PSBJ September 21 by Red Hut Media Ltd

Public Sector Build Journal September 2021

Healthcare

Education

Five creative ways to increase new social housing stock

Leisure

psbjmagazine.com

Issue 109

PROVIDING RICHER LEARNING SETTINGS The importance and benefits of integrating educational environments within community facilities

Housing

Can digital systems make late payments a thing of the past?

A closer look at the product innovation behind GRP fire doors

Creating safe spaces to live, work & learn

Call 01588 674 340 www.toughfurniture.com | sales@toughfurniture.com Tough Furniture Ltd

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WELCOME NOTE

Editor

Hannah Woodger

hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Rebecca Kemp

rebecca@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 Matt Morse

matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Accounts

William Tonkinson, MD of Deanestor, looks at the importance and benefits of integrating educational environments within community facilities. See page 24.

Rachel Pike

rachel@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Sales Support & Statistics

Klare Ball

klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Publisher Sam Ball

sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Welcome to the September issue of PSBJ... As the Government addresses its coronavirus recovery strategy, with a ‘build back better’ approach, when it comes to the infrastructure pillar, it’s clear that modern methods of construction (MMC) go a long way to support this ambitious target. With the healthcare sector under increasing pressure to respond to the huge backlog of appointments and patients deferred due to the pandemic, facilities are arguably no longer fit for purpose to meet these demands.

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Fast-track healthcare projects are in desperate need, but are easily answered with a methodical, systematic process that can only be found in offsite construction. In this month’s issue, we hear from MMC building specialist, MTX Contracts, which shines a light on how MMC can increase efficiency and heighten safety on site, whilst also delivering quality, fit-for-purpose buildings. Turn to page 14 to read more.

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In this edition’s Upfront, the team from the Grange University Hospital has put much of this project’s success, in terms of timescales and budget, down to MMC. From reducing material waste and construction traffic through to the order in which lorries were loaded and offloaded, offsite manufacturing allowed for “unprecedented levels of efficiency and precision”. Turn to page 08 to learn more about this new model of healthcare delivery. Elsewhere, the Brick Development Association discusses how to reduce the issues of materials shortages when choosing clay bricks, Distinction Doors details the progress being made in the manufacture and supply of GRP composite fire doors, and Deanestor – PSBJ’s cover story – looks at the importance and benefits of integrating educational environments within community facilities.

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

Hannah

Hannah Woodger • Editor • hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Find us on Social Media:      @psbjmagazine

CONTENTS

06 News

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

08 Upfront

Grange University Hospital (previously known as the Specialist and Critical Care Centre) is the centrepiece of a new model of healthcare delivery, serving over 600,000 people.

12 Leisure

National contractor Willmott Dixon has recently completed work on the new and improved Warwick Arts Centre, situated on the University of Warwick’s campus.

14 Healthcare

18 Bricks & Blocks

22 Legal & Business

16 Housing

20 Canopies & Shelters

24 Education

David Hartley, MD at MTX Contracts, shares more about how modular construction can fast-track healthcare projects, increase efficiency and heighten safety on site.

Simon Ince of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) reflects on how social housing providers can prepare ahead of the eagerlyanticipated Building Safety Bill.

The Brick Development Association talks about the issues of material shortages in the construction sector and how to reduce or avoid them when choosing clay bricks.

Canopies are an affordable way to provide shelter wherever it’s needed. In schools, this can help to extend space for learning and dining, as Canopies UK explains.

Can digital systems make late payments a thing of the past? Director at Sypro and NEC4 Co-Author, Dr Stuart Kings, talks about ensuring fair and prompt payments.

William Tonkinson, MD of Deanestor, looks at the importance and benefits of integrating educational environments within community facilities.

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CONTENTS

26 Talking Point

Jamie Johnson, CEO of FJP Investment, shares with PSBJ five creative opportunities to increase new social housing stock in the UK.

28 Fire Protection

Will the global materials shortages and delays affect fire protection? Key building materials see rising demand, but worryingly are in very short supply.

30 Technical Focus

A CIF-funded roof refurb project at Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham addressed poor drainage and three failing roof areas using a roofing system from CCM.

32 Doors, Windows & Balustrades

Dave Walker, Technical Director of Distinction Doors, details the progress being made in the manufacture and supply of GRP composite fire doors.

30 34 Product Showcase

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

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NEWS

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

Academy completion brings 1150 Groundbreaking eco new pupil places to Birmingham leisure facility plans approved More than 1000 new school places have been created in Yardley Wood, Birmingham, thanks to the completion of a brand-new secondary academy school. Christ Church, Church of England, Secondary Academy, which is due to welcome pupils this month, has been built by the Department for Education (DfE) to create an additional 1150 school places for the region. Designed by architecture firm CPMG Architects and delivered by contractor Willmott Dixon, the new £19m, three-storey school includes facilities to accommodate 900 secondarylevel pupils, and a further 250 students in the sixth form. The new building comprises a pick-up and drop-off area for pupils, a sports hall, two full-size football pitches and one FA-standard 3G pitch. Traditional materials have been used in a contemporary manner to create a clean and simple aesthetic, whilst providing robustness and ease of maintenance, including a concrete raft ground floor, traditional brick and block wall construction with a feature of render and facade cladding to express the academy’s identity. Sara Harraway, Director at CPMG Architects, said: “We worked very closely with the school while developing the design, establishing a design concept based around the trust’s values and the school’s branding. This has seen the introduction of a neutral colour palette, interspersed with bursts of signature blue and yellow feature elements.”

Beard starts work on St John’s College historic library refurbishment Oxford-based construction firm Beard is set to start work on the third and final phase of a major refurbishment of a historic library, within the grounds of one of the UK’s most important architectural sites. The family-run firm, which specialises in the education sector, will be on site at St John’s College, Oxford, to start work on the £10m project to refurbish the Old Library and Laudian Library located in the Canterbury Quadrangle. The site is not only world famous as a seat of learning but also Grade 1 Listed as it is one of the few remaining examples in the UK of the High Baroque architectural style, dating back to the early 17th century. Beard was appointed due to the quality of work and faultless delivery for phase one of the project, and its track record in the wider education sector. The final phase of work is expected to be finished by early 2023 and consists of refurbishment of the college’s existing Laudian Library and Old Library, with remodelling of an area known as the Paddy Room under the Old Library. The Paddy Room area underwent a refurbishment in the 1970s, which will be removed as part of the new work, to reinstate the rooms that existed previously.

A revolutionary eco-friendly leisure centre, which is on track to be one of the first wet and dry Passivhaus-certified leisure centres in the world, has been given the go-ahead after designs submitted by sports and leisure expert GT3 Architects and Passivhaus designer Gale & Snowden were approved. Located in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, the groundbreaking leisure facility has been designed with sustainability and wellbeing at its core. As a result, GT3 and Gale & Snowden Architects are also working closely with national governing bodies, including Sport England, around the lessons learnt and the data coming out of this facility with a view to providing documentation around what is needed to create Passivhaus and healthy buildings within the leisure industry. The building also features a wide range of modern facilities, including rooftop 3G sports pitches, competitive, learner and splash swimming pools, mini spa, sports hall, gym and flexible studio space, soft play, Clip ‘n Climb, cafe with poolside viewing and more. Mark Gowdridge, Director at GT3 Architects, said: “We’re delighted that the plans have been given the green light and we’re able to start taking this fantastic project forwards. Sustainability defines the design on this project and a Passivhaus-certified design will result in energy and cost savings of up to 60%, which is a huge cost reduction over the building’s lifecycle.”

TopHat secures place on Building Better framework Goldman Sachs-backed modular housing firm TopHat has secured a place on the Building Better framework. The Building Better framework, supported by the National Housing Federation and delivered by Procurement for Housing, is a strategic alliance of housing associations working together to realise the benefits of offsite manufacturing. TopHat has secured ‘Lot 1’ of the framework and will deliver homes under its ‘turnkey’ solution – whereby TopHat will undertake the groundwork, develop the site and deliver the homes from its factory in South Derbyshire where they are manufactured along production lines. The framework is designed to provide members with access to a single provider, in this case, TopHat, capable of supplying a full range of housing and apartment solutions through a variety of delivery methods, ranging from supply only to full turnkey provision. The Building Better framework comes as housing associations move away from traditional housebuilding and towards modern methods of construction that can deliver homes in half the time and are up to 70% more sustainable.

NEWS

Wates launches new healthcare team as it drives future expansion The Input Group boosts travel and leisure with six completed schemes The Input Group is celebrating the completion of six developments across the Midlands and Yorkshire – including Sheffield, Castleford and Market Harborough railway stations, Sheffield Meadowhall Interchange and two new Orangetheory Fitness studios – helping to bolster the hard-hit leisure and travel sectors. The projects, which are part of the specialist contractor’s large portfolio of leisure and transport projects across the region, required a range of installation works to create and improve public facilities. Chris Monk, Managing Director at The Input Group, said: “As a Derby-based business, we have a lot of links to the region, so we find it really fulfilling when we complete projects in the Midlands and surrounding areas that help to support and grow the local economy. Both the travel and leisure sectors are industries that suffered throughout the pandemic, so helping to create and improve facilities that encourage public spend to re-boost these industries is incredibly important to The Input Group.”

The Wates Group has announced the appointment of a new senior team focused on expanding the group’s work in healthcare construction. The team will be headed by Simon Kydd. He will be joined by Bonnie Chu as Healthcare Design Director and Scott Machin as Healthcare Bid Manager. The team, which will report to Group Public Sector Director Steve Beechey, will be joined by a framework manager to be announced soon. The family-owned construction, property services and residential development business is experienced in delivering specialised projects in the healthcare sector, with recently-completed projects including the £79.9m renovation of the headquarters of the Royal College of Surgeons in London; a 72-bed mental health facility, Foss Park Hospital, for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust; world-leading clinical facilities at the Quadram Institute in Norwich; and a 176-bed Intensive Care Unit for the Royal London Hospital, completed last year in just five weeks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for St Barts NHS Hospital Trust. With its unique integrated offer, combining the engineering expertise of its Coventry-based offsite manufacturing facility, Prism, coupled with its construction, property management and refurbishment businesses, Wates is focused on addressing some of the key challenges facing the healthcare sector.

Health sector boost for Triton Construction

Morgan Sindall Construction builds on sustainability commitment

Triton Construction has completed four healthcare projects with a total contract value of £3m over the last 12 months as it reports strong growth within the sector. Its portfolio of health and social care projects account for 14% of turnover for the financial year to March 2021 and that is projected to rise to 20% in the current financial year. Paul Clarkson, Managing Director at Triton Construction, said: “We are pleased to continue our successful record in securing great projects across all areas of the health sector for which we offer full turnkey solutions in construction, fit-out and external works. Considerable investment continues to be made to improve healthcare facilities nationwide and our expertise and credentials continue to deliver a strong pipeline of projects in a core sector for Triton.” Triton has recently handed over a new £1.1m state-ofthe-art medical centre and pharmacy at The Globe, a historic mill building in Huddersfield. It has just completed internal refurbishment works for NHS PS Tarleton Health Centre in Preston, as well as a programme of phased extensions and refurbishment of the Bangor Street Health Resource Centre in Blackburn, to allow the merger of two practices and double its patient capacity.

Work has started on the ambitious £13.5m regeneration of Leicester’s St Margaret’s bus station and its surrounding streets, which will provide greener travel for the area. Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed by Leicester City Council to create a striking new building to replace the old bus station and create more attractive routes for pedestrians and cyclists as part of a major scheme to revamp the city centre. The initial stages of construction work on the new St Margaret’s Bus Station are now underway. The new bus station building will have glazed walls and feature a curved aluminium roof that appears to float above the main concourse hall. Bus passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned and improved internal layout with a new cafe, better seating, modern toilets complete with a new Changing Places accessible toilet, and real-time digital passenger information. There will also be increased capacity for national and regional bus services, with the number of bays increased from 18 to 24. Richard Frape, Project Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “The new station will make a real impact on the lives of people in Leicester. It will improve commutes while also creating better transport connections with other parts of the UK; all whilst reducing carbon emissions through the use of electric buses.”

UPFRONT All images ©BDP / Michael Whitestone

THE LANDSCAPE OF CRITICAL CARE A super hospital that blends into the landscape may sound like the definition of the impossible, but that was the design approach for the Grange University Hospital, Gwent, conceived and delivered by global interdisciplinary design practice BDP, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary. new 560-bed specialist T hecritical care hospital, situated five miles north of Newport, opened in November last year four months ahead of schedule, under budget and in time to play its part in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Set amongst the sweeping hills to the east of Cwmbran, the state-of-the-art facility is specially designed to maximise efficiency whilst offering a calm and pleasant environment for patients, staff and visitors, with a view – literally – to speeding up recovery time and attracting the best talent. This new critical care facility, delivered under the Welsh Assembly Government’s Designed for Life Strategy – which sets a long-term framework for improving National Health Services – provides specialist treatment for the most critically ill patients with the most complex needs. The facility has 15 wards and 434 inpatient ward beds in total, the vast majority in single en-suite rooms, plus 11

operating theatres including two obstretric theatres, a 24hour acute assessment unit and an emergency department. The system and building are designed around minimising length of stay, specifically for the period requiring critical intervention, in order to discharge people back to local hospitals, care facilities or home as quickly as possible.

Moving with the times More than a decade in the making from concept to completion, which is, of course, relatively fast for a complex medical facility at the centre of a regional healthcare system, devising and delivering a flexible, adaptable design was fundamental. Creating a facility that can evolve with advances in treatment and care, adapt to a population’s changing healthcare needs and enable continuous improvement and system transformation is the only way to ensure to deliver a hospital capable of standing the test of time.

Flexibility to adapt to design, technology and construction changes over the course of a decade is also hugely important and applies not only to medical treatment and technologies. For example, energy supply has changed significantly in terms of systems of provision and environmental impact. At the start of this project, biomass boilers were the sustainable solution of choice. By the time the hospital was being built, combined heat and power was the way forward with biomass no longer the power source of choice. At the other end of the scale, light fittings were switched to far more energy-efficient LEDs, which had become commercially viable during the lifetime of the project.

Direction of travel The BDP team used its experience and expertise in healthcare design, following landmark hospital projects across the UK including Southmead Hospital, Bristol and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham to build on NHS guidelines in areas such as space and ergonomics, to create facilities designed around optimising patient flow and experience. Allowed greater freedom in design as a result of the NHS’ recent Designed for Life Framework, which aims to capitalise on supply chain expertise and learning, BDP was able to transfer learning and experience to incorporate the most up-to-date design and technologies.

UPFRONT The layout of repeated, single en-suite bedrooms clustered around nursing stations has the advantage of enabling maximum vantage and monitoring of patients whilst maintaining privacy. In addition, this configuration reduces staff travel time between patients allowing them to increase time spent directly with people in their care. Similarly, the hospital’s intensive care department consists of single rooms separated by glass screens, allowing nurses to monitor two patients simultaneously. Circulation of staff, patients and visitors is fully considered and designed into the layout of the building. Visitors traverse north-south through the ground floor from the main entrance directly through to visitor lounges around the ward accommodation, thereby avoiding diagnostic and treatment facilities – a feature that has come into its own in the face of a pandemic. This layout allows patients to journey to and from the inpatient to diagnostic and treatment zones, often several times a day for various interventions, whilst avoiding the crossflow with visitors. As a result, hospital streets can be used exclusively for patient movement away from visitors, helping to maintain privacy and dignity.

Modern methods Working for an ‘expert client’ and as part of a supplier framework are two aspects that can contribute greatly to success in terms of reduced timescales and keeping budgets on track. The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the NHS in Wales more broadly have significantly invested in skills so that they are expert customers buying from expert suppliers. The framework is fundamental to that expertise, ensuring teams of architects and designers, project managers, construction engineers and contractors are working together from the outset. It allowed for expert contractor, Laing O’Rourke, to bring its experience of

building hospitals across the UK into the project, rather than each stage happening in isolation with a contractor being brought in too late to inform designs. Conversations and knowledge sharing took place much earlier. Its expertise in offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction (MMC), for example, helped inform and develop the design. At the outset of this project, MMC was in its formative stages. Every element was effectively a prototype. But Laing O’Rourke brought a great deal of learning from the delivery of two other major hospitals at Alder Hey and Dumfries & Galloway. From reducing material waste and construction traffic on site down to the order in which to load and unload lorries, offsite manufacturing of large component parts of the hospital allowed for unprecedented levels of efficiency and precision. There are a wide range of MMC components including precast stairs and bathroom pods, loadbearing facade cladding panels incorporating preinstalled windows, precast concrete columns, precast concrete sheer walls and vertical services riser modules. Project leads put much of the success in terms of timescales and budget down to the use of MMC and the in-depth modelling processes it involves.

Set in the natural landscape From the setting and orientation of the hospital within the natural landscape to the size of the bedroom windows, maximising views of the surrounding countryside has been at the heart of the Grange Hospital’s design. The building sits on the brow of the hill allowing expansive views and drawing the landscape up to the building. The hospital links to the original, listed Grange building and its walled garden, now adopted and cultivated by local volunteer groups. 

UPFRONT

Large windows flood patient bedrooms with natural light – proven to have a positive impact on wellbeing and recovery – and, where possible, natural ventilation is enabled in inpatient areas.

Stacked in the patient’s favour Designed around reducing patient and staff travel, the core functional zones – inpatient care, diagnostics and treatment, staff support and education – are located horizontally adjacent with stacking of similar accommodation in each zone providing efficiency of build. The central spine of the building provides patient and FM lift cores. This configuration allows for independent but connected superstructures, with shared engineering and services behind each zone. It also offers considerable construction benefits with repeatable stacked templates, engineering services ‘simple vertical stacking’ and allowing for separate construction teams to work alongside each other semi-autonomously, less reliant on the completion of one team’s section before another can begin. Again, this configuration also offers longterm design flexibility – with separate zones capable of adapting independently over time in terms of both treatment and services and technology and equipment. The building is designed to reduce stress through the zoning of staff spaces, which offer multi-disciplinary work zones, teaching spaces and rest areas away from the clinical zones of the hospital.

Bringing people on the journey Ensuring and enabling direct involvement of patients, the public and the clinical staff was fundamental to the project’s success and an area of particular expertise and commitment for design practice BDP. The customer, designers, contractors and suppliers were brought together at the very outset and the same team kept in place throughout, delivering sufficient ‘corporate memory’ to stay the course of the project. Bringing in staff and clinicians early was also crucial. For example, the decision to design in storage at every pod of eight single patient rooms, rather than at the ends of long corridors, was informed by nursing staff who pointed out crucial time lost to gathering medication, equipment and supplies. Helping teams to prepare for transition was also vital. The Grange University Hospital is at the centre of a fully transformed healthcare system, so as well as working in a new building, teams were working with new operational procedures and models of care. The BDP team used virtual reality extensively for interior design reviews, progress monitoring and reporting. A virtual tour website was also created, making the space available virtually in advance, allowing staff to carry out training and familiarisation long before they moved in, and also proving useful for the construction team’s planning and timescales. 

www.bdp.com

LEISURE

WARWICK ARTS CENTRE COMPLETES IN UK’S CITY OF CULTURE National contractor Willmott Dixon has recently completed work on the new and improved Warwick Arts Centre situated on the University of Warwick’s campus.

he Warwick Arts Centre now boasts a large, new building with a number of newly-created spaces including three digital auditoria with high-end digital projection and sound, as well as a ground-floor gallery to exhibit contemporary art, sculpture and photography. The building also features a new foyer offering a larger, more environmentally-friendly and attractive entrance for visitors, in addition to a new restaurant and bar to ensure the complete experience. The project also involved the refurbishment and upgrading of the existing building. The £25.5m investment in Warwick Arts Centre was supported by an award of £4.2m in National Lottery funding from Arts Council England and is a key venue in Coventry’s year of UK City of Culture in 2021. Designed by Ellis Williams Architects with Bond Bryan as delivery architect and project managed by Turner & Townsend, the project aims to make Warwick Arts Centre the region’s leading cultural centre and a place where creativity, collaboration and innovation thrive.

The Warwick Arts Centre features a large, attractive entrance for visitors

Peter Owen, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon, said: “We are very pleased that, after a difficult time for the much-loved arts industry, Warwick Arts Centre will later this year be welcoming audiences back to a space that supports and enhances everything the arts has to offer. The project involved a number of challenges, not least the constraints of a tight site in the middle of campus and the changing requirements related to COVID-19, so a collaborative approach was vital. “We have a strong relationship with the University of Warwick, first established during our work on the university’s Oculus Building, then their Sports Hub and Wellness Centre in 2019, and earlier this year the IBRB. This means we are able to truly understand their campus vision and help make it a reality. “We are very proud to have become a trusted advisor to the university and to have built a relationship which allows us to contribute to the wellbeing and development of not only students but also the people of Warwickshire and beyond.”

LEISURE Throughout the project, the equivalent of £1.8m of social value return on investment was delivered to local people by way of a number of community initiatives. Over 17,000 hours were spent supporting local young people with work experience opportunities, as well as 20 weeks with the university’s civil engineering students. Warwick Arts Centre is now a hybrid consisting of new and old, following the demolition of an existing section of the site. By matching the existing build and bringing together the new elements of the project seamlessly, there are now over 20 different roof levels on the site. Bruce Raw, Birmingham Studio Director at Bond Bryan, said: “We’re delighted to see Warwick Arts Centre completed. Our team are deeply passionate and proud of our growing presence and relationships across the West Midlands and this project has been at the heart of that drive for the last two years. “From start to finish, the project has been a really positive team collaboration between client, end-users, architects, project managers, consultants and the contractor – with everyone all pulling in

the same direction on what has been a very complex project on a constrained site, working closely together to solve challenges.” With the project beginning in 2019, followed by the closure of leisure, arts and entertainment venues for much of the last two years, the venue is all set to welcome audiences for shows beginning from October. Commenting on the completion of Warwick Arts Centre’s redevelopment its Director, Doreen Foster, said: “Today is a fantastic day for Warwick Arts Centre as we are now one step closer to welcoming visitors back to their arts centre. We cannot wait for our audiences to enjoy the experience and make new memories as they engage with the exceptional range of arts and culture that has always been our hallmark, including in our new spaces – such as our new three-screen cinema, restaurant and the reimagined Mead Gallery.” The University of Warwick’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Stuart Croft, said: “Sat right at the heart of our main campus, Warwick Arts Centre has been an integral part of the cultural life of our university and region for almost five

decades. As we celebrate Coventry City of Culture 2021, it is wonderful that Warwick Arts Centre will soon be open again for audiences and visitors to come and enjoy all that it has to offer.” Robert Freeman, Director of Ellis Williams Architects, said: “This is the culmination of many years of planning and working with Warwick Arts Centre and the University of Warwick and we are really excited to see the project completed. “The biggest design challenge we faced was to retain the unique character

and top-light of the original Mead Art Gallery in the new galleries that was much loved by artists, whilst also providing new galleries at ground floor creating more accessibility to audiences and, at the same time, adding the three new large digital auditoria all on the original site. “We are extremely pleased that Willmott Dixon has completed the renewed Warwick Arts Centre in time for it to be part of Coventry City of Culture 2021.” 

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

HEALTHCARE

MMC SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENT’S DRIVE TO ‘BUILD BACK BETTER’ David Hartley, Managing Director at MTX Contracts – the MMC building specialist, shares more about how modular construction can fast-track healthcare projects, increase efficiency and heighten safety on site, whilst also delivering quality, fit-for-purpose buildings. Government’s drive to T he‘build back better’ has increasingly shone a light on the need for more efficiencies and speed in the construction industry, particularly given the recent pressures and demands on the healthcare sector. Modern methods of construction (MMC) offers a number of benefits to both the public and private healthcare sector, and these typically fall into three main categories – speed, cost and efficiency. The availability of highquality modular buildings has provided an effective solution for a healthcare sector faced with increased pressure on funding whilst urgently needing additional facilities. Dependent on the various factors at play, using MMC can cut build times by as much as 50%, when compared to the slower process of traditional construction. A prime example of the speed of delivery was a recent project at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. What would have typically

been a three-year project was compressed into just one, even in the midst of a global pandemic, when disruption was at an all-time high. Despite the fact that overall construction costs are similar when using either a traditional approach or MMC, the speed of delivery provides additional cost benefits. The reduction in build time and the subsequent financial savings associated with that are substantial. The build accuracy and the ability to control more factors with pre-manufactured solutions mean that there is an increased level of cost predictability with MMC, which, particularly in the public sector, means projects can be delivered on budget and in line with funding demands. The nature of volumetric modular construction greatly improves the cost certainty as the superstructure is built up from repeatable steel frames. This type of construction is also inherently lower in carbon, and the efficiency of

offsite construction reduces travel requirements to and from site. The time savings not only make MMC a more efficient option, but also a less disruptive one. Time spent on site is dramatically reduced as the majority of the construction process is done off site, and the first-fix M&E works can also be carried out in the factory. This is particularly beneficial for sites that are based in the heart of a city centre, or for builds that are connecting to existing infrastructure as there is minimal disruption. This is both in terms of the size of the construction site and deliveries to and from the location, as these can be restricted around peak traffic flow times. Given the recent increase in demands on the NHS, this was particularly important of late as it meant they can continue to serve their patients and provide them with the care that they need.

For healthcare sites with limited available ground space, modular construction also offers opportunities that traditional construction simply does not. Modular can offer innovative solutions, with our revolutionary rooftop ward extension at Glenfield Hospital being a prime example. A bespoke, offsite solution ensured the hospital was able to deliver the new wards they needed, without taking up any further ground space. Built on a roof directly above live wards and within a concealed courtyard, inaccessible through the hospital, an engineeringexcellence choice via onsite volumetric construction was the only feasible method. As all-encompassing facilities remained operational throughout the whole construction period, MTX had to ensure minimal disruption to the existing estate infrastructure. Safety is another element of modular that should be taken into account when assessing

HEALTHCARE the benefits of this kind of construction method. With the majority of works carried out in a factory environment, this allows for better health and safety monitoring, as it’s always dry and there is a comfortable temperature and conditions in which to work. Workers can then also go home in the evening, as opposed to being based away, which is better for mental health. With less people on site, there is a reduced risk of accidents associated with overcrowding, contributing to MTX’s accident frequency rate of 0.01% – this is exceptionally low for the industry, and something we’re incredibly proud of. Of course, all sites have different requirements and demands, but on the whole, modern methods of construction is a key driver in supporting the Government in their ambitions to ‘build back better’. 

www.mtxcontracts.co.uk

HOUSING

THE BUILDING SAFETY BILL – THE ROAD TO COMPLIANCE In this article, Simon Ince, Project Engineer at Underwriters Laboratories (UL), reflects on how social housing providers can prepare ahead of the eagerly-awaited Building Safety Bill and outlines why it’s important to start the journey to compliance now. years in the pipeline, the Building Safety Bill A fter was finally laid before Parliament on 5th July. Alongside the additional fire safety laws recently approved by Government, the bill outlines proposals to achieve the biggest improvements to building safety in nearly 40 years. These are very significant and wide-reaching changes. Unsurprisingly then, this is likely to be a worrying and confusing time for social housing providers and safety managers. With such complex changes in motion and still many questions unresolved, how can you begin to know whether you’ll be compliant with the new act when the time comes? The first thing to say is that there is still time. The bill still needs to run its course through Parliament and judging by the toing and froing ahead of the ratification of the recent Fire Safety Act, this could have an extensive timetable, and even after it’s ratified there is expected to be some leeway to allow for compliance. However, this doesn’t mean we can ignore it for now. As it is such a complex piece of legislation, and more importantly, as it focuses on improving safety, it’s crucial to start your compliance journey today. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has been working to develop its knowledge and understanding of what’s expected to be contained in the new regulations – here are some things that may help.

First thing’s first Everything that’s expected to be brought into force – building assurance certificates, safety cases, resident engagement strategies, digital reporting, emergency plans etc. – essentially form a mandatory, enhanced management system. Only those multi-occupied residential buildings over 18m or at least seven storeys (with two residential units) will be in scope of the new regulations, but this may create an issue for those with large portfolios of buildings: a two-tier system of management. For example, will you decide to apply your enhanced management system only to buildings in scope, and continue with the same management for buildings under 18m? What happens with your buildings that may be just

under that threshold? What will the residents think? What will the costs be? Is it practical to run two systems? It’s fair to assume there will be an expectation from residents, building users, staff, investors and other stakeholders that best practice will be applied across portfolios and estates. That could mean a lot of buildings that need to be added to the enhanced management system that are not in scope.

Ensuring conformity of the management system Once you’ve decided where to apply your enhanced management system, the next stage is then convincing the new building safety regulator of its conformity for the regulated portion of your buildings. The regulator will oversee the design and management of buildings, with a focus on ensuring the new regime for higher-risk buildings is enforced effectively and robustly. It will have the power to apply criminal sanctions to building owners who do not follow the regime.

HOUSING Your accountable person will need to collate all the evidence for each building – the safety case, the resident engagement strategy, your building safety manager etc. – and present that evidence to the regulator (which will be expected to be in digital format). This will be time-consuming unless you get it right the first time around. You will then be issued with a building assurance certificate. This forms a promise to the regulator that you will go on to manage that building properly.

Good day-to-day management What the building assurance certificate doesn’t do is outline day-to-day management, and failures in management can still lead to safety critical incidents. This means that you must have good governance and safety management. So how do you confirm that you are conforming to this enhanced management system? The best way, and one way that the Government has suggested in its Conformity Assessment and Accreditation Policy, is thirdparty certification: accredited independent certification. Third-party certification gives surety of compliance, provides stakeholder assurance (most importantly, for residents), allows for continual system improvements, and assures diligence and best practice to reduce risks by identifying non-conformance. In response to this need, UL is developing the Building Safety Management (BSM) Certification Scheme, which will conform to the requirements of ISO 17021-1 2015, and will be an independent audit process to establish that the organisation has a documented fire risk management system, taking due regard of the complexity of the specific building to which the system is to be applied. It will also match the requirements for occupied buildings to the new Building Safety Regulations, as they are expected to be. BSM certification is the first of its kind to help address this regulation.

UL is looking for organisations to pilot this certification service right now, to conduct a gap analysis and to work together to meet the regulations as they emerge. The benefit will be that you also gain complimentary access to UL’s BSM service offering. If you would like to explore working with us to be a pilot organisation, then please write to us at eu.buildinglifesafety@ul.com 

www.ul.org

BRICKS & BLOCKS

CHOOSING AND PROCURING CLAY BRICKS Steve Wharton, Technical Manager of the Brick Development Association, talks about the issues of material shortages in the construction sector and how to reduce or avoid them when choosing clay bricks.

we seem A ttothehearmoment, almost daily

Key things to consider are:

about more and more material shortages as the UK continues to recover and open up after over a year of lockdowns and other restrictions. The additional problems of a shortage of experienced site labour and lorry drivers is also exacerbating the issue. With construction activity levels at a seven-year high, what can we all do to ensure that the materials you need are there when you need them? Common sense prevails and hence, planning and communication are essential to implementing best practice and will help to ensure that the supply of clay bricks for your project does not impact your construction programme. It will also help minimise confusion and make for a more streamlined procurement process. The concept design stage is likely the first point in the project lifecycle, when the project team will consider the specification of the external materials.

Preferred colour, size and texture of the clay brick. Ask for samples, if required. The type and colour of mortar to be used and its profile The brick bonding to be specified such as stretcher, header, Flemish, English, honeycomb or textured Consider whether specialshaped clay bricks and sizes will be required early in the design process. Most clay brick manufacturers produce the full range of special shapes which will complement the facing bricks and provide attractive features. Some of the more commonly-used standard specials are usually stocked but others will frequently be made to order. It is essential that early engagement with the manufacturer takes place to discuss purpose-made nonstandard specials. Due to the different manufacturing process, some specials can have subtle differences from the standard brick. A ‘cut-and-bonded’ specialshaped brick or contrasting colour may be a quicker option.

It may seem early in the process to engage with a clay brick manufacturer or supplier but making key decisions at this stage can help smooth the design and procurement process. Remember that clay bricks are available in thousands of different combinations of colours and textures. There are two main routes of engagement with regards to the initial specification of bricks, either direct to the clay brick manufacturer or through a supplier such as a brick factor or builder’s merchant.

Both options have their positive and negative considerations. The clay brick manufacturers will have a better understanding of their product whereas suppliers will usually be able to provide a range of bricks from multiple manufacturers. Whichever route you decide to follow, a good starting point for procurement is often through local clay brick manufacturers. It is likely that they will have a history of supplying the local area and will be able to provide great knowledge and guidance on a suitable clay brick specification.

BRICKS & BLOCKS Clearly establish the ‘Exposure Zone’ for the brickwork to determine an appropriate specification to ensure suitability for the application Obtain preliminary cost information to source the clay brick options at an appropriate range of values Draft an initial ‘Construction Strategy’ including planning and preliminary start dates Agree on the likely volumes of clay bricks (including a wastage factor) to be used. Ensure that material delivery schedules are supplied and updated as required. A clay brick specification should ideally be narrowed down to a couple of options, which satisfy all of the necessary specification, budget, buildability and logistical requirements. Physical samples of the chosen clay brick options should be supplied and a sample reference panel will possibly be constructed on the proposed site. Sample reference panels provide an essential benchmark should any issues arise during the brickwork programme. Panels should be built in a location to be maintained for the length of the project and will provide an agreed level of material characteristics and workmanship. The clay bricks for the reference panel should be reasonably representative of the average quality of the whole order to be delivered. The panel should be a minimum of 1m2 and ideally built by the successful brickwork contractor. The panel should include any particular details or features and should be reviewed at a distance of 3m. Review the design to consider any potential buildability or logistics issues which could affect the procurement. For example, a lack of storage space on the site, which may necessitate ‘just-in-time’

deliveries. Always ensure that delivery schedules and a site storage plan have been agreed. If required, ensure good liaison with the suppliers of the ancillary components to ensure specification compatibility including wall ties, tension straps, hangers, brackets and bed joint reinforcement. Determine whether any elements of the design would benefit from being pre-fabricated, such as areas of complex geometry, arches, lintels and chimney details. Also consider how the clay bricks will be supported and whether the structural solution will affect the procurement. For example, a brick support angle may require a rebated stretcher (Pistol Brick). Your preferred clay brick manufacturer will be able to confirm lead times for your preferred brick. This information should be incorporated into the procurement programme to determine a date for order placement which will ensure that the bricks are delivered when needed on the site. Discuss potential phasing of the development with your preferred manufacturer/supplier. It may be that it is preferable to place a single order for the full quantity of bricks to complete a development. This will help ensure that the bricks are procured from a single batch to minimise the potential for variation. The ‘Bill of Quantities’ should identify the quantity of brickwork required including wastage and preliminaries. A brick calculator can be found on the BDA website to assist with determining quantities. Generally, a square metre rate is given for standard brickwork areas – linear metre rates and quantities are also used for special elements. 

www.brick.org.uk

CANOPIES & SHELTERS

MAKING USE OF OUTDOOR SPACE WITH CANOPIES Overcrowding in UK schools isn’t a new issue. Over the past six years, average class sizes have increased and there are now one million school children in classes of 31 to 35 pupils. The need for extra space has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.

arger classroom sizes bring many challenges, including physically finding the room to cater for everybody during the school day. Lack of space is particularly noticeable at lunchtimes, with pupils struggling to sit and eat, and canteen queues spilling outside and into corridors.

Extending space for learning and dining Schools and colleges across the UK are looking to make it easier for students to eat their lunch outdoors and get fresh air at break times, even when the weather is poor. Canopy systems protect from the wind, rain, snow and UV rays. Outdoor canopies are an affordable way to provide shelter wherever it’s needed. Creating shelter for outdoor dining is useful beyond lunchtimes, with areas being used for lessons, studying, events and socially-distanced meetings.

Shelter for The Heathland School during breaktimes The Heathland School in London wanted to create more shelter for students during break times. With the challenges of social distancing and the unpredictable British weather, the secondary school had outgrown its existing dining space. The school had already worked with Canopies UK in the past. It wanted to add to the existing canopies it had on site to provide more shelter for students. Canopies UK started by identifying new areas where shelter could be created without hindrance. The canopy specialist chose a disused car park as one location. The car park was reserved for events such as parents’ evening and sat empty most of the time. Canopies UK installed its Connekt canopy, creating shelter for students to gather under in poor weather. The canopy has no obstructing posts and can still be used for overflow parking when necessary. Another canopy was designed to run alongside the building to provide shelter for students queuing for the dining areas. The final canopy was installed over grass and is freestanding, away from the school building. The back-to-back Connekt canopy keeps the grass dry and enables students to enjoy outdoor lunches, whatever the weather is doing.

Safely installing the canopies during the school day Canopies UK completed the work with minimal impact on the school day. The locations were barriered to create safe working areas and the work was successfully completed during term time. The canopies were colour-matched to those on the existing building and the school was very pleased with the extra space created.

Why are schools installing canopies? Outdoor canopies are less than half the cost of building extensions. Canopies UK can install a school’s canopy over a series of days or weeks and the process causes minimal disruption. An outdoor canopy provides a practical solution where space is limited. Each canopy is designed using site-specific calculations, which test the system against wind and snow loads. Installing a canopy is a fast and simple way to extend a school building. 

www.canopiesuk.co.uk

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LEGAL & BUSINESS

Dr Stuart Kings is NEC4 Drafter, Co-Author of NEC4 Practical Solutions and Consultant at project and contract management software firm, Sypro

CAN DIGITAL SYSTEMS MAKE LATE PAYMENTS A THING OF THE PAST? Payment has always been a hot topic of debate in the construction industry – and with the Government’s Construction Playbook putting emphasis on ensuring fair and prompt payment, the discussion is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Director at Sypro and NEC4 Co-Author, Dr Stuart Kings, discusses further. a company is not W hen paid on time, this has an onward impact, meaning that payments further down the supply chain may be late or missed due to the subsequent cash flow issues that may arise. For small businesses, this could be the difference between staying in business or going bust. This is highlighted even further when we examine the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the financial situations of SMEs. Data from insolvency practitioner Real Business Rescue’s latest Business Distress Index for Q1 2021 reveals that 96,067 SMEs in our sector are considered significantly distressed – up a startling 21% from the previous quarter. We particularly cannot afford to lose SMEs within the construction sector. They play a central role in building the future, but also in the delivery of real, localised social value too – making sure that our work passes on true, real-life benefits to local communities.

As with many issues facing our industry, the answer lies in effective collaboration – with cloudbased technology being the effective delivery mechanism. Construction is well known for talking about collaboration, and indeed most contracts – like the NEC suite – are specifically designed to help parties collaborate and manage their projects. Indeed, the reason for the latest NEC update was to provide governance and surety on the financial aspect of construction projects for contractors and clients alike. However, the true collaboration and efficiencies are unlocked when contracts are managed digitally. Management systems – like Sypro’s Contract Manager – allow us to fully manage the payment process and act as a portal to manage finances throughout the entirety of a project. When we consider the different contract types that will be used across the

industry, the benefit of easyto-use online systems become obvious. For example, there is a key difference between the NEC3 and NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contracts (ECC) in triggering payments. Under NEC3 ECC, the project manager previously had to assess whether or not an application for payment had been made. However, under NEC4 ECC clause 50.4, the contractor is obliged to submit an application for payment in order to receive said payment, otherwise the amount due is paid at the previous assessment rate or lesser amount that the project manager assesses. If the contractor does not submit this application, it may not be entitled to payment for that assessment interval – meaning that the actual payment may not accurately and fairly reflect the work delivered. We must remember that many contractual payment terms are subject to ‘time windows’ and recognise how a digital management system can provide

clarity on the all-important dates attached to any actions or contractual obligations. For example, new wording in NEC4 ECC’s clause 53.1 dictates that the project manager makes a final assessment of the final payment amount due, which could be up to four weeks after the supervisor issues a defect certificate, or 13 weeks following a project managerissued termination certificate. A final payment is then to be paid within three weeks of the final assessment – or a different period if stated within the contract data. A digital management system will provide clarity on what dates actions are carried out – such as the issuing of a defect or termination certificate, meaning it will be easy to see and hard to dispute any missed timespan terms attached to any contract. This digital clarity should also allow the benefit of easier dispute management, as well as lower levels of disputes raised in the first instance. Uptake of digitisation has been growing fast in the UK – driven particularly by remote working during the pandemic. However, we must make sure that we are digitising back offices at the same rate as processes and technologies, which is where tools like contract management software really show their strengths, allowing us to effectively work on all aspects of a project in one central system. 

www.sypro.co.uk

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EDUCATION

CREATING COMMUNITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS In this article, William Tonkinson, Managing Director of school furniture and fit-out specialist Deanestor, looks at the importance and benefits of integrating educational environments within community facilities.

here has been a clear shift in recent years with schools no longer being seen as a space solely for learning in conventional classrooms. This model has been replaced by modern learning hubs with integrated facilities that serve the whole community. This approach provides a richer learning environment for children, and encourages productive and positive links between schools and the local community, which benefit everyone.

The importance of flexibility Spaces need to be more fluid and flexible whilst maintaining security and privacy. This requires the highest standards of architectural design, ensuring new

school facilities both enhance education and maximise efficiency. Spaces simply have to work harder, which is also more sustainable – and this has to be reflected in the furniture solutions. Room layouts still have to meet the latest thinking in curriculum delivery and circulation spaces should flow efficiently. Facilities for early years learning should enhance both physical and emotional development. Effective collaboration and consultation is critical to creating successful learning environments that work for teachers, children and the wider community. The result is schools that are more than a place for teaching but enrich society as a whole.

EDUCATION

Furniture solutions to meet the changing requirements Teaching staff need to be able to tailor the learning environment to allow for short-term changes of layout and use – and for long-term expansion and contraction as capacity fluctuates in line with local demographics. This means movable or modular furniture that allows spaces to be rearranged with ease to reflect curriculum requirements. Furniture often has multiple functions. A bookcase can be mobile and could have an integrated white board so it can be both a room divider and a teaching aid. Lockers can have integral booth seating or workstations, again encouraging social interaction. Teaching spaces have to be more versatile than ever before. We often have to configure furniture to work both in individual classrooms and in a large double classroom which can be opened up using movable or retractable walls.

An outstanding educational and community facility The creation of a vibrant new educational and community campus in Ayr recently won an award commendation at the Scottish Design Awards. The listed building was fitted-out by Deanestor. Ayr Grammar and Archive Centre accommodates a primary school, early years centre, community arts centre and is the new home for Ayrshire Archives and Registry, which houses repositories for historical records and the Ayrshire fine art collection. The £16m riverside project for South Ayrshire Council was delivered by hub South West Scotland and main contractor Morrison Construction. The loose and bespoke fitted furniture was provided throughout the building by Deanestor.

This education-led, mixed-use development has exploited and utilised the ‘educational’ outreach aspects of the co-located Ayrshire Archive service and adult learning opportunities of its community facilities. Designed by BDP’s Glasgow studio, the sensitive restoration of the historic building, located on the edge of the 17th-century citadel of Ayr, has created a contemporary learning environment in a historic setting.

Bringing the community together in one facility Walk through the main entrance – designed to be welcoming – and you can head to the spatially-rich central atrium of the school, early years or adult education/art space overlooking the River Ayr. Lindsey Mitchell, Architect Director at BDP, said: “This new education hub is a great example of how to bring the community together in one facility. The creation of a new riverside public amenity, that offers an active street frontage, provides the town with a real multigenerational offer that breathes new life into a fantastic landmark building. “It is also an exemplar of how the re-use of historic buildings is relevant to modern education. This is a sympathetic and successful refurbishment, and we hope it will be a catalyst for further regeneration of this area of the town of Ayr.” The historically-rich site has been the location of a school for over 400 years and the current building has been a local landmark since the 1800s. The 5000m2 regeneration project has created a modern learning environment with capacity for more than 430 children and includes innovative indoor and outdoor spaces, and a multi-use games facility. The roof of the archive has been developed as a playground, doubling the useable accessible play area for the school.

The furniture solutions Deanestor designed, manufactured and installed a range of flexible furniture solutions for the primary school and early years centre including benching, storage units, adjustable shelving, shoebox units, cloakroom benches, as well as loose furniture, such as seating and tables. Deanestor also provided bespoke metal and wood shelving, solid surface worktops and storage cabinets for the adjacent archive centre and registry. The majority of the furniture reflects the neutral colour palette for the scheme’s interior, using light grey and woodeffect finishes. This allows colours to be expressed in children’s artwork and in splashes of colour from informal loose seating in the break-out areas.

Spaces for interaction and collaboration Education should be the foundation of our communities and provide the framework of our society. As such, the buildings which house educational facilities should be at the heart of society, designed to offer suitable spaces for different generations to congregate, interact and collaborate. 

www.deanestor.co.uk/education

TALKING POINT

FIVE CREATIVE WAYS TO SOLVE THE UK’S HOUSING SHORTAGE In this article, Jamie Johnson, CEO of FJP Investment, shares with PSBJ five creative opportunities to increase new social housing stock in the UK. severe housing T hecrisisUK’sis one of the biggest challenges the country faces. It is estimated that, to keep up with the UK’s growing population and insatiable demand for property, the sector needs to produce around 340,000 new homes, including 145,000 social homes, each year for a decade – and this is just to meet the backlog and anticipated formation of new households. This problem has been on a rising simmer for a long time. Between March 2019 and April 2020, the housing stock increased by just 244,000, well short of the target of keeping pace with demand. Further, only 57,644 affordable builds were completed – of these, only 6566 were social housing. Indeed, the days of council-instructed social housing construction booms are

well behind us, despite what would appear a pressing need to ensure the availability of more social and affordable housing. Particularly influential on this shortfall is Margaret Thatcher’s 1980 Housing Act, which introduced right to buy, resulting in the removal of a large portion of the UK’s existing social housing stock, with little state priority gifted to replacing them. By the 2000s, only 208,000 social homes were built across the entire decade, with housing association builds making up the vast majority. Of these, councils themselves built just 4000. The perception remains that affordable and social housing should be a priority of the Government, which has the ultimate responsibility to citizens, taxpayers or voters –

however you choose to look at things – to ensure there is an adequate housing stock. However, the private sector can play a key role in driving up house-building activity, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, which should not go unnoticed.

Build more houses If only we had thought of this sooner! In all seriousness, with the private sector leading on property development, and only a 1% uptick in build completions between 2018 and 2020, there is clearly insufficient incentive for developers and those financing them to build masses of housing stock. Much of the reason for this is to protect the current record house price levels in the UK.

Jamie Johnson is the CEO of FJP Investment, an introducer of UK and overseas property-based investments to a global audience of high net-worth and sophisticated investors, institutions as well as family offices

The consistent incremental growth of house prices marks out UK property as a ‘safe haven’ asset. Were the market to suddenly flood with new properties, a potential consequence would be price instability. In plain, by cooling the market, the housing shortage often works to the benefit of those with the resources to solve it. Accordingly, the Government should extend tax relief and grant schemes to developers that are willing to commit to building large numbers of new properties in areas of particular need. Ideally, this would lift the economic barriers which prevent developers from making scale building projects a cornerstone of their longterm planning.

TALKING POINT

Build something different – build greener There is an opportunity to capitalise on buyers’ shifts in design specifications and respond to their growing environmental concerns by delivering greener affordable builds. Indeed, embracing a more sustainable and affordable approach to development could prove key to alleviating the housing crisis. Alongside this long-term shift in consumer preferences, there is also a significant incidental factor in creating new growth areas for UK property developers. The COVID-19 pandemic, sparking as it did an exodus from urban areas to the countryside due to the rise of remote working, has opened up a number of interesting opportunities for developers to capitalise on unused or dormant land in provincial areas which, only two years ago, may not have been considered worth the risk and resource required to develop on.

Invite investment While investors and developers are commonly vilified as a contributor to the lack of social or affordable housing, many will ignore that the private sector provides most of the new stock. It is true that improvements can be made in delivering a greater number of affordable properties within new developments and providing greater accessibility, but clear efforts have been made in this area in recent times. Equally, it must be noted that approved developments that have run out of funding and, therefore, cannot be completed will do nothing to ease the crisis. Councils should be proactive in attracting investors to fund the completion of approved, but halted or collapsed, projects. This would facilitate greater mobility and choice among renters and buyers in any given area, consequently freeing up existing affordable stock for those who require it.

Renovate and innovate As mentioned previously, local councils must be creative to find solutions wherever possible. One such method would be to use existing powers to draw derelict or abandoned properties back into productive residential use. While planning headaches would still be a concern, particularly in conservation areas or where the sustainability of construction may come into question, there are few new-build developments where these same issues do not also apply. Renovating existing structures, and in doing so bypassing much of the prohibitively costly foundations and design elements, would be a cost-effective and time-efficient method of broadening the housing stock.

Indeed, statistics published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government put the number of empty homes in England at approximately 650,000 – local Governments do have powers to bring these properties back into use, but within the context of demand significantly outweighing supply in the housing sector, more must be done to tap into this oftenoverlooked corner of the market.

Relax planning laws This has long been a contentious issue, and the Government’s announcement earlier this year that they would investigate relaxing planning laws sparked controversy. Certainly, there is a fine balance to be struck here. Nobody on any level of the sector hopes to see historic town skylines blemished with high-rises, or England’s rolling hills spotted with constant construction. However, many of the restrictions in place are archaic and burdensome – indeed, many potentially lucrative projects which would open a significant level of regional affordable housing – and in turn, free up social housing stock – do not get off the ground due to doubts over the planning system. A slight liberalisation of the system would be certain to get private developers and councils alike to take a second look at once-unworkable plots. Solving the housing crisis will not happen overnight. If anything, the UK’s sluggish response to a creeping deficit of housing supply over the past decade highlights that this will need to be a multivariate and concerted effort on the part of a great number of stakeholders. What it will also require is some creativity in facilitating more lucrative incentives for the private sector, and capitalising on the unique circumstances in which the UK currently finds itself. 

www.fjpinvestment.co.uk

FIRE PROTECTION

WILL THE GLOBAL MATERIALS SHORTAGES AND DELAYS AFFECT FIRE PROTECTION? Despite the Government’s ambition to ‘build back better’, recent ONS figures reveal construction output is declining. Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have had a crippling effect on the movement of goods between the UK and Europe. Key building materials including timber, concrete and steel see rising demand, but worryingly are in very short supply. Ian King, COO at Zeroignition, explains more. the problems W hile with cement should be resolved in a matter of months, the same cannot be said for timber and steel, both of which remain in high demand globally, while experiencing significant shortages since March 2020. Timber particularly has been enjoying a new surge

in popularity recently, due to its unrivalled sustainability credentials and its effectiveness in enabling new builds to be constructed at speed. Over the last few months, the price of sawn or planed wood has gone up by 3% (April and May), and imported plywood prices also rose by 4%, having already

risen by more than 12% between March and April this year. Looking year-on-year, imported plywood was over 29% more expensive in May than it was in 2020. Fabricated steel is on par with timber having increased by almost 6% (5.9) in May and overall was up more than 38%, year-on-year.

My worry is this. Our industry is consumed by budgets and timelines, so will the UK construction industry again accept sub-standard materials that may not have been held to the same high safety standards, now that local shortages are rife? And will all the progress made in achieving improved fire safety be undone by the race to just get the job done, however sub-standard the materials? Since the Grenfell tragedy, the building industry has been working hard behind the scenes to tighten up processes and the forthcoming regulation has acted as a powerful driver for innovation. At Zeroignition, we have certainly seen this first-hand. My hope is that the recent Building Safety Bill legislation will provide an essential step in ensuring safe builds without exception, and ensure fire safety remains at the forefront. The addition of meaningful sanctions will act as a powerful deterrent to those few companies who remain focused only on costdown and tight timelines. For the sake of everyone, I hope that this process accelerates. It’s over four years since the Grenfell disaster and three since the publication of the Hackitt Review, which starkly highlighted the systemic flaws. The industry cannot afford to lose sight of the end goal, and fully understand the regulatory regime so we can make appropriate decisions and move forward. Innovation is key, so the Government must allocate some of the intended investment to support third-party product testing facilities – today, existing labs are facing overwhelming backlogs. No testing means no new and safer products coming to market. Times will be tough for the foreseeable future, but the industry simply cannot afford to scrimp on safety again. After all, we are all responsible for the preservation and protection of the lives of those who occupy the buildings we create. 

www.zeroignition.com

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TECHNICAL FOCUS

RESITRIX PROVIDES A ROBUST CIF-FUNDED ROOF AT PRINCE HENRY’S HIGH SCHOOL Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham is an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Academy for students aged 13 to 18 that has worked collaboratively with chartered building consultant, PR Associates, and roofing systems specialist, Carlisle Construction Materials (CCM), to secure a Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) grant for a roof upgrade.

he project involves a thermal upgrade to three roof areas, totalling 1100m2, along with an overlay with CCM’s RESITRIX system; a single-layer system that combines bitumen and EPDM roofing technologies. The roof refurbishment also involves improvements to drainage to address issues with ponding water. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the project is now well underway, with phases one and two complete, and phase three to take place during the summer break.

Funding bid The school campus is typical of many high schools, with multiple additions to the original main building. Consequently, there are a number of different roof levels

and roof areas in varying conditions, with a mix of existing coverings that had reached the end of their service life. In some areas, the roof was leaking and a small roof area over the main entrance was in need of particularly urgent attention because rain was draining onto it, resulting in ponding water. PR Associates advocates CCM’s RESITRIX roofing system for school roof refurbishment projects. The hybrid modified bitumen and EPDM membrane offers torch-free installation and a certified service life of more than 50 years. The chartered building consultant worked with CCM to develop a technical specification, which contributed to Prince Henry’s High School’s CIF application.

“We often find that a collaborative approach between the school, the building surveyor and our technical team at funding bid stage is instrumental in outlining the business case for a CIF grant,” explains Paul Simms, Technical Services Manager at CCM. “Carrying out a full condition survey and providing a technical specification at this stage ensures that the bid considers the full scope of works and that the school makes decisions that will reduce future maintenance costs and disruption.”

Site audit and specification CCM’s site audit was carried out with the contractor, AJR, present to establish the existing roof build-up and condition.

The existing build-up is a profile metal deck, with a vapour control layer, 30mm of EPS insulation, 20mm of fibre board and a bituminous membrane. CCM’s technical team carried out penetration tests to ensure there was no water tracking under the existing coverings. The audit revealed that the majority of the roof areas could be overlaid following preparation with jet-washing, with a requirement to cut out blisters in some areas and carry out patch repairs. For a limited area of the roof, the existing bitumen membrane was so degraded that it had to be stripped out and a new air and vapour control layer (AVCL) was installed. For most of the roof areas, however, the audit confirmed that the prepared existing roofcovering could be used as the AVCL. Paul Simms continues: “Compatibility and ease of installation as an overlay are key advantages of the RESITRIX system. This is particularly important for school roof refurbishment projects, because it helps to reduce the length of the programme and potential disruption by avoiding strip-out, provided the existing covering is properly prepared. Using the existing covering as the AVCL also saves

TECHNICAL FOCUS time and cost and RESITRIX only needs a primer and a single layer to complete the new roofcovering.” To upgrade the roof’s thermal performance as part of the refurbishment, a tissue-faced insulation was specified for installation directly onto the existing roof surface. For the phase one and two roofs, a 130mm flat insulation board has been specified, but a tapered insulation scheme will be used for the phase three roof due to issues with drainage, which have been causing ponding water. Once the insulation has been installed directly onto the prepared roof surface, the specification requires application of CCM’s FG 35 primer, which is applied directly into the insulation board. This activates the adhesive on the RESITRIX membrane as soon as contact is made when the system’s release film is peeled off, with no requirement for heat activation or mechanical fixings. The specification requires a 50mm lap for the join between each 1 x 10m roll of RESITRIX laid out onto the roof. Each lap must be sealed using a hot air welding tool and, for this project, an automatic welding tool is being utilised, following a test weld. The roofs involve a range of details, including

rooflights (which are being replaced), drainage outlets, a parapet wall and a tank room. A number of rainwater/overflow outlets will also be installed to CCM installation guidelines. For most details, the AJR team can use offcuts of the membrane to form these details because the RESITRIX material bonds to itself.

Building on experience With the specification agreed and the CIF funding secured, the roof refurbishment at Prince Henry’s High School is being carried out as part of a wider programme of works. The AJR team has been trained in installation of the RESITRIX system and CCM’s technical services team is carrying out regular site inspections to ensure project delivery matches the specification and delivers the full performance potential of the system. Andy Robinson from AJR comments: “We have a team that is very experienced in various roofing membranes, but the RESITRIX training CCM provided highlighted just how easy it is to install. Thanks to the EPDM layer, the system retains its elasticity, even at low temperatures, and the membrane bonds permanently to the roof on contact with

the primer. It also allows us to form details with the offcuts, so there is virtually no waste.” Richard Pill, Chartered Building Consultant and PR Associates, adds: “We recommend RESITRIX for school projects because it

not only offers excellent performance for an extended service life but it enables installation in an occupied school building with no hot works or unpleasant odours.” 

www.ccm-europe.com

DOORS, WINDOWS & BALUSTRADES

FIT FOR A SAFER FUTURE Dave Walker – Technical Director of Distinction Doors, stockist and distributor of the fds (fire door systems) brand – details the progress being made in the manufacture and supply of GRP composite fire doors, and offers key considerations for fit-for-purpose performance, including installation and maintenance.

the many vital A mongst responsibilities of landlords and providers is building maintenance. Nowhere is this more critical than with risk to life products such as fire doors. Post-Grenfell, there have been significant advances in the fire door industry, most notably with glass-reinforced polyester (GRP) composite fire doors, including testing, thirdparty certification and supply chain transparency. At the heart of this overhaul is robust testing. Under ‘Appendix C: Fire doorsets of the latest version of Approved Document B’: “The requirement is for test exposure from each side of the doorset separately”. One GRP composite fire door system supplier has raised the bar, satisfying not just the British Standard (BS 476-22 Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware), but also the more demanding European test method standard BS EN 1634-1. The company subjected 44 doorsets to 22 bi-directional fire tests. The tests were conducted in three countries, using three variations of

supporting wall construction – 150 and 225mm rigid aerated block and flexible steel stud construction. The test specimens included solid- and glazed-door leaf options, either with or without overhead fan lights and all doorsets were tested with letterplates, viewers and door closers included. All featured auto-throw locks. Every fire test was filmed. The system achieved an average of 45 minutes integrity. This level of commitment and robust testing has sent a clear message to the UK construction industry; you can achieve consistent fire resistance, compliance and peace of mind with GRP composite fire doors. It also proves that we can meet recommendations outlined in the Building a Safer Future – Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report: Recommendation 7.1: A clearer, more transparent and more effective specification and testing regime of construction products must be developed. This should include products as they are put together as part of a system.

DOORS, WINDOWS & BALUSTRADES

Third-party certification Third-party certification is required in many areas of UK construction, including gas and electricity, and yet there is no such thing for fire safety. The demonstration of professional competence in fire safety is non-mandatory – something which must be acknowledged by providers and specifiers alike. In recent years, several GRP composite fire door system houses, and members of the Association of Composite Door Manufacturers, have gained third-party certification and taken control of their supply chain. This not only significantly reduces risk but also promotes stakeholder confidence. It also goes some way to meet the demand for improved product traceability. One system supplier now insists that all stages of the supply chain up to, and including, doorset manufacturers are third-party certified to the BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Manufacturer certification scheme. By choosing to mandate the supply chain, this system supplier has more autonomy than its competitors. It can control all components apart from door closers and sealed units; however, these must match the tested specification. Ultimately, this means there is less dilution of the product through the supply chain. With this system, for example, the door blank and frame are pre-machined, so the hardware locates positively, the intumescent is pre-applied and the letterplate also features preapplied intumescent.

Certified installation While progress has been made in the supply chain, there is still the matter of a competent installation and robust maintenance – both essential to consistent fire-resistant performance and critical in the lifecycle of these products.

Some installation companies have recognised a demand for third-party certification and have taken steps to achieve this. The BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Installation scheme has been “designed to provide reassurance to specifiers, contractors and end-users that the product they have chosen has been installed correctly and that it should perform as intended”. Facilities, estates and building maintenance managers would do well to seek installation companies which meet the requirements of Q-Mark STD 052 and demonstrate competence in the installation of fire doors. This can sometimes be the same supplier which fabricates the fire door – in reality, there is no one more competent.

Maintenance matters Long term, maintenance is a crucial factor in the reliable and consistent performance of a fire door. As a risk-to-life product, it is a duty of care. A robust maintenance and auditing schedule is essential, as are regular inspections, if we are to avoid another tragedy like Grenfell. Of course, every entrance fire door is as important as the next but, due to the volume of people and high footfall, this is particularly important in multi-occupied residential buildings. This is one area which the Building Safety Bill, first published in draft form in July 2020 and introduced to UK parliament a year later, hopes to address by empowering residents and improving transparency.

After consultation and amends, the bill will now have to pass through the House of Commons and House of Lords to pass into law. With the bill addressing accountable persons and the supply of prescribed information or a prescribed document when requested by a resident of an occupied higher-risk building who is aged 16 or over, or an owner of a residential unit in the building, there will be no wiggle room. An effective fire door maintenance programme will be fundamental for all registered providers in England and Wales. 

www.firedoorsystems.co.uk

ROOFING, CLADDING FLOORS, WALLS & CEILINGS & INSULATION

DR. SCHUTZ PU SEALER – MAKING LONGER-LASTING FLOORING Dr. Schutz, the German floor care company, offers PU Sealer, an innovative solution that quickly and easily transforms tired, damaged or old floors, at a fraction of the time and cost of an entire floor replacement. As well as renovating any floor with a fresh and lasting finish, PU Sealer offers added protection for flooring areas prone to heavy traffic. Such areas with a high foot volume tend to wear very quickly when they don’t have a hard-wearing product applied. Not only can

this cost money, but it can be a time-consuming issue to fix. By applying the PU Sealer, flooring can be kept in a great condition for many years. The water-based, eco-friendly PU Sealer can be applied to most types of flooring, including vinyl, tiled and epoxy

resin. Adding 40 microns of protective thickness to floors, PU Sealer extends the lifespan by up to six times and provides a lasting, clear matt finish. Thanks to the permanent sealing, it protects against friction and discolouration from chemical spillages.

Due to the product’s special water-based substance, the PU Sealer also reduces dirt adhesion and the time needed for day-to-day maintenance.

www.drschutz.co.uk 01296 437827

FLOORS, WALLS & CEILINGS

MAPEI SPECIFIED FOR NEW STATEOF-THE-ART BIRMINGHAM MATERNITY SUITE Works to a brand-new, state-of-the-art maternity suite at a hospital in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, have now been completed, with Mapei products used exclusively for the installation of vinyl and safety flooring. Following a site visit to the Fothergill Building, the existing substrate to the main area of the fourth floor was identified as a concrete slab overlaid with an old levelling compound and vinyl flooring adhesive residues. As the concrete substrate was generally solid and sound, work began to mechanically remove the existing smoothing compound and adhesive residues. Once cleaned and vacuumed, the prepared substrate was primed with Mapei’s solventfree, acrylic-based Eco Prim T Plus, diluted with one part to two parts of clean water. Mapei’s two-part cementbased smoothing and levelling compound, Latexplan No Ammonia, was then applied to infill areas. These areas were

also primed with Mapei Eco Prim T Plus; this adhesion promoter encourages inter-coat bonding, and its low odour made it the ideal choice of primer. To ensure lower sections of the substrate met existing floor levels, Mapei Latexplan No Ammonia was applied, followed by a third application of Mapei Eco Prim T Plus to the entire floor. A third and final application of Mapei Latexplan No Ammonia was then applied to ensure the subfloor was completely level, and to provide a single, constant floor to receive the vinyl floorcoverings – something that was essential, given the hospital setting. Once the substrate was prepared, Sheldon Flooring – working for main contractor E Manton – installed Polyflor

Expona Flow for a contemporary finish. The vinyl sheets were bonded with Mapei Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus, a hightemperature universal acrylicbased adhesive with very low VOC that is ideal for use with most resilient floorcoverings. The substrate within the en-suites was terrazzo tiles that were solidly bonded and laid to a slight fall which accommodated drainage. The substrate was mechanically abraded, and once prepared, it was primed with Mapei Eco Prim T Plus. Mapei Latexplan No Ammonia was then applied to ensure a completely smooth surface. High-performance, one-component polymer-silylate adhesive Mapei Ultrabond Eco MS 4 LVT was used to install heavy-duty wetroom safety

flooring Polysafe Quattro, specifically designed to provide a high degree of slip resistance in continually wet areas. The utility rooms were installed with Polysafe Vogue Ultra vinyl flooring, which was fixed with Mapei Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus, a Mapei adhesive suitable for resilient floorcoverings, and ideal for areas subjected to static and dynamic loads. Following the completed work, Contracts Manager at Sheldon Flooring, Dirk Baker, said: “From start to finish, Mapei provided an excellent service, backed up by products you can trust.”

www.mapei.com 0121 508 6970 info@mapei.co.uk

FOCUS & INNOVATION

FORMICA DOOR COLLECTION – WHERE STYLE MEETS DURABILITY Formica Group has launched a refreshed range of designs with its Formica Door Collection.

The Formica Door Collection encapsulates a refined selection of eye-catching colours and wood decors and tactile surface finishes into high-pressure laminate (HPL). HPL is the perfect material to meet the demanding design and surface performance requirements for architectural doors in today’s modern commercial and residential environments. Formica Group has carefully considered the most suitable and useable designs and decors for door design; introducing 15 new ‘colors’, all available in Matte58 texture, and four selected ‘colors’ now available in Naturelle and Linewood textures to present wood detailing on colour. The Formica Door Collection has truly been inspired by nature and introduces 20 new wood decors in a variety of textures, matched to best suit each wood design. Nina Bailey, European Design Lead at Formica Group, comments: “The updated Formica Door Collection has been refined and designed to contain the most suitable and useable designs and decors for door application. The collection contains the full Formica ‘colors’ offering, as well as a range of woodgrains and a small selection of patterns. When selecting the products for the doors range, we really considered the aesthetical qualities that a door brings to a space. Doors are not only functional fixtures to close-off spaces and to provide an entrance and exit, they are a key part of the overall interior design and can often be the finishing touch to creating a crisp and refined look.”

Style meets durability The inherent properties of Formica HPL means the Formica Door Collection is highly resistant to stains, impact, scratches and moisture, is hygienic and easy to maintain. The result is a collection offering surfaces with the strength and durability to ensure the beauty of the door remains intact over time, providing an alternative solution to a painted door, wood or veneer, composite or PVC.

Sheet sizes The variety of sheet sizes available provides architects and designers with the freedom and flexibility to incorporate a mix of standard and bespoke door sizes specific to the needs of the project. The Formica Door Collection is just as suitable for specification in hospital or educational environments, where often wider and taller doors are required. Sheet to sheet consistency will ensure doors match throughout an interior. Available in four sheet sizes as standard, sheets are available in the following dimensions: 2150 x 950mm, 2350 x 950mm, 2350 x 1300mm and 3050 x 1300mm. Sheet size variety, and the versatility of laminate, also allows additional elements, such as furniture and wall cladding, to be produced and matched to the doors in order to carry a theme throughout an interior scheme.

www.formica.com 0191 622 0106

DAYLIGHT ENHANCES WELLBEING AND LEARNING At a time when the health and wellbeing of students has never been more important, the use of daylight in educational facilities can be a hugely beneficial way to maximise student performance and productivity, whilst at the same time helping to lower a building’s energy use. By introducing rooflights, including domes, vaults, pitched skylights or panel glazing systems, it is possible to deliver resilient and future-proofed educational spaces that encourage learning, concentration and positive student behaviour. Partnering with local authorities, architects and schools, Brett Martin has a deep understanding of the specific requirements of the education sector. Providing expert, impartial technical advice on rooflight specification, the

FOCUS & INNOVATION

manufacturer’s team has access to the widest choice of rooflight products available, in the full range of glazing materials. An intuitive and experienced technical team ensure compliance with Part L and help to achieve higher BREEAM ratings. At the Tauheedul Islam Boys High School, in Blackburn, a range of rooflight solutions from Brett Martin are helping to deliver exceptional levels of daylight into the school and sports hall whilst reducing demand for electric lighting, lowering CO 2 emissions and running costs. For the sports hall, a specialist, high-performance glass was required, which led to the specification of Glass Link modular rooflights. This flat glass rooflight system maximises daylight through large glazed areas and minimal framework, meeting the requirement for high light transmission and thermal performance. Brett Martin not only designs a wide range of systems to deliver optimum performance, durability, safety and adherence to regulations and standards, it provides superior technical support, detailed installation instructions and maintenance guidelines to ensure systems perform as promised and work alongside all other roofing elements. The specification and installation of the Marvault and Glass Link rooflights at Tauheedul Islam Boys High School flood the communal areas and sports hall with high-quality, natural daylight and are playing a crucial role in both the aesthetic and thermal performance of the school.

www.brettmartin.com daylight@brettmartin.com

0247 660 2022

Choosing the correct dance surface is vital for dancers’ health, safety and artistic performance. All sprung floors are not the same, and understanding the differences between various types of floors available is important. Experts in biomechanics have established a clear link between the quality of a dance floor and the likelihood of injury, demonstrating that a floor with a consistent response and the correct degree of ‘traction’ is vital. Dance creates impact energy. If the energy generated is returned to the body, it can result in an array of joint problems, sprains, fractures, knee problems and tendonitis. Lower-limb problems, such as tendonitis, ‘shin splints’, knee pain and ankle strain, can all be attributed to incorrectly specified sprung floors and can take several weeks of physical therapy and recovery time to correct. A dance floor that is impact absorbent and provides lateral foot support is essential.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFYING THE CORRECT FLOOR FOR DANCE AND DANCE EDUCATION Whether you are specifying a dance floor for the world’s leading dance companies or for classes in schools, colleges or universities, the same fundamental criteria apply. Wherever a student chooses to study dance, it is important to make sure that the learning environment is equipped to professional standards with sprung floors, mirrors and barres.

Ensure correct specification Harlequin is a global brand leader for sprung and vinyl performance floors and has an enviable portfolio of dance and education clients from top universities and dance schools to the world’s leading dance companies, including the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet and New Zealand Ballet. Harlequin has over 45 years’ experience manufacturing, supplying and installing professional performance floors and offers a wide range of sprung floor systems and vinyl performance floors to meet every requirement. For further information and advice about how to specify the right dance floor for your needs, please talk to Harlequin’s technical team using the below contact details.

01892 514888

www.harlequinfloors.com architects@harlequinfloors.com

ROOFING, CLADDING FOCUS & INNOVATION & INSULATION

EXTERIOR OSMO FINISHES Most homes have wood of some sort in their garden, be it decking, door and window frames, sheds, cladding and fencing. Wood has the ability to shrink, crack, peel and discolour – all things that will leave the surface looking old and tired. External wood requires a finish to provide UV protection in the summer and protection against wind, rain, frost and snow in the winter months.

Sun protection for wood Suitable for cladding, summer houses, fences, windows, doors and furniture UV-Protection-Oil Tints is essential for exterior wood as it provides 12 times the UV protection in comparison to untreated wood. Designed to protect, maintain and restore all types of wood from the effects of the environment, it not only protects the wood surface, but also enhances the natural look of the wood and will prevent damage. It is moisture regulating and reduces swelling and shrinking of the wood. This product overcomes the need for a heavy stain or a flaking varnish to keep wood looking natural.

It’s only natural Suitable for cladding, summer houses, fences, doors, windows, carports and decking Natural Oil Woodstain provides a decorative and protective finish for all exterior wood. It offers a high-quality finish that allows the wood to breathe and reduces the risk of swelling and shrinkage. Acting as a protection against all weather conditions, it prevents mould, algae and fungal decay, as well ensuring

the wood doesn’t crack, flake, peel or blister. Osmo also offers an ‘effect’ range to provide attractive silver/metallic tones. Meeting modern architectural demands, these finishes are designed to give the natural greying effect, with added silver metallic pigments.

Pop of colour Suitable for cladding, balconies, windows, fences, pergolas, garden furniture and summer houses Available in 19 shades, Country Colour promises premium durability and a rich colour, hiding the natural colour and grain of the wood yet maintaining the wood’s natural texture. The solution not only rejuvenates the wood but leaves it protected against the unpredictable British weather. It can be applied to a range of wood species, including oily and exotic materials. Requiring only two coats, it can be applied using a roller or brush and has an approximate drying time of eight to 10 hours.

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

AN EDUCATION ON EXTERIOR LAMINATE The new classroom extension to Hob Hill Primary School in Rugeley has been completed using MEG Exterior grade cladding in 781 Ash and 1831 Grey.

ROBUST ANTI-LIGATURE TV CABINET OFFERS PROTECTION AND PEACE OF MIND Tough Furniture’s anti-ligature TV cabinet was introduced in 2014, to fulfil a need for secure TV cabinets in mental health settings. Standard television cabinets aren’t designed to withstand the demands of a mental health facility, particularly when it comes to ligature reduction, and the use of specially-designed equipment is highly recommended in such settings.

uk.abetlaminati.com

FOCUS & INNOVATION

Designed by Seymour Harris Architecture and installed by Tetraclad, the extension encompasses new classrooms and staffroom increasing capacity at this Ofsted-highly-rated CofE and Methodist primary school in the West Midlands. The clever use of Ash woodgrain-effect laminate fabricated into planks offset against the darker grey boards which stand proud of the face contrast well together. MEG carries a BBA Agrément certificate and F1 panels from 6mm and thicker are rated Class B-s1, d0. This scheme is a perfect example of MEG in action where the need for high performance and durability is married up with low lifecycle costs and aesthetic design. Recent site surveys on several schools a decade after installation have highlighted the remarkable weatherability of MEG with the panels looking the same as when first installed. The range comprises 58 colours and 29 woodgrains together with five concrete- and metal-effect finishes. MEG is also able to incorporate Abet’s digital printing technology. This means that almost any design, photograph or pattern can be reproduced in stunning detail to give architects and designers unparalleled freedom to create unusual and dramatic building facades. MEG is a self-supporting high-pressure laminate (HPL) for cladding the exterior of buildings, balconies and other applications. It features high resistance to temperature, climate shock, weathering, UV light and impact. Furthermore, its chemical-resistant nature and closed structure do not allow paint in spray cans, various inks, emulsion paints, lipstick or pastel paints to penetrate into the decorative layer. This negates the need for any antigraffiti treatment and makes the surface easy to clean.

0207 473 6915 sales@abet.ltd.uk

Historically, many secure TV cabinets are manufactured in metal, plastic or compact-grade laminate to increase durability – however, in modern mental healthcare settings that emphasise recovery over restraint, products made from these materials are often seen as being overly institutional and intimidating. Given these constraints, Tough Furniture’s natural woodgrains and curved lines are designed to make for a more welcoming aesthetic, contributing to a more pleasant environment all round. Safety has not been forgotten however, and the high-specification build quality of the unit not only allows for a robust lifespan, but also allows for further reduction in ligature risk by encapsulating all plugs, sockets and wires in the body of the cabinet. Anti-ligature TV cabinets can be fitted neatly to the wall, allowing for the most efficient use of space, aiding a clutter-free, calming environment. An anti-ligature TV cabinet is the ideal solution for mental health care settings that want to maintain the safety of the individuals who call them home, without developing an overly restrictive, institutional feel to the environment. As one of the UK’s longest-established specialist manufacturers of furniture for challenging environments, Tough Furniture offers a wide range of sizes and colours, and is also able to offer bespoke sizing on request.

www.toughfurniture.com/ furniture-type/tv-protection 01588 674340 sales@toughfurniture.com

FOCUS & INNOVATION

A NEW GENERATION OF LIBRARIES DEFINED BY COPPER Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper cladding, in the form of large shingles and vertical fins structuring glazing, creates a strong civic identity for the expanded and remodelled library in Kirkkonummi, Finland.

Known as Fyyri, the revitalised building exemplifies a new generation of Finnish libraries, which its architect, JKMM, has been active in shaping. These new libraries are conceived as vibrant, multipurpose facilities at the heart of communities that still retain the core concept of places for reading, research and learning.

Redefining the library typology As JKMM Founding Partner, Teemu Kurkela, explains: “The library typology in Finland has changed. They are no longer solely about books, but also getting together to share knowledge and experiences through multiple channels. They are not unlike community halls, which is why Finns today refer to libraries as public living rooms.” Fyyri is a sustainable, adaptive re-use of the original 1980s concrete library building, utilising its embodied carbon. JKMM has remodelled it and doubled its size, introducing new spaces for community uses, such as toddler groups, youth clubs, exhibitions, events and performances. They also completely redesigned the interiors, finished throughout with white walls alongside

slatted timber walls and ceilings, integrating the original concrete column structure.

Nordic Brown Light skin Externally, the new library is clad in Nordic Brown Light preoxidised copper, enwrapping the building and giving it a unity and strong presence as a civic landmark. Teemu says: “The neighbouring Medieval church has a distinctive green copper roof, and we created a dialogue between the old and the new. The library and church are

both accessible to all, and we wanted this feeling of openness to be part of the architectural language of our design. “For the library, we sought a material that expresses the valuable role of the building: to respect knowledge. Libraries have a very long lifespan, so it is sustainable to use a facade material with an exceptionally long life. Copper is, of course, a material befitting public buildings and has a particularly tactile quality with a unique sense of warmth. It is an

inherently timeless material that ages beautifully and we expect the library to look even better in 50 years.” Nordic Brown provides the same oxidised brown surface that otherwise develops over time in the environment. The thickness of the oxide layer determines the colour of the surface finish, with darker or lighter (Nordic Brown Light) shades of brown. Nordic Brown Light gradually changes over time to a stable dark chocolate brown. 

FOCUS & INNOVATION

©Marc Goodwin

FOCUS & INNOVATION

Unified by materiality At Fyyri, Nordic Brown Light copper is used in several architectural forms – unified by their materiality – notably, distinctive shingles generating diagonal wave-like patterns. Teemu adds: “Both the interior and exterior of the library are inspired by the traditional life of fishermen surrounding Kirkkonummi, as well as Finnish nature – common themes in our work. The shingle patterns bring to mind images of fishing nets, particularly fitting for a city with an extensive and beautiful coastline and maritime heritage. “The copper shingles are at the same time functional, modern and timeless. Previously, we used similar Nordic Brown Light shingles to clad our extension to Alvar Aalto’s landmark Seinäjoki Library. But at Kirkkonummi, we used slightly larger shingles to make the pattern stronger and arranged them at a more dynamic angle.”

Living copper surfaces As well as Nordic Brown, the extensive Nordic Copper range also includes Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ plus Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and the latest Nordic Turquoise, developed with properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world. As well as the solid patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available for each colour with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material. Copper alloys are growing in popularity as well, including Nordic Bronze and Nordic Brass – which can also be supplied pre-weathered. The innovative Nordic Royal is an alloy of copper with aluminium and zinc, giving it a rich golden through-colour and making it very stable. It has a thin protective oxide layer containing all three alloy elements when produced. As a result, the surface retains its golden colour and simply loses some of its sheen over time, as the oxide layer thickens with exposure to the atmosphere to give a matt finish. A growing series of ‘copper stories’ building studies exemplify the best in contemporary architecture and showcase the diversity of surfaces, forms and applications available with Nordic Copper today.

www.nordiccopper.com 01875 812144 g.bell@aurubis.com

©Marc Goodwin

Responding to the growing trend towards self-directed professional development opportunities, ROCKWOOL has enhanced its CPD programme with the addition of on-demand modules at www. rockwool.com/uk/on-demand. The new option makes professional development more accessible than ever by giving users the opportunity to complete CPDs at a place and time of their choosing. The on-demand CPDs complement the wider CPD programme, where all modules can be accessed through presentations hosted by a member of the ROCKWOOL Specification Team in person or virtually. The full suite of ROCKWOOL CPDs can now be accessed according to user preference, with further support available at any time. The ondemand solution launches with four topics initially, providing practical insights and knowledge on current legislation, product performance and best practice for fire safety. The on-demand range is applicable to the main areas of the building envelope, specifically facades and roofs, and features the CPDs: Fire Safety and Tall Building Facades; A-Rated Products; Building Envelope; and Compartmentation.

www.rockwool.com/uk/on-demand 01656 868400 customersupportcentre@rockwool.co.uk

FOCUS & INNOVATION

ROCKWOOL EXPANDS CPD PROGRAMME WITH ONDEMAND MODULES

NEW ROCKWOOL RED BOOK RELEASED A 2021 version of the ROCKWOOL Red Book has now been released, capturing a series of key technical updates to ensure that this interactive guide to stone-wool insulation will continue to save specifiers time and make it simple to identify the right product for facade, wall, floor and roof applications. Launched last year in an all-new interactive format, the ROCKWOOL Red Book is a powerful digital tool which provides access to technical data, product certification and a wide range of specification support materials across the ROCKWOOL product range. One of the major updates for 2021 is the inclusion of British Board of Agrément (BBA) certification for the ROCKWOOL HARDROCK range of flat roofing products. “Our customers tell us that the ROCKWOOL Red Book is their go-to guide to specify insulation. We’re continually improving this as a practical guide that’s easy to use and saves customers time. We want to ensure it remains relevant and accurate,” comments Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL.

www.rockwool.com/uk/redbook 01656 868400 customersupportcentre@rockwool.co.uk

SIKA’S MONOTOP® SYSTEM RAISES STANDARDS IN SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM CONCRETE REPAIR

F. BALL DELIVERS FLAWLESS FLOORING FOR LABORATORY Stopgap subfloor preparation products from F. Ball and Co. and the company’s Styccobond F44 acrylic adhesive have been used to create a laboratorystandard flooring finish at a new facility for international laboratories operator, Tentamus Group, at Pride Park in Derbyshire. Contractors from JDF Flooring used F. Ball’s dual-purpose Stopgap Fill and Prime and Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound to prepare 1500m² of metal raised access panels over two floors before installing vinyl sheet safety flooring throughout. The upper floor was partitioned to create multiple laboratories. Contractors then used F. Ball’s Styccobond F44 acrylic adhesive to install Polyflor Polysafe Standard PUR heavy-duty vinyl safety flooring.

www.f-ball.co.uk

Sika has launched a new concrete repair solution that provides greater long-term protection for buildings and sets a new standard for low environmental impact concrete by significantly reducing CO2 emissions. Sika has invested in the trusted Sika MonoTop brand, which rewrites the rule book in terms of low-carbon concrete repair. With 45 million buildings in the UK alone thought to be in need of refurbishment in order to comply with regulation energy performance, Sika’s sustainable MonoTop range is the ideal repair solution for addressing such an issue. Its sustainable, reliable performance follows years of research by Sika’s technical teams, resulting in a proven, premier solution that compared to other concrete repair solutions, uses less carbon emissions.

www.sika.co.uk/sika-monotop

01707 363804

STOSILENT DISTANCE SYSTEM BRINGS PEACE AND QUIET TO THE PROF. LORD BHATTACHARYYA BUILDING The need for carefully-designed and balanced acoustics within a vast, open space has led to an acoustic system from Sto being specified for a major automotive research and development centre in the Midlands. The StoSilent Distance system has been installed at the new Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building, home of the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), on the University of Warwick campus. Over 2000m2 of the StoSilent Distance system was installed around the curving balustrades and street-level ceilings, which feature in the multi-level atrium area. The StoSilent Distance system includes the Sto minimal void SW150 metal profile sub-construction which can be installed and adjusted to suit a very wide variety of application requirements, thus providing a tremendous range of design possibilities.

01538 361633 www.sto.co.uk

0141 892 8000

info.uk@sto.com

PSBJ September 21

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