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LABMONLINE.CO.UK
APRIL/MAY 2020
LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE
HOUSING & REGENERATION HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY ROOFING, CLADDING &  INSULATION MAXIMISING OPPORTUNITIES Durkan discusses its work with Youthbuild to maximise training opportunities for young people
INDUSTRY COMMENT The benefits of focusing on social housing construction and the case for a new Homes for Heroes programme post COVID-19
THE LEADING MAGAZINE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY AND HOUSING ASSOCIATION SPECIFIERS, INCORPORATING
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CONTENTS
April/May 2020 Vol.36 No.3
REGULARS 5 COMMENT Community Resilience 6 NEWS Glenigan’s construction output update — COINS Grand Challenge — Asite’s new research report into construction trends — the virtual Internal Housing Summit — Exeter City Futures’ Plan for a Net Zero Exeter INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE 8 Vertical Forest In the first in a new series of articles from astudio, Director Richard Hyams considers algae’s role in construction and architecture 10 INDUSTRY COMMENT Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH), discusses economic recovery and the benefits of focusing on social housing construction 11 LEGAL UPDATE Winckworth Sherwood’s Ruby Giblin discusses how local authorities can finance the modular revolution 35 GUEST COMMENT Tom Woodhead, Business Services Director at Woodhead Group, discusses collaborative approaches to procurement where buildings for the visitor economy are concerned
Employment and training opportunities in regeneration
HOUSING & REGENERATION
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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY
12 Maximising Opportunities Durkan discusses the redevelopment of Thamesmead and how it is working with Youthbuild to create training opportunities 15 Making Sustainable Attainable Urban drainage and optimising ‘green assets’ through extended water management networks
21 Green Benefits of Renewables How the commitment of funds to support heat decarbonisation can be used to help social housing providers transition to renewable energy 24 Safe Heating Options Advice on the specification of safe heating solutions for elderly and vulnerable people
18 Delivering Accessible Bathrooms How social landlords can bring good design to bear cost-effectively when creating wheelchair accessible bathrooms
26 Round-up
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28 Green and Blue Roofs The increasing recognition of climate change is resulting in greater demand for green and blue roof technologies by planning authorities
ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION
30 Part L Proposals A look at the proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations for England and Wales expected later this year
Algae as a construction material
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Advice on sustainable urban drainage
32 Façade Access – Safety First Regular façade maintenance and advice on the specification of façade access solutions
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34 Round-up
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EDITOR’S COMMENT
Editor Claire Clutten labm@hamerville.co.uk
Community resilience
Contributing Editor Bernadette Noble
At the time of writing, (30th April), we’re still in lock down. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in the Government’s daily press briefing that the UK is “past the peak” of the COVID-19 infections. On the 29th April, one of the country’s leading contractors, Higgins, announced that it would be reopening the majority of its construction sites from the 4th May, in accordance with strict government guidelines. This came a day after government announced construction workers are now eligible for COVID-19 testing. Several housebuilders, including Taylor Wimpey, also said they would be reopening mothballed construction sites in May too. Are these the first tentative signs for a slow return back to normality? It is clear we have a long road ahead of us and the immediate post pandemic landscape is likely to be stark at first, as everyone adjusts and takes stock. During the pandemic people have suffered greatly, particularly those who have contracted COVID-19, or lost loved ones to the virus. People have been hit hard financially, for some homelessness has become a very real concern. Key workers like the NHS and care staff, the true heroes of this crisis, have been pushed to the limits of exhaustion, working long hours, facing shortages of PPE, putting themselves at increased risk on a daily basis to help others. One thing to come out of this pandemic is the resilience of humankind, community spirit, and people reaching out to help others in their hours of need. From regularly scanning LABM’s Twitter feed I’ve been heartened by the work of individuals and organisations within the sector to help make a difference. This ranges from getting the shopping for neighbours, who are vulnerable or in isolation, to the creation of new temporary accommodation for homeless households, to help them transition from becoming homeless at this difficult time to finding a new settled home. Conversations are increasing. With advances in digital technology we can still see our family and friends through the wonders of video conferencing apps. With self-isolation and depression ever-present issues during the pandemic, the need to stay connected has become more important than ever. Concerns over people’s mental health have risen significantly. A
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number of organisations have responded by reaching out to those struggling to let them know they don’t have to face these issues alone. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and COINS offered free online wellbeing workshops for construction workers.
Thanks to everyone in the “sector for all the amazing work keeping our communities safe during adversity.
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In response to the Coronavirus crisis, housing associations made a commitment to keeping people secure at home, ensuring no one would be evicted due to financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. They also committed to helping people get the financial support they need, such as access to benefits, acting compassionately and quickly where people are struggling. Local authorities are working hard to support SME businesses in their communities, providing access to an essential funding lifeline. By early April, Cheshire East Council had begun rolling out almost £90m of COVID-19 grant funding to local businesses and Barnsley Council had paid out £7.2m to 661 Barnsley businesses. Just two of many examples. During this time of extreme uncertainty, it has been wonderful to see the positive news stories highlighting what can be achieved when we work together. A prime example is how quickly clinicians, contractors and supply chain partners galvanised to create the new NHS Nightingale and Louisa Jordan hospitals. Incredible. ‘What did you do during the pandemic?’ “I hope I know what the answer will be for the housing sector,” said Alan Long, Executive Director at Mears Group. “We stood fast and firm with our colleagues, our local government and housing association partners and above all, our communities.” Thanks to everyone in the sector for all the amazing work keeping our communities safe during adversity. LABMONLINE.CO.UK
APRIL/MAY 2020
LOCAL AUTHOR ITY BUILDING & MAINTENANCE
HOUSING & REGENE RATION HEATING & RENEWA BLE ENERGY ROOFING, CLADDIN G & INSULATION
MAXIMISING OPPORTU NITIES Durkan discusses its work with Youthbuild to maximise training opportunities for young people
COVER STORY: Lambeth Council’s completed Hillside Gardens social housing development in Streatham Hill, is a pilot scheme for EDAROTH’s MetroHome housing product. More details here www.rdr.link/lp029
AP RIL/MAY
INDUSTRY COMMENT The benefits of focusing on social housing construction and the for Heroes programmcase for a new Homes e post COVID-19
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Future construction output Strong pipeline for future construction provides much needed light amidst the gloom.
Building Resilience Asite has launched a new research report — Building Resilience — into the trends set to impact the construction industry globally in 2020, including the UK. The report also examines the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic and considers how this will impact the industry in the coming 12 months. The report aims to provide the construction industry with a clear view of its future and determines what the industry needs to do to move forward, overcome current challenges and build on the progress taking place. In its conclusion, the report demonstrates how shared trends and developments across regions might offer a solution to the current crisis. Digital engineering and the establishment of strategic operating models are suggested as key to building resilience and safeguarding the industry. The full report can be accessed from www.asite.com.
Sector support In April, public sector owned procurement specialist Scape Group announced a series of measures to support delivery partners and clients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. The measures included extending its Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework by three months and National Construction Framework by four months. In addition, Scape will postpone the issue of the invitation to tender (ITT) for its National Consultancy framework for three months and temporarily delay the procurement of its National Construction framework (NCF) for a similar period.
At present 25%1 of all UK construction projects currently onsite are suspended, with a total market value of £55bn, which is a staggering 34% of the total value of all work underconstruction.2 Whilst this is having a severe and immediate impact on the industry, a firm development pipeline demonstrates that longer-term opportunities remain. Indeed, as COVID-19 started to shut sites down in March 2020, there was a significant increase in the volume of planning approvals versus any of the previous 12 months (See Fig. 1) with Health, Community & Amenity, Education, and Social Housing sectors offering the greatest opportunities for the future. It’s especially good news for firms operating outside southern England and the Midlands, with the North East, North West, and most notably Wales seeing the highest growth in planning approvals of all the UK regions. Therefore, although firms are struggling to overcome herculean issues now, those that can spare some focus on the future will see that there is opportunity, and indeed, hope. 1
Excluding figures for Frameworks, and Group projects 2 Data correct as of 6th April 2020
Could your idea improve the construction industry or the built environment? The 2020 COINS Grand Challenge competition is open to anyone with an idea to improve construction, whether grounded in technology, engineering, construction management or sustainability. Perhaps it will minimise waste, reduce costs, or improve sustainability, safety, quality or compliance throughout the built life cycle. The competition is judged by leading figures in the construction industry. Katie Tamblin, Chief Product Officer, Achilles, was a judge in the 2019 competition. Katie comments: “People considering entering the COINS Grand Challenge should do so because the impact you can have is massive. It’s a platform to innovate and incubate change in the construction sector on a global scale and there are very few things like it.” The challenge has two entry categories, either Professional (Open Competition) or Undergraduate.
The winner of last year’s Open Competition was Michael Evans, whose climate-saving CO2LOC technology aims to reduce the embedded carbon in construction projects. The winner of last year’s Student Competition was Chathurangi Edussuriya. Michael, the CEO of Cambridge Carbon Capture, UK said: “We're developing a technology that can capture CO2 and convert it into materials that can be used in the construction sector. And the beauty of that is that we're capturing the CO2 so that it doesn't go into the atmosphere, but we're also creating carbon negative building materials which are displacing other more carbon intensive materials. So overall, we're making construction industry a lot cleaner.” The deadline is the 22nd June 2020. Enter online at www.coinsgrandchallenge.com.
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Carbon neutral cities
DIARY DATES
Exeter City Futures has launched the ‘Plan for a Net Zero Exeter’ for how Exeter could become carbon neutral by 2030. Unlike many other cities with similar goals, Exeter is the only city to create a collaborative governance structure that acts as a “City Office” to help deliver its carbonneutral ambitions as a coordinated city. Exeter City Future’s strategy to deliver a carbon neutral Exeter looks across the infrastructure of the city as a whole. This includes an in-depth look at how the city can create reliable journeys and resilient roads; renewable energy access for everyone; clean air for Exeter; collective action; affordable healthy homes for everyone; an analytical approach; reduce the dominance of cars; cutting energy consumption; green spaces and local produce; locally controlled finance; efficient resource management and regenerative design. Dr Liz O’Driscoll, Managing Director of Exeter City Futures says: “It has been four years in the making with collaboration with the many different communities, institutions, organisations and individuals who make up our city. “This plan represents the contribution of hundreds of businesses and individuals across Exeter, who have engaged with us to set out the action plan to become a carbon-neutral city and ensure it remains one of the best places to live in the UK. Everyone across Exeter has a role to play; this isn’t something that can be delivered by any local authority alone. “Many businesses and individuals are now struggling to deal with the impacts of
International Housing Summit
COVID-19 and this is likely to change the way the city views and responds to the plan. “More than ever the city needs to come together to think about the kind of future that we really want, and make it a reality." This is the first iteration of the Net Zero Exeter Plan, curated through extensive engagement across the city, and is intended to be in constant review. It will be refreshed towards the end of 2020 to reflect on the position of the city as a result of the coronavirus, and then annually as the city begins to mobilise projects and action that feed into Exeter’s carbon ambitions. Some of the key findings of the plan include that if businesses in Exeter were provided with carbon reduction resources, more than 34,000 tonnes of carbon a year would be saved; 53,000 tonnes of carbon would be saved if 100% of Exeter’s electricity was generated from clean sources; 140,000 tonnes of carbon would be saved if Exeter were to exploit the maximum potential for renewable generation (solar, wind, geothermal).
This virtual summit will be taking place across two days on the 30th June and the 1st July. The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has teamed up with the Disruptive Innovators Network to develop the International Housing Summit — the world’s first virtual housing conference. The two-day event will be packed with innovative and practical content that reflects the challenging circumstances the housing sector currently faces. The new online platform provides lots of opportunities to participate — to listen, question, share, learn and real-time network with speakers and fellow professionals. Over the two days it will tackle two main themes. ● Covid-19 the response — capturing the learning. ● Rebooting housing — what comes next. Expert, engaging speakers will stimulate discussions covering the following themes — the impact on policy and delivery; financial, regulatory and legal issues; tenant voice and customer experience; business operations; leadership, culture and people; and technology and innovation. All the sessions will be recorded, so attendees can catch up on anything that they might have missed. To find out more visit: www.cih.org.
Housing Summit The National Housing Summit 2020 is due to take place at The Barbican in London on the 28 & 29th September. This annual conference aims to drive progress and transformation in housing, and features a top speaker line up from the worlds of politics, economics, media and innovation. For more information about the event visit: https://summit.housing.org.uk/.
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INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: ALGAE’S ROLE IN CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURE
VERTICAL FOREST IN THE FIRST OF A NEW REGULAR SERIES OF ARTICLES BY RICHARD HYAMS, DIRECTOR OF ASTUDIO, OFFERING AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON INNOVATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN, RICHARD DISCUSSES WHY THE SKYSCRAPERS OF THE FUTURE MAY BE COVERED IN ALGAE.
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lgae has become recognised in recent years as a design element with great potential in the search for sustainable, eco-friendly materials to replace unsustainable ones, particularly plastics. Algae cups, jackets, food packaging and bio-degradable t-shirts are just a few of the ways the substance has been creatively used as a solution to some of our biggest manufacturing needs. However, algae’s role in the world of architecture and construction is something of a newer development. When people usually imagine a city skyline, they picture towering structures made of glass and steel. What algae offers is something closer to a vertical forest, where instead of glass, much of the building is covered in neon green panels filled with algae. This may very well be the future of high-rise architecture, with green roof technology already acting as a proof of concept for the benefits which green facades offer structures. Not only do algae façades offer a radical new look for architects wanting to stand out on an overcrowded skyline, they also provide numerous environmental benefits to the structure, occupants and surrounding area which make it an unparalleled material to
Algae’s benefits in construction serve several key functions
incorporate into new-builds or use when retrofitting old ones. Sustainable architecture Algae’s benefits in construction serve several key functions, which make it a desirable solution for improving sustainability and efficiency. Like all plant material, micro-algae feeds on daylight and air, capturing carbon dioxide molecules and storing it while also releasing fresh oxygen. To put it simply, covering a building in micro-algae is like wrapping it in a massive air-purifier, which can significantly offset its carbon footprint. In addition to this, the algae covering the building acts as a natural insulator for internal heat, while mitigating unwanted absorption from solar glare — two problems which have plagued modern
towers and made them fall behind the times on sustainability goals, no matter how futuristic they may appear. Algae provides thermal mass to a building that acts as a natural insulator and source of shade. By absorbing heat from the sun, it prevents internal temperatures from becoming unpleasantly warm during the summer and reduces solar transmission. Furthermore, the by-product of this process is that a nutrient-rich biomass is yielded, which has numerous applications from use in the cosmetics industry to being sold for gardening. Harnessing the potential benefits The research and development team at astudio has spent the past few years developing new ways of harnessing the potential benefits algae offers to the future
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70 Wilson Street, London
70 Wilson Street in London was turned into a future-proof office space based on low carbon standards, achieving BREEAM Excellent
“…covering a building in micro-algae is like wrapping it in a massive air-purifier, which can significantly offset its carbon footprint.”
of sustainable architecture. Our two biggest proposals to date — the Hong Kong Science Park and the Templar House — have found different innovative ways of utilising algae depending on the requirements of the job. For the first proposal, a new structure was planned which incorporated the cladding into its core design, shaping the structure and its interior in a way which complemented and even enhanced the benefits of algae technology. This design not only included algae curtains around the exterior of the building, but also featured a green roof and atrium in which a natural algae/moss is cultivated to provide cooling from within and keep the air quality clean. For the second proposal, Templar House, we were challenged to retrofit a pre-existing structure, which required an entirely different approach that factors in the site conditions, exposure to sunlight, street traffic and physical limitations of the building itself. The solution we developed was a form of cladding, which integrated into the current structure while providing a carbon sink and source of energy to run building systems. Our team has also developed an organic carbon capture device for Twickenham Academy sixth form which uses a symbiotic closed system to purify air while yielding a biomass fertiliser which can be sold. The device is capable of capturing one metric tonne of carbon every 2.2 years. Algae offers incredible potential to reshape how we design buildings, from the smallest home to the tallest skyscraper, transforming inefficient structures of glass and steel into living, breathing, organic organisms which are able to make a positive impact on their local environment. Seeing this technology further refined and more widely implemented will be a vital tool for architects in realising our sustainability goals. Plus, the buildings end up looking really cool. www.astudio.co.uk
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
INDUSTRY COMMENT
After the lockdown Matthew Warburton, Policy Advisor at the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH), ponders what kind of fiscal stimulus the Government will implement to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis and highlights the undeniable benefits of focusing on social housing construction. ations across the world are taking the first tentative steps to relax the restrictions of movement they have almost universally imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. There is a generally held view that normal life will not resume — if ever — until a successful vaccine is developed, maybe towards the end of next year. The UK needs a strategy for lifting the lockdown that strikes the right balance between getting the nation back to work and keeping people safe; it will have to be flexible since no-one knows either how many people with undiagnosed COVID-19 there are in the community, nor the extent of immunity conferred by having recovered from the infection. The other big decision on the Government’s desk is what kind of fiscal stimulus will be most effective in helping the economy recover from the biggest shock it has suffered, possibly ever, certainly since the financial crisis of 2008. I believe the Chancellor should be wary of giving large handouts to businesses — for example, airlines and travel firms — simply because they have lost the most money. The money should go where it is most likely to generate employment and new investment. There is little evidence of pentup demand for international travel, particularly from holidaymakers, as budgets and confidence have both been badly shaken by the coronavirus experience. Cruises are likely to be particularly hard hit. If so, bailing out these companies serves only to improve their bank balances; it has little or no further impact.
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Housing market What does this approach mean for the housing market, in particular house prices and private development of homes for sale? The Government has persuaded lenders to give homebuyers in difficulty with their mortgages a mortgage holiday of up to three months, but this is just a holiday; interest continues to be payable on the outstanding debt, so borrowers will have more to pay back after the holiday ends. This provides limited relief but is unlikely to compensate for the full impact of the COVID-induced recession on mortgage-payers. Without further action there are likely to be rising arrears and a surge of repossessions or voluntary sales. Lenders will be keen to avoid this as it would almost certainly precipitate a significant fall in house prices since purchasers, particularly first-time buyers are likely to be fewer as unemployment and wage reductions are hitting younger workers disproportionately. Demand for new homes, particularly those aimed at first-time buyers, is also likely to be hit. Developers are most likely to respond by slowing construction to avoid bringing too many properties to market until conditions improve. To stimulate new private development for sale the Government would need to throw money at the whole homeownership market to prevent a fall in house prices. The return on its investment — counted in the number of new homes delivered — would be meagre compared with direct investment in new social housing construction.
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Focusing on social “housing would have the added advantage of directly benefitting, and publicly acknowledging the nation’s debt to, the low-income workers who have carried most of the burden of responding to the coronavirus crisis, frequently at considerable personal risk.
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Focusing on social housing would have the added advantage of directly benefitting, and publicly acknowledging the nation’s debt to, the low-income workers who have carried most of the burden of responding to the coronavirus crisis, frequently at considerable personal risk. The economic case is clear, but even if no other justification were available, the case for a new Homes for Heroes programme is undeniable. www.arch-housing.org.uk
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LEGAL UPDATE
Ruby Giblin is a Partner in the finance team at Winckworth Sherwood. ■ Ruby can be reached by email rgiblin@wslaw.com. Visit www.wslaw.com.
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ffsite modular building’s time has come. Fast and costefficient, it can help deliver new homes at scale when the pressure to do so is high. And Mark Farmer, the Government’s Methods of Modern Construction (MMC) champion, has spoken of how MMC will also allow industry to meet targets on building safety, design and decarbonisation. A no-brainer then — you might think — that funders and lenders would be lining up to back such projects. Yet only a handful of banks even have an MMC policy. The good news, though, is that local authorities can play a vital role in opening up more funding for modular development.
Catch 22 Modular currently accounts for a small percentage of completed housing projects. Some see it as unproven in the long run and, of course, ‘the unknown’ can be anathema to private sector financial institutions. For example, funders need visibility on repair and maintenance obligations in the long-term. Given the impact it could have on resale value and longevity, it’s important that local authorities and developers can articulate longer-term modular maintenance costs before more private funding is widely available. Currently, valuers do not have the data to make accurate evaluations as too few examples of completed stock exist. Here’s the Catch 22. It’s difficult for banks to lend until they have more evidence of completed projects, but developers
Breaking the cycle Winckworth Sherwood’s Ruby Giblin discusses how local authorities can finance the modular revolution. cannot deliver those projects unless they have financing from one source or another. We need to break the cycle.
PWLB funds can be “delivered in days, terms are
A role for local authorities
flexible and Moody’s expect
Local authorities can help make this happen, as they have access to public sector funding not just private. Hence, the housing industry is looking to councils to dive in and provide support. Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) funds — since February 2020 coming under the UK Debt Management Office and HM Treasury — are available. Their advantage over private funding is that local authorities can typically borrow on an unsecured basis and on less onerous terms. Unlike developers, councils can borrow for modular projects and start bringing them to market without needing to convince banks of their performance (clearly, councils still need to satisfy themselves of the quality and durability of MMC homes). While PWLB interest rates have risen by 1%, in theory making them less attractive than before compared with private financing, there are many positives. The housing borrowing cap has been scrapped for local authorities. PWLB funds can be delivered in days, terms are flexible and Moody’s expect them to remain the main source of borrowing. Further, whereas private funders would avoid local authorities with weak credit histories, PWLB can look beyond that at the social impact loans can make. And PWLB borrowing also encourages partnerships with registered providers, for
them to remain the main source of borrowing.
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example through joint ventures. Over time, PWLB borrowing will help deliver more product, provide assurances and adjust the long-term view on risk from banks and lenders. The cycle gets broken and MMC starts to flourish.
A positive policy environment As I write, we’ve yet to hear from new Housing Minister, Christopher Pincher MP, in any detail on modular building. But, as recently as January this year, his predecessor Esther McVey said “in the longterm, MMC can be a large-scale solution for every tenure: social housing, home ownership, build to rent and market sale”. The policy environment favours MMC. For councils, it ticks the right boxes — helping to build more social housing, fund key worker accommodation, and adapt to the latest innovations such as airspace development. Yet, until significant funding can be secured, modular may not be realised at scale. Councils, through taking advantage of their access to public borrowing — together with private funding — can help MMC up the ante in meeting our housing needs.
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HOUSING & REGENERATION
e know that housing developments are about more than just bricks and mortar. For developers and contractors, a core objective during any project is to consider how their work can provide more value to the wider community. From new infrastructure and transport connections, to sustainable development, to job opportunities — developments have to both benefit and complement the areas they’re located in. The bigger the project, the more scope there is to deliver these additional benefits — and the scale of the Thamesmead redevelopment is one which demands an emphasis on social value. Led by housing association Peabody, the wider project will bring 20,000 new homes to the area over the next 30 years.
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The Thamesmead redevelopment will bring 20,000 new homes to the area over the next 30 years
Maximising opportunities As part of the push to deliver much-needed homes, developers and contractors are working together to deliver large residential sites across the country. The size of these sites means they A kitchen installation in one of Peabody’s properties encompass a significant number of existing residents, in addition to space to deliver additional projects to help those living in the surrounding area. Tony Gallagher talks about one such development at Thamesmead, where the project team has collaborated with YouthBuild to maximise training opportunities for young people.
The Construction Skills Academy Providing training opportunities has been a part of the work in Thamesmead since the regeneration began. While a crucial and worthwhile part of any development, the long-term and large-scale nature of the Thamesmead project will mean there is a regular pipeline of apprentices over several decades. With this in mind, the project team saw an opportunity to build a dedicated centre to host those working towards qualifications across the development. Located on Titmuss Avenue, at the heart of Thamesmead, was a former police station. With work already underway on the wider site, the chance to renovate the location provided the project team with an opportunity to find a base for a Construction Skills Academy, where the next generation of staff could be trained. Over a 24-week construction process, the disused station on the site was refurbished and transformed for use as the training centre. This required an extensive amount of work to bring the building up to scratch, as it had remained unused for two years. A full electrical rewire was needed, in addition to the installation of new mechanical equipment including air conditioning and MVHR units. The roof also needed to be taken off and replaced completely, and internally a full redecoration and construction of partition walls was undertaken. A further challenge was the presence of asbestos in
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the ceilings, which had to be carefully removed to ensure the safety of both on site workers and future students.
While a crucial and worthwhile part of any “development, the long-term and large-scale nature of
Combined expertise
the Thamesmead project will mean there is a regular pipeline of apprentices over several decades.
The refurbishment, carried out by Durkan, was made possible by the combined expertise of Peabody, Durkan, St Gobain and Potter Raper. A scheme had to be devised which was effective, feasible and fitted in with budget parameters. To withdraw any cost barriers to the project, Durkan has delivered the site at cost, in addition to carrying out survey work to ensure the safety of the building pro bono. The team has also worked closely with international non-profit training organisation, YouthBuild, to bring forward the training academy. The YouthBuild programme is designed to provide young adults in local communities with the chance to build a career in the construction sector. Already in operation in
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23 countries around the world, the company’s work at Thamesmead, including the operation of the academy, is a vital part of its UK rollout. Participants will spend part of their time on site, carrying out repair and building work around Thamesmead — aiding the regeneration of their local community while picking up valuable construction experience and working towards qualifications. They will spend the rest of their time at the Titmuss Avenue site, carrying out the academic training element of their qualifications.
The team behind the regeneration of Thamesmead is working closely with YouthBuild to provide training opportunities for young adults in the local community
Community facility As well as a training base, the Construction Skills Academy will also act as a community centre at the heart of the Thamesmead regeneration. The aim was to create a one-stop-shop for enterprise, employment, education and youth programmes. While this relates to construction qualifications it extends to offering employability and life skills — with one-to-one mentoring and counselling available for every trainee coming through the programme. Thamesmead is a project that will take 30 years to complete, meaning that cohorts coming through will also have access to the experience of those who know about the programme in detail or have gone through it themselves. The opening of the centre in March provides apprentices a nearby place to train as they help to regenerate their local community. Those on the programme directly supported by Durkan will work on the development of Southmere Village, which will deliver more than 1,600 homes across four Thamesmead sites. Following the completion of their qualifications, every trainee will then be considered for further apprenticeships or employment opportunities within the Thamesmead supply chain. Many construction apprentices get started by working close to home. A development can benefit one generation and provide the spark to build a career. The time and investment at Thamesmead means YouthBuild can make a bigger impact — helping young people in the area find a path that works for them for decades to come. With thanks to Tony Gallagher at Durkan for preparing this article www.durkan.co.uk
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ADVERTORIAL
CREATING BRIGHT FUTURES
AluK shows its strength with faceted on-plan curtain walling solution
A faceted on-plan curtain wall completed in AluK’s SL52 system is the centrepiece of the two storey community hub known as The Curve in the newly opened Bryn Gaer Place housing development. AluK’s technical team worked closely
walling system met the aesthetic,
Group) who provide housing and
with their commercial fabrication
thermal, wind and water performance
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partners Vellacine to design the
requirements set down by the north
with partial funding from the Welsh
curtain walling for the project in
Wales based architects Ainsley
government’s social housing grant.
Newport, which also required an
Gommon. It comprises a mix of one and two
external canopy to be attached Alongside the curtain walling, AluK
bedroom apartments and communal
GT55TB commercial doors were
facilities. All of the apartments
The challenge was to deliver the
also installed throughout the 39
have balconies which overlook the
faceted on-plan design in a practical
new homes in the development,
landscaped gardens so slim sightlines
and cost effective way. This was
giving a coherent aesthetic to the
on the windows and doors were
achieved utilising AluK’s SL52 curtain
entire building and delivering the
another important consideration.
walling system with a variable gasket
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solution and a single mullion to ensure
of operation needed for the older
The main contractors for the entire
that the glazing complemented the
residents.
build were WRW Construction.
Bryn Gaer Place was developed by
More details on the curtain walling
Derwen Cymru (part of the Pobl
are at: www.aluk.co.uk
to the system.
external façade design. &QZ0ƍX 81 ƵJ]NGQJ HFUUJI HZWYFNS
ALUK.CO.UK
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HOUSING & REGENERATION
Making sustainable attainable The challenge of climate change — characterised by extreme storms, heavy rain and extended dry spells — means a new approach to urban drainage is necessary. Happily, technologies that optimise ‘green assets’ through extended water management networks are now here. Michael White explains.
egardless of differences of opinion on the nature, causes and severity of climate change, there’s no question that the nation is suffering more and worse extreme weather. Interestingly, annual rainfall only rarely exceeds 1,500mm a year1 — yet it is arriving in larger amounts on fewer occasions, rather than falling gradually across the year, with the all problems that causes. As a result of major storms and associated heavy rainfall, drainage infrastructure struggles to cope and — as we’ve seen over the past few months — serious flooding is much more common. At the same time, we are also subject to longer and warmer dry spells which result in shortages of water for drinking and amenity use (e.g. hosepipe bans); and put pressure on landscapes and ‘green assets’ — trees, lawns, green roofs and other planted areas. The crucial need to contain and control rainfall — to protect people and property — is inevitably going to bring tougher legislation and standards in water collection and management; impacting upon local authorities, developers and contractors and the sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) techniques required to better manage these extreme events.
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Alongside this, environmental legislation is imposing demands upon local authorities and developers regarding increasing both carbon-capture and green assets in public. Previously a specialist area within building, ‘green asset management’ is now an essential consideration in design and means we need to introduce systems that not only protect and nurture trees and other plants during dry spells, but also allow for more of them — ‘urban greening’ — where possible. Both these statutory drivers mean a new holistic, integrated approach to multifunctional SuDS is needed.
Green Urbanisation This new approach is what Polypipe is calling — and as reflected in its recent company name change — ‘Green Urbanisation’; and will network water collection, management and storage, and green assets to deliver: enhanced flood and drought resilience, smart water usage, increased biodiversity and greater human wellbeing. It also plays a valuable role in carbon capture and offset. Green Urbanisation is an evolution of Green Infrastructure — a long-established definition for green assets — and describes a transition from conventional drainage and SuDS into an extended
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water management network that supports multi-functional, sustainable landscapes across cities, transport infrastructure and commercial environments. As such, future SuDS will require a redefinition of engineered and natural drainage as the boundary between the two dissolves. The opportunity is in the adoption of new technologies — such as Polypipe’s Permavoid sub-base replacement — that optimise such green assets within this broader and more adaptable water management network. Traditionally, conventional drainage networks were simply about removing surface water as quickly as possible to a sewer, receiving watercourse or to ground. Typically, these did not truly address volume management, so early SuDS schemes, which saw the introduction of swales, retention ponds and attenuation tanks, were primarily focused on controlling run-off quantity — in essence, they increased ‘volumetric resilience’. But SuDS have the additional benefit of, where space allows, introducing green elements into the water management process, providing the opportunity to improve public amenity, biodiversity and surface water treatment. Their ‘green asset resilience’, however, is very limited. During prolonged dry spells the plants are vulnerable to stress, regression, and die-back, potentially resulting in the loss of all environmental, health and wellbeing benefits. Appearance-wise too, a dry, brown and barren landscape is not one that appeals to developers keen to enhance the visual quality of public spaces.
objectives whereby rainwater is managed as close to where it falls as possible. The greater the level of source control, the more efficient, accessible and cost-effective SuDS become. Planting, from straight forward grassed areas to fully mature trees, can be supported anywhere across an area installed with these proprietary systems. In-built passive irrigation cones wick water into the sub-soil, maintaining, protecting and containing root systems within the designated planting area. In addition, Green Urbanisation unlocks the potential to re-use attenuated volumes stored elsewhere in the system — smart controls moving water around the integrated network to where it is needed. This surface adjacent, sub-base replacement technology effectively extends the SuDS ‘envelope’, allowing green assets to be introduced across buildings and the public realm where not previously possible.
Previously a specialist area within building, ‘green asset management’ is now an essential consideration
Urban greening Infinitely scalable, the Green Urbanisation approach can be adapted to operate on a single plot or across an entire river catchment. Intelligent systems can be incorporated to automatically monitor and manage rainwater volumes in conjunction with weather forecasting data. By tracking storms, attenuated volumes across a wide area can be discharged well ahead of the event, preventing the network being overwhelmed and reducing the flood potential. By integrating SuDS with green assets supported by components such as Permavoid, the sector can now offer a comprehensive new generation of solutions to master planners, developers, main and sub-contractors and specifiers to help them tackle the challenging issues of extreme rainfall, flood risk and drought. Urban greening is a fast-growing opportunity, increasing in strength and breadth in the face of fast-changing regulation, legislation and standards designed to meet demanding carbon neutrality targets; and heralds a new era for the drainage market. 1
Increasing resilience The new Green Urbanisation approach significantly increases both green asset and volumetric resilience by building-in captured water re-use and plant irrigation. Sub-base replacements — such as Permavoid — allow rainwater to be captured and retained immediately below the surface. Their lightweight, high loadbearing capacities mean this can be directly under a road, trafficked podium deck surface or under a conventional green roof. This provides effective ‘source control’ — one of the key SuDS design
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The crucial need to contain and control rainfall will inevitably bring tougher legislation and standards in water collection and management
www.statista.com/statistics/322810/average-rainfall-in-
the-united-kingdom-uk/
Michael White is Divisional Marketing & Development Director at Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation
■ For information on Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation and its range of systems and services visit rdr.link/lp010
■ For information about Polypipe’s range of piping, water and climate management systems, visit www.rdr.link/lp011
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HOUSING & REGENERATION
Delivering accessible bathrooms Stuart Reynolds explains how social landlords can bring good design to bear in cost-effective ways for those needing wheelchair accessible bathrooms. ecent Department for Housing figures show that 119,621 disabled people or people with a medical condition were left waiting for an accessible home by their local authority in 2018/19, a rise of more than 10% since 2016/171. This is against the backdrop of only a 0.02% rise in the overall number of people on the social housing waiting list. The UK’s rapidly ageing population, increasing health challenges and the movement of older and disabled people from other tenures into social housing are all helping fuel this growth2. These figures have prompted the Housing Minister to commit to looking into whether the law needs to change, to ensure more new homes meet minimum accessibility standards, although these changes will take time.
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Good wheelchair accessible bathroom design What exactly constitutes ‘good’ wheelchair accessible bathroom design? Although any design needs to be tailored to the individual’s specific requirements, there are however common elements that should be included when specifying or installing any wheelchair accessible bathroom. The following is best practice advice taken from the Building Regulation’s Doc M3 for wheelchair user dwellings and also from Kate Sheehan, Occupational Therapist of The OT Service for a well-designed wheelchair accessible bathroom.
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AKW’s Meccano range
Key characteristics of good design Good design promotes safe movement and independence and also makes life better in the long-term for the wheelchair user in an accessible bathroom.
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Promote movement around the space Manoeuvring into and inside the bathroom are key considerations, not only when thinking about the wheelchair user but any personal care assistants that might accompany them. With this in mind: ● Prioritise level access throughout the space — use a wet room former, or a recessed or ramped shower tray. ● Ensure doors are outward facing — this increases space in the bathroom and helps in case of emergencies. ● Ensure easy and safe level shower access — this can be done by using a corner design for the shower space4. ● Minimise any gradient near the WC — a level access shower area has a gradient to help the water drain. Ensure that this is not part of the WC transfer zone, to minimise wheelchair-tipping hazards. ● Incorporate a raised height toilet — to allow for easier transfer from wheelchair to toilet seat. ● Ensure toilet accessibility on both sides if possible — this is best-practice advice5 and facilitates transfers, personal assistant support and potential changes in need for the wheelchair user. ● Ensure that there is no external plumbing and pipe work — to promote
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ease of movement around the space, all pipework needs to be concealed within the walls. Think about the placement of radiators or towel rails — these can hinder wheelchair movement. Always opt for low surface temperature heat sources and consider underfloor heating as an alternative. Use slip-resistant flooring — to maximise the traction of the wheelchair and minimise falls. Use a wall hung sink — to improve access. Consider one with handles or a concave design to make things easier for a wheelchair user. The sink’s height should also be tailored to the user’s requirements (although compromises might be needed if the space is also used by the wider family).
Good design promotes independence The aim of any accessible bathroom is to promote the dignity of the user. If they are also able to use the space independently, then these are key elements to include: ● Think about shower placement — as this will impact movement around the space. For example, fittings can encroach up to 500mm on one side of the space (not both). ● Use technology to promote independence — for example AKW’s SmartCare Plus remote-controlled shower helps the wheelchair user control everything with no additional assistance.
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fact, the majority of the suggestions in AKW’s latest Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom Design guide are focused on using cost-effective adaptation equipment in ways that make sense to the space and to the wheelchair user. 1
Source: www.itv.com/news/2020-02-07/number-of-
people-with-disabilities-and-medical-conditions-on-hou sing-waiting-list-rises-by-almost-11-000-in-two-years/ 2
Source: www.akw-ltd.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2016/08/AKW_Social_Housing_Agein
Wheelchair transfer
g_Crisis_Whitepaper.pdf ●
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Add a handle or rail to the door — to help the wheelchair user close the door behind them, without the need for additional assistance. Tailor the placement of grab rails — to suit the abilities of the wheelchair user. Think about rail placement beside the WC, washbasin and level access shower. Depending on the bathroom’s layout, fold-up rails may benefit some users and any personal assistants. Think about the user’s reach — to
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ensure that all of the essential fixtures and fittings (such as the toilet flush, light switches and bath/shower controls) are at a height and reach that supports functional use. Incorporating a bidet — bidet’s promote user independence. If this is something that the wheelchair user would benefit from, remember to include an isolated electrical supply in compliance with Building Regulations for this. Good design need not be expensive. In
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Source: Source: Building Regulations for England and
Approved Document M, Volume 1: Dwellings, M4(3) 4&5
Source: Habinteg — Wheelchair Housing Design
Guide. Available at www.habinteg.org.uk
Stuart Reynolds is Head of Product and Marketing at AKW
■ To download AKW’s Wheelchair Guide for Accessible Bathrooms at visit www.rdr.link/lp012
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HOUSING & REGENERATION ROUND-UP
Trade strength solvent cleans and removes The HB42 Ultimate Solvent ‘All-In-One’ is an ideal partner to the HB42 Sealant range. The product is said to be perfect for professional preparation work, ensuring the maximum adhesion and long-term performance. The solvent removes sealants and adhesives safely, and also removes wax, ink, tar, printing ink, splashes of cement, adhesive labels, chewing gum and a multitude of stubborn deposits. The fast acting spray evaporates, leaving no oily residue and is non-aggressive, safe to use on virtually all materials and can be used before applying HB42 Sealants.
■ For more information on the HB42 Ulitamate Solvent visit www.rdr.link/lp013 New ventilation solution The intelligent Lo-Carbon Response 7 from Vent-Axia is a new filterless unitary fan designed to meet the specific needs of social housing. Replacing the company’s original Lo-Carbon Response, it benefits from a series of new and improved features, including an ultra-low profile for discreet installation; increased airflow performance; a new digital control menu; as well as a seven-year guarantee. The range boasts powerful, quiet, efficient ventilation, helping provide good indoor air quality and comfort for residents.
■ For more information on the Lo-Carbon Response 7 range visit www.rdr.link/lp014
Reducing fuel poverty in social housing Local authorities are taking proactive steps to tackle fuel poverty for social housing tenants by embracing new technology, such as Wondrwall, and its range of modular home automation, clean energy and efficient heating products. The advanced light switch runs its own operating system housing 13 different sensors covering temperature, humidity, power, motion, luminosity and sound. Replacing standard light switches throughout the home it creates a network of over 100 sensors, where predictive modelling and machine learning improves the home’s overall efficiency and performance. When linked to the Wondrwall energy platform consisting of PV solar panels, battery storage, inverter, infrared heating and a smart hot water cylinder, the technology intelligently ‘time shifts’ consumption to maximise the use of renewable energy.
■ For more information on Wondrwall visit www.rdr.link/lp015
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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY
John Bailey outlines how the commitment of funds to support the decarbonisation of heat can be used to encourage local authority housing providers to transition to renewable energy solutions. he proposals set out in the Chancellor’s 2020 Budget to extend the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) until March 2022 offered much needed clarity for both the domestic and commercial markets and continues to position low carbon heating as a credible alternative to carbon intense fuels. According to a recent report, 47% of councils do not have a plan in place for reducing the carbon emissions which are a result of their built assets, including housing developments.1 With the Government aiming to achieve net zero carbon by 20502, it’s clear that further incentives are needed to encourage the widespread adoption of renewable heating technologies by local authorities. As a payment scheme in the UK for the generation of heat from renewable energy sources, the RHI has an important role to play, and one that can also support local authorities when it comes to choosing renewable heating solutions. Heating systems covered by the RHI include those powered by heat pumps (air source, ground source or water source), biomass boilers and solar thermal systems3. While the extension of the RHI gives local authorities more time to make the move over to renewable heating systems, it’s also important to address the perceived challenges too.
Vaillant worked with Derby Homes to deliver a highly efficient heating system at Rivermead House, a development of 54 flats
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At Rivermead House the heat pumps were installed on tenants’ balconies
Green benefits of renewables A closer look at heat pumps
Helping tenants reduce bills
A heat pump employs the same vapourcompression refrigeration process as an air conditioner or a refrigerator, but in reverse — with a circulating refrigerant used as a medium to absorb heat from a cold space and release it to a warmer one. aroTHERM plus is Vaillant’s next generation heat pump which uses R290; a natural refrigerant with a low Global Warming Potential of 3. Fulfilling the next nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) requirements. With an ErP rating of A+++, the aroTHERM plus is one of the greenest heat pumps on the market, helping end users reduce their carbon footprints. Furthermore, with sound power as low as 54 dba, it is also suitable for use in densely built up areas, including terraced housing estates. In addition, greater comfort levels can be achieved with R290 as it enables the heat pump to run at a higher flow temperature of 75˚C, providing 25% more useable hot water than other heat pumps on the market.
For many local authorities, the initial outlay of buying and installing heat pumps is a barrier to entry into the world of renewable heating. It’s worth noting here though that, in the majority of cases, the RHI initiative can offer valuable return on investment, with quarterly payments paid out over a period of seven years. Once installed, one of the main benefits of air source heat pumps is that they can help safeguard against the fluctuations in oil and LPG prices that leave tenants vulnerable to the ever-rising costs of heating their home. In terms of running costs, they’re cheaper to run than many alternatives, offering a potential saving on annual fuel bills of between £695 to £1,315 for electric storage heaters, £285 to £1,100 for oil boilers and £105 to £650 for gas boilers4. When you consider that the heat pump harnesses naturally renewable resources, it can also offer landlords and tenants a beneficial way to reduce their carbon
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footprints. In addition, with a warranty of up to seven years, the Vaillant aroTHERM plus heat pump offers landlords valuable peace of mind when it comes to costly repairs. Recently, Vaillant worked with Derby Homes to deliver a highly efficient heating system at Rivermead House, a development of 54 flats in an off-gas area north of Derby city centre. Having already carried out thermal improvements to the homes, including wall and loft insulation, Derby Homes wanted to see how innovative heating solutions could achieve further reductions in running costs. Each flat was installed with its own aroTHERM 5kW air source heat pump, VRC 700 weather compensating system control and a 150-litre slimline hot water cylinder. Costs were successfully kept to a minimum, with each flat fitted for £6,000 — a huge 30% saving against a comparable quote. Since the installation, the tenants are also seeing a huge reduction in their fuel bills. With the previous storage heating system, average energy consumption of 13,068 kwh equated to costs of around £1,250 a year. With the heat pumps in place, bills have been slashed to £730 per annum, providing a typical saving of £520 a year per household.
Space invaders Historically, renewable options such as heat pumps have also been met with practical hurdles, which has seen them overlooked by social housing providers. For example, ground-source heat pumps are often seen as unpopular because of the space they require. This can often mean there’s not enough room for the machinery needed to access installation sites. Whilst it is true that ground source heat pumps do require space for digging boreholes or ground arrays, modern air source heat pumps are designed to be compact enough to suit most applications. The Vaillant aroTHERM plus air-to-water heat pump offers four sizes of heat output, meaning there’s a solution for almost all kinds of properties, even those where space is at a premium. For example, the Derby Homes project faced similar
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With the previous storage heating system, average energy consumption of 13,068 kwh equated to costs of around £1,250 a year. With the heat pumps in place, bills have been slashed to £730 per annum, providing a typical saving of £520 a year per household.
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take advantage of heat pump technology; offering tenants a cost-effective and efficient way to heat their homes, and one which also prepares properties for the energy change by supporting the decarbonisation of heat. To encourage further uptake, we need to see conversations being had by housing providers to share their experiences, both from the point of view of tenants, and also across the entire supply chain, including trade associations and those working in procurement. This, in addition to incentives such as RHI, will play an important role in encouraging social housing landlords to adopt renewable heating technologies that meet their affordable housing criteria and tenant welfare needs. 1 https://www.eca.co.uk/energyfoi 2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-
challenges when it came to space but were able to overcome them by installing the heat pumps on tenants’ balconies.
48596775 3 https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grantsloans/renewables/renewable-heat-incentive 4 https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-
A balancing act For many local authority and social housing providers there continues to be a fine line between balancing budgets and the needs of their tenants. However, with the extension of RHI for the next two years, housing providers looking to make the switch to renewable energy sources can
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John Bailey is Head of Commercial and Renewable Systems at Vaillant
■ For more information on the Vaillant aroTHERM plus visit www.rdr.link/lp016
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Safe heating options Chris Harvey offers advice on the provision of safe heating solutions for the elderly and vulnerable people. ustaining severe dry burns from radiators and associated pipework is something no one wants to imagine for their loved ones, but elderly people, vulnerable people and of course very young children are the most likely to suffer these — at times, life changing injuries. But there is a way of ensuring that can never happen by specifying and installing ‘safe to touch’ heating. LST — low surface temperature — radiators are key where there is a need to meet NHS Guidance for ‘Safe Hot Water and surface temperature’ in hospitals, care and nursing homes, as well as sheltered housing, schools and nurseries and in an increasing amount of general needs housing that may
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The latest Stelrad LST iPlus Deco radiator with the fine lined casing
be used by vulnerable people during that home’s lifetime. They are also highly relevant in sports centres and other public service buildings where the owners want to take all the risk out of the building from ‘day one’ of it being in operation. When asking whether LST radiators are needed, you only need to consider the risk of in particular, older people falling and injuring themselves on a radiator along with potential dangers from those with a visual impairment bumping into or brushing against them. Some elderly people have a reduced
sensitivity to high temperatures and others simply cannot react quickly enough to prevent injury from hot surfaces if they inadvertently touch and come into contact with a conventional radiator, where surface temperatures may be as high as 75˚C. Older people and those suffering injuries have an increased susceptibility to losing their balance and falling, and the possibility of these people falling and becoming trapped against a conventional radiator brings the need for LST radiators sharply into focus. And of course, the injuries that are possible to the very young are too horrific to contemplate, so it’s clear that serious dry burns can be caused very quickly at these temperatures and that LST radiators are the obvious response to the dangers.
Low surface temperature radiators
LSTs in a communal room in a sheltered housing scheme
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LSTs come with a casing that surrounds the radiator allowing the heat to convect in the normal way, whilst ensuring that the casing at no time exceeds 43˚C. With Stelrad LST radiators for example, the casing covers the radiator but also the incoming pipework, making sure all the heated surfaces are concealed and that any exposed surfaces stay at a safe temperature. They also come with tamper proof casings so that the safety of the radiator cannot be compromised.
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LST radiators need to be designed to ensure they offer as much protection as possible to those for whom they are designed to provide heating. They need to include rounded corners and edges to the design to avoid damage from sharp edges. Remembering that LST radiators are in the main installed in buildings to offer protection to older people, additional benefits such as safety grilles, easy to operate heating controls and even arthritic adaptors for people who are unable to grip controls easily, can be incorporated to provide a user friendly ‘package’ for those they seek to help. The Stelrad range of LSTs benefit from the addition of antibacterial paint as standard and come with a 10-year warranty on the heat emitter and a five-year warranty on the casing.
Aesthetics and easy clean options Radiators are still responsible for sharing the heat in more than 90% of domestic heating systems installed in the UK and a surprisingly high percentage of
An LST in a disabled toilet in a sheltered housing scheme in mid-Wales
commercial properties as well, so the age of the radiator is still very much with us. Companies like Stelrad are ensuring that radiators continue to be an aesthetic choice as well as a common sense one, with a wide range of designs, an easy to install philosophy and a variety of sizes available to suit all applications. The majority of the company’s radiators can be delivered within three days of order. Whilst traditionally, LSTs have tended to have flat fronted casings, Stelrad recently released two new additions to its range — the LST Standard Deco and LST iPlus Deco design — both featuring its popular Deco horizontal lined fascia to make the
casings for the radiators more aesthetically pleasing. The LST Deco range comes with a new ‘easy clean’ feature that allows them to be cleaned inside and outside the casings. There’s also a new ‘easy clean’ clip available that with the special tool provided, allows the front panel to be removed to make cleaning even simpler. Chris Harvey is Head of Marketing at Stelrad Radiators Group
■ To see the range of styles and options available from Stelrad visit www.rdr.link/lp017
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HEATING & RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUND-UP HIUs now BEA registered The Greenstar HIU range from Bosch Commercial & Industrial is now BESA Registered. The BESA HIU test regime is the UK test standard for HIUs, originally developed to assess UK heat network operating parameters as part of a government research project into heat network efficiency. With both E Plus & KE+ products in the range now registered, the company is proud to be the first manufacturer to have multiple HIU products BESA Registered from the same range. The HIU offers up to 21 litres per minute flow rate and incorporates components such as a differential pressure control valve (KE Plus, E Plus and E) and summer by-pass (KE Plus and E Plus).
■ For more information on then Greenstar HIU range visit www.rdr.link/lp018 Free tool to manage access attempts In April Gas Tag made its COVID-19 functionality free to use. The new functionality makes it easier for landlords and contractors to report and evidence incidents where they have been unable to access (UTA) a property due to self-isolation. Originally developed to support current clients with gas compliance and fire safety, the functionality has been opened up so that it can be used to cover all areas where access attempts are being made. Users will be able to take a geotagged, time-stamped photographs of a property when they are unable to access and mark the incident as due to self-isolation.
■ For more information on Gas Tag visit www.rdr.link/lp019 Magnetic Low Loss Header and Cascade Insulation Following the launch of the Evomax 2 commercial boiler, Ideal Commercial has enhanced its range of cascade accessories. The Magnetic Low Loss Header kit is available in four different sizes. It offers an additional approach to hydraulic separation whilst providing a solution that is space efficient. Butterfly valves for system isolation are available as an optional extra. It supplements the Low Loss Header and Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger hydraulic separation options already available for Evomax 2 Cascade installations. Made from robust expanded polypropylene, the Insulation kits consist of modular sections, which are combined to encase a range of headers.
■ For more information on Ideal Commercial visit www.rdr.link/lp020
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Connect & Notify approvals for heat pumps Kensa Heat Pumps full suite of 3 to 13kW thermal output single phase ground source heat pumps are now on the Energy Networks Association (ENA) Connect & Notify database. As electrically driven technology, the mass electrification of heat with heat pumps will inevitably have an impact on the electricity grid; the ENA Connect & Notify approval identifies the company’s Evo and Shoebox GSHP ranges to be of low grid impact, enabling their installation without any prior approval requirement from local DNOs. The Shoebox heat pump series is designed to be installed in a cupboard. The Evo heat pump series features the first dedicated system controller for ground source heat pumps and a live CoP efficiency display.
■ For more information on Kensa’s Shoebox heat pump visit www.rdr.link/lp021
Guide to complying with updated heat network regulations Switch2 Energy recently published a free guide to help district and community heating scheme operators to comply with the updated Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations. It is believed that many of the UK's 17,000 heat network operators failed to respond to the four-yearly Duty of Notification process by the 31st December 2019 deadline. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), which enforces the regulations, has begun issuing formal warnings to these noncompliant heat networks. The guide details the urgent action heat network suppliers need to take now to comply with the legislation. It also explains the future requirements expected to be introduced later in 2020, following the current Heat Network Market Framework consultation period.
■ To download a copy of the guide visit www.rdr.link/lp022
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ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION
An example of BMI UK & Ireland’s Canopia Green Roofs
Green and blue roofs The increasing recognition of climate change among local and central governmental bodies is resulting in greater demand for green and blue roof technologies by planning authorities. Amanda de Sousa explains what needs they meet in a drainage context. n May 1st last year, the UK parliament declared an Environment and Climate Emergency, the first national government to do so. With the built environment estimated to account for around 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint, we are seeing these commitments playing out through local and national planning policies. New laws and planning guidance related to flood prevention, urban greening and energy efficiency mean that authorities are looking for developments that help them to meet their environmental aspirations. Against this backdrop, green or blue roofs can be a useful addition to proposed developments. Some authorities are strongly recommending green roofs, others mandating them. Mentions of blue roofs — relative newcomers to the roofing scene in this country — are starting to
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The popularity of green roofs within the built environment has increased dramatically over recent years
appear in planning guidance relating to sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). Green roofs, whether an extensive sedum-type variety or an intensive roof garden, help attenuate rainwater, increase biodiversity, reduce urban heat island effects and improve air and water quality. There are wellbeing and community value benefits too. An increasing number of architects and developers are recognising the benefits of biophilic design, where plants — or elements that mimic nature — are included inside and outside a building. The components of an extensive green
roof generally comprise of the waterproofing system, a protective fleece, drainage board, filter layer, free-draining substrate for the plants and the plants themselves, often sedum. An intensive green roof would normally incorporate a trafficable drainage board with greater compressive strength and swap the free-draining substrate for a deeper layer of topsoil. Blue roofs slow the flow of water from a roof, reducing the risk of sewers reaching capacity and flooding. Blue roofs contain rainfall within a void-containing layer with flow-restricting outlets to control the flow.
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A typical build-up for an inverted blue roof would comprise of a waterproofing layer, insulation, void former, filter layer and the top, permeable, layer or ballast. The permeable layer could be a green roof, which would increase the system’s attenuation capacity further.
Policy patterns Existing national legislation and policy already encourages planners to look for sustainable building elements such as green or blue roofs in new developments. These include the Wildlife & Countryside Act, the National Planning Policy Framework; Securing the Future, the UK’s sustainable development strategy and Approved Document L, Conservation of Fuel and Power. Some authorities, such as Sheffield, Manchester, London and Edinburgh, have incorporated these policies into green city strategies, which feed through into their local plans. Such strategies encompass the need to make cities or regions climate resilient, how to ensure that developments are sustainable, ways to reduce air pollution and, of course, the overriding need to cut carbon emissions. Some councils are actively calling for green roofs. Sheffield City Council, for instance, which boasts the largest proportion of green roofs after London, says in its Guideline CC1 that all large developments should have green roofs covering at least 80% of the total roof area. Large developments are classed as those with 10 dwellings or more or over 1,000m2 gross internal floor space. Urban greening — which involves covering walls and small pieces of land, as well as roofs, in plants — is moving up the agenda in many UK cities. London has introduced the Urban Greening Factor (UGF) in its draft New London Plan, a move likely to be copied by others. The UGF is a tool to quantify the amount and quality of urban greening that a new scheme provides and will be used to inform planning decisions. Like Sheffield, London has been actively encouraging green roofs for over a decade, publishing a guide to green roofs to complement its 2008 London Plan. The draft New London Plan
The basic types of green roof fit into either extensive or intensive categories
Urban greening — which “involves covering walls and small pieces of land, as well as roofs, in plants — is moving up the agenda in many UK cities.
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launched a draft of its latest National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, a document that is now being revised following consultation. Planning is likely to be centre stage in the strategy, with authorities urged to take a more holistic view, which includes the use of SuDS. The principal behind SuDs is that new developments should produce the same run-off rates as a Greenfield site, with surface water managed as close as possible to its source. Hence the attraction of blue roofs. In Wales, the inclusion of SuDS became mandatory from 7th January 2019 for all new developments over 100m2. In England, national planning policy advises that major new developments should incorporate SuDS yet there are no signs that it will become mandatory.
Adding value
encourages the use of blue roofs for the first time, stating that rainwater harvesting — including green and blue roofs — should be the first option for a sustainable drainage strategy in its Policy SI13 Sustainable Drainage.
SuDS solutions In built-up areas, other forms of water attenuation such as ponds or belowground water storage tanks are simply not possible. And even where tanks may be possible, they are likely to be far more costly and more complicated to access and maintain than a blue roof. At national level, the Environment Agency
Atypically for a green or blue roof provider, BMI UK & Ireland offers a comprehensive range of designs, allowing for bespoke solutions — whether in waterproofing systems or planting — that can meet all needs, not to mention the challenges of planning requirements. Specifiers must recognise that such roofs are a specialist element, requiring a precise specification, detailing, installation and inspection regime. BMI can provide technical and quality assurance support in this regard; and its sixstep specification service ranges from consultation site surveys, and specification; leading to installation support and site inspections which ultimately conclude with industry-leading roof systems guarantees. Looking beyond capital outlay, green and blue roofs add value to the environment and to communities. They can reduce lifetime carbon footprints and remove or lower costs caused by flooding. For authorities looking to reduce their carbon footprints and meet climate change commitments, they can be an attractive proposition for would-be developments. Amanda de Sousa is Product Systems Manager at BMI UK & Ireland
■ For more details of BMI UK & BMI UK & Ireland offers a comprehensive range of designs, allowing for bespoke solutions
Ireland’s green and blue roof solutions visit www.rdr.link/lp023
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ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION
Part L proposals Jonathan Ducker considers the proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations for England and Wales expected to be
Kingspan Insulation offers a range of thermally efficient solutions for all areas of the building envelope. These can allow the most demanding U-values to be met with a slim construction
he year 2020 is set to be a year of change for building energy performance, with revised regulations for work on new and existing buildings in England and Wales expected to be published by the end of the year. To kick this process off, consultations have been run on proposed changes to Part L and F of the Building Regulations for domestic properties within the two countries. Whilst we await publication of the final versions of these documents, it is worth taking a close look at the proposals and what they may mean for local authorities and housing associations.
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Consultation focus Control of the Building Regulations in Wales was devolved to the Welsh Assembly in 2011. As such, whilst the English and Welsh consultations refer to the same sections of the Building Regulations — Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) — these are entirely separate documents with different requirements. The same applies to the Approved Documents
mentioned within the consultations — Approved Document L1A (ADL1A) and F — which provide guidance on how to meet the requirements within the separate Building Regulations for new homes. Up until now, carbon emissions have been the principal measure used to assess whether a building is compliant with the requirements of Part L. The consultations for ADL1A proposed two uplift scenarios over the current emission targets in each country. In England, these were for a 20% or 31% (preferred) reduction on existing levels whilst in Wales these were set at 37% (preferred) or 56%. The consultations also introduce Primary Energy as a new performance metric, with CO2 emissions retained in a secondary role. This change is designed to help future-proof the Regulations, ensuring they still provide an effective measure of building energy performance as the fuel supply is decarbonised. Primary Energy is generated through a calculation which factors in the energy demand for the property, efficiency of the
heating technologies used (e.g. gas boiler) and the amount of energy used to get the chosen fuel ready for use (i.e. extraction, refinement and transportation). In this calculation, any energy generated by renewables for use within the property is automatically subtracted from the overall energy demand.
Removing FEES Whilst the rationale for Primary Energy is sensible, the way it is implemented within the English consultation is causing some concern. At present, the English Approved Document L (ADL) uses a Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES), which sets limits on the maximum heating and cooling energy demand for a property through the performance of the building envelope. To streamline the requirements, however, it’s proposed that this measure is dropped in the new English ADLs. Due to the way Primary Energy is calculated, this could allow homes to be constructed to the worstcase backstop U-values (consequently
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having higher energy demand than those subjected to FEES), providing this is offset through PV generation. One way to prevent this would be to tighten the backstop U-values for building elements. This is the approach taken in the Welsh ADLs (which never adopted FEES). In the English proposals, however, these backstops remain less stringent than even the existing equivalents in Wales (which are tightened further within its own consultation). This approach seems at odds with the general direction of travel for our built environment. For example, the Committee on Climate Change has suggested that net-zero homes will need to have ultrahigh levels of fabric efficiency, an air source heat pump and an overall space heating demand equivalent to a Passivhaus standard property1. It could also create significant issues during the winter months when heating demand is higher, and renewables are less efficient. In fact, as we decarbonise and push more and more buildings and vehicles to the grid, this could mean that carbon intensities at these times actually rise.
Addressing demand With this in mind, we would recommend that local authorities prioritise building approaches that limit heating and energy demand in the first instance. This should help to future-proof buildings, allowing them to be easily upgraded with renewables and low carbon technologies, if required. The thermal performance of the building envelope will obviously be a key consideration within this approach and the U-values suggested within the notional building for the Welsh consultation (shown in table 1) provided a sensible starting point. Correct detailing is vital when insulating to these levels, as thermal bridges can easily undermine overall building performance. For this reason, both the English and Welsh consultations focus on this area. Under the proposed changes, the Approved Construction Detail’s associated generic psi-values (measure of heat loss through a junction) would be withdrawn, the global backstop default thermal bridging level would worsen and, unless developers have modelled/calculated psi-
By adopting a fabric-first approach, local authorities can help to future proof buildings against future changes
2020 England 20% Improvement
2020 England 31% Improvement
2020 Welsh Options
Floors
0.11 W/m2K
0.13 W/m2K
0.11 W/m2K
External Walls
0.15 W/m2K
0.18 W/m2K
0.13 W/m2K
Flat and Pitched roofs
0.11 W/m2K
0.11 W/m2K
0.11 W/m2K
Global Value Y = 0.05; or Individual values from SAP table R2 (Option 2 values)
Global Value Y = 0.05; or Individual values from SAP table R2 (Option 1 values)
Thermal Bridging Global Value Y = 0.05; or Individual values from SAP table R2 (Option 1 values) Air Permeability
5
5
3 + Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery
PV Installed
No
Yes
Yes
Table 1 – Selected notional dwellings building parameters
values available, the somewhat poor individual junction backstops will have to be used — so actually paying attention to detail will be very important to overall compliance. The two Welsh proposals and English 20% improvement scheme use the more stringent Option 1 values from SAP table R2, whilst the English 32% improvement options uses the more relaxed Option 2 values.
By adopting a fabric first approach, it should be possible to limit both energy demand and the scale of any energy retrofit work required to meet targets in the future. 1 UK housing: Fit for the future?, CCC Feb 2019 (https://www.theccc.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2019/02/UK-housing-Fit-for-the-futureCCC-2019.pdf
Jonathan Ducker is Head of Regulatory Affairs at Kingspan Insulation UK
Net-Zero ready Ultimately, the changes introduced later this year are just the next step towards the final goal of a net-zero built environment. With this in mind, local authorities should approach them with one eye on the future.
■ Kingspan Insulation offers an online course covering the Building Regulations and standards visit www.rdr.link/lp024
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ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION
Regular façade maintenance is vital to maintain the longevity of a building
Façade access – safety first Mohamed Merchant highlights the importance of regular façade maintenance and offers advice on the specification of façade access solutions.
egular façade maintenance is vital to maintain the longevity of a building. Although working conditions will vary from site to site, health and safety regulations cite the key risks that could impact maintenance works. These include height to be negotiated; complexity of the building façade; duration and extent of maintenance work; required cleaning frequency, which is dictated by façade design and geometry; alongside location, weather conditions, building surface and ground conditions. Where hazards cannot be eliminated, suitable control measures should be incorporated to manage risks to an acceptable level. The statutory obligations, and good practices of those involved in the design of safe access for maintenance and repair, stem from the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This law requires:
R
“employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees and to ensure that those affected by their activities are not exposed to risk.” In almost all cases the projects requiring these access provisions will also fall under the auspices of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), which govern the way construction projects of all sizes and types are planned. The CDM Regulations require that designers and clients should allow for safe access to clean and maintain building façade and in so doing shall give ‘Collective’ measures priority over ‘Individual’ measures. It is the responsibility of the developer and designers to adequately provide suitable means of access to the fabric of any building for cleaning and maintenance.
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Other health and safety regulations, such as the Workplace Regulations and Building Regulations, will also be relevant when designing for safe access. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies to façade access, as they require employers and those in control of any work at height activity to ensure that it is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. This includes using the right type of equipment for working at height.
Working at height As façade access involves window cleaners and other maintenance personnel working at height, they must rely completely on their training and the safety features of their equipment. This necessitates simplicity in equipment design, as this minimises setup and parking time during the start and end of cleaning operations. Falling from height is likely to happen when operatives are getting into and out of the manned platform, usually because safe access points are not provided. They can also sometimes become trapped in the manned platforms due to a mechanical or operational failure, and it has been known for equipment to accidentally tip when it snags on something protruding from the building. Therefore, where access
Designers should consider “work at height during the early stages of the design, and review how its impact can be minimised and carried out with the appropriate level of safety.
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equipment is prescribed for cleaning and light maintenance, it must be installed, accessed and inspected safely. This means that during the design of such equipment adequate consideration must be given to: ● Dedicated access points. ● Dedicated routes to reach the access equipment, which are non-slip and appropriately guarded. ● Dedicated inspection and maintenance areas from which operatives can work safely. ● Adequate anchorage points properly held down to the permanent structure. Designers should therefore consider work at height during the early stages of the design, and review how its impact can be minimised and carried out with the appropriate level of safety. Where work at
Working at height must be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people
height is considered later in the design process, it will be difficult to make adequate provision for ’after-thought’ solutions, with the likelihood of significant additional costs. The access strategy should also be communicated with the management and lead design team, using drawings, sketches, written schedules and specifications in an agreed format. This information should be in a format that is clear to the user and focuses on the significant health and safety risks present.
Beyond regulation Aside from complying with statutory obligations, there are many other powerful reasons for giving due consideration to safe façade access. If inadequate provision is made, there is an increased likelihood of civil action against employers or building owners by those who are impacted by an accident. It is also likely that there will be a requirement for extra staff to undertake tasks safely, alongside additional training for them. If they cannot easily fulfil tasks because of the restrictions caused by poor safety provision, it will also require more of their time, and therefore money, to undertake those tasks. In some circumstances, managers and operatives may cut corners to minimise the time spent working in inadequate conditions, or completely omit some trickier maintenance or repair. Multiple aspects of the design process will impact the final façade access solution and its long-term viability. Façade access design challenges should therefore be coordinated and resolved in an integrated manner throughout the project. It is also important for designers to engage with the relevant stakeholders such as regulators, suppliers, specialist contractors, facility managers and end-users. This will help to ensure that the ultimate permanent access equipment solution minimises both operational and cost-related hazards. Mohamed Merchant is an Associate Director at TÜV SÜD Dunbar Boardman, Europe’s leading elevator, escalator and access consultancy
■ For more information on façade access from TÜV SÜD Dunbar Boardman visit www.rdr.link/lp025
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ROOFING, CLADDING & INSULATION ROUND-UP
£1m sanctuary for homeless people A former vicarage is being converted to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people in Ashford in Kent. Christchurch Lodge is the second home of its type to be provided by Ashford Borough Council in its fight to reduce homelessness in the area. The council's project delivery surveyor, Darren Parrett opted to use Actis Hybrid insulation. Jenner Contractors are using honeycomb style insulation Actis Hybrid and insulating vapour control layer H Control Hybrid to ensure the sanctuary is as thermally efficient as possible, minimising heating bills and reducing CO2 emissions.
■ For more information on Actis Hybrid visit www.rdr.link/lp030 Cladding passes official fire safety test EQUITONE fibre cement façade material has passed the BS 8414 fire safety test — further securing its position as being safe to use in highrise and high-risk buildings. All EQUITONE materials comprehensively meet the fire performance classification A2-s1,d0 to EN 135011:2018 — meaning they do not contribute to the formation or spread of a fire. EQUITONE [natura] was the material used during the BS 8414 test.
■ For information on EQUITONE façade materials visit www.rdr.link/lp026
Flame-free roofing system specified for hospital The roofs at King George Hospital were in urgent need of repair and posed a risk for leaks. Serving over 750,000 patients as part of the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, it was critical for this to be addressed. Langley Waterproofing Systems recommended it’s fully self-adhesive SA-20 Flame Free System, a reinforced bituminous membrane. Steve Last, Director of Estates and Facilities at King George Hospital comments: “We are pleased to report that the installation went very smoothly and has made the building watertight, which has made a significant impact in providing better working conditions for our staff and a comfortable and safe environment for our patients and visitors.”
■ To download Langley’s corporate brochure visit www.rdr.link/lp027
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GUEST COMMENT
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre at night
Early engagement helps avoid pitfalls Local authorities need to take a collaborative approach to procurement, especially where buildings for the visitor economy are concerned, says Tom Woodhead, Business Services Director at Woodhead Group. here is no question that the visitor economy is big business for the UK. Figures from Deloitte suggest that tourism makes up nearly 10% of the UK’s gross domestic product, while VisitBritain forecasts that the industry as a whole will be worth more than £250bn by 2025. Powering this growth are tourist destinations that are not just locations, but attractions, and construction plays a huge role in this. One of the most common challenges when it comes to buildings for the visitor economy is that such projects are rarely led and funded by one source. Whether it is funded by a local authority, Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund or a combination of any or all of the above, the project needs to deliver value for money for those stakeholders while still meeting the brief of creating an attraction that will do justice to the history and heritage of a place.
sector procurement processes. Traditionally, the competitive tender route has been seen by local authorities as the best way to ensure that project costs are kept low. However, this does not give the opportunity for collaboration and prevents contractors and their subcontractors bringing valuable expertise to the team.
Pragmatic approach When authorities appoint through competitive tender, the design and development phases of the project are usually locked in by the time the contractor is introduced into the mix. This can create problems, as there will often be times when the practicalities of the construction process do not mesh with what has been put to paper in the design phase. The big issue this creates is adding further time to the overall project while these issues are ironed out, which results in increased costs for the local authority.
One of the most common challenges when it comes to “buildings for the visitor economy is that such projects are rarely led and funded by one source. ” As is the case with most projects for local authorities, these types of builds are typically run on a very tight budget while still having to go through the usual public
The way local authorities can avoid this is by taking a more pragmatic approach to procurement to enable collaboration that involves the right people in the process, at
the right time. Be they from the design team, the contractors or the supply chain getting them involved as early as possible is key. Frameworks provide an ideal way of achieving this, allowing local authorities to streamline the procurement process and mitigate the risks of competitive tendering. An example of this in action is the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, which was procured through Scape Venture. Through this, Woodhead Group was able to get involved in the project from a very early stage, which enabled us to work with the design team to identify where savings could be made without compromising the overall aesthetics. This collaboration led to a team decision to use a glulam structure rather than a steel structure to fit more naturally into Sherwood Forest. Early involvement meant that we were able to engage with potential suppliers from the outset to ensure the finished product delivered the best value for the client. Whether it is a heritage building or something completely new, the same theory applies, the earlier a contractor is appointed, the earlier they can get their supply chain involved and the more efficient the whole process becomes.
■ For more information on Woodhead Group’s services visit www.rdr.link/lp028
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