Home Designer & Architect - November 2021

HOME-DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT

MAGAZINE november 2021

IT’S SHOW TIME!

THE IPG MAKE A REAL EVENT OF IT!

IT’S SHOW TIME! THE IPG MAKE A REAL EVENT OF IT! On 1st October, members, and suppliers of The IPG gathered at The Mermaid Theatre London to address The Changing World of Business.

Stepping into the theatre was like being in the heart of Covent Garden with street performers greeting arrivals.

The IPG biennial conference has grown into one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the group’s calendar. The pandemic of COVID-19 did nothing to alter the conference atmosphere – attendees continued to enjoy this great networking opportunity and the message was loud and clear – “The show must go on!”

Facilitating the discussion of managing change while maintaining business as usual was at the heart of this year’s conference messaging – as was the underlying message that ‘we are stronger when we work together’.

The day ’s programme was action-packed, it saw members have a face-to-face catch up with suppliers in the exhibitor’s area. This was followed by an afternoon in the auditorium – where attendees listened to a roster of prominent speakers, all highlighting that there are a lot of opportunities for those willing to embrace change.

They also learnt about plans of the group and were entertained by various ‘stronger together’ themed acts.

Flash mob dancers opened the “line-up” with an exhilarating street dance to the song ‘This is The Greatest Show’. Glenn Fisher, Managing Director of The IPG then gave a heartfelt speech, appealing to everyone to stand united, and work together.

Glenn said “Those businesses that succeed and thrive, are those agile enough to continue to adapt quickly, because it is in that very change where new opportunities arise. Our partnerships are in place to seize those opportunities together and help each

WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER other have more successful businesses. Because with your success comes our collective success and with our collective success the group will continue to grow stronger, together.“ Back by popular demand, the electrifying David Meade hosted the afternoon. His boundless energy and dynamic delivery captured the audience from start to finish, with out-of-this world mind reading tricks.

A Keynote address from international marketeer David Abbott inspired the audience to rethink their sales strategy by showcasing various techniques to help them optimise their pricing.

As always, The IPG received fantastic support from their suppliers with key sponsors Bristan and Davant taking to the stage to discuss the importance of Customer Service and British Manufacturing respectively.

Entertainers included Spikey Will, a legend in Covent Garden - who demonstrated his core strength with his impressive ‘bed of nails’ act. The audience also marvelled at feats of skill from the Acro-Chaps who then encouraged members and suppliers to put their core strength to the test and work together to complete a chair levitation triumph.

Kaleidoscope, a light show with a difference provided the opening act to The IPG’s presentation – which focused on the group’s core strategy of providing its trading partners with the platforms to sell better.

And finally, the conference came to its conclusion with an evening dinner at the Leonardo Royal Hotel St Paul’s. Robin Beal, Chairman and Founder, summed up the day by saying “As you know this event only happens once in 2 years, that’s once in 728 days. For 727 days we mostly get on with our daily lives, work hard and give ourselves little praise, so let’s be unapologetic about celebrating our successful partnerships on this special occasion and this evening we are going to top it off with an enjoyable meal, great networking and having some fun!”

The dinner included a ‘tongue in cheek’ awards ceremony and entertainment from Rory Bremner. A silent Auction was also held, with generous donations and bids, the group raised 9K for its charity partner Missing People #FindEveryChild.

Nationwide Distribution over 10,000 worktops in stock

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HOME-DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT

CONTENTS November 2021 10 Industry News 12 Heating & Ventilation 18 Bathrooms & Washrooms

24 34 42 51

Coatings & Paints Doors & Windows Landscape Sustainability

CONtact US Ben Pritchard

Publication Manager

01843 581364

ben@homedesignerandarchitect.co.uk

Jenna Burridge

Editor

01843 595818

jenna@homedesignerandarchitect.co.uk

The IPG Half Page Ad 130x190mm AW.indd 1

20/04/2021 13:17

B&Q OPENS LARGEST STORE IN A DECADE • B&Q opens its new Colchester store at Stane Park • Colchester is B&Q’s first purpose-built digital store as the brand commits to e-commerce growth • The Mayor declares the store officially open with ribbon cutting ceremony B&Q’s new Colchester store was declared officially open today with a formal cutting of the ribbon by the Mayor of Colchester, Councillor Robert Davidson.

Relocated from B&Q Lightship Way to Stane Park’s brand-new retail park, B&Q is the first to open at the new development.

This latest opening is one of the largest B&Q stores to open in the last decade. It combines instore shopping missions with digital fulfilment, fully representing B&Q’s commitment to grow e-commerce with stores at the centre.

Caroline Voutsinas, B&Q Stane Park, Store Manager, said: “DIY has really captured the imagination of the nation over the past 18-months, so our new and improved B&Q in Colchester is ver y timely,

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giving Colchester DIY-ers and tradespeople a much improved store experience with plenty of exciting new features to make home improvement easier than ever. I cannot wait to welcome the local community into the store.”

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A dedicated load and go area for TradePoint customers to support bulk orders and easy access

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A brand new ‘shop in a shop’ for workwear, a first for B&Q

The new store of fers a huge range of products for all home improvement needs, as well as:

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A digital hub to support store to home delivery Services including paint mixing and Click + Collect via DIY.com

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A purpose-built garden centre w i th a dedic ated garden showroom

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A convenient and expert led tool hire option from Speedy Services, the UK’s leading tool & equipment hire company

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A brand-new showroom featuring the latest kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms in interactive, inspirational displays

The new store is open 7 days a week: Monday-Saturday 7am-8pm, and on Sunday 11am-4pm. B&Q Lightship Way closed its doors on 21 October.

B&Q is continuing to encourage customers to wear face coverings an d has main t ain e d s o c ial distancing measures to help customers shop safely.

For more information, including inspirational ideas and practical advice on home improvement, visit DIY.com

PANASONIC INTRODUCES NEW AQUAREA DESIGNER ONLINE TOOL FOR HEATING AND COOLING PROFESSIONALS Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions is pleased to introduce its Aquarea Designer, the online tool to help heating and cooling designers, architects, design offices, installers, and distributors alike.

The newly developed air-to-water design tool is optimised to help professionals easily identify the most appropriate Aquarea air-to-water heat pump for a particular application, to calculate the savings compared to other heat sources and to calculate CO2 emissions very quickly.

The easy-to-use online tool is accessible through Panasonic’s PRO Club and does not require any software downloads, making it a hassle-free solution. The tool has undergone major developments resulting in a modern, straightforward navigation interface, with easily identifiable tabs to help steer users where they need to go. It also includes a detailed ‘user guide’ for additional support if necessary.

Panasonic’s bespoke program helps to promptly design and size an Aquarea heat pump system, allowing users to identify the correct application for them at the simple click of a button. Users can compare investment and operational costs compared to other heat sources. It also calculates the savings and swiftly calculates CO2 emissions. The system can produce a Heat Pump Design Report which includes product web links for heat pumps and DHW tanks and can be individually selected to include the following information: operational costs, investment costs, detailed product information, and ErP label.

Aquarea Designer will calculate the project’s energy costs in terms of domestic hot water, heating and cooling demand. It will furthermore show the total heat consumption by operation mode and the calculated SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance). It then allows the designer to show clients a comparison with other equipment options such as heating by conventional gas-fired boilers, oil fuel systems, pellets and standard electric heating.

For more information, please visit: www.panasonicproclub.com/GB_en/ tools/aquarea-software/. or Register for ProClub.

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SURFACE DESIGN SHOW REVEALS THE BEST IN SURFACE INNOVATION FOR 2022

Get ready to see and touch the latest innovations in surface materials and design at Surface Design Show, meet industry experts and be enthused by its unique content and educated by a range of talented speakers who will be telling their inspiring design stories.

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ver 120 exhibitors will be at The Business Design Centre in London on the 8-10 February 2022.Many of the exhibitors will bring to the show an abundance of new product launches, inspired by the theme ‘Sense of Place,’ with the goal of putting humanity and the planet’s wellbeing at the heart of all decision making.

Surface Matter will also be displaying its sweet materials pop-up shop stand. The stand is inspired

by Surface Matter’s material studio in London Fields which is described by architects and designers as a ‘sweet shop for materials.’ Visitors to the stand will find anything from LED lights sprinkled like 100s and 1000s, to chocolate bars made of compressed paper composite Richlite and circular Plasticiet lollipops.

There will be a comprehensive talks programme with over 50 speakers from diverse design backgrounds.

New for this year are the ‘Legends Live’ sessions, taking place on the Main Stage and involving industry

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leaders interviewing someone in or connected to the industry who is their ‘Legend’.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy the Stone Gallery, which in partnership with Stone Federation GB, brings to Surface Design Show an exclusive preview of natural stone. The Stone Tapestry, curated by Squire & Partners, is a bespoke installation piece exploring innovative textures, light, colour and pattern to create a tapestry of inspiring materials from around the world.

Italy’s Confindustria Marmomacchine will, for the first time, be bringing a pavilion of 10 natural stone companies to exhibit in Stone Gallery.

One of the highly anticipated and unique parts of the show is the New Talent section. Supporting new talent is a key focus for Surface Design Show. This year over 30 participants, will display a range of sophisticated and innovative designs, from textile designs featuring augmented reality to 3d tiles

of eco resin and waste materials.

Many of the participants this year also show a recurring focus of using natural materials and dyes.

New Talent is curated by Trendease International and held in Partnership with Canon UK. Each year visitors also look forward to Surface Spotlight Live, a focal point of inspiration for designers to touch and compare the very latest material prototypes. Sustainability is the key for SSL as developers look to bring to market an extraordinary range of materials.

Surface Spotlight Live will highlight the Show’s ‘Sense of Place’ theme and will be curated again by trend and colour expert Sally Angharad and held in Partnership with CD (UK).

NEW FROM RIBA BOOKS: SQUEEZING IT IN: THE GO-TO GUIDE FOR DESIGNERS SEEKING INSPIRATION FOR COMPACT LIVING SPACES It’s a fact that homes in the United Kingdom have been getting smaller.

A recent study suggests the size of new-build homes has reduced by four square metres since 2010, and by 20% during the past 40 years!

A timely release, then, is Squeezing It In: Designing for Compact Spaces,

by Mary Leslie, author and interior designer.

In addition to our homes shrinking, we are also spending a vast amount of time in them, meaning our living spaces must now work harder than ever to provide us with adequate room to relax, entertain and work.

As Mar y explains: “Living space is increasingly becoming a luxury. As interior designers, we are frequently commissioned to squeeze a lifestyle into a dauntingly confined space. In this book I have explored ways for designers to approach compact spaces by function so that they can provide a clever, creative, aesthetically pleasing and practical environment for their clients to live, work, entertain and sleep.”

In this practical and inspirational guide, Mary demonstrates solutions that can be applied to a variety of settings and organises them around key functions in the available space. The entire design process is considered alongside examples, featuring case studies from the likes of Archio Ltd, THORP, Benjamin Tindall Architects and many more, which are generously illustrated with full-colour photographs, plans and sketches.

The book offers a comprehensive guide for students of design, early career and experienced interior designers working in the residential sector. There is also a useful overlap for self-builders seeking jargon-free guidance.

“The modern designer may be addressing a cramped studio flat one day and a dressing room for an international business traveler the next; this book provides inspiration and advice for every kind of small space, and every budget.”

Squeezing It In is available from RIBA Books now.

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DOUBLE WIN

FOR STONEWOOD AT BATH PROPERTY AWARDS STONEWOOD Builders won two of the biggest prizes at the prestigious Bath Property Awards.

The 49-year-old family firm was crowned Developer of the Year for its meticulous conversion of workshops and warehouses dating back 250 years into work units at The Tannery in Holt, Wiltshire.

The work, part of a joint project with sister company Stonewood Partnerships to also build 44 new homes on the site, was lauded by judges at the ceremony at the Bath Apex Hotel on Friday.

They said: “Stonewood has contributed massively to the south west, particularly with its Tannery project creating places to live and work in a beautiful setting. Breathing new life into so many developments.”

The development is almost twothirds complete with just a handful of the one, two, three and four bedroom homes still to be reserved.

The Castle Combe-based company has gone to great lengths to ensure as much of the site’s history is preserved as possible and that the new part of the development reflects that heritage. Many of The Tanner y ’s distinctive industrial artefacts, including its wooden tanning drums, have been incorporated into the site as artwork or decoration as a permanent reminder of the centuries of craftmanship displayed by J&T Beaven leather workers at the site.

The second prize-winner was site manager Ben Hyatt of Chippenham, who was named Rising Star of the year after judges heard how came through the ranks at the company.

He joined less than ten years ago

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as a labourer but was soon given the chance to undertake a carpentry apprenticeship.

His ability to get on with clients as well as his colleagues and m a n a ge r s m a r ke d him out as a future leader. Two years ago he was given some experience in site supervision. “It was a bit unexpected but I jumped at the chance,” he said. “I was really pleased to do it.”

He has gradually moved into site management and said his experience as both a labourer and a carpenter have been invaluable.

“I was with Stonewood for six or seven years before I was a site manager and I was able to see how the relationships with clients was approached. It was one of the things I learned when I was watching what went on,” he said.

“I didn’t really understand about the advantages of investing in people eight years ago but now I can see it.

If you look after good people they will stick around and that is good for the company.

“There are a lot of guys who started the same time as I did and they have all progressed. One of the things about Stonewood is that everyone gets on with each other, it’s a good community.”

Stonewood Group chief operating officer Ben Lang, who was at the ceremony in Bath, said he was delighted for all the staff whose

talent and dedication had brought the recognition.

“It’s wonderful to be recognised for not just the quality and craftmanship we devote to every project but for the effort we put into working with clients to ensure they are delighted with the results,” he said.

“We are all really pleased for Ben because he’s a great example of what we firmly believe in as a company – that nurturing and developing our own talent is one of the best ways to grow. We love it when we see something in people and they then go on to thrive in the extra responsibility that they take on.

“Ben’s award is fully deserved and everyone here is absolutely delighted for him.”

The double win comes less than a month after Stonewood Builders was crowned Britain’s Master Builder of the Year at the Federation of Master Builders Awards.

For more about Stonewood Builders go to stonewoodbuilders.co.uk and for more information about The Tannery go to stonewoodpartnerships.co.uk.

TREAT THE DIY LOVER IN YOUR LIFE WITH THIS TOOLKIT ADVENT CALENDAR!

Draper Toolkit Christmas Advent Calendar – £46.99

T

his year, if you know someone who is trying to cut out the chocolate, or is just looking for something a little different, did you know that you can now buy a toolkit advent calendar?

Available from masters of home and garden, Robert Dyas, you can treat the DIY lover in your life to an innovative advent experience with the Draper toolkit Christmas advent calendar!

Who said advent calendars were just for kids? Not us!

This year, why not treat the toolkit lover in your life to 24 days of DIY! This Draper toolkit advent calendar, available online from Robert Dyas, features a total of 53 handy tools and pieces, all contained in a sturdy case to keep everything organised when it comes to the big day! Including a measuring tape, an adjustable wrench, a selection of pliers, hexagon keys and a ¼” hex magnetic screwdriver with 31 different insert bits – this advent calendar truly has everything your DIY fanatic loved one could ever need for those unexpected jobs around the house!

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Industry News

GET COMFORTABLE

IN QUINTAIN LIVING’S COSY AUTUMNAL APARTMENTS • From hot drinks in the clubhouse to comfy sofas in the residents’ lounge Quintain Living is ready for autumn • Warm colour schemes and natural materials deliver cosy living to beat the elements • Cosy, heated work-from-home sheds offer ideal remote-working environment Has anyone noticed how early it’s getting dark in the evenings? That’s right, it’s time to celebrate all things autumnal! And where better to do so than amidst the twinkly lights that adorn the neighbourhood in London’s Wembley Park?

Quintain Living, the award-winning management company overseeing the rental of more than 3,000 apartments in Wembley Park, is certainly ready for autumn. At Canada Gardens, the heated work-from-home sheds amongst the acre of podium gardens provide remote-working residents with the ideal set-up, while those looking for a spot of

company can drop into the warmth and welcome of the clubhouse.

The children’s playroom comes with its own fairy-tale-esque lighting that feels perfect for the change of season, while the plush armchairs, individual lamps and mellow shelf lighting in the library couldn’t be more autumnal if they tried. Meanwhile, for those families that have hired the on-site allotment beds, it’s time to start harvesting.

The homes themselves at Canada Gardens are also ideal for autumn.

Properties range from studios to three-bedroom apartments, all

with spacious open plan areas that create the perfect family hub for the cosiest season of the year. Furnished apartments provide a choice of options when it comes to colour schemes, with rich browns, deep blues, soft greys and even warm splashes of dark purple creating homes that feel welcoming and comforting the moment you set foot through the door.

“Autumnal touches can be found across our Wembley Park homes, from individual apartments to each building’s unique social spaces. That sense of returning home to somewhere safe and warm is important and something that we’ve sought to create in numerous ways. The result is a fabulous range of autumnal apartments in the midst of the vibrant Wembley Park community.” - Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living The autumnal vibe can also be felt strongly at Ferrum, where New York-inspired warehouse interiors feature exposed brick and con-

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Industry News

crete in an homage to industrial chic. With outstanding rooftop social spaces and a state-of-theart gym, the apartments are popular with Londoners looking for Brooklyn loft-style living. The huge residents’ lounge at Ferrum – The Foundry – is packed with comfortable sofas, fireplaces and armchairs you can sink into after a long day, with fabrics and cushions that feel custom-designed for snuggling up.

Rich tones of brown, deep yellow and burgundy, alongside a natural feel from the use of brick, wood and exposed concrete, create a haven of warmth and comfort, while floor to ceiling windows flood the space with light.

Quintain Living residents also have the wider Wembley Park neighbourhood to enjoy. They can warm up with sizzling street food on offer at London’s largest Boxpark, pick up a pumpkin latte at local independent coffee shops and indulge in Instagram-famous donuts at Bread Ahead. A clothes haul at London Designer Outlet,

meanwhile, will ensure that residents continue to look their best as they wrap up warm.

As the nights draw in, they also begin to twinkle, as London’s largest LED tree returns to Wembley Park.

From late November, Winterfest will light up the area with its free winter lights trail, for residents young and old to enjoy. This year’s Winterfest will include two world-premiere installations, with dazzling mirrors and lights in ‘Reflections on the Future’ by Lucid Creates, and Kumquat Lab’s technicolour interactive light display, ‘Reunion.’

As life outdoors gets colder and less inviting, a host of curated events within Quintain Living’s social spaces, as well as online, will keep residents feeling connected and inspired. Between Wembley Stadium, The SSE Arena, Wembley and the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, there is also a plethora of sporting, musical and theatrical events for Wembley Park residents to enjoy this autumn.

For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927.

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heating & ventilation

UNDERSTANDING HEAT MANAGEMENT IN MODERN HEARTH DESIGN With their timeless appeal and dancing flames, fireplaces have the potential to transform a space, regardless of design aesthetic. But that remarkable design dexterity comes with another, sometimes unwelcome, sensory effect: heat.

Fortunately, architects and interior designers can modulate heat in a project. John Shimek, a researchand-development team leader for the Lakeville, Minn.–based fireplace manufacturer Heat & Glo, is an expert in heat science. Over the years, Shimek and his team have made advances in the form and function of gas and electric fireplaces, including developments in heat mitigation.

passive. Both approaches can be engineered to create an abovehearth wall environment that is friendly to heat-sensitive electronics or furnishings: •

Weighing Electric or Gas LED f lames from an elec tric fireplace virtually eliminate heat issues. “Think of the heat from an electric fireplace as roughly equivalent to a small space heater,” Shimek says. Elec tric hear ths play especially well in net-zero energy projects and all-electric communities. The on-demand control of an LED flame is a logical extension of the digital lifestyle, and its non-structural design affords designers and installers wide latitude to confidently create hearth effects anywhere in a residential or commercial structure.

For gas-fueled hearth applications, Shimek says heat management takes one of two forms: active and

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Active. This mechanical, fanassisted technology actively draws heat from the fireplace, transferring it through ducts to another room or out of the building. “Removing up to 70% of the heat is comparatively easy,” Shimek advises. Some gas hearths are capable of extracting close to 90% of the heat. “You can put your hand on the glass and it’s just slightly warm to the touch, even after it ’s been operational for an hour,” he says.

Passive. This increasingly common approach disperses hea t w i t hou t me chanic al intervention and cost. Instead, passive applies thermodynamic principles to heat transfer through pre-planned ducts that efficiently channel heat above or to the side of the hearth.

“Passive is definitely gaining marketplace traction,” Shimek says.

A corollar y to both strategies is right-sizing the hearth to the space. “Most of our appliances, for example, can be throttled back roughly 50% of their maximum BTU output,” Shimek says. “A calculation using room height and square feet can determine the optimum BTUs per cubic feet. That’s why we offer two or three versions of each fireplace model. Each represents the same footprint and design. The only difference is BTU output.”

Plan Early Shimek hints more heat control innovation is on the way, uniting “the best of active and passive systems for an even better user experience.”

Today, modern hearth technology frees architects and designers from constraints that once limited specification, including the question of unwanted or excessive heat.

The key to any heat mitigation strateg y is early engagement with the manufac turer or a fireplace distributor. “Heat is easily managed,” Shimek says. “It’s just a question of anticipating it early in the design.”

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The Ecostore Storage Heater is a German engineered heater designed to operate quietly and cleanly. It is the ideal solutionz for living rooms, larger bedrooms, corridors and offices.

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recognise the benefit to electric radiators being manufactured in Germany and the Storage Heater is simply German engineering at its finest.

The unique ecostore Storage Heaters are designed to store heat overnight within internal heat retention blocks constructed from highgrade ferolite without any loss of energy and enable you to take advantage of cheap night tariff electricity. This stored heat will be cycled throughout the room by a patented venting system at a time and temperature of your choice.

The ecostore Smart Storage heater’s German engineered patented vented system warms the whole room evenly by utilising natural convection. Efficiently placed air vents have been fitted to the bottom and lower sides of the heater which draws cold air in from floor level and cycles the air through the Storage Heater’s intelligently designed internal structure. This eliminates costly hot spots at ceiling heights and an enhanced temperature and floor level.

The ecostore Smart storage heater is fitted with an intuitive smart controller for 24/7 Input and Output control, Geo-Location technology, and a precision thermostat accurate to 0.1°C. The eco-

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store is fitted with an open window sensor which will cut power to the storage heater if a temperature drop of 2.4°C is detected, saving energy that would otherwise be wasted.

The State of the Art easy to use DSR Controller, located at the top of the Radiator for ease of use, can be controlled for both time and temperature either manually or wirelessly when using the optional EHC Smart APP Gateway.

The ecostore Storage Heater is available in 400W, 850W, 1300W and 1700W outputs.

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LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE HUDSON VALLEY LIGHTING GROUP INTRODUCES STUNNING NEW FIXTURES FOR AUTUMN 2021 Launched in Europe in 2019, Hudson Valley Lighting Group (HVLG) has been a dominant force in the American Lighting market for more than thirty years. Its creative approach of blending classic design with trend-led pieces has ensured that it is the US lighting brand that interior designers and style-conscious consumers turn to for elegant designs which span

a multitude of styles. HVLG is comprised of four brands: Hudson Valley Lighting, Mitzi, Troy Lighting, and Corbett Lighting with each brand featuring its own unique style.

The Autumn launch features new lighting families including sconces, pendants, chandeliers, and portable lamps. Each design

has been beautifully crafted and designed to be the star of the interior scheme.

Highlights include: Barron: In the first half of the twentieth century, Danish architects attempted to address the issue of glare inherent in electric light. In the Barron family, HVLG applied the solution they came up with - layered curved shades - to diffuse the light. Barron features a finely textured black exterior, a burnished gold interior, and opal-etched diffusers nested in pairs that further soften and diffuse the light. Barron is available in a single elegant pendant and a wall sconce.

Saturn line: With a beautifully balanced sense of asymmetry, Saturn’s rings branch out from moveable arms along an axis. Each ring-shaped shade has an LEDlined interior creating cosmic orbits of bright, even light. Available as a sconce, and chandelier in aged brass, Saturn can find a home in any space.

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Zara line: A classic reimagined, this white, Belgian linen drum shade with black trim has an overlapping design that marches to its own beat. A metal finial in aged brass finishes off the clean look. Zara is available as a one or three-light pendant and five-light linear.

Jervis: A beautifully curved design with stunning circles featuring white alabaster that contrasts beautifully against the gold lines of the fixture.

Each piece of alabaster used is unique, containing its own character with natural veining patterns. Available as a pendant with either three or two arms and as a matching wall sconce Jervis playfully references the art deco period yet also feels totally modern About Hudson Valley Lighting Group: Hudson Valley Lighting Group is comprised of four industry-recognized brands: Hudson Valley Lighting, Mitzi, Troy Lighting, and Corbett Lighting. Each brand is united by a few common principles: the pursuit of excellence, a design-driven culture, attention to everchanging environmental considerations, and a commitment to the highest possible quality. For more information, please visit www.intl.hvlgroup.com.

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As we settle into our second year of trading in the pandemic and the challenges that continue to face us, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our policy of stockholding and pricing and how it is driving our company forward.

“Last summer we saw widespread disruption to supply and many assumed by now these issues would have ironed themselves out. In fact they have worsened. Most of our competitors are still looking at long lead times and have applied large price increases. We are not only able to maintain the chain of supply due to our longstanding policy of stockholding but are also able to maintain our current pricing structure providing further financial stability to ourselves but as importantly to our customers” As always the Sussex Range is manufactured from 100% stainless steel including our recently introduced Black Edition of powder coated rails.

“More and more people are coming round to the durability and sustainability of stainless steel, particularly after the year we have just had, we all need to be aware of our environmental and social impact” “On a practical note our customers don’t want to go to the expense and disruption of fitting out their bathroom to 2 years down the line find that an inferior mild steel rail rusts, leaks and they then need a complete re-tile when the replacement isn’t dimensionally identical to the original” Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, and manufactured from over 90% recyclable material. It does not rust, flake or corrode. It is the sustainable, durable choice.

We source our rails ethically and take our social responsibility seriously, from our sourcing, to our manufacture, to our charity initiatives. As a stable business with long term stockholding that has maintained a steady supply throughout the pandemic we are able to do all of this whilst protecting our pricing structure.

We offer 3 formats of rail throughout the entire range: Electric, dual fuel and central heating only and we offer both a polished and satin finish as well as the Black Edition Range.

“The cornerstones of our business are quite simply quality, stock holding and ultimately customer service.

The three work hand in hand” Should you require further details please visit our website www.sussexrange.co.uk or contact us on 01825 722988 and info@jiseurope.co.uk

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Black Edition Stainless Steel Towel Rails by JIS Europe 100% stainless steel towel rails 01825 722988 www.sussexrange.co.uk info@jiseurope.co.uk

Bathrooms & washrooms

AFFORDABLE LUXURY WITH WHITEVILLE CERAMICS NEW DELTA COLLECTION Whiteville Ceramics, innovative Egyptian sanitaryware brand specialising in contemporary design led bathrooms, unveil its brand new DELTA Collection exclusively designed by the Whiteville Design Lab. Since debuting in the UK this spring, Whiteville is pleased to report DELTA has fast become its most popular sanitaryware collection, receiving the highest level of retail and consumer acceptance by reason of its high quality design, premium construction, durable finish and attractive price tag: with DELTA washbasins starting from as little as £60 including vat!

Precision engineered for superior comfort, the new range of DELTA sanitaryware is designed with soft curves, sleek edges and well-defined contouring. Focusing on improved ergonomics and sustainable technology in the bathroom, every DELTA product solution is designed to be comfortable, adaptable and easy to clean.

DELTA includes a broad range of sanitaryware options for the bathroom basin and WC, including: BASINS • •

Over counter 450mm: with or without full pedestal / semi-pedestal Over counter 550mm: with or without full pedestal / semi-pedestal

WCs Close coupled: 350mm seat / soft close available • •

Back-to-wall: extra-wide 400mm Comfort seat / soft close available Wall-hung: extra-wide 400mm Comfort seat / soft close available

Back-to-wall and wall-hung models ensure maximum comfort by offering an extra-wide 400mm Comfort Seat, which is 50mm wider than standard models and this, along with its high durability factor means DELTA lends itself to heavy use commercial settings, large-scale property developments, leisure and hospitality and the public sector.

The featured images show the following new DELTA products by Whiteville Ceramics: 1.

550mm semi-pedestal basin & wall-hung WC

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Over counter 550mm semipedestal washbasin: W550mm x D420mm x H255mm semipedestal + H195mm basin - White - £140 including vat | Wall hung WC: W372mm x D544mm x H358mm - White £180 including vat 2. Over counter 550mm full pedestal washbasin: W550mm x D420mm x H 630mm pedestal + H195mm basin White - £105 including vat |

Back-to-wall WC

OUR CUSTOM DELTA COLLECTION IS IDEAL FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO WANT AN UNDERSTATED ELEGANT BATHROOM INTERIOR WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON FUNCTIONALITY. CRAFTED BY OUR HIGHLY SKILLED IN-HOUSE DESIGN LAB, ALL BASINS AND WCS WITHIN THE COLLECTION ARE MANUFACTURED USING THE LATEST HIGH-PRESSURE CASTING TECHNOLOGY, WHICH PROVIDES A SMOOTHER SURFACE WITH MORE DURABLE FINISH TO EXPAND THE LIFECYCLE OF YOUR BATHROOM. Graham Bucktrout, Managing Director at IBC Group says, Close-coupled WC with tank: W385mm x D165 – 675mm x H780mm (pan H400mm) White - £232 including vat 3. Back-to-wall WC: W372mm x D520mm x H420mm - White £180 including vat Brand new to the UK and available now, please contact Whiteville Ceramics: t 01922 743 074 | e info@whitevilleceramics.co.uk | w www.whitevilleceramics.co.uk | For the latest news & updates, please follow Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & LinkedIn

550mm pedestal basin & Close-coupled WC

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LAPITEC CHOSEN FOR A ZERO IMPACT VILLA SURROUNDED BY NATURE Architect Giorgio Parise’s design features natural materials, sustainable energy solutions and a strong link between the interior and exterior environments.

The architectural project designed

by Giorgio Parise in lower Vicenza was born as a synthesis between the typical rural dwelling and a contemporary housing model. Two different souls, two approaches and characters that the house welcomes and harmonises, rooting itself in the landscape between the Berici and Euganean Hills, not far from the Venetian Lagoon.

References to construction elements typical of the area define the base of the building, developed in an L shape with an additional structure, and covering a total surface area of approximately 920 square metres. From the outside, the exterior of the ground floor is, in fact, composed entirely of trachyte, a stone typical of the area that lends its warm colours to the walls punctuated by long horizontal apertures. The pieces used are offcuts from large stone blocks, with huge dimensions, and a roughness that contrasts with the remainder of the envelope, such as the large windows equipped with brise-soleil, sections in wood, and the XXL Lapitec slabs in the Nero Antracite shade and the Vesuvio

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finish, employed on some of the vertical surfaces and the pitched roof.

This combination of natural materials is distributed along the external perspectives of the villa to offer an unprecedented aesthetic. The sintered stone, combined here with wood and trachyte, is composed of a mixture of minerals that are

100% natural and is used in slabs of 1500 x 3365 mm to deliver profiles of pure and essential geometry, in a ventilated facade enhanced by great technical performance.

Lapitec boasts a completely non-porous, and therefore non-absorbent surface, making it resistant to changes in temperature as well as atmospheric and chemical agents, while ensuring the best

interior hygrothermal performance during both the summer and winter seasons along with significant sustainability features (Lapitec is recyclable at end of life, it contains a very low percentage of crystalline silica, and its lifetime is potentially eternal).

The reduction of environmental impact was, in fact, one of the most important parameters in the concept developed by the architect Giorgio Parise. This was then incorporated into the choice of materials and the adoption of technologies that would make the home self-sufficient from an energy point of view, including the application of sintered stone on the 30° pitched roof, together with solar panels to power heat

pumps. Together with geothermal energy, these have created a zero emissions certified house which is further enhanced by an internal home automation system that helps to manage individual areas and generates consequent energy savings, well-being and comfort for the owners of the villa.

Immersed in a large park of 5,000 square metres, harmoniously intersected by pathways and by the sculptural volumes of the building, part of which is suspended over a pool with aromatic plants and fish, the main entrance to the house is located on the west side - at the intersection between its two branches. Here a double height interior opens into the living area, with Lapitec inserts in the same

shade and finish as the facade, the dining area and the kitchen, which overlook the garden through large windows and doors. A staircase leads to a long gallery, configured like a lattice truss bridge, ending in the sleeping area which features a master bedroom with direct access to the green rooftop created above the spa area, the only addition to the L-shaped morphology of the project. Opening onto an outdoor pool, the wellness area includes a sauna, a Turkish bath, a Jacuzzi and a sensory shower, with full-height windows encouraging a biophilic experience of the architecture, with direct and continuous contact with the outside space, the vegetation, nature. www.lapitec.com

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coatings & paints

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION MARKET KEY SEALANT TAPE GROWTH, SAYS ISO CHEMIE The modular house construction market will help to drive window and door foam sealant tape growth in 2022, predicts Andy Swift, sales and operations manager for ISO-Chemie.

He sees the UK market staying buoyant over the next 12 months as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic and building and construction activity remains busy, particular in the face of a chronic national housing shortage and the need to build more affordable housing.

This will see construction projects ‘surge’ ahead with cost effective products such as foam sealant tapes, which deliver improved energy performance and efficiencies, increasingly specified for retrofit applications and new projects.

In the modular sector, house designers are currently looking at new ways to deliver low carbon structures, which use sustainable technologies to deliver measurable airtight, acoustic and thermal sealing benefits.

2021 has been the best ever trading year for the ISO Chemie - sales are up 45% - and Andy Swift says the modular construction market will be a key target for further growth going forward over the next 12 months.

“Modular construction is gaining increasing traction and next year will see continued integration of the system with the more traditional methods of building, enabling developers to bring forward housing projects more expediently,” he adds.

“Our ISO BLOCO range of sealant tapes and the WINFRAMER thermal insulating and load bearing bracket support system can add real value during the initial and post construction phases, so I expect to see more interest in these and other products in 2022 and beyond.”

Andy Swift also points out that the amendment to the building regulations currently coming into

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force are set to have an impact as energy ratings for buildings and property become stricter proposed changes to Part L 2021 lay out a government roadmap to zero carbon and future homes standard.

These include energy and ventilation standards for residential and non-domestic buildings that are far better for the environment and fit for the future, says Andy Swift, who adds: “Higher air and thermal standards for house construction will be a priority. This is an important message that will continued to be pushed to architects and other property specifiers over the next 12 months.

With energy rated and conservation products continuing to be at the forefront of design and building regulations, there will be ‘discernible’ growth for air tightness and thermal sealing products.

“There are effective products out there to ensure that airtightness and thermal efficiency within buildings should never be overlooked or ignored - it’s a matter of designing in these products,” Andy Swift says.

More at www.iso-chemie.eu/ en-GB/home/

WOOD REPAIR FILLER (NATURAL) EASY TO SHAPE & QUICK DRYING ON INTERIORS & EXTERIORS     

WORKING TIME: 30 MINUTES EASY TO SAND COMPATIBLE WITH ALL PAINTS & COATINGS CAN BE DRILLED & SCREWED LOW ODOUR

TOUPRET SA - 24 rue du 14 juillet - 91813 CORBEIL ESSONNES Cedex - RCS Evry B 964 201 859 – Mise à jour Mars 2021

PURPOSE Quick drying powder filler. Great for shaping and form work on all types of wood, indoors and out.

It has no depth limit and offers excellent adhesion.

Can be stained or painted with any type of conventional paint, varnish or stain after 3 hours.

PACKAGING Box: 1kg and 2kg.

RECOMMENDATIONS and care for use The times mentioned are indicative and depend on the substrate, coat thickness, and the ambient conditions.

Do not apply at a temperature below 5°C or above 35°C nor at a relative humidity over 80%.

SUBSTRATES Wood Repair Filler can be applied to any type of wood, including common exotic species, chipboard and plywood.

For optimal results, apply Wood Hardener beforehand.

SUBSTRATES PREPARATION Substrates to be prepared as per the current trade practices.

Substrates must be hard, cohesive, clean, sound and dry.

OVERCOATING Wood Repair Filler can be overcoated by any type of conventional paints, varnishes and stains.

Physical and technical FEATURES • Wood Repair Filler: is a filler in powder form, for interior or exterior use, made of mineral extracts and selected binders.

• Characterization (NFT 36-005): Family IV - class 4c.

• Codification (NFT 30-608): G3E5S2V0W0A0C0.

• Mixing rate: add 300ml water per 1kg powder (30%).

• Application thickness: no depth limit.

• Capacity: 1kg fills 1L when mixed.

• Working time: 30 minutes.

• Setting time: second coat as soon as the filler is hard and dry to the touch.

• Overcoating: can be painted in 3 hours average time (after complete drying).

• Color: natural wood.

• Adhesion: filler/substrate (NF T 30 608): > 0.8 Mpa. USE AND STORAGE CONDITIONS  Application tools: filling knife, trowel or blade.  Tool cleaning: after use, product residue can be rubbed off tools when dry (water cleaning is not necessary).  Preservation: product guaranteed 6 months. Stored away from humidity. If found to be faulty within the guarantee period, we will arrange a replacement on proof of purchase.

TOUPRET (UK) LIMITED • CAPITAL BUSINESS CENTRE • UNIT 58, 22 CARLTON ROAD • SOUTH CROYDON CR2 0BS Tel: +44 (0)208 916 2134 • WWW.TOUPRET.CO.UK

NORMATIVE DOCUMENTS to be referred to  NFT 30-608: Coating fillers for interior works and/or exterior.

HEALTH AND SAFETY It is recommended to wear gloves and glasses while applying Wood Repair Filler.

Always wear a dust mask when sanding.

Dispose of unused product and packaging responsibly at your local waste collection centre.

Safety data sheet available at www.toupret.co.uk The data sheet information, especially the guidelines relevant to the application and final use of the product are provided in good faith and result from TOUPRET’s experience and knowledge of the products. The product should be used as per the trade practices rules book and in reference to our recommendations. The information provided is relevant to applications processed at a temperature of 20°C, a relative humidity of 50% and on average absorbency substrates.

The times mentioned are only indicative and depend on the substrate, the coat thickness, and the ambient conditions.

* Information on the emission level of volatile substances into indoor air, presenting a risk of toxicity by inhalation, on a scale from A+ (very low emissions) to C (high emissions).

its

coatings & paints

Toupret expands its one coat offering with new interior 28 surfaces Quick Fill

th

June 2021 28 th

Toupret, the professional’s choice for quality wall fillers, has today improved its Toupret expands its one coat offering with new interior surfaces Qu oneQuick coatFill ofcollection fering wiwith th naewnew intinterior erior surfaces surfacesproduct Quick that Fillis readyto-paint in Toupret, the professional’s choice for quality wall fillers, has today just 30 minutes. its Quick Fill collection with a new interior surfaces product that to-paint in just 30 minutes.

essional’s choice for quality wall fillers, has today improved Toupret’s professional interior and exterior Quick Fill products off llection with a new interior interior surfaces one coat that repair. is All readyare lightweight, ready mixed and provide a qua Toupret’s professional and exterior Quick Fill product professionals can rely on from a brand with over 80 years of expertis 30 minutes. products offer a fast one coat repair. All are lightweight, ready mixed and provide a quality that professionals can

The new interior surfaces Quick Fill product from Toupret is fast-dryi

to paint in just 30 minutes) and it can be filled to any depth with no ional rely interior and with exterior Quick Fill products a isfast on from a brand over 80 years of expertise. or slumping.offer Quick Fill also easy to sand and there is no need to s before painting over it that as it will not flash or grin through the p All are lightweight, ready mixed and provide a quality Available as a tub in either 1L or 4L sizes. There is no limit on work interior surfaces Quick product80 from Toupretof rely The onnew from a brand withFillover years expertise. ensuring a versatile solution for many types of job.

is fast-drying (ready to paint in just 30 minutes) and it can no shrinkage or slumping. surfacbe esfilled Quto icany k Fdepth ill with product from ToupretQuick is fast-drying (ready Fill is also easy to sand and there is no need spot prime 0 minutes) and it can be filled totoany depth with no shrinkage paintingeasy over it to as it sand will not flash grin through the need to spot prime k Fillbefore is also and orthere is no paintwork.

Available as a tub in either 1L or 4L sizes.

There ver it as it will not flash or grin through the paintwork. is no limit on working time, ensuring a versatile solution for b in either 1L or 4L sizes. There is no limit on working time, many types of job.

ile solution for many types of job.

Also, part of the one coat family but for outside repairs, is the surfaces Quick Fill product. This ready mixed, lightweight, and rea filler can be applied to cement, concrete, and masonry as well as pl old painted surfaces. It can be painted over in just one hour. It o same high quality Toupret finish and performance of no depth limit shrinking or slumping.

Plus, it’s of rich in resin for and extra strength The Quick Fill launch is part a major rebrand really can quickly move from job to job with the reassurance of doin product reorganisation for Toupret.

The exterior and doing it well. The exterior quick fill is available as a 1L and 4 applications both small and large. surfaces collection is now signified with an orange

colourway whilst the interior surfaces range is branded in red, offering a striking shelf point of difference.

With the goal of making a great quality filling job simpler and quicker for professionals, Toupret also wanted to make it much easier for tradespeople to choose the best product for any given task. As such, many of the products have been renamed to make their application as clear as possible. However, Toupret knows it has a loyal customer base and part of the one coat but outside for outside repairs, is e one Also, coat family butfamily for repairs, isthethe externames ior remain discreetly on so old product the exterior This surfacesready Quick Fillmixed, product. This ready mixed, ll product. lightweight, and ready to usefamiliarity for all whilst the packaging to ensure lightweight, and ready to use filler can be applied to cement, lied to cement, concrete, and masonry as wellintroducing as plaster and product descriptions – new simplified as wellover as plaster old painted ces. concrete, It canand bemasonry painted inand just one hour.

It offers for example ‘exteriorthe surfaces Quick Fill will appear surfaces.finish It can be painted over in just one hour. y Toupret and performance ofIt offers no depthalongside limit, and no the historical ‘Touprelex’ product name. same high qualityrich Toupret finish and performance of ping.thePlus, it’s in resin for extra strength – so you no from depth limit, no job shrinking or slumping.

Plus, it’s rich Bothdoing Quick Fillit products y move jobandto with the reassurance of onceare available to purchase in resin for extra strength – so you really can quickly move from trade distributors nationwide. . The exterior quick fill is available as a 1L and 4L tub for from job to job with the reassurance of doing it once and small and large. https://www.toupret.co.uk/ doing it well. The exterior quick fill is available as a 1L and 4L tub for applications both small and large.

•27•

Coatings & paints

BLACKWOOD HOUSE IS THE HOME THAT TICKS ALL THE BOXES Blackwood House is the final home to be released in the exclusive Tibbs Court Farm development, located just outside the beautiful village of Brenchley, Kent.

A substantial farmstead that combines spacious living with sleek design, this five-bedroom property is the perfect option for larger families who desire luxury and space with a touch of traditional elegance.

Aligning with the specif ications showcased in the dream home survey, Blackwood House is set amongst a small community, and enjoys the balance of being a detached property without being isolated. The property also benefits from the opportunity to have a home office, utility room, two dining areas and the feature that took the top spot – a garage.

“Blackwood House is the ultimate property for homebuyers looking for their perfect new home, enjoying a variety of features for all to make the most of. Located in the heart of the

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stunning Kent countryside, and with a beautiful private garden, the desired ample space and additional finishing touches including a cloakroom and utilit y room, Black wood House offers the opportunity to entertain both indoors and outdoors with ease. Hopeful buyers will have the opportunity to see all that Blackwood House and the wider development has to offer for the first time at our upcoming Muddy Boot event on Saturday 6th November,” commented Philip Brown, Sales and Marketing Director at Millwood Designer Homes.

Upon entr y to Blackwood House, residents are welcomed with a generous hallway and a wide staircase.

The open plan kitchen/breakfast/ family room includes a utility room and bi fold doors that lead out to

the impressive rear garden. To the right, there is a drawing room with an Inglenook fireplace and wood burning stove. The quality finishes include American white oak five vertical panel internal doors with chrome fittings, with full glazed doors to the kitchen/ breakfast room, drawing room and dining room.

Upstairs there are f ive sizeable bedrooms, three of them with en suites plus a family bathroom. The main bedroom features a large en-suite bathroom with double basins, shower and bath, as well as fitted wardrobes.

Above the double garage with its own external access, lies another bedroom that would make the perfect space for a home office or gym if required, as it is also offers en-suite facilities.

The stunning rural village of Brenchley has ever yday amenities readily available. A selection of independent

cafes and shops including pubs and a butchers provide a sense of community in wonderfully aesthetic surroundings. A 17-minute drive takes you to the vibrant town of Tunbridge Wells, which offers a wide variety of bars, restaurants and coffee shops as well as a selection of popular high street brands and boutique shops.

Tesco was voted highest in the most sought-af ter supermarket section of the dream home survey, and with this large supermarket only a nineminute drive away, another box from the dream home checklist is ticked.

Alternatively, there is a Sainsburys, Asda and Waitrose all also nearby.

Set within the rural idyll of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Blackwood House has plenty to offer keen cyclists and outdoor oppor tunists. Brenchley Castle Hill is only a short bicycle

journey away and is surrounded by generous greenspace and sumptuous scener y. Residents can reap the benefits of being outside as well as experiencing the historical highlight of the nearby Scotney Castle. Part of The National Trust, this 14th century moated castle has a woodland estate and acres of lusciously green gardens to explore. Just four miles away in Lamberhurst – this spectacular setting can be enjoyed time and time again.

Blackwood House is conveniently situated for commuters, with Paddock Wood station close by offering direct services to London Cannon Street and Charing Cross in just under an hour (52 minutes). From home, the A21 dual carriage way is easily accessible providing routes to Tunbridge Wells as well as the M25 in just 41 minutes, which easily connects residents to Gatwick Airport.

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LEVIAT TO EXHIBIT AT LONDON BUILD 2021 Certain to make a major impact at this year’s London Build exhibition (Olympia, 17-18th November 2021), is Leviat, a new name in the building industry, but a company with more than 275 years of combined construction experience behind it.

F

ormed in November 2020, Leviat brings together some of the world’s most well established and most trusted connecting, fixing, and anchoring brands, including, in the UK, Ancon, Halfen, Helifix and Isedio. The latest innovative product developments from each of these brands will be showcased on the Leviat stand (F32).

From the UK’s market leading brand for stainless steel fabrications, masonry support systems and engineered concrete connections, we will be introducing the new Ancon Thermal Windpost, a revolutionary new engineered structural component designed to retain the thermal integrity of the building envelope in low energy constructions by cutting thermal transmission through the windpost span by up to 70%.

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In response to the introduction of more stringent fire regulation for high rise buildings, Leviat will also be showcasing its range of thermally efficient high integrity Balcony Connectors, suitable for concrete-to-concrete and steel-toconcrete applications – Ancon Isotec, Ancon STS/STC and Halfen HIT. All have now been comprehensively thermally remodelled to comply fully with the latest fire standards.

From Leviat’s concrete jointing systems brand, Isedio, comes a product development for the new generation of mega-warehouses – an armoured edge protection solution to reduce damage and maintenance for high traffic areas of industrial concrete floors. Isedio ShieldJoint incorporates asymmetric top plates and trapezoidal split line suitable for even the smallest material han-

dling equipment, thus eliminating the need for costly sealant, and reducing facility down time.

Completing our London Build 2021 line-up of innovative developments is Helifix SockFix, a mechanically grouted sock anchor system. These concealed, non-disruptive anchors help stabilise damaged masonry and preserve existing buildings in poor repair, as a more sustainable alternative to demolition.

This exciting line up of new products reflects Leviat ’s expertise, skills and reach across a very broad spectrum of construction and heralds the company’s commitment to innovative construction which is, in every respect, better, safer, stronger and faster.

Extemely weather & UV resistant Very water and dirt resistant Reduces wood swelling and shrinkage Resists the growth of algae, mildew & fungal attack Microporous, breathable finish No sanding necessary for future applications

WHICH PAVING PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR YOU? As the Summer months end we start to tidy up our outdoor areas and we even look to get some additional renovations done to improve areas that were on our mind the entire Summer. Looking after our paving in outdoor areas is no exception, some may say it’s a good time as contractor are normally booked up during the Spring and Summer months!

H

owever, to have a new paving area installed from a driveway or to public walkways, with endless options to choose from, how do we know what is the right paving choice?

To help you decide, we have put together some paving options.

Paving options Block Paving Block paving has become ver y popular over recent years and is the main growth area in the UK. The price of the blocks has been reduced due to mass production and a stunning driveway can be created whilst getting value for money. Ideal for driveways, patios, and pathways, it can also be sealed to protect the surface. The downsides are that it is prone to moss and weeds growing and requires maintenance.

Block paving is: • Highly durable and attractive • Many different colours, textures, and styles available • Can be used almost anywhere • Blocks can be used to provide a very smooth finish

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You can read how block paving compares to resin bound paving in this blog.

Imprinted Concrete Pattern imprinted concrete is very common and one of the most popular decorative stamped concrete techniques used in the UK. It is also known as stamped and pressed concrete. Probably the surface that needs the least attention as it is very low maintenance. Ideal for many areas including driveways, patios, and pathways, it allows you to have the look of stones, cobbles, brick, or slate.

The downside is that it can be very slippery in wet weather.

Imprinted concrete is: • • • •

Low maintenance Decorative Durable Available in many different colours and finishes

Tarmac Tarmac will provide the ideal surface for most driveways, if it is going to have heavy usage then tarmac has the properties required which is why it is used on most

roads. It will provide a flat surface with sufficient ‘grip’ in most conditions. Consisting of tar and broken stone it is naturally a dark coloured, bituminous material and can be laid on almost any surface with the right preparation.

The downside is that you are limited to only black or red.

Tarmac is: • Very hard wearing and long lasting (used for roads) • Ideal for driveways and paths • Can be mixed with block paving • Flat surface, ideal for wheelchairs and buggies • Can be cheaper than other surfaces

Resin Bound Paving Resin Bound is a single layered material that is mixed with a resin (resin types do vary, ensure you get a high quality UV stable resin) and then applied to a smooth, compacted finish. Ideal for foot and vehicular traffic, it is incredibly durable. Fully permeable meaning that water simply drains through the surface back to the natural water table. It is

To conclude

a stunning surface available in a range of aggregates and colours from natural gravels, crushed rock, and marble to recycled glass. Its design capabilities are probably to most flexible out of all of the surfaces allowing for incredible designs, emblems and logos to be created. The result is an extremely hard-wearing surface for external use, that is fairly resistant to weeds and relatively low-maintenance.

The only downside is that it can be expensive as it is said to be the most durable and long lasting surface.

Do you know the difference between resin bound and resin bonded?

A resin bonded surfacing system is a coloured two-part surface dressing adhesive that is designed to bind to natural aggregates. It is available in a variety of colours to suit any particular application. The finish is quick to install, attractive, and hard-wearing.

When looking for the right surfacing, make sure you research all of the options. Once you have decided on your surface, research companies that are proven to have delivered a good product and service and are registered with awarding or trade bodies.

Ask for recommendations and read online reviews of the companies. If their websites have a case study section, make sure you read those too.

Resin bound paving is:

Resin bonded surfacing systems are designed to have the appearance of natural, loose stone, but are bonded. It can be applied to many different substrates, including concrete, wood or and steel.

For added peace of mind, pick up the phone and speak to the companies, see what they advise for your surface, and if they can recommend any projects locally to go and visit.

The only downside is that over time, the stone will become loose.

Here is a great independent website that can help you f ind all of the information you will need when choosing the correct sur face for you: http://pavingexpert.com/

• • • • • • • • • •

Durable Stunning in appearance Eco-friendly Virtually maintenance free Permeable UV Stable No loose stone Flexible Wheelchair and buggy friendly Resistant to extreme temperatures both hot and cold • Available in a huge spectrum of colours and finishes • Can be installed around other current surfaces

Find out here.

Resin Bonded

Resin bonded paving is: • Low maintenance • Decorative • Available in a range of colours and finishes • Low cost • Not permeable

Now is the time to make a start, landscapers will have more time available and it will be installed ready for next Spring!

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doors & windows

EUROCELL MODUS

FILLS BATH WITH LIGHT “The foil gives an appearance like timber and the colour palette includes the heritage type colours that fit in with a period environment such as Bath,” comments Paul.

H

eritage colours and kerbside appeal were among the factors that persuaded the planning authorities of Bath that Modus PVC-U windows from Eurocell – the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of window, door, conservatory and roofline products – were the appropriate alternative to timber on a prime, exposed location near the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“The planners originally wanted timber windows but that wouldn’t work for our designs because we wanted to install matching fascias and soffits that fitted beneath considerable eaves. This is on an exposed site at the top of a steep hill so they wouldn’t look great for very long,” explains Paul Baker, Regional Managing Director for Bloor Homes South West.

“Timber windows, fascias and soffits would require expensive maintenance because of the scaffolding required to paint them. These PVC-U alternatives not only have kerb-appeal but are maintenance-free”.

Bloor Homes South West had also had experience of the product at other developments throughout the region and had found it answered planning department concerns.

It worked with the Eurocell New Build division, which supplied four samples to show the various colours that might work on site and to demonstrate the slim, timber-like sight lines of the Modus system.

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Once the Bath and North East Somerset planning department was happy with Bloor’s proposal to use Modus windows in Hazy Grey, it gave the go-ahead for the same product range, but in Agate Grey, to be used at an adjacent development from the other housebuilder.

BBA certified to function satisfactorily for more than 35 years, the Modus range has a U-value of 1.2 W/m² using 4/20/4 mm sealed double-glazed units. This effective thermal performance is due to the 75mm six-chamber profile system used in the Modus that enables the range to achieve a U-value as low as 0.7 by installing triple-glazed units.

Consisting of 50% post-consumer recycled PVC-U as standard, this range of doors and windows has a smaller carbon footprint than products made or recycled outside of the UK. Eurocell achieves this by employing dual material extrusion technolog y (DMET) that layers post-consumer recycled and ‘virgin’ material simultaneously, so the recycled material is concentrated in the central core of the profiles where it cannot be seen once the door or window is installed.

Read the full story here or visit Eurocell.co.uk for more information on how Eurocell can help with your next project.

THE FOIL GIVES AN APPEARANCE LIKE TIMBER AND THE COLOUR PALETTE INCLUDES THE HERITAGE TYPE COLOURS THAT FIT IN WITH A PERIOD ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS BATH.”

It’s a no brainer Sleek lines with sustainability at the core — Modus PVC-U windows At a glance: Clean and contemporary looks with slimmer sight lines – unlike traditional PVC-U windows.

Advanced engineering technology – achieves the new A++ Window Energy Rating and a 0.7 U-value.

Sustainability as standard – manufactured using 50% recycled material.

Saves money – costs up to 50% less than equivalents.

Standard sash

Slim rebate sash

Discover more reasons to choose Modus:

0333 015 3523 or visit eurocell.co.uk/modus

Made&Recycled

in the

UK.

Fully flush sash

Performance Doors

C

learly, throughout 2020 the pandemic affected a lot of businesses with lockdowns in several of its key markets, staff on furlough at both its customers and suppliers and major door projects cancelled or placed on hold, all adding to a subdued and frustrating trading period. “Our particular need to further test and develop products was also badly hit,” explains Steven Dennard, who looks after Moralt’s International Sales. “Test institutes were unable to offer their services and lack of available finances to fund these developments meant we were all especially happy and eager to welcome 2021.”

“A slower start to the year began to show signs of promise in the Spring and our two-week acoustic test package at IFT in Arnsberg, northern Germany with the support of Mann McGowan showed some excellent product performances and assisted the mood greatly. Our FireSound Xtreme FD120 door now performs acoustically to Rw dB44 as a single leaf door, and as pair, dB43, making this our strongest acoustic product, which at only 58mm thick, is excellent. Further confirmed positive acoustic performances

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within the internal “Laminesse” door range with concealed hinges and concealed door closers means that our acoustic door offer has become a lot stronger for contract specifiers.

“A fire door test package FD60 to BS 476 Pt. 22 at DMT in Lathen, Germany in early September in part to compliment the March acoustic testing covering concealed closers and hinges, was our next larger testing programme.

Moralt FireSound was the principle focus of these tests and we included an RFID access solution from Assa Abloy in the test doors as well so that specifiers could consider a high acoustic, fire rated door products with electronic card readers for use in hospitality , education, healthcare and administrative environments. The tested doors were all 2440 x 1000mm in size so that we might see a good size scope added to our already comprehensive acoustic and fire range of doors.”

2021 has seen the business continue to make significant investment, for example with the introduction of Hubspot, a CRM system which enables the company to manage product enquiries from around the globe

Klaus Feile, Managing Director, Moralt AG

Image supplied by Assa Abloy

2022 PROMISES TO OPEN NEW DOORS

FOR MORALT AG

Despite a number of challenges and disruptions, 2021 has proved to be a very good year for the specialist German producer of certified technical door solutions.

more quickly and efficiently. “With this system in place, sales enquiries can be considered in line with our R&D work that is so critical in serving our customer’s requirements,” Steven added.

Plus, in the Autumn, the company began work on a UL door test package for Spring 2022 which will appeal to existing markets in the Middle East as well as being the basis of its future commercial work in North America.

2021 has been an extremely successful year for us with strong sales from the UK, European and Middle East markets. In addition, the introduction of FireSmoke and FireSound Xtreme (FD90 and FD120) as stock items at both UK distributors - James Latham and Falcon Panel Products - means that we now offer a full suite of FD30, 60, 90 and 120 fire ratings with our sustainable, certified timber door blanks but also a solid acoustic range too with dB40 and beyond acoustic performances in all fire categories.

“In September we exhibited at our first face to face show for almost two years, the Big 5 in Dubai which saw heightened interest in our FireSound high acoustic and fire rated door cores, as well as our timber external door core range. It was great once more to be able to engage with people directly from around the globe and it proved to be a major success for us.”

Klaus added, “Throughout this difficult period, we have used the time effectively, continuing to invest in the business with the latest technology to deliver innovative solutions across both our production facility and processing systems. This will ensure that we are in the best possible position for future growth which is expected to continue through 2022.”

Managing Director Klaus Feile echoes mism. “Despite the lenges presented by

Moralt-ag.de info@moralt-ag.de

at Moralt AG, Steven’s optiongoing chalthe pandemic,

•37•

WESTON HOMES PLANS £100M LONDON FLATS SCHEME

Volume house builder Weston Homes has bought part of a former textiles dyeing factory complex in south east London for a £100m multi-storey flats scheme.

The 4.6 acre D ylon fac tor y site will be transformed with a 254 apar tments scheme with, undercrof t basement parking, and children’s play space within landscaped gardens.

The site already benefits from full planning consent, granted last Spring, allowing construction to start next year on a 20-month build programme.

It forms the second phase of the redevelopment of the Dylon works following on from 223 built to Crest Nicholson undertaken in 2017.

The contemporary buildings are designed for first-time buyers and will have full-height windows, balconies and tiered roofscapes complete with feature London Yellow Stock brickwork, providing a connection to nearby residential buildings.

Bob Wes ton, Chairman and Manging Direc tor at Wes ton Homes said: “This new outer London development is part of our ongoing

•38•

major grow th and expansion.

The business has a highly diverse range of developments, including a series of major landmark schemes commencing and many others in the pipeline.”

Over the last five years, Weston Homes has purchased land sites for over £2 bn worth of residential

and mixed-use development across outer London and the South East.

This includes 20 current active sites and over 7,500 new homes in the pipeline including traditional housing and large-scale urban regeneration projects.

www.firmanglass.com

Shopspec_glazingexcellence-2018:Firman 01/03/2018 17:04 Page 1

Established in 1975 Firman Glass is one of the leading

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ROOFING ALL YEAR ROUND: WHY RUBBER EPDM IS A WINTER SOLUTION As we head into the winter months, external building and maintenance work enquiries often slow down due to the cold, wet weather.

H

owever, when a roof needs repairing, it’s usually a job that can’t be left unaddressed due to the potentially catastrophic effects it can have on a structure. Adrian Buttress, managing director of PermaRoof, part of PermaGroup, discusses why EPDM rubber is the ideal material to equip roofs for the winter.

What makes EPDM winter-proof?

EPDM is developed using a synthetic rubber ethylenepropylene-diene terpolymer, which is formed into a 100% cured, single-ply roofing membrane.

This material is long-lasting and durable, making it ideally suited to winter weather, and the low maintenance nature of the solution ensures customers gain reliable peace of mind from their investment.

Suitable for any type of flat roof, EPDM offers a comprehensive waterproofing solution for

•40•

both domestic and commercial buildings, and is particularly convenient for use on garages and sheds to guarantee valuables are protected from water damage.

A year-round roofing option, EPDM rubber roofs also resist UV and ozone, due to the material containing a high proportion of carbon black and no plasticisers or antioxidants, giving it a life expectancy of more than 50 years.

Simplified installation Completing roofing projects and repairs in the winter can be a job that people dread, due to the added challenges presented by the inclement weather. Therefore, a quick and easy installation is

essential to beat the elements, complete the job and prevent further damage.

EPDM is supplied in large, seamless sheets, up to 15.24m in width and 61m long, negating the requirement to cut and piece many sheets together. Not only does this make using it time efficient, as one sheet can cover an entire roof, but also improves longevity as it reduces the number of seams required.

An EPDM rubber roofing installation requires no specialist tools and no heat or flame, which means less time on site and an easier application when out in the elements. However, we strongly recommend that installers attend

our Firestone EPDM training centre to guarantee the best possible finish on a project.

Efficient repairs Full training on EPDM instillation reduces the potential of issues developing further down the line with the roofing system as, when a tradesperson hasn’t completed the training, there is a higher chance the membrane has been laid incorrectly. However, no matter how durable the material is, there will always be a possibility of repairs being needed.

Unavoidable splits and cracks can, fortunately, be easily repaired by the reliable repair method used on EPDM roofs, liquid PU – or “liquid

rubber” as it’s commonly referred to. The liquid rubber creates a watertight and weatherproof seal to protect roofs all year round, particularly from the elements in winter. Applying the liquid PU is simple and it quickly cures on a variety of surfaces – ideal characteristics for when you are working within a short and unpredictable gap in cold, wet, or dark conditions.

Only one coat of PU liquid is required to effectively seal a repair and it comes in a pre-mixed solution that can be applied straight from the tin using a brush – no complex process required.

For this reason, we advise every roofer to keep a tin of liquid rubber to hand for those emergency calls and quick, reliable fixes, when faced with the harsh climate of a British winter.

Winter ready roofing As a tradesperson, winter can bring a feeling of dread as the weather leads to more issues with roofs and an increased challenge with repairs, however, EPDM rubber’s natural attributes ensure it’s the quickest, most effective, allweather solution.

With smaller projects, such as adding outdoor buildings, on the rise due to the impact of people spending more time at home, as well as larger extensions being considered due to house moves becoming less likely, flat roofing is certainly a market that offers plenty of opportunities for installers – especially during the winter months.

For more information on Permaroof UK, please visit www.permaroof.co.uk or call 01773 608839.

•41•

xxx

The Countdown to LANDSCAPE 2021 is on. The UK’s premier landscaping exhibition is less than a month away - have you registered yet?

Hall 12 on the 3rd & 4th November at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham - Make sure it’s in your diary!

The LANDSCAPE Show provides the f irst in-person opportunity to reconnect with others in the industry! LANDSCAPE welcomes exhibitors with a vast collection of leading products, services and innovations for the design, build and management of exterior and interior landscape projects.

LANDSCAPE 2021 is the trade event you will not want to miss – and the best part is, it’s all FREE! Come along to LANDSCAPE this November to f ind products to transform your project.

L ANDSCAPE continues to offer the most up-to-date and current seminar programme in the industry. The programme is packed with CPD accredited sessions that aim to both educate and inspire visitors and exhibitors alike by the biggest names in landscaping. Visitors are in for a treat with some of the most interesting and diverse topics to date – ranging f rom Stone, Colour, Lighting, Arboriculture, Rooftop Gardens and Climate Change. When LANDSCAPE says there is “something for everyone”, they really do mean it! Both

•42•

the exhibition and all seminar sessions are free to attend.

Speaker Mark Gregory f rom Landform Consultants said “the speaker programme is very, very varied. There is something for everybody of all different disciplines. CPD’s the way to go.

There’s a lot of networking, a lot of high-end people, a lot of top people here, the networking is part of the show”.

With less than a month to go until LANDSCAPE 2021, have you registered yet?

LANDSCAPE 2021 will take place on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th November at the NEC in Birmingham. You can apply for FREE entry to the show at www.landscapeshow.co.uk/ register. Entry guarantees you access to the exhibition hall as well as all seminar sessions.

See you there!

+44 (0)20 7821 8221

landscapeshow.co.uk

@LandscapeEvent #Landscape2021

landscape.show

Landscape

ST ARTHUR HOMES ACQUIRES PRIVATE UNITS FOR SHARED OWNERSHIP

Affordable housing provider St Arthur Homes has acquired its largest number of private units on one site to date, for Shared Ownership between Southampton and Portsmouth in a deal in excess of £25M with The Vistry Group.

The purchase of 95 affordable homes at the Whiteley Meadows development in Winchester, comes as part of St Arthur Homes’ focused expansion programme, as it aims to deliver at least 2,000 new homes over five years.

The first phase of 45 Shared Ownership homes at Whiteley Meadows will be launched for sale soon, including a range of two and three-bedroom houses and twobedroom apartments, providing affordable opportunities for buyers to get onto the property ladder for as little as a 5% deposit on the share they buy.

Buyers will initially be able to purchase a share of the property, with the opportunity to buy further shares up to outright ownership in the future.

•44•

“We are delighted to have acquired the site at Whiteley Meadows, which is our largest Shared Ownership development to date. Working alongside Vistry, we are pleased to play our part in delivering this fantastic new community in an outstanding countryside location while helping make homes more af fordable for our buyers. The increasing awareness and demand for Shared Ownership homes puts us in a strong position to continue to grow our business,” said Chief Executive Officer for St Arthur Homes.

St Ar thur Homes specialises in delivering premium shared ow ner ship housing , w i t hou t compromise on specification and is taking its place in the market as the aspirational RP. St Arthur works with a range of partners to acquire affordable housing across London

and the South of England through S106 and grant-led schemes, with plans to expand into The Midlands.

The deal with Vistry Group is the latest in a series of partnership deals with leading housebuilders as St Arthur increases its portfolio.

Whiteley Meadows is a multiphase development where the overall masterplan will deliver more than 3,000 new homes from a group of leading developers led

by The Vistry Group. The plans also include new schools, a care home, community centre, green spaces and shops, along with associated infrastructure. The new neighbourhood is well situated between Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester, and surrounded by countryside, making it an attractive and sustainable place to live.

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landscaping

CHOOSING THE BEST SUBFRAME FOR YOUR DECKING PROJECT A decking subframe is the structure that sits beneath your deck, keeping it supported and providing the base that your decking boards are attached to.

The subframe is one of the most important parts of having a deck installed as, whilst the subframe is generally hidden, it is crucial for the deck’s longevity.

A poor subframe choice or install can lead to the decking being damaged or can even lead to the decking becoming structurally dangerous and eventually failure.

With so many different subframes to choose from, which one is best and what should you look out for?

We review in-depth three popular subframe choices: timber, recycled plastic (Plas-Pro) & aluminium (DuoSpan). Each subframe material has different attributes and – being familiar with the benefits of each and knowing what to use and when – can add years to the deck’s longevity.

Softwood timber is the most common material used for decking subframes, and Millboard decking has been fitted on these types of subframes for over ten years.

However, there have been many examples of timber subframes that have failed within 6 years of being installed, with the failings being identified to be attributed to a lack of understanding of the requirements of timber, incorrect timber being used in the wrong location and bad workmanship.

Millboard Plas-Pro recycled subframe is an excellent alternative to timber for constructing the framework for decks, seating, planters and more. Constructed from recycled plastic, Plas-Pro is strong, versatile and easy to work with. The benefits of Plas-Pro over timber are that Plas-Pro can be used in contact with the ground and in water without the need for any airflow ventilation gaps; it can be sunk into the ground and surrounded fully with moisture without adverse effect.

Finally, DuoSpan is a unique landscape construction frame made with a combination of aluminium joists and beams, aluminium brackets and plastic support profiles. This combination enables distinctive design opportunities for decking and outdoor structures that would be impossible with timber subframes, due to the superior strength of aluminium and flexibility of plastic.

Find out more! Download the comprehensive Decking Subframe Guide for in-depth performance comparisons, lifetime cost projections and expert knowledge on factors to consider when selecting a subframe for your decking project.

Visit www.millboard.co.uk/ subframes

•47•

BESPOKE CAMPER VAN OFFICE, PRIVATE BOOTH OR LUXURY WORK FROM HOME SHED? Quintain Living offers homeworkers all this and more!

A

chieving the perfect work/ life balance is easier than ever before, thanks to the increased focus on working from home over the past 18 months. The UK’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout has been overwhelmingly hailed as a success yet despite this, not everyone wants to return to the office and pick up where they left off. A taste of a better balance between the office and working at home has inspired many workers to opt for hybrid or fully home-based arrangements out of choice, rather than necessity.

“The lines between living and working from home have become inextricably interwoven for many since the first lockdown began. It’s raised questions about the continuing relevance of commuting to the office every day; for many, spending a few days a week

•48•

working from home is here to stay.

Thankfully, we delight in delivering spaces that will surprise and excite our residents so we’ve had great fun designing a range of new work from home amenities.” - Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living At Quintain Living – the award-winning management company overseeing the rental of more than 2,500 apartments in Wembley Park – the team has focused on providing a variety of innovative work from home solutions, to meet the differing needs of its residents.

coffee and a bit of company while they work. There’s WiFi across the whole Wembley Park estate, as there is for all of Quintain Living’s Wembley Park buildings.

Canada Gardens, for example, has heated designer work from home sheds that residents can hire, surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. Many residents also like to pop into the clubhouse to enjoy a

At The Robinson, Quintain has built private office space and work/ phone booths into the residents’ lounge. The versatile space can be used for both working and socialising, in recognition of the blurring of

the lines between the two. And for those who want a really inspiring work from home space, Quintain Living has provided a dedicated roof top that ’s home to three bespoke, custom-built work from home camper vans. Complete with power, heating and lighting (and WiFi, naturally), they sit on their own rooftop area with the sky wideopen above and stunning views of London. Quintain Living has added

picnic tables and deckchairs too, to give the space a real community vibe.

“Working from home shouldn’t mean you have to feel lonely. We’re looking at this as a long-term occurrence now, incorporating more quirky work from home spaces in our future buildings, as well as thinking through how individual apartments can be designed to suit increased home working.

That means including more space for desks, providing furniture that’s designed to be comfortable when used for longer periods at a time, that kind of thing. We’re also exploring ways that we can support residents to tailor their apartments to suit their individual working requirements; not every home worker needs an identikit desk/office chair setup.” - Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living Quintain Living is also reassessing its current residents’ lounges to see how it can reshape them to suit

increased home working without compromising their use for social gathering. This company is looking at both rentable workspaces and coworking-inf luenced environments for flexible use as part of this. The plans have at their core an understanding that working from home takes many different forms.

As such, Quintain Living is looking at how it can support residents by providing the physical space they need, along with creative, inspirational environments that also provide scope for social interaction and emotional support.

“The pandemic has changed so many aspects of life that were previously taken for granted – how we feel about our homes, places of work, rest and sanctuary. We’re fully embracing the hybrid working trend here at Quintain and for our residents and can’t wait to reveal our latest offerings with each new building.” - Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living

For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927.

•49•

sustainability

BIOTECTURE’S LIVING WALL FEATURES IN RHS CHELSEA GOLD MEDAL AND ‘BEST SHOW GARDEN’ Biotecture, a UK leader in living walls, is celebrating the news that its PlantBox living wall system featured in this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal and coveted ‘Best Show Garden’.

Guangzhou Garden received the awards for its Chinese-inspired garden, which shows how cities of the future must be considered as landscape cities.

in the atmosphere - Biotecture’s Active Air technolog y has the potential for improving indoor air quality in areas of buildings with limited natural airflow.

Designed by director Peter Chmiel and senior associate Chin-Jung Chen from Grant Associates, ‘The Guangzhou Garden’ took inspiration from Guangzhou, a por t cit y northwest of Hong Kong on China’s Pearl River.

Biotecture’s living wall system also aids biodiversity, providing valuable forage for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The foliage also provides further benefits in terms of removing airborne pollutants such as par t iculate mat ter, reducing urban temperatures and attenuating rainwater. At the same time, living walls contribute to a sense of well-being for those living and working close by.

The pair’s Chinese-inspired garden paid homage to Guangzhou’s philos ophy of g i v ing e qual consideration to the needs of people and wildlife through sustainable city planning strategies, reconnecting people and nature in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Biotecture’s installed a three metre high by 10 metre long living wall within the woodland dell section, supporting one of the garden’s core environmental strategies; improving air quality by using technology and nature working in harmony, a concept of the ‘green lung’.

As part of the living wall installation, Biotec ture ’s protot ype Ac tive Air technolog y, developed in collaboration with engineers from ‘We Design For’, was installed to pipe clean air created from the modular PlantBox living wall into the garden’s ‘social heart’ central structure for people to enjoy.

The Guangzhou Garden living wall A c t i ve A ir f l o w s y s te m created air pressure that drew in polluted air through the leaf and root zones of the plants where harmful particulate matter and gas pollutants are removed and allowing the system to output clean air.

Along with tackling pollution from cars - traffic on the UK’s roads accounts for 32% of nitrogen oxides

•50•

The Guangzhou Garden was created in collaboration with garden design consultancy The Outdoor Room, with prominent bamboo structures developed in partnership with

Xylotek, living walls from Biotecture and water features supplied by Bamber Wallis.

“Congratulations to Grant Associates for their thoroughly well-deserved Gold Medal and ‘Best Show Garden’ at RHS Chelsea,” said Richard Sabin, Managing Director at Biotecture.

“The Guangzhou Garden encapsulated the benefits of reconnecting people and nature, while highlighting the benefits of responsible city planning.

We are delighted our living wall played an important part in the overall design.”

Biotecture’s PlantBox living wall product was used in six separate installations at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

For more information on Biotecture, visit: www.biotecture.uk.com

Creating quality low energy architecture requires a dedicated,

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FROM FOUNDATION TO RIDGE

knowledgeable team from initial concept right through to finishing touches.

Ecomerchant is a key part of that team for Charlie Luxton Design. Our values align, creating good buildings that perform and last whilst respecting our environment.

Charlie Luxton

www.ecomerchant.co.uk info@ecomerchant.co.uk +44 (0) 1793 847 444

Principal Charlie Luxton Design

Sustainability

BLAH BLAH BLAH….

OF COURSE, WE NEED CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE - BUT THEY’VE NOW HAD 30 YEARS OF BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, AND WHERE HAS THAT LED US? GRETA THUNBERG

T

here are those who talk and those who act.

Action requires physical evidence of change and improvement, illustrated perfectly by a demonstration house already built at COP26 designed and constructed by a like-minded group of businesses to demonstrate how beautiful, affordable, healthy, and comfortable homes can be developed with minimal impact on the environment, throughout their lifecycle, using local materials and existing skills. The house delivers a 2030 compliant building today, in fact it goes beyond zero carbon.

It’s not that it can’t be done but

rather it isn’t being done. The context in which we build sheds some light on why we are likely to fall well short of our carbon targets.

Nearly all of the houses we build today involve construction techniques that are ill suited to meet the challenges of climate change. Alternatives exist, now is the time for action not words but can Government and industry change course quickly enough?

The overall form of the modern house as constructed by the mass house-builders has changed little in millennia. The essential

elements of walls, pitched roofs, openings for light and doors have remained pretty constant.

Before the late 19th Century, home life, through modern eyes might have appeared basic or even grim. but people were resigned to their lot. Here, for example, is the Rev. Francis Kilvert describing his morning bath on Christmas Day of 1870: ‘It was an intense frost. I sat down in my bath upon a sheet of thick ice which broke in the middle into large pieces whilst sharp points and jagged edges stuck all around the sides of the tub like chevaux de frise1 , not particularly comforting to the naked thighs and loins, for the keen ice cut like broken glass.’

Soon however, living conditions changed for most people. The development of the house that followed shortly after Kilvert’s miserable experience, set the home to evolve from being just the simple and often cold shelter into what Le Corbusier provocatively called ‘the machine for living in.’

Modern new housing estate

•52•

The late Victorian house was nearly crowded out with novelty objects. Many were trivial, but one product of wealth and industrialisation was set to change domestic life profoundly. The idea of warming and circulating air had recurred repeatedly since ancient times - usually only in places where

[1]The cheval de frise (chevaux de frise plural) was a medieval defensive anti-cavalry measure consisting of a portable frame covered with many projecting long iron or wooden spikes or spears. They were principally intended as an anti-cavalry obstacle but could also be moved quickly to help block a breach in another barrier

Sustainability House Design 60 Years Apart photos courtesy of Ecomerchant

its exorbitant costs could be met.

With central heating, middle-class Victorians could explore new ideas of comfort and leisure. They took off their thick coats and layers of fabric and slipped instead into something lighter and more comfortable. Welcome to the 20th Century.

Indoor temperatures steadily increased throughout the new Century as new concepts of lifestyle became possible. Even in the late 20th Century, homes continued to become warmer.

In the year England last won the World Cup in 1966, the average temperature was 12 degrees C; Today, it is between 17 and 23 degrees C. All was good just so long as fossil fuels kept flowing. But, unfortunately, cheap energy masked the problem to come: the system that paired space heating with traditional construction was the nexus through which the building envelope became environmentally compromised.

What became apparent and then important much later was that to operate with efficiency, warm air needed to be contained within the building envelope - but insulation and air-tightness were not features of traditional building. Until the

late 19th Century and for many, far into the 20th, building occupants were warmed directly by open fires creating radiant heat. To be warm was to be in line with a fireplace or wearing a coat, whilst other provisions such as heavy curtains and wing-backed chairs limited cold drafts. Just so long as there was a fire in the hearth, leaking windows, flues, and simple 9-inch uninsulated walls and roofs were relatively unimportant.

The curb on the limitless heat came in the early 1970s as the owners of the newly nationalised oil wells, particularly in the Middle East, learnt the political power of controlling supply to a beholden West. So oil taps were turned on and off and back on. Prices went up and up…… Cheap energy was history.

The Government intervened to tie down the amount of energy used in buildings. Through a succession of updates to what became ‘Part L’ , the Building Regulations imposed thermal performance standards on elements such as walls, windows, roofs and floors. Fuel poverty was kept at bay for most - but only just.

It wasn’t until 2002 that the first reference to Global Warming appeared in connection with the ‘Regs’. Making a stab at dealing

with the threat, incremental degrees of application of performance standards increased to reduce carbon emissions up until the present day - but it has never been enough. ‘Part L’ has yet to achieve its potential to deliver energy-efficient buildings.

Whereas the Government has demurred at using its powers, the main obstacle to progress is how houses continue to be built using methods unchanged since before the 19th Century. The construction industry has never developed alternative building strategies that drive energy conservation. Instead, traditional building methods have been pushed well beyond their ability to deliver the necessary levels of performance. Even to meet current regulations, most houses need to be assembled using high degrees of accuracy and competence. Both are notoriously lacking - site skills levels are at their lowest in decades.

Still, the construction industry moves ahead, building hundreds of thousands of sub-performance houses a year using inadequate techniques backed by limp government standards. Continuing with this strategy is doing nothing to help avert the crisis, There needs to be a step-change.

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Sustainability Another path

A perfect storm.

The solution to energy loss and hence emissions has always been clear - by building walls, roofs and floors using materials and systems that inhibit heat transmission from inside to outside. Add appropriate ventilation, and it’s perfectly possible to build structures that use virtually no energy to keep them warm in winter and cool during increasingly warm summers - and keeps the air inside the house healthy for all to live in. Again, it’s a goal that is achievable using appropriate materials and technology. Higher than Government ambitions, standards like ‘Passivhaus’ exist outside the bigdeveloper ‘bubble’. What’s important is that these tested standards are available for adoption by Government - ‘ovenready’, as one B. Johnson might put it.

Alarmingly, there’s more: if one existential emergency brought on by Climate Change were not enough, yet other environmental crises are bearing down. All man-made, they include fossil-fuel depletion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, land degradation, water extraction, waste ……… the list goes on. The cost to the planet of our way of life is too much bear. There’s no wonder our children are betraying previously unknown levels of angst. According to the University of Bath, ‘Nearly six in 10 young people, aged 16 to 25, are very or highly apprehensive about climate change.

Outside of the mainstream, though, designers of sustainable buildings that meet the environmental challenge understand the impacts of the building process - not just how much energy is involved, but also where the materials come from and what procedures they have to go through before they arrive on a building site. Their buildings are designed to touch the earth ‘lightly’ so as not to compromise the future of succeeding generations.

Design strategies and materials Low energy and low environmental impact buildings generally have in common basic design strategies and choice of materials:

‘Fabric first’ Space heating consumes around 60% of a home’s total energy demand.

The ‘Fabric first’ design strategy is based on the simple idea that reducing heat loss through the building fabric minimises the energy needed Timber frame house built using only natural materials, Picture courtesy from the grid. When the Kithurst Homes Ltd. Construction NIPPS (naturally insulated passive panels), Government is looking insulation blown wood fibre floc, Steico rigid wood fibre board sheathing.

Passive standard ach 1.2 @50pa. 35,921kg of carbon sequestered. to replace gas boilers, reducing the need to generate heat from alternative technology and fuel sources By offering different design strategies will result in more accessible and cheaper solutions with fewer and materials matched to standards emissions. superior to those cited by Regulation, a growing number of smaller developers, Air-tightness - ‘Build tight - ventilate right architects and supporting supply chains Build tight: A well-insulated building is nothing if warm air can already show how emissions can be nearleak uncontrollably from window and door openings or through eliminated in new buildings. Getting to flues and pipe penetrations in walls and roofs. Air-tightness near-zero emissions is not rocket science is twin to insulation in the strategy of a low-energy building.

- we just need a collective determination.

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Sustainability Keeping the air warm and inside the envelope is the ideal.

Ventilate right: High carbon dioxide levels, a build-up of toxins and mould from condensation are the unwelcome products of an ill-ventilated building.

Traditionally trickle vents were built into the walls and windows. Vents could be opened by the occupants to let bad or steamy air out into the atmosphere.

But whilst accepting that opening a window is almost a human right, using it to ventilate a room needs to be restricted if energy is to be conserved.

So instead, there has evolved, mainly through the Passivhaus movement, advanced ventilation systems that keep the air fresh and warm. These extract foul air from interior spaces whilst pumping fresh air into the opposite direction - itself warmed by exchanging heat from the exhausted warm air.

‘Embodied energy’ The term ‘Operational energy’ expresses the amount of energy used to heat and power a building

throughout its lifetime. ‘Embodied energy’ refers to the sum effect of all emissions attributed to all the materials, components and equipment during the building’s life cycle. This cycle encompasses extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, maintenance, and disposal of those materials.

Reducing the amount of embodied energy is an early part of the design strategy. The designer will calculate the quantity of energy used in supplying, maintaining, and disposing of each material specified. An obvious material to be minimised will be concrete.

Cement production is the third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide globally, followed closely by steel and aluminium. If the quantity of those materials can be reduced or eliminated, then significant amounts of embodied energy can be reduced too.

It is no surprise that timber is at the top of the list of materials used by designers of sustainable buildings. This is because timber, along with other renewable materials such as hemp, cork and bamboo, actually absorbs carbon dioxide during its growth period.

So ultimately requires very little energy to extract timber and transform it into roles such as structure, finishing, and cladding.

Préfabrication One of the factors aggravating any chance of producing high performance, traditionally-built housing stock is the reliance on qualified site operatives. Skilled workers have always been wanted in the construction industry, but currently, with many trained workers returning to the EU, a skills vacuum leaves the industry desperately in need. Even guided by relatively benign building standards,

PH15. Akerman Road Social Housing. Picture courtesy of Passive House Homes Ltd. Certified passive house, build cost under £450/m². Construction timber frame, LVL, Steico I Joists, Steico wood fibre insulation, Unilin Vapourblock, lime render, sheep’s wool.

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Sustainability housebuilders can’t even run to stand still. With time running out to make the necessary reductions in emissions, most buildings will fail to meet the demand.

By moving most construction from the typically Somme-like conditions of the traditional British building site and into the warm, sheltered and closely monitored factory conditions, much higher levels of quality can be achieved.

Assembling a kit of parts arriving on site is relatively risk-free and usually within the capabilities of a less-skilled workforce. The outcome is that most buildings can be built to higher standards of performance.

Try and tested alternatives to traditional construction.

Timber frame The use of timber has been a significant feature of UK construction for centuries. In that time, its use as a structural frame has passed in and out of fashion. However, a substantial proportion of UK housing is built using timber frames within the traditional cavity wall format. Its advantages include that it is a well-understood, tried and tested and flexible building technology.

Moreover, used appropriately, it can be impressively cost-effective.

The COP26 House – built in central Glasgow to showcase zero carbon buildings during the COP26 event in November 2021 - is an example of a timber-framed building with the added benefits of prefabrication.

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) CLT is a relatively recent arrival on the UK construction scene.

The system comprises timber laminations glued together

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and formed into prefabricated component panels such as walls, floors and roofs. Popular for some time in Germany and Austria, where timber is readily available, its introduction into the UK through low and high-rise buildings such as flats and schools has made significant inroads amongst the alternatives to traditional construction techniques.

Waugh Thistleton Architects are the leading exponents of CLT techniques, particularly in the application of high-rise housing around central London.

Similarly, a recent school building programme has also done much to open up the potential of CLT to enable large-span structures.

Architects and engineers working with CLT include Fielden Clegg Bradley, Aberdeenshire Council, B&K Structures, Durban, Avanti Architects and Arup’s - amongst many others.

Prefabricated timber panels Timber panels can act as structural elements in themselves. Good examples are manufactured by Eden Insulation. Their panels include structural elements clad externally with an insulation board and internally with a vapour barrier board. The whole is filled with recycled newsprint insulation.

The panels are shipped from the factory and simply assembled on site. Already there are many buildings in Scotland and the north of England featuring their lowimpact panels - most meeting the demanding Passivhaus standard.

Hemp Hemp is a crop better known for furnishing the Georgian Royal Navy with its ropes and, more recently, as a component of fat roll-ups.

Hemp (without its intoxication

element) is, in fact, a superbly flexible material that parts of the construction industry have invested in over the last 25 years.

In buildings, hemp can be mixed with lime to produce Hempcrete, a plastic material that integrates in-situ with timber frames to form impressively insulated and airtight structures. Examples abound, with perhaps the best known being Kevin MacCloud’s ( of Grand Designs fame) 42 home development near Swindon. As part of their ‘Plan A’, M&S has also used the material extensively at their massive Chesire Oaks store.

Sustainability COP26 Finished House, picture courtesy Roderick James

Aerated clay blocks Popularly known as ‘Ziegel’ blocks, aerated clay blocks are a development of the humble brick.

Blocks are larger individual components that are glued together. Think Lego. There is no need for a cavity because the blocks themselves are manufactured to include insulating air pockets.

Clay blocks have been used for decades in Europe but are only just become popular in the UK. Lidl supermarkets are leading the charge by including the building technique in their new stores.

Straw Straw is one of the most common byproducts of agriculture. It makes up half of the yield of

cereal crops in the UK. As a result, it is available in massive quantities. Traditionally it is used as bedding, fuel and fodder. Historically though, much was simply burnt on the fields until 1992 when it was banned.

Strawbale building has been a way of constructing homes, particularly in the USA, since the 19th Century. However, its modern manifestation in the UK is proving its viability alongside other renewable building materials. Barbara Jones has been constructing straw bale buildings since the 1990s resulting in techniques tried and tested.

Craig White and Modcell have also developed prefabricated panels made in ‘flying factories’ using a locally sourced straw to produce highperformance houses.

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Sustainability BZH COP26 House Construction Phase picture courtesy Roderick James Architects

The COP26 House Architects The COP26 House, designed by Roderick James Architects and currently erected close to the Glasgow Conference Centre which is hosting the UN Climate Conference, is a well-honed example of an low carbon house across its entire lifecycle. The design of the building follows the simple assembly prescription of the fabric-first concept but takes it further still.

The house is distinguished by its extensive use of timber. The UK construction industry mainly imports timber from overseas to provide framing for otherwise brick-clad walls, floors and tile roofing. The COP26 House is timber-framed using homegrown Spruce but goes much further. The walls are clad in timber both inside and out; the roof is timber-boarded Scandinavian-style. Insulation derives from timber trimmings transformed into insulation boards and mats sandwiched into the walls and roof. The designers eschew plastic windows for high-performance timber-framed triple glazing. There is a determination to achieve a safe,

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non-toxic environment by avoiding where possible materials groups such as petrochemicals and other components that can emit toxic chemicals and gases either in their manufacture or use in the house.

Most significantly, the COP26 House meets the 2030 zero-carbon target right now. As befits such a lowenergy building, heating is carefully designed to drive down the annual bills to somewhere around £150 per annum. Technologies can be incorporated as appropriate – in the current house infra-red panels provide the space heating by heating objects and people directly, air source heat pumps, solar thermal and PV immersion heating could also be incorporated for space and water heating.

For the low energy usage achieved through high insulation and air-tightness standards in the house, it is a must to pair up with an efficient artificial ventilation system. Tried and tested is Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) that, when applied to the whole building, can deliver fresh air whilst extracting foul air. The useful twist is the heat recovery element, which uses the exiting warm air to heat the cooler incoming air.

Sustainability

The single bedroom 65m2 COP26 House is just one of several design variations using the same zero carbon approach, with the largest currently a 4-bed semidetached version of 140 square metres.

The house is easy to build using the many off-site manufactured components as part of the design. The architects estimate that total build cost should be in the range of £1,800 for self-build up to £2,500 per square metre dependent on size, location, builder, and final finish specification.

Through realising the COP26 House in Glasgow, the architects have indeed demonstrated they can set out to match ‘...design and materials in a way that showcases that low carbon housing, made from ecologically responsible materials, can - and should - be beautiful, comfortable and affordable.

Thanks to Ecomerchant for contributing this piece. Ecomerchant are a key partner of the COP26 House as a supplier of natural, carbon friendly and sustainable building materials www.ecomerchant.co.uk More on the Beyond Zero Homes COP26 House at www.beyondzerohomes.co.uk More on Steico wood fibre insulation, I Joists and LVL at www.steico.com

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Four Stop Platform Lift for historic Old Portsmouth We’ve just fitted our Home Lift in a historic property overlooking the harbour in Old Portsmouth.

O

ld Portsmouth is the area of Portsmouth which was covered by the original medieval town of Portsmouth. It is steeped in history, and contains many historic buildings including Portsmouth Cathedral and Portsmouth Point.

Our client was a resident of a rare, historic four storey property overlooking the harbour and the Solent.

They were in need of a lift to enable access to all floors of the property, and contacted the lift experts at Invalifts for a solution.

After an initial site survey, Invalifts recommended and installed their Home platform lift, with a custom

footprint of 910mm x 870mm optimising the available space.

The Home Lift was the perfect solution, as a quiet and efficient platform lift, with a capacity of 250Kg. The carriage controls are clear and easy to operate whilst the aluminium handrail located just below the carriage push button enhances the feeling of Swedish quality and design.

The home lift was installed with glazed 800mm wide landing doors at every level.

The client was thrilled with the quick and hassle-free installation and now has easy access to all of the floors of their property.

If you would like to know more about our platform lifts or other access solutions, please contact the Invalifts team on 0845 468 2543 or alternatively, email sales@invalifts.com

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Platform Lifts Our range of platform lifts includes the Commercial Platform Lift (right) - a premium quality enclosed platform lift with a customisable finish, and the option of glazing on 3 sides.

Designed for offices, schools and public buildings with small footprints available, this is a premier platform lift.

We also offer stair platform lifts and a range of platform lifts for both internal and external use.

The Platform Lift Experts

Tel: 0845 4682543 Web: www.invalifts.com

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