PSBJ October 2018

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October 2018

CORIAN FITS THE BILL McBains Architects-designed Lancashire Constabulary West Division's brand-new HQ responds to the requirements of the new age of policing

A learning curve

Crystal clear

Secure school grants

Read up on Pick Everard's quest to provide more than 8000 school places in a five-year programme

What does the Government's Clean Growth Strategy really mean? Flogas explains

How is the academies funding landscape changing? One CIF aficionado reveals

Inspired by adventures outdoors.

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Welcome Note Editor

Rebecca Kemp rebecca@mixedmediainfo.com

Editorial Assistant Paige Smith

paige@mixedmediainfo.com

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@mixedmediainfo.com

Adele Mason adele@mixedmediainfo.com

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

jack@mixedmediainfo.com

Digital Design Manager David Perry

Corian was the material of choice for the brand-new HQ of Lancashire Constabulary's West Division. See page 36.

david@mixedmediainfo.com

Production Assistant Sofia Franchi

sofia@mixedmediainfo.com

Accounts

Jackie Dearman jackie@mixedmediainfo.com

Managing Director Sam Ball

sam@mixedmediainfo.com Publisher

Mixed Media Information

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Welcome to the October issue of PSBJ...

With house-building on the rise, and the Government's deadline for housing targets swiftly approaching, many associations, house-builders and developers are taking to site in order to rectify the UK's housing deficiency. With more and more housing developments popping up across the land – including those of social and affordable status – and debate on eating into our greenbelt, the consideration of green infrastructure has fallen to the back of many of our minds amidst a frantic dash to make adequate provisions for the UK's ever-growing population.

One figure in the limelight who has addressed the lack of green infrastructure in our capital is Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. Khan has shone a light on the absence of green spaces within the city and is striving to re-establish and generate additional green spaces for London’s citizens. As a result, Khan revealed his Good Growth Fund strategy in June 2017 – the Mayor’s largest regeneration fund to “make London a better place”. The scheme declares that the framework could be used to enhance the capital’s public space, and states under section eight that the scheme could provide "more opportunities for people to encounter, participate in and enjoy London’s natural environment, using both traditional and innovative green infrastructure urban greening methods to create sustainable and resilient neighbourhoods”.

This month, PSBJ has talked to Polypipe’s Sean Robinson concerning the value of green infrastructure in our crowded nation. Here, he explains how an ever-increasing population – and ageing community – will rely on the wellbeing and health benefits offered by the built environment and discusses how this regeneration of green spaces will “revolutionise” our relationship with our surroundings. Robinson explains that as well as enhancing the wellbeing of residents, green infrastructure can also boost the economy and generate greater biodiversity within built-up areas. To read through Robinson’s account on the UK’s current and future green infrastructure, turn to page 22.

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

Rebecca

Rebecca Kemp | Editor | rebecca@mixedmediainfo.com Follow us on Twitter:

@psbjmagazine

Download the PSBJ app for iPhone, iPad & Android Search 'PSBJ'

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Contents

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

08 Upfront Here, David Nisbet at Pick Everard speaks to PSBJ about the construction firm’s engagement with the London Borough of Hounslow’s innovative approach to meeting the everincreasing number of school places in the area.

14 Housing Sustainable Homes, in association with EnviroVent, has unveiled the results of its ‘Breaking the Mould – Should Landlords Be Doing More?’ report. In this article, Dan Bourke from EnviroVent explores the findings.

16 Healthcare Rathview Mental Facility in Omagh, Northern Ireland, has a domestic, homely atmosphere. The one-storey build has been designed by TODD Architects, which approached the project with a residential outlook.

08 20 Legal & Business

28 Technical Focus

Has the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy left you bewildered? Flogas analyses the warnings within the carbon reduction scheme.

Cambridge’s 202-bed student accommodation project for Anglia Ruskin University has received adequate flood protection in the form of Wavin’s bespoke-designed solutions which support the infiltration and attenuation of stormwater.

22 Talking Point With the UK’s population increasing, resulting in urban sprawl across much of the nation, the need for more green infrastructure in the built environment is ever-apparent. Sean Robinson from Polypipe explains why it’s becoming a “project necessity”.

30 Leisure

24 Education

32 Interiors: Floors, Walls & Ceilings

In keeping with the next CIF funding application window opening next month, Phil Chell of Sika Liquid Plastics looks into the changing landscape of the academies sector and explores various funding routes.

With the popularity of luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) on the rise, achieving the right finish is imperative.

Here, F. Ball & Co.’s Technical Service Manager, Stephen Boulton, talks contractors through achieving the perfect base.

Accoya has been specified as the external material of choice for the refurbishment of a timber-clad leisure facility. Playing a shining role in Slough’s major £62m regeneration scheme, the Slough Ice Arena has been designed by GT3 Architects.

How Alternative Dispute Resolution can speed up the planning process Whether you’re looking for a dispute resolver or want to gain the skills and expertise to act as one, we offer a complete range of methods for resolving disputes in the planning sector and other areas of the built environment.

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Contents

43 36 Facades & Curtain Walling Lancashire’s Constabulary West Division headquarters is sporting a new look. The new waterfront HQ is wrapped in a sleek Corian facade for a long-lasting finish.

38 Off-Site Construction Paul Lang, Chief Executive of Caledonian, probes the misconceptions associated with pre-fabricated buildings. Lang explains how the UK’s antediluvian perception is far removed from the prefabs of today.

40 BIM Now we're two years in to the Government's BIM Mandate, what state is the public sector in with regards to BIM adoption? Paul Cook at ISG reports.

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42 Play Equipment Situated in the London Borough of Southwark, Peckham Rye Park boasts an impressive new waterplay facility appealing to the residents of the surrounding area.

43 Sports Pitches When the Winston Churchill School in Woking was looking for a multipurpose sports pitch that could offer its pupils the chance to play all genres of sports in one place, the school turned to artificial grass supplier TigerTurf.

44 SALTEX Preview Discover new offerings, returning exhibitors and brand-new innovations in the grounds care realm at this year’s SALTEX event.

Taking place in Birmingham’s NEC from 31st October to 1st November, 2018’s show features a host of new seminars.

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News

INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

HSJ Partnership Awards will showcase joint working projects with the NHS Health Service Journal (HSJ), the news and information service for all healthcare leaders working in, for or with the NHS, has expanded and enhanced its Partnership Awards for 2019, following the success of its inaugural programme earlier this year.

The newly-launched 2019 Partnership Awards, which recognise private sector organisations – including a new category specifically for building designers and architects – that are working to help the NHS deliver better and more cost-effective patient care, boast several new categories and a prestigious black-tie dinner awards ceremony at Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge, on 20th March 2019. Featuring a total of 21 different categories covering a broad swathe of sectors, the expanded programme now has new categories, including mental health consultancies and education providers.

Work completes on multi-million expansion to Etonbury Academy Work has officially completed on the second phase of a £12.2m (£10.6m in construction) expansion programme to Etonbury Academy, Bedfordshire, which has been delivered by Morgan Sindall. The project, on behalf of Bedfordshire East School Trust (BEST), was formally handed over on time and on budget as part of a celebratory ceremony to mark the completion of work. This was the second phase of expansion works to the Arlesey school under Central Bedfordshire Council’s New School Places Programme, which aims to meet current and future demand across the area over a five-year period to 2022. The expansion follows the successful completion of a £6.8m expansion that Morgan Sindall delivered at the school in 2016.

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Catalyst and Aldwyck enter merger talks Watford completes first phase of town centre improvements The first phase of major improvement works to Watford High Street have been successfully completed. The project – led by Watford Borough Council, in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council and Watford BID – will help provide better town centre access to allow it to continue to prosper. The first phase saw an overhaul of pavements and roads, along with street furniture such as waste bins and bus shelters being upgraded.

The addition of rising bollards will stop 80% of unauthorised vehicles from driving down the High Street. The second phase will concentrate on refurbishing a further stretch of the High Street. Alongside the renovation of Watford’s High Street, the intu shopping centre is currently undergoing a £180m extension.

Welsh housing associations team up to help tackle housing crisis Seven housing associations across South Wales have joined forces to support the Welsh Government in reducing the country’s housing shortage by seeking effective solutions to deliver more affordable homes. The associations – Coastal Housing Group, Hafod, Family Housing Association (FHA), Linc Cymru, Pobl Group, United Welsh and Valleys to Coast (V2C) – have teamed up to explore the best ways to meet the Welsh Government’s target of building 20,000 affordable homes by 2021, and to continue the delivery of new homes beyond that. The collaborative project will see the seven housing associations conduct research into the economic and practical feasibility of a variety of potential strategies to meet Wales’ growing housing demand. Funded through the Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing Programme, the research will take place over six months, with findings from the study subsequently presented to the Welsh Government.

Catalyst Housing and Aldwyck Housing Group have entered formal merger talks to create a housing provider with over 30,000 homes across London and the Home Counties.

Bringing together the two organisations is expected to deliver a shared vision of exceptional customer service and increased development opportunities. Ian McDermott, currently Aldwyck Group Chief Executive, was announced as the new Catalyst Chief Executive in July and takes up his role in January 2019, taking over from Rod Cahill. Speaking about the merger plans, Richard Brown, Chair of Catalyst Housing, said: “At Catalyst, we are very excited about the potential of the proposed union with Aldwyck. It will increase the supply of much-needed homes in London and the Home Counties with our combined intention of building at least 1300 homes each year.”

£3.5m contemporary Bicester community centre completes Kingsmere Community Centre, Bicester, has officially opened its doors, redefining traditional designs and bringing the ‘community centre’ into the 21st century.

The state-of-the-art facility – which was project managed by Buro Four, designed by Robothams and provided with M&E services

by Building Services Design (BSD) – features office spaces, a kitchen, youth centre, activity hall and meeting rooms. “This is a building designed to perform different roles for different members of the community, so we needed to be flexible with our strategy,” said Joel Sawyer, Director at BSD. He added: “The main hall features a roof-mounted natural ventilation strategy. As the hall lacks openable windows, this ventilation system has helped keep the hall cool and eradicated the need to install air conditioning units – which are incredibly costly.”

News

existing involvement in the city’s newest landmark development, where it is currently on site on Buildings 10 and 11, two contemporary blocks designed to create some 716 student accommodation studios for Select Property Group.

Southampton set to boost number of SEN school places A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of work on the £5.3m expansion to a Southampton primary school, which will help to boost the number of special education needs (SEN) school places in the city. Springwell School, in Thornhill, will undergo significant expansion works to its teaching facilities that will comprise a new two-storey block, including eight new classrooms, separate dining and sports halls and a range of teaching and community spaces. The project, on behalf of Southampton City Council, is being delivered by construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall. The school’s headteacher joined the celebrations as Morgan Sindall officially started construction work on the school's new teaching block.

SES Engineering Services adds to its growing student accommodation tally SES Engineering Services (SES) has announced it has added to its growing list of student accommodation projects with its latest multi-million-pound contract win in the North West, on Manchester city centre’s ambitious £750m mixed-use development, Circle Square. Working with Bowmer and Kirkland, SES has secured its place on the team responsible for constructing Building 9, a prestigious 90,000ft2, 18-storey, 384-bed student accommodation block. This latest contract win marks a welcome extension to SES’

£3m refurbishment of key University of Edinburgh building begins Robertson has begun work on a key project for the University of Edinburgh.

The £3.1m contract will see Robertson refurbish a four-storey building at 7-8 Chambers Street in the centre of the city.

The project will transform the former police training school into a new base for the university’s architecture and landscape architecture students and will provide accessible general teaching space. The project has been procured through Major Works Scotland, part of Scape’s National Construction framework – with work due to complete in early 2019. This is the fifth project Robertson has been awarded by the university and includes the ongoing refurbishment of the Lister Learning and Teaching Centre.

CityBlock commences work on Lancaster’s iconic Gillows building CityBlock has started work to transform the former Gillows showroom-turnednightclub into high-quality student accommodation. The Grade II Listed building, originally built in 1882, will retain a number of its existing features including stained glass windows, original pillars and a stunning staircase. CityBlock has owned the building for over 20 years and is now looking forward to restoring the property alongside construction partner John Turner Construction Group, and designer of the scheme, SSHARC architects. The scheme, due for completion in August 2019, will feature 96 beds in total – spread across a range of cluster flats and studio rooms.

New £10m sports venue completes in West London Affordable housing ahead of schedule Work to deliver an attractive development of 43 much-needed affordable homes in a high-demand area of Edinburgh is ahead of schedule. Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) is providing the affordable housing at Ten Brunswick Road, which have been built by CALA Homes (East). It is anticipated that demand for the 43 midmarket rent homes will be exceptionally high. The association has praised the Edinburgh headquartered developer and its “exceptional” on-site team. Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “We’re thrilled with the outstanding quality of the homes that CALA has built. These homes are up there with some of the finest homes that the association has ever received from a developer through the affordable planning mechanism.”

Grasshoppers Rugby Club – a sports venue in the London Borough of Hounslow – has benefited from an entirely new 1500m2 facility, designed by Pick Everard. The multi-million-pound, state-of-the-art facility will provide young people in the borough with better access to rugby, football and netball – further nurturing the rugby club’s links with local schools and grassroots provisions in the area.

As well as a new rugby clubhouse, the venue has natural and artificial rugby pitches; artificial netball courts; a shop; stores; car parking; gymnasium; function suite; members’ lounge and bar, along with a separate apartment for the facilities manager. Pick Everard delivered full, multi-professional services – including project management; quantity surveying; architecture, civil and structural engineering as well as BREEAM, acoustic, sports pitch specialism and landscape consultancy services – for London Borough of Hounslow Council and Grasshoppers RFC.

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Upfront

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO MEET SCHOOL PLACES DEMAND IN HOUNSLOW The pressure to meet an ever-increasing demand for school places is one that has been felt by local authorities across the UK for a number of years, with the requirement for places across primary, secondary and special education on the rise. The London Borough of Hounslow is one local authority that has proactively approached the challenge and worked with its partners to devise and deliver a solution. David Nisbet, Partner at Pick Everard, looks at the approach and its results so far.

2012, Hounslow Council I ncommissioned leading property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard to deliver multiple new primary, secondary and special education needs school places over a five-year period within challenging cost parameters.

The requirement for new school places in Hounslow is extensive, and as such, a dedicated multidisciplinary team has been allocated to develop the new and improved facilities. The £300m Capital

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Expansion Programme, once complete, will have delivered 3000 new primary places, a further 5000 in secondary education and 600 new SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) places.

Working in partnership, Pick Everard has contributed significantly to this successful outcome, with new buildings and extensions at 24 primary, infant and junior schools, and some selected secondary schools. Alongside this, the firm has also undertaken a

programme of dedicated refurbishment and new-build projects to expand nine of the borough’s existing SEND sites culminating in substantial new builds, all through the specialist schools.

Facing unique challenges Unlike many traditional school expansion and improvement schemes, Hounslow presented the team with a series of unique challenges as a result of the borough’s location under

Project: £300m Capital Expansion Programme Location: Hounslow, West London Construction Company: Pick Everard Client: Hounslow Borough Council

Since the Capital Expansion Programme was established, more than 6000 school places have been created by the local authority: 2840 primary school 2820 secondary school 440 SEN

the flight path for Heathrow Airport. At its busiest, one plane lands or takes off here approximately every minute – meaning potential disruption to the teaching and learning environments sitting below.

Working in collaboration with our acoustic sub-consultants, we undertook detailed surveys at each school to determine exactly what impact the aircraft noise has on each site and what measures must be employed to mitigate this to provide a high-  quality learning environment.

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Upfront

was delivering an innovative approach throughout. As well as assessing the most suitable route for each project – an extension or refurbishment, or a full new build – for each individual school requirement, we also worked to deliver savings through modern methods of construction.

We also implemented BIM throughout the programme to achieve an integrated approach, advancing designs and increasing stakeholder engagement during the design.

For example: BIM training through free workshops to help the client understand and use the data efficiently Producing 3D walkthroughs and visuals to share with key stakeholders.

Community benefits Findings from these early site investigations allowed us to develop an affordable yet flexible design concept, incorporating a highly insulated concrete structural envelope combined with a sophisticated ventilation strategy, balancing noise insulation with thermal comfort.

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This bespoke acoustic design was adapted and applied to the new buildings as well as pre-existing schools throughout the programme, demonstrating value for money while delivering top-quality facilities for staff and pupils.

The completed projects have all been designed to withstand

the effects of the evolving environment and any impact it might bring on the schools such as the Heathrow Airport expansion.

An innovative approach An important part of ensuring best value and devising the most appropriate solutions

Engaging with and providing opportunities for the communities in which we work is a priority for the team at Pick Everard and this programme is no different. As well as addressing the need for additional school places across Hounslow, the programme has also delivered a number of benefits for the local community.

Upfront Some 30% of the workforce involved in this series of projects lived within 40 miles of the site and the entire supply chain spend was delivered through SMEs – ensuring a positive economic impact locally.

It is hoped that sports facilities included within school projects across the borough will be available for wider community use outside of school hours in addition to pupils and teachers during term time – creating an important legacy for local people and benefitting not only the borough's schoolchildren but also their families and neighbours.

Value engineering Building in value was vital for the London Borough of Hounslow, which needed to keep to strict budgets and timescales throughout the programme – and this needed to be balanced with the requirement to deliver high-quality new teaching and learning spaces.

As well as looking at ways to save money on the actual build costs – through developing a standardised palette of materials and considering various modern methods of construction – Pick Everard worked with the client to provide construction solutions that will deliver value through greater longevity and reduced maintenance during the whole  building life.

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Upfront New build or extension?

This was most clearly demonstrated when initial plans proposed an extension to Hounslow Town Primary School but, upon examining the project in further detail, it was identified that a new-build scheme on an adjacent site would actually offer better value and provide a long-term solution to pupil provision for the local authority.

Not only did this mean that the school could be delivered with less disruption, but it also acted as a catalyst for additional projects, including a brand-new music centre for the community to use.

What next?

Pick Everard is working with the London Borough of Hounslow into 2020, completing an estimated £120m of school projects across the borough.

It is expected that this second phase will be completed in September 2020.

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The firm boasts significant experience in the education sector, especially within London having worked on hundreds of schools within the M25 boundary in recent years. For example, the firm completed 10

primary school expansions and five masterplans for projects within the London Borough of Richmond.

Our expertise has allowed us to work in collaboration with the client to devise and

deliver innovative solutions within challenging parameters, delivering to tight timescales and budgets throughout this substantial programme. 

 www.pickeverard.co.uk

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Housing

THE IMPACT OF MOULD AND POOR VENTILATION ON SOCIAL HOUSING Dan Bourke, Social Housing Regional Manager at EnviroVent, looks at a recent study of mould involving four social landlords in the South East and Midlands, including contributing factors and recommendations for avoiding and eradicating the issue.

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mould (stachybotrys B lack chartarum) – it is the seasonal complaint that councils and housing associations dread. It impacts on occupant health and costs social housing providers thousands of pounds every year in trying to remove it or put right the damage it causes, such as peeling wallpaper and crumbling plaster.

Black mould is also the subject of a recent study by campaigning consultancy Sustainable Homes, an organisation that helps landlords and suppliers to improve the quality and environmental performance of their homes.

In association with EnviroVent, Sustainable Homes has revealed its results in the ‘Breaking the Mould – Should Landlords Be Doing More?’ report.

Initial information for the study was gathered from a questionnaire sent out to residents of four social landlords and received 260 completed responses. The study was divided into two parts. Phase 1 took place in the spring of 2017 and Phase 2 over February and March 2018.

The questionnaire for residents covered various aspects of air quality, including the incidence of mould in their homes during the recent winter.

The responses were then cross-referenced with building data held by these landlords

Phase 2: health issues The study found that respiratory issues were more prevalent in homes with mould. In the 139 homes with no mould, the percentage of people with a respiratory condition was 28%. If the mould score was increased by 1.5, then respiratory conditions, such as asthma, rose to 36% of residents and if the mould severity score was above 3.0, it became 63% more likely that the resident living there had a respiratory condition.

The report highlights a need for both landlords and residents to better understand the most practical ways of dealing with condensation in homes and argues that, in fact, landlords should be doing more. While residents can take practical action up to a point, it is to the landlord’s advantage to step in sooner, rather than later, with effective remedial measures.

One way of reducing condensation and eliminating black mould effectively is to install a whole house ventilation system, like Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) from EnviroVent. A PIV system works by delivering clean, fresh, filtered air into the home from a central position. The unit gently ventilates the property and dilutes high levels of humidity so that condensation and mould cannot form. It also reduces the level of harmful household contaminants, thus improving indoor air quality and creating a healthy all-yearround living environment.

Housing

about the homes themselves and also with data from Energy Performance Certificates. The study intended to identify types of buildings where mould would be likely to occur and also to look at the impact of mould on the health of occupants.

Phase 2 involved monitoring the home environment, specifically internal temperature differences and variations in humidity and ventilation rates. Problems arise in homes if insulation is upgraded or ventilation is restricted during the colder months, in order to keep the house warm. Any moisture that isn’t removed will increase relative humidity, and colder surfaces provide areas on which it can condense.

The study used a sophisticated information gathering technique to examine over 20 different factors that could contribute to the causes of mould, in order to find which were the most significant. This included the home’s size, its occupancy – including daytime occupancy and whether pets were present– levels of insulation, age of construction, as well as other factors such as glazing and heating fuels.

The factors were then ranked in terms of how much they raised the mould score. The most significant of these was found to be occupant density – the more occupants, the more likely the house was to suffer from mould. In the context of the current housing crisis where there is a shortage of homes of sufficient size for our growing families, this factor is outside of the control of residents. Poorly installed insulation was another factor, as it meant uneven surface temperatures and the opportunity for condensation to form in cold spots on walls and ceilings.

Newer, more energy-efficient homes with less temperature fluctuations and better quality insulation were found to be less likely to have mould.

Newly-built homes were found to be least likely to have mould present, as were homes that had the most loft insulation. Homes that were continuously occupied were at a higher risk of mould. Cold weather was also found to lead to a higher risk of mould as heat is conducted through the walls, making the interior cooler, so the dew point is reached more often.

household size and mould due to more breathing, showering, clothes washing and cooking taking place there. More effective ventilation systems are required to remove this extra moisture. Social landlords are challenged to review their mould compliance procedures and introduce better ventilation into buildings, as well as improving training for staff to better deal with residents’ complaints about mould.

The final recommendation was that social landlords need to gain a better understanding of residents’ demographics to prioritise space and quality over quantity and to consider tackling fuel poverty and mould together. Some landlords have taken this advice and are already rethinking their outlook and taking a more proactive and preventative approach. 

 www.envirovent.com

Challenging assumptions about mould The Breaking the Mould research clearly challenges the traditional assumptions about mould in homes being directly linked to resident behaviour.

As the study shows, there are underlying causes of black mould such as occupant density and failed/poor insulation which are beyond the control of residents.

The study encourages social landlords to work proactively to tackle damp and mould.

There was found to be a strong correlation between

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Healthcare

DESIGNING THE MENTAL HEALTH DIALOGUE

Project: Rathview Mental Health Facility Location: Omagh, Northern Ireland Architect: TODD Architects

At first glance, the c.£2.8m Rathview Mental Health Facility, Omagh, is not what you would expect. In fact, it would be hard to know it was a healthcare building at all. that’s the point. Its A ndheight, whitewashed walls, slate-clad appearance and rural setting all combine to lend it a homely, domestic feel.

Completed in April 2018 for the Western Health and Social Care Trust, TODD Architects carefully designed Rathview to break down traditional, preconceived ideas of mental health facilities, offering a fresh, residential approach in a peaceful countryside setting.

Situated in a rural greenfield site on the outskirts of Omagh, the new £2.8m, 1169m² facility contains a 12-bed discharge unit and a six-bed recovery unit, arranged around two central courtyards. With its innovative design, the unit will increase the range of community-based mental health services, helping those with complex mental health problems on their path to recovery and independence.

Explains Liam Lennon, Project Architect: “Rathview takes its name from a nearby ‘rath’ or ringfort; an ancient Irish chieftain’s residence dating back to the

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Iron Age. Our design approach maintains a dialogue with local history and this new healthcare facility reflects a contemporary take on the traditional Ulster ‘Clachan’ – a homestead formation in today’s terms. Its welcoming vernacular is a series of defined but linked built elements, consciously grouped and reading together as one composition.”

Deliberately one storey throughout, TODD’s shallow-plan design places all habitable rooms on external walls, facing either directly out to the surrounding countryside or onto an internal courtyard, maximising natural light and views of a calm external environment.

The medium-stay discharge unit focuses on rebuilding residents’ confidence and independence by providing a domestic environment, with autonomous access to their accommodation.

12 individual, one-person apartments are laid out around a central courtyard with two activity social spaces and a  training kitchen.

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*Registered Trademarks of Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. Protim Solignum Limited is a Koppers company trades as Koppers Performance Chemicals. Koppers is a registered Trademark of Koppers Delware, Inc. All products are produced by independently owned and operated wood processing facilities. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Registered England - Reg. 3037845

by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Manufacturers Of Wood Preservatives Protim Solignum Ltd Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Healthcare

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The six-bed recovery unit offers short-term care for clients, and the en-suite rooms are specifically designed to balance resident privacy with essential observation and access. Sensitively arranged around a fully enclosed courtyard, the unit includes staff accommodation and communal areas, including a social living room, a TV room, treatment rooms and an ADL room.

TODD’s design uses a series of pitched roof forms with flatroofed, predominantly glazed, circulation spaces to visually reduce the building’s mass and scale, helping it sit demurely in the beautiful Omagh countryside.

This design also enhances client and visitor experiences by creating views to, from and between the internal landscaped courtyards and external surroundings. The restrained DATE

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palette of materials has white rendered exteriors contrasting against grey slate roofs and wall cladding, with feature elements of brick and timber softening against aluminium-framed windows.

The cedar wood cladding of the internal courtyards offers a warm feel with glazed infills to encourage as much natural light as possible to flow into the interiors.

Lennon concludes: “I believe there is a growing awareness of the necessity to understand and engage with our architectural heritage and to debate how this can be addressed through creating an architecture that is ours, that is ingrained in the modern traditions, informed and influenced by its geographical location and the unique cultural context in which it sits.”  TODD ARCHITECTS

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2ND FLOOR TITANIC HOUSE, 6 QUEENS ROAD, BELFAST, BT3 9DT T +44(0)28 9024 5587 F +44(0)28 9023 3363 E INFO@TODDARCH.CO.UK W WWW.TODDARCH.CO.UK

DISCLAIMER : TODD ARCHITECTS CONFIRM THAT RECIPIENTS CAN ONLY RELY ON APPROVED CONTROLLED DOCUMENT FORMATS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. CONTROLLED DOCUMENT FORMATS INCLUDE ORIGINAL HARD COPY DRAWINGS ISSUED BY TODD ARCHITECTS, OR UNPRINTED PDF/DWF IMAGES OF DRAWINGS RECEIVED FROM TODD ARCHITECTS. TODD ARCHITECTS CANNOT ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF DRAWINGS, USED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DOCUMENT FORMAT WHICH MAY BE ALTERED OR MISINTERPRETED AS A RESULT OF HUMAN ERROR ON THE PART OF THE RECIPIENT, OR AS A RESULT OF THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS WHEN OPENING OR PRINTING COMPUTER AIDED DRAWINGS. UNCONTROLLED DOCUMENT FORMATS INCLUDE; COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN FILES, PRINTS WHICH HAVE BEEN CREATED BY THE RECIPIENT FROM NON-CONTROLLED FILE FORMATS, PHOTOCOPIES OF ORIGINAL HARD COPY DRAWINGS FROM TODD ARCHITECTS, DRAFT DRAWINGS SUPPLIED BY TODD ARCHITECTS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. TODD ARCHITECTS ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY • • • • •• • •• • • • • • •• • •• •• • •• • •• •• • • • • • •• • •• • • •• • • • •• • •• • • •• • • •• •• • • •• • •• • • •• • •• • •• • • • • •• • •• • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • ••• • • •• • • • •• • • • •• • •• • •• •• • •• • •• • • •• • • • •• • •• • • •• •• • •• • •• • • •• • • •• •• • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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 www.toddarch.co.uk

Legal & Business

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CLEAN GROWTH STRATEGY

The UK Government has announced its Clean Growth Strategy in response to the need for action against our rising carbon usage problem.

strategy has been T hepublished in a document by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

It’s a hefty read, so to bring you all the key points quickly, Flogas, which works in gas installation, has created this article outlining everything you need to know.

The UK’s commitment The Climate Change Act in 2008 made Britain the first nation to put a legally-binding carbon reduction target on itself. The crux of it? To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels).

Are we on track?

Carbon emissions have decreased in the UK by 42% since 1990, according to figures from BEIS. While this progress is encouraging, the Government acknowledges that there is still plenty more work to be done – and that’s where proposals like the Clean Growth Strategy come in.

How will the strategy help?

The proposals of the Clean Growth Strategy have two main focuses; decreasing emissions and increasing economic growth.

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With that in mind, the two guiding objectives underpinning the strategy are: To meet our domestic commitments at the lowest possible net cost to UK taxpayers, consumers and businesses To maximise the social and economic benefits for the UK from this transition.

The core focus covers six areas that contribute to all of the UK’s carbon emissions: Improving business and industry efficiency (25% of UK emissions) Improving our homes (13% of UK emissions) Accelerating the shift to low-carbon transport (24% of UK emissions) Delivering clean, smart, flexible power (21% of UK emissions) Enhancing the benefits and value of our natural resources (15% of UK emissions) Leading the public sector (2% of UK emissions).

All 50 pledges are in the executive summary.

What does this mean for homes and businesses?

The Government has essentially committed to helping all areas of home and business sectors with reducing their carbon footprint. This not only means boosting uptake of renewable technologies (e.g. heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar panels) in the long-term but also favouring cleaner, conventional fuels over more polluting ones. For example, for off-grid homes and businesses, the strategy sets out specific plans to phase out high-carbon forms of fossil fuels like oil. As the lowestcarbon conventional off-grid fuel, oil to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) conversions will play a key part in replacing oil in rural parts of the country.

As a low-carbon and low-cost fuel, natural gas will remain popular. Flogas, which specialises in highly competitive commercial mains gas, expects to see this part of its business continue to go from strength to strength. The company also predicts that the ‘green gas’ phenomenon (natural gas injected with a

proportion of environmentallyfriendly biogas) will grow in popularity as the Clean Growth Strategy rolls out.

Response to the proposal So far, the Clean Growth Strategy has had a lot of support. Managing Director of Flogas, Lee Gannon, said: “Through the publication of its Clean Growth Strategy, the Government has made clear its intention to reduce carbon emissions from off-grid UK homes and businesses.

Natural gas is affordable, versatile, widely available and, most importantly, emits significantly less carbon than the likes of coal and oil.

As such, it will continue to play a central role as the UK works towards cleaning up its energy landscape. We look forward to working alongside policymakers and wider industry stakeholders to make the Clean Growth Strategy the success that it deserves to be.”

Support also comes from trade body Oil & Gas UK. Mike Tholen, its Upstream Policy Director, commented: “Oil & Gas UK welcomes the Government’s commitment to technology in the strategy, especially with regards to carbon abatement measures such as carbon capture, usage and storage. Oil & Gas UK looks forward to working with the Government to see how these technologies can further reduce emissions across the economy.” 

 www.flogas.co.uk

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Talking Point

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WILL REVOLUTIONISE RESIDENTS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT It is no secret that the biggest challenge facing the UK public sector over the next generation will be how it can adapt to serve an increasingly ageing population. The UK has crept into a situation whereby there are more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 16, writes Sean Robinson of Polypipe. with more F urthermore, of the UK population moving into the larger cities as urbanisation continues apace, town and city councils also need to deal with the by-products of this change

22

in demographics as concern grows over the health and wellbeing of individuals, and the balance of biodiversity in our inner cities.

Air pollution, climate change, urban flooding and

even mental health issues are some of the many effects that can be attributed to the built environment. Recent news reports demonstrate that the most vulnerable groups are children, the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions – those who rely most on public services and public sector accommodation.

In the UK alone, poor outdoor air quality is linked to 50,000 deaths each year.

However, specifiers are increasingly turning to a range of forward-looking solutions and new building specialisms that will define new approaches to public sector construction and the way UK

citizens will interact with their municipal-managed buildings.

The use of green infrastructure is one example of how long-discussed building practices are now becoming a project necessity, rather than a ‘nice to have’ or a ‘value add’ only considered if the budget allows for it.

Essentially, green infrastructure is the preservation and development of natural spaces in urban areas. Parks, roof gardens and even cycle lanes can be considered part of the green infrastructure concept. They all represent elements of the natural world integrating with the urban environment.

Planners, architects, civil engineers and developers in the UK are beginning to harness green infrastructure’s true potential. After decades of concrete, we are starting to see the next generation of green living emerge.

More major cities are placing greater emphasis on the development and preservation of green spaces within our urban centres – not only because of health benefits – but because of the boost it can bring to the economy.

For example, Manchester City Council’s Green and Blue Strategy states that: “By 2025, high-quality, well-maintained

green and blue spaces will be an integral part of its neighbourhoods.”

The report adds: “Businesses will be investing in areas with high environmental quality and attractive surroundings, and will have a healthy, talented workforce to draw on. There will be new ways of funding green and blue infrastructure, making sure that we can sustain the progress made by 2025, providing the platform for investment in the years to follow.”

Other cities are following suit. Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast have also committed to

Polypipe project – Walthamstow Stadium redevelopment. Before.

Living with dementia In the UK there are currently 850,000 people living with the condition, with a predicted rise to one million people by 2025 – a result of our ageing population. Loughborough University and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) have teamed up to design and build an experimental home in Watford that will

better support those living with dementia.

Among the design features of the typical Victorian-era house, such as increased natural lighting and automatically controlled natural ventilation systems, a range of green infrastructure features have been included.

Polypipe Permavoid has been installed to provide passive irrigation and to aid establishment and support the fragrant plants and herbs around the paving area of the home, as research has shown how sensory stimulation including touch and smell can maintain the attention of the dementia sufferer.

The Permavoid system also incorporates stormwater management to the solution to prevent a build-up of surface water following rainfall.

Providing multifunctional benefits from one solution.

A range of demographic changes are challenging the ways urban planners, architects and specifiers approach large-scale developments. The need to build municipal areas that can cope with the growing numbers of city dwellers and an ageing population is challenging building design norms, and providing the scope to embrace forwardthinking intelligent design.

Building designers are increasingly incorporating biophilia – meaning the love of nature – into our towns and cities. 

Talking Point

increasing green and blue spaces in the coming years.

These grand visions of greener cities will have to be driven by municipal bodies.

There are schemes in the UK where green infrastructure solutions have been designed as an integral part of the project. The proposed redevelopment of the Thamesmead in South-East London will turn the borough of Thamesmead into one of the city’s most biodiverse and sustainable urban living environments. This large-scale redevelopment of one the biggest post-War residential schemes will serve more than 100,000 people living in 35,000 homes on the banks of the Thames.

Developing new housebuilding with the intelligent use of water at the heart of the design is not just about aesthetics and the environment. Once you dig deeper into these city-wide initiatives, there are examples of how green infrastructure works on a very practical level to assist with the care and comfort of some of our most vulnerable people.

 www.polypipe.com

Polypipe project – Walthamstow Stadium redevelopment. After.

23

Education

WHY PARTNERSHIPS ARE CRITICAL TO EFFECTIVE ACADEMY ESTATES MANAGEMENT Phil Chell of Sika Liquid Plastics discusses opportunities and challenges in building improvement funding in the academies sector.

I gave a presentation W hen at the Academies Show at London’s ExCeL recently, discussing the funding available for building improvements, it was clear that schools’ management teams and business managers are keen to understand how they can maximise their revenue and make the best use of it.

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At Sika Liquid Plastics, alongside our building surveyor partners, we have helped academies to secure more than £20m in Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) grants over the past two years, enabling them to carry out essential works to improve their campus environment. By

working with schools, compiling roof condition surveys and developing full technical specifications and project costings before academy business managers submit their CIF bids, we have been able to help them present a compelling business case to secure grants for the works.

The latest tranche of successful funding bids has recently been announced, and the next application window opens in November. The Government has given assurances that the pattern of application windows for CIF funding will continue in the shortterm but the funding landscape is changing, and part of the reason we were keen to be part of the speaker programme at the Academies Show was to explain how that landscape will evolve.

Alongside CIF Funding, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) also provides School Condition Allocation (SCA) funding for multiacademy trusts (MATs), which is automatically allocated to trusts with at least five schools and more than 3000 students.

This funding is allocated according to a devolved formula based on pupil numbers and type of school and applies to MATs with primary, secondary  or SEN students.

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Education As the MAT model gathers pace, it seems likely that more trusts will be eligible and more building improvement programmes will be delivered through SCA funding. This presents both challenges and advantages. The lack of a bidding process strips time-consuming and onerous administration out of funding building improvement programmes. However, the funding is automatically allocated based on the size

and type of academies in the trust rather than the urgency of repair, maintenance and improvement requirements so, as MATs become bigger, with an increasingly large estate to look after, prioritising a fixed, allocated amount of funding will become increasingly complex.

Often, the business managers at MATs with responsibility for allocating SCA funding to capital works projects are former teachers with

little experience of estates management, maintenance or construction projects.

Consequently, we believe it will be necessary for MATs to work with companies like Sika Liquid Plastics and our building surveyor partners.

By developing long-term relationships with MATs, we can help them to identify the most urgent works across their estate and devise appropriate plans to manage their

building maintenance budget effectively over the course of several years. What’s more, as part of Sika UK, we can also work with our sister companies to offer a complete solution from the basement to the roof.

In fact, we are already working with MATs in this way, using a traffic light system to develop a long-term building maintenance programme of urgent, medium- and long-term works by surveying school buildings and considering the multi-site estate as a complete suite of buildings. We’re providing this expertise to MATs free of charge as part of long-term relationships that will genuinely enable us to add value and help trusts to keep their estates in good order as they grow.

One-off CIF payments have been invaluable in enabling distinct improvements for academies and, hopefully, single academies and smaller trusts will continue to benefit from that funding stream for some time to come. But the academies sector is changing, and we believe the way that we work with trusts must change along with it; that’s why we’re placing Sika Liquid Plastics at the vanguard of a truly collaborative approach to MAT estates maintenance. 

 gbr.liquidplastics.sika.com/ en/group/academies.html

26

Technical Focus

Project: 202-bed student accommodation Water supply specialist: Wavin Construction company: Stephenson Construction Client: Anglia Ruskin University

WAVIN EXCELS IN EVERY DEGREE ON UNI HALLS INSTALLATION In the wake of significant flooding across Europe in recent years, a growing number of housing developers look to take steps to protect properties from flood water. More and more is being demanded of stormwater drainage installations. Construction expert Stephenson Construction turned to Wavin’s Q-Bic Plus, in harmony with Wavin Vortex valves, to address this key issue with bespoke solutions. and climate F looding change are combining to create a concerning rise in floodwater damage to commercial and residential buildings alike. To protect against the potentially catastrophic damage caused by excess water over-capacitating standard drainage systems, developers are turning to SuDS. Adequately protecting from potential flood damage was a key concern of the developers of a 202-bed student accommodation in Cambridge for Anglia Ruskin University, as they enlisted the support and expertise of Stephenson Construction in installing an integrated drainage system within a tight timeframe.

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With over 200 students set to descend on the halls upon its completion in January 2019, the developer needed a solution that could not only be installed quickly but could fit into the tight space left by a derelict car dealership on the corner of Newmarket Road and River Lane.

Doing the homework After careful consideration of the size and situ of the site, it was clear that traditional stormwater solutions which direct water into pipe systems to be carried away by a local watercourse would not be sufficient. Such systems fail

to mitigate the impact of such high levels of surface water – rather, moving it elsewhere.

The challenge with this is that it can make flooding worse in other parts of the local area, as water is directed away from access points.

To overcome this issue, Stephenson Construction worked with specialist experts from Wavin, who recommended the use of an engineered solution specifically designed to support the infiltration and attenuation of stormwater. The installation of such a system would help provide a place to store excessive groundwater away from the halls for later

controlled release, supporting floodwater attenuation.

The system would also need to be somewhat flexible to make the best use of the limited space of the site. This meant the developers were in need of a modular system that they could, in effect, mould to the shape and size of the space they were able to use.

Sitting the exam To meet the brief, Wavin’s Q-Bic Plus infiltration system, with integrated and bespoke Wavin Vortex valves, was selected for the student halls site. This is a specialist SuDS consisting of a series of tanks buried underground.

Technical Focus

Q-BIC PLUS INSTALLATION

Images ©Wavin

Designed to mimic mother nature by managing stormwater at source, the system works by collecting excess stormwater from across a site, and storing it until it can be released in a controlled manner back into the surrounding soil or into the local sewerage network.

Working in tandem with existing management systems, it can help significantly reduce the risk of flooding.

The modular nature of the Q-Bic Plus system – with integrated connectors incorporated into each unit – meant that the engineers working on the design for the new halls had considerable freedom to devise the most appropriate drainage solution for the needs of the site.

The result was a network of more than 140 Q-Bic Plus units installed beneath the halls, arranged into five different tank configurations of units optimising storage capacity.

The system will be connected to the guttering on the final build, as well as the drains for the local area, ready to collect excess groundwater during extreme weather events.

2:1 with honours The new Q-Bic Plus SuDS system with Vortex valves has now been installed beneath the ground of the development – the second site with this system in place in the UK – with work on the halls themselves still ongoing.

For Stephenson Construction, the company leading the drainage system installation, the Q-Bic Plus system offered benefits beyond ensuring the site remains dry and accessible during bad weather.

The project manager of Stephenson Construction said: “Wavin’s first-class customer service and products far outstripped our other supplier options as they provided bespoke solutions that addressed our need for speed, maximising the use of the small space we had.

“We were able to work efficiently, saving time and costs, by having a 3D model from Wavin of the full attenuation system – Vortex valves included – meaning we were able to plan with minute accuracy.

The products themselves solved the issue of our space restrictions, with Q-Bic Plus allowing both regular- and irregular-shaped tanks to be constructed. Wavin helped us to make what could have been a near-impossible task straightforward, quick and effective.”

Martin Lambley, Product Manager at Wavin UK, concluded: “When choosing stormwater management equipment, it’s important not just to think about capacity alone, there are other considerations as well. These include issues like health and safety for workers, as well as

installation efficiency. Taking all of these factors into account during the selection process, it’s possible to ensure that the construction process runs as smoothly as possible, while

providing the finished site with the protection it needs from the harmful impacts of extreme weather.” 

 www.wavin.co.uk/web/ solutions/rainwater-stormwater

29

Leisure

Project: Slough Ice Arena Sustainable wood supplier: Accoya Architect: GT3 Architects Client: Slough Borough Council

NEW LOOK FOR SLOUGH’S STATE-OF-THEART ICE ARENA

Slough Borough Council is investing more than £62m in regenerating leisure facilities across the borough with a view to getting more people, more active, more often.

A

s part of this major programme, the refurbishment of Slough Ice Arena was undertaken by Slough Urban Renewal (SUR), a partnership between Slough Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments, which is driving regeneration across the town including leisure, housing, community and school buildings.

Morgan Sindall carried out the main construction of the project.

The Ice Arena has undergone substantial remodelling with Morgan Sindall. The brand-new extended ice facility and new climbing centre, designed by

30

GT3 Architects, was revealed in April 2018, and has since welcomed over 42,000 visitors; both residents of, and visitors to the borough alike.

A significant aspect to the project was the renovation of the arena’s facade, transforming it into a stunning timber-clad surface that would stand the test of time.

High-performance sustainable wood product, Accoya, was specified by GT3 as the material of choice for the cladding due to its superior performance, reduced maintenance requirements and aesthetic properties.

Leisure Mark Gowdridge of GT3 Architects said: “The recurring issue with raw wood cladding has always been its susceptibility to water ingress and rot, requiring frequent maintenance and care. Given the extent of cladding on the ice arena, we wanted a wood product which was natural, durable and sustainable. Most importantly, the end-user wanted a timber with virtually no maintenance, and it couldn’t rot even in the wettest and coldest conditions. Leading wood product, Accoya, was our preferred wood, given its easy maintenance, long lifespan, 50year warranty and exceptional environmental credentials.

We are very pleased with the final result.”

Vincent Timber supplied over 250m2 of Accoya for the project, and expert roofing and cladding company, Angus Roofing Contractors, refurbished the existing roof and clad the new elevations.

Different finished widths of Accoya – 42, 92 and 142mm (all PAR Eased edges) – were then used to create cladding modules which Angus Roofing then mounted onto timber

battens, which, in turn, were mounted to an insulated composite metal carrier panel.

In total, approximately 1100LM of Accoya panels were fixed to the arena’s structure.

The finish on the Accoya cladding was a tri-colour Sikkens tint, applied to the timber lengths in-house. Three different tint shades were used – light oak, medium oak and dark oak – to create a rich, textured aesthetic that would last for years to come.

Although coating Accoya doesn’t improve performance, it does help to maintain the desired aesthetic. Plus with Accoya’s super-dimensional stability, coatings last twice as long, reducing maintenance requirements and, therefore, associated costs.

Locted near a prominent heritage site, Slough Ice Arena – built in the 1980s – is a local landmark. The region is enjoying a period of rejuvenation and renewal, and the recent renovation of the Ice Arena has transformed the leisure facility back into a fully functional space for skaters, climbers and spectators alike. 

 www.accoya.com

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Interiors: Floors, Walls & Ceilings

SYSTEMS FOR INSTALLING DESIGNER FLOORCOVERINGS

Luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) and vinyl planks have become an increasingly popular choice of floorcovering as the quality and variety of them have improved. Given customers' high expectations for finished results, it’s worth taking the time to ensure you achieve the best possible finish when installing them. This involves following basic principles of subfloor preparation and selecting the most appropriate products. Stephen Boulton, Technical Service Manager at F. Ball and Co. – a UK-leading manufacturer of subfloor preparation products and adhesives for floorcoverings – talks through the perfect system for your designer floor.

E

nsuring a flawless finish when installing LVTs involves a few simple steps, as well as taking precautions to avoid common causes of floor failure, particularly excess levels of subfloor moisture. Contractors should start by creating a perfectly smooth and sturdy base for the receipt of floorcoverings.

Care must then be taken when installing floorcoverings to avoid imperfections in the finished result. Choosing the optimum adhesive for installing LVTs will help with this.

32

Guarding against damp Before any floorcoverings can be installed, the subfloor must be suitably smooth, dry and free from laitance and contaminants.

If the project is taking place in a new build and the subfloor is a newly-installed screed, laitance may still be present. Floors that are being refurbished may be contaminated with old adhesive residues. Both laitance and old adhesive residues can cause costly floor failure and should be ground-off using a mechanical planing, grinding or abrading machine before proceeding with flooring installations.

As with any flooring installation, when preparing to install LVTs, contractors should conduct a moisture measurement test to determine if the subfloor is dry enough to proceed. To do this, a digital hygrometer can be used to determine relative humidity (RH) levels. If subfloor RH levels are higher than 75% when resilient floorcoverings are to be installed, a waterproof surface membrane will be required to prevent subfloor moisture rising up and attacking the adhesive and floorcovering, potentially causing complete floor failure.

Advanced products are now available that will isolate residual construction moisture where relative humidity values are up to 98% with a singlecoat application and will fully cure in as little as three hours.

Even quicker, two-coat systems are also available for use when time is critical.

The first coat cures in 15 to 20 minutes and a further 30 minutes curing time is required for the second coat, creating a barrier against residual construction moisture up to 95% RH in less than two hours.

Creating a base Contractors can then proceed to create a perfectly smooth and stable base ready for the receipt of vinyl tiles by using an appropriate floor levelling compound.

With few exceptions, it is essential to prime a subfloor before applying a levelling compound. When used over non-absorbent surfaces, such as waterproof surface membranes, terrazzo or ceramic tiles, priming promotes adhesion between the subfloor and the levelling compound applied over it. Applied over absorbent subfloors, such as concrete, sand/cement screeds or plywood, priming also

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Interiors: Floors, Walls & Ceilings prevents the unacceptably rapid drying of a subsequently applied levelling compound to maintain its working time.

Another reason for priming is to prevent ‘pinholing’; small holes in the levelling compound that have the appearance of pinholes or blisters caused by the slow escape of air from absorbent surfaces as the levelling compound cures.

To create the perfect base ready for the installation of LVTs, contractors should choose a levelling compound

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that is high strength and offers excellent self-levelling properties, to provide a perfectly smooth and durable surface.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives Pressure-sensitive adhesives are ideal for the installation of LVTs because they form an instant grab upon contact, so, once positioned, tiles or planks won’t move about as contractors work. They also offer an extended open time,

reducing the risk of placing tiles or planks too late, making them ideal for where more complex designs or patterns are being created.

F. Ball recommends its Styccobond F46 pressuresensitive adhesive for the installation of LVTs and vinyl planks as part of its System LVT range, which also comprises Stopgap P131 generalpurpose primer and Stopgap 300 HD heavy-duty levelling compound. Styccobond F46 is a solvent-free, pressure-

sensitive acrylic adhesive that dries to a permanent tack.

It is designed to give strong initial tack and high bond strength, which increases as it is trafficked.

Styccobond F46 is also specially formulated to reduce the incidence of trowel serrations shadowing through thin vinyl floorcoverings, a common problem known as ‘grin-through’, which will compromise the finished appearance of your bespoke flooring installation. This can be further guarded against by going over the adhesive with a roller, once it has been allowed to dry to a tacky film, to flatten the ridges formed when applying the adhesive with a trowel.

Finally, it is recommended that contractors always check the compatibility of particular floorcoverings and adhesives.

To do this, you can consult the floorcovering manufacturer’s guidelines. Alternatively, F. Ball produces a recommended adhesives guide (RAG), which lists adhesives recommended for use with floorcoverings produced by over 200 manufacturers. The guide is available as a free app or a printed booklet. An interactive version can also be found on the F. Ball website. 

 www.f-ball.com

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! Easy and quick to apply by trowel or spray Extremely fast drying time Universal use: internal or external and new & old buildings Unbeatable flexibility Excellent crack-bridging capability >2mm Strong resistance to hydrostatic pressure Highly adhesive to most common building substrates Overcoat in just over 4 hours UV-resistant Can be over-coated with Remmers coatings Extreme resistance to frost and salts Solvent & bitumen free – low odour

01293 594 010 www.remmers.co.uk

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Facades & Curtain Walling

Images ©Christian Smith

CORIAN CLADS LANCASHIRE CONSTABULARY WEST DIVISION POLICE HEADQUARTERS Modern policing comes with a complex set of challenges and thus demands facilities that can accommodate those evolving needs.

When Bonny Street Police Station, an ageing 1971 structure near the Blackpool waterfront, was no longer fit for purpose, careful thinking was required in planning for a new building.

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dequate space and enhanced security were key considerations. By undertaking a land swap with the local authority, a new site further back from the waterfront was acquired. This not only positioned the new HQ in a location that offered a significantly enhanced footprint and greater road network connectivity, but it also brought inward investment into a challenged neighbourhood.

The project came under the Scape framework for matching specific expertise to public sector projects and was put out to a competition between qualifying architectural practices, which

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was won by McBains Architects.

The building was conceived to answer the needs of the new age of policing and to reflect its civic identity in a way that was commanding but not intimidating.

Optimum sustainability was vital, and the building is rated BREEAM ‘Very Good’. Clearly, functional longevity was also a key concern and careful cost analyses were performed to ensure the best value for the investment of public money, in terms of reliability and performance.

Appealing aesthetics were also a fundamental consideration.

“It was important,” says Mark Baseby, Project Director

for McBains, “that the building reflected its relationship with Blackpool as a seaside location.

And while the design needed to incorporate protection against security threats, there also needed to be a degree of ‘transparency’, especially in terms of the community-facing aspects of the building. The idea was to avoid a completely uniform appearance for the building but to create something characterful and unique.”

The building is made up of three main elements: an office block, a custody block (which is constructed of concrete and houses 42 cells) and an ancillary

Facades & Curtain Walling block that contains facilities such as CSI labs. The main office building is a glass box over a steel frame, designed to suggest waves upon the sand, and this is wrapped in a white shell of Corian Solid Surface. The main length of this element is north-facing, thus the cladding functions as a ventilated facade while also offering a visual openness. The western edge of the building has a cantilevered canopy for greater solar shading while the southern edge has fewer apertures and a more solid sense of cladding.

Corian was selected by McBains as a wise investment in lasting performance for the new HQ of the Lancashire Constabulary, which is designed to meet all the varied demands of modern policing.

“The facade works both as a ‘protective’ shield in terms of thermal efficiency and a pristine, easy-care finish, while also being reminiscent of shells found at the

seaside,” says Baseby. “Thus the three-storey building is revealed from within this outer shell.” On investigation into appropriate cladding options, the McBains team participated in workshops with Corian industrial partner, Unique Fabrications, to explore whether the material would meet all the high demands of the specification.

“We found that Corian was right up our street,” says Baseby.

“It was not the first material we looked at for the building as controlling costs was a key consideration,” he adds. “But our analysis showed that, ultimately, it would be a wise investment as it was not only within our budget but also offered longterm durability with minimal maintenance. We are really pleased with the results. It was a great experience to work with Corian and we would do so again.

Everything we wanted from the product, we got.”

In total, 1600m2 of Corian in Glacier White was fabricated into cladding panels using skilled techniques such as thermoforming and installed using a Keil mechanical fix system by Unique Fabrications.

Chief Supt, Matt Horn, comments: “The new West Division Police Headquarters is a massive improvement to the facilities we had at Bonny Street, which were very dated and simply no longer fit for purpose.

These new facilities ensure we are well placed to deliver our service to communities, from an operating centre that delivers a modern working environment for our staff who work so hard to keep the area safe.” 

 www.corian.uk

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Off-Site Construction

MAKING SMART HOUSING CHOICES Paul Lang, Chief Executive Officer of Caledonian, looks at the evolution of modular buildings and how off-site construction can help to alleviate the housing crisis in the UK.

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House of Lords’ T heScience and Technology Committee began an inquiry into off-site manufacture for construction in March and issued invitations to provide written evidence to be submitted to the committee.

Published on 19th July, the committee’s report ‘Off-site manufacture for construction: Building for change’ states that the construction sector as it currently operates cannot meet the UK’s need for housing and may struggle to meet the need for infrastructure. Given that the UK already lags behind other countries in construction productivity, and is facing a labour shortage, the Government and construction sector must urgently find solutions.

The report finds that there is an urgent need for a ‘radical overhaul’ of the UK construction sector. The UK Government is now expected to provide a formal response to the report highlighting how it aims to address the points raised and actions required. The House of Lords' committee has made it clear that off-site manufacture could help increase productivity, as well as the quality and efficiency of buildings, while reducing labour demands and the

environmental impacts associated with traditional construction.

Our own contribution to the House of Lords' committee is aligned closely with its findings.

We also support its view that the take-up of off-site manufacture has been varied and limited because the construction sector is working with outdated and unsustainable business models that are not conducive to off-site manufacture.

However, despite all of the praise that off-site construction is receiving, the sector is still dogged by the reputational legacy of poorquality pre-fabs from past decades.

In fact, according to research from Ecobuild*, a fifth of the population think pre-fabricated housing is poor quality, with one in six claiming it is old-fashioned. Also, nearly a fifth of those interviewed didn’t think a modular home would last as long as a traditionally-built house. Despite the widespread support for an increase in modular construction, poor perception is a key barrier for uptake with homeowners. In reality, these people would not be able to tell whether the building they were occupying was built using off-site or modular techniques. They are, to all intents and purpose, completely indistinguishable to traditional builds.

Off-Site Construction

accommodation on the ground floor to meet the changing needs of the householder. By incorporating a private roof terrace into the design, the houses have also retained a traditional street setting, whilst at the same time providing residents with plenty of private outdoor space.

Summary

Housing crisis

Smarter choice

Present-day factorymanufactured buildings, like those created by Caledonian, are light years away from most common perceptions. As such, off-site is slowly becoming more popular with housing providers, and we hope that this will encourage developers to reconsider how they deliver their build programme.

In preparation, we have signed a collaborative partnership agreement with Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Focusing specifically on the residential sector, we are working alongside the company to develop new modular designs and to build additional capacity in the commercial and technical delivery of new housing.

As part of the partnership, Arcadis brings residential insight and expertise, along with design and construction management support. This allows us to focus on our manufacturing and delivery capacity. It means that, together, we can offer a fully integrated housing solution, from initial design concept through to manufacturing, construction and project completion.

Compared to building using traditional methods, the residential sector benefits enormously from off-site construction. More than 80 to 90% of the work can be completed in our factory, a quality-controlled environment, unaffected by the weather or skills shortages on site.

This significantly reduces the likelihood of delays to the project. In addition, off-site offers minimal disruption to the surrounding community by ensuring rapid build and significantly reducing deliveries and activities to site.

Suitable to more than just housing, off-site construction benefits are accessible to all sectors – schools, hotels, communal buildings, further and higher education, retail, commercial outlets and health, amongst others. Offering a full turnkey solution, we design and build to an exacting specification, using BIM, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and lean manufacturing techniques, meaning we can offer a building that fits seamlessly alongside any existing structures.

Manufacturing off-site, in itself, creates a safer workplace, being a more controlled

environment, requiring less need for working at height. Modular is also more economical and kinder to the environment, with a dramatic reduction in waste and the consumption of materials such as cement, compared to traditional build methods.

Home sweet home A great example of how modular homes can address the UK housing shortage is the revolutionary new three-storey Urban Houses that we recently manufactured and installed for Berkeley Homes.

Our innovative SMART construction solution meant that we were able to incorporate a number of innovative design features into 75 modules that created 13 houses at Kidbrooke Village in the London Borough of Greenwich. This included a large open-plan living area and 360° panoramic-view roof terrace, reached by an external staircase.

The modern development provides buyers with a choice of three and four bedrooms with well-planned interiors that are adaptable to householders’ needs. For instance, they can be converted into separate

A key part of the House of Lords' report is that off-site offers “clear and tangible benefits”, but that “much of the evidence” heard by the committee painted a picture of a fragmented industry lacking in trust, when collaboration between clients, designers and contractors was required to make off-site manufacture work.

Our own methodology is to take traditionally-constructed buildings and apply manufacturing techniques to drive efficiencies. This is achieved through three core areas – the use of BIM, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and lean manufacturing techniques.

Precision manufacturing then helps us provide a finished product that is more efficient and of far higher quality.

Any manufacturing process gains high productivity by adopting mass standardisation of products. The process of off-site manufacturing will no doubt increase the productivity of the construction industry, but a step further would be the standardisation of design and specifications.

The implementation of a standardised design solution across numerous schools has resulted in the development of our standard product which we now offer as an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution to school expansion.

The residential sector could learn a lot from this and deliver improved efficiencies by having a ‘standardised’ approach to developments rather than an outdated, costly and protracted ‘project-specific design and build’ approach. 

 www.caledonianmodular.com 2018 survey of more than 2000 people carried out by Ecobuild

*

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BIM

BIM – ARE WE MISSING A TRICK? Many within the Building Information Modelling (BIM) community believe that without the strong backing of Government, this technology-based construction methodology would not see the level of visibility and general acceptance that it now enjoys. The Government’s 2016 BIM mandate galvanised the industry’s efforts to embrace this new approach, which places collaboration and smarter ways of working at its very core. So, two years on from the mandate, what shape are the construction industry and public sector in with BIM adoption, and have we evolved this technology and pushed the boundaries?

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think the answer to this question isn’t straightforward. If we look at the first part, BIM desperately needed an influential sponsor to throw its weight behind an emerging technology that promised so much in terms of efficiency savings. The Government proved to be that catalyst for our industry and the wider supply chain to take greater note of the opportunities that BIM presented, ahead of private sector customers who often couldn’t see past the cost consideration. BIM is now a universal term with awareness from both public and private sector customers – and from

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our perspective, there has been a radical shift in the industry's perception of BIM from our private sector customer base.

That’s the good part. But let’s go back to the second element of the question – are we driving this technology forward? Here, I think the jury is still out.

There are certainly pockets of excellence within our industry and customer portfolios, but an emerging theme within the public sector is that we’re failing to successfully articulate how we can evolve this technology to bring transformational change.

I was recently speaking at a public sector conference about a new approach that ISG has

championed, the creation of an entirely new role within the construction process – the Master Systems Architect (MSA). There was a positive reaction from the audience, and I fielded many questions at the end of my session, but what was clear from these conversations was that there was a disconnect from the overarching promise of BIM and the end-user experience.

And this is where there is so much opportunity, but also the real danger that BIM adoption falls backwards.

Let me explain. Construction has always worked best when everyone operates as part of a collaborative team. BIM helps

to foster these collaborative relationships as we all work within the same modelled universe, sharing data, design information and identifying issues that can be resolved virtually before a single boot hits site. But it’s so much more than that if we take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

This is the point where the MSA role comes in as an antidote to siloed thinking. The MSA is there to interrogate the brief, probe and understand why the physical infrastructure is required in the form it was initially envisaged, and, most importantly, how the new project fits within the context of the wider estate.

BIM This last point is crucial, especially within the public sector, where we often have large physical estates that are not performing to requirements or expectations. Technology is the starting point for this conversation – not steel frames, blockwork and partition walls. The goal is to create an estate based around a common technology ecosystem, creating the conditions for smart asset management decision-making, pre-emptive maintenance regimes and efficient operations. BIM has a fundamental role to play in this new world, as the master asset register and one source of truth.

But this last point is where BIM in real-world operation most likely fails. To unlock the full potential of BIM, we must not view it solely as a pre-construction tool, but a rich asset database that sits behind our smart decisionmaking capability post-occupancy.

My conversations with many attendees at the conference reinforced the commonly held belief that many public sector buildings are handed over, and the BIM model and dataset are simply stored on a laptop and forgotten.

A simple first step is to keep BIM data accurate. Our solution is the development of a smart form, permanently linked to the BIM database. Every time a material change is made to

components or specifications in the building, this data is entered once on the form and the asset register is fully updated.

With an intelligent design solution from the MSA, our assets can now communicate back to us, for example, monitoring air exchanges through an air handling unit.

Combine this information with accurate product specification data held in the BIM universe, and we have a powerful computer-aided facility management (CAFM) system.

This is the future of facilities management – an automated system that constantly monitors performance, identifies issues instantly and proactively tracks

and schedules the maintenance regime for every component in the building according to its individual product specification.

But this can only work if we accurately maintain the core BIM database.

The public sector often comes in for criticism, but with BIM adoption, it was a pioneer that has helped to transform the direction of our industry. It’s important that with the passing of the mandate, we continue to push those technology boundaries and work towards a public sector estate that is both fit for purpose and efficient by design. 

 www.isgplc.com

41

Play Equipment

WELCOME TO THE WATERING HOLE AT PECKHAM RYE PARK Peckham Rye Park is an open space within the London Borough of Southwark. A vibrant community space, Peckham Rye has been engaged in an improvement programme over the past few years, which has included the construction of a new car park, refurbished cafe and the new play space which was opened in July 2018. The play facilities have a significant water component and comprise a range of play landscapes which reflect and enhance the natural surroundings of the historic common.

Project: Peckham Rye Park Playground equipment supplier: Timberplay

the outset, the F rom designer, Turkington Martin, intended to create a flexible play area that offers nonprescriptive play opportunities.

Rather than a standard play area, the design set out to create a space with a unique identity, presenting a predominantly natural character in keeping with the setting, reinforced through the choice of equipment, materials and planting.

Peckham Rye play succeeds in these objectives, marking the park out as a destination play space, particularly as it features a great deal of waterplay which proved extremely popular throughout the hot summer of 2018. Set within natural boulders, the waterplay comprises a playground pump and splash pump, with lock gate and water switch so children can control the flow of the water.

However, it is the innovative landscaping that really elevates this space to something out of the ordinary. Utilising profiled concrete has created a striking look for the play area, channels and rivulets for the water to flow through and pockets where water can collect and children can paddle and splash.

Alongside the waterplay, which is undoubtedly one of the best forms of play, Turkington Martin also designed a significant sandplay area into the site.

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This combination of sand and water realises great play potential as children experiment with the combination of both substances and see how the different proportions impact on the properties of the materials.

The addition of a building site within the sand area encourages children to work together, lifting, moving and transporting the sand, promoting great social play and supporting the development of communication skills.

A platform house was selected as it presents enduring play value for younger children, ideal for role- and socialplay.

The addition of a wide slide and climbing net also means the entry and exit points are, in turn, challenging and thrilling.

Older children and teenagers are also offered the excitement of a rotating disc and climbing forest, presenting multiple levels of challenge to push children to develop their physical skills.

Intuitive design from Turkington Martin has embraced the playable potential of the landscape, utilising large mounds and interesting planting. A tree house gives children an excellent vantage point, and a tunnel slide and various net components enable children to clamber amongst the treetops, getting a unique perspective on Peckham Park.

Joe Todd, Associate at Turkington Martin, comments: “We worked well with Timberplay from the outset to design a bespoke, challenging play experience sympathetic to the natural character of Peckham Rye Park and Common.

The climbing forest and waterplay, in particular, have proved enormously popular with children of all ages and abilities.”

The brief for Peckham Rye had bold intentions to create a real stand-out playspace, and

the immense popularity of the site demonstrates just how well these have been realised.

As a council-owned playspace, the long-term care of the site was also at the forefront of the design and one of the key objectives was to create a robust space that is easy to maintain over many years. Timberplay is proud to have been involved in such an innovative and exciting playspace. 

 www.timberplay.com

Sports Pitches

NEW PITCH HIT WITH WINSTON CHURCHILL SCHOOL PLAYERS

Project: The Winston Churchill School Location: Surrey Artificial grass supplier: TigerTurf

The importance of physical education in schools is well documented – not only for encouraging pupils to exercise but also for developing life skills such as teamwork. Having the appropriate sporting facilities available for students to hone these skills is, therefore, important for any educational establishment. However, as a specialist sports college, it was even more crucial for the Winston Churchill School. to grow H oping participation further and give pupils the opportunity to play a number of different sports all in one place, the staff at the Winston Churchill School were looking for an artificial grass surface that was truly multifunctional. However, while being flexible and durable enough to withstand the playing characteristics of tennis, hockey, netball and football, it was also important that the new installation would be a high-quality,

attractive addition to the school’s grounds. Furthermore, the hope was that a new installation would encourage increased external hire during the weekends.

With these needs in mind, the school’s ongoing searches led to artificial grass manufacturer, TigerTurf. From there, the natural fit was the Evo Pro surface, which is longlasting and compliant with the FIH’s national standard for hockey. Thanks to its vivid colour and clear markings,

Evo Pro would not only prove flexible enough for several different sports, but would also provide the aesthetic enhancement that the school was hoping for; creating an inviting area for pupils to play.

The installation was completed by sports pitch construction specialist, ETC Sports, in September 2017, and so far the benefits have been substantial.

Stuart Phillips, Business Manager at the Winston Churchill School, commented: “We have been very impressed with the Evo Pro

surface and are delighted to see just how many students and members of public have been enjoying it.”

Not only is the installation a hit with the players, it also offered a better return on capital investment, with the school anticipating that the new pitch will boost income from this area by at least 60%, delivering a payback period of just four to five years. The new pitch is also now operating at 90 to 95% capacity, compared to just 50% previously and has been in use for around 15 hours in the week, and eight hours over the weekend – again, doubling previous levels of usage.

Phillips concludes: “We spent a long time looking for a true multi-sport surface that could accommodate a variety of different sports, while also meeting the highest standards, such as approval by England Netball. Evo Pro came as close as possible to meeting all of our needs, with TigerTurf delivering a quality of product that matched our status as a sports college.” 

 www.tigerturf.co.uk

43

SALTEX Preview

SALTEX 2018 – THE EXHIBITION SHAPED BY THE INDUSTRY

When the 74th annual SALTEX exhibition opens its doors at the NEC, Birmingham, on 31st October and 1st November, visitors can not only look forward to a comprehensive product display spread over three large halls, but they will also gain a great deal of expert information through the free-to-attend extensive education programme of CPD-accredited seminars and benefit from knowledge-gaining opportunities through other unique show features.

T

he exhibition is the longest-standing event of its kind in the world, having been held almost every year since 1938. Over the years, the event has brought the industry together to network, learn and view the latest innovations, and each year, show organisers listen intently to feedback to ensure that the event continues to grow and meet the industry’s expectations.

This year, over 300 exhibitors and some 9000 visitors are

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expected to be in attendance, and there is plenty on offer for those working in or involved with grounds care, sports turf, amenities, estates and green space management. The show floor will be bursting with everything a visitor needs to increase their efficiency and improve operations, so if you are a groundsperson, greenkeeper or gardener; if you work in a landscaped or urban space or a park, then this is your show.

2018 inventions and innovations New for 2018, SALTEX visitors can expect to experience the very latest grounds care ingenuity in a new area on the show floor which is purely dedicated to innovation and new concepts in grounds management. Visitors can expect to learn from industry experts and those at the forefront of new grounds care innovations and listen to research and trial work findings.

Furthermore, a number of key speakers will take to the stage to discuss and explore current grounds care trends such as cordless and environmentally-friendly equipment, robotics, GPS control machinery, pesticide alternatives, pitch lighting, watering systems and monitoring systems.

The Innovation Hub will also play host to the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award ceremony, and visitors can witness the latest and very best in new grounds care technology.

Additionally, by referring to the show guide, SALTEX visitors will be able to follow an Innovation Trail enabling them to see every single entry on the show floor.

Knowledge is growth Learning LIVE, SALTEX’s all-encompassing education programme, offers attendees a fantastic chance to learn from seminars and panel debates and network with industry peers.

The CPD-accredited seminars are free to attend, and registration is now open for all sessions that are due to take place in four purpose-built seminar theatres on the SALTEX show floor.

Feedback gathered from last year’s seminar delegates has helped organisers to create an even better line up of speakers and learning opportunities to suit the needs of all SALTEX visitors at this year’s event.

There will be a number of expert speakers from the UK and abroad focusing on issues that affect the industry.

Furthermore, for free faceto-face turf care advice, visitors can speak directly to one of 10 Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) regional pitch advisors linked to The FA, the ECB and the Football Foundation-funded Grounds & Natural Turf Improvement Programme. This feature will be available through the free Ask the Expert advice centre located on stand E180. 

 www.iogsaltex.com

KBB & Water Management

Supporting the Grenfell community As part of the ongoing support to the Grenfell community, Abet Laminati and Formwise are proud to have helped realise the ambitious DIY SOS Grenfell project to build the replacement Dale Youth Boxing Club and new Community Centre.

Abet donated 12mm compact grade highpressure laminate in a grey Zebrano finish for the washrooms and cubicles, as well as a graphite grey for the lockers. These were supplied to Formwise Washrooms, the specialist manufacturer, supplier and installer of quality cubicles, panels, lockers, changing room furniture and panelling.

With only a rough brief and a tight timescale, Formwise managed to design, fabricate and install two complete changing rooms including toilets and shower cubicles in the boxing club as well

as washroom facilities in the community centre. When asked about this ambitious project, Formwise Technical Director, Tim Jupp, commented: “We were delighted to be approached by Abet to support this worthwhile project. Only having a narrow window in which to come up with a design from scratch and then manufacture and install could have proved challenging.

However, as we employ the whole team inhouse from start to finish, it meant we were able to pull together to achieve this goal.

Working closely with Abet and their high-

quality laminates, coupled with our in-depth knowledge, has created something special of which we can all be very proud.”

Compact grade laminate is perfect for this kind of heavy-duty application where aesthetics and visual appeal need to be coupled with high performance and long lifecycles. Fully Class 0 fire rated, they are ideal for use in these areas of high moisture and humidity.

 uk.abetlaminati.com  sales@abet.ltd.uk  0207 473 6915

Showerwall offers a bathroom panelling solution for any commercial project

The maker of Showerwall has launched Project, a focused collection of 15 bathroom wall panelling decors shaped around the speed and budget needs of the social housing, student accommodation and less-abled sectors, backed by a 10-year guarantee. Offering a timeless appeal for renovations, upgrades and new-build projects, there are 10 naturally-inspired HPL designs featuring the Proclick locking system, allowing large areas of wall to be covered quickly without the need for joining trims, plus acrylic decors that look like polished glass in five neutral colours. The hard-wearing panels can be installed in less than a day for a less messy, faster fit than tiles that minimises trade costs and reduces the downtime of a property.

 www.showerwall.co.uk

 info@showerwall.co.uk

 0845 604 7334

Cistermiser launches innovative temperaturemonitoring system, LinkThru Washroom controls and water efficiency specialist Cistermiser has launched LinkThru, the groundbreaking temperature-monitoring platform that is set to change the way hospitals and healthcare facilities manage infection control. Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L8 (fourth edition) states that all duty-holders have a responsibility to manage and prevent the onset of Legionnaires’ disease from potential Legionella contamination of water systems. Using a specialist PropTech solution from Spica Technologies, LinkThru automatically checks water temperature and flow activity in pipework systems every 10 seconds, transmitting the results into a secure cloud application. Users can quickly access the information from anywhere via a device such as a computer, tablet or smartphone and take corrective action if needed.

 www.cistermiser.co.uk

 info@linkthru.com

 0118 969 1611

Holistic approach to the best use of resources in education A local education authority is optimising best value in a major capital building programme – right through to pupil intimate care. Dundee City Council is undertaking a £350m investment plan including regeneration of the waterfront, affordable housing and new schools, with the latter designed to deliver suitable, sustainable and accessible buildings that make the best use of resources.

The capital projects team has, therefore, future-proofed the school building designs by including specialist equipment from Closomat, to create accessible toilet facilities. The latest project – construction of the new North East Campus – thus features a Closomat Palma Vita shower (wash & dry) toilet with height-adjustable washbasin and ceiling track hoist.

 www.clos-o-mat.com  info@clos-o-mat.com  0161 969 1199

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING ANNOUNCES NEW ART SELECT WOOD DESIGNS One of the UK’s market leaders in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is extending its sophisticated Art Select wood collection with 14 new designs including French Oak, Hickory and American Chestnut.

D

esigned to accommodate a growing desire for highly realistic flooring, Karndean’s latest Art Select wood designs offer realistic cross-sawn and hand-scraped embosses for an authentic look of traditional crafted planks, with intricate patterns for impressive variation across the floor. The new designs feature a preferred 3.0mm thickness, 0.7mm wear layer and enhanced R10/R11 slip resistance ratings.

Four brand-new oak designs – Prairie Oak, Glacier Oak, Mountain Oak and Savannah Oak – offer an extended colour range to include gentle beige, cool grey and warm honey tones. Available in a choice of extra-large planks (56 x 9") and parquet format (18 x 3"), the new oak designs are suitable for different laying patterns, such as herringbone or laying at 45˚, bringing a sense of grandeur to any interior.

Joining Karndean’s Art Select hickory range are four brandnew designs – Natural Hickory, Weathered Hickory, Vintage Hickory and Classic Hickory – offering unique and elegant contrasts in colour between the deeper heartwood of the plank

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and the bright outer sapwood.

A new and exclusive emboss enhances the characteristic saw marks of the original wood flooring, authentically replicating the appearance and texture of unfinished timber.

A new Reclaimed Chestnut design faithfully replicates the rustic feel and rich warm tones of traditionally crafted wood planks found in historic barns and factories of North America.

Featuring the subtle matte finish of unfinished boards, the new design offers an eclectic, rustic appearance. Now scarce in its natural form, reclaimed American chestnut floors are often collated from many sources and feature a mix and match pattern of planks, so for additional realism, Karndean’s Reclaimed Chestnut design is also available in a random plank option.

Available from October, Karndean’s updated and extended Art Select collection now features a total of 33 wood designs and 21 stone designs.

 www.karndean.com  commercial@karndean.co.uk  01386 820100

Karndean Designflooring Art Select Prairie Oak RL20

Karndean Designflooring Art Select Vintage Hickory EW12

Altro unveils stunning new ranges to deliver design freedom to full building package Altro has added LVTs and designer wall ranges to its floors, doors and walls package so you can realise your design ambitions in every area for a true full building solution.

Delivering stunning aesthetics with outstanding durability, all backed by Altro’s sector-leading support and expertise,

Altro Ensemble modular flooring system and Altro Whiterock wall designs combine perfectly with other Altro products as part

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

of a package of expert solutions to meet the needs of all areas of commercial buildings.

New Altro Ensemble modular flooring system is the next generation of luxury vinyl tiles. From colour blocking to geometric patterns, with a range of plank and tile sizes and textures, Altro Ensemble gives design freedom to create luxurious floors for interior spaces. With 57 options to mix and match, the modular flooring system has natural wood and stone designs and block colours too. Altro Ensemble is 2.6mm thick with a 0.55mm wear layer, 15 dB sound reduction qualities and added comfort underfoot, with minimal residual indentation and excellent durability. A truly exceptional material, it combines these features with unique flexibility and is lightweight, making it easy to transport, cut and handle for installation.

Altro Ensemble is the perfect partner to Altro’s new range: Altro Whiterock wall designs – a new vision in wall decoration with natural wood, stone and linen options plus stunning metallic designs to give elegance to interior walls while providing the durability you expect from Altro Whiterock. The range includes a copper design that is already proving popular with designers.

 www.altro.co.uk  enquiries@altro.com  01462 707604

A modern finish from Flowcrete UK for Menai Science Park

Anglesey’s new Menai Science Park, the first dedicated science park in Wales, required an iconic and modern flooring solution and consulted Flowcrete UK to help. In order to complement the building’s modern style, Peran Comfort from Flowcrete UK was chosen in Light Grey and Signal White for the stairs, landing and foyer areas of the Open Innovation Space. The noise reduction and durability properties of this flooring system are ideally suited to these areas, where heavy footfall and the accompanying noise is expected. The light colours chosen for the pathways inside the building also help to reflect the light, creating the spacious and bright atmosphere desired by the client.

 www.flowcrete.co.uk

 ukweb@flowcrete.com

 01270 753000

Polyflor launches Verona Pure Colours collection Polyflor is delighted to announce the launch of the Polysafe Verona Pure Colours collection. Building on the success of the Original Polysafe Verona colour palette, the Pure Colours collection features a new and contemporary decoration in a selection of 18 tonal hues, perfectly suited for installation within a wide range of commercial and residential environments to ensure the underfoot safety of occupants. Developed with the requirements of those living with dementia in mind, the Polysafe Verona Pure Colours collection features a specially engineered emboss and unique matte finish, using complementary coloured quartz in the vinyl to harmonise with the base shade and generate enhanced sustainable slip resistance of 45+ (slider 96).

 www.polyflor.com

 info@polyflor.com

 0161 767 1111

BAL helps Grenfell boxing club come off the canvas

In one of its most challenging builds, Nick Knowles and the DIY SOS team recently built a brand-new gym for the Dale Youth Boxing Club which was previously housed in Grenfell Tower. To support the build, Stoke-on-Trent-based BAL donated adhesive, tanking, grout and sealants with tiles donated by Walls and Floors (Kettering). BAL kindly agreed to supply Single Part Flexible adhesive, BAL Tank-it waterproofing membrane, Micromax2 Grout Smoke and Micromax Sealant Smoke for changing rooms, toilets and a kitchen at the facility. As well as providing materials, BAL also provided technical support to the tilers working on the project through Andy Oates, BAL Product Support Technician for the South East.

 www.bal-adhesives.com  info@building-adhesives.com  01782 591100

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

The versatility of Latexplan NA means it can be applied over numerous substrates, including over most existing adhesive residues including bitumen

WELCOME TO THE ‘DREAM TEAM’ LATEXPLAN NA

Mapei has introduced Latexplan NA, a two-part, fast-setting, smoothing and levelling compound, to the ever-popular ‘dream team’ range of levelling compounds.

L

atexplan NA is a two-part, fast-setting, moisturetolerant, cement-based levelling compound, suitable for levelling differences in thickness between 3 to 10mm in one application on new and existing substrates. A single unit (20kg bag and 4.4-litre bottle) will cover approximately 5m² when installed at a thickness of 3mm. The versatility of

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Latexplan NA means it can be applied over numerous substrates, including over most existing adhesive residues including bitumen, is suitable for use onto plywood substrates and Mapeproof ESM and Mapeproof One Coat surface DPMs usually without priming. Once applied, Latexplan NA can receive light foot traffic after approximately

60 minutes and is ready to receive floorcoverings after four hours, depending on the ambient temperature.

Latexplan NA can also be used in conjunction with underfloor heating and can be applied below surface-applied damp-proof membranes when pre-smoothing of uneven surfaces is required.

Latexplan NA joins Latexplan Trade and Latexplan Trade Fast in the ultimate ‘dream team’ of levelling compounds, offering complete peace of mind for your flooring project in both residential and commercial installations.

 www.mapei.co.uk  info@mapei.co.uk  0121 508 6970

Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Creating the perfect acoustic ambience

The Experimentarium museum in Hellerup, Denmark, has been listed as one of the ‘Greatest Places to visit 2018’ by Time Magazine. Following an extensive renovation, guests can now dive into a virtual submarine safari, zoom in on the world of microorganisms or travel through the Tunnel of Senses to explore sight, touch, smell and sound.

However, one distraction they will not hear are the loud echoes and reverberations in the exhibitions and galleries from the noise and chatter of the thousands of daily visitors. This is because architect firm

CEBRA has specified Troldtekt wood-wool panelling extensively throughout. These panels, in white and grey, counterpoint the museum’s raw and industrial feel and contrast with the design elements of the copper, aluminium and glass.

CEBRA explains: “We chose Troldtekt because the structure of the panels matches the raw feel we wanted. Also, because the system is removable and is discreetly suspended from the ceiling; it fulfils all the acoustic requirements.”

Troldtekt ceiling panels provide a very high-performance sound absorbing surface which absorbs and reduces the noise and reverberations bouncing off the interior

hard surfaces. In addition, because the ceiling is suspended, it can be removed or adapted to accommodate exhibition changes within the 11,500m2 of public space.

Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of 100% Troldtekt natural wood-wool panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low-cost lifecycle performance and sustainability as documented by Cradle to Cradle certification at Silver level.

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

Instant success for Designer Contracts’ new ranges Designer Contracts has marked its two new curtain and blind fabric collections as an instant success. The latest Elegance and Indulgence ranges incorporate up-to-the-minute colours, textures and patterns to reflect the growing demand for interior design-led fabrics. Elegance features a choice of well-priced fabrics in a variety of popular muted shades such as duck egg, sage and mauve, with patterns including floral ‘Geo Viola’ and ‘Ripple Grape’. Luxurious Indulgence has been introduced with the most discerning house buyer in mind and includes a well-appointed selection of soft heather colours, including modern ‘Saffron Heather’ and ‘Tetris Lilac’. The collection also has a choice of charcoals and naturals.

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

Silentflor improves acoustics at Newport primary school Concrete-effect Silentflor acoustic sheet vinyl flooring from Polyflor was chosen to refurbish the reception area at St Andrew’s Primary School in Newport, South Wales. Installed by Cardiff-based Parker Flooring Supplies, 84m² of Silentflor flooring in the Dark Grey Concrete design was fitted in the primary school’s reception, meeting room and office areas. This project was headed up by facilities management and contract services provider, Newport Norse. Made in the UK, the Silentflor range includes 36 stunning designs in a 3.7mm gauge and 0.65mm wear layer sheet format. The collection’s eight contemporary concrete and 12 abstract designs have been specifically developed to achieve a modern, on-trend look.

 www.polyflor.com

 info@polyflor.com

 0161 767 1111

Armstrong Ceilings set to debut VR education experience Armstrong Ceilings is following up the launch of an education brochure by exhibiting at a brace of education shows this term. The manufacturer will debut a virtual reality ceiling installation in a classroom at the Education Estates exhibition at Manchester Central from 16 to 17th October (stand G11) and at the Education Buildings exhibition at Edinburgh International Conference Centre from 21st to 22nd November (stand B9). On the Armstrong stand, users of the new VR experience will find themselves transported to a typical classroom setting which has not been acoustically treated. Amidst the students, they will hear for themselves how typical classroom noise and clatter affects intelligibility and acoustic comfort.

 www.armstrongceilings.co.uk  sales-support@armstrong.com  0800 371849

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HVAC & Electricals

NORTEK GLOBAL HVAC UK ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE INITIATIVE The UK-leading HVAC manufacturer carried out an extensive research study in 2017, reaching out to its entire customer base and the HVAC marketplace as a whole across the UK and continental Europe. results of which T herecommended that the company consolidate all of its HVAC brands in the UK into Reznor and highlighted a number of opportunities to enhance the customer experience and satisfaction.

Nortek’s customers will now benefit from an unrivalled customer experience, which they can depend upon and

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trust. They will receive a more personal approach, improved response times and increased stock availability.

Kevin Hartshorne, European Sales and Marketing Director for Nortek, said: “Quick response times to enquiries and fast deliveries for our increased stock range are just some of the new commitments we are going to deliver with a personal touch.”

Nortek is making four bold promises to its customers, which include: 1 It will respond within 24 hours to all orders of non-stockable items, giving you the name of the person dealing with your enquiry 2 The person you speak to will call you back within 24 hours 3 It will deliver to customers within three days of receipt of order for all stockable items

Nortek’s customers will now benefit from an unrivalled customer experience, which they can depend upon and trust

Kevin Hartshorne is European Sales and Marketing Director for Nortek

4 It will support products throughout their lifetime.

Customers will be able to contact Nortek through the customer service desk, email, online and the new website. Information on products will be available to customers 24 hours a day.

 www.reznor.eu  reznorsales@nortek.com  01384 489700

Illuminated swaying reeds light the imagination Lighting designer StudioFractal has created a fantastically innovative and creative scheme in St Helen’s Square, London, developing a bespoke lighting system in partnership with Light Projects using RobLight fibre-optics.

120 fibre-optic ‘custom reeds’, varying in height between 600, 900 and 1100mm, have been cleverly woven into the garden backdrop of this key public space at the foot

of the Leadenhall Building in the heart of the City of London.

At night-time, the reeds with their glowing acrylic tips sway gently in the

HVAC & Electricals

breeze surrounded by a wealth of plants – all beautifully counterpointing the steel and glass of the adjoining buildings.

884m of PMMA Optical fibre is routed unobtrusively from the reed tips down stainless-steel rods into underground ducting to three constructed pits which house RobLight FL1000 Exterior LED projectors. Three sets of 40 individual tails are specially site terminated to maximise the optical efficiency making it comparable to a factory-made Fibre Optic Harness.

Each rod is anchored to a base plate buried under the planting and incorporates a spring coil that gives the desired balance of rigidity and flexibility to safely produce the swaying effect.

This is a magical example of how fibreoptics can be used to transform a space with minimal use of light sources. Once in place, the whole system is run from only four 24W LED projectors, reducing power consumption by at least 63% compared to their halogen equivalents, while the 4000K output with 80+ CRI colour temperature offers a bright, crisp light adding to the twilight feel of the installation.

RobLight is exclusively available in the UK from Light Projects.

 www.lightprojects.co.uk  info@lightprojects.co.uk  0207 231 8282

Johnson Controls presents enhanced range of fire alarm devices Pendock warms to ice rink challenge Pendock has installed 24 Ultima Plus Radiator Guards along with of laminated MX and CH pipe boxing at Slough Borough Council’s newly-refurbished Ice Arena. Pendock’s involvement in the 44week, £10m programme was to supply and fit the radiator guards and the associated pipe boxing in the toilets and changing rooms.

Pendock’s Ultima Plus Guards have been designed to provide the highest levels of radiator guard safety and protection. The ‘bullnose’ corners afford protection against accidental falls or even self-harm, they also safeguard against scalding due to their excellent low surface temperature characteristics. The two-sided MX pipe boxing – also finished in a white laminate – can be used for low-level or high-level, vertical or horizontal runs and at corner locations to cover and protect larger pipework and heating services, as well as soil, vent and rainwater pipes. In this instance, MX and CH boxing was specified, which also features rounded edges to protect against injury and ensure ease of cleaning.

 www.pendock.co.uk  sales@pendock.co.uk  01952 580590

Johnson Controls has introduced a range of sounders, visual alarm devices (VADs) and visual indicating devices (VIDs), helping to improve the performance of fire detection systems and ensure evacuation responses occur quickly during a real fire event. With two leading fire detection brands in Europe – ZETTLER and FireClass – Johnson Controls offers highly sophisticated fire detection solutions for a range of different environments and project size.

Specialists at Johnson Controls have used independent research into light patterns and their effect on triggering human reactions, to improve the design and functionality of the new range of VIDS and VADS. The research from the BRE shows that LED light output with a pulse width lower than 20 milliseconds is more effective at alerting people because of the light frequency. Engineers at Johnson Controls have adopted these findings to ensure the visual alarm devices in the new range flash at a pulse width, which is always less than 20 milliseconds when activated.

 www.johnsoncontrols.com

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Doors, Windows & Cladding

has worked remarkably well. The ability to conceal the fixings and screws coupled with the mill-finished aluminium framing has created a wonderfully smooth and dramatic facade.

The scheme was also supported by Fabrication Facilities which supplied specialist fixing brackets and On Site Recruitment, which supplied the glazing fixers.

This new Kalwall+RAICO system offers incredible versatility, even allowing the switching of materials – such as aluminium, steel or glued laminate timber (glulam) – within the same facade. This means the framing can be pre-fabricated at the factory and then assembled on site with the Kalwall panels being easily incorporated. In addition, there can be a seamless transition between the panels to fixed or operable windows without the need for additional structural changes or support. This combination works in harmony to maximise natural daylight whilst allowing vision out and controlling solar gain. Overall, the system allows for monolithic, single-action installations which save time on site and give excellent cost benefits together with a high thermal performance and long lifecycle.

Helping Grenfell survivors get fighting fit As part of the BBC DIY SOS build to support the Grenfell community, Structura UK is proud to announce it has helped to realise the ambitious project to build a new community centre and a replacement Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club – located in Bay 20 of the Westway. Both projects are aimed to support the survivors of the Grenfell disaster.

Over 200m2 of Kalwall translucent cladding has been used along the whole elevation of the new Boxing Club using the newly-

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

adapted THERM+ ‘stick-built’ curtain walling system from RAICO. This is the first project realised using the new system and

I-Gienic sheet supports hygiene protection

New website showcases the Window Company (Contracts)’ expertise Just weeks after it became an LHCappointed company for the first time, the Window Company (Contracts) has launched a brand-new website showcasing its extensive expertise in commercial window and door installation. Packed with impressive case studies showing PVC-U, aluminium and timber installations in everything from social housing to education, healthcare, conservation and new build, the website shows the scope and scale of the business and focuses on what makes it stand out in a highly competitive market. There is information about the ongoing training programmes delivered to all the fitting teams, the specialist services available including recycling and RLO, and the ethos and culture of the company.

 www.thewinco.co.uk  thornton@thewinco.co.uk  01245 268120

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A hygienic sheet has been launched by Intastop which will provide a hygienic and impact resistant cladding for walls and doors. I-Gienic sheet, which offers a smooth surface, is pivotal in a range of businesses where infection control and exemplary standards of hygiene are required. Designed to be quick and easy to install, I-Gienic sheet is simple to deep clean, or clinical clean, due to its smooth impervious and non-porous surface. There is also the option of a premium hygienic cladding I-Gienic+, which is a smooth white sheet impregnated with antibacterial property Hygienilac. Done at the time of manufacture, it permeates each layer to ensure the product retains its antibacterial protection even if damage should occur. Both I-Gienic and I-Gienic+ are available in 2 and 2.5mm thickness.

 www.intastop.com

 marketing@intastop.com

 01302 364666

Bespoke design from FGS transforms Leeds Council offices

FGS’ contracting team (formerly Glassolutions Contracting) has helped transform 1970s Leeds City Council office block, Merrion House, into an innovative public sector building. FGS supplied SGG Cool-Lite Xtreme 60-28ii sealed units to deliver thermally superior windows without compromising natural light transmission or causing summertime overheating. While FGS’ unique VS-1 curtain walling system was used to deliver clean sightlines and streamlined aesthetics on the new atrium extension. The WICONA WICTEC 60 stick system curtain walling was also installed to create the remainder of the building envelope, offering a narrow face width of 60mm and giving a filigree appearance.

 www.fgs-uk.co.uk

 0844 892 2690

 general-enquiries@fgs-uk.co.uk

Comar 10 offers a new departure; a Passivhaus-certified ‘B’ product with U-values as low as 0.66 coupled with processes that cut manufacturing costs by up to 70%. The Comar 10 window range includes: inward opening, tilt & turn and fixed lights and are internally beaded and glazed. Benefits include: U-values as low as 0.66 W/m2K, cutting manufacturing costs by 70%, certified by the Passivhaus Institute for cool temperature areas, futureproof and energy-saving, high thermal insulation with groundbreaking technology, 90mm-deep outer frames and minimal care and maintenance. For further information about Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, please visit the website.

Deceuninck’s 2500 Tilt & Turn window provides a high-performance alternative to aluminium for Capital House, a bespoke student accommodation complex in Southampton. Capital House is a £20m refurbishment of an existing 13-storey office building and the development of 11 four-storey student townhouses. Deceuninck fabricator, Dempsey Dyer, manufactured and supplied over 1300 Deceuninck windows for this prestigious development. Deceuninck’s 2500 tilt & turn window more than met the spec with outstanding performance – a U-value of 1.3 W/m2K, 0.34 G-Value, Class 4 air permeability, Class 8A watertightness and Class A5 2000 Pa exposure. The tilt & turn window is ideal for student and high-rise developments as it gives various ventilation options, ensures residents’ personal safety and can be easily cleaned in the side position. Its smooth, contemporary look closely mimics the appearance of aluminium. In Smooth Matt Grey on Grey Substrate, the installed windows look like aluminium inside and out, even when open.

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

 www.deceuninck.co.uk  chris.jones@deceuninck.co.uk  01249 816969

Innovation delivered

Doors, Windows & Cladding

Deceuninck 2500 aluminium-alternative window ideal for Capital House

Pilkington UK supports ground-breaking energypositive office project Pilkington UK has contributed glazing and technical expertise to academics at the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) at Swansea University to help deliver the UK’s first net energy-positive commercial building. The Active Office, located on Swansea University’s new £450m Bay Campus, is a prototype for net energypositive commercial spaces. The innovative, energy-efficient design features lowemissivity, double-glazed aluminium-clad timber frame windows and doors, incorporating Pilkington energiKare Advantage glass. Pilkington energiKare Advantage is twice as energy-efficient as standard double glazing as it uses advanced dual coatings to reduce heat loss through windows and allows more heat from the sun to enter the building.

 pilkington.com/en-gb/uk

 pilkington@respond.uk.com

Solarlux team cycles 550km in memory of sales manager’s daughter Team members from bi-folding door manufacturer Solarlux have undertaken the immense physical challenge of cycling a gruelling 550km, from Vauxhall Bridge in London to its headquarters in Melle, Germany, to raise much-needed and well-deserved funds for a charity close to the company’s heart. On June 1st, 17-year-old Vanessa Riddle, the daughter of Solarlux Sales Manager Chris Riddle, very sadly lost her valiant decade-long battle with neuroblastoma, a very aggressive form of childhood cancer. Since his daughter’s diagnosis, Chris has become a committed fundraiser for Solving Kids’ Cancer – a charity dedicated to supporting families affected by neuroblastoma – and to raising money to find a much-needed cure.

 www.solarlux.co.uk/en

 info@solarlux.co.uk

 01707 339970

Housing associations and local authorities get more with Sidey

Sidey has again proven its credentials for social housing partners with its place on the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) for all categories of windows and doors. Steve Hardy, MD at Sidey, says: “We understand how vital it is for housing associations and local authorities to show transparency of their decision-making processes, and the SPA framework makes it quicker and easier for them to find partners for timber and PVC-U windows and entrance doors. SPA offers pre-checks for quality and price, and a score for the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) is given.

Sidey scored as the top company for MEAT in all five geographical areas.”

 www.sidey.co.uk  info@sidey.co.uk  01738 634803

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Focus & Innovation

Featuring a striking pavilion designed by Make Architects, the square also utilises Marshalls’ Scoutmoor Natural Stone paving to great effect

MARSHALLS’ SCOUTMOOR NATURAL STONE BRIGHTENS UP ALDGATE SQUARE As part of a major regeneration project backed by the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL), Aldgate Square has been totally transformed. as an area I dentified needing support to promote regeneration in 2008, Aldgate Square was designed to remove barriers between communities and is now the

54

first public space for the area’s multicultural residents, and one of the largest public spaces in the Square Mile.

Featuring a striking pavilion designed by Make Architects,

Marshalls Scoutmoor Yorkstone is a popular paving choice throughout London thanks to its versatile colour, impressive technical performance, and class-leading slip resistance

the square also utilises Marshalls’ Scoutmoor Natural Stone paving to great effect. The muted grey and brown tones enhance the feeling of openness throughout the area, as well as perfectly complementing the unusual copper tones of the Corten steel pavilion roof.

Marshalls Scoutmoor Yorkstone is a popular paving choice throughout London thanks to its versatile colour, impressive technical performance and class-leading slip resistance. Sourced from Marshalls’ quarry in Lancashire, the stone is the strongest type of Yorkstone available in the UK. Bespoke Portuguese Tarvos Granite Seating Units were also employed to create a remarkable centrepiece within the square, allowing a large area for residents and visitors to congregate. Tarvos is an elegant silver-grey granite with delicate pigmentation that has been

supplied across the country by Marshalls as paving, setts and bespoke masonry.

St Botolph’s Church, located in Aldgate Square, also applies Scoutmoor to great effect, taking advantage of the numerous products available. Flags, setts, steps and wall cladding were all used to great effect, creating a harmonious aesthetic with the surrounding square, while also generating a calming social space in the midst of a chaotic city.

Transformational projects such as Aldgate Square and St Botolph’s Church form a key part of achieving the Mayor’s Transport Strategy which sets out a long-term ambition to create more beautiful, accessible and people-friendly streets across London, that everyone can enjoy spending time and being active.

 www.marshalls.co.uk  info@marshalls.co.uk  01422 312000

Care homes get colour identity from Crown Paints Care homes across the UK are set to get a brand-new colour identity thanks to Crown Paints. Akari Care – a nationwide, award-winning residential care home provider – enlisted the help of the paint manufacturer to create a uniform refurbishment programme for its extensive portfolio of properties last year.

Working alongside Renray Healthcare – a leading furniture supplier to the healthcare sector – Crown Paints and Akari Care have created six new colour schemes

encompassing wall colour, wallpaper, carpets, curtains, bedding and upholstery.

With the help of the Crown Paints’ Colour Service, the colour schemes chosen

Focus & Innovation

are all dementia-friendly and include, mauve pink, turquoise, natural, green, citrus and terracotta.

A range of products have been carefully hand-picked for each environment in the care homes.

Ideal for high-traffic areas, due to its 10,000 scrubs durability, Crown Trade Clean Extreme Stain Resistant Scrubbable Matt has been chosen for all walls in the corridor, lounge and bedroom areas, whilst the ceilings will be coated with Crown Trade Vinyl Matt emulsion.

Crown Trade Clean Extreme Mould Inhibiting Scrubbable Matt has been specified for all of the bathrooms within the care homes to inhibit the development of mould growth on the paint film.

Other products chosen include Crown Trade Clean Extreme Antibacterial Durable Acrylic Eggshell for the kitchens and the Crown Trade Fastflow Gloss System and Crown Trade Full Gloss for all of the trims within the care homes.

Already two care homes have undertaken an extensive schedule of work – 40-bed Wallace House, based in Gateshead, and 51-bed Dene Park House, situated in South Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne.

 www.crownpaintspec.co.uk  info@crownpaintspec.co.uk  0330 024 0310

St Andrew’s School retires its old Aylesbury float valve after 24 years Clean, modern lines and protected walls achieved with Yeoman Shield Macmillan Academy, eager to promote sustainability and design throughout the interior fabric of its academy, has used Yeoman Shield wall protection products to help achieve its goal. Based in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Macmillan Academy – responsible for the education of nearly 1500 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18 – has spread its facilities across various site buildings that were built anytime from the 1940s to 2011, to accommodate the students. Wanting to provide an aesthetically modern synergy between older parts of the academy and the new, along with reducing repair and redecoration requirements, Yeoman Shield wall protection products were chosen to be fitted along the corridors of the drama and maths departments. After a site survey was carried out, 2.0mm-thick wall protection panels in Yeoman Shield’s FalmouthEx finish were installed on corridor walls at 1250mm high in Dusty Grey. Alternate panels were placed at 2500mm high in mid-grey offering a decorative yet functional scheme.

 www.yeomanshield.com  sallyann@yeomanshield.com  0113 279 5854

A primary school in Uxbridge has retired its Aylesbury cold water storage tank valve after 24 years of service, so its successor can now take the strain. The original Aylesbury K-Type delayedaction mechanical float valve had been in constant daily use since the 1990s, meeting all the water needs of the school’s staff and 200+ children. Spare parts were no longer readily available to fit a valve of that age, so manufacturer Keraflo recommended that the best solution was to upgrade the system by fitting the modern version of the Aylesbury K-Type valve. The school’s water tank valve was originally installed when the London Borough of Hillingdon carried out a project to upgrade all water tanks across the Borough’s school premises in 1994. Many of those Hillingdon schools have long since been refurbished or replaced, but the valve at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School has been “going strong” and working every day.

 www.ourworldiswater.co.uk  info@keraflo.co.uk  0118 920 9920

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Focus & Innovation

ADDRESSING THE OFFSITE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHANGING DEMANDS A number of industry reports reinforced by Government and major investment announcements have increased momentum in the offsite sector. This scale of investment has not been witnessed before, and many believe that there is an ‘off-site revolution’ taking place – a change that is predicted to see ‘traditional’ construction methods being phased out in a number of sectors. This represents a major opportunity for those operating in the off-site industry, but it is not without challenges. Steve Thompson, Managing Director for leading innovator in steel framing solutions, EOS Facades – part of the Etex Building Performance Group – offers his perspective. time around there T his is a feeling that the push for off-site construction is sustainable, due to the imposed drivers for change. A significant difference between the present and the previous off-site boom is the emergence of Building Information Modelling (BIM) – this has been a ‘game changer’ for EOS Facades.

Without doubt, BIM is having an impact on the genuine adoption of Design

56

for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) protocols which significantly aides the off-site manufacturer’s ability to address the issue of standardisation. BIM facilitates the opportunity for further upstream integration of components and systems and will, therefore, no doubt, generate new types of off-sitemanufactured technologies.

Fundamentally, DfMA requires the design team to shift their thinking away from

‘construction’ to ‘assembly’.

There are, of course, a number of challenges to the growth of off-site solutions.

The lack of investment is frequently linked to a lack of certainty of demand or continuity of business.

Construction is typically a project-based activity – therefore, the customer base can be difficult to retain.

EOS Facades’ approach to this is two-fold. We have formed

strategic alliances with some of the UK’s largest developers and main contractors, such as Barratt London and Kier Construction, as well as establishing partnerships with major installers including Ardmore Group and SCL. Offering partnership services for conceiving, designing and manufacturing light gauge steel frame solutions. This approach offers benefits to all.

EOS Facades continually invests in its advanced manufacturing facility together with product research and development. A major extension to our factory has just been completed and the development of a new fabrication plant. We have invested in our own fabrication plant to be self-sufficient in manufacturing our ancillary parts such as angles, brackets, windows and sills. This will support our market-leading ‘lump sum’, all-inclusive pricing initiative and complement our ‘total supply’ offering.

In addition to the five Howick steel framing machines currently in operation, to further expand the manufacturer’s product portfolio and capacity, we have invested in a new multi-width (boxer) machine and installed overhead cranes for lifting and moving frames and steel coils around the extended facility.

Off-site construction, the process of taking the building activity away from the site and into a manufacturing environment, is now potentially one of the fastest-growing industry sectors in the UK. It represents the natural industrialisation of conventional construction processes, moving the traditional site practices into the modern-day factory environment.

Products and services Through collaborative working and by forming strategic alliances, EOS provides specialist services to businesses, large and small, including some of the most prominent companies in the construction industry.

 www.eos-facades.co.uk  eos@insideoffsite.co.uk  01325 303030

Advanced support for 3D modelling with launch of BIM objects Advanced has worked with NBS to produce a comprehensive range of certified BIM objects for its fire panels, now listed on the NBS National BIM Library.

Available to download for free from the library, the new data-rich BIM objects allow the very latest in fire systems technology from Advanced to be easily incorporated into a 3D building model by specifiers, architects and contractors using BIM building practices.

John Newton, Head of Products and Services at Advanced, said: “As a tool for architects, engineers and other specifiers, BIM is transforming the way buildings are designed. We have always understood the need to evolve with new technology

Focus & Innovation

for the benefit of our customers and decided to invest in BIM objects to make our products more accessible to architects and designers and to further extend the visibility of our brand.

“Within weeks of going live on the NBS National BIM Library, we saw significant interest and uptake in our BIM objects from customers across Europe, North America and the Middle East. With fire safety, in particular, being such a vital requirement in public and commercial building projects, it makes sense to incorporate the latest technology into the design.”

Included in Advanced’s range of BIM objects is the flagship MxPro 5 range, approved to EN 54-2,4 & 13 and available in one-to-eight-loop variants as standard, with further custom-build options available. It is easily configured into high-speed, 200-panel peer-peer networks, covering huge areas and tens of thousands of field devices. It includes high-performance repeaters and remote control terminals with a range of different control and indicating options, including Advanced’s TouchControl touchscreen repeater that features Active Maps and zone plans.

 www.advancedco.com  sales@advancedco.com  01670 707111

High-rise fire protection – Pendock has it covered Growing concern regarding the speed with which fire can spread between high-rise flats and through other HMOs is leading to the retrofitting of sprinkler systems within many building types; leading to an accompanying need for their protection from interference or concealment for aesthetic reasons. A number of housing authorities and sprinkler installers are turning to Pendock for the supply of suitable solutions. The Pendock lightweight 5mm preformed two-sided L-shaped MX range provides easy handling for fitting at height, which increases the speed of installation where access to an accommodation is limited. The boxing has a durable white melamine finish, which reduces fitting time and maintenance costs (such as painting and cleaning).

 www.pendock.co.uk

 sales@pendock.co.uk

 01952 580590

McAvoy awarded first residential contract – first off-site housing scheme to be built in NI The McAvoy Group has been awarded its first contract in the residential sector following the announcement of its expansion into off-site housing. The £4.7m contract for Clanmil Housing Association will be the first off-site housing scheme to be built in Northern Ireland. The Joymount development, Carrickfergus, will feature eight one- and two-bedroom apartments; 17 twobedroom apartments and 12 two-bedroom apartments. The homes will be manufactured and fully fitted out off site at the McAvoy Group’s production centre in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

This will improve the quality of construction and will significantly reduce the build programme by around 60%, to just 40 weeks for earlier handover to people on the housing waiting list.

 www.mcavoygroup.com

 info@mcavoygroup.com

 0288 774 0372

The 2018 Golf Classic Grand Final a success The 2018 Golf Classic Final was held at Slaley Hall, a beautiful Edwardian mansion in Northumberland. The Golf Classic is an excellent opportunity for professionals working in the UK construction industry to challenge their golf skills, make friends and forge business contacts. The final took place on 28th September, and there was a lot at stake. The winners took home an impressive trophy and Pro Shop vouchers.

There were also prizes for the runner-up, nearest the pin and the longest drive. All finalists enjoyed a gala dinner, prizegiving and luxury stay at Slaley Hall.

 www.thegolfclassic.co.uk  info@thegolfclassic.co.uk  01892 752300

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Focus & Innovation

KI’s Perry chair selected for University of Edinburgh’s ongoing transformation

The University of Edinburgh is cementing its reputation as one of the world’s top higher education institutions, undertaking a transformative programme of works. Set for completion in 2030, this phased upgrade to its facilities has recently seen the opening of the Lister Learning & Teaching Centre.

The refurbishment of this five-storey, 1970 building at the heart of the campus was designed by renowned Scottish architect firm Reiach and Hall and features traditional yet flexible classroom styles.

Designed to offer students a vibrant, flexible learning environment, each floor features fixed partitioned rooms that can be reconfigured quickly and easily. This flexibility was an important requirement for the university to ensure each room could be multipurpose and adapt to multiple lesson styles. Working with Azzurro, the university selected KI’s Perry chairs, specified in

contrasting polypropylene and upholstery in shades of blues, reds, oranges, beiges, greys, greens and white, to add a splash of bright colour and give the rooms a distinctive character.

The KI Perry chair is already in use across the university, selected for its unrivalled comfort. Its unique articulating backrest moves with the user’s own weight, optimising comfort for prolonged seated periods. Improved comfort has been shown to enhance learning outcomes, making this high-density stacking chair the ideal choice for educational environments.

Advanced protection for prestigious Miami high-rise A networked, intelligent fire system from Advanced has updated the fire protection in one of Florida’s major real estate developments.

The system was installed by Alemany Building Solutions at Sands Pointe, an upscale, 29-storey condominium located in Sunny Isles Beach on a barrier island in northeast MiamiDade County. Sunny Isles Beach has been a major real estate development location for

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luxury high-rise condominiums and hotels since the early 2000s.

Drawing on 15 years’ experience delivering engineered fire safety solutions in large, complex developments, Alemany Building Solutions specified Advanced’s Axis AX fire

Some rooms have been furnished with tables and chairs, whilst others offer even more flexibility with Perry’s unique oversized, removable tablet arm in both left- and right-handed versions.

 www.kieurope.com  education@kieurope.com  0207 405 7082

system for this high-profile development as the customer specification called for a robust, technically advanced and costeffective fire detection and audio solution.

Audio is a particular challenge. The local fire codes require a notification appliance in every bedroom, addressable smoke detectors inside every unit, multiple dampers per floor for smoke control and pre-recorded messages in multiple languages due to the region’s demographic, where the major languages spoken are English, Spanish and Russian.

The fire alarm system met UL464 requirements for the low-frequency 520Hz tone, with intelligent smoke detectors and 520Hz speakers fitted inside every bedroom of the building. The installation benefited from Alemany’s expertise coupled with the ease of installation and commissioning offered by Advanced’s system.

The fire system network consisted of four data-gathering voice panels located through the building along with a command centre giving oversight and control over the entire system. Using addressable distributed audio amplifiers, the system is capable of providing selective paging through the building ensuring that a single damaged cable won’t affect system reliability.

 www.advancedco.com  sales@advancedco.com  01670 707111

www.sidey.co.uk

Award winning Scottish window and door manufacturer providing ‘Best Value Solutions’ since 1932 KitFix - the original factory fix fenestration system for offsite construction Extensive product range with cost effective low U-values Dedicated Estimating Team and Account Managers Fully accredited, including the latest BS 8213-4:2016

We’re your partner for windows & doors factory waste

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Contact us 01738 634 803 | info@sidey.co.uk

57 Feus Road, Perth

CUBE ONE SHAPE, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES FROM A FLEXIBLE, ROBUST AND HIGHLY EFFICIENT EXTERIOR LUMINAIRE The Cube LED exterior luminaire series offers a versatile solution for lighting designers and architects. The design is a study in clean lines and minimal form which takes the shape of a cube and can be mounted as either a floodlight, wall wash effect feature or on ground bollard. A wide range of beam angles and accessories allow comfortable viewing from any angle. Extremely precise beam spread optics offer the opportunity to create specific light effects.

To see further models in the range please visit our website.

www.concord-lighting.com

Tel: 0800 440 2478