PSBJ October 2019

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October 2019

SMART DESIGN AND EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT Award-winning architecture firm transforms neglected site into vibrant neighbourhood

Modular manufacturing

World-class facility

Regular maintenance

Why it's time for the construction industry to change its way of thinking

School invests heavily in a new arts centre delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction

Protect your elevator investment and enhance performance with a service plan

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Welcome Note Editor

Hannah Woodger hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Jim Moore jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb

jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Digital Design Manager David Perry

david@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Production Assistant Philip Coyle

philip@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Accounts

Jackie Dearman jackie@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

A £17.5m community-driven residential and mixed-use development completes at Peterhead Court, Ealing. See page 08.

Sales Support & Administrator Klare Porter

klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Publisher Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Published by

Cross Platform Media Ltd.

Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5BZ T: 01622 232725 www.psbj.co.uk

Welcome to the October issue of PSBJ...

At a time when housing is in high demand, for councils it’s not only about finding land opportunities to build on, it’s about identifying where existing housing stock can be improved.

Houses and flats constructed decades ago of course didn’t have access to the building methods, materials and technology we have available today, so naturally these estates and sites are not reaching their full potential – nor do they give communities access to the vital facilities they rightfully deserve, adequate nurseries and health centres for example.

Understanding when to invest in regenerating these under-performing estates is key if councils are to effectively meet the ambitious housing target set by the Government. Thankfully, some local authorities and associations are starting to realise the huge benefits that can be reaped from targeting dilapidated sites. One case in point is Peterhead Court in Ealing, where the regeneration of this former tired estate now provides triple the amount of homes previously on site.

The award-winning architecture practice AHR, alongside Higgins Construction, designed and delivered 68 new flats and townhouses and utilised community engagement to ensure a safe and vibrant result was achieved. Turn to page 8 to see how the team effectively managed the process.

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

Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and return addressed envelope. No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor's hands.

In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographics or artistic belongs to Cross Platform Media Ltd. The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher.

The Publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Elsewhere in this issue, we bring you the latest topics and discussions on Stairs & Lifts, Canopies & Shelters, Renewable Energy and Refurb & Retrofit. You will also find a dedicated focus on each of the four key areas of the public sector build market – Healthcare, Leisure, Housing and Education.

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

Hannah

Hannah Woodger | Editor | hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk 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 news, including charity events, awarded contracts, completed projects and much more.

08 Upfront £17.5m community-driven residential and mixed-use development completes at Peterhead Court, Ealing.

12 Housing Civil and structural engineering practice, Dice, talks to PSBJ about the role of modular manufacturing and reflects on why it’s an entirely different approach.

16 Leisure Abbeycroft Leisure, working in Partnership with Alliance Leisure, has achieved an incredible leisure centre makeover in Suffolk.

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18 Healthcare

22 Education

26 Technical Focus

ATG Access explores the ways in which new technology is helping to solve the common issues that arise when retrofitting physical security measures.

An institution that has invested heavily in worldclass, multi-use arts facilities is Sherborne Girls where Morgan Sindall Construction recently delivered a £6m arts centre.

The demand for green and blue roof technologies is ramping up, thanks to their environmental, economic and social credentials explains BMI UK & Ireland.

20 Talking Point

24 Legal & Business

28 Canopies & Shelters

Prefabrication has struggled to be seen as a valid choice in the housing sector. Robert Dale from Daniel Connal Partnership looks at how attitudes might be changing.

Muckle LLP explains that although there is no precise legal definition for ‘practical completion’, all parties should agree on this term to avoid dispute.

All Urban and Handspring Design share best practice to deliver a guide on what to look out for when investing in high-quality shelters for public spaces.

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Contents

22 28 34 Refurb & Retrofit

16 30 Stairs & Lifts

Nottinghamshire Police has refurbished the heating systems at a series of its stations with Remeha boilers to improve the efficiency and reliability of the heating service.

Regular preventative maintenance of lifts, escalators, platform and stair lifts will optimise the initial investment, ensuring the performance of the installation.

36 Renewable Energy

32 Sanitaryware

38 Product Showcase

Washroom Washroom has delivered a complete turnkey washroom refurbishment project for a vibrant London market.

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

36

Rebecca Swann, Product Manager for Fuels and Services at Certas Energy, explores the liquid energy mix for the public sector.

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

For demonstrably safe, skilled and compliant contractors it has to be NASC. www.nasc.org.uk

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News

INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

Morgan Sindall Construction starts on Edinburgh school Morgan Sindall Construction has won a major contract with the City of Edinburgh Council to build a new primary school in south east Edinburgh, in a deal valued at £13m. The project has been procured through the council’s City of Edinburgh Contractor Works framework. The school will be built within the existing Broomhills housing development site and has a planned capacity of 420 children. Plans will also deliver a specialist early years centre, with a capacity for 80 nursery places. A sod-cutting ceremony was held on 28th August to mark the official start of the project, attended by Councillor Ian Perry from City of Edinburgh Council, along with local children from Bright Horizons Morton Mains Nursery. Work is expected to complete by next summer in time for the start of the 2020 academic year. Architectural firm Holmes Miller has designed the 4000m2 school, which will include 14 classrooms, spread across two storeys, as well as four general purpose rooms, a seven-a-side 3G sports pitch and large outdoor play area. The project will be using exclusively local supply chains, with all consultants involved based in Edinburgh.

One of three major development sites in Edinburgh, the Broomhills housing estate has contributed towards a rise in population within the south east of the city, leading to pressures on the existing catchment areas of other local primary schools.

Balfour Beatty Living Places triumph at awards Balfour Beatty Living Places, in partnership with Southampton City Council, was recently awarded the Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative award at the Association for Public Service Excellence awards. These awards recognise the very

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best in local Government frontline services across the UK and provide an opportunity for best practice to be shared with other local authorities and organisations.

Balfour Beatty Living Places' digitally focused approach led the team to success; identifying, trialling and implementing systems and technological innovations such as 3D laser scanning and BIM to support and enhance the delivery of its Highways service. The ‘Digital by Design’ initiative has been implemented across its Southampton City Council Highways Services Partnership contract, resulting in improved customer satisfaction, enhanced quality and accessibility of information while also delivering significant cost efficiencies. Balfour Beatty Living Places was awarded a five-year Highways Services Partnership contract extension

by Southampton City Council in 2017 following a history of good performance and collaborative working with the local authority. The extension further builds on the 10-year contract which commenced in October 2010, extending it until the end of September 2025.

AHR receives planning approval to regenerate mill site Architecture and building consultancy practice, AHR in partnership with Alliance Leisure Services has received planning approval to redevelop and revitalise the Boden Mill site in Chard as part of South Somerset District Council’s wider Chard Regeneration scheme. Approval has been granted for AHR’s architecture and landscape design for Development Partner, Alliance Leisure Services, including a new-build leisure centre and relocated library incorporating community facilities.

Future phases include further residential and commercial developments. The project is being procured and delivered via the UK Leisure Framework. AHR has also worked

closely with South Somerset District Council to ensure that the architecture respects its context and heritage while modernising the town centre, to create an attractive and inclusive area that will be valued by residents, the community and visitors alike.

The leisure centre, with a swimming pool and cafe, will satisfy a long-standing local demand for such facilities, encouraging healthy lifestyles and supporting wellbeing.

The architecture takes inspiration from Chard’s historical buildings through its massing and its use of red brick, as well as large north lights, which will promote wellness and sustainability by flooding the centre with natural light.

Work begins on new Gorton Primary School Conlon Construction has begun work on a £multi-million new build primary school in Gorton, Manchester. Working alongside architect firm Cassidy + Ashton, the national contractor is transforming the old Gorton Mount Primary Academy site into a new, contemporary primary school and nursery that will accommodate 472 pupils ages three to 11. The site currently hosts a two-storey property, which will be completely demolished and replaced with a new 2285m two-storey building.

The Department for Education (DfE) project also comprises a playground that will make a nice addition to the current all weather pitch, and is due to complete and handover to Vantage Multi Academy Trust in June 2020. Phil Ashall, EFA Framework Delivery Manager at Conlon Construction, said: “Gorton Primary School sits among a number of projects currently underway

by Conlon Construction across Greater Manchester, including Hazel Grove Primary School and Cheadle Primary School. We’re looking forward to handing over a brand new school ready for its September 2020 intake and provide much-needed additional and quality school places for local people.”

Pozzoni Architecture hands over Formby Pool project Work to extend leisure facilities with a striking addition to the award-winning Formby Pool in Sefton has been completed following a nine-month construction period. Designed by leading architectural practice, Pozzoni, the extension includes a new dry side 60-person fitness suite, the conversion of the original fitness suite into state-of-the-art multi-purpose studio and a new overspill car park. The extension has been designed to fit seamlessly with the existing pool building, which was completed in 2006 by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and won several notable awards including a national accolade from RIBA. As part of the extension design, an asymmetrical monopitch roof design was chosen to mirror form of the existing pool hall building and to provide a distinctive end to the building, without challenging the original design concept. The new flexible studio space benefits from a state-of-the-art music and lighting system. Martin Bransby, Director at Pozzoni, said: “The main feature of the building is the pool hall, so it was important to make sure that the design of the extension didn’t detract from that. We wanted to create a harmonious connection between the old and new, using the same materials such as copper cladding, curtain walling and timber, as well as taking design cues from the existing building. The end result is a modern leisure facility that will enable Formby Pool to remain as a focal social and leisure hub in the heart of the town centre and be a valuable asset to the local community.”

Milestone in Castlebrae High School project Plans to deliver a new £28m Castlebrae High School have taken a huge step forward.

Planning permission has been approved for the brand new 700 capacity secondary school (with the potential to extend to 1200) and the City of Edinburgh Council has announced the team delivering it will be its development partner Hub South East, alongside Morrison Construction as the Tier 1 Contractor. A planning application was submitted after extensive consultation with educationalists, service users and the local community and approved plans including JM Architects’ design will see a new school

Community Health Partnerships appoints new Chair The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that Catherine Mason has joined Community Health Partnerships (CHP) as Chair. She has replaced John Bacon, CB, who has come to the end of his tenure after more than eight years with CHP. She has a broad range of experience, including as Managing Director of NATS (National Air Traffic Services) Services division, the leading provider of air traffic control services at the largest airports in the UK, and previously worked in Northern Ireland as Group Chief Executive of Translink, a public corporation providing all of the public transport in the province, including rail infrastructure, bus and coach services, plus car parks, parcels and a tours holiday business.

She has also worked for Arriva and United Biscuits. Catherine said: “I am delighted to be joining Community Health Partnerships at a time when there is significant focus on the state of the NHS estate and availability of public capital. CHP has a unique set of skills and experience in health infrastructure development and I look forward to working with the management team and its staff to deliver its future ambitions.”

Over £100m invested in carbon reduction across NHS Salix Finance is celebrating a significant milestone after achieving £100m worth of committed funding within the NHS to enable savings of over £24m annually.

Salix, a Government-funded organisation which provides interest-free loans to the public sector to improve energy efficiency, has now contributed more than £100.8m by supporting over 600 energy reduction projects across 70 English NHS trusts in the last decade, with future savings of up

to £391m over the lifetime of the energy efficient technologies. The work undertaken by the Salix NHS programme aligns with the landmark 2016 Lord Carter report, which investigates how operational performance and efficiency could be improved in English NHS acute hospitals. The report revealed that the sector spends more than £500m a year on energy bills, highlighting the huge potential for significant cost and energy savings to be made through the strategic management of estates. Following the findings of the Carter report, a recommended annual target of £36m of savings was set through reduced energy consumption every year up until 2020. The energy efficiency projects enabled through Salix funding will contribute to this target, with nearly £25m of annual energy savings already estimated and with further opportunities to expand upon this achievement. In addition to addressing the potential energy savings within the NHS, Salix is taking widespread action to reduce carbon emissions across the UK public sector as a whole.

News

built in the centre of Craigmillar, next to the library. Externally there will be a 3G artificial football pitch, which will be available for use by the local community outside school hours as well as a community town square. Scott Brown, Hub South East’s Project Director, said: “We’re excited to have reached this key milestone of planning approval on the new Castlebrae High School. The new school will not only provide a modern learning estate for pupils and staff, but will be a fantastic asset to the community, contributing to the ongoing regeneration of the area. After successfully delivering a new high school campus and several primary school facilities for the Council already, we look forward to working in partnership to make these Castlebrae High plans a reality.”

CPC delivers streamlined MMC procurement solution CPC, the new partnership between LHC and Northern Housing Consortium, has provided a fast and efficient procurement framework solution for the construction of Northumberland County Council’s first ever building project utilising the latest innovations in offsite construction. The result is a stunning 450m2 extension to Horton Grange Primary School in Blyth. Three new classrooms, plus facilities required to support the influx of 105 additional pupils feature high quality finishes and are built to rigorous standards. The main corridor features a continuous full-length skylight – unique in modular building design – that floods this pivotal area in natural light, creating a welcoming learning environment.

The contract was completed early in a breathtaking 14 week programme and below the allocated budget. Faced with short timescales, the council entrusted the project to experienced Newcastle-upon-Tyne project management consultants Faithful+Gould.

Delivery of the building was made exactly on time six weeks later to coincide with the late spring half term break, for pupil safety and to avoid any disruption. In an amazing feat of organisation, all 13 modules comprising the building were delivered and fixed in position with millimetre precision in just 24 hours.

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Upfront

ARCHITECTURE BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO NEIGHBOURHOOD AHR’s £17.5m regeneration has transformed Peterhead Court, a formerly-dilapidated site on Southall’s Golf Links estate, into a vibrant and welcoming neighbourhood, through smart design and extensive and sensitive engagement with the community.

Stretches of purple lavender and pockets of yellow St John’s wort provide colour and scent

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Project: Peterhead Court Location: Ealing Architect: AHR

Upfront

architecture A ward-winning and building consultancy practice, AHR worked with Ealing Council and Higgins Construction to design and deliver 68 new flats and townhouses, more than triple the number of homes previously onsite, as well as a new community centre and nursery, and a landscaped residents’ courtyard.

The site’s previous residential buildings had been identified

by Ealing Council’s estate regeneration team as requiring intervention, and the nursery and community centre had been using temporary portable cabins for many years. AHR won the Ealing Council’s architectural competition to regenerate the site, which allowed the practice to develop the design working alongside the borough, stakeholders and local groups.

The original buildings were demolished, and the reimagined Peterhead Court is now complete and opening, with the first residents moving in.

WaiLun Ho, Director at AHR said: “It is very exciting to see the redeveloped Peterhead Court in use. Extensive public and resident consultation throughout the design process means the scheme has truly been shaped by the community and its vision.

“The improved housing, facilities and landscaping will allow this neighbourhood to flourish, and residents’ input into the design means they’ll be able to feel at home from the very beginning. Working with Ealing Council and Higgins, we have created affordable family accommodation that will offer many local people their first step onto the property ladder.”

The development has a strong and cohesive neighbourhood structure

The improved housing, facilities and landscaping will allow this neighbourhood to flourish

A clear architectural language AHR’s design has created a strong sense of place, making Peterhead Court compatible, yet striking, within its suburban London surroundings. A consistent character unites the development and creates a feeling of belonging, with constancy of materials and colour. However, difference in height and massing allows residents to feel their block is unique, cultivating a sense of personal ownership and pride.

The new community centre is fully integrated into the



The new Peterhead Court has received a great deal of positive attention in the press

AHR’s design has created a strong sense of place

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Upfront

development, echoing the residential buildings’ design to provide continuity and flow, whilst also having its own solid and visible presence on the main street.

Three core colours are utilised across Peterhead Court; their closeness to the primary colours offers the development a purity and simple elegance.

A classic yellow brick imbues the facade with a warm and timeless aesthetic, and loggia balconies showcase blue brindle brick canopies and purplered aluminium railings. The balconies’ unusual structure is a signature aspect of the design, adding depth and layers to provide a more visually interesting experience than a traditional one-dimensional facade. The balconies have become instantly recognisable, and the slight variations in their size and position offer subtle diversity across the site.

A home to be proud of

The balconies’ unusual structure is a signature aspect of the design

Peterhead Court’s apartments are of mixed tenure, with 36 affordable rented, 18 for intermediate shared ownership, and 10 for outright sale

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Peterhead Court’s apartments are of mixed tenure, with 36 affordable rented, 18 for intermediate shared ownership, and 10 for outright sale. Each home has been designed to high levels of comfort, security and flexibility, complying with numerous local housing standards. Their good insulation aids sustainability and lowers energy bills, and robust, easily-maintainable materials give residents peace of mind regarding their home’s longevity.

The loggia balconies’ design reduces concerns about overlooking, allowing residents to feel private and at ease, as well as sheltered from the elements, when they are relaxing in the open air. The affordable homes are ideal for families and first-time buyers, who will feel supported and connected through the stellar community facilities.

The development has a strong and cohesive neighbourhood structure, with the three residential blocks, and the mixed-use block containing flats and the community centre, standing as cornerstones. In the centre of the site’s southern frontage sits Emmanuel Church, a key existing local feature that the design team were careful to

Upfront Three core colours are utilised across Peterhead Court; their closeness to the primary colours offers the development a purity and simple elegance

respect and accommodate within the development. The church, like the community centre, has a clear, accessible entrance from the main street.

Four family houses provide a northern backbone to the site, exhibiting their own character within the neighbourhood, through a new take on the traditional terraced townhouse.

Community and continuity Besides offering the many advantages of a permanent building replacing temporary cabins, the new community centre is also larger and offers greater amenity space, which can be adapted by local groups for different meetings and events. The larger nursery will support the growing need for childcare and further solidify the family-friendly nature of the development. Both facilities have safe, private access to their own sections of the courtyard, allowing for outdoor activities and learning.

The community centre is strategically located beside Emmanuel Church to allow for the possibility of a future

linkage of the buildings, an idea suggested during public consultation.

It was of paramount importance to the project team that local people would be able to continue their usual activities during the construction process, and AHR worked with Higgins to design and build a temporary off-site community centre and nursery.

This allowed what was initially expected to be a two-phase build to be reduced to a single phase, allowing the new Peterhead Court to be opened and welcome residents much sooner.

Landscaping for wellbeing The landscape strategy places residents’ physical, mental and social wellness at the forefront, with the large, leafy central courtyard providing a space for meeting neighbours and developing friendships. The outdoor facilities encourage residents to spend time in the sunlight and fresh air, improving their health and mood, with picnic benches and a children’s play area facilitating fun and interaction between families. Stretches of purple lavender and pockets of

yellow St John’s wort provide colour and scent, with both plants associated with positive mental health and wellness.

Birch trees and further planting add to the green and pleasant environment, and the clearly-defined paths, thorough outdoor lighting and ease of surveillance across the site allow residents and visitors to feel safe, day and night.

Peterhead Court’s landscaping feeds into an open green corridor running through the wider Golf Links estate.

Green roofs are planted with wildflowers and incorporate photovoltaic panels as part of the project’s comprehensive sustainability strategy.

People-led placemaking Councillor Peter Mason, Ealing Council’s Lead Member for Housing, Planning and Transformation, said: “We’re delighted with the 68 new homes at Peterhead Court on the Golf Links estate in Southall. Many of the new homes have been let to existing estate residents, at rent levels well within the means of the average local family.

The development will count towards our ambitious plans to create 2500 new genuinely affordable homes by March 2022 – London’s biggest council homebuilding programme.”

The new Peterhead Court has received a great deal of positive attention in the press and was named ‘Development of the Week’ in Inside Housing in March 2019.

AHR is known and respected for championing public-sectorled regeneration, with Director, David de Sousa authoring thought leadership pieces on the subject, particularly focused upon how shared visions between clients and architects can unlock the potential in land to create thriving developments.

The practice is working with councils and local authorities across the country, on a wide and diverse range of developments.

Recent London projects include the PRS residential scheme at 75 North Street, Hornchurch, for Havering Council, and the Greenwood Centre for Independent Living for Camden Council, which won ‘Project of the Year Under £20m’ at the 2019 Construction News Awards. 

 www.ahr.co.uk

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Housing

THE FUTURE IS MODULAR It’s no secret that the UK is suffering from a housing crisis. Modular homes are seen as the answer. Modular homes are designed to be incredibly energy-efficient – some costing just £1 per day to run – and efficient to manufacture – with some developments boasting a one-week on-site build time.

What’s not to get excited about? just architects I t’sandnotcontractors who are

Offsite construction enables phases of work to be undertaken concurrently

The pace at which we can deliver offsite manufactured homes means that housing shortages could become a thing of the past

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having all the fun in developing this new approach to housing.

Engineers are also challenging the norm when it comes to creating eco-friendly and efficient-to-erect homes.

“Compared to the design of standard residential homes, modular homes are a completely different product and require a wholly new approach,” said Wayne Oakes, Director at civil and structural engineering practice, Dice.

“During our first modular project we spent a considerable amount of time liaising directly with the manufacturer regarding specific details and design standards – most notably with regards to National House Building Council (NHBC) requirements for the substructure. This was a requirement of offsite manufacturing partner ilke Homes’ properties, to ensure that each of the plots met the requirements of building control.

“Since then, we’ve learnt a lot. Perhaps the biggest challenge we have faced to date is attempting to retrofit a brownfield site on behalf of a developer who purchased the site, prior to fully understanding the constraints and nuances associated with the product.

“Modular units have specific requirements in terms of their sub-structures and external works designs – particularly in the case of sites with gradients and surface water management requirements, which would not be considered ‘the norm’ for standard residential units.”

Dave Sheridan, Executive Chairman of specialist housing manufacturer ilke Homes added: “Offsite modular manufacturing’s time has finally come. The traditional construction industry is in desperate need for modernisation and we must do everything we can to pull it into the 21st century.

“Modular can be the pole that brings balance back to the industry, creating new homes, new jobs and new investment opportunities.

“With greater collaboration between Government bodies, housing associations and private companies, housebuilding in the UK can get the jolt of energy it needs to ramp up supply and deliver high-quality homes to everyone. Whether they’re a first-time buyer or a family needing social housing, the pace at which we can deliver offsite manufactured homes means that housing shortages could become a thing of the past.”

Although modular homes are a relatively new product, technology is quickly making the process easier. But in an industry that’s traditionally been seen as slow to adapt – can construction keep up?

Wayne continued: “In short: yes. Undoubtedly the technology is already here – and more is developing every day. In the past, there have been question marks over the build quality and durability of modular type systems.

However, with increased product innovation also comes greater flexibility and some of the products now available on  the market are fantastic.

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Housing Onsite substructure and infrastructure work can be taking place whilst the superstructure is being built in a factory

“As engineers, we’ve certainly realised technology’s potential.

Whereas we were once seen as reluctant to change – we’re now driving it, thinking creatively to develop new concepts of living.

“It all comes down to time saving. Offsite construction enables phases of work to be undertaken concurrently.

Onsite substructure and infrastructure work can be taking place whilst the superstructure is being built in a factory. Factory conditions also mean that there are no delays due to inclement weather – a common issue in the UK.” The efficiencies relating to modular housing are now catching the attention of big businesses.

Places for People has recently pledged £100m – the biggest investment in modular by a housing association to date – to acquire 750 new units from ilke Homes.

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Homes England has also announced that it will be delivering 400 modular homes by regeneration specialist Urban Splash, alongside the Japanese modular specialist Sekisui.

Even the likes of Goldman Sachs is getting involved, investing £75m into TopHat’s modular housing product.

“Big businesses are seeing the investment potential in modular homes – which is a huge vote of confidence for the industry and will mean big things for the future of the sector,” added Wayne.

“But we’re particularly proud to have also worked with small, eco-focussed and private developers – as well as multinational housebuilders.”

Dice recently worked with developer Positive Homes, which prides itself on creating houses which cost just £1 per day to run. Martin Valentine, Managing Director of Positive Homes, said: “Our bespoke development in

Engineers are challenging the norm when it comes to creating eco-friendly and efficient-to-erect homes

the heart of Nottinghamshire will see the creation of nine new properties – which require a fourday onsite build time.

“We anticipate that these homes will be sold off-plan due to the high-quality finish, unique design and environmentallyfriendly aspects – without the ‘eco-premium’ price tag. These really are the real benefits of modular housing.”

Wayne continued: “Where engineering can benefit is through working closely with the manufacturer to ensure that the groundworks packages are fully coordinated with the modular units before they arrive onsite.

“Our remit has focussed on sub-structures – designing a foundation that is fully coordinated with the offsite manufactures superstructure and service locations – and the development of the associated civil and infrastructure – designing roads and drainage to cater

for developments which can range from nine bespoke units to hundreds of affordable, standardised properties.

“Engineers need to be agile, responsive and willing to adapt to clients’ modular requirements, responding to site specific requirements and being bold when it comes to challenging a design.

“Yes, modern methods of construction have perhaps been slow to get off the ground. But now that the right people have bought into these principles, I think we’ll be seeing a flurry of projects which incorporate these low carbon, offsite build methods.

“We’re a relatively new business – opening in 2018 – but we’ve already completed 100 modular units and are now the recommended engineer for ilke Homes. This is a sign of things to come. The future is very much modular.” 

 www.diceconsult.co.uk

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Leisure

A vibrant XHeight Adventure Climbing facility and soft play zone has been created like nothing else available locally

HAVERHILL LEISURE CENTRE TRANSFORMATION PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

Project: Haverhill Leisure Centre Local authority: West Suffolk Council Location: Haverhill

Abbeycroft Leisure, working in Partnership with Alliance Leisure, has achieved an incredible leisure centre makeover in Suffolk. seven-month T hetransformation project

A Paddy and Scott cafe has been incorporated to create a social hub where families and individuals can enjoy a wide selection of quality food and beverages

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has seen a tired and under-used facility reworked into a modern activity hub, all within the existing footprint and all within a budget of £1.5m, provided by West Suffolk Council.

“The images speak for themselves,” says Tom Fairey, Senior Business Development Manager and Project Lead at Alliance Leisure. “Working closely with Abbeycroft Leisure and West Suffolk Council we have created a vibrant, modern environment which caters for the whole community and stands out as one of the county’s leading leisure destinations.”

Forming part of West Suffolk Council’s Indoor Sports Facility Strategy, 2015-2031, the

Leisure investment has been provided to create a resilient, healthy and active community whilst also providing opportunities for economic growth. The project was managed by Alliance Leisure and procured through the UK Leisure Framework.

Tom Fairey continues: “It is incredible what has been achieved through a reallocation of space across two floors of the 3097ft2 building. We retained two courts in the sports hall and the rest of the space – equivalent to three courts, has been remodelled to create a vibrant XHeight Adventure Climbing facility and soft play zone like nothing else available locally. The community was lacking a facility where families could enjoy time together. This development has successfully addressed this issue.”

The development works have also incorporated the Self Centre Health and Wellbeing facility. This area is served by its own, dedicated waiting space and houses three studios, used mainly for holistic classes such as Pilates and Yoga, plus five therapy rooms. The facility’s main occupier is Allied Health Professionals (Suffolk) who are the NHS commissioned provider of MSK physiotherapy services.

In addition to enhancing the community wellness offer, this provides a rental opportunity for Abbeycroft Leisure, creating a consistent, new, revenue stream.

The gym has been relocated, extended and kitted out with

The investment has been provided to create a resilient, healthy and active community

Matrix Fitness equipment plus a large, new studio space has been created which can be separated into two by a central, sliding wall. Space previously dedicated to two under-used squash courts has been reallocated to house a dedicated group cycle studio and modern ‘hot desk’ office space for staff.

Male and female changing rooms have been completely renovated to create a modern ‘changing village’ and a Paddy and Scott cafe has been incorporated to create a social hub where families and individuals can enjoy a wide selection of quality food and beverages.

Speaking of the development, Warren Smyth, CEO Abbeycroft Leisure, says: “The leisure centre has been completely remodelled to reflect the needs of our modern day community. Since the development completed in January, we have attracted a 32% increase in footfall and revenue is up 16% for the first quarter. We are also seeing uptake from a much wider demographic.

“Based on our experience, I would encourage any local authority with an ageing leisure stock to explore opportunities. Tired facilities

with a disconnect to the community are a huge drain on already limited resource but we have proved, even with limited capital investment, it is possible to create a sustainable environment which reengages the community and delivers economic, health and social benefits.

“In these times of austerity, we need to look for creative ways to better serve our communities and, working with Alliance Leisure and West Suffolk Council, this is exactly what we have done here.” 

 www.allianceleisure.co.uk

The gym has been relocated, extended and kitted out with Matrix Fitness equipment

17

Healthcare

Threats from vehicles can be very effectively mitigated with the installation of carefully considered physical security products

Hostile vehicle mitigation

HOSPITAL SECURITY: PUTTING THE BRAKES ON VEHICLE ATTACKS

Iain Moran, Director at ATG Access, a leading innovator of road blockers, bollards and barriers, explores the ways in which new technology is helping to solve the common issues that arise when retrofitting physical security measures.

UK faces a serious and T hechallenging threat from international terrorism and since 2017 the national threat level has remained ‘severe’, meaning an attack is highly likely. As we have seen in the UK and across Europe, attacks can happen at any time and any place without warning.

However, with attackers usually wanting to inflict as much harm as possible, the most likely targets are crowded places and critical national infrastructure. With hospitals falling under both of these categories, it is absolutely vital that they are protected as effectively as possible from terrorism in all its forms.

There is no need for hospitals to be left vulnerable to hostile vehicle attacks

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Over the past decade, we have particularly seen a rise in hostile vehicle attacks, in which vehicles themselves are used to breach a perimeter, ram and damage infrastructure, or as a weapon to injure and kill people. These attacks require little skill to perpetrate and have the potential to cause significant casualties and extensive damage to property.

With even heavy goods vehicles relatively easy to get hold of, they are one of the most powerful weapons readily available in countries that have strict gun laws. For these reasons, online terrorist propaganda often attempts to inspire disillusioned individuals.

As a result, these attacks are particularly dangerous as they are often carried out by ‘lone wolves’ and can therefore be very hard to predict. Fortunately, while they are hard to predict, they are possible to prevent.

Threats from vehicles can be very effectively mitigated with the installation of carefully considered physical security products, such as bollards and barriers, around the perimeters of potential targets. To ensure optimum levels of protection, any products installed should be fully impact-tested to the appropriate standard – in the UK either PAS 68 or IWA 14.

These ratings cover a wide range of products, so factors such as the possible size of an attacking vehicle, and the speed it could potentially travel at, are usually taken into consideration to decide which product is best suited to a particular location.

Thanks to their effectiveness, crash-tested security solutions are now incorporated into the plans of many new public sector building projects, including hospitals. However, it can prove difficult to retrofit impacttested security solutions to existing hospitals without causing severe disruption to both patients and staff.

This is because bollards capable of stopping a heavy vehicle travelling at speed have typically required deep foundations, which means the installation process is lengthy and intrusive. Deploying security measures in multiple phases can help to lessen the disturbance, but also leaves much of the hospital still vulnerable to attack while the installation takes place over a period of weeks or months.

Additionally, while security should undoubtedly be a priority, obtrusive security measures can inadvertently create a fortress mentality, putting people on edge. This is particularly unhelpful in a hospital setting, where the goal should be to foster a peaceful, welcoming environment as much as possible.

The good news is, perimeter security technology has improved significantly in recent years, and there are now a variety of very effective options available that can overcome these challenges.

Healthcare Shallow-mount solutions The below-ground foundation depths of traditional hostile vehicle mitigation equipment can be as much as 1000mm.

Reaching these depths requires an extensive amount of excavation work, carried out by a large team of workers using heavy machinery.

Shallow-mount bollards can now provide an excellent alternative to traditional fixed bollards, with products on the market that require foundation depths of as little as 112mm, and can withstand a 7500kg vehicle travelling at 64kph (40mph).

As a result, they are much quicker and easier to install, and can be deployed in a matter of days with minimal disruption to important hospital activity. As an added benefit, this also means the cost of the installation is significantly less.

Crash-tested security solutions are now incorporated into the plans of many new public sector building projects

Subtle street furniture A pleasant, welcoming atmosphere can make a big difference to patient and staff wellbeing. For this reason, it may be beneficial to avoid large numbers of visible bollards and barriers creating an obvious protective perimeter around hospitals.

Instead, hostile vehicle mitigation products can now

be incorporated into street furniture items, such as stair handrails, lighting columns, planters and even benches.

These products subtly provide excellent protection against vehicle attacks, while also creating an attractive yet functional environment.

Thanks to recent advances in technology, there is no need for hospitals to be left vulnerable

to hostile vehicle attacks.

Effective, comprehensive, physical security systems can be installed with little disruption to patients and staff, that will not only provide effective protection against terrorist activity, but also other forms of criminality, such as theft, burglary and arson. 

î˜ą www.atgaccess.com

Temporary technology Temporary bollards and barriers are another option to bear in mind, with surface-mounted barriers now available that are capable of stopping a 7200kg vehicle travelling at 32kph. Products like these can provide effective, immediate protection, either while a more long-term approach is being planned, or while shallowmount or full-depth solutions are being installed.

Effective, comprehensive, physical security systems can be installed with little disruption to patients and staff

19

Talking Point

BH BUS Industrial Tools – Modular office and warehouse facility. Quantity surveyors – DCP

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION – A GAME CHANGER? Modular construction can offer huge benefits in terms of project schedule, budget and workforce requirements. But prefabrication has struggled to be seen as a valid choice in the housing sector. Robert Dale from Daniel Connal Partnership looks at how attitudes might be changing. housing has long M odular suffered from an image problem in the UK, perhaps because we associate it with the post-war pre-fabs ‘thrown up’ to provide emergency housing in the 1940s and 50s.

But, ‘thrown-up’ is a misleading phrase. Yes, pre-fabs were built quickly in response to the housing crises and lack of materials caused by the war, but their need was both anticipated and planned. Three years before the war ended Churchill set up the Burt Committee to tackle this problem. Their findings favoured a pre-fabricated housing solution, built with available materials in factories that were no longer required to support the war effort.

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Standards were set, including: a minimum floor area, two bedrooms, a ‘fitted’ kitchen, baxi-boiler providing hot water and – novel for many at the time – indoor loo and separate bathroom. There was a focus on incorporating ‘new technology’ – one of the most innovative aspects of the builds was a ‘service unit’ where the kitchen and bathroom were created as a single unit with a wall dividing the areas in which all the pipe work was hidden.

Competitions were held to demonstrate speed of construction. A public exhibition of five pre-fab types was held at the Tate Gallery in 1944, and again in 1945. Equipped with all mod-cons, they provided homes that were, for most of their

residents, a huge improvement on what they had lived in before – the public loved them.

However, they were only ever meant to be temporary – with an expected lifespan of 10 years. Quality standards were not as high as they might have been if a longer duration had been envisaged. Many of the problems that coloured our opinion of pre-fabs were the result of them outlasting their original shelf-life but the fact remains that they were an innovative and high tech (of their time) solution to a huge problem.

Roll on 70 years and we are once again in the midst of a housing crisis with the added imperative of addressing environmental pressures.

Robert Dale is a Senior Partner at Daniel Connal Partnership. As well as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and seasoned Project Manager, Robert is also a chartered building surveyor and an Incorporated Member of the Association of Project Safety.

The Government commissioned Farmer Review of 2016, which investigated the UK’s construction labour model and the pressure on skills in the industry, and identified low productivity, low predictability, the current skills shortage and its fragmented nature as reasons why the industry must ‘modernise or die’. The report recommends prefabrication and modular building as essential to resolve these issues. Could prefabrication or modular building be a solution?

It is certainly being used by innovative companies such as Tufeco and Atelio Homes.

Tufeco, Grimshaw Architects and the Carbon Free Group collaborated to launch Atelio Homes, a modular,

Image ©Sarah Toon Photography

zero-carbon housing model, using prefabricated panels to allow for a high degree of customisation – enabling homeowners, developers and investors flexibility with their living environment.

These are high-end designs but mass market models are also being developed. Recent headlines have been full of references to IKEA’s flat pack house.

In fact, the builder is BoKlok, a company co-owned by IKEA and Swedish construction giant SKANSKA. BoKlok specialises in factory built low cost housing and has already delivered around 11,000 modular homes across Scandinavia. Built of timber, a low carbon material, offcuts are recycled to improve sustainability, according to BoKlok “less than 1% gets thrown away. And our carbon footprint is less than half that of normal building projects”.

Their concept is on the way to the UK. Worthing Council is working with BoKlok on plans to build 162 low cost modular apartments in the town.

Will small scale developments such as this lead to widescale adoption?

With the Government target of building one million new homes in England by the end of 2020 – 200,000 every year – modular construction could certainly be part of the solution.

In fact, the world’s tallest modular tower – 101 George Street – is currently being built in Croydon.

Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems’ design will stand at 135m and 44 storeys and will be covered in iridescent, dark green

It is not reliant on a diminishing supply of skilled labour. Health and Safety is better controlled in a factory environment, as is quality, than on a cold muddy construction site.

As well as efficiency on time scales which make the construction process faster – and therefore cheaper – modular buildings have excellent eco-credentials; while waste from a site-built dwelling may typically fill several large skips, construction of a modular dwelling generates much less.

In fact, recent stats found that there is a 90% waste reduction by increasing the use of off-site construction. This is significant given that the construction industry accounts for 38% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions.

Modular construction allows the industry to deliver higher volumes of homes, drive innovation, provide safer working environments and shorten project delivery times as well as reducing costs.

In short, it’s a game-changer.

We are proud of the fact that it is an important part of our knowledge base at Daniel Connal Partnership, and we believe that modular construction is looking increasingly favourable when measured against traditional building techniques.

Rather than being a short term, low quality answer to a housing issue, these days modular construction equals high-specification, quality, permanent housing. 

Talking Point

triangulated panels that reflect the area’s art deco architecture.

The Greater London Authority acknowledges that this type of building is going to become more commonplace too.

Stating: “The mayor’s draft new London Plan sets out targets to build around 65,000 new homes a year in London over the next decade in order to address the capital’s housing shortage.

“While traditional methods of construction will continue to play a vital role in home building, it will not be possible to increase output to the necessary extent by relying on traditional methods alone.”

In 2017 the House of Lords’ science and technology committee released a report titled ‘Off-site manufacture for construction: Building for change’.

The report detailed a plethora of benefits offsite construction could bring to meet the UK’s housing target.

However, it noted that despite the advantages, the take-up of offsite manufacture was lagging. It’s time we changed this.

During the design process modular construction has a natural fit with BIM, Building Information Modelling, with design drawings and fabrication drawing becoming one and the same.

Prefabrication equals quicker construction and a faster return on investment. In fact, modular construction can reduce the overall completion schedule by as much as 50%.

 www.danielconnal.co.uk

Breckland Council – Modular new build council offices. Project manager, quantity surveyors, CDM – DCP

21

Education

PLACING THE ARTS CENTRE STAGE

The centre includes a cafe for the students to relax and socialise

Project: The Merritt Centre Location: Dorset Architect: Burrell Foley Fischer

Research from The Arts Council has recently shown that access to high-quality arts experiences in schools is beneficial to all aspects of learning, it is more important than ever for educational institutions to provide innovative, multi-functional spaces that allow students to thrive artistically. and C reativity performance add immeasurably to education and life skills. Art activities such as music and dance classes, recitals, art projects and theatre productions give students a much-needed chance to express their ideas, build on their

observational skills, promote feelings of self-worth and confidence, and develop their creativity and imagination.

An institution that has invested heavily in worldclass, multi-use arts facilities is Sherborne Girls – a fullboarding girl’s school in

Dorset, where Morgan Sindall Construction recently delivered a £6m arts centre.

Located in the market town of Sherborne, North Dorset, Sherborne Girls is an independent boarding school with a cohort of more than 480 students. Established in 1899

Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed by Sherborne Girls to build its brand new performing arts centre

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to run alongside King Edward VI boys’ public school, Sherborne Girls has a reputation of longstanding excellence within education and co-curricular activities, earning the school the title of Best Public School by Tatler Schools Awards for 2018.

In 2017, Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed by Sherborne Girls to build its brand new performing arts centre.

The development, noted as the most ambitious in the school’s history, looked to provide the institution with a building that would not only be academically functional, but also enable the school to host professional performances available to the wider school community.

Morgan Sindall Construction worked closely with awardwinning architecture firm Burrell Foley Fischer to provide a building that acts as an inspiring landmark within the estate grounds, with a striking timber frame exterior in keeping with the school’s rural setting.

Education

This resulted in The Merritt Centre – named after Gwendoline ‘Queenie’ Merritt, a much-loved member of the housekeeping team and benefactor of the school. The centre ‘sits low’ on the southward sloping campus, ensuring that views to hills from existing buildings are not lost, and includes a flexible, high-quality recital space, sound proofed practice rooms, fully equipped recording studios and a cafe for the students to relax and socialise.

The building is highly insulated with a concrete substructure and cross laminated timber (CLT) superstructure. The majority of the building is naturally ventilated and has the potential to utilise geothermal energy.

The centre also has carefully specified glazing to manage sunlight, and the implementation of brise soliel and pergolas to provide natural shading.

The foyer adjoining the music, drama and art departments is designed to provide a prominent display space for the students’ work, and act as a central meeting place for the school community.

The project has been recognised within the industry and has been shortlisted for the Education Project of the Year in the 2019 Structural Timber Awards. Morgan Sindall Construction has also been shortlisted as Contractor of the Year for the project.

Jon Daines, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Morgan Sindall Construction has a long-standing reputation for delivering worldclass educational facilities, and The Merritt Centre at Sherborne Girls is no exception. The finished development is a stunning building at the heart of the school that provides an inspiring centre for the arts both for the immediate school community and beyond.

“This investment stands testament to the school’s continued commitment to developing student’s academic and creative ability, as well as providing a space for the wider school community to enjoy a multitude of artistic activities.

“Sherborne Girls has a history of high-quality teaching, and this new arts centre will bolster the school’s creative offering and reputation for excellence going forward.”

The centre has carefully specified glazing to manage sunlight, and the implementation of brise soliel and pergolas to provide natural shading

Morgan Sindall Construction also worked closely with students and staff to ensure they were engaged and informed throughout the construction of the new centre. Activity included inviting students from the school to don hard hats and step onto the construction site to see how work was progressing during visits hosted by the site team.

The engagement activity aimed to not only enable the students to see their new centre during the build, but also to promote the opportunities available for young people in construction and the wider Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector.

The students were taken on a tour of the site and took part in a session on Building Information Modelling (BIM), a 3D model-

based process used for creating and managing information on a construction project.

Dr Ruth Sullivan, Headmistress at Sherborne Girls, said: “Music and the Arts have always been central to life at Sherborne Girls and we are thrilled that we now have a venue that can cater for the increasing number of girls playing instruments, singing in choirs or involved in speech and drama.

“The added bonus of being able to share the venue with our local community gives it a whole extra dimension and we look forward to welcoming visitors and planning exciting, inspiring events.”

In June 2019, the school marked the opening with a weeklong Festival of Arts, which was a celebration of music, speech and

drama performances culminating in the final opening ceremony by alumnae, Dame Emma Kirkby, and a commemoration concert.

The Merritt Centre at Sherborne Girls has provided a functional and inspiring place for students to thrive creatively, showcase their work and has given the wider community a chance to enjoy performances by the pupils and professional artists, musicians, actors and entertainers. The project has not only given the creative arts the inspiring home it deserves, but also created a welcoming hub at the heart of the school, which will benefit the daily lives of the students, staff and Sherborne community for generations to come. 

 construction.morgansindall.com

The building is highly insulated with a concrete substructure and cross laminated timber (CLT) superstructure

23

Legal & Business

THE MEANING OF ‘PRACTICAL COMPLETION’ ‘Practical completion’ has become part of the day-to-day vocabulary for contractors, clients, project managers and surveyors across the length and breadth of the UK. Muckle LLP’s Adam Aston explains more. the precise wording W hilst used in different forms of contract can vary (JCT contracts refer to ‘practical completion’ whereas other contracts use a range of terms seemingly to mean the same thing), the concept of ‘practical completion’ is of huge importance in any construction project. It acts as a trigger for the employer’s obligation to insure the building and relieving the contractor of the obligation to pay liquidated damages for any delay.

Despite its importance and widespread use, ‘practical completion’ has no precise legal definition and most standard contracts choose not to define it.

With that in mind it is perhaps surprising that the Court of Appeal has recently heard its first case on the meaning of ‘practical completion’ in 50 years.

We summarise the key aspects of the case below: Mears Limited v Costplan

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Services [2019] EWCA CIV 502, BLM 2019. Court of Appeal.

Facts A developer (Plymouth Notte Street) was having student accommodation constructed by a contractor. The developer agreed with a tenant (Mears) that following practical completion, Mears would take a 21-year lease of the property.

When the construction was complete a number of the student rooms were smaller than had been contractually specified and Mears claimed that the works had not been properly carried out and so could not be said to be ‘practically complete’ as had recently been certified by the employer’s agent (Costplan).

Held The dimensions of 56 rooms were out by 3% relative to the agreed specification. It

was held that this had a minor impact on the use and occupation of the rooms.

The question of whether the works were ‘practically complete’ or not was a question for the judgement of the appointed certifier.

On the evidence, the certifier was satisfied that the rooms were reasonably compliant, could be used/occupied as intended and were therefore practically complete.

To consider The key aspect in determining whether ‘practical completion’ has been achieved is therefore the profound judgement of the certifier. Even if the works are ‘useable’ or ‘habitable’, this is not decisive in itself, but a suggestive factor in the decision making of the certifier.

It is important to note that works may still be ‘practically complete’ even if they are

Adam Aston is a partner and construction and engineering lawyer at Muckle LLP, a Newcastle-based national law firm for businesses, who regularly advises developers, contractors and funders on major projects.

unfinished or have defects.

Crucially, practical completion may also be said to have been achieved even where those defects are irremediable (although much will depend on the facts and the party seeking to contest ‘practical completion’ may also have a claim in damages).

The Court of Appeal observed that “practical completion is easier to recognise than it is to define and is not a matter that is governed by hard and fast rules”. This approach by the court places trust in certifiers to make practical, professional, sensible judgements without involving the courts.

The key lesson for clients is therefore to only appoint professional, experienced and trusted advisors to fulfil this important role. 

 www.muckle-llp.com

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Technical Focus

Green roofs offer a host of environmental benefits: reducing stormwater flow from roofs, increasing biodiversity, cooling buildings and their surroundings

GREEN AND BLUE ROOFS ADD NEW DIMENSIONS The demand for green and blue roof technologies is ramping up, thanks to their environmental, economic and social credentials, says Amanda de Sousa, Product Systems Manager, BMI UK & Ireland. are now 1.5 million T here square metres of green roofs in London, according to a report published in April this year for the Greater London Authority1. And there is a raft of reasons why.

Green roofs offer a host of environmental benefits: reducing stormwater flow from roofs, increasing biodiversity, cooling buildings and their surroundings, improving water and air quality.

There is also a growing

An intensive green roof would normally incorporate a trafficable drainage board with greater compressive strength

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body of evidence that shows they contribute positively to wellbeing, by offering views of nature or by providing an amenity such as a roof garden.

Shadowing the growth of green roofs comes a rise in blue roofs too, often with the two types combined. As more planners demand sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS), blue roofs offer a way to

release the rainwater more slowly, avoiding the risk of overburdening drainage systems and causing flooding.

There can be strong economic reasons for blue roofs too. In builtup urban locations, a blue roof can be a far more practical and cost-effective way of attenuating water than a below-ground storage tank. And though they do require maintenance, access and problem-solving is far easier with an above-ground asset.

In London, as in other cities around the world, planning policy is driving the trend to roofs that do more. In 2008, London’s mayor published a guide on living roofs and walls to complement its London Plan. By 2016, over 40% of the UK’s green roofs were in the capital. In 2014, current Mayor Sadiq Khan upped the ante by declaring his intention to make the capital a National Park City, with green roofs part of the urban greening plan.

Other UK towns and cities are following London’s lead.

Cambridge City Council, for instance, is developing a green roof policy as part of its local plan. Leicester’s green infrastructure strategy includes plans to encourage more green roofs on both new-build and refurbishment projects.

What’s in a roof?

There are two defined categories of green roof: intensive and extensive. An intensive roof, as the name suggests, requires more maintenance and will probably be irrigated. Designed to be trafficked, an intensive roof could be a vegetable plot, roof garden – or a recreational spaces for sport and leisure.

Extensive green roofs are designed to look after themselves. Often planted with sedum, typically succulent varieties, which can survive with little water, an extensive green roof generally requires less growing medium and less irrigation than an intensive one. They can be trafficked if designed accordingly, yet this is uncommon.

The components of an extensive green roof generally comprise the waterproofing system, a protective fleece, drainage board, filter layer, free-draining substrate for the plants and the plants themselves, often sedum.

An intensive green roof would normally incorporate a trafficable drainage board with greater compressive strength and swap the free-draining substrate for a deeper layer of top soil.

Avoiding pitfalls Though green roofs and their design are well-documented, there is less guidance on the design of blue roofs, other than that published by the NFRC. However, BS 6229:2018 Flat roofs with continuously supported flexible waterproof coverings – Code of practice, published in November last year, does make reference to blue roofs and addresses the important issue of falls.

Blue roofs work best when water is distributed evenly over the surface and so require a flat roof. BS 6229 recommends a design gradient of 1:80 to avoid back-falls. Greater falls would increase the height of water and hence waterproofing details and threshold levels at certain points around the roof.

For contractors, there may be challenges when laying green and blue roofs with falls. Joints between sections of void-forming layers, for instance at a valley, require special attention and high standards of workmanship.

For blue roofs, weight loadings, drainage and thermal calculations are crucial to a successful installation and, where expertise doesn’t reside in-house,

Technical Focus

Blue roofs, though they have a 50-year-plus history in the US, have only started to appear in the UK within the last 10 years, gaining momentum in the last few years. The current definition of a blue roof, informed by a National Federation of Roofing Contractors’ (NFRC) guide, Technical Guidance Note for the construction and design of Blue Roofs, is not a roof that stores water but rather a roof that slows the release of water to a drainage system.

Blue roofs are not often blue, as the water is held within a void-containing layer with flowrestricting outlets to control the flow. The NFRC guide says that half of the roof’s capacity should be emptied after 12 hours, with all of it gone after 24.

A typical build-up for an inverted blue roof would comprise a waterproofing layer, insulation, void former, filter layer and the top, permeable, layer or ballast. The permeable layer could be a green roof which would increase the system’s attenuation capacity further.

Companies such as BMI UK & Ireland can provide specification, design and technical expertise throughout the process

it should be sought. BMI UK & Ireland, for example, is wellplaced to assist in this respect.

As an example, with blue roofs, it may be that fewer downpipes are required.

However, it’s important to design and install the number, position and capacity of downpipes and flow restrictor outlets to meet the attenuation requirements calculated at the design stage. For both green and blue roofs, building owners should be aware that outlets must be inspected twice a year.

There are structural implications when adding a green or blue roof to a building.

A blue roof, for instance, at capacity would add around 1kN/m2 to the loading. New buildings can be designed accordingly but care must be taken with retrofits.

Though blue and green roofs add extra dimensions to the uses and value of roofs, they also require an additional dimension of care with respect to design, installation and quality control.

Companies such as BMI UK & Ireland can provide specification, design and technical expertise throughout the process. Crucially they can deliver advice and quality assurance during the installation process to ensure that the delivered roof – and amenity – meets the designs. 

 www.bmigroup.com/uk 1 https://livingroofs.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/04/LONDON-LIVING-ROOFSWALLS-REPORT-2019.pdf

There is a growing body of evidence that shows green roofs contribute positively to wellbeing

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Canopies & Shelters

A GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC REALM SHELTERS Climate change has become a global priority and the public sector must adopt a radical and holistic approach to find solutions, one of which is sourcing sustainable high-quality hardscaping within public realm projects.

Investing in locally-sourced, exceptionally durable public shelters increases the product life cycle and minimises long-term maintenance costs. specialises A llinUrban supplying superior quality landscaping products and exclusively supplies Handspring Design’s public realm youth shelters. Together, they share best practice to deliver a guide on what to look out for when investing in high-quality shelters for public spaces.

Public safety and security is high priority when creating the design. A structure which has clear sight lines ensures that passers-by can see who is inside the shelter and users

can also see passers-by. The Handspring Design Hoops which have recently been installed at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew are a good example of this, as coloured Perspex is used to create translucent walls.

When looking for sustainable and exceptionally durable materials, Handspring Design uses Oak and Douglas Fir (or European Larch) because they can be UK sourced from sustainable sawmills. FSC timber oak is used sparingly but improves with durability over

Creating an open-plan design provides a temporary weather protection, rather than fully water-proofing which can create enclosed spaces which reduce public safety

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time. When possible, Douglas Fir is used for larger projects. Both of these timbers turn silver with long-term exposure to UV. One of the biggest considerations for outdoor shelters is long-term weathering. Designing a shelter with lots of flat, horizontal surfaces, will encourage rain water to sit in the fixings and on the surfaces, encouraging the wood to rot. Therefore creating a design with carefully thought out details which include slopes, angles and gaps ensures that the rain water runs off and does not pool on the shelter.

When a piece of wood is cut perpendicular to the grain, exposing the rings, it is called endgrain. It is important to ensure that these too are not incorporated into the design horizontally, as this is where the weather will get in and likely rot the timber when exposed to long-term weathering.

Creating an open-plan design provides temporary weather protection, rather than fully water-proofing which can create enclosed spaces which reduce public safety. The Handspring Design ‘Birds Nest’ shelter,

The Handspring Design Hoops has clear sight lines to ensure that passers-by can see who is inside the shelter and users can also see passers-by

smaller cousin of its larger Crow’s Nest viewpoint sculpture, is the perfect example of public safety and weather-proof design.

Another consideration when designing for longevity is how the wooden structure is fixed to the ground. It’s generally best practice to keep the timber away from the ground by at least 200mm. This is the rain water ‘splash zone’. Handspring uses galvanised steel flitch plates or box section ‘shoes’ to make the connection between timber and foundations, with drainage holes to let unwanted water escape. This minimises the risk of rotting.

Lastly, quality fixings can further minimise long-term maintenance costs. Handspring Design design shelters which detail as many timber to timber joints as possible. This means they depend less on fixings which can become surfaces for water to sit in. Where needed, they use stainless steel for oak and galvanised steel for Douglas Fir as these are exceptionally resistance to rust.

Handspring Design has a strong ethos on sustainability and with 20 years’ experience, it is an expert in designing and constructing public realm shelters. It specifically works with oak for steam bending and detailed complex structures with smaller section sizes. 

 www.allurban.co.uk/products/handspring-design

QUALITY FOR BUILDING

THE RENDERERS RENDER Fassa Bortolo is a historic name in the world of building. Attention to quality raw materials, research, innovation and the environment have always been at the basis of the company’s vision, expressed through the continuous development of state-of-the-art solutions for the evolution of building.

Find out more about how Fassa can work with you and your business.

W: fassabortolo.co.uk T: 01684 212 272

Stairs & Lifts

GETTING ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE RIGHT

Vertical transportation must meet safety requirements

Regular preventative maintenance of lifts, escalators, platform and stair lifts will optimise the initial investment, ensuring the performance of the installation to the expected service life. Dean Taylor, Regional Director for Vertical Transportation at TÜV SÜD Dunbar Boardman, explores further. considering a new W hen maintenance contractor, the “responsible person” (lift owner) should firstly allow potential new maintenance contractors sufficient time and access to survey the relevant installation and equipment.

For example, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust appointed us to carry out a technical survey and traffic analysis to establish the level of refurbishment or renewal of the lifts and improve traffic handling. We also developed a fully bespoke technical specification, which was tendered by the Trust.

The lift owner should also make the health and safety file available, as well as the responsible person’s instruction manual, so that the prospective maintenance

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contractor is aware of relevant hazards. Records of modernisation work completed since installation; previous service history, including breakdowns and repairs; records from the original test and placing into service; and the reports of thorough examinations and any supplementary tests should also be disclosed.

To ensure the most effective outcome for both the lift owner and the maintenance contractor, the responsible person should also specify their maintenance objectives in relation to the regulations, standards and directives with which they must comply.

They should also advise the potential maintenance contractor of other issues, such as the frequency and

intensity of usage of the plant and any additional or special features. Where the original manufacturer’s documents have been lost, the responsible person should try to source replacements. They should also make available any essential special tools provided with the plant.

Compliance complexity When first brought into use, conventional passenger lifts, escalators, platforms and stair lifts must all meet the requirements for safety and conformity with either the Machinery Directive or Lift Directive. Thereafter, the lift owner is legally bound to ensure both lift and passenger safety, as well as keep up to date with any changes that might affect their equipment.

There are a whole host of standards, regulations, codes of practice and guidance covering the safe and efficient operation of lifts, at least 23 areas of principal guidance – too many for me to detail here. However, three key ones to consider are: The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER) places duties on owners and operators over equipment that is provided for people to use at work. It requires (amongst others) that it is suitable for the intended use, maintained in a safe condition, and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not deteriorate.

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) requires the lift owner to have their lift(s) thoroughly inspected at six-monthly intervals, or in accordance with their own examination scheme, as required

by Regulation 9 of LOLER. It is also the duty of the lift owner to employ a competent person to undertake these inspections.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires those who own or occupy premises to keep the lift equipment in safe working order and therefore arrange regular equipment maintenance.

Stairs & Lifts Regular preventative maintenance will optimise the initial investment

The lift owner should share the health safety file with the maintenance contractor

Hazards Undertaking maintenance activities can potentially expose people to hazards, but there are four issues that merit particular attention because of the severity of the harm that could be involved, and which are also commonly encountered during lift maintenance: Asbestos – the health consequences of disturbing asbestos when drilling holes into the building fabric or replacing panels can be severe, as can the clean-up costs.

Falls from height – maintenance work often involves using access equipment to reach raised sections of plant and machinery, from which people can fall or drop things below.

Isolation, lock off arrangements and permits to work – essential to enable maintenance work to be conducted safely.

Worker safety – to enable both in-house and contracted maintenance staff to work in safety you will need to properly brief them on your site and processes, and ensure they follow safe working practices.

Lifetime assurance In order to preserve the operational integrity and safety of an elevator installation, preventative maintenance is of course the best practice route. Whilst the extent of the maintenance that is required may vary according to the type of installation, a fully comprehensive maintenance

Preventative maintenance is the best route

arrangement will provide maximum cover for the lift owner and fulfil the benefits described above.

This is because this type of agreement should anticipate the needs of the equipment and therefore the cost and provision of parts requiring replacement as they become worn. Manufacturers/maintainers can therefore spread their costs to the benefit of the lift owner, over a period which may extend for up to 20 years. If there is a breakdown, it also secures the availability of trained personnel, who can respond promptly to rectify the problem.

While lesser maintenance agreements are available, and may be tempting when considering lifetime costs

upfront, they will simply not afford the same long-term benefits in relation to elevator service availability for users, safety and cost. It is therefore vitally important to consider the scope of what is being offered, the exclusions and to study the small print.

Maintenance and inspections of lifts is not an optional feature and it is therefore essential to ensure that it is carried out correctly and in a timely manner.

In addition to the requirement that equipment should be of good mechanical construction, of sound material and adequate strength, the statutory provisions extend to requiring appropriate maintenance. 

 www.tuv-sud.co.uk

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Sanitaryware

ON THE MARKET WITH WASHROOM WASHROOM

The vanity units feature countertop sinks, wall-mounted sensor-operated taps and bespoke mirrors with supporting frames created from pipework

Commercial washroom designer and manufacturer, Washroom Washroom, has delivered a complete turnkey washroom refurbishment project for a vibrant London market.

Market is C amden London’s largest and most diverse market. Open every day from 10am until late, it welcomes more than 28 million visitors every year to sample its eclectic mix of food, fashion and craft from more than 1000 independent traders.

Washroom Washroom worked in partnership with refurbishment and maintenance contractor, PDC Construction, to refurbish the public toilet facilities at Camden’s Stables Market. Together the two companies provided a complete turnkey solution – seeing the whole project through from the initial design stage to completion in just six weeks.

The bespoke new washroom space not only had to be inkeeping with the hip Camden Market vibe, but it was also essential for it to be highly durable, easy-to-clean and DDA compliant. The result – a fresh contemporary washroom facility which takes influence from vintage Victorian design and combines with modern materials to provide the best of both worlds.

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The striking new design features Washroom’s solid grade laminate Senza toilet cubicles with footplates set back to create a floating appearance. Manufactured with black solid grade laminate partitions as well as rough sawn, whitewashed oak pilasters plus blackened mild steel headrail and floor plates, the toilet cubicles were faced with a unique rusted metal effect mild steel finish.

The cubicle doors were completed with the addition of bespoke vinyl graphic lettering, spelling out the word CAMDEN to anchor the washrooms within their surroundings and was a key part of the unique washroom design.

The vanity units, manufactured with the same rusted effect mild steel solid grade laminate as the toilet cubicle doors, feature countertop sinks, wallmounted sensor-operated taps and bespoke mirrors with supporting frames created from pipework. Exposed brick and metro tiles complete the industrial chic style required.

A spokesperson from Camden Market said: “It was very important for the new washroom facilities to fit seamlessly with the style of the market as a whole. While we didn’t want them to look like traditional public toilet facilities, they still needed to be extremely hardwearing and easy-to-clean.

PDC and Washroom have certainly delivered on both counts. We’re really pleased with the end result – the new washrooms are the perfect fit for Camden Market.”

Trevor Bowers, Director at Washroom Washroom, added: “The collaboration between ourselves and PDC ensured that the client received a full service provision for all stages of the supply and installation, which was completed on time and on budget. The finished result is truly stand-out and I hope that visitors to the market enjoy the newly refreshed washroom design.” 

 www.washroom.co.uk

The striking new design features Washroom’s solid grade laminate Senza toilet cubicles with footplates set back to create a floating appearance

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Refurb & Retrofit

Remeha was selected to provide boilers throughout the scheme

Remeha’s ability to offer offsite fabricated cascade arrangements for its Gas 220 Ace floor-standing range was a major advantage on this extensive refurbishment

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE POLICE TURN UP THE HEAT Nottinghamshire Police has refurbished the heating systems at a series of its stations with Remeha boilers to improve the efficiency and reliability of the heating service in line with its wider efficiency measures.

A

condition survey of the mechanical installation at Nottinghamshire Police’s sites by project consultant CJR Midlands had found severe failings in most of the existing aged plant. The consultant's recommendation was to refurbish eight plant rooms with new energy-efficient condensing boilers together with associated pumps and flue vertical masts. New Building Management System (BMS) controls were also specified to enable CJR to monitor all the sites from Sherwood Lodge, the main police headquarters.

The critical challenge on this project was the tight schedule, as all sites needed to be fully completed within three months. Additionally, all police stations were to be kept operational during the works. This meant ensuring zero disruption to the hot water service throughout this

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period, with all systems fully operational by the start of the new heating system.

Remeha was selected to provide boilers throughout the scheme. David Griffiths, Regional Director at CJR Midlands, explained: “Working within such a narrow timeframe, it was essential to select a proven manufacturer – so we chose Remeha. They have consistently provided us with excellent service and support, including assisting with surveys.

The good availability of spare parts was also key.”

At Radford Road police station, two Remeha Gas 310 Eco Pro condensing boilers were specified to meet the site requirements. At the remainder of the sites, including the Sherwood Lodge headquarters, a combination of Gas 220 Ace boilers was selected to match the individual heat output demand.

Remeha’s ability to offer offsite fabricated cascade arrangements for its Gas 220 Ace floor-standing range was a major advantage on this extensive refurbishment programme, as it facilitated faster, smoother installation to overcome the time constraints.

ABSN was appointed the M&E contractor on the project by main contractor GF Tomlinson.

Working with CJR and ABSN, Remeha prepared 3D drawings of the boiler cascade arrangement to the specified layout for each site and integrated LTHW and gas headers, pump sets and a Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) into the design. PHEs are increasingly applied on refurbishment projects to protect the new plant from the existing building distribution system via hydraulic separation, thereby optimising boiler performance and longevity.

The drawings enabled early visualisation of the layout before the offsite production took place. David commented: “As we also design in 3D, the fact that the drawings were available in the same format enabled more close and accurate design.”

ABSN’s Contracts Director Nick Clews said: “Early engagement with Remeha was central to the success of the scheme. Having the detailed coordinated dimensioned designs for each plantroom allowed us both to procure and to preinstall pipework in readiness for the boiler delivery. This helped speed up the installation process considerably.”

The entire refurbishment scheme went smoothly, with the challenging delivery dates all met.

“We would have no hesitation in using Remeha again on projects and found them to be proactive in engaging into a team ethos to ensure the scheme was delivered on time and with no detrimental effect to the end user,” said Nick.

“The project went extremely well,” agreed David. “We’re delighted to report that, since monitoring the sites, there have been no issues with the Remeha boilers whatsoever.

Nottinghamshire Police are also pleased with the end result, especially as the collaborative approach enabled the team to deliver on time and on budget.” 

 www.remeha.co.uk

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Renewable Energy

A broad mix of energy sources will surely enable the most cost-effective and robust transformation path to a low-emission future

public sector buildings rely on heavy duty diesel engines both for development and continued maintenance. The appetite for alternative technologies in reducing carbon emissions must also extend to improving air quality to protect public health.

And with businesses and consumers alike looking to local councils for leadership, all eyes are on the public sector to take action.

What’s holding back adoption of diesel alternatives?

FUELS FOR NOW Rebecca Swann, Product Manager for Fuels and Services at Certas Energy, explores the liquid energy mix for the public sector. industry and G overnment, the wider supply chain remain resolute in the quest to make a positive impact on the ongoing air quality problem. While technologies do exist to make an immediate difference to emissions, it must be acknowledged that low levels of uptake are first and foremost a commercial (not necessarily a technical) challenge.

Here liquid fuels can bridge the gap for those in public sector construction, logistics

and landscaping looking to make an immediate impact on emissions. Readily available with established infrastructure and security of supply, alternative liquid fuels must play a part in kick-starting the sector on the path towards a zero-emission end-point.

So why should liquid fuels be part of the transition to cleaner air? What does the current liquid fuel mix look like? And how can they support the public sector on the journey to a zero-emission future?

When it comes to lowering emissions, public sector has set the bar high for change

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Under pressure When it comes to lowering emissions, public sector has set the bar high for change. Thanks to broad adoption of alternative technologies, the public sector is now only responsible for less than 2% of total UK GHG emissions.

But with news stories on local air pollution crowding the headlines, pressure is mounting to move towards an even cleaner way of working. Whether for grounds maintenance, logistics or construction, the reality is that

It is an uncomfortable truth that there is no single energy solution to the air quality problem. The heavy duty cycles of HGVs, construction and grounds maintenance machinery mean that liquid fuels will still be required well into the future.

A lack of infrastructure means that the public sector must be realistic when evaluating how they can most effectively power the transition to lower emissions – especially when it comes to electrification.

The good news is that liquid fuel technologies do exist to reduce emissions of air pollutants and improve local air quality immediately – without requiring investment in new machinery or retrofitting existing equipment.

However, without an incentive to change fuels, and while the tax rebate on red diesel remains so attractive, the case for investing in the majority of alternative fuels is a difficult one to build. And with no clear short or mid-term directive from the Government when it comes to alternatives to diesel, it’s little wonder there’s a confused transitional landscape.

As much as this is a challenge, it is also a huge opportunity for wider uptake of alternative liquid fuels to have an immediate and tangible impact on air quality. These readily-available ‘fuels for now’ are key to kickstarting the journey to low emissions, offering a technically and commercially-sound stopgap while paving the way for longer term developments.

Renewable Energy Liquid fuels can bridge the gap for those in public sector construction, logistics and landscaping looking to make an immediate impact on emissions

Making the case for alternative liquid fuels There are many liquid fuel technologies that are already being tested and trialled. These include Gas To Liquid (GTL), power to liquid, biomass to liquid, hydrothermal liquefaction and hydro-treated biofuel products. However, many of these technologies and developments remain unproven.

In the case of GTL, part of the paraffinic family of fuels, the benefits have been proven.

This particular formulation is based on gasification chemistry and can achieve similar performance levels to diesel while reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon monoxide. With noted benefits including high energy density, ease of use and safe handling – supported by security of supply and approvals from many OEMs – GTL delivers an exceptionally strong value proposition.

Contained within the EN15940 category, paraffinic fuels are particularly wellsuited alternatives for NRMMs and HGVs. This suite of products could also prove to

be more effective than other alternatives, with drop-in technologies such as GTL requiring no modifications to machinery or investments in equipment upgrades.

Furthermore, the infrastructure for liquid fuels is well-established; its supply chain can be commoditised and developed (with the potential to be low cost) and, as such, this energy category represents the most robust and reliable transformation path – at least in the short term.

Alternative fuels in action Already adopted throughout Europe, GTL is one of the few available paraffinic fuels in the UK – helping its early adopters transition to a cleaner fuel future. In an endorsement for alternative liquid fuels, Crown Commercial Services has added GTL specification to its framework – opening the door for wider adoption in the public sector.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is one of the local authorities that has demonstrated its commitment to cleaner air by transitioning

its grounds maintenance fleet from diesel to cleaner-burning Shell GTL Fuel, supplied exclusively in the UK by Certas Energy.

Alongside reduced levels of NOx and PM, Southendon-Sea Borough Council experienced a range of additional performance and efficiency benefits by changing fuel. GTL has improved the uptime of the council’s plant machinery, extended periods between refuelling, eliminated exhaust odours and reduced operational noise levels for the benefit of site neighbours.

Operating in public and environmentally sensitive areas, safety was also a key priority for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. As a non-toxic and readily-biodegradable fuel, Shell GTL Fuel is less harmful to the environment and safer for the workforce than conventional diesel.

A clean air future A broad mix of energy sources will surely enable the most cost-effective and robust transformation path to a lowemission future. The fact that the infrastructure and supply

chain is strongly in place for liquid fuels means they can immediately fuel the transition for the public sector.

It’s possible that the quick wins offered by alternative liquid fuels are being overlooked because of an over-emphasis on the zeroemission end goal. Naturally, that is where we all want to be.

However, without embracing evolving enhancements in fuel technology, the truth is it will take us much longer to get there.

The transition to cleaner air and lower emissions is a pathway, and everyone should look to make a step in the right direction. There is no silver bullet solution, but rather a variety of fuels that can help the public sector make an immediate difference today as part of the longer-term transformation route to net-zero.

To discover the readilyavailable ‘fuels for now’ that can kick-start the transition to a low-emission future, download the first report in Certas Energy’s New Energy Reality Series – The Future of Liquid Fuels – for free. 

 www.certasenergy.co.uk/mybusiness/future-of-liquid-fuels

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KBB

The hydraulic timing mechanism on DELABIE’s TEMPOFLUX 3 relies on water pressure to operate

©Delabie

DIRECT FLUSH – A FRESH APPROACH TO WASHROOM HYGIENE Toilets are an obvious source of harmful germs. Cisterns store water in ideal conditions for bacterial development and these bacteria are released in an aerosol plume during flushing, but they can also spread back through the pipes and colonise the system. to cistern T heflushalternative mechanisms is a direct flush system which connects directly to the water supply. A

self-closing valve discharges a pre-determined flush volume without the need for stored water.

By employing system pressure to

rinse the pan, there is no water stagnation, scale deposition or build-up of impurities upstream of the flush mechanism.

©Delabie Direct Flush systems offer a hygienic alternative to cistern-flush WCs

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TEMPOFLUX 3 direct flush valve with hydraulic timing

Direct flush improves hygiene Water Supply Regulations require the pan content to be “cleared effectively by a single flush of water”. Gravity-fed cisternflush mechanisms may not have sufficient dynamic pressure to ensure a hygienic rinse with a single flush, and a 40 to 60-second refill time exacerbates the problem. Replacing the cistern with direct flush valves has several hygienic advantages.

Firstly, the flush volume can be adjusted to the dynamic pressure to ensure an effective single rinse. Where necessary the flush can be adjusted for ecological or smaller children’s WC pans. This reduces the aerosol flush plume, prevents unhygienic splashing and avoids the risk of slipping on wet floors. In addition, since there is no refill time, the full flush is instantly available for subsequent users, delivering an effective flush every time.

Hygiene can be further improved by installing an electronic flush mechanism.

For example, DELABIE’s TEMPOMATIC Dual Control direct flush valve has a user-activated conventional push-button flush.

However, an automatic sensor also detects their presence and flushes the valve automatically if the user forgets. An intelligent rinsing system identifies the duration of use and flushes accordingly. There are three programme options, including an ecological setting with a reduced flush length equating to a lower flush volume.

Fit for purpose Cistern-flush toilets are usually installed through habit but, although they are ideal for domestic usage patterns, the mechanism comprises plastic components that cannot cope with the regular and intensive use experienced in public buildings.

Heavy-handed users can easily break fragile mechanisms.

Depending on water quality, watertight seals which are sensitive to scale and impurities quickly wear out with repetitive use. This inevitably leads to leaks and reduced flushing capability.

According to Thames Water, a leaking toilet can waste up to 400L of water a day, and a leak in a cistern-flush toilet is very difficult to detect. The resulting maintenance is time consuming and problematic, especially where cisterns are installed on frame systems behind IPS panels. However, with direct flush systems, any leak is very easy to identify and remedy.

Direct flush mechanisms, designed for public washrooms, are much more robust. The hydraulic timing mechanism on DELABIE’s TEMPOFLUX 3 relies on water pressure to operate, so there is no metal–metal or metal–plastic friction. A selfcleaning timing groove reduces maintenance and extends the operational lifespan to over 500,000 activations. Furthermore, the cartridge is standardised and can be exchanged simply by isolating the water supply via an integrated stopcock.

KBB

Electronic flush systems have the additional benefit that no manual contact is required, so the toilet is accessible to any user, regardless of age or level of independence. Furthermore, an automatic duty flush can be programmed to flush the pipework every 12 or 24 hours when not in use, preventing stagnation and reducing biofilm development.

different to that for direct flush, the pipework sizing is similar due to the principle of calculating simultaneous use.

A direct flush activates for seven seconds, whereas cistern refill is between 40 and 60 seconds. Although the effect on demand is cumulative, the shorter duration of the direct flush means that in effect fewer valves will be operating simultaneously. For example, based on a dynamic flow rate of 1.5 litres/second, DELABIE estimates that for a block of 20 direct flush toilets, 3 out of 20 will be activated simultaneously.

Easy to install Another major concern is the ease and convenience of installation and ongoing maintenance for direct flush systems, especially in recessed applications. DELABIE has patented an innovative housing that can be installed on IPS panels or solid walls up to 120mm. Unlike conventional housings which are cut flush to the wall, this housing features a collar with an integrated seal which provides a watertight seal against the wall finish.

The housing is cut to size in front of the collar and any leaks or condensation evacuate in front of, and not behind or into, the wall. The collar also provides support for the wall actuator plate which conceals the whole mechanism and has an integrated electronic unit for sensor models.

©Delabie TEMPOMATIC Dual Control automatically determines the flush volume and duration

The flush valve is supplied in two kits, the hydraulic connection is made from the exterior with temporary caps to replace the sensitive elements while the system is purged. The mechanism and electronic unit are then connected inside the housing, but can be easily accessed for subsequent servicing. A backflow prevention device is also incorporated within the housing and, in the event of backflow, any water will evacuate in front of the wall.

Direct flush systems offer a hygienic alternative to cisternflush WCs, reducing the risk of infection in commercial washrooms. Designed for intensive use in public environments, they provide a sustainable solution that manages water consumption and adapts to the usage demands of public facilities, plus they are easy to install and maintain. Breaking the habit of specifying domestic style cisterns will deliver long term dividends in terms of improved hygiene, sustainability and reduced maintenance.

 www.delabie.co.uk  01491 824449

Challenging perceptions Contrary to popular belief, direct flush toilets can replace cisternflush toilets in refurbishment projects. If the header pipe is close to the installation, only the branch pipe run needs to be changed in the majority of cases. Although the methodology for calculating pipe sizes for cistern-flush is

Working components are concealed behind the actuator plate

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Focus & Innovation

SHAPING ACCESSIBLE TOILETS

Closomat is now the country’s biggest supplier and installer of Changing Places facilities

New build and refurbishment projects involving outlets open to the public can be as accessible as possible – despite shape and size issues.

C

losomat has pulled together a range of resources to enable building designers and managers to open their (toilet) doors to disabled people. The company’s Changing Places project management service means that compliant, useable assisted wheelchair-accessible toilets – aka Changing Places – can potentially be provided, even if the space is not a regular shape, nor the specified 12m2.

Explains Claire Haymes, Closomat Away From Home Co-ordinator: “On paper, a Changing Places typical layout is 3 x 4m, and should include specific fixtures – such as a ceiling track hoist, height adjustable changing bench, WC, washbasin, privacy screen.

All building designers and operators know the issues of balancing the practical reality of a physical building with a design.

40

“We know – via campaigners – of facilities that have been designed and constructed to the specification, yet have been unuseable. It can be things as simple as a ceiling track hoist not reaching the fixtures it needs to, or a ceiling being too low to physically use the hoist.

“By comparison, we have achieved useable assisted, accessible toilets in rooms that, on paper, are too small, yet adjoined an unused space which could be annexed to meet the size required, or that are an irregular shape but could still be correctly configured.

“Because we have completed so many Changing Places that have been fully compliant for all involved (including users), we know, from practical experience, how to achieve a practical, useable facility even where one would have thought it impossible. We have even suggested alternative solutions

Closomat knows, from practical experience, how to achieve a practical, useable facility even where one would have thought it impossible

to what they envisaged, that have saved the client time, effort and money.

“Our expertise and experience are unrivalled, and reinforced by a full CDM compliant project management service. The combination means that, in house, we can offer the best solution to optimising accessibility – at least as far as toilets are concerned.”

Closomat is today the UK’s leading provider of toilet solutions that enable people to be independent and dignified at home and away. It is now the country’s biggest supplier and installer of Changing Places facilities, and counterpart Space to Change and hygiene rooms.

Its website www.clos-o-mat. com has become the ‘go to’ resource for assisted, accessible toilet considerations, hosting NBS specification clauses, CAD blocks, typical layouts, and white papers.

Closomat is unique in that, in-house, it can deliver a complete project management service, and subsequent service/maintenance. Its Changing Places record includes providing facilities for brands such as IKEA, JD Wetherspoon, Moto, Roadchef, Morrisons, and intu.

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

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Doors & Windows

BESPOKE NEW CONSERVATORY FOR CHARITY COMPLEX

Sidey removed and replaced existing windows with Solartherm Reversible and Casement Windows

Steve Hardy, Joint Managing Director at Sidey in Scotland, was delighted to help transform a tired old building into a new residential complex for autistic adults. to provide A project specialist housing for autistic adults in Scotland opened earlier this year – thanks to Sidey.

New windows, doors and a bespoke conservatory has transformed Founders House, a residential complex run by Scottish Autism.

Scotland’s strongest fenestration partner, Sidey, carried out a scheme of renovation work for Marshall Construction – and the results were amazing.

The eight-month project at Founders House has created six self-contained flats, all with ensuite shower rooms.

Sidey removed and replaced existing windows with Solartherm Reversible and Casement Windows, transforming the old building.

As part of the refurbishment, new specialist composite doors,

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French doors, patio doors and aluminium doors were fitted.

At the back of the residential development, Sidey supplied and installed fire doors as well as a spacious conservatory.

As part of the renovation, all PVCu profiles were extruded to BS 12608 and all Solartherm windows quoted met 1.2Wm2K u-values.

To achieve maximum safety, locking systems were fitted to all windows – endorsed by Secured by Design, a Police crime prevention initiative. Window restrictors were also fitted to keep residents safe and secure.

Scottish Autism was set up in 1968 by a group of parents to help youngsters diagnosed with autism to lead full and enriched lives. At the beginning of 2018, it announced plans to open Founders House to celebrate its 50th anniversary year. The project took eight months to complete.

Paul Watson, Project Contractor for Marshall Construction, says: “The building was empty before Scottish Autism announced plans to create a new residential complex.

“I think it was built in about 2000. When I went to look at the job, there was a lot of work involved. All internal walls had to be taken down and repositioned, and amongst other things, it needed a whole new drainage system.

“It had been used as a home for older people before the charity acquired the building and started talking about developing it.”

Paul says Sidey was picked to fit new windows and doors and create a new conservatory for the residents at Founders House, because the company was “expert”.

He says: “From start to finish, the renovation work was very smooth. It was a lengthy project and everyone was very busy, and the workmanship was brilliant.”

“Sidey is expert when it comes to windows and doors. We asked Sidey to get involved because we knew the company would be able to handle a job like this. In this area, Sidey certainly stands out as being professional and efficient.”

 www.sidey.co.uk  info@sidey.co.uk  01783 634803

At the back of the residential development, Sidey supplied and installed fire doors as well as a spacious conservatory

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Doors & Windows

FD30 AND FD60 FIRE AND SECURITY DOORSET SOLUTIONS Winkhaus helps composite doorset suppliers to comply with both Security and Fire regulations.

specialist H ardware Winkhaus illustrates how its Fire and Security doorset – test evidence solution achieved using a combination of its AV2 or AV3 auto locking system with industry leading composite doorsets – will help specifiers and fabricators meet the Secured by Design (SBD) – Guide for Selecting Flat Entrance Doorsets requirements related to Fire, Smoke and Security performance.

The SBD guidance document follows the MHCLG Government advice note 16, point 19 which highlights the importance of third-party certification by a UKAS-accredited body providing building owners and landlords with greater assurance of doorset performance.

44

Winkhaus has invested extensively in fire and security test evidence to achieve both Q Mark Fire and Q Mark Security thirdparty dual certification scheme compliance on the same door.

This test evidence in line with the latest SBD and MHCLG guidelines has been collated and housed

by Winkhaus within a ‘Field of Application Document’ and a Q Mark third-party certification scheme, meaning that fabricators can use this evidence to manufacture doors to these standards providing they sign up for the Dual Fire and Security Q Mark Certification schemes.

The Part Q Security requirements of the UK Building Regulations add considerable pressure on a manufacturing business. The Part Q requirement requires all doors supplied to

projects that require planning permission to have achieved the PAS24 security standard.

CE Marking regulations for external fire doorsets are imminent (co-existence period until November 2019). The regulation stipulates that all fire doors should comply with the more onerous EN 1634 fire and smoke test requirement, as opposed to the original BS 476-22 compliance. CE Marking also requires that doors are manufactured with third-partyaudited factory production control or ‘certification scheme’.

As CE Marking falls into the responsibility of those placing the product on the market, fabricators could be faced with a long period of costly testing.

The Winkhaus Fire and Security doorset – Dual Fire and Security

Q Mark Certification scheme test evidence solution will considerably reduce both the fabricator’s costs and time spent to achieve compliance.

Winkhaus has introduced FireFrame, a low-maintenance, fully finished frame system (no painting required) for composite doorset solutions designed for FD30 and FD60 Dual Fire and Security Q Mark Certification compliance.

FireFrame has been tested with the Winkhaus range of AV2 and AV3 auto locking systems, options include FD30 and FD60 composite single doorset assemblies up to 2800mm high with optional fan light glazing.

The Winkhaus fire and security doorset solutions using the Winkhaus AV2 or AV3 range of multipoint auto-locks are available as an off-the-shelf fully tested solution for both fabricators and specifiers to choose an easy route to achieving the Secured by Design – Guide for Selecting Flat Entrance Doorsets performance requirement related to Fire, Smoke and Security assured compliance.

 www.winkhaus.com  marketing@winkhaus.co.uk  01536 316091

Focus & Innovation

Fuzl uses WISA Multiwall, a birch plywood, which is supplied in the UK by Advanced Technical Panels (ATP), part of the James Latham Group

INNOVATIVE FURNITURE DESIGN FOR UNIVERSITY Students, staff and visitors to York St John University’s London campus have been wowed by the recently installed furniture, which fits perfectly with the university’s own personality and ethos.

by Fuzl, using M anufactured its innovative, patented, flat-pack system, it uses WISA Multiwall, the robust, sustainable, polypropylene laminate birch plywood, which is supplied in the UK by Advanced Technical Panels (ATP), part of the James Latham Group. The functional, yet stylish clip-lock concept has been used to create a number of striking tables, chairs and bookshelves for the launchpad careers area of the campus.

Developed by Furniture Designer, Oliver Theobald, Fuzl is all about simple and functional design. All of the furniture is made in the UK, which he believes gives the company a real point of difference. Easy to assemble, it is ‘no-fuss’ furniture that clips together, so, there are no screws, no plastic, no inserts, no glues and no tools required. And because it uses solid plywood, the furniture

Developed by Furniture Designer, Oliver Theobald, Fuzl is all about simple and functional design

46

is also extremely durable and long-lasting, allowing it to be repurposed and transformed.

Much of the furniture for York St John University’s London campus was designed and manufactured specifically for the spaces in which it is situated and was the result of a collaborative process between Oliver and the university team.

Oliver explained: “It needed to be simple and stylish as well as versatile and multi-

functional, as it is regularly moved about to create different spaces and formats for teaching as well as to accommodate different types of events.

“WISA Multiwall was the perfect solution for this brief and ticked all of the boxes, both for us and the university.

It’s an amazing high-quality birch plywood which, as well as looking great, is uniform, stable and robust, and is FSC-certified from sustainable European forests. It is coated on both faces with a tough, decorative polypropylene laminate and the edges are sealed with acrylic resin paint which means no finishing is required. The material arrives, you machine it and the furniture goes together.”

Oliver continued: “James Latham were an excellent supplier to deal with, they were extremely professional, dependable, efficient and always on hand to give advice; plus we had complete confidence in both theirs and the product’s environmental credentials, which is very important for us and our client.”

Available in a range of seven colours, WISA Multiwall, which is manufactured in Estonia

by Finnish company UPM, is available in the UK through James Latham’s nationwide network of depots. It is suitable for a wide range of demanding applications including structural end uses, plus it also has good UV-resistance, is hygienic and easy to clean.

As well as 18mm Black, Yellow and White WISA Multiwall, James Latham also supplied FSC-certified, BB/BB Grade birch plywood to Fuzl which was used for the project.

Stephanie Plaster, a member of ATP’s Technical Plywood sales team, commented: “It is always great to see our products being used in innovative and original ways.

The WISA Multiwall tables and chairs look fantastic and show just what can be created using sustainably sourced high-spec, quality prefinished European birch plywood.”

 www.lathamtimber.co.uk  marketing@lathams.co.uk  0116 257 3415

Rooflight solutions support college upgrade project Holy Cross College in Bury, Manchester, has undergone a period of renovation and extension to provide upgraded facilities for its students. Two X-Span canopies, thermally-enhanced selfsupporting rooflights, were specified over the student walkways with 25mm, five-wall X-structured protected polycarbonate providing the glazing solution. This allowed natural light to penetrate into the student circulation area and access to the coffee shop.

In addition, two X3 rooflights were specified in the main building. Both had double glazed glass, argon-filled units providing enhanced thermal protection.

 www.xtralite.co.uk  sales@xtralite.co.uk  01670 354157

Generations of schoolchildren have attended St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Willesden so when a fire destroyed its roof, it was a blow to both the current students and its community. When selecting the right roof tiles for the re-build, it was vital to find one that matched its Edwardian predecessors to return the building to its former glory. Ideal for this role, BMI Redland Rosemary Clay Classic tiles were selected by architect firm Wilby & Burnett. Like St Joseph’s, the Rosemary Clay tile has a long and distinguished history that stretches back over 180 years. BMI Redland’s range of Rosemary Plain Clay Tiles come in a range of eight weathered, brindled and single colours which mellow naturally over time.

Focus & Innovation

Returning St Joseph’s School to its former glory

 www.bmigroup.com/uk  marketingukandi@bmigroup.com  01908 015760

Flagship customers feeling benefit of renewable heating project Residents of Quayside Court in Lakenheath, Suffolk, are enjoying warm homes with significantly lower heating bills, thanks to a new communal ground source heat pump. In partnership with East Anglia’s largest heating company, Gasway Services, part of Flagship Group, Norfolk-based renewable heating expert Finn Geotherm has completed yet another district heating system.

The new district heating scheme uses one central ground source heat pump system to provide heating and hot water for all homes on the estate. Heat is collected from under the ground via 14 boreholes installed beneath the parking area, and two Lämpöässä EMI 43 ground source heat pumps generate all the heating and hot water for each home.

 www.finn-geotherm.co.uk

 info@finn-geotherm.co.uk

 01953 453240

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Focus & Innovation

Insulate and save on energy costs with an EWI system from Fassa With a wide variety of external render systems available to the public sector for new builds and refurbishments, it’s vital to consider key factors such as energy efficiency and insulation when making a final decision to save on ongoing costs.

Showerwall Project launches new brochure Showerwall’s Project bathroom wall panelling brochure has been revamped to highlight the benefits of the system to specifiers for the social housing, student accommodation and care home sectors. The updated brochure, which boasts a contemporary new design, includes helpful graphics that demonstrate how Showerwall’s large-format panels offer installation time and cost-saving benefits compared to tiling. The hard-wearing panels can be installed in less than a day compared with two days to tile the same space, while materials and labour costs are reduced by up to 80%. The Showerwall system also offers significant maintenance benefits over tiling and these are also highlighted in the brochure. The watertight panels can simply be wiped clean with a cloth, while the hygienic, grout-free surface means there are no hiding places for mould, dirt or germs. The Sureseal system ensures four points of cover at the base of the panel and is completely maintenance-free, and the need to replace chipped or cracked tiles is completely eliminated.

 www.showerwall.co.uk  info@showerwall.co.uk  0845 604 7334

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A popular external wall insulation (EWI) system for public sector builds from schools and colleges through to local council offices, Fassatherm from Italian render specialist Fassa Bortolo, is ideal for keeping a building insulated, saving energy and reducing the risk of damp through condensation.

Made up of an insulation board, reinforcing mesh coats and a finishing render, the insulation is often either mineral wool or expanded polystyrene (EPS) with different thickness of insulation available depending on the U-value required.

The Fassatherm system can be fixed to a multitude of substrates, making it versatile within most build projects and is applied to the building exterior to maximise the area inside, saving valuable space.

Choosing the correct system is a decision that should be made during the design and refurbishment process with Fassa specialists on hand to offer expert advice on which system should be used, including insulation and finish thickness.

 www.fassabortolo.co.uk  01684 212272

Cistermiser unveils new-look Combimate website Combimate, Cistermiser’s proven limescale prevention device, is presented on a new website (combimate.co.uk); designed to appeal to housing specifiers, installers and homeowners. Benefits of phosphate dosing are explained, with FAQs and user guides to ensure that consumers get the most out of their Combimate, which is commonly installed to prevent limescale in hard water areas; but will also reduce the effects of soft water corrosion. “Our new Combimate website is fully-responsive, so it looks great on all device formats including mobiles and tablets,” says Cistermiser’s Marketing Manager, Mark Schlotel. “The improved webstore functionality is a big step forward. We now offer increased payment options with rapid emailing of order acknowledgments back to purchasers. Homeowner customers who have previously registered an installed Combimate for extended warranty cover can also conveniently purchase their Combiphos refill pack online at a special discount price.”

 www.combimate.co.uk  sales@combimate.co.uk  0118 969 1611

Zaun pushes CPD to specifiers Steel fencing manufacturer Zaun is increasing its efforts to educate security consultants, specifiers and architects in the latest technologies available to design into buildings, venues and public spaces to protect the public. In just four months, experts from Zaun will be delivering both RIBA and Security Institute approved CPD workshops from London to the North East to half a dozen different audiences, culminating in early December at the International Security Expo at Kensington Olympia. The sessions are designed for security professionals who are determined to keep their learning going throughout their careers and upgrading their knowledge with the latest thinking on security – and operate on the classic CPD points system.

 www.zaun.co.uk  sales@zaun.co.uk  01902 796699

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has re-granted Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream from Safeguard Europe ‘verified’ status in respect of its role in helping improve the energy efficiency of external masonry in buildings. In an EST Product Performance Verification report from August 2019, the organisation confirms three primary claims by Safeguard about Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream, namely that: it inhibits the absorption of water by masonry; will continue to inhibit water ingress despite exposure to severe weather, including sunlight exposure and freezing temperatures; and helps improve the energy efficiency of dwellings by reducing heat loss, leading to lower heating requirements.

 www.safeguardeurope.com

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Focus & Innovation

Energy Saving Trust renews Safeguard’s Stormdry ‘verified’ status

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Focus & Innovation

Accessible, adaptable bathrooms

As the Government is urged to make accessible, adaptable housing mandatory within Local Plans, public and private sector housing developers are being offered a simple way to achieve it.

Leading social provider Habinteg is lobbying the Government to ensure more new homes meet the Building Regulations Approved Document M4(2) baseline.

Closomat, Britain’s leading provider of accessible toilet and bathroom fixtures, says it is not hard for homes to be built to meet the M4(2) criteria, especially in the bathroom. “The bathroom is perhaps the most important room in a home that is accessible,” says Robin Tuffley, Closomat Marketing Manager. “It is the room most frequently adapted, and the toilet the fixture most commonly altered.

"Yet a little thought at the initial design stage, and little extra cost during construction, could ensure it is both appropriate for all occupants’ needs, even if those needs are different, and easily adaptable.

“Tiny changes to a design before a brick is laid – level access, space to manoeuvre a wheelchair, a peninsular WC, walls strong enough to support grab rails under load – can make it a bathroom fit for life, and deliver new housing that meets the needs of our increasingly elderly and disabled population now, and for the future. That saves money in the long term, reducing the requirement for retrospective, disruptive and often compromised, alteration and adaptation.”

It points out that currently only 7% of homes in England meet the basic ‘visitable’ criteria, yet there are almost 14 million disabled people in the UK.

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

Lifecycle of fire doors extended with Yeoman Shield

The ultimate choices in work trousers New styles, new designs and Snickers Workwear’s most advanced work trousers yet – with four-way stretch. There’s the Flexiwork 2.0 trousers, designed for craftsmen who want nothing but the best.

Then there’s the ‘loose-fit’ AllroundWork stretch trousers with a classic Snickers Workwear look and feel, plus the new FlexiWork Denim Work Trousers where Workwear meets Streetwear in these slim-fitting work trousers made of washed stretch denim. Also take a look at the new regular-fit RUFFWork Canvas+ heavy duty trousers. But the ladies will definitely have a close eye on the ALLroundWork women's stretch trousers, specially designed and shaped to fit the female anatomy with a narrower waist for optimal comfort and freedom of movement.

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

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The FM company of a large Yorkshire hospital engaged with wall and door protection specialist Yeoman Shield to resolve the unsightly and problematic damage that was occurring to fire doors in a busy specialist unit. Yeoman Shield was able to provide a comprehensive fire-rated door protection system, which when installed does not affect the fire integrity, to help combat and break the damage cycle, helping to prolong the life of the doors. Door edge protectors, either FD60 or FD30, according to a door’s rating, were installed to the vulnerable leading and hinged edges of the door to prevent chipping and splintering and helping to maintain the recommended 3mm gap between doors and frames.

 www.yeomanshield.com

 sallyann@yeomanshield.com

 0113 279 5854

Stand alone energy saving controls for heating and cooling

Danlers manufactures a range of quality controls for switching a variety of HVAC loads – the switches are wall mounted, hard wired and easy to install. This range automatically turns the load off after a selected time period has elapsed. Designed for use with immersion heaters and heated towel rails. Versions are available with different time settings plus options for switching air conditioning loads. These controls combine an adjustable room thermostat with a passive infra-red person detector.

If somebody is present in the room, the heating unit is switched on to achieve the selected thermostat temperature. If nobody is present, the room temperature is allowed to fall to a setback temperature. Also available for cooling loads.

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