PROPERTY DEVELOPER UPDATE UPDATE February 2015
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34 CONTENTS Property Developer Update - February 2014
4
Industry News
10
Doors & Windows
16
Broxap part of Olympic Park Transformation Project
18 Flooring 24
Ion Glass brings church into modern era
25
Innovations in Curved Stairs
28
External Works & Landscaping
34
Sika Concrete Admixtures For Sir Chris Hoy Veledrome
38
Heating & Ventilation
42
The BOX Seat 908 for Emirates Stadium
44
Editors Choice
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04 Industry News London construction cost now highest in the world Central London is now the most expensive place to build in the world, according to the 2014 International Construction Costs Report released today by Arcadis. The report, which benchmarks building costs in 43 countries across the globe, found that the average cost of construction in central London is even higher than in Switzerland. It said the rise “reflects the very high specification levels seen in many London developments
and the fact that the UK construction industry has never been as productive as its US and European peers.”
that its prime residential property is reaching a capacity ceiling, leading to significant cost inflation over the past year.
By contrast, average UK construction costs sees the country sits eighth in the table.
“This is bolstered by the UK construction industry being much less productive than its US and European peers and the fluctuation in global currencies, especially the strength of the Sterling relative to the Euro.
Simon Rawlinson, Arcadis’ head of Strategic Research, said: “The cost of construction in London has been heavily impacted by high specification levels in many of the city’s developments, topped off by the fact
Invest In Quality Design Fletcher Priest Architects design the interiors of the new London base for a leading investment firm. Occupying the top two floors of a Crown Estate landmark office redevelopment on Regent Street, the firm enjoys beautiful views across the rooftops of central London through timber framed curtain walling that opens out onto roof top terraces and gardens. Rooting the interior concept in 1960s, Los Angeles provided an immediate reference to the company’s global headquarter city and set the tone of the interior design intent. The design illustrates a modern take on the Case Study house interiors timelessly elegant furniture pieces and contemporary material and colour palettes which enhance the base building.
The design of the fit out comprises of a mixture of open plan and cellular accommodation incorporating conference rooms, staff facilities and a reception. In order to reflect the firm’s particular way of working as well as to accommodate future growth, both the space planning and furniture were coordinated with the need to allow for interchangeability between the different types of offices and occupancies. Fletcher Priest’s approach provides a fresh take on the typically corporate nature of an investment firm by creating a vivid West End working environment reflecting the people focused, collaborative team culture of their client. Architecturally, the biggest challenge, and subsequently the biggest success, was balancing the design between the creative aesthetics of the workplace, the flexibility of the accommodation types and the overall image the office portrayed. Whilst the design of the fit out was aimed at creating an individual company identity, it was equally pertinent for it to be a sensitive and enhancing addition to the base build. Thus, Fletcher Priest ensured that all finishes and product choices corresponded to the base building aspirations in terms of aesthetics and sustainability. Fletcher Priest Architects is an award winning practice with studios in London, Koln and Riga with years of experience in urban design, architecture and interiors. www.fletcherpriest.com
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“Given that this is unlikely to cease, the UK is forecast to grow around 3% in 2015.”
NIA Urges Politica Energy Efficient Re The National Insulation Association (NIA) is calling on all UK political party leaders to commit to making energy efficient retrofit an infrastructure investment priority in their election manifestos. Neil Marshall, chief executive of the NIA, said the recent reports on energy efficiency policy have demonstrated that a “fresh approach and step change in funding for energy efficiency and installation rates is needed.” He added: “The rate of insulation installations has collapsed under the current Energy Company Obligation and Green Deal and is well behind the trajectory needed to achieve the UK’s carbon saving targets according to the Committee on Climate Change. At the current rates of installation it will take around 150 years to insulate all of the remaining solid wall properties, over 30 years to insulate all of the remaining cavity wall properties and around 60 years to insulate all of the remaining lofts to the correct level.” Marshall said that research conducted by Cambridge Econometrics and Verco for the Energy Bill Revolution identified that a far more ambitious home energy efficiency investment programme would pay for itself and significantly boost the UK economy. The report revealed that the programme would:
Industry News 05
Recession Hit Accrington Brick Factory Reopens After Seven Years Hanson has fired up production at its Accrington brickworks factory for the first time since the recession forced it to close seven-years-ago. David Cameron and George Osborne visited the Lancashire factory yesterday as part of a two day tour of the north-west. The company said the decision to reopen the factory was led by a demand for bricks outstripping supply and an upturn in the house building market.
al Parties To Make etrofit Commitment • Add £13.9bn annually to the UK economy by 2030 • Create over 100,000 new jobs • Deliver average energy savings of £372 and result in £4.95 billion in financial savings per year for UK households by 2030 • Cut gas imports by 25%, boosting energy security • Provide a £1.27 return in tax revenue for every £1 invested by Government Marshall concluded: “The evidence is there for all to see – the current policies, programmes and funding are inadequate and yet the benefits to Government, the economy and hard pressed householders from a properly funded energy efficiency programme are huge. Therefore, today we are calling on all political parties to go further and quicker by committing to the following in their election manifestos: To make energy efficiency retrofit of the UK housing stock a national infrastructure investment priority supported by appropriate levels of funding and a robust delivery plan developed with industry As part of the programme, insulate 2 million low income homes to EPC band C by 2020 and all 6 million low income homes to band C by 2025.
Stephen Harrison, managing director, Hanson Building Products, said: “We are anticipating further growth in new housing starts in the short to medium term and are confident that this factory has a prominent part to play in the economic recovery.” Hanson have invested £1.6 m into the factory and created over 30 new jobs, with plans for a further 20 jobs at the site in 2015. The company has also reopened its Claughton Manor plant near Lancaster and added additional shifts at its midlands factories at Kirton, Desford and Wilnecote. The re-start will be carried out in two stages with phase one in January and phase two, which will require further investment of around £350,000, following later in the year.
Bricks have been manufactured at the site near Accrington since 1887. They are made from fire clay and became known in the trade as iron bricks due to their strength and durability. George Osborne said: “The closure of the brickworks was a painful symbol of how our economy has suffered in recent years, and its re-opening is the strongest evidence possible that Britain and the north-west are coming back, and are once again on course to prosperity.” As part of its economic plan the government has pledged to build 25,000 homes in the north-west and yesterday released a shortlist of areas which are in line to receive £200 m of government loans to regenerate brownfield areas into new housing.
Councils get £1m to crack down on unauthorised developments Councils are set to receive £1m to crack down on breaches of planning control like unauthorised building developments and illegal traveller encampments. The new Planning Enforcement Fund, announced last week, will give councils funding towards the legal costs of seeking a court injunction against developments without planning permission. Previously, councils had to pay for the cost of court injunctions but now, with the new fund, they can apply for up to £10,000 per case. The Department for Communities and Local Government said the fund could pay for more than 90 court injunctions up to March 2016. Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: “By putting power
back into the hands of local people, we’ve seen support for new housebuilding soar over the past four years. But residents rightly expect fair play in the system and for their council to take action when people flout the rules. “This new £1m fund gives councils the tools they need in the fight against unauthorised development, so they should not be afraid to go through the courts to tackle serious breaches of planning law. “We believe in putting power back in the hands of local communities and empowering councils to take action against those who do not play by the rules.” The fund will be split with £200,000 available until March 2015 and £800,000 in 2015 to 2016. developer-update.co.uk
06 Industry News Three more architects appointed to £1bn NW Cambridge project Alison Brooks, Pollard Thomas Edwards and Proctor & Matthews land housing design Alison Brooks Architects, Pollard Thomas Edwards and Proctor & Matthews have all been appointed to design the next phase of the £1 billion North West Cambridge development. The architects are working with Hill and Countryside who have signed a deal with the university to deliver 400 homes for sale on the open market. They will include flats, terraced houses, semis and detached properties. Like the 700 homes for university staff, which formed part of the first phase, they will be designed to meet level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Make appoints first woman to board
Some 15 architects are working on phase one, including Cottrell & Vermeulen, the AOC and Sarah Wigglesworth.
Katy Ghahremani is also a judge in New Design Britain Awards - entries close this week
The 150ha North West Cambridge expansion, masterplanned by Aecom, is the largest single capital development project undertaken by the university in its 800-year history. The impetus came from the need to ensure affordable homes will be available for university staff in the years ahead.
Katy Ghahremani, who joined at a senior level from Foster & Partners in 2004, replaces Barry Cooke as a director.
The phase two housing designs will be subject to reserved matters applications to the local authorities later this year and should be on sale from spring 2016.
“This is an exciting moment for Make as we look forward to the year ahead.”
Make has appointed its first female board member more than a decade after the practice was founded.
Cooke, who has stepped down from the board, remains a trustee and partner. The other directors are Sean Affleck, Jason Parker and Ken Shuttleworth, who said he was “absolutely delighted” by the appointment. “Katy is highly respected by the partners at Make and brings a wealth of experience and judgement to the role,” he said.
Barry Cooke said: “I will still be very much involved in Make but the prime responsibility for finance has passed to Laura [Cooke, financial controller], and so it seems fitting to stand aside to allow Katy to step up to board level where her talents are needed, as the practice grows and expands.” Ghahremani, who was born in Iran, moved to London with her family in 1979. She studied architecture at Edinburgh and the Bartlett and is also an interior designer. She is currently working on two projects in China. She also sits on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s architecture appraisal panel and is also a part of the RIBA Breaking Barriers to Women in Architecture group.
New Design Britain Awards Ghahremani is also one of the judges of the architecture category in this year’s New Design Britain Awards for talented young design graduates and students. Entries for these awards, now more than 10 years old and run by BD’s parent company, close at 11pm this Friday. Other judges for the new architecture category include past YAYA winner Phil Coffey, Archer Humphryes founder Julie Humphryes, and BDP director Ged Couser. The interior design category is being judged by Staffan Tollgard, Dan Hopwood, Sara Cosgrove and Katherine Pooley. developer-update.co.uk
Industry News 07
Benjamin Marks Completes National Theatre Restaurant Temporary structure is part of Coin Street’s development plan Part II graduate Benjamin Marks has completed a temporary restaurant and bar for Coin Street Community Builders on London’s South Bank. The Green Room is a collaboration with the National Theatre on land awaiting permanent development as part of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands’ Doon Street masterplan. The site, next to Allies & Morrison’s new home for the Rambert dance company on Upper Ground, was previously the offices of the Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB), the group that redeveloped the Oxo Tower. It is a stone’s throw from the London Eye, the project that propelled Marks’ parents’ practice, Marks Barfield, to prominence. Marks, who studied architecture at Cambridge and London Met, was chosen for the project after completing a new office and playspace for Oasis
Children’s Venture, a children’s charity in Stockwell, in 2012, using components taken from CSCB’s dismantled headquarters, a Walter Segal-designed building. Marks, who worked at Harry Gugger Studio in Basel after his part I, is now working full-time for CSCB as client for its development projects. He was described by Hugh Pearman in the Sunday Times this week as “one to follow”. Work on the next phase of the Doon Street project – which includes a public indoor swimming and leisure centre and a residential tower above restaurant/retail space – is expected to commence in 2015/16 requiring land to the rear of The Green Room during construction. The final phase – on the site of The Green Room – includes an education/ office building and a new town square. Marks said the design of The Green Room was inspired by the distinctive
material qualities of the South Bank, while the building’s robust, yet loosefit construction was a response to its projected five-year lifespan. The transparent façade creates a strong connection across the garden and Upper Ground to the National Theatre, animating the street frontage. Views are framed through a series of granite columns. The rough surface of the stone recalls the textures of nearby brutalist buildings whilst, in contrast, a lightweight timber structure encloses the space. The dining area is naturally ventilated. The stone columns and polished concrete floor conserve energy through thermal mass. Re-used chairs, theatre lights and granite setts from the riverside walkway are other features of The Green Room. The main space is designed for informal, yearround dining, and the garden - planted and maintained by local charity Bankside Open Spaces Trust - will come alive in the warmer months as an urban oasis.
Architects grudgingly accept Prince Charles’s urban design manifesto ‘It’s fantastic when the great powers of the land become interested in architecture’ Architects have given a conditional welcome to an essay by Prince Charles in which he airs his opinions on urban design and scolds his critics to “take a more mature view”. While many agreed with his manifesto they questioned the “position of untouchable power” from which he asserts his views. The prince, writing in the monthly magazine Architectural Review, lists 10 geometric principles on which he argues all masterplans should be based, including use of local materials and the primacy of the pedestrian. He denies wanting to return to a mythical golden age, insisting his concern is with the “terrifying prospect” of an additional three billion people sharing the planet by 2050. “Architects and urban designers have an enormous role to play in responding to this challenge,” he writes. “We have to work out how we will create resilient, truly sustainable and human-scale urban environments that are land-efficient, use low-carbon
materials and do not depend so completely upon the car. “However, for these places to enhance the quality of people’s lives and strengthen the bonds of community, we have to reconnect with those traditional approaches and techniques honed over thousands of years which, only in the 20th century, were seen as ‘old-fashioned’ and of no use in a progressive modern age. It is time to take a more mature view. “I say this because those universal principles are expressed in the order of Nature, which can never be ‘oldfashioned’. Nature is only ever of paramount contemporary importance and, although we think we can, we ignore the order of Nature at our peril.”
The prince’s essay was welcomed by Robert Sakula, a founding partner of Ash Sakula, who said: “He’s got 10 good ingredients but it depends what you cook with them.”
He goes on urge architects to employ geometry – “spiritual mathematics” – and in particular the circle.
Sakula said he’d been impressed when he visited Poundbury, the prince’s model village in Dorset, to find “intelligent urban design” had been incorporated into its structures.
When a tutor at the prince’s School of Traditional Arts taught geometry to a group of creatives at an event at the British Museum, the result was “breathtaking moment of realisation”, he says.
He added: “I don’t see Prince Charles as a big bogeyman but it would be nice if he had as much understanding of modern architecture as about traditional architecture, but he clearly doesn’t. developer-update.co.uk
08 Industry News Work Begins on Wienerberger’s
First E4 Brick House Wienerberger has announced that work has commenced on its first ever e4 brick house project.
The four detached houses will occupy a plot in Hanslope, Milton Keynes and are being built by Tag Information Technology. Tag had initially planned a timber frame construction for the development but this was changed to Wienerberger’s e4 brick house concept. Tag’s Hash Kapadia commented: “The real difference between this and other options for the builder lies in durability, real and perceived quality. The houses are designed to last more than 150 years and should have low ongoing maintenance costs over their extended lifespan.” The new homes focus on the four pillars of Wienerberger’s e4 concept – energy, economy, environment and emotion. They utilise a fabric first approach using a clay building envelope to deliver homes with reduced energy requirements. Richard Brown, category marketing manager at Wienerberger, commented: “We are very excited to see two years of planning coming
to life with the start of our first e4 brick house project. We really believe e4 principles can change the way houses are designed and built in the UK. This project will show the world that the housing industry can truly embrace its obligation to being both ecofriendly and sustainable.” Paul Surin, head of built environment at Wienerberger, worked closely with Tag to apply the Wienerberger e4 brick house concept to their development and provided support and advice on both the design and build aspects of the project. He commented: “It’s been a pleasure working with Tag who have really embraced the e4 concept. The ‘four e’s’ are embedded in the design of this project and give a great balance between green credentials and usability which will make the homes both desirable and sustainable. Wieneberger has confirmed that further e4 developments are in the pipeline with housing associations and other developers. Tag’s Jayant Kapadia is also planning to use the e4 concept in his own home.
Solar Crowfunding Scheme Catches Light
A project to site 749 solar panels on social housing in Berwickshire is the most effective crowdfunding campaign ever hosted by the investment platform Abundance Generation The scheme, called Oakapple Berwickshire, will be Europe’s largest crowdfunded solar project having raised £700,000 of its £3.1m target since launching on October 31. And Abundance said it was the most successful campaign it has hosted in terms of turning visits into investment, reflecting the growing prominence of clean energy investment. Phil Taylor, the chairman of project operator Oakapple Renewable Energy, said: “A growing number of people are looking to make ethical investments and this type of project allows them to invest in renewable energy projects, enabling them to make money while supporting the planet.” Bull market The early success of the project is indicative of growing confidence in renewable projects, as cleantech investment grew 16% last year according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report.
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In response to this news, Ian Thomas, managing director at Turquoise International a leading merchant bank specialising in energy and the environment commented: “”At Turquoise, we are delighted by this data, as it highlights a step up in the maturity of the cleantech and renewables sectors at a time of turmoil in the traditional energy industry. “We believe innovation is key to achieving a sustainable future for our energy landscape, so welcome wholeheartedly the inflow of new investment.” “This strong upsurge reflects more projects moving from feasibility to final stages, as well as increased levels of support for smaller companies looking to break into the market with new and exciting technologies. And it’s not just institutional investors and multinational corporations that are benefiting from the renewables boom; last week crowdfunding platform Trillion Fund opened investment for what could be the largest crowd-funded wind project ever.
Industry News 08
Code For Sustainable Homes Scrapped Government dismantling of the Code for Sustainable Homes leaves many issues unanswered ‘Throwing the ecological baby out with the red tape bathwater’ is how Fionn Stevenson, head of Sheffield School of Architecture, views the government’s hasty dismantling of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Introduced in 2007, the Code has come under scrutiny as part of the Housing Standards Review. If the Deregulation Bill (which includes the Housing Standards Review) proceeds through the Lords as anticipated, it
will be granted Royal Assent in March, rendering the Code a short-lived relic of the past. That means planners will no longer stipulate a Code Level 3, 4, 5 or 6 as a planning condition for residential developments. The government claims to be abolishing the Code to consolidate housing standards and regulations – no doubt a good thing. Yet many issues critical to housing quality are left wide open. Daylighting, materials and ventilation, central to the comfort and wellbeing of residents and at the heart of good design, are not
addressed. This is worrying, because housebuilders will often only deliver to the lowest required standard. But the overhaul of standards is the ideal opportunity to address the performance gap. Government should insist on certification of asbuilt schemes to ensure they are constructed as designed. To drive change through the market, what we really need is environmental labelling – akin to appliance labelling – for housing. Only then will consumers be equipped to evaluate and demand greener homes.
Government’s New Radical Approach to Housing The government has launched what it called a “radical” new approach to housing as part of its National Infrastructure Plan, announced today ahead of George Osborne’s autumn statement on Wednesday. Among the proposals is to support Bicester in its plan to become a garden city with the construction of 13,000 homes. It follows the government’s earlier commitment to the first new garden city for almost 100 years at Ebbsfleet. The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, told the Telegraph that garden cities were “an idea whose time has come again” and added that he hoped there would be “another wave of garden cities in this country”. Elsewhere the government said it would masterplan, directly commission and sell homes, with a pilot programme to take place on the former RAF base in Northstowe near Cambridge. “This is the first time in a generation that the government has owned land, led a development on it at this scale, and considered commissioning homes directly for sale,” the Treasury said in a statement. According to the plan the government will make an upfront investment but aim to meet future costs through the sale of land and homes. It will also conduct a feasibility study on the economic impacts of rolling out the mode on a wider scale to increase housing supply.
He added: “There is indisputable evidence that the UK’s rigid planning laws are the cause of structurally high prices, yet this proposal is an attempt to circumvent, not tackle, that problem. The government is recognising the negative impact of our draconian planning system, but rather than reforming swathes of red tape, they are simply exempting themselves from existing regulations at the expense of the private sector.” Labour’s shadow housing minister, Emma Reynolds, said: “David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s failure to build the homes our country need is central to the cost of living crisis and has locked out thousands of families and young people from the housing market. This government has presided over the lowest levels of house building in peacetime since the 1920s and has failed to make any meaningful progress on garden cities – instead of getting on and building them minister have spent nearly five years making empty announcements.” Govtoday’s next Sustainable Communities conference, covering topics including housing, takes place on 17 March 2015.
Meanwhile the government said it was extending the capital settlement for affordable housing by £957m in 2018-19 and 2019-20 to ensure that 275,000 new affordable homes can be delivered over the next parliament. The Treasury statement described the policies as a “radical new approach to housing”. But the Institute for Economic Affairs’ director general, Mark Littlewood, said the idea of government building houses because prices were high was “as absurd as proposing that the increased price of food requires government to buy up land to run farms” developer-update.co.uk
10 Doors & Windows
Facade pays dividends In this article, Jon Palethorpe, Commercial Director at Technal, looks at how a range of architectural aluminium glazing systems have helped to create a state-of-the-art technology centre for De La Rue – the world’s largest integrated commercial bank note printer.
The brief for the scheme at Overton Mill in Hampshire was to create a distinctive, world-class building with a modern facade that would better reflect De La Rue’s aspirations as a leading global organisation, stimulate innovation and interaction, and blend well into its rural location. The project also included the expansion and extensive refurbishment of an existing 1980s office building to house the new research facility. The main contractor for the project was Thomas Vale Construction and project architects, RCKa Architects worked in collaboration with workspace designers, David Leon & Associates. World-class centre The new three-storey wing to the south east elevation occupies a prominent sloping site and has provided a stateof-the-art centre for the development of new products with De La Rue’s customers and research into printing techniques, ink application, holograms and other security features. It accommodates a series of secure, specialist laboratories, open-plan offices with expansive views over the surrounding countryside, and a visitor’s suite to demonstrate the latest technologies. The internal spaces are designed to encourage scientists to relocate from the laboratory environment to the ‘write up space’ on the upper floor, stimulating interaction between the different disciplines and inspiring innovation. developer-update.co.uk
The building’s contemporary design has a sculptural form featuring deep reveals and projecting cills to provide shade from the sun in the summer months and to allow high levels of natural daylight during the winter. And by recycling and converting an existing facility, the client gained a brand new research centre to encourage collaboration and innovation, for significantly less than the cost of a new building. Unify elements Fabricated and installed by ADP Aluminium Systems, Technal’s GEODE-MX62 curtain walling, FXi65 casement windows and CD commercial doors were specified for both the new wing and the refurbished building. The fenestration of the technology centre was designed to unify both the new and existing parts of the scheme and to reflect the activities inside – the ground floor of the extension has a solid ‘plinth’ with smaller FXi65 casement windows for privacy where research activities take place. The two upper floors have large spans of curtain walling to maximise natural light where the office spaces and facilities for visitors are sited. The GEODE-MX62 facade system was used to enclose a new double-height entrance lobby for the main brick-clad building, allowing views up to the top floor. Improved thermal efficiency Technal’s FXi65 ribbon windows replaced the original steel continuted on page 12
12 Doors & Windows
continuted from page 10 windows which had reached the end of their life, radically improving the building’s thermal efficiency and reducing heat loss. The new systems have a projecting top hung configuration with fixed lights and were all internally glazed. A continuous white monolithic render was specified for both the new wing and the entrance lobby of the main building – a material commonly used for residential properties locally and which emphasises the changing light conditions through the day. All of the facade systems were polyester powder coated for a durable finish and in dark grey to contrast with the white render. Commenting on the glazing specification, Russell Curtis, Project Architect at RCKa Architects, says: “The original building had deteriorated badly and had limited architectural quality. Our aim was to create a new wing that would enhance the appearance of the site, create a more sustainable, productive working environment, and better reflect the values of De La Rue as a leading global research organisation. Technal’s assistance with the specification
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“Technal’s facade systems met our requirements for cost efficiency, consistency of appearance, aesthetics, thermal performance and the GEODE-MX62 curtain walling option could achieve large spans with narrow sight lines to maximise natural light. We are very pleased with how the fenestration solution has unified both the existing and new elements of the building.
made the facade design process very straightforward, despite its complexity, and we are very happy with their team’s technical input. We would definitely consider specifying these systems for future schemes. The success of the overall project is testament to the vision of the client and the project team.
”
Creative freedom Technal’s GEODE-MX curtain walling is fully compatible with the FXi casement window suite for ease of specification and installation, and it can be used to create a wide variety of architectural compositions from a single grid system. Design options for unrivalled aesthetic flexibility include low to high rise facades, horizontal or vertical emphasis, ribbon, structural, faceted, beaded, and sloped glazing.
The GEODE-MX62 curtain walling is one of the latest additions to the GEODE-MX range which was developed to allow building designers to accommodate larger dimensions and increase natural light. The option features a 62mm module, and a maximum weight of 600kg per transom can be specified – compared to up to 400kg with the standard Visible Grid curtain wall option. This enables architects and contractors to achieve even larger glass sizes to help reduce the reliance on artificial lighting, and meet their sustainability objectives. MX62 curtain walling is available in three mullion/transom sizes – 80, 140 and 200mm for further design flexibility, and will accommodate 8 to 44mm glazing as a flat facade. Structurally-bonded top hung concealed vents can be supplied for 36mm and 42mm glazing, allowing natural ventilation whilst maintaining a frameless appearance to make the sections of the vents indistinguishable from the curtain wall when in a closed position. The technology centre for De La Rue successfully demonstrates how a highly flexible and integrated range of architectural aluminium glazing systems can be used to create a variety of compositions for both refurbishment and new build, allowing visual consistency across a single project.
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14 Doors & Windows Located in the Centre of Eindhoven, a city in the south of The Netherlands, an existing mall, including shops, restaurants, a casino and music hall, takes on an entirely new expression – one which aims to push a complete shopping experience to its visitors. We think that shopping in the future is going to be much more about the experience rather than just the product you buy and this is what we’re trying to create – starting from the moment you enter the Heuvel from the iconic Bauporte revolving door – it’s the first door in the world to be built in this way,” explains Project Manager David Visser from client CBRE Global Investors. The redesign by UK-based architects Dunnett Craven and Dutch practice van Aken Architecten included a new floor and ceiling, new escalators, LED lighting and refitting the entrances. It was required to fit new fire and safety regulations, which had dramatically changed since the building’s construction in 1992. One of the main challenges was how to create the entrance from the car park, the largest in the centre housing around 1200 parking spaces, to the shopping mall.
Redefining the entrance
“The current entrance’s revolving door was mechanical, too small and awkwardly positioned, and a simple replacement would not suffice due to current fire regulations.
We needed to meet a 30-minute fireproof door regulation and we didn’t want any exhaust air from the car park to enter the retail areas so we needed an extremely functional solution. At the same time, the entrance was an opportunity to make an impression on our visitors – so we needed a highly aesthetic solution,” explains James Craven from Dunnett Craven Architects. Due to fire regulations the clients and architects needed a revolving glass fire resistant door, requiring a special solution owing to the 3.6m developer-update.co.uk
height of the door. Bauporte worked with two glass companies to produce a 30-minute fireproof glass solution. “I was searching for a company that could make this one-of-a-kind door and that’s where Bauporte came in,” explains Visser. “They had a smart idea that would achieve fire standards but they went two steps further than we anticipated. They designed a bespoke fire-resistant glass door with collapsible wings and ambient LED lighting in the ceiling.” Craven adds: “The local fire department said that our solution was far better than any possibilities they had imagined. The environmental control was important and the Bauporte team produced thermal studies to prove that the correct temperatures could be controlled directly behind the doors on a winter’s day.” As well as this unique Bauporte door, the architects used these fireproof revolving doors in other parts of the project – reinforcing how continuity in extraordinary quality can add to a unique shopping experience. The automatic 30 minutes Fire Proof Royal Prestige Revolving Door (RP 4200 AYN MCW FP30) is made with a stainless steel base construction with stainless steel mirror finish cladding. It has collapsible wings, acting as an emergency exit if calamities occur or in case of fire. At night, the door is able to automatically close against fire and together with a curved drum wall creates a 30-minute fireproof separation. Additionally, Bauporte developed an overpressure system, in the form of a special air curtain at the base of the door, to prevent exhaust air from the car park entering the mall.
“Heuvel will show what a visual and technological upgrade can do in terms of user comfort and functionality, making it a top example for other retail destinations,”
says Visser.
Doors & Windows 15
Apeer an open Doors & shut case
Open up a whole new world of leading edge style, colour and construction with Apeer doors – widely regarded as the most advanced GRP composite door entrance system on the market. Apeer’s leading edge MODO collection, distinguished by its now much copied stainless steel glazing trims, offers a number of benefits that set it apart from cheaper alternatives. Its 2mm flush trims – featured on both sides – are structurally bonded and screwfixed into the door rather than simply glued to the external skin, forming part of the glazing cassette and creating a much stronger bond.
and 12-colour premium range, Apeer can customise to virtually any colour (any BS, RAL or heritage-style shade) for an additional charge. The company also offers the option of having the interior of the door in a different colour to the exterior – so customers who opt for a bright and bold exterior can choose an inside colour that matches their interior décor. And any of these can come in a white frame.
come complete with a Q Seal warm edge Super Spacer system which significantly improves long-term durability, energy efficiency, condensation resistance and sound transmission. The company also uses the most advanced locking mechanisms on the market to offer formidable levels of security. Apeer doors are ‘Secure By Design’ and feature a Kitemarked cylinder, multi-point locking system that offers homeowners concerned about security, complete peace of mind. It is drill, pick and force resistant and additional keys can only be ordered from approved key cutters.
Officially recognised as ‘Energy A Rated’, Apeer composite doors feature a high density polyurethane core which offers a higher level of strength and insulation compared to traditional doors. The double rebate system – a ‘lip’ on the vertical edge All Apeer doors come with a 10-year where the door meets the frame – adds structural guarantee. additional draught protection by creating an internal secondary seal. Visit www.apeer.co.uk or contact sales@apeer.co.uk Unlike many other door companies, over Its toughened, triple glazed window and above its 12-colour standard palette panels are also highly insulated and Offering a wide range of traditional as well as contemporary styles, Apeer doors are one of the most well insulated and secure on the market: and because they are fully manufactured by Apeer, it’s possible to virtually tailor make a front door or full ‘entrance system’ with bespoke glazing and colour options.
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16 Project Case Study
Broxap part of Olympic Park Transformation Project Following on from their success as Suppliers to the London 2012 Olympics, Broxap were fortunate enough to also be involved in the Olympic Park Transformation Project, a Multi Phase & Multi contractor project. The North and South Plazas were the first and main phase, secured by BAM Nuttall. Litter bins, bollards and cycle stands were in the street-furniture package for which Broxap were not originally specified. Due to the exceptional working relationship they have with BAM, Broxap were given the opportunity to put a quotation together for these products. Their offering had to be as close to the specification as possible and had to provide full visual representation. Broxap provided 3D visuals and quotations, and once the price and design were accepted they received an order for 3 sample litter bins. Following several meetings with the Olympic Legacy Committee showcasing the products and designs, Broxap received approval for not only the bins but also for the bollards and cycle stands. All future phases on the site will now have the same specification. Broxap have since supplied the same products to Skanska & Frosts Landscapes for other phases, for example Canal Park (Skanska), Aquatic Centre (AM Build) and HereEast, within the Olympic Park. Total Olympic Park Transformation order values to date at ÂŁ232,268.00. developer-update.co.uk
Project Case Study 17
Hot Finished Steel Hollow Sections: Celsius速 A high strength hot finished hollow section that is suitable for all construction and mechanical applications, for internal and external applications to BS5950-1:2000, EN1993 and BS5400. Celsius速 performs in even the most arduous conditions and is the product to choose for all critical applications where failure is simply not an option. developer-update.co.uk
18 Flooring
Surface values Correctly specified flooring products offer a wealth of benefits when it comes to creating buildings that are accessible, safe and durable. In addition, they can play an important role in minimising product renewal costs, keeping the interiors clean and protecting surfaces from wear and tear. Lynette Bowden, Product Manager for Gradus, looks at some points to consider.
Many of today’s public and commercial buildings are ‘multipurpose’ spaces that need to be fit for a number of different uses. Examples include office blocks with a number of storeys encompassing office space as well as residential apartments; neighbourhood health centres which include a GP surgery, minor surgeries facility and a pharmacy; school halls used for social events and public meetings; and community center’s which are also used as nursery or childcare facilities. In many cases, buildings will have a constant stream of different users. As a result, floors can often become damaged or worn due to the high volume of traffic circulating throughout. However, specifying the right flooring products in the right places plays an important part when it comes to keeping surfaces clean and damage free, helping to ensure the interior remains looking good for many years to come. Making an entrance Entrances see the highest concentration of visitors, and more than 70% of dirt and moisture in buildings is tracked in by pedestrian and wheeled traffic. Barrier matting can protect interior floorcoverings by removing this at the point of entry, making it a cost effective way to reduce long term cleaning and maintenance costs. Barrier matting used at main and secondary entrances can reduce the amount of dirt and moisture tracked into a building by up to 90%. This, in turn, helps to improve health and safety, particularly as a significant proportion of all slip and trip accidents in public buildings occur on wet floors. Specifying an adequate amount of primary barrier matting can help to reduce this risk by preventing the internal flooring from becoming wet and slippery. High performance secondary barrier carpets can also be used to maximise the lifecycle of surrounding floorcoverings in areas that
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are subject to heavy footfall, such as corridors or reception areas. Zone out Carpet tiles offer a functional and versatile solution, creating welcoming environments, enhancing wellbeing and boosting productivity. In addition, to help maximise space and create accessible environments, specific zones – such as breakout areas, receptions, boardrooms and walkways – can be differentiated using colour and design. This makes it far easier to differentiate between different parts of a building. For instance, a waiting room in a healthcare facility or a breakout area on an office floor can easily be identified by using a different flooring scheme to neighbouring areas. Another benefit of using accent colours is that it becomes easier to achieve visual contrast. This is essential for helping visually impaired people to navigate a building and is achieved using Light Reflectance Values (LRVs). As many people with a visual impairment can perceive light and dark, LRVs are an ideal method to measure contrast. They are marked on a scale of 1 to 100 depending on the percentage of light reflected. Dark, matt and/or textured surfaces absorb a large amount of light and therefore have low reflectance values, while light, glossy and/or smooth surfaces reflect the majority of light that falls on them and have high reflectance values. The use of contrasting colours on adjacent surfaces such as floors and walls can therefore help people with visual impairments to gauge the layout of a room and communicate the size and space of areas within a building, while also indicating any change in floor level, such as on stairs. A visual contrast of 30 points or more on the LRV scale between the two surfaces is required to meet guidelines set out in BS 8300:2009+A1:2010.
20 Flooring
When Is The Right Time To Refinish The Wooden Floors? Wooden flooring undoubtedly adds more beauty, style, comfort and value to your property. But, it is equally true that it requires a very rigorous and strict maintenance and services to keep it as fresh as ever.
Unlike wine, wood does not get better with age. Understanding wooden flooring and when to give it a complete new look is not as simple as it seems. Before you make up your mind and think of make your family members fed-up for days, it is better to first let the professional company of flooring in Newcastle decide when you should think of getting the flooring done. Do not think you can accomplish the job of flooring by your own; it is a big task that needs professional guidance. There are many points that need to be kept in mind like the furniture has to be relocated; the foot traffic will have to be diverted for some days, etc. The dust and the chemicals from the process will be all over the place. You can begin by taking a close look at your bottom of the house. In case you find any faded finishes or surface scratches which are very lightly visible, you might get lucky! That means that you can only get away with just screening of the floor and applying the finish. Screening is just another method which is quite popular for roughing up the existing finish of the wooden grounds. In case you are not lucky, you will be seeing some extensive water damage or deep scratches into the wood, or sagging or split boards throughout the floor. This is an indication that your flooring in Sunderland requires lot more than just screening. One of the options is to completely replace or cover the damaged part of the wooden base. In some of the cases, if the damage is not widespread, you have an option of replacing just the damaged boards of the floor. If you are in doubt, it is always recommended to seek a professional help. There are a few simple thoughts that you need to reflect upon before you get started with the wood floor restoration in Sunderland. To begin with, you have to be aware whether you have laminated or engineered flooring instead of solid hardwood planks. Laminated or engineered bases are not made from the wood at all, so a synthetic product will never require any type of refinishing. If you have discovered that your floor is a wooden one, it is best left to a professional to further investigate the extent of damage, and what can be done to restore it. For seeking the expert and professional’s help in wooden floor restoration and repairing, visit www.northumberlandfloorsanding.co.uk. developer-update.co.uk
22 Flooring
Soft Floor UK Launch AstroTile Interlocking Grass Effect Sports Mat The AstroTile is a revolutionary interlocking grass effect floor mat produced by Soft Floor UK. Designed primarily for sports and games, it is used by major international brands at evens and promotions all over the world.
They can be laid directly on top of most solid surfaces and can be easily self-trimmed to fit awkward areas. Removable edging strips (two) come with each mat for a straight finish. For events and promotions, AstroTile mats are available to hire and were recently used at promotions by Saatchi & Saatchi, Coca-Cola, ASDA and are installed at the FA National Football Museum. AstroTile can also be installed as permanent surfaces in soft play centres and multi-use indoor games areas (MUGA).
The AstroTile has a grass effect soft touch surface, made up of dense fibres which are extremely durable and forgiving. The backing comprises a high-density, anti-slip EVA foam, which provides comfort and fall protection as well as punch holes to aid drainage if used in wet conditions. The tiles are one metre square,18mm thick and are extremely light and portable without compromising on quality or durability.
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There are a number of accessories available such as extra straight edge pieces, fixing tape and connecting ramps for addressability. Soft Floor UK also offer a logo printing service so branding can be applied to single mats or over a large area. AstroTile Interlocking Mats by Soft Floor UK are available directly from the Soft Floor UK website: softfloor.co.uk or by calling 01206 390 570
24 Project Case Study
Ion Glass brings church into modern era St Clements has commissioned Ion Glass to provide internal meeting rooms for a variety of purposes from a permanent and accessible base for the parish office to craft fairs, exhibitions and festivals. The space above the meeting rooms forms a mezzanine platform, surrounded by a stunning glass balustrade and accessed by a glass clad staircase, maximising the capacity of the church.
installation is finished with a bespoke European Oak handrail that fits seamlessly all around the upper level and down the staircase.
The new installation also includes a bell-ringing platform, accessed by a spiral staircase and also encircled by a frameless structural glass balustrade. The installation has been designed using modern materials and frameless glazing to maximise light flow without obscuring the 14th century architecture. A glass balustrade runs smoothly around the new mezzanine area precisely engineered to fit flawlessly around the ancient stone arches and meeting the angles of the staircase to give a finish that is both functional and visually perfect. The balustrade has been installed using Ion’s own channel set base fixed glazing system concealed within the floor for minimal visual intrusion. The upper level is accessed by a glass clad staircase. The structural glass balustrade on the staircase is bolted into position with load bearing decorative stainless steel bolt fixings, adding a stylish and contemporary finish. The whole
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The glass had to be hoisted onto the platform using a counterbalanced genie lift, which was small enough to use inside the church without damaging the fabric of the building but nevertheless big enough to take the load of the heavy weight structural glass. ‘-Yvonne Hardman, Church Warden for the parish, said “It’s a very contemporary addition but it’s brought the church firmly into modern usage”.
Project Case Study 25
Innovations in Curved Stairs As property development across the UK increases, so does demand for high end architectural stairs and balustrade. CANAL Architectural demonstrate their expertise with this stunning feature staircase in a residential home in Cheltenham.
CANAL Architectural has recently completed the interior of a stunning home in Cheltenham, which included a large, helical staircase and first floor balustrade. With state of the art manufacturing facilities in Nottingham, CANAL started by fabricating the bespoke, curved metalwork by forming the initial shape of the staircase. The main structure was designed to be fully supported by only the base and the first floor landing creating a single sweeping stringer, which produced zero flex when in use. On the inside of the stainless steel stringers, special sections where fabricated into the side to host LED lighting that was fully programmed with ambient changing colours and installed with sensors around the staircase to light up only when movement approaching the stair occurred. Each glass tread was triple laminated with water jet cut fixing holes underneath to incorporate stainless steel support fixings. From above, these fixings were near on invisible due to a sand blasted detail for increased safety under foot as well as style. The helical, feature staircase was completed on-site with curved glass balustrade that carried onto the first floor to complement the modern look throughout the home.
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WATER PROOFING
ALUMASC
26
Alumasc waterproofing and green roof success at new Glasgow development.
A mixed-use development in Glasgow has been successfully completed using Alumasc’s Hydrotech waterproofing system as well as a green roof solution from the company.
says Hydrotech was ideally suited to the benefits of a fully guaranteed accommodating this and was perfect system. To date, we are very happy with the results." for use under the green roof.
The green roof system from Alumasc addressed the need for a suitable growing medium to be supplied that could be deposited onto the 185-221 Buchanan Street is a new five storey building’s roof in large £70m development comprising volumes. This was required as a 11,400m2 of retail space and 49 result of the development being in residential units. Owned by Land Securities, the development features a busy city-centre location. These a large rooftop garden that required issues were overcome and the intensive green roof garden was a robust waterproofing solution. installed. Alumasc says BDP Architects In total, over 4,000m2 of Hydrotech specified both its Hydrotech hot and 2,000m2 of green roofing, was melt structural waterproofing installed. system and green roof due to the benefits offered by a single-source Kath MacTaggart, landscape solution and the quality of the architect at BDP, said: "As with any products. roof garden project, the challenge is in the detailing of all interfaces The architects’ intricate roof and logistics to ensure that a system detailing meant that it had to work very closely with Alumasc’s technical is watertight. We used Hydrotech at Buchanan Street as it was part team from the outset to overcome the challenge. As a hot-melt system, of the proprietary Alumasc green roofing system and therefore had and due to its versatility, Alumasc
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Hydrotech is a BBA approved, fully warranted waterproofing system, designed to last the lifetime of the structure it is applied to. It has European Technical Approval and is also FM Approved. Alumasc green roof systems, under the Blackdown brand, are available in intensive, biodiverse and extensive application categories with a wide range of planting options. John Kelly, area manager for Scotland at Alumasc Roofing, added: "It was great to be involved with such a celebrated development in this major area of Glasgow. The Hydrotech system will ensure the integrity of the roof for many years to come, whilst the green roofing provides an attractive outdoor space for residents to enjoy." www.alumascroofing.co.uk
28 External Works & Landscaping
Insulated roof and wall panels at Port Talbot Works The new Engineering Stores, Visitor Centre and Training Facility at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot Works feature building envelope solutions, including 10,000m2 of Trisomet® 333 System insulated roof panels and 8,500m2 of Trimapanel® insulated wall panels. A further 2,680m2 of ComFlor® composite floor decking were also installed. Both the Visitor Centre and Stores Building were delivered to a BREEAM Outstanding rating and the Training Centre has achieved BREEAM Excellent status. Working closely with the Welsh Government and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Tata Steel has completed a £12.3million project, providing new facilities alongside the new Peripheral Distributor Road. The project features over 10,000m2 of Trisomet® 333 System insulated roof panels in Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® in Sargasso and Anthracite. Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® in the same finishes was also used for the 8000m2 of Trimapanel® insulated, secret-fix architectural wall cladding system, in addition to Colorcoat Prisma® in Silver. A further 2680m2 of ComFlor® composite floor decking were also installed, including ComFlor® 51+ on the pump house, ComFlor® 60 on the substation and ComFlor® 100 on the Training Centre. All products in Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® were installed under the Platinum® System Guarantee scheme.
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READING UNI REVAMPS CAMPUS WITH BITUCHEM
Reading University is benefiting from Bituchem’s Natratex Cotswold hard landscaping material as part of a £276 million investment into the University’s student accommodation. Natratex Cotswold was used across 2600sq.m of the Whiteknights campus to provide an aesthetically pleasing and durable pedestrian area that complemented the designs of the existing and new halls. The development increases the number of student rooms to 4,950 and has been awarded BREEAM excellent status due to environmentally sustainable features such as roof top solar panels, energy efficient boilers and heat recovery ventilation systems. Bituchem’s Natratex Cotswold product echoes the development’s sustainable ethics being environmentally friendly and extremely long lasting. Bituchem’s Natratex Cotswold product in brown was specified by UPP, University Partnerships Programme, having been previously successfully used in a similar project at Exeter University. The fully bonded aggregate proved a durable and robust option while ensuring the aesthetics of the development are maintained through natural looking
finishes in a variety of colours. The Natratex Cotswold product has been developed using natural coloured aggregates that are fully bonded using a clear binder that ensures strength and durability while retaining the pleasant colour of the stones. Its suitability for both pedestrian and vehicle use makes it a great surfacing choice for educational environments where the regular maintenance of buildings and facilities will require vehicle access. Wide ranges of natural coloured aggregates are available to suit any colour scheme to complement or contrast with the landscape and can be laid in a range of thicknesses to accommodate the varying types of use. It can be applied all year round and the Bituchem design team can suggest solutions to your individual requirements, tailoring the aggregate type to suit the contract specification. Further information on Natratex Cotswold is available from Bituchem on 01594 826768 or 07584 311266, by emailing: mark@bituchem.com , or by visiting the company’s website at www.bituchem.com
30 External Works & Landscaping
Fibrelite Working with Composites:
A Material of the Future Industries are choosing composites and moving away from traditional materials as they react to changing regulations, whole life costs and stricter health and safety policies. Fibrelite has seen a tremendous increase in enquiries for their lightweight composite access covers from industries keen to move away from the traditionally used metal and concrete and change their specifications to composites. “We have experienced a huge increase in new enquiries especially over the last 12 months from all major industries including rail, ports and airports, water, gas and electricity companies, power stations, retail and commercial developments, telecoms, sports arenas and stadiums – in fact the applications are endless.” reports Ian Thompson, Managing Director. “And with RIDDOR (Reporting or Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) statistics attributing over half of injuries that result in an absence from work to manual handling it’s clear that reducing hazards in this area is a priority. Our design incorporates up to two lifting points in the cover for specially designed lifting handles which allow operatives developer-update.co.uk
to remove the covers without using their fingers or bending over. “Another major problem facing our clients across the globe is aging infrastructure. Bridges, highways, rail network, water lines and sewer systems are all deteriorating at a rapid pace with corrosion a principal factor. GRP products are corrosion-resistant and so ideal for retrofit applications that arrest the problem. “We can also provide bespoke and custom trench covering solutions to match customer specifications so the trench cover dimensions, internal stiffeners and fibre architecture can be altered to optimise the performance of each panel based on individual project-specific design criteria. “And, in response to customer demand, we can mould our composite covers in nearly any colour or combination of colours to blend in with the colour-scheme of a facility or to colour-code service entry points. In fact we can even include any style logo or marking in the upper surface of the cover in single or multiple colours. “ Visit Website: www.fibrelite.com
32 External Works & Landscaping
SGB WEBSITE LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE MARKS THE RETURN OF FAMILIAR SCAFFOLDING AND ACCESS NAME The launch of a new website has heralded the return of one of the construction industry’s most recognisable names. After an absence of some 3 years, the website - www.sgb.co.uk - marks the return of the SGB name to the commercial scaffolding and access market. Established in 1919, SGB went on to become one of the industry’s best known and respected names within the access services field, before becoming part of Harsco Infrastructure in 2009. Following the subsequent merger of Harsco Infrastructure and Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, the decision was taken to reintroduce the SGB name – a move which has re-focussed attention on the wealth of scaffolding and access expertise available from the company.
“The new SGB website firmly reinforces that message,” says Kevin Fitzpatrick, UK Head of SGB. “It also highlights the tremendous emphasis that we place on safety by including details of the various safety organisations were are members of. These include the Construction Health and Safety Group, the British Standards Institute and the British Safety Council. “Visitors to the site can also find full details of the contracting, hire, sales and training services we offer. That includes information on our wide range of products, including our traditional tube and fitting scaffolding and our CUPLOK® modular system, plus details of our MastclimbersTM and light access solutions.” The wealth of industry expertise which lies behind the SGB name is another key focus of the website. “It explains how we can provide both general and technical guidance on such areas as access project planning and logistics,” adds Kevin. “This ensures that our customers not only benefit from the most effective solution for their project, but that they do so while complying with the latest guidelines, regulations and policies on such critical areas as health and safety.”
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Sika Concrete Admixtures For Sir Chris Hoy Veledrome Admixtures from Sika Limited played a key role in the specialist concrete mix supplied by Hanson Concrete during the construction of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. A showpiece for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2,500 seat Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, forms part of the iconic new ÂŁ113 million Emirates Arena and is operated by Glasgow Life. Hanson supplied 600 cubic metres of the specialist concrete to contractors PC Harrington for the slipform construction of the service towers. Slip-form construction involves vertically raising self-contained formwork on hydraulic jacks, in a continuous operation, while extruding the reinforced concrete section. It is a fast and cost effective solution suitable for the construction of core walls in high-rise buildings. Successful slip-form construction relies on a well-designed concrete mix, a skilled workforce and a wellplanned delivery from the concrete supplier. The concrete needs to have controlled setting to match the rate of climb of the formwork. It requires a soft consistence to obtain full compaction around the steel and give an excellent surface finish but without segregation and grout loss.
36 Heating & Ventilation
Warm welcome to 2015 with Baxi’s extended warranty Baxi is helping to keep January blues at bay by increasing the warranty on its EcoBlue Advance Combi. Launched in July 2014 with the wider EcoBlue boiler range, the EcoBlue Advance Combi originally came with a seven-year warranty – the longest in the range. Now the company has decided to extend the warranty even further to 10 years, available until 31 December 2015. The EcoBlue Advance Combi has proved popular with installers because of its reliability, efficiency and ease of installation, according to the company. As with the entire EcoBlue range, the boiler was subject to extensive field trials and laboratory testing to ensure it performs to the highest level of reliability. Efficiency is also accounted for as all EcoBlue boilers have a modulation ratio of 1:5. In addition, each boiler has been designed to be easy to install, with a wall jig that has an audible positive fix when the boiler is correctly positioned, and accessible connections. “At Baxi, we are extremely proud of what we’ve achieved with EcoBlue,” said Dave Cook, sales director. “Before launching the range, we conducted extensive laboratory testing and field trials involving 600 boilers, which saw the boilers tested for over 1,000,000 hours. The result is the highest level of product excellence and reliability. “To show just how confident we are in our product, we are extending the warranty on the Baxi EcoBlue Advance Combi to 10 years. The result is a stand-out, easy-sell for the installer for 2015. In addition, the homeowner will need to have the boiler serviced annually, which provides installers with an additional revenue stream.” To take advantage of Baxi’s warranties, it is important that Gas Safe-registered installers register the boilers online within 30 days of installation to ensure that the product is fully protected. Registration can be completed quickly and easily on Baxi’s website and members of the works loyalty scheme can register the boiler and claim points at www.works2gether.co.uk
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Image shows Zip HydroTap G4 All-In-One finished in Brushed Chrome
An exceptional appliance for your exceptional development The New Zip HydroTap® G4 Exceptional fixtures and fittings enhance the desirability of property developments. At Zip, we understand this. That’s why we created the world’s most advanced drinking water appliance, delivering boiling, chilled and sparkling filtered water instantly from one iconic tap. Add value to your exceptional development with this exceptional applicance.
Boiling | Chilled | Sparkling | Filtered | Instantly
Visit nowzipit.co.uk/developers to see for yourself. Or call 0845 6 005 005 for further information.
38 Heating & Ventilation
BIOMASS PRAISED FOR REDUCING MONASTERY’S HEATING BILLS A monastery in West Sussex has increased its green credentials by turning to a Windhager BioWIN Excel wood pellet boiler. The Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Crawley Down, West Sussex contacted installers A Greener Alternative to invest in a greener heating system that was both ecologically efficient and manageable. The 60 kW BioWIN Excel boiler is situated in the plant room of the ‘Community building’ and provides heating and hot water for the various properties in the complex. The system comprises a solar thermal buffer to supplement the thermal store of the main plant room and further increase heating efficiency. In addition the installation also qualifies for the non-domestic RHI scheme. A Greener Alternative specialise in low carbon heating solutions and their project manager and technical heating expert, Simon Beach, designed and managed the installation at the Crawley Down Monastery. The design of the new heating system was vital in ensuring the clients requirements were met, taking into account their desire to reduce supply and running costs while negotiating the limited space in which to situate the system. The Windhager BioWIN Excel system that was decided upon is fully automated and requires little maintenance due to its self-cleaning stainless steel burner bowl and integrated ash container. The automatic pellet feed system that directs the biomass fuel from the pellet store into the boiler further lessens the need for manual intervention.
Two separate 8 ton external wood pellet stores were supplied due to access reasons and they only need to be refilled once a year. Suction probes at the bottom of the pellet stores ensures a continuous supply of pellets to the boiler via underground pipes, with up to eight suction probes being used dependent on the size of the stores. The systems efficiency is further increased with the inclusion of evacuated solar thermal arrays that have been installed on the adjacent Founders Wing roof. The heat energy generated from the solar thermal arrays supplies heating to the 300 litre solar thermal un-vented store that has ancillary heating primaries running to the main plant room. When the hot water demand has been met, the solar thermal store will supplement the thermal store of the main plant room and therefore preventing the unnecessary use of fuel by stopping over production of hot water. Control of the heating system is managed by Windhager’s Modular Energy System (MES) control solution. The system allows up to ten separate heating circuits to be operated from a single master control making it expandable for any possible future heating variations to the system. The MES control solution also handles the heat distribution by matching the optimum option to the clients’ heating requirements.
Further information is available from Windhager UK on 01225 892211 email: info@windhager.co.uk or by visiting the company’s website at www.windhager.co.uk developer-update.co.uk
The comfortable solution for warmth where you want it, when you want it... guaranteed tefficient tcontrollable tprofessionally installed tnationwide suppliers tideal for conversions & retrofits
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40 Heating & Ventilation
Bristan Adds Features To Its Online Plumbing Network Bristan has announced the addition of a number of new features to Bristan Connect, a social network for plumbers. Key new features include a ‘Connect Events’ section where plumbers can look up their next Bristan Connect event and join in the fun; from curry nights to go karting. Also, a new ‘Share’ button means members can more easily share their favourite posts, images and videos with their connections and in forums. Other additions include an ‘Ask Me About’ tab for tips and advice, a ‘Poll’ section where installers can share their feedback on new products and industry issues, and a ‘Recommendation’ button enabling third party endorsements. Also, a new ‘Stockist Locator’ tab means all members will automatically have their details displayed on the network, further helping to drive business. “Since its launch in May 2014, Connect has proven a huge success – offering an ideal platform for members to share their experiences and tips with other plumbers,” said Fiona Bowyer, marketing director at Bristan. “Following feedback from customers, we have added a raft of new features to provide further benefits for those using the site and, in turn, make our customers lives easier. “This really is just the beginning for Bristan Connect and we have lots more in the pipeline as we continue develop the platform and consolidate its position as the number one online resource for plumbers nationwide.” Designed to make life easier for installers, Bristan Connect allows users to share hints, tips, product recommendations, images and videos with other plumbers. Connect members are also the first to hear about exclusive promotional offers on Bristan showers and taps. For further information visit www.bristanconnect.com
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APOLLO roma classic steel column radiators come in a wide range of sizes. Fusion welded sections manufactured in Italy with the latest technology and a 10 year guarantee. Over 150 sizes are available in white within 3 working days and a selection of 46 different colours are available in just 7 working days.
roma classic vertical and horizontal wall mounted and freestanding steel column radiators www.apolloradiators.co.uk
42 Project Case Study
The BOX Seat 908 for Emirates Stadium The BOX Seat 908 Model was the chosen seating solution to furnish the magnificent, multimillion dollar Emirates Stadium, home ground to the Arsenal FC and one of the most architecturally advanced arenas in world football (winning the Mayor of London’s award for “Planning Excellence” in 2006). The choice of the innovatively designed, highly compact fully padded seat has resulted in numerous benefits for the “Emirates”. As well as providing developer-update.co.uk
unparalleled spectator comfort, the BOX Seat’s capability to provide the widest “clearway space” between venue seating in the world vastly improves health and safety conditions and exponentially increases revenue through easier vendor accessibility. The arena’s merchandise sales are up 500% from its previous venue sales, with a large portion of this increase strongly attributed to the superior design of the BOX Seat.
“ The best feature for me is the seats. We’re the only outdoor stadium in the world, I believe, which has fully upholstered seats for everybody.” John Beattie Arsenal FC ‘Emirates Stadium’ Manager
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44 Editors Choice
Kingspan cautions against reusing raised floors Manufacturer Kingspan Access Floors has issued a warning about the dangers of reusing raised floors in construction projects. Managing director Terry Newman has highlighted a growing trend of contractors attempting to recycle complete second-hand flooring systems, which he says is problematic because it becomes impossible to determine what wear or damage has been inflicted on the system during its life, or whilst it is being dismantled and removed. He said: “Raised floors must generally perform safely under conditions of excess load in the order of 9 kN. The raised floor is normally subjected to its greatest levels of abuse during the initial construction period, but
during its life heavy equipment may often be pulled across it as plant and machinery is replaced or updated. “The primary performance specification in the UK, the PSA Specification, recommends that a raised floor should have a life of at least 25 years so the floor will see numerous changes over its life, some of which might have a detrimental effect on its structural performance, especially if it has been overloaded. “We have seen examples where a raised floor has been used for 20 years and has been offered for reuse with a performance warranty of 5 years; i.e. the PSA Specification recommended 25 year life cycle, less the period of time it has been in use. Although that may sound logical, you
would not know whether the floor has been subjected to abuse, overloading etc. that may have had a detrimental effect on its ongoing performance.” Newman said Kingspan would not provide any ongoing warranty for a floor that had been reused unless it was only a few years old and had been inspected by Kingspan before it was reused. “Reusing a flooring system would be admirable from a recycling point of view if the practice was not open to so many risks. Kingspan is committed to the environment and recycling, and we offer a service where we will take back our old raised flooring systems and recycle the steel and chipboard cores for reuse,” he added.
Thatch cladding installation on UEA Enterprise Centre a ‘world first’ The installation of thatched cassettes cladding the £11.6m University of East Anglia Enterprise Centre – said to be the UK’s greenest commercial building – will mark a “world construction first,” according to contractor Morgan Sindall. Thatch cassette cladding is one of the key sustainable elements being incorporated into the build project, developed by the Adapt Low Carbon Group and delivered by Morgan Sindall. The company says this is the first time this thatch cassette cladding system has been used anywhere in the world. The concept of thatch cassettes was conceived by Morgan Sindall and its design team with project architect, Architype. The process involves fabricating a set of timber cassette modules that are filled with straw in local thatcher’s barns across Norfolk. The prefabricated thatch cassette panels are then transported to site and erected onto the facade of the building as a rainscreen cladding. developer-update.co.uk
The cassettes have been constructed by local joiners, Fox Joinery, and thatched in straw from the Norfolk Suffolk borders by a team led by the Master Thatcher of East Anglia, Stephen Letch. The cassettes are thatched in a workshop off-site and then brought onto site and installed like normal cladding. The thatchers are able to work indoors, negating the need for the work to be done in-situ, avoiding the risks associated with working at height and removing the reliance on good weather to enable work to take place, as well as opening up the winter season to thatching work. Around 294 cassettes will be installed onto the building over the coming months, covering 1,200 square metres – the equivalent of ten domestic dwellings. Stuart Thompson, senior design manager at Morgan Sindall, said: “Sourcing local materials and connecting with local suppliers, craftsmen and tradespeople were key commitments on this project.
The straw that has been used for the thatch was sourced less than 20 miles from the site and our delivery team uses the skills of a group of local thatchers.
“Thatching is a traditional craft which is generally in decline but we have already seen evidence that by using thatch in this innovative way on this project, the trade is generating a renewed interest that will help to reinvigorate this industry locally, and in time, nationally.
“Thatch is a carbon-negative material, it’s also highly insulative and offers exceptional rainscreen protection – so it is a great material to use as cladding. The use of cassettes to place the thatch on the walls as cladding is a unique approach and a great example of the creativity and originality which the project team has brought to this project.”
Editors Choice 45
Walls for ‘levitating’ London art installation supplied by Brett Martin An art installation which recently took residence on the East Piazza at Covent Garden in London saw a section of the building ‘levitate’ – with one of the key structural elements of the illusion provided by Brett Martin Plastic Sheets. Modelled on the original architecture of the 184 year old market building, the artwork ‘Take my lightning but don’t steal my thunder’, has been designed by London artist Alex Chinneck and built by a 100-strong team who have conjured up the illusion that a 40-foot-long building has broken from its stone base and then floated 10 feet into the air. With this unusual project designed around both weight and aesthetics, the building had to be as light as possible but still look like a stone and brick building. Built from a steel
and timber frame, the walls were created using Brett Martin’s Marlon ST Longlife, a structurally strong, lightweight multiwall polycarbonate sheet. Polystyrene was then intricately carved using robotic hot-wire cutters, and glued to the polycarbonate sheet prior to the application of the plaster and granite sand finish to match the existing market building. “As a young sculptor ambition is a necessity for the evolution of my practise and growth of my career. My ideas however are always considerably beyond my means and capacity to produce them and limited resources are forever an obstacle,” said Alex Chinneck. “With the incredibly generous support of Brett Martin it has been possible to realise my largest and most challenging
project to date, a hovering building on Covent Garden Piazza. I think it’s fantastic that Brett Martin have chosen to sponsor, champion and celebrate this project and the art world would be a more exciting place if more companies followed their lead.” 10 mm Twinwall Marlon ST Longlife was chosen for the artwork. Ordinarily used in roofing and glazing applications, the multiwall structure of Marlon ST Longlife provides a high stiffness-to-weight ratio. The sheet is designed to be strong yet light in weight, a key consideration for this architectural illusion. Following a pre-fit at the fabrication shop to ensure it all went together like a jigsaw puzzle, the artwork was then shipped by 10 arctic trucks and installed over four days at the Piazza.
AMA Research Reports UK Wall Cladding Market Growth AMA Research has reported growth in the UK wall cladding market, worth an estimated £1.8bn. The amount of wall cladding, including facing bricks, rendered block and insulated render systems, installed in 2013 was 48m m2. Keith Taylor, director of research, AMA said: “Over the short to medium term, reasonable volume growth of between 5-8% per annum is expected, largely driven by private housebuilding activity and the government’s Help to Buy and other affordable homes programmes. Other end-use sectors likely to show increased demand are commercial offices, waste management and leisure.”
The report showed demand for curtain walling and structural glazing has been high, while facing brick cladding has had the slowest growth. AMS said over the 2008-2012 period, lower levels of construction activity in the commercial sector have fed through to reduced demand for ‘up-market cladding’, particularly unitised curtain wall and other architectural products. However, AMS reports since 2012, there has been renewed demand in Central London office projects and a growing trend among architects for copper and zinc rainscreen systems and roofing.
AMA says Help to Buy schemes and a shift back from flats to houses has led to demand for facing bricks outpacing supply. The report states energy efficiency legislation and initiatives, like CERT, and the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations have driven up demand for insulated external walls, in particular render coated external wall insulation systems and composite panels. AMS claims the social housing refurbishment sector is a key area of demand for insulated render systems, due to the introduction of the ‘Green Deal’, and the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) in 2013. However, it adds that if the government’s proposed changes for more moderate targets for solid wall insulation go through, then projected growth levels will be negatively affected. Other potential market drivers for cladding products could come from the waste management, recycling and renewable energy sectors. developer-update.co.uk
46 Editors Choice
Kent Theme Park Edges Closer Land owner agrees to sell site to developer of Euro Disney rival Work on a £2 billion leisure resort in Kent has moved a step closer to being built after the scheme’s developer signed a deal with current landowner Lafarge Tarmac. London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) is set to buy 388 acres at Swanscombe Peninsula which will be turned into the London Paramount Entertainment Resort. The land was previously home to the largest cement plant in the UK up until its closure in 1993. Croydon practice Ray Hole Architects has been working on feasibility studies for the scheme which has been masterplanned by Farrells.
The resort is expected to rival Euro Disney – now called Disneyland Paris – and will cover around 350ha of brownfield land. It will feature a water park, theme park, sporting facilities, an entertainment street, a staff training academy and about 5,000 hotel rooms. Under its timetable, the developer wants work to begin next autumn for an opening in summer 2019. LRCH was launched in 2012 as a joint venture between Development Securities, aggregates firm Lafarge and contractor Brookfield Multiplex but the parties were bought out by Kuwaiti European Holdings, which now holds a 75% stake in the project, the following year.
Half Of Uk Home Owners Planning To Improve Their Property This Year More than half of home owners in the UK are planning improvements in 2015 with 12% of them hoping to extend or convert their property, new research shows. A growing family is the most popular reason for doing this, however, older kids returning home are also behind people’s decisions to extend, according to the survey from mortgage and loans provider Ocean Finance.
Accommodating their growing family is behind the majority of homeowners’ desires to create more space in their property, new research has revealed. Overall some 54% of home owners in the UK are planning to carry out improvements of some sort on their properties this year with 12% wanting to create more useable space in their properties. Of these, 7.2% are planning an extension of some sort, and 4.8% are considering converting either their loft, garage or cellar. While decorating is the most popular home improvement being planned by home owners in 2015, with 25% saying they hope to paint and decorate, extending their property is also a popular option. And it seems the main motivation for this is so home owners can ensure there is space for their families to get the most from their properties without moving. Of those property owners who are planning to create more living space by way of
developer-update.co.uk
either an extension or conversion, 39% said this is so they can accommodate their growing family. Meanwhile, 14% revealed it is because they have grown up children who are returning to the family nest, or older relatives who are moving in with them. Other motivations given for wishing to extend include needing more space for storage cited by 18%, some 10% wanting large open spaces from a stylistic perspective, 8.8% seeing as cheaper than moving, and a further 8.8% wanting to add value to the property. ‘Despite the recent stamp duty changes, moving house is expensive with legal and estate agency fees and moving costs to meet. So it’s no surprise that so many home owners are looking to improve and in some cases extend their existing property,’ said Ian Williams, spokesman for Ocean. ‘Creating more space is clearly a popular option. It’s interesting to see that a leading motivation for this is family; whether that’s more children coming along or grown up kids coming back. It goes to show that many families are willing to put in the work and the investment if it ensures their home grows with them,’ he added.
Editors Choice 47
Squire & Partners’ Odeon Redevelopment Thrown Out Opponents got Benedict Cumberbatch to back their case
It contains a cinema in the basement and 40 flats and townhouses.
Squire & Partners’ plans to convert an art deco cinema opposite the future Design Museum into flats have been thrown out.
Developer Minerva has since bought more buildings surrounding the cinema at the western end of High Street Kensington and asked Squire & Partners to come up with a revised scheme.
Members of the planning committee at Kensington & Chelsea council over-ruled their planning officers who had recommended the 18,620sq m scheme for approval. They voted against it 11:1 after hearing a presentation from opponents who include actor Benedict Cumberbatch and director Richard Curtis. The Save Kensington Odeon campaign has been running for years as a series of attempts to redevelop the site have been attempted. Its supporters argue the “architectural beauty and integrity of the art deco building” would be damaged. They also complain that the number of luxury flats in the borough is “skewing its demographic balance”. Planning permission for a slightly different scheme was granted in 2007 and renewed in 2012 and is still current.
The proposal involved five buildings of three to eight storeys. The art deco facade of the 1926 Odeon would be retained as a grand entrance to the 35 flats which would be stacked above it. A branch of the Screening Rooms cinema chain would replace a derelict post office next door, while a Picturehouse cinema would face on to Earls Court Road. Two other buildings were planned, an office on Earls Court Road and eight townhouses closely resembling existing mews houses at the back of the site. There would also be 20 units of on-site elderly “affordable” housing. Minerva was not available to comment but told the Standard it was “disappointed”.
HOK sets up new sports arm
Move follows last year’s acquisition of US stadium designer HOK has formed a new sports division after snapping up specialist US stadium designer 360 Architecture. The firm bought the practice last summer and has said the new business will target work designing mixed-use entertainment districts anchored by sporting venues. HOK spun off its sports practice back in 2008 which was renamed Populous after a management buyout. Before it quit the sports stadium market, HOK had worked on some of the UK’s best known stadiums, including Wembley and the Emirates in north London (pictured). Its new division will be called Sports + Recreation + Entertainment and its London director John Rhodes said: “This acquisition gives our London team immediate access to the world’s most innovative sports, recreation and entertainment designers.” Based in Kansas City, 360 Architecture has worked on stadia across the US and Canada including a new shared home (pictured) for New York’s NFL teams. It also has offices in San Francisco and Columbus, Ohio.
Avery Associates Unveils City Tower Next To Cheesegrater At 270m, building will be taller than famous neighbour Plans for a 270m tall tower to be built next door to the Cheesegrater in the City of London have been made public by Avery Associates. The practice has been working on the deal since 2010 when it was first appointed to the job. The original client, developer Simon Halabi, sold the site – called No 1 Undershaft – to an unnamed Far Eastern developer back in 2011. Under the plans, the site’s existing 118m tall tower, now known as St Helen’s tower but originally called the Commercial Union building when it
was built by GMW back in 1969, will be knocked down to make way for the new building. The current building’s sister tower was knocked down in 2007 to make way for Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners’ Cheesegrater, which stands at 225m tall. Yesterday the practice confirmed it will be moving into the new building later this year. Anthony Carlile, an associate at Avery Associates, said its plans are for office space only although the basement could be turned into retail. But the scheme is still some way off being built as plans have not been submitted to the City of London. developer-update.co.uk
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