationwide training team also consists of Master Fitter, Simon Taylor, and GQA Assessor & Trainer, Dave Naylor.

“As a company, we have always been passionate about training and improving opportunities for our staff and communities,” says Chris Costall, Nationwide’s Compliance Director. “This programme has created a real buzz already and it’s great to see the candidates taking to the course with such enthusiasm.

“Not only are they getting the benefit of Simon’s vast installation expertise and Dave’s training and assessing knowledge, but working with our teams on site is also giving them valuable ‘boots on the ground’ experience, ensuring our high-quality standards to clients are maintained.”

Initially taking place in Nottingham, the scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally.

www.nwd.co.uk 0808 1234 000 howens@nwd.co.uk

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DOORS & WINDOWS Image supplied by ASSA ABLOY

2022 PROMISES TO OPEN NEW DOORS FOR MORALT AG Despite a number of challenges and disruptions, 2021 has proved to be a very good year for the specialist German producer of certified technical door solutions. Throughout 2020, the pandemic affected a lot of businesses with lockdowns in several of its key markets, staff on furlough at both its customers and suppliers, and major door projects cancelled or placed on hold, all adding to a subdued and frustrating trading period.

“Our particular need to further test and develop products was also badly hit,” explains Steven Dennard, who looks after Moralt’s international sales.

“In the spring, our two-week acoustic test package at IFT in Arnsberg, northern Germany – which was supported by Mann McGowan – showed some excellent product performances and assisted the mood greatly.

Our FireSound Xtreme FD120 door now performs acoustically to Rw dB44 as a single-leaf door, and a pair, dB43, making this our strongest acoustic product which, at only 58mm thick, is excellent. Further confirmed positive acoustic performances with concealed hinges and door closers means that our acoustic door offer has become a lot stronger for contract specifiers.

“A fire door test package with FD60 at DMT in Lathen, Germany, in early September – in part to complement the March acoustic testing – was our next programme. Moralt FireSound was the principal focus of these tests, and we included an RFID access solution from ASSA ABLOY in the test doors so that specifiers could consider high-acoustic, fire-rated door products with electronic card readers for use in hospitality, education,

healthcare and administrative environments. The tested doors were all 2440 x 1000mm in size, so that we might see a good size scope added to our already comprehensive acoustic and fire range of doors.”

2021 has seen the business continue to make significant investments, for example, with the introduction of Hubspot, a CRM system that enables the company to manage product enquiries from around the globe more quickly and efficiently, which, in turn, facilitates Moralt’s R&D work.

Plus, in the autumn, the company began work on a UL door test package for spring 2022, which will appeal to existing markets in the Middle East as well as being the basis of its future commercial work in North America.

Steven continues: “In September, we exhibited at our first face-to-face show for almost two years, the Big 5 in Dubai, which saw heightened interest in our FireSound highacoustic and fire-rated door cores, as well as our timber external door core range.”

Managing Director at Moralt AG, Klaus Feile, echoes Steven’s optimism. “Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, 2021 has been an extremely successful year for us with strong sales from the UK, European and Middle East markets. In addition, the introduction of FireSmoke and FireSound Xtreme (FD90 and FD120) as stock items at both UK distributors – James Latham and Falcon Panel Products – means that we now offer a full suite of FD30, 60, 90 and 120 fire ratings with our sustainable, certified timber door blanks and also a solid

acoustic range too with dB40 and beyond acoustic performances in all fire categories.”

Klaus adds: “Throughout this difficult period, we have used the time effectively, continuing to invest in the business with the latest technology to deliver innovative solutions across both our production facility and processing systems. This will ensure that we are in the best possible position for future growth, which is expected to continue through 2022.”

www.moralt-ag.de info@moralt-ag.de

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ROOFING, CLADDING FLOORS, FOCUS WALLS & INNOVATION & CEILINGS & INSULATION

EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS FOR RHINO ROCKS, THANKS TO DR SCHUTZ Rhino Rocks is a professional floor cleaning business based in Yorkshire, specialising in both residential and commercial floor cleaning. A family-run business which prides itself on its excellent customer service and quality of work, the team’s expertise covers both internal and external flooring surfaces.

A prospective client contacted Rhino Rocks regarding the restoration of a residential care home in Leeds that was nearing completion.

The building contractors wanted to find a reliable company that could clean and restore some very tired old vinyl floors, within a relatively tight timeframe.

The floors were dry and scratched and needed a substantial amount of care and attention. The contractors had considered various options and

were undecided about whether to replace or restore the old flooring.

However, the Rhino Rocks team were confident that by using the right products on the floor, they could deliver brilliant results, without the outlay of buying and fitting a new floor.

Martin Beanlands, Team Coordinator at Rhino Rocks, explains: “We knew that the product applied must be super durable and hardwearing to accommodate wheelchairs

and older people, who would be using walking accessories directly over the floor daily.

Our choice was Dr Schutz because we’re confident their products deliver fantastic results. Dr Schutz products tick all of our boxes; they are high quality, easy to apply and produce a fantastic finish.”

The Rhino Rocks team used Dr Schutz Turbo Strip to fully remove all the old sealant with 36kg machines, combined with 10kg added weight to fully remove all the wax and residue.

Dr Schutz Turbo Strip is ultrafast and exceptionally effective in stripping surfaces thoroughly and mechanically clean, ensuring they are free from all dust, grease, oil, wax and care films, residues and finishes.

The team’s ultra powerful, truck-mounted floor cleaning machine at 1300 PSI was then used to rinse the floors with a vortex extraction tool. A powerful drying machine was then deployed to dry the floor areas.

To complete the project, three coats of Dr Schutz Ultra High Shine Hard Sealer was applied to the floor for maximum shine and a quality finish.

Dr Schutz Ultra High Shine Hard Sealer is a hardwearing and highly scratch-resistant polymer sealer for the protection of vinyl and linoleum floors. It creates a shiny, nonslip protective film ensuring a high degree of safety.

The project from the start to the application of the final coat, took three members of the Rhino Rocks team six hours, followed by a visit the next day to complete the finished floor.

After the final coat was applied, the area was left overnight to dry and set.

Martin continues: “The results we achieved with Dr Schutz products were superb, and the contractor that employed us was delighted, not to mention the customer who had trusted the work to us, he knew we wouldn’t let him down! We were also delighted that Dr Schutz was able to deliver additional products to site, at very short notice to make it possible to complete the project.”

www.drschutz.co.uk 01296 437827

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BOSTIK PRODUCTS PROVE THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION FOR MAJOR NEW HOSPITAL The new FIX A320 TACK adhesive was among the Bostik products that – combined with the company’s technical expertise – recently enabled the installation of the flooring on the large site of the new Grange University Hospital in Wales.

From the early stages of the hospital’s construction, Bostik’s technical experts visited the site on several occasions to inspect the subfloors and make recommendations for how they should be treated. Once the subfloors

had been treated where necessary and vacuumed to create a dust-free surface, the flooring contractor was able to prepare them to receive the floorcoverings using a variety of Bostik products.

FLOORS, FOCUS WALLS & INNOVATION & CEILINGS

First, the floorlayers applied Bostik Screedmaster One Coat Membrane, an epoxy damp-proof membrane, to suppress the residual construction moisture in the subfloors, before allowing it to cure into a glossy and tack-free film overnight. Next, they thoroughly primed the cured membrane using Bostik Screedmaster Universal Primer.

With the subfloor thoroughly primed, the next step was to apply Bostik smoothing compounds to bring the subfloors to the required level. For most areas of the building, the floorlayers used Bostik’s self-smoothing Screedmaster Flow. This incorporates a blend of cements and aggregates combined with special additives to offer excellent workability and flow characteristics, and can be trowelled to a feather edge.

Where the subfloor required reprofiling, such as in the wetroom, they instead used the high-strength Bostik Screedmaster Deep smoothing compound. Then, with the smoothing compounds dry, it was time to apply a variety of Bostik adhesives to bond the floorcoverings. Carpet tile installations, meanwhile, were achieved using FIX A320 TACK, Bostik’s non-staining tackifier that’s designed to provide a permanently tacky film when dry to facilitate the easy removal and replacement of carpet tiles.

Finally, for the installation of the skirtings, capping strips and other accessories throughout the hospital, the installers used Bostik Roll, the company’s reinforced, solvent-free adhesive tape that is supplied in ready-touse, dry adhesive rolls. As Bostik Roll is dry, there is no curing time required, meaning no waiting around and the area remains free from overspill.

www.bostik.com/uk/en 01785 272625

SWANSEA SUCCESS FOR GRADUS CARPET RANGE F. BALL RAISES THE LEVEL AT ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY Technical representatives from F. Ball have provided contractors from John Lord Flooring with a cost-effective alternative to completely removing and replacing a weakened screed as part of a flooring refurbishment at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, part of Aberystwyth University. Firstly, any remaining weak spots in the base needed to be removed by mechanical means along with any surface contaminants to create a clean, sound micro-textured finish. Contractors then applied a single coat of F. Ball’s Stopgap F77 solvent-free epoxy waterproof surface membrane over the entire area to obtain a continuous barrier against subfloor moisture. Flooring contractors then used F. Ball’s Stopgap 600 Base deep-section levelling compound to raise the level of floors where weak patches of screed had been removed. Most levelling compounds can be applied up to a maximum thickness of 20mm, whereas Stopgap 600 Base can be applied at thicknesses between 5 and 50mm, meaning only two applications would be required to achieve the required 75mm thickness.

www.f-ball.co.uk

01538 361633 mail@f-ball.co.uk

Swansea Council has transformed the support it delivers to pupils either outside or at risk of leaving mainstream education by building a brand-new £9.64m school. When ‘scoping out’ the project, Swansea Council, in conjunction with the contractor, would specify over 2000m2 of Gradus carpet tiles for the flooring element of the project. They would ultimately opt for the Streetwise Design and Stratus designs for the school’s classrooms, corridors and communal areas. Cockett PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) School now provides staff and pupils with attractive and functional facilities all on one site. Gradus Carpets is a brand of the Gerflor Group, manufacturing premium-quality carpet tiles and planks, broadloom and impervious-backed carpets. Utilising a range of high-performance yarns, Gradus’ extensive range of carpets are suitable for a wide variety of contract applications including commercial office, healthcare and education environments.

Tony Thorne, Sales & Specification Manager, Gerflor for South Wales, said: “The project at Cockett PRU School provided us with an opportunity to not only supply a high-quality solution with our Gradus carpet range but also enabled us to showcase some stunning designs and colours.”

www.gerflor.co.uk

03332 412901 contractuk@gerflor.com

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ROOFING, CLADDING FOCUS & INNOVATION & INSULATION

NULLIFIRE PRODUCTS ENSURE STRINGENT FIRE SAFETY AT NEW PRISON FACILITY After an intensive vetting process, Nullifire fire protection products have been selected for installation across a large-scale custodial facility, HMP Five Wells, under a major firestopping programme managed by GRJ Contracting.

The large-scale site, comprising seven prison blocks with four wings and seven ancillary buildings, is set to open early in 2022 and will deliver a major boost into the local economy.

Nullifire products, including FB750 Intubatt Coated Batt, FS702 Intumastic Fire Resistant Acrylic Sealant, FR230 Intucompound Fire Mortar and FS709 HP Intumescent Sealant, are being installed throughout the development.

Working closely with the technical team at Nullifire, GRJ Contracting was able to offer the main contractor a wide range of firestopping solutions to meet the stringent needs of this project.

For the ultimate in reassurance, each installation has a specific detail reference and detail sheet, all being tracked by GRJ Contracting.

GRJ Contracting and Nullifire’s technical team have worked closely throughout the project, including at

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the design phase, remotely viewing BIM models via an online meeting and offering advice on the creation of benchmark walls and building sections for approval before commencing work on site.

Tom Hall, of GRJ Contracting, said: “We’ve needed to pay attention to a wide variety of situations within the overall building, with Nullifire’s technical team working in collaboration with ourselves and the client to provide details for each scenario.

“This has included prison bedrooms, which each have a riser cupboard containing M&E services, such as lighting, showerheads and ducting.

“They all had to be safe and secure, and details have been provided by Nullifire to accommodate these features.”

Alex Lawie, Nullifire’s Technical Manager, added: “This project demonstrates the partnership approach between Nullifire and our trained partner network.

“Working with GRJ Contracting, we’ve been able to add real value to the project team, demonstrating how we can work together to meet the exact needs of a complex, large-scale project such as this.

“Our technical department understands all the relevant regulations and requirements, and works closely with specifiers to act as a trusted advisor to ensure safety and performance comes as standard.”

Part of the Construction Products Group portfolio of brands, and previously available in the UK under the Firetherm name, Nullifire products are used extensively across built environments, with the benefit of highly-knowledgeable technical support and service, stringent manufacturing processes and testing regimes, to ensure the ultimate peace of mind in the specification process.

www.nullifire.com/en_gb/home 01942 929038

FOCUS & INNOVATION

DEANESTOR FITS-OUT AWARD-WINNING EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS IN SCOTLAND The creation of a vibrant, new educational and community campus in Ayr – Ayr Grammar and Archive Centre – has won an award commendation at the Scottish Design Awards.

The listed building was fitted-out by Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading school furniture specialists. Deanestor designed, manufactured and installed a range of furniture solutions for the primary school and early years centre, including benching, storage units, adjustable shelving, shoebox units, cloakroom benches, as well as loose furniture such as seating and tables. Deanestor also provided bespoke metal and wood shelving, solid surface worktops and storage cabinets for the adjacent archive centre and registry.

www.deanestor.co.uk/education

01623 420041

F. BALL CROWNED ADHESIVES MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR FOR 25TH TIME

enquiries@deanestor.com

DOMUS VENTILATION LAUNCHES NEW D-DMEV ENERGY-EFFICIENT UNITS WITH ENHANCED AIR EXTRACTION Domus Ventilation has launched the new D-dMEV range of single-flow, continuous-running decentralised mechanical ventilation fans for small-to-medium-size rooms, such as bathrooms and toilets. The D-dMEV, which can be fitted in a wall/panel, ceiling or window, extracts indoor stale air directly to the outside providing a more comfortable indoor living space. Its unique winglet-type impeller provides enhanced air extraction for maximum effectiveness, yet remains very quiet in operation – down to 9 dBA – and has a low power consumption. The Domus D-dMEV comes in fiveand six-inch options, each with multi-speed selection for flexibility and humidistat and timer.

F. Ball and Co. has reaffirmed its status as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of adhesives for floorcoverings, after being named Adhesives Manufacturer of the Year for a 25th consecutive year at the CFJ/CFA Flooring Industry Awards 2021. The Adhesives Manufacturer of the Year award recognises both the range and performance of F. Ball’s adhesives, which include products for decorative floorcoverings, including textile, resilient and wood, as well as specialist products, such as temperature-tolerant, pressuresensitive and tackifier adhesives. The winner is voted for by readers of the Contract Flooring Journal, and F. Ball has won the accolade every year since 1997.

01538 361633 www.domusventilation.co.uk

03443 715523

www.f-ball.com mail@f-ball.co.uk

vent.info@domusventilation.co.uk

SETCRETE PERFORMS FOR PURPLE PANTRY

STEEL WINDOW ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE The Steel Window Association (SWA) has long been a leading authority on steel windows and doors, alongside associated ironmongery and ancillary products and services. Designed to help the homeowner, architect, specifier and heritage and conservation industry when considering steel, the SWA members are certified manufacturers and refurbishment specialists from around the UK. A new website has been launched to reflect the association today – modern communication channels, up-to-date technical advice and information around building standards and regulations, image galleries and ‘find a member’ pages. There is a members-only section and downloadable drawings and specifications, which detail the different options when specifying steel windows and doors.

www.steel-window-association.co.uk 0203 475 8049 info@steel-window-association.co.uk

Setcrete High Performance floor-levelling compound has been used to refurbish the floor of ‘The Purple Pantry’, a community food membership ‘shop’ in Preston, to provide a long-lasting and durable flooring solution for customers. Setcrete High Performance was specified for the refurbishment following a visit and assessment of the site by Setcrete’s technical services team in response to a request from Travis Perkins to recommend the best solution for the work. Setcrete High Performance is a fibre-reinforced, flexible, fast-drying floor-levelling compound and wearing surface that is ‘walk-on’ hard after one to two hours and is suitable for application over plywood, as well as concrete and sand/cement screeds.

www.setcrete.co.uk

01538 361633

contact@setcrete.co.uk

AIRTECH URGES EVERYONE TO TAKE ACTION THIS RADON AWARENESS WEEK Airtech Solutions, the condensation, mould and radon specialist, is supporting UK Radon Awareness Week (1st to 7th November 2021) by encouraging everyone to not delay and to take action. Run by the UK Radon Association, this year’s theme for UK Radon Awareness Week is ‘Don’t Delay’. In support of Radon Awareness Week, Airtech is advising households, private landlords, social housing landlords and employers, ‘Don’t Delay’, learn more about radon and its health effects and carry out a radon test in your home and workplace to help protect families and employees. Airtech offers a complete solution to help protect properties from the risks caused by radon gas with 30 years of experience in radon prevention.

www.airtechsolutions.co.uk

01823 690292

info@airtechsolutions.co.uk

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ROOFING, CLADDING FOCUS & INNOVATION & INSULATION

HEALTH AND SAFETY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN IN THE POST-COVID ERA During the pandemic, many businesses have faced the mammoth task of adapting to a COVID-19 landscape. Staff at The Input Group – a full-service construction firm – were considered key workers, continuing to work on projects despite the rest of the world coming to a standstill. Chris Monk, Managing Director at The Input Group, explains that the pandemic gave his company a chance to emphasise its commitment to staff safety and prove no challenge is insurmountable when planned correctly.

Our resolute dedication to our staff is at the heart of all we do, with a strong focus on creating a friendly and supportive workplace. The commitment we place top of the agenda is maintaining a consistentlysafe workplace and we take a holistic approach to staff care, creating a low staff turnover rate and average length of service of around 25 years.

As well as protecting our staff, contractors and clients, a stringent health and safety policy has essential benefits for clients.

Minimising accidents and injuries ensures that no time is lost in resolving issues that may arise from this, thus guaranteeing that projects always run to schedule. No time or money is lost in dealing with preventable issues and staff, from all sides of a project, are kept safe.

A key part of this approach is our CONCEPTZERO initiative; a zero-tolerance attitude we have developed and implemented to ensure that everything is done beyond exception to prevent these eventualities coming into fruition.

Our commitment to health and safety is driven from the top and ingrained in the ethos and values of our company, but also in our staff and any subcontractors or professional partners we work with.

Physical health and safety is, of course, only one side of the coin and mental health should always be a top priority for construction firms.

The Chartered Institute of Building found that 70% of construction workers surveyed in 2019 had experienced feelings of depression and 87% had experienced anxiety. After the challenges of the pandemic, this figure has only risen and its imperative that health and safety procedures incorporate mental health considerations too.

As a firm, we have a mental health lead involved with all projects to ensure this is taken into consideration in each stage of a project.

A flagship project where our approach to health and safety was a priority was the Castleford railway station transformation.

We were tasked with significantly improving the station and providing a more attractive gateway into the town. The project went ahead during the pandemic and was designed with COVID-19 in mind so that the station would be secure to travel in once restrictions were lifted.

With CONCEPTZERO in mind, the project went ahead as planned. During the project we had no accidents or incidents, giving us a zero LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate) recorded against number of hours on the project. Network Rail’s target is 0.139 per 100,000 hours worked, so this is an industryleading achievement that we are very proud of.

We provide onsite employees with the correct winter and summer PPE protection, while also ensuring that employees have the right tools and equipment, which is important so they can perform their duties efficiently and on time. During the pandemic, we opened our IT network so staff could access our core systems securely from home and installed air conditioning and heating systems across all of our offices.

Like many businesses, we had to adapt the way we work and there have been many regulation updates and Government guidelines that needed to be followed on site.

In addition, we have made some big changes, such as going paperless and investing in ProCore – a construction management software that oversees all aspects of each project including health and safety assessments. But there have also been smaller changes to manage, such as travelling in separate vehicles to sites and staggering lunch breaks to comply with social distancing – all while providing the same top-quality service for our clients.

www.inputgroup.co.uk marketing@inputgroup.co.uk

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Fire performance, chemical composition and resistance to pull-out loads were all factors considered by one of the leading national contractors in the selection of Magply MgO boards for the cladding build-up on four apartment blocks in Bristol. The cladding contractor is responsible for installing all of the El-zinc cladding on the project, utilising zinc clips to attach the very distinctive and lightweight material over a sub-structure of steel framing, the 12mm-thick Magply boards and a breather membrane. Due to the El-zinc material only being 1mm thick, added support was required to prevent the cappings from bending out of shape. Traditionally, this would be ply, however, due to the requirement for all materials to be A2-fire-rated in buildings over 18m, ply was not a suitable product. Magply was used in its place due to its properties.

www.magply.co.uk

01621 776252

john@magply.co.uk

SAVE WATER AT LEISURE WITH DEER TECHNOLOGY For Stretford Chester Leisure Centre, careful monitoring of water usage is vital to help keep membership fees and prices as low as possible. Trafford Leisure needed to obtain regular, reliable data to fully understand its consumption patterns and cost. To take control of the situation, Trafford Leisure turned to Deer Technology.

The LimpetReader was developed to be installed quickly without interrupting the supply and with minimal ongoing costs. The LimpetReader attaches to the faceplate of the existing meter and incorporates multiple miniature cameras that capture the entire meter register display at time intervals specified by the customer. The images are then automatically and securely sent to Deer Technology’s server where the images are converted into a date- and time-stamped data value. Trafford Leisure is then able to import the data into the proprietary systems for analysis.

IMPROVING THE AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS WITH THE VORTICE VARIO Classrooms in England have come under the spotlight from the Department for Education (DfE) which is spending around £25m providing better ventilation for classrooms, including providing state schools with CO2 sensors. Studies have suggested that high rates of carbon dioxide are known to cause drowsiness, loss of concentration and headaches.

The long-established Vario fan by Vortice can be used with a selection of sensors, including a CO2 sensor, which ensures the fan extracts appropriately to deal with the amount of CO2 within the room.

Vario is a reversible axial fan, providing fresh air into the building and extracting the stale air. The units come in six-, nine- and 12-inch sizes, with a series of installation options, making it popular among specifiers and contractors.

www.vortice.ltd.uk sales@vortice.ltd.uk

01283 492949 www.deertechnology.com

01639 363146

FOCUS & INNOVATION

FIRE RESISTANCE AND STABILITY EARN REDCLIFF QUARTER SPECIFICATION FOR MAGPLY

hello@deertechnology.com

PANELSTYLE PVC PANELLING OFFERS A COSTEFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL DECORATIVE SOLUTION

MAKE IT WITH MERINOLAM Specialist surface materials distributor International Decorative Surfaces has agreed an exclusive partnership with decorative laminate manufacturer Merino to launch a brand-new range for the UK market, with the benefit of ex-stock delivery nationwide. The premium-quality Merinolam collection has been selected and shaped around the needs of the UK market, drawing on IDS’ vast expertise and Merino’s track-record as a top five global producer of decorative laminate. Offering creative flexibility and high performance, the Merinolam range reflects the strong market demand for FR-grade laminate and super-matte, anti-fingerprint surfaces.

Merinolam can be used with confidence in a range of sectors including residential, healthcare, education, transport, architecture, construction and hospitality.

www.merinolaminates.com 0845 729 8298 info@merinolam.co.uk

The PanelStyle PVC wall and ceiling panelling collection offers a cost-effective and practical alternative to paint, wallpaper and tiles.

With a total of 50 decors across four easy-to-fit ranges of Splashpanel, Splashpanel Narrow, Proplas and Proplas Tile, PanelStyle provides a budget-friendly option to suit every wall and ceiling application in any room of the home. Backed by a five-year domestic-use warranty, PanelStyle products are 100% waterproof, low maintenance and offer hassle-free, fast installation with no wet trades required. They can be fixed over existing surfaces, like tiles, making refurbishment or renovation projects fast and easy.

www.panelstyle.co.uk

0845 023 0374

info@panelstyle.co.uk

AIRTECH HELPS LANDLORDS MEET THEIR DUTY OF CARE AND TACKLE CONDENSATION AND MOULD Landlords have a duty of care to residents, which has become even more important with COVID. But with restrictions now lifted, social housing providers will be pleased to know companies, like Airtech Solutions, can help them rid their properties of mould permanently.

As we enter condensation and mould season, now is the time to address any existing problems or put in preventative measures. Airtech can help landlords by offering comprehensive property surveys to identify condensation, damp and mould problems and recommendations to solve the issues; mould removal treatment and redecoration, and a full ventilation installation service for both responsive and planned maintenance.

The treatment and mould removal are backed by a unique three-year guarantee that the mould will not return.

www.airtechsolutions.co.uk

01823 690292

info@airtechsolutions.co.uk

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

Over time, water damage and mould can affect wooden worktops, especially around areas like the sink, so prevention is better than cure. To keep wooden worktops at their best, treat with Osmo TopOil. Newly-oiled wooden surfaces using TopOil require approximately two to three weeks to completely cure and harden properly before normal usage.

The key benefit for worktop use is that TopOil is extremely water repellent, helping to make surfaces more durable. It is resistant to common liquid spillages such as water, juice, tea and wine, making it ideal for the kitchen. It has a microporous, breathable finish that does not crack, peel or flake. Using the product regularly can prolong the life of your worktop, so you won’t need to replace it.

Treating your worktop

REPLENISH AND RENEW WITH OSMO Wooden worktops look stunning in almost all kitchen styles and colours, offering a warm and stylish finish and timeless appeal. Like all kitchen surfaces, worktops take the brunt of the wear and tear in a busy home, so they need to be cared for properly.

To get the best performance from TopOil, you need to get an optimal volume of this hard wax oil into the fibres of the wood. To help with performance on worktops, the wood will normally require the surface to be sanded to a maximum of a P150 grit grade (depending on the wood species).

To deliver the ideal amount of the finish into the absorbent wood surface, it’s recommended to apply the first coat thinly along the wood grain with an Osmo microfibre roller, flat brush or oil finish applicator fleece. Allow to dry for approximately eight to 10 hours and ventilate the room well while drying. Then, apply the second coat with an Osmo oil finish applicator fleece or a lint-free cloth.

It is possible to spot sand and repair any watermarks. It’s necessary to use the same finish sanding grade to sand back, then retreat those spot areas using the same application technique originally carried out. Once these areas have been allowed to dry, apply a little more oil to build up some protection. Use an Osmo applicator fleece/pad for this procedure.

Finally, care must be taken with the cleaning and maintenance of the TopOil. For regular cleaning (perhaps daily or weekly), this should ideally be carried out with products like Osmo Wash and Care or Osmo Spray Cleaner. These products clean the surface without breaking down the natural oils and wax in Osmo finishes.

The soaps within these products contain a tiny amount of natural oil to help nourish the surface over time. Products, such as washing up liquid, are designed to strip away oils and waxes, therefore, the finish will require topping up if there is high exposure. You could top up thinly with a cloth to the clean, dry surface using Osmo TopOil or Osmo Maintenance Oil products.

Osmo Maintenance Oil is very practical as it is much thinner than TopOil, and there is less risk of building up too much wax on surrounding treated areas.

With the right care, Osmo TopOil can enhance the natural beauty of your wooden worktop and keep it looking new for many years to come.

www.osmouk.com 01296 481220 info@osmouk.​com

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FOCUS & INNOVATION

SPECIALIST DEMENTIA BATHROOM DESIGN GUIDE LAUNCHED

BY AKW

BESPOKE LINTELS BRING INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER TO THE HEART OF STUNNING £26M SCHOOL

AKW, a leading provider of accessible home solutions, has announced the launch of a new guide to creating dementia-friendly bathrooms. Produced with advice and support from specialist dementia design advisers at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), it offers best practice guidance on designing this important space. The bathroom is one of the most challenging and dangerous places for a person with dementia and dementia-friendly design aims to compensate for the changes people experience when living with this condition.

Stuart Reynolds, Head of Product and Marketing at AKW, explains why the new dementia guide has been developed: “We have worked with the University of Stirling to translate the complex issue of dementia into practical design points that can be easily applied in any bathroom adaptation. The guide details the seven major dementia challenges that impact bathroom design and gives specific advice on what to install and where, to help overcome these issues. From flooring colour to lighting placement, the guide has it all.”

Bespoke Gothic arch lintels from IG lintels have played an important role in the transformation of a 19th-century Carmelite convent. The convent in Hunston, West Sussex, required partial demolishing and refurbishment as part of the creation of a school. The new school blocks are linear in form, with each wing projecting either side of the newlyrestored and central convent block, which forms the heart of the school. The new-build aspects have been designed to complement the existing convent block – a heritage building that is essential to the character of the site and a valuable asset to the new school. To ensure the existing convent facades were restored to their former glory, IG Lintels was approached for the design and manufacture of a bespoke double Gothic arch lintel. A 1580mm opening span, incorporating two 650mm-wide Gothic arch details with a 430mm rise, was specified – increasing the end bearing to extend the distribution of the load to the brickwork.

www.akw-ltd.co.uk

www.iglintels.com

02886 762184 info@thekeystonegroup.co.uk

01905 823299

ROCKWOOL SUPPORTS SPECIFIERS WITH EDUCATION HUB LAUNCH NEW SOLAR PV ENHANCEMENT FROM MARLEY With net zero ambitions set across the UK, and the Future Homes Standard calling for all new homes built from 2025 to deliver a 75 to 80% reduction in carbon emissions, integrated photovoltaics (PV) systems are seen as part of the solution. To aid the specification market as it seeks to design in renewable energy solutions needed for the homes of tomorrow, Marley has launched a new solar panel providing superior aesthetic appeal and improved power output. The new, enhanced Marley SolarTile delivers a lean, low-profile aesthetic for both new-build and retrofit projects and offers simple and quick roof integration. Following significant research and development by Marley to design products that meet the needs of changing legislation, and carbon reduction targets, the enhanced panel is quick to install, and the increased efficiency allows for an install time of 45 minutes per kWp. The panel development gives specifiers the benefit of an increase in total power output from the roof area or achieving the same output using fewer panels.

www.marley.co.uk/solar

As UK Governments place further investment in the quality of school buildings, ROCKWOOL UK has developed a new education hub to support specifiers in using noncombustible stone-wool insulation to deliver thermal, acoustic and fire safety performance. The ROCKWOOL education hub contains a series of useful tools and guides covering exemplar case studies, product specifications and school Building Regulations. The new hub grants easy access to ROCKWOOL for Education Environments, a comprehensive guide that assists the design and construction of learning spaces. Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL, says: “The ROCKWOOL education hub acts as a central source of knowledge for professionals involved in school building projects, and will enable them to access all the relevant guidance and specification support they need to deliver outstanding education environments. We will continue to update the hub to ensure that specifiers always have access to the latest information and guidance, and to offer new resources which reflect developments in education construction.”

www.rockwool.com/uk/education

01656 868400

01283 722588

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Introducing Pilkington SaniTise™, a world-first in glazing. Coated with a layer of titanium dioxide, the glass provides antimicrobial properties. Tested by leading universities it helps protect against enveloped viruses.

Pilkington SaniTise™. For a healthier, cleaner, safer world.

For further information visit pilkington.co.uk/sanitise