DOORS, WINDOWS AND GLAZING - A product and project insight

SEAL IT WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT TAPES

Improved energy efficiency of the whole window installation, not just the frame, can be provided this winter with ISO BLOCO 600 self-adhesive sealant tapes from ISO-Chemie. The pre-compressed tapes, which have been independently tested and are both BBA and Passivhaus certified, can be used on joints up to 42 mm, providing a high-performance weather tightness and thermal/ acoustic insulation seal for fenestration applications.

ISO BLOCO ONE 600 are energy rated weather tight thermal and acoustic tapes which reduce heat loss and noise ingress to a U value better or equal to the frame. This assures property and homeowners that a comprehensive ‘A’ rated installation can been completed rather than just an ‘A’ rated window supplied. www.iso-chemie.eu/en-GB/home/

SELECTAGLAZE CURVED ON PLAN UNITS CREATE A SPLASH AT KIDDERPORE HALL

Working with Mount Anvil, a swimming pool area in a Grade II Listed home has been restored to its former grandeur, with the assistance of Selectaglaze sealed units and curved on plan secondary glazing. Kidderpore Hall sits looking over North London, in what was referred to as the Childs Hill neighborhood of Hampstead; once a relatively rural area. It has been beautifully reimagined through extensive refurbishment and brought back to a livable state as a single family home.

One of the areas of the house which needed particular attention was a new pool and spa area in the basement. The original single glazed sash windows did little to provide heat retention. Selectaglaze secondary glazing was chosen to assist in upgrading the thermal insulation in this Grade II Listed building. To ensure maximum U-values were gained in this exposed corner of the building, 24mm double sealed secondary glazed units were required with obscure glass to provide privacy. Six window and one door were treated with Series 41 side hung casements, glazed with 4-16-4 gas filled sealed units. However, to match the sightlines of the bay window framing the jacuzzi, curved on plan units were specified. www.selectaglaze.co.uk

RUNDUM MEIR FAÇADE DOORS UNIQUELY REFLECT MANCHESTER LANDMARK’S HERITAGE

A bronze façade featuring integrated Rundum Meir garage doors for two new townhouses in central Manchester has been uniquely designed to reflect the architecture of the nearby John Rylands Library, one of the city’s most famous neoGothic buildings. Their full height bronze façade delivers a striking external appearance that takes a distinctive visual cue from the library, located opposite.

The houses are designed around an inverted living approach, enabling the architects to maximise the footprint of the site and use the space to its full potential. Above the garages are floors accommodating the bedrooms, with the living, dining and kitchen areas on the upper floors, and a rooftop courtyard/garden completing the arrangement.

The aluminium façade of both townhouses features laser cut and acid-etched lacy blind tracery patterns that match those in the windows of the library. The lacy pattern extends over the full height of the façade which includes large folding/sliding shutters.

These balance privacy with natural light requirements for residents during the day whilst being eye-catching at night as internal light shines through the laser cut pattern. This design extends into the twin side sliding sectional garage doors manufactured and installed by Rundum Meir, which effectively deliver a sliding façade at street level. The twin Rundum Meir sliding garage doors each provide a clear opening of 3.8 m for easy vehicle access from the street. Hand made using extruded aluminium, the fully automated bespoke garage doors have an automated pedestrian door as well as the side sliding door that demonstrate the design flexibility offered by Rundum Meir, who create every garage door to meet project requirements.

In addition to the side sliding sectional doors supplied for this central Manchester project, bespoke Rundum Meir garage doors are also available in ‘round the corner’ side sliding, overhead sectional and upand-over styles. www.rundum.co.uk

DING DONG!

An exclusive collection of high-end apartments in the heart of London, Chimes offers luxurious homes coupled with a wealth of amenities within a dynamic local community. Providing automatic access to the main entrance of this exclusive development, TORMAX installed a double set of swing doors that are automated by iMotion 1401 operators that are recessed into the floorspace.

The in-house designed TORMAX iMotion 1401 door operator is entirely maintenance-free thanks to the unique design of the powerful synchronous motor. The drive is certified protective class IP67, making it resistant to water, humidity and soiling. TORMAX developed the iMotion 1401 door operator to allow discreet automation of swing doors for locations where a minimalist finish is required or in historic locations where maintaining the original aesthetics is essential.

With none of the elements that usually wear out, such as gears and brushes, the iMotion 1401 motor does not even require periodic replacement or overhaul of its’ parts, making it entirely feasible to situate the drive within a steel box, 125mm under the floor. Acting directly on the rotational axis of the door it can also serve as the lower pivot bearing.

The iMotion control unit incorporates the latest hi-tech sensors, delivering obstacle recognition on both opening and closing. Simplifying operation for Chimes’ staff, the opening movement and the door held-open time can be saved as two separate, pre-defined settings. www.tormax.co.uk

Opening doors for a future workforce

Creating entrance solutions is what we’re all about, so it’s only right that we’re paving the way for new entrants to our industry.

By spearheading a new apprenticeship, we’re professionalising a route into the business for those wanting to launch a career as a powered pedestrian door technician.

Industry-specific modules with electro-tech learning and functional skills are combined with on-the-job experience over two years.

ADSA - developing the industry for the future

#bepartoftheconversation

Find out more: www.adsa.org.uk or 01827 216136

CRITTALL'S T60 WINDOWS MEET OXFORD CHALLENGE

A theatre seating 200 people, study bedrooms for students, teaching rooms, kitchens and ancillary space have been created in the new threestorey building whose stone-faced elevations have been finished in honey coloured ashlar limestone to complement its heritage setting. The building also features a pitched, slate covered roof.

The T60 windows are set within stone surrounds and finished in an attractive bronze coloured Duralife polyester powder coating. Many are fitted with trickle ventilation. Triple glass is installed in the windows of the theatre auditorium for improved sound attenuation.

T60 features an advanced highdensity polyurethane isolator as a thermal barrier that together with double or triple glazing surpasses the requirements of current regulations. The cold formed steel profiles nevertheless retain Crittall’ s hallmark slender sightlines that ensure maximum light ingress. The Levine Building project also features cold form doors and internal fire screens on ground and first floors. www.crittall-windows.co.uk

PROFAB ACCESS ADDS A FIVE STAR FINISH TO CARDIFF’S NEWEST LUXURY HOTEL

Leading riser door and access panel solution supplier, Profab Access, has proven its first-class credentials once again as part of the recent completion of a major specification at Cardiff’s new 5-star Parkgate hotel. Located next to the Welsh Capital’s famous Principality Stadium, the Parkgate hotel has been designed to provide a luxurious experience for rugby fans, in addition to city dwellers visiting the country all year round.

Widely coined as Cardiff’s most lavish new location, the hotel includes 170 guest bedrooms and suites, a signature restaurant and bar, a traditional tea lounge and a rooftop spa overlooking the city skyline. As part of the prestigious build, a unique collaboration between the Welsh Rugby Union, property developer, Rightacres, and The Celtic Collection, the hotel required an extensive riser door specification, with safety, high performance and aesthetic appeal key considerations.

In total, 310 Profab Access VEGA 1500 Fire Rated Riser Doors were specified for installation by Hazelwood Carpentry throughout every part of the building, including communal areas and the hotel’s vast range of luxury guest rooms and suites. The VEGA 1500 Series Riser Doors offer the highest standards of fire safety, extensively tested by Efectis in France and Ireland to provide a bi-directionally fire tested product that is available in both single and double door configurations.

This means the riser door sets are fire tested from both sides to 60 minutes, providing the specifiers, contractors and hotel guests residing within the building with confidence the critical fire integrity products offer the highest standard and most up to date evidence for fire safety performance. The range also features a slimline, neat construction, whilst its proven technology ensures permanent, safe access to mechanical and electrical services housed within the riser core.

This provides first class functionality and safety, without compromising the overall interior concept. The steel riser doors also streamlined the installation process, as the quick release pivot hinge and light weight enabled easy handling, allowing Hazelwood Carpentry to complete the job quickly and optimise overall project efficiencies.

In the event of a fire, the VEGA 1500 Series Riser Door sets will maintain the frame and integrity for up to 60 minutes, preventing the spread of fire throughout the property for this period of time. The riser doors are 31dB acoustic rated, smoke sealed and airtight to Part L, whilst also featuring intumescent smoke seals that enable occupants to safely exit the building. By specifying bi-directionally fire tested VEGA 1500 Series Riser Doors, the development is actively future proofed as the comprehensive testing certification provides a complete and transparent audit trail of due diligence that evidences the products are not only fit for purpose but meet the duty of care required to ensure legal compliance.

Profab Access’ diverse portfolio of riser doors and access panels are supported by a wide range of BIM Level 2 and CAD files to aid the specification process and streamline the initial design stages. Manufactured at Profab Access’ Atherstone headquarters in accordance with ISO 9001, the 1500 Series Riser Doors can be specified and installed in a range of configurations to meet each project’s specific measurements and requirements. www.profabaccess.com

HELPING TO PRESERVE AN INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE

Two former furniture factory buildings in East London have been transformed into high-end apartments with the help of Crittall windows. Long Street in the Hackney conservation area was a key component in Shoreditch’s industrial heritage.

The area was once the heart of the capital’s furniture trade and, following the Second World War when large tracts of land were earmarked for comprehensive re-development, the then London County Council sought to preserve the district’s characteristic built environment as well as local business by constructing what were termed ‘flatted factories’.

The four-storey structural steel-framed blocks were built in Long Street in 1959 with plenty of natural daylight and generously sized lifts for transporting uncut sheets of plywood to the upper floors.

The two blocks now form part of a luxury residential development, Long and Waterson. Architects Fletcher Priest have taken their design cue from the industrial lineage of the area, retaining original external brickwork and window settings and adding two rooftop penthouse levels creating a total of 71 apartments.

Crittall Corporate W20 and MW40 systems were specified, in fixed and opening format together with Crittall cold form tubular doors that meet the RC3 burglary resistance security standard; a choice that preserves both the original appearance and the industrial heritage of the area. www.crittall-windows.co.uk

ADSA’S FUTURE WORKFORCE

A future workforce is being developed for the automatic door industry with the success and popularity of an apprenticeship scheme created by the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA). The third group of Powered Pedestrian Door Technician Apprentices starts in South Staffordshire College in June.

The course is now fully booked and places for a further course in September are starting to fill. The initial cohort, which began its two-year apprenticeship in March 2021, is completing its end point assessments with apprentices fully qualified by the end of the year. A second group which started in September 2021 is concluding its first academic year with another to follow.

Says ADSA Managing Director Ken Price, “Demand for places has been tremendous. It is good to know that the industry has embraced the opportunity to develop a future workforce utilising the apprenticeship. It provides a thorough learning opportunity, combining academic study with onthe-job experience. The automatic door sector

is considered niche within the wider building products and construction industry – but it is one that requires a particular set of skills and learning to demonstrate competency and meet exacting standards.

“The nature of our business means that we have traditionally found it hard to attract new talent. Indeed, before starting on their apprenticeships, some of the candidates commented that they’d been unaware that PPD technicians ‘were a thing’.

“Automatic doors, gates and entrances may be widely used within commercial and public buildings, enabling convenience and accessibility but awareness of the businesses that make, install and maintain them may not have been as prominent as it might, which has led to a skills gap within the industry. ADSA’s efforts to professionalise it through the provision of end-to-end learning and development opportunities should help attract and retain talent for the future.” In addition to the success of the apprenticeship on mainland UK, a new apprenticeship course is being launched in Northern Ireland, through South Eastern Regional College (SERC). The college will act as the industry delivery partner for the new Automated Entrances Apprenticeship which is being funded by the Department for the Economy NI.

The college is now recruiting students for an expected 15-strong cohort which will be introduced as part of a rolling programme, beginning this September. Qualifications include:

• EAL Level 2 Diploma in Engineering Technologies • EAL Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Performing Engineering Operations

Modules will comprise of engineering environment awareness, electrical installation methods, wiring and circuit protection, working safely in an engineering environment and maintaining electrical equipment/systems. Modules will be tailored to meet the needs of the industry.

Level two maths and English will also be provided for apprentices that do not already hold these qualifications. Apprentices for the SERC course will need to be working for a company based in Northern Ireland or a UK company that works predominantly in NI. Visit https://www.serc.ac.uk/course/2223/AutomatedEntrance-Systems-Apprenticeship-NI-Level-2 for more information.

Employers can arrange apprenticeships direct with the college by emailing: apprenticeships@serc.ac.uk

For more information about ADSA membership or services visit: www.adsa.org.uk or email: rachel@adsa.org.uk

IMAGINATIVE AND INTEGRATED INTERIOR DESIGN, VICAIMA MAKES IT REAL!

icaima, as one of the leading European exponents of contemporary joinery solutions, including interiors doors, doorsets, wall panels and associated furniture products, have just introduced a new brand for professionals called Infinity. Combining their extensive experience within this sector with the latest technological advancements in image realisation, they present a major step forward for the world of interior design, enabling creative vision to be made real, with imaginative design composition that encompasses multiple elements. No longer constrained by conventional limitations, Infinity provides scope for interior design professionals to think beyond what they thought was possible, towards what they would ideally like to achieve.

VWhether creating a theme that brings rhythm and repetition, or a more dramatic and contrasting vision with pronounced statement pieces, Infinity can make it real. Infinity permits almost endless possibilities when it comes to visual aspect, with choice of colour, tone, pattern and even the perception of texture. This enables interior designers and specifiers complete flexibility when aiming to deliver bespoke project solutions. However, for those professionals looking for insight from the Vicaima experts in trends and fashions, Infinity’s top three collections offer a myriad of fresh inspiration.

Select from either wood, stone or metal for an immersive experience which includes among many others, Spalted Maple, Terrazo Amber and Antique Patina. Once the design and hues have been chosen, it is then a matter of selecting which joinery elements can be combined to reflect the desired theme.

Here Infinity broadens horizons and uniquely permits creators to match and play with individual pieces in a way that has traditionally been limited. Blending integral building elements such as interior door assemblies and decorative wall panels, with more ephemeral components like wardrobes and furniture to achieve the perfect balance. While flexible aesthetic design is the hallmark of Infinity, it should not be forgotten that as a Vicaima brand, superior quality and performance are integral to all elements.

Exceeding industry recognised standards and in the case of doors and doorkits, third part fire accredited to both TRADA and the British Woodworking Federation, all products are environmentally produced and FSC certificated. Infinity marks a new era in design for interiors, whether in public, commercial or residential applications.

Expanding, evolving and elevating both the creative process and eventual project realisation by combining visionary image technology with industry leading joinery manufacture, to achieve outstanding results. www.vicaimainfinity.com