Building Innovations - August/September Issue 4 2012

BUILDING

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Welcome to the digital edition of August/September’s 2012 Building Innovations magazine. The latest building news, opinions, products, projects and images - they’re all here!

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ICON Manufacturer: Stannah Lifts Product: Bespoke Glass, 8-Person, Passenger Lift Full Story: Page 26-27 Visit: www.stannahlifts.co.uk

contents vision

practice news

gallery

projects and products

opinion

manufacturers have their say

the book

building projects, news and information

news security floors roofs

doors, windows & glazing

timber interiors

environmental control

structures projects

www.buildinginnovations.co.uk Published by: Link2Media Limited Editorial Office: Barn 3, Dunston Business Village, Stafford Road, Dunston, Stafford ST18 9AB Tel: 01785 711591 Fax: 0845 862 8639 info@link2media.co.uk www.link2media.co.uk

Front Cover photograph kindly supplied by GLASSOLUTIONS. Kathryn Dalgleish, Marketing Manager examines the way in which interior glass technology has developed over the years and is now used to create practical yet inspirational interior designs for commercial buildings. www.glassolutions.co.uk - Full story on pages 52-53

VISION

www.reardonsmith.com Title: Reardonsmith Completes JW Marriott Absheron In Baku Location: Baku Architect: ReardonSmith Architects

The much anticipated JW Marriott Absheron hotel designed by ReardonSmith Architects has opened in Baku. A striking symbol of national regeneration in a city that is seeing unprecedented growth and is eager to take its place on the world stage, the building makes a significant contribution to the architectural transformation of the city’s skyline.

An existing Absheron Hotel was demolished to make way for the new 21st Century icon and the new building has been constructed on the approximate footprint of the old hotel with previous façade lines respected, allowing an increase in the landscaped elements of the development to create an ‘oasis’ environment. The JW Marriott Absheron is part of a high- rise mixed-use development comprising 16 floors of private residences, serviced apartments, retail and offices as well as the 23-storey hotel – all of which have been designed by ReardonSmith Architects.

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Since the building is adjacent to Government House and overlooks Baku’s significant Azadliq (Freedom) Square, the brief called for a prominent landmark with an imposing symmetry onto the square. It was also a principle objective to provide one of the most extensive and sought-after food and beverage offerings in the city and to accommodate the JW Marriott feature of a multi-use ‘Great Room’.

The result is a contemporary building sited on a formal axis within a newly landscaped park, relating to and reflecting the monumental Azadliq Square.

The park flows into gardens and these rise up a stepped incline providing a ceremonial promenade through a landscaped urban garden to the restaurant terraces and onto the entrance to the restaurants, bars and function spaces at first upper floor level. The outdoor area also creates a tiered seating amenity from which to watch the festivals and events that take place in

VISION

the square. The main hotel entrance is placed to the opposite, east-facing façade. Inside, the public areas continue the flowing narrative with use of double-height volumes, glazed elements and staircases to create a seamless linking of lobbies, pre-function areas, ballroom, restaurants and bars.

Since a principal objective was to satisfy the local wedding and events market, a 1,200 sq metre column-free ballroom was achieved that can be subdivided with each space enjoying independent service access. The ‘Great Room’ has been created by bringing together the ground floor reception areas to the east of the hotel with the first upper level bars and restaurants to the west, the structural design of which, sitting below a 21-storey building, had to be carefully considered in order to create a flexible hub.

As a result, transfer trusses have been introduced to allow the central columns to be grouped, creating a monumental gravitas that responds directly to the architecture of Azadliq Square. The brief also required that all the residences would have prime views over the Caspian Sea and that visual clutter, such as car parking, was to be resolved. At 24 metres below sea level, excavation was restricted, allowing only for a single basement level that would be needed for car parking. Operating plant has therefore been housed on the ground floor within the stepped podium.

spaces direct views onto the square and affording uninterrupted views of the Caspian Sea beyond. The total building form is dramatic with the residences and serviced apartments segregated in two oval balconied ‘wings’ which frame the central fully-glazed component, crowned by a roof that curves in its own plane.

The impression is of a building that appears to be fluid and in motion. The façade is 50% glass, coated and triple glazed for energy efficiency with perforated trusses introduced at podium level to stabilise the fascia against Baku’s high winds. A balance of horizontal and vertical elements creates rhythm to the building while the cast stone panels and frameless glazed elements have been assembled in a minimal manner to ensure simplicity of construction and appearance. The JW Marriott Absheron has 243 large guestrooms and suites, ranging upwards in size from 40 sq metres. There is also a double height rooftop pool hall and spa.

“The completion of the JW Marriott Absheron marks a very special moment in the evolution of ReardonSmith,” says Managing Director, Conrad Smith.

“We are well-known for award- winning hotel restoration and refurbishment projects and now this new hotel, designed to compete with the best in the world, demonstrates that we also deliver modern new buildings fit for leading international hotel brands.”

The additional concept requirement of hotel entry, reception and concierge on ground level to the east side, gave further logic to elevating wining and dining areas to the first upper floor with the advantage of giving these

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VISION

www.capitasymonds.co.uk Title: Plans Submitted For New Blackburn Bus Station Location: Blackburn Architect: Capita Symonds

Plans have been submitted for a new £4m bus station in Blackburn. Designed

by Capita Symonds – on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council – the new station will be situated in the heart of the town centre on the site of the former market, adjacent to the town’s shopping centre and a new market development.

The relocation of the bus station to the new site will increase footfall outside the shopping centre and the new market, while maintaining a direct link with the rail station and the nearby cathedral quarter development. The brief for the bus station has been developed in conjunction with the future operators/managers of the facility who expressed a desire for a striking yet functional design that provides a safe and secure environment connected directly to the pedestrian realm. The facility will contain 14 bus stands plus an additional three layover spaces, space for public functions and community events, a café and retail kiosk and a focal hub building.

The design is conceived as a light weight elegant canopy within the centre of the town which sails over the concourse area.

The two storey hub building is positioned at the southern end of the concourse and accommodates a travel information centre and public/staff welfare facilities.

www.adp-architecture.com Title: Transformational Primary School Opens In Hartlepool Location: Hartlepool Architect: ADP LLP Photograph by: Andrew Heptinstall

ADP’s approach to school design emphasises that the design should be centred on the needs of the pupils and teachers and this philosophy ran parallel to the school’s own strongly articulated vision for their school. ADP considered it essential that the aspirations of the school were fully understood from the start of the project. The school’s ultimate goal for the new building was to be ‘the best possible place for children to flourish and be successful life long learners and ready for their journey into adulthood.’

Key to Headteacher Jane Loomes’ passionate commitment to the scheme was that pupils were to be taken on a journey of selfdiscovery and independent learning, facilitated and guided by the teachers. To accommodate this, it was important to create a fluid learning environment where teachers could adapt and respond to different approaches and the individual needs of children. Flexible learning and teaching spaces were therefore fundamental, enabling the rapid reconfiguration of large groups of children into smaller and/or more specialist teaching groups.

ADP designed ‘class bases’ fitted with acoustic curtains that can be easily drawn, dividing a group of up to ninety children into smaller configurations as required. This allows pupils of similar abilities to be taught collectively, helping to achieve more personalised learning. The learning areas are open, welcoming and airy, created by natural daylight and high quality furniture. The school wanted a facility that would offer pupils more immersive learning experiences and opportunities for them to grow in their own way. This has been achieved through the integration of state-of-the-art technology throughout, and includes interactive teaching walls and the extensive use of wireless technology.

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VISION

www.isgplc.com Title: ISG Delivers Luxury Hampstead Home Location: Hampstead, North London Architect: ISG

Grand art-deco inspired entrance with custom-made chandelier

ISG has completed a £multi-million project to remodel and fit out a luxury new build home within the grounds of the first Earl of Mansfield’s former mansion in Hampstead, North London.

‘Mansfield House’ takes its name from the original residence, which was demolished a number of years ago. The base build for the new property was carried out by a different contractor, with ISG then brought in to make structural modifications to the internal layout and complete a wide-ranging fit out from shell. ISG worked closely with the Project Manager Jackson Rowe, Architect, Garnett & Partners and prominent Interior Designer, Tim Gosling, to realise the client’s vision, which was based on the grandeur of the SS Normandie, an art-deco classic.

The extensive fit out requirements included a complex control system with lighting, AV and radio systems in every room connected through a central building management system and controlled via a remote control touchscreen interface. ISG also installed a climate control system throughout the property as well as a passenger lift. In the basement, a large heated swimming pool was created, alongside a lounge area, high specification cinema, a games room and staff quarters.

The exceptionally high specification of the fit out included eglomise mirrored panels, gilded coffer ceilings and black and gold marble flooring, with the contractor also installing luxury fittings and joinery elements throughout the property, including a bespoke kitchen and a custom-made, unique chandelier designed by lighting specialist Sharon Marston. Externally, ISG was responsible for all hard and soft landscaping, including the installation of a feature copper water fountain in the garden area.

Grahame Roberts, divisional managing director of ISG Fit Out, commented: “Taking on a project from another contractor can be challenging, but our experience in the luxury homes sector meant that we were quickly able to take charge of the scheme and complete the remodelling and fit out works to the very highest standards. In a bespoke, £multi-million home, achieving an outstanding quality of fit and finish is our core priority and Mansfield House is an excellent example of our craftsmanship and rigorous attention to detail.”

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Imagination Wins The Troldtekt Acoustic Panel Award 2012 Matthias Kisch from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Amy Linford from Newcastle University have won first and special awards respectively in this year’s Troldtekt Award just announced. Architectural and design students from 23 countries entered the concept competition, submitting an extensive array of creative and original ideas about how Troldtekt’s traditional acoustic panels can be used.

The judges’ committee was unanimous in nominating Matthias Kirch from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts as winner of the EUR 5,000 prize. His concept was for a flexible modular system of Troldtekt panels called ‘Acoustic Synecdoche’. To illustrate the idea’s potential, he created a floating sculpture – or acoustic cloud –designed to hang above a table, with the option of integrating lighting. By simply adding little joints he makes the material appear to fly. The idea is decorative yet at the same time very functional in terms of both acoustics and lighting.

The standard of the proposals was so high that the judges’ committee also awarded a Special Prize to Amy Linford from Newcastle University in the UK. Her ‘(Fabric)ated’ proposal conceived a new and unique Troldtekt panel with an irregular, wavy surface.

This involves a process of casting a panel with a structure inspired by the wood fibre which of course is the basis of the Troldtekt acoustic tile. The result has a beautiful texture, and is aesthetically appealing thanks to the imprecise and more organic look, where no two panels for ceilings or walls are the same.

Amy Linford said ‘I am delighted to receive this award which was specially introduced because of my innovative idea.’

“We received proposals from architectural students in many countries, even as 010

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far away as Venezuela,” said Peer Leth, CEO of Troldtekt A/S. “We are delighted that a Danish building material should spark so much interest around the world,” Acoustics in practice Troldtekt natural ceiling and wall panels offer the building designer the perfect combination of an ecologically and biologically sound material with excellent technical and sound absorption performance. Additional benefits include resistance to fire and humidity, high durability, natural breathability and low cost life cycle performance.

Architects widely specify the tiles to improve the acoustics inmany different buildings, such as in schools, swimming pools, commercial and public buildings. Reverberation can be reduced further by adding mineral wool behind. This has the same absorption as a suspended ceiling but saves space as well as system and installation costs. In some cases, even greater acoustic comfort can be achieved by lining one or more walls with the tiles.

See the many exciting proposals and interviews with the judges and winners at www.troldtekt.com/award ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 1

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THE BOOK/NEWS

RAK Ceramics Launches New RIBAApproved CPD Seminar RAK Ceramics has launched a new RIBA-approved CPD seminar. The new seminar, entitled ’Ceramic Tiles – any colour but always green’ will assist in specification for domestic and commercial environments. Seminars will be offered from RAK’s UK training facility, in Petersfield, Hampshire, or can be arranged to suit group or individual needs.

With a strong environmental focus, the new seminar aims to provide greater understanding of the sustainability features of ceramic tiles, in addition to performance characteristics. Content will include the latest slip and wear resistance classifications and key installation considerations, as well as aftercare and maintenance.

Sustainable manufacturing processes will also be explored, along with the suitability of new types of products within different environments and supporting case study examples. www.rakceramics.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 3

CAB Highlights Aluminium’s Latest Targets CAB has made a significant contribution to the first annual report of the Windows Sustainability Partnership (WSP), by communicating the latest global aluminium objectives and targets and highlighting the progress of its own current and planned UK projects.

In 2010 CAB contributed to the Windows Sustainability Action Plan which is owned and overseen by the WSP, a group made up of representatives across the windows supply chain. In the last year CAB was elected Chair of WSP while it prepared its inaugural 2012 Annual Report, an activity coordinated by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The Report captured evidence of the impacts on each product type, including aluminium, across their lifecycle and it can now be freely accessed on the Defra website and is also available from CAB. The International Aluminium Institute (AIA) has established a number of global sustainability objectives on which the Action Plan highlights progress. For example: Between 1990 and 2010 the aluminium sector achieved its 10% target reduction in smelter electrical energy per tonne of aluminium.

Between 2006 and 2020 there was a target reduction in energy use per tonne of alumina of 10%. A 9% reduction was achieved between 2006 and 2010.

To increase the proportion of bauxite mining land rehabilitated annually. Annual rehabilitation area of existing bauxite areas is equal to the average annual area being opened up. In this steady state environment, bauxite mining is ‘land area footprint neutral’ and sustainable.

CAB also highlighted in the report its important ongoing work with BRE on updating the aluminium’s generic profiles as well as future projects. www.wrap.org.uk/content/windows-sustainability-action-plan ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 4

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THE BOOK/NEWS

Benchmark Launches New Evolution Webpages

Save Water With Yeoman Rainguard

The Evolution range provides a stylish, sleek, laser flat panel with a unique series of design features that allow maximum creative flexibility. A stunning new section has been created within the Benchmark website to showcase the true potential of this exclusive panel.

On the website you can see the simple, contemporary design brought to life through flowing animations and case studies. An interactive diagram highlights the various ways in which Evolution can benefit a project, from tailor-made custom design to lifetime insulation continuity, thermal performance and air tightness. There is also a video animation showing how the folded edge of Evolution Q2 panels can be used to create a 3D view to the vertical joint. www.kingspanbenchmark.com/products/design-wall-series/evolution

Yeoman Rainguard, the market leader in rainwater systems, has come up with another innovative addition to its range – Rainwater Diverters. Manufactured from Cast Aluminium, the Yeoman Rainguard Rainwater Diverters come in Black Textured Finish as standard, or are available to order in other BS or RAL colours.

Designed to complement the successful XL range, the Diverters easily connect to an adjacent water butt via a flexible hose connection (included). When the butt is full, overflow water continues down the rainwater pipes in the normal way. The Diverters are available to suit 75mm Dia XL or 75 x 75mm XL pipes. www.rainguard.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 7

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Pegler Yorkshire Joins The Renewables Roadshow 2012

Kingspan Insulated Panels Awarded Prestigious Carbon Trust Standard Kingspan Insulated Panels (Kingspan Ltd) has continually been at the forefront of industry initiatives to minimise carbon emissions and energy usage, and is currently working towards net zero energy. These efforts have now been officially recognised with the company being the first manufacturer of insulated metal cladding systems to be certified to the prestigious Carbon Trust Standard.

The Carbon Trust Standard is designed to provide a robust, objective analysis of a company’s carbon performance over a number of years. Plans to further reduce carbon emissions are ongoing, with an application to construct two large wind turbines at the Holywell site currently at the planning stage. The measures all form part of Kingspan Group’s wider overall aim of achieving Net-Zero Energy across all Group facilities by 2020. www.kingspanpanels.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 9

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Pegler Yorkshire is to showcase a host of energy optimisation products at the 2012 Renewables Roadshow. The Roadshow aims to make energy efficient technologies more accessible to the UK's specifiers, contractors and installers. Pegler Yorkshire will display a full range of energy efficient products from valves to interface units and water saving taps.

Visitors to the Pegler Yorkshire stand will get to see the remarkable benefits of the Terrier i-temp, a programmable radiator control that allows the time and temperature in each room to be fine tuned with no change to the master programmer. The Terrier TRV will also be on display featuring its recently acquired A rating label from the TELL scheme, the European product classification for the efficiency of TRVs. Plus Pegler Yorkshire’s water saving products will be on show including a selection of water conserving designer taps, from the renowned Francis Pegler range and Performa electronic taps. www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 8

New CPD notes 16_05_12_Layout 1 17/05/2012 08:46 Page 1

By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Manufacturer and Supplier of Secondary Glazing Selectaglaze Ltd. St. Albans

CPD Update Of Selectaglaze’s ‘ Understanding And Specifiying Secondary Glazing’

SELECTAGLAZE secondary glazing

CPD Seminar Notes

Professional solutions for enhancing window performance

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Selectaglaze has produced a completely new version of its RIBA Approved CPD. Secondary glazing is extensively used to enhance window acoustics, improve thermal performance and raise security levels within all types of existing building. The presentation offers guidance on standards for noise insulation, conserving energy and security and deals with a full range of design issues. Small product samples are made available and detailed seminar notes provided to all participants. There are a large number of existing buildings which need to be improved or adapted for changed use and this presentation will be of great relevance to Specifiers and conservation specialists involved in this type of work. www.selectaglaze.co.uk/literature/index.php ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 10

THE BOOK/NEWS

Low-Maintenance Permeable Paving Whether used in isolation or as an essential Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) technique, concrete block permeable paving has proven itself over decades of successful use around the world. Updated guidance from Interpave now brings together evidence that maintenance requirements are much lower than previously thought, making it even more cost-effective.

There is now extensive experience of permeable paving in use within the UK with numerous examples in place for many years without maintenance or any problems.T here is therefore a growing consensus that - apart from cosmetic cleaning – maintenance such as mechanical sweeping and refilling of joints with the correct aggregate need only be carried out at intervals of 5 years or so, subject to more regular visual inspection or manufacturer’s recommendations to the contrary.

And, of course, with concrete block permeable paving the maintenance required for conventional piped drainage is eliminated. With conventional systems, regular cleaning of gulleys, oil separators and other equipment is notorious for being omitted and this lack of maintenance is often implicated in causing localised flooding during extreme weather events. It is also important to remember that any problems with concrete block permeable paving would become obvious on the surface, unlike the complex below-ground inspections needed for pipe drainage.

These and other issues are discussed in detail in Interpave’s updated ‘Understanding Permeable Paving’ guide, intended to help all those involved with the development process to understand concrete block permeable paving.

‘Understanding Permeable Paving’ and a case study on the Lamb Drove SuDS Monitoring Project can be downloaded free of charge from www.paving.org.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 11

QUALICOAT Annual Report Released Qualicoat UK & Ireland announce the release of QUALICOAT’s Annual Report which is now available as a download on the Qualicoat UK & Ireland website. Qualicoat UK & Ireland join seventeen other national associations located around the globe who have also adopted the QUALICOAT standard for the architectural coating of metal profiles in the construction industry.

The QUALICOAT standard is internationally recognised and can easily be specified in one country, coated and supplied locally to the exact standard across the globe.

QUALICOAT’s head office is based in Zurich and the membership make up the technical working committees who further the understanding of coatings when used in construction. Of prime importance today is life expectancy and life cycle analysis.

With some of today’s advanced formulations, a finish can offer a lifetime of protection with the benefit of reduced maintenance schedule.

The annual report offers an insight to the QUALICOAT organisation.

Copies of the QUALICOAT Annual Report and the current standard are available at www.qualicoatuki.org

annual report 2011

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architectural coatings

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Retro Expo – Essential To UK Low Carbon Market A new three-day exhibition and conference taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from Tuesday 30 October – Thursday 1 November 2012, will focus on the most decisive ways to deliver the UK’s energy efficient future and fully understand The Green Deal. Retro Expo will provide an essential guide to the technologies, products and services, that can help the construction and refurbishment industry deliver low carbon retrofit projects for less money, less disruption but with more quality and more visual impact.

Comprising of five dynamic core elements – an exhibition of retrofit innovation, The Green Deal Summit, the Retro Expo Awards, Retrofit Buyers Forum and Retrofit Knowledge Hubs – Retro Expo is supported by a range of key industry bodies and is delivered in partnership with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and BRE. Dedicated to the low carbon boost of existing buildings in the domestic, commercial and public sector markets, Retro Expo will bring together thousands of professionals from across the retrofit supply chain, from Green Deal Providers, RSLs, Local Authorities, Housing Associations and blue chip occupiers and landlords to specifiers, assessors and installers.

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Retro Expo will also feature the flagship Green Deal Summit. The definitive strategic conference on The Green Deal, delivered in partnership with DECC and BRE. Bringing together leaders from across the value chain, from clients to installers, the Summit will address key issues such as finance, generating demand, ensuring high standards of workmanship and achieving affordable technological solutions.

For the first time ever all of the UK’s leading city councils – Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol and Greater London Authority – will be coming together on this national platform to talk about their retrofit plans.

The Green Deal Summit The definitive conference on The Green Deal aimed at senior-level stakeholders from across the refurbishment value chain. Entrance to The Green Deal Summit is subject to a delegate fee, but Summit delegates have free access to the exhibition and the Summit schedule allows plenty of breaks to enable them to visit. Delegates can buy individual modules, multiple modules or a pass for the entire Summit.

THE BOOK/NEWS

range of Green Deal stakeholders will be represented including MCS, Gemserv, BRE, National Refurbishment Centre and a range of Green Deal Providers.

Knowledge Hubs The exhibition floor also plays host to four free of charge seminar and demonstration areas. They offer something for everyone, with Technical Masterclasses on Building Services and Building Fabric, the Technology Strategy Board’s Retrofit Case Studies Hub whilst The Retrofit Journeys Hub will help all professionals to find their niche in The Green Deal.

Retrofit Buyer’s Forum Designed to connect large-scale buyers of goods and services under The Green Deal with manufacturers and service suppliers. The Forum will provide diarised appointments for over 100 buyers in one-to-one meetings. Buyers will be from main contractors, local authorities, registered social landlords, specifiers, commercial clients and end users, as well as merchants and Green Deal Providers.

The Green Deal Summit will comprise of seven modules including: Module 1: Green Deal Finance Module 2: Driving Demand Module 3: Retrofit at Scale Module 4: Retrofit Learning and Innovation Module 5: Retrofit in the Social Housing Sector in Partnership with Sustainable Housing Action Partnership (SHAP) Module 6: Green Deal Skills Module 7: The Green Deal and Beyond.

Retro Expo Awards The Retro Expo Awards recognise excellence in retrofit products, projects and people across the domestic, commercial and public sector markets. The launch of The Green Deal promises much for the retrofit market, but it is already an established and thriving market in its own right worth £32 billion per year in the UK alone. With finance tight and the newbuild sector struggling, retrofit is both a means of maintaining asset value and supporting organisational sustainability priorities, as well as enhancing the building user’s experience and achieving carbon reduction targets. The awards will recognise and celebrate excellence in all stages of the retrofit process. From large scale retrofit procurement to enabling technologies, real-world projects and R&D trials, no other awards event will bring together the dynamic retrofit.

There are 12 Award categories in total: Section 1: Innovation and Products 1. Building Fabric Product Innovation of the Year 2. Building Services Product Innovation of the Year 3. Retrofit Innovation of the Year Section 2: Projects 4. Domestic Retrofit Project of the Year 5. Community-driven Retrofit Project of the Year 6. Non-domestic Retrofit Project of the Year 7. Public Building Retrofit Project of the Year 8. Large-scale Retrofit Project of the Year 9. Retrofit Client of the Year Section 3: People 10. Excellence in Retrofit Training Award 11. Outstanding Personal Achievement of the Year 12. The Retrofit Pioneer Award.

The Green Deal Summit’s seven modules can be purchased by delegates individually or in any combination up to and including a full conference pass.

Delegate prices range from £75 to £289.00 + VAT per person.

For more information visit www.greendealsummit.co.uk Retro Expo – major industry names on show The exhibition element will showcase energy efficient products and services for retrofit in the domestic, commercial and public sector markets. The exhibition will feature more than 150 exhibitors, including leading names such as Travis Perkins, SIG, Knauf, Polypipe, Ideal Heating, Vokera, Technology Strategy Board, NICEIC, and Intergas. As well as the technology providers, a

Entries will be judged by an expert, independent panel of members of the Retro Expo Editorial Board. Winners will be announced at The Retro Expo Award ceremony taking place on 31 October 2012 at The NEC, Birmingham.

Tickets and a table for this fantastic evening of celebration can be purchased from www.retroexpoawards.co.uk Retro Expo will take place at the Birmingham NEC from 30th October – 1st November 2012.

For more information and to pre-register visit www.retro-expo.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 13

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Ardex And Building Adhesives Limited Team Completes Three Peaks Challenge A team from ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Limited have completed the National Three Peaks Challenge on 23rd and 24th June 2012, in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital raising £10,000 in sponsorship.

A hardy bunch of eight participants, along with a fantastically supportive back up team, took part in the challenge that involves climbing Britain’s three highest peaks, Ben Nevis in Western Scotland (4,409 ft), Scafell Pike in the Lake District (3,209 ft) and Snowdon in North Wales (3,560 ft), all within 24 hours; a total hike of 11,178 ft, driving 415 miles between the mountains.

In appalling weather conditions’ the team conquered Ben Nevis, with snowfields on the top, in 4 hours 40 minutes.

The rain was horizontal most of the time and, because of the amount of water coming off the mountain, it meant that the team were not walking along a track, but through a stream! The next stage, Scafell Pike, was again tackled through a raging torrent of rain, but the team all made it up and down the mountain in 3 hours 15 minutes. After a ‘soggy’ mini bus journey, better weather conditions thankfully greeted the weary trekkers at Snowdon, where they completed the peak in 3 hours 30 minutes.

All eight members of the team walked over the finishing line to complete the challenge inside the target time of 24 hours, finishing in a brilliant 23 hours 30 minutes.

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Peter Bell, Managing Director of ARDEX and Building Adhesives Limited said, “I have to say, the effort and camaraderie of everyone in our team was immense.

This challenge provided us with not only a physical challenge, but one where we had to overcome mental fatigue as well. I can’t thank Great Ormond Street Hospital enough for providing us with the opportunity to participate and raise money and awareness for such a great charity. I would also like to thank and praise my colleagues, who were inspirational and showed what can be achieved through teamwork and endeavour”.

Present at the £10,000 cheque handover were Mark Dove, Area Sales Manager for Building Adhesives Limited for East Anglia, with his wife Charlotte and 14 month old baby Olivia. The money will be specifically targeted for use on the ward that Olivia was, and is still being treated. Accepting the cheque from Peter Bell, Managing Director of ARDEX and Building Adhesives Limited is Lucy, the sister on Olivia’s ward. www.ardex.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 14

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Good times for all.

What can Stannah Lowriser platform lift do for you?

Project: Access over a 1-metre flight of steps from street level to the lower-ground restaurant in Chimichanga Bar & Restaurant Location: Bournemouth, Dorset Refitting Specialist: Gary Bluff Projects Limited Lift: A Stannah Lowriser vertical platform lift Result: Mexican dining and good times made totally accessible for wheelchair users

Call Stannah on 01264 339090

www.stannahlifts.co.uk

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ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 15

THE BOOK/NEWS

Portakabin Helps To Meet Rapid Growth In Demand For Primary School Places Figures from the Department of Education have suggested that more than 450,000 extra primary school places will be needed by 2015, even though many schools are already at or over capacity.

As a result, more local authorities across the UK are turning to Portakabin modular solutions to deliver high quality teaching accommodation as a fast response to these demographic changes.

Commenting on the issue, Robert Snook, Director and General Manager of Portakabin Hire said, “High levels of international migration and increasing birth rates are putting acute pressure on primary school places nationwide, with particular rises in demand being seen in London, the South East and in the major cities such as Bristol and Birmingham.”

“The provision of teaching accommodation using modular construction is a highly effective solution that more LEAs are turning to, allowing them to react very quickly to an increase in demand for places, which can be very difficult to predict. However, if a child is learning in an interim building for two years that could be one third of their time at that school – so the quality of the education environment has to be of the very highest standards.”

Portakabin completed a complex project to deliver a range of permanent and interim classroom solutions for Bristol City Council. It provided a series of buildings to create an additional 630 primary places in 12 schools across the city, which were all delivered on budget and on time.

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The buildings ranged from single classrooms hired for up to two years, to a permanent two-storey brick clad building with a lift and suspended ceilings. All the classrooms were supplied to tight timeframes and with features such as toilets, climate control, access ramps, security and alarm systems, children’s sinks, finger guards on doors and projector mountings. Portakabin also undertook all planning requirements, project management, foundations, landscaping, services and fitting out.

Commenting on this challenging project, Mike Bosdet, Principal Building Surveyor at Bristol City Council, said, “We expect to need at least 3,000 more primary places across the city by 2015. To accommodate the increased demand for places, Portakabin successfully delivered a range of buildings to the programmes we needed. A rapid response is always critical to help us address place planning issues and we simply could not have built classrooms conventionally in such a short timescale.”

“The performance of the Portakabin team was excellent throughout and we have total confidence in them. They are technically excellent and their ability to project manage and organise the different requirements of each school is second to none.”

“Whilst there may still be a perception issue around modular classrooms, particularly for interim use, our experience has shown Portakabin buildings to be excellent – light, warm, modern and comfortable. We are also impressed with the size of the classrooms, which is often superior to the school’s existing classrooms.”

Rob Worsfold, Head Teacher at Air Balloon Hill Primary School, said, “We have five other interim buildings on our site but the Portakabin building is by far the best. It is more modern, spacious and warmer through the winter. It allowed us to increase the number of reception classes from three to four and will remain in use until our new permanent building has been completed. I am pleased to report that we have not had one negative comment about the interim classroom and the teacher was over the moon with it.”

Portakabin modular teaching accommodation can be configured and fitted out to the exact requirements of the school and the site. The approach is also completely flexible – classrooms can be linked to the existing school, the floor area can be increased or reduced in line with local needs, and the building can remain in use for as long as it is needed. www.portanews.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 16

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Chiltern International Fire Focuses On Passive Fire Protection At Timber Expo 2012 Chiltern International Fire (CIF) will be exhibiting at Timber Expo 2012 as an official show partner, this year highlighting the importance of passive fire protection. Visitors to CIF’s stand will get an overview of the range of services the company offers, including its redeveloped fire resistance testing facilities and training opportunities.

The particular focus this year will be on the importance of correct specification, installation and maintenance of passive fire protection products within timber frame construction and how CIF can help companies ensure they meet the required standards. In addition, Peter Barker will be presenting on Passive Fire Protection during the afternoon of the 25 September in Theatre 2. Other activity CIF is undertaking at the exhibition is: ‘Fire Protection Measures – Understanding Your Responsibilities’ – a half day seminar on the morning of the 25 September, in the Aylesford Lounge, Floor 2 of the Ricoh Arena. It will be a free event and delegates will also be able to visit Timber Expo in the afternoon.

Places are limited to 50 – book your place on the seminar by emailing training@chilternfire.co.uk www.chilternfire.co.uk

Brett Landscaping Proves Flood Mitigation Qualities Of Its Concrete Block Permeable Paving Brett Landscaping illustrated just how effectively its concrete block permeable paving can absorb a sudden deluge by conducting a test involving the dumping of 400 gallons of water. Ex-England striker Tony Cottee, who now works for Brett client Rudridge, turned the tap that released hundreds of gallons from a tanker onto the 52,000 sq m Sixfields site in Northampton, which was laid with Brett’s Omega Flow paving. As soon as the final gallon fell, all that was left was a damp circle just 2m in diameter. The test underlines concrete block permeable paving’s use in Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). www.brettpaving.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 18

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 17

Accolade For STYROFOAM As Greening-The-Box Retrofit Project Wins Gold

RigiSystems Ziplok BBA Certification RigiSystems Ziplok Standing Seam Roof Systems have achieved renewed BBA certification, which now covers the complete roofing system. In addition to the Ziplok profiles themselves, certification now covers the use of RigiSystems unique Thermohalters, and the Corogrid bar and bracket support system, in both standard liner and structural deck applications.

Commenting on the certification, RigiSystems Sales Director Grahame Rankin said, “RigiSystems pioneered the systems approach to roofing. We are very pleased to have now achieved BBA approval for our complete systems and appreciate the confidence which this will give to specifiers and contractors alike in using our products and services.” www.rigisystems.org ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 20

A house in High Wycombe wrapped with STYROFOAM™ insulation has won Gold in the Built Environment category of the Green Organisation’s Green Apple Awards. Designed in accordance with Greening-the-Box™ methods, Greening-the-Box High Wycombe designs out reliance on fossil fuels and helps to mitigate energy price rises. 200mm thick STYROFOAM–A insulation was used as external insulation for outside walls and below a new in situ concrete ground floor slab, lowering the building’s average rate of heat loss to 0.35 W/m2K: a very considerable 620% reduction compared with previous performance of 2.17 W/m2K. Residents have benefited from 80% reduction in running costs and a 100% reduction of fossil fuel use since adaptation. CO2 emissions have also been reduced by 18 tonnes per year.

The High Wycombe adaptation included making changes to fenestration to increase solar gain from the south and reduce heat transmittance to the north. 5.5 KWp of photovoltaic panels were also added to the property. www.styrofoam.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 19

ArmourFX Decorative Wall Panel Systems Armourcoat will introduce ArmourFX® - custom-made decorative wall panels, evolved from their renowned range of applied seamless wall finishes - at 100% Design in September (E151 ‘Eco Design & Build’). ArmourFX® decorative wall panel systems include finishes and substrates suitable for all applications. Armourcoat’s specialist designers and artisan plasterers can create integrated custom wall panel systems or design statement single artwork pieces. As all modular systems, the panels can be hung and removed as required.

All panels are provided with finished edges and are ready for hanging with French cleats or ‘Z’ clips. Plaster finishes are applied to flame retardant formaldehyde-free MDF, Sculptural pieces are made from noncombustible mineral plaster. www.armourfx.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 21

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Kilsaran Expansion Planned For UK Market Kilsaran International, manufacturers of concrete products for professional, trade and consumer markets, is expanding its presence in the UK as part of its international growth ambitions.

The Group, founded in 1964 by the McKeown family, is the largest independent concrete products manufacturer in Ireland, with turnover in excess of £60 million, and is planning to build upon this impressive reputation in the UK. Kilsaran is already well established in the UK and has a network of key industry relationships including builder’s merchants Benchmark Building Supplies. Their involvement with Benchmark has given the Group a local presence based at Trafford Park, Manchester which has strengthened Kilsaran’s UK business base.

The Group manufactures paving, walling and pre-mixed concrete products and also mines its raw materials from its own quarries. The emphasis on providing bespoke and innovative solutions to both the commercial and domestic markets will be a primary focus for the UK. Kilsaran has already completed several prestigious projects across the UK including a number of Dobbies Garden Centres where their permeable block paving system, Clima-Pave has been installed. Clima-Pave is a simple yet cost effective solution for contractors, to assist in solving the local planning requirements of a sustainable urban drainage system. The Group also opened a state-of-the–art production and showroom facility in Ireland recently and prides itself on pushing the boundaries in landscape innovation, whilst providing additional employment in these difficult economic times. The Group has 300 employees and with the expansion into the UK, more jobs will be created which can only be good news in the current economic climate. www.kilsaran.ie/uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 22

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 23

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GALLERY/PRODUCT/TILE OF SPAIN Title: Tile Trends From Spain Theme: Latest Tile Trends from Spain Visit: www.spaintiles.info

Cutting-edge technology meets Mediterranean creativity in the latest offerings from the Spanish tile industry. Recycled materials, shapes inspired by natural geometry and a new homage to traditional methods and aesthetics mark a celebration of design and the joy of living…

Nature - recycled glass mosaics by Onix

Authentic Inspiration The attraction of vintage and artisan-inspired ceramics represents a return to cultural roots, focusing on the traditions of Spanish craftsmanship while also offering contemporary beauty and functionality. Spanish tile manufactures such as Vives, Natucer, Tau, Grespania, Cevica, Decorativa, Pamesa and Inalco now offer ceramic products recreating the aesthetic nuances of time-honoured craft, adapted to the latest technologies. Effects range from tiles imitating mosaics, to vintage patterns on low maintenance ceramics, to subtle textural imperfections and traces of ‘the human touch’ achieved on slim profile tiles.

Albaicin by Tau, inspired by country scenes of Andalucia, pays homage to the best folk traditions and values while adapting to the present day in both design and colour, suitable for interiors and exteriors.

Grespania and Pamesa find inspiration in Catalan crafts and architecture for a series of vividly coloured contemporary tiles with a ‘trencadis’ effect. Trencadis is the traditional Catalan mosaic made from fragments of tiles, as seen in many Spanish architectural landmarks – from Gaudi’s Park Guell in Barcelona to Calatrava’s City of Arts and Science in Valencia.

Albaicin by Tau

Vintage geometric patterns, typically used for mosaic flooring and traditional Spanish handmade cement tiles, are given new life by companies such as Saloni and Vives in the form of practical contemporary ceramic versions, with the help of the latest digital technologies.

Honeycomb Geometry The journey of the design world back to the innate beauty of nature continues – from re-using its resources, and re-exploring its colours and textures, to re-applying one of its most genius geometric forms – the hexagonal shape of the honeycomb. The Spanish tile industry has been quick to respond to the growing demand for repeating hexagonal shapes. Always ahead of the trend, Spanish tile manufactures now offer an enticing range of honeycomb inspired designs - from sophisticated decorative ideas to technologically advanced porcelain for exteriors and high traffic areas.

The Spanish brand Natucer celebrates a passion for details with its new Caprice range of prefixed honeycomb shaped tiles with subtle textural patterns, and also with Casella, a new range of mosaic effect tiles with multicolored hexagonal tessellates.

Xtreme Hexagonal by Apavisa

The high tech porcelain specialist, Apavisa has added a hexagonal shape to three of its most advanced ranges - ArchConcept (featuring 3D ‘bump’ effects), Neocountry (chemical and stain resistant porcelain) and Xtreme (tiles with corroded metal effects). All of these high tech porcelain tile collections are suitable for stylish interiors, as well as for exteriors, public spaces, high traffic areas and ventilated facades.

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Going Green The inherent durability and versatility of tiles have made them a wise choice for centuries, but the Spanish tile industry also has a longstanding and conscientious response to sustainability. From brands such as Vives, Keraben, Apavisa, Roca, Porcelanosa, Rosa Gres, Colorker and Onix achieving key eco accreditation to tiles designed to absorb pollutants from the atmosphere, the initiative is on-going and includes imaginative new tile collections made with recycled content.

The new Nature mosaics range by Onix is made with recycled glass. With each ton of recycled glass, Onix saves 1.200 kilos of raw material – and a ton of potential waste. The wall mosaics made from 98% recycled glass are complemented by the NatureADZ floor mosaics with anti-slip qualities, specially created for flooring in public spaces and for wet areas.

Renowned Spanish tile manufacturer Roca presents Top Green, new generation porcelain tiles made from 80% pre-consumer recycled material. Equalling the technical and aesthetic benefits expected from Roca, Top Green combines beauty, functionality, high-tech performance and sustainability. The minimally styled Green Urban range offers a smooth finish in various colours and formats and is suitable for extensive use as flooring and cladding, either indoors or outdoors.

Ceracasa’s groundbreaking Bionic Tiles are a ceramic product capable of cleaning the air by breaking down harmful pollutants. The tiles are treated with a titanium dioxide glaze that breaks down nitrous oxide in the presence of sunlight and humidity through a photocatalytic process. In order to maximise their air-cleaning capability Bionic tiles have a surface structure modelled after the natural ability of leaves to trap pollutants.

Casa Collage by Bosch-Capdeferro, Tile of Spain Awards winner for Interior Design

SPANISH TILES: An industry undergoing constant innovation Spanish tile manufacturers remain at the cutting edge of research, development and innovation designed to provide end users and professionals alike with high quality products to meet their evolving needs. This continual creative effort, combined with renowned quality and skill, positions Spanish tiles as the product of choice for modern design and maintains the industry’s reputation as a thought and production leader in an increasingly impressive scale of international markets.

Bespoke tiles by Decorativa

The Bionic tiles by Ceracasa absorb pollutants from the atmosphere

Made in Spain, widely available in the UK. For UK supplier info, contact: Tile of Spain 020 74672385, consumo.londres@comercio.mineco.es ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 24

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GALLERY/PROJECT/STANNAH LIFTS Title: Stannah – A Moving Service In Liverpool Cathedral Location: Liverpool Product: Bespoke Glass, 8-Person, 2-Stop, Through-Car, MRL (Machine Room-Less) Passenger Lift Visit: www.stannahlifts.co.uk

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The installation of a Stannah bespoke glass, 8-person, 2-stop, through-car, MRL (machine room-less) passenger lift in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral by the North West England & North Wales branch of Stannah Lift Services is bringing access for all to the beautiful lower-level Lady Chapel.

With the bespoke passenger lift’s assistance, people of all mobility levels can access this tranquil haven to sit for a period of quietness, prayer or reflective contemplation. They can also view the reredos (altarpiece) and principal windows from a balcony directly opposite the altar, and the newly restored window depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

Working in partnership with the Cathedral’s building company, the bespoke passenger lift was supplied, installed, tested and commissioned by the Stannah Lift Services team to a specification by international consulting services company, Lerch Bates.

This specification demanded that: the centre line of the top floor door is central to the point of the existing stone arch; the rear of the top serving entrance is cladded in plaster board; the lower level is fully glazed – to include a glass landing door – in order to minimise impact on the surrounding architecture and maximise the sense of space.

The lift’s motor room-less feature economically houses the operational elements in the lift structure itself and, by positioning the lift counterweight to the rear of the shaft, persons on the lower level corridor can see through the glass lift shaft when the lift is on the upper landing. The lift is programmed to relocate to the upper landing after a period of inactivity.

Stuart Haynes, Media Manager for Liverpool Cathedral, comments: “Before the arrival of our Stannah bespoke passenger lift, access to the Lady Chapel was by stairs only, so many of our visitors missed out on its valued presence in this magnificent Cathedral. Not only has the lift brought democratic access to the Chapel, it is sympathetic to the Gothic Revival architecture, complementing the ecclesiastical environment to become an integral part of the building.”

The Stannah bespoke passenger lift is serviced by the North West England & North Wales branch of Stannah Lift Services, part of a nationwide network providing 24 hour, 365 days a year support. This covers service, repair, modernisation and refurbishment of all types of lifts, stairlifts, escalators and moving walkways – not only those from the Stannah product range, but also other lift manufacturers’ equipment. Stannah also offers a bespoke lifts service, custom-building lifts to meet customers’ specific requirements.

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 25

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GALLERY/PROJECT/LONZA WOOD PROTECTION Title: Tanalised Clear Providing Wood Protection At Durham University Location: Durham Application: Tanalith M Metal-Free Wood Preservative Visit: www.archtp.com

A number of buildings at Durham University's Durham Project, a major redevelopment, have been clad with Tanalised Clear pressure-treated timber protected using Lonza Wood Protection's Tanalith M metal-free wood preservative.

Barclay Roofing has created a Tanalised Clear pressure-treated Western red cedar rainscreen system that curves around the walls of the buildings, part of the Gateway section of the Durham Project. The rainscreen system has been designed both as an attractive finish in keeping with the Gateway development's goal for an environmentally sustainable rebuild, and to prevent water getting to the structure of the building. Barclay Roofing installed the rainscreen under contract to the main contractor, Laing O’Rourke.

As well as providing up to 30 years protection against possible decay and insect attack, Tanalised Clear pressure-treated timber is also protected from certain fungi which can stain or discolour the wood. This new and innovative treatment helps retain the natural colouration of the wood, keeping it looking cleaner and brighter for longer.

Barclay Roofing managing director Paul Trelease said: "We were asked to use Western red cedar because it’s an attractive and versatile timber that doesn't split and has a long life. However, it can discolour very quickly. Using Tanalised Clear pressuretreated timber will help stop this discolouration and enhance the aesthetics of the building for a prolonged period."

Tanalised Clear pressure-treated timber has proven performance against fungal decay and insect attack, and is designed for exterior cladding, decking and timber building applications that are out of ground contact and where an uncoated finish is required.

The Durham Project is a multi-phase estates programme that aims to enhance Durham University's provision of world-class facilities for research, education, administration and community and cultural engagement, as well as enhance the overall city environment and opportunities. The Gateway section of the project aims to redevelop a key University site into an environmentally sustainable build of the highest standard.

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GALLERY/PROJECT/FOREMANS RELOCATABLE BUILDING SYSTEMS Title: Foremans Recycled Modular Buildings For One Of UK’s First Primary Academies And Free Schools Location: Enfield Application: Highly Sustainable Recycled Modular Building Solution Visit: www.foremansbuildings.info

One of the UK’s first primary schools to achieve Academy status has used a highly sustainable recycled modular building solution from Foremans Relocatable Building Systems to expand its classroom facilities.

As an Academy, Cuckoo Hall in the London Borough of Enfield is independent from the local authority and directly accountable to the Department for Education. It has been recognised twice by Ofsted as outstanding, with achievements well in excess of national standards.

The school is managed by Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust, which in response to the high demand for places, has opened a new sister primary school, Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy, under the Government’s free schools programme. In order to accommodate the new school’s reception and nursery classes until its own building is completed on an adjacent site, Foremans has provided additional teaching facilities at Cuckoo Hall.

“Cuckoo Hall is in such high demand, that we had 270 applications last year for 120 places. And with the predicted growth in birth rates in surrounding areas, this demand looks set to continue”, said Simon Ward, Business Director at Cuckoo Hall Academy.

“The new buildings have given us a highly cost-effective interim solution which certainly doesn’t look like a temporary facility. The finished classrooms have surpassed all our expectations, delivered excellent value for money and are just what we were looking to achieve.”

He added, “We are very pleased with Foremans’ performance. We like the way the buildings look and feel, and would definitely recommend the approach to other schools, academies and local authorities.”

Foremans has supplied 10 recycled steel-framed modules at Cuckoo Hall which have been configured as two adjacent teaching blocks to accommodate 120 children in three classrooms and one shared teaching space. The buildings, which are being hired from Foremans for an initial 12 months, are constructed to permanent standards and feature a decked area, timber cladding and a covered walkway to the main school.

Foremans completed the project in just nine weeks from receipt of order, helping to address the place planning issues in this London borough, and undertook all foundations, services, decking, steps and ramps, fitting out and cladding installation.

Commenting on the project, Mike Williams, Managing Director of Foremans, said, “This project successfully demonstrates how we can deliver affordable, flexible teaching accommodation in less time to help schools address serious place planning issues – and our ability to provide a higher degree of standardisation, which the Government is calling for.”

All Foremans’ recycled modular buildings are fully refurbished with new windows, wall linings, partitions, mechanical and electrical services, doors, flooring, and cladding, to create high quality accommodation for a wide variety of interim and permanent education applications.

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GALLERY/PROJECT/TECHNAL Title: A £48M Education Scheme In Hull Is The First Academy To Use Technal’s Revolutionary New Low Rise Façade System Location: Hull Application: Low Rise Glazing System Visit: www.technal.co.uk/MODAL

Sirius and Ganton Academy is a dynamic 21st century learning environment created to accommodate state-of-the-art facilities in Hull. It is also the UK’s first academy to be constructed using Technal’s revolutionary low rise glazing system. Designed by Aedas and built by Balfour Beatty Construction, this Hull National Academies Framework project has replaced Pickering High School and Ganton Special School.

This visionary new education campus provides an inclusive, student-centred community that includes a 1,650-place academy, specialist support for 40 pupils with visual and hearing impairments, and a special school for 88 pupils with special needs. Around 4,000sqm of Technal’s MODAL aluminium low rise façade system have been used across the campus – the largest application of this innovative new product in the UK to date.

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Finished in grey with grey glass and contrasting white windows, MODAL features on every elevation of this oval-shaped building, both as fixed lights and with a slim integral opening vent to minimise sight lines. Vertical aerofoil caps provide shade from the sun and Technal’s robust GXi balcony door which is fully integrated with MODAL, was also specified.

Commenting on the use of MODAL, Chris Le-flohic at architects Aedas said, “The MODAL system is an exceptionally good product for the application and has proved to be faultless on this project. Our specification was for a glazing system that would maximise natural light, and accommodate large floor-to-ceiling spans of glass without bulky frames. It also had to co-ordinate with the rainscreen cladding.”

“The system is highly versatile, has accommodated the shape of the building well, and has helped us to achieve a high light ratio. It is sufficiently robust for a demanding secondary school environment, has effective thermal performance to minimise heat loss and gain, and has delivered high levels of acoustic protection, which are important as the site is located near a busy road.”

John Cowie, Design Manager at Balfour Beatty Construction, said, “The MODAL system allowed us to keep the frame weight and size to a minimum for both aesthetics and natural light.

It has the benefit of a fully integrated opening vent that reduces the visible aluminium as an effective alternative to inserting a window into curtain walling.”

MODAL is a rapid-build façade system – and is the first in the UK to offer integral opening vents. It has an innovative modular design, which reduces work on site, installation time, and gives specifiers a much wider choice of configuration options.

The scheme achieved a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating for the design stage. Features designed to minimise its impact on the environment include biomass boilers, a wind turbine, rainwater harvesting, an air source heat pump, natural ventilation and highly glazed elevations to maximise natural light.

The new academy is set to make a lasting impression on the local community, with its creative design for a bright and modern learning environment. Its diverse facilities include performing arts and dance studios, a hair and beauty salon, external construction workshop, industrial-standard food technology rooms, and ICT-rich specialist rooms.

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 28

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Healthcare Security That Meets The Prescription There are few challenges more demanding than providing security solutions for the healthcare sector. Those solutions must be unobtrusive and offer no impediment to essential activities, but they must also efficiently and reliably protect staff, members of the public, costly medication and valuable equipment assets. The challenges are compounded by the need for healthcare facilities, in many cases, to be open to the general public and by the chronic tightness of budgets in the healthcare sector.

sector and a proven track record of successful work within it. Security Products from Siemens is just such a provider.

The company offers CCTV, access control and intruder detection systems that are ideally suited for applications in any kind of healthcare facility from the smallest local clinic to the largest city hospital. In addition, the company’s systems have been designed from the outset for interoperability, which greatly enhances their overall effectiveness.

For example, in a security installation with interoperable systems, the access control system can call on the CCTV system to record detailed images of a door where an authorised access attempt is being made. The access control system can also set and unset intruder detection zones automatically, and the whole security installation can communicate with the building management systems to reduce energy usage by, for example, turning off lights and turning down heating in unoccupied rooms.

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Further, interoperable systems lend themselves to central monitoring, either on site or off site, which means that all of a hospital’s security systems can be monitored from a single location. The security officers therefore have a clear overall picture of any developing situation and can quickly initiate a welltargeted response. Multiple hospitals and other healthcare facilities can often be monitored from a central location, with consequent large savings on staffing costs.

The extensive portfolio of equipment offered by Security Products comprehensively covers the requirements of the healthcare sector, and every item is backed by the

THE BOOK/SECURITY

company’s renowned technical support, which ensures that it will consistently deliver the highest levels of performance and reliability throughout its whole working life.

Security Products from Siemens has a truly comprehensive range of video surveillance products, including high-resolution wide dynamic range cameras with automatic day/night operation to ensure that they capture crisp clear images, indoors and out, even in the most difficult lighting conditions.

In addition to cameras, the company also offers all of the other key components needed for video surveillance, including high-performance video matrixes, network video recorders (NVRs) and monitors.

The Sintony and SPC ranges from Security Products provide dependable and cost effective intrusion detection solutions for healthcare facilities of every type and size. Controllers in the Sintony family can be used in conjunction with an extensive range of detectors including motion detectors, PIR detectors and even specialised detectors such as seismic devices. This enables the design of any system to be readily tailored to meet the exact needs of the user.

Further, to cater for the fast changing requirement often encountered in healthcare, installations can be reconfigured and extended easily and economically when user requirements change.

environments, including multiuser environments. The functionality of SiPass systems includes healthcare-specific functions, such as baby tagging, where an alarm is automatically generated if a baby is moved outside a predefined area by an unauthorised person, and wanderer control, which is widely used in geriatric units and care homes to provide a warning if a patient tries to leave the premises.

Security Products solutions are an effective and cost-effective way of ensuring organisation-wide security for users in the healthcare sector. They can provide constant monitoring of premises, large and small, without compromising accessibility for staff or the public, they can guard against unauthorised access to drugs, valuable equipment and sensitive data, and they can optimise staff deployment by providing real-time resource and security management.

Security Products from Siemens has market-leading products for the healthcare sector, allied with unrivalled expertise and an extensive portfolio of successful applications and satisfied clients. This expertise is the disposal of all of the company’s clients, new and old, ensuring that they always get the best performance, the best reliability and the best value for money from their security systems. www.siemens.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 29

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Kährs Rustic Oak Floor Installed At Aspace Tunbridge Wells Kährs Oak Staffordshire wood flooring has been installed through Aspace, Tunbridge Wells. Winner of the ECMOD ‘Best Retailer in Children's Market’, Aspace is a thriving children’s furniture, accessory and gifts retailer, with eight UK retail outlets. Kährs flooring was chosen to complement Aspace’s fresh, boutique-style interior whilst providing exceptional performance in the high traffic environment. All product was installed by D Kelleher Flooring Ltd for Principle Contractor and Shopfitter, Wedderburn.

Featuring Kährs award-winning multi-layered construction, Kährs Oak Staffordshire is a one-strip wood floor with a warm tone and knotty, rustic grain. The sustainable oak board has a micro-bevelled edge, along all sides, which emphasises the product’s plank format. A matt lacquer prefinish provides durability and, unlike many surface treatments, will not yellow over time.

All Kährs floors have a patented, glueless Woodloc® joint which allows boards to automatically align, for a fast and precise installation. Combined with Kährs construction, this provides an exceptionally stable surface that can be unlocked and relocated, refurbished and recycled at the end of its lifetime. All Kährs Original floors are offered with a 30-year guarantee and can be laid on most dry, level surfaces including concrete, wood and particle board. All products are also ideal for installation over under-floor heating. www.kahrs.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 30

Remmers Smooth The Way For Avolon A Remmers polyurethane (PUR) comfort floor system was chosen to compliment the new Dublin based headquarters of Avolon, the global providers of aircraft leasing and lease management services to airlines. The seamless flooring system was applied to the raised access floor of the reception and circulation areas, giving a flexible and comfortable finish to the new office whilst also providing a cleanable floor requiring minimum maintenance. This top of the range flooring system offers complete colour stability and maximum foot comfort wherever it is used. All Remmers PUR systems benefit from the almost limitless choice of RAL and NCS colours and the possibility of matt, silk or gloss finish – with or without our slip resisting additive – which does not compromise the cleanability of the floor. www.remmers.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 31

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THE BOOK/FLOORS

Welcome To A New Revolution In Entrance Flooring Matting With its contemporary linear design and rich pile height, Coral Welcome has the visual appeal of a luxurious cut pile carpet, yet this new floor covering from Forbo Flooring Systems is in fact a highly effective entrance flooring system designed to create cleaner, safer and more aesthetically pleasing interiors. Manufactured in line with Forbo’s green design principles, Coral Welcome is also a sustainable choice and makes a contribution to a building’s overall environmental credentials.

Available in eight strong and contemporary shades, each incorporating a black base yarn, Coral Welcome responds to the continued demand for linearity in design and brighter colourways, and can be used to deliver an unequivocal design statement in the all-important entrance area of a building.

The luxurious look and feel belies the fact that Coral Welcome’s yarns and backing cloth are made of recycled material and, as the product is produced in a manufacturing plant that has achieved virtually zero landfill, this innovative entrance flooring system can be classed as a ‘closed loop’ product.

“Coral Welcome is made from 100 percent recycled yarns captured from old carpet and fishing nets, while the primary backing is made from recycled PET bottles and recycled yarn,” explains Janet Lowe, UK Market Manager at Forbo.

“Our aim was to reduce the environmental impact of the product as measured by independent Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and we achieved a 60 percent reduction over the previous Coral range.” www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/moreinfo ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 32

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MCS Certification For Klober Solar Accessories Range As part of the UK’s commitment to the EU target that 20% of energy should be from renewable sources by 2020, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has published a new requirement for pitched roof solar installation kits. In addition to setting out clear performance criteria this requires all products to achieve certification within a maximum of 18 months from March 2012. It will confirm the fire rating and level of resistance to wind uplift and ensure that, as far as weathertightness is concerned, the presence of solar accessories do not reduce roof covering performance. For Klober’s Solar-Line range of solar PV and solar thermal accessories this will provide welcome endorsement of performance.

The Solar-Line Solar Outlet Kit ensures that cables can be passed neatly through the roof while remaining fully watertight around the point at which they do so. It enables the roofer to avoid cutting tiles and leaving wires either exposed or susceptible to abrasion. The kit contains a Universal Base Tile or Slate, cable outlet and Sealing Collar in any of 5 sizes. The collar can be used for up to 8 cables of 4-8mm including those from other services

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including those fitted at a later date. The long-term guarantee that wires and cables will pass through the roof without risk of damage prompted Alliance Homes to use the product on 1200 homes in North Somerset. The housing association places heavy emphasis on renewables to help meet carbon reduction targets and the Solar Outlet’s cable insert enables services to be accessed easily at any time.

Other products in the Solar-Line range include a Solar Panel Support which absorbs any stress placed on tiles (up to 2500 N/m2) and prevents humid air from entering the roof. A Universal Panel Flashing Apron has added relevance to MCS certification which requires a test of drenching of in-roof panels on a low profile roof. www.klober.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 33

THE BOOK/ROOFS

Kemper System Unveils KEMPERGRO A Complete Green Roof System Designed to enable specifiers to source a complete green roof from a single supplier, KEMPERGRO builds on Kemper System’s existing track record in the green roof sector. The KEMPEROL range of wet-onwet waterproofing membranes offers root resistance (FLL approved) and a service life in excess of 25 years, making them an ideal base for green roofs and a common specification beneath externally sourced green roof systems.

KEMPERGRO is a three section green roof system comprising a reservoir attenuation composite, growing medium and vegetation. The reservoir attenuation layer includes an upper filter fleece, central reservoir core and lower protection fleece, all three being factory bonded to maximise performance and simplify installation, with a further advantage of being manufactured from 90% recycled materials. The growing medium is 100% composed of recycled brick, tiles and green compost and is processed and graded to support an extensive range of sedum, meadow and lawn roof media. Whether the requirements are for sedum matting, plug plants or seeds, Kemper System can provide a solution to meet local climatic conditions, aspect, biodiversity and specifier preference. www.kempersystem.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 34

Rigisystems Has Education Zipped Up RigiSystems Ziplok 400 standing seam profile has been used to create a contemporary look to Light Hall Schools’ new sixth form extension at Solihull in the West Midlands.

In all, around 2,500 sq m of Ziplok were used in both straight and tapered format, complete with RigiSystems 20/100/1000 steel liner, flashings and fall arrest system.

Finish on all the Ziplok is RigiSystems MicroMatt weathered finish, which replicates the appearance of a roof after it has been installed for a number of years and the natural weathering process has taken place. Newly installed mill finish or stucco embossed aluminium can, in certain circumstances, cause problems with reflected sunlight creating glare. MicroMatt artificially ‘ages’ the profiles before installation, completely overcoming any problems associated with reflection.

The artificially aged surface changes to a naturally aged surface over a period of four to eight years. After this period, the behaviour of the roof is exactly the same as the original aluminium profiles, with no effect on performance or recyclability. www.rigisystems.org ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 35

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No Need To Shop Around For Metrocentre’s New Roof

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 36

...but no other rainwater system has one quite like it.

Rainline’s carbon footprint is significantly lower than many rainwater systems on the market, making it the ideal choice when sustainability is a key requirement.

Sika Liquid Plastics is completing the fourth phase of a major refurbishment of the roof at Europe’s largest shopping and leisure centre – the Metrocentre in Gateshead. Sika Liquid Plastics supplied a Cold Bonded BuiltUp Roof System. The roof refurbishment project had to be completed whilst the shopping centre was open, without causing any major disruption to the operations or cause inconvenience to the shoppers or retailers below. It was determined that Sika Liquid Plastics’ roofing system could be applied directly to the failed felt, which has helped keep disruption to a minimum. Decotherm insulation was installed to help improve the roof’s U-Value and the system was completed with a seamless Decothane membrane. www.liquidplastics.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 37

Combined with high performance and competitive pricing Rainline is one of the most effective solutions for the control of rain drainage on all types of buildings.

Rainline’s polyester coated galvanised steel construction offers minimal thermal movement and UV stability.

It will not crack, fade, blister or peel, is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance free.

Available in 10 standard high build polyester colours the finish of which is guaranteed for 15 years Rainline is also available in natural copper and Aluzinc.

At the end of its natural life, Rainline can be recycled further underpinning its carbon footprint and whole life costing credentials.

rainline sustainable rainwater systems in steel Lindab Ltd Building Products Division, Shenstone Trading Estate, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 3XB

Telephone: +44 121 585 2780 • Fax: +44 121 585 2782 Email: buildingproducts.sales@lindab.co.uk • www.lindab.co.uk 040

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Kingspan Earns Its Stripes At Morrisons Over 4500m2 of Topdek from Kingspan have been installed on the roof of a new Morrisons store in Ordsall, Manchester. Kingspan’s KS1000 TD Topdek is designed to simplify roof construction by combining a trapezoidal steel structural deck with high performance PIR insulation and a single-ply PVC membrane, in a single component. The system’s unique self-coring, “one-step fix” fastener solution, further increases the speed and ease of installation on both new build and renovation projects.

Architects Falconer Chester Hall specified Kingspan’s Topdek in two tones, Mid-Grey and Light-Grey. A further 380m2 of Kingspan’s K1000 MM Mini-Micro Architectural wall panels were installed around the top edge of the building’s façade. www.kingspanpanels.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 38

THE BOOK/ROOFS

Sandtoft Launches The Roofing Industry’s First Tile Recycling Service

VMZINC For King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery

Sandtoft has launched the roofing industry’s first recycling service for concrete tiles.

Ideal for large social housing re-roofing schemes, ‘RecoRoof’ prevents concrete tiles from going to landfill. 100 per cent of the concrete recovered by Sandtoft will be recycled, with as much as possible used to produce new ridge tiles for the project.

The service is currently being employed

by Liverpool Mutual Homes for a major refurbishment project involving 285 properties in Liverpool. Up to 12 tons of concrete each day is removed and transported back to the contractor’s waste transfer station where it is mechanically sorted and put into Sandtoft’s RecoRoof containers. The containers are collected by Sandtoft who is responsible for crushing and recycling the aggregate into its concrete production line to make Duracoat ridges for the roofs of refurbished properties.

The roofs on the properties are being retiled with Sandtoft’s Cassius large format clay tile, Olympus clay double pantile and Duracoat ridges. www.sandtoft.com

A standing seam VMZINC roof in a natural finish has been used on the new £16 million home of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The 5.4 acre site has achieved a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. The zinc complements timber cladding on buildings which provide stabling for 170 horses as well as a museum, veterinary clinic, workshops and the most modern blacksmith's forge in the British Army. Zinc was chosen for its sustainability in a design which is ‘carbon minus’ and will generate surplus energy by running entirely on bio-fuel derived from horse manure and bedding. The zinc roof incorporates solar chimneys which provide natural stack ventilation to the stables together with rainwater harvesting and S.U.D.S systems. www.vmzinc.co.uk

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 39

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 40

High Performance, Sustainable Roofing From Lindab

FAKRO Roof Windows For EnerPHit Home As part of plans to upgrade their 3-bed, 1952 detached home to incorporate PassivHaus components, Tina Holt and Richard Middup are working to achieve ‘EnerPHit’ standards. The FAKRO FTT U8 Thermo® quadruple-glazed roof window was chosen as its U-value of 0.58 W/m2K far exceeds the minimum requirement of 0.85 W/ m2K. The performance is achieved using thermally efficient glazing, a quadruple seal system and internal laminated pane to Class P2A. In the initial air tightness test a figure of 1.1 ACH at 50 Pascals was achieved with no detected airflow through the window seals. www.fakro.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 42

Lindab’s renowned steel manufacturing capability has enabled the company to produce Seamline - a high performance and sustainable standing seam roofing system that offers; an impressively low carbon footprint, minimal thermal movement, resistance to corrosion, is virtually maintenance free and long lasting and can be fully recycled.

Seamline is so flexible it can be fixed down to a pitch of only 5.7 degrees, even lower in certain circumstances.

It can be laid up to 15 metres in one continuous length for rapid completion of the roof. A choice of 15 high build (CFC Free) polyester colours, supported with a Lindab ‘peace of mind’ 15 year warranty allows the opportunity for Seamline to be specified on many types of buildings. An Aluzinc version of Seamline which offers a 20 year warranty is also available – this has a factory applied coating of aluminium and zinc to provide a stunning silver shimmering effect roof. www.lindab.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 41

Cembrit Slates Used For Kings Somborne Development A new housing association in Kings Somborne, Hampshire, has been given the A+ treatment with Cembrit’s Westerland slates.

The blue/black slates were used on a new housing development, Lancaster Green, which features a mixture of 21 dwellings from one bed to four bed properties. Cembrit’s Westerland, A+ rated slates, were used alongside natural clay tiles, to give the properties a smooth roof surface and authentic dressed edges, providing them a polished and elegant aesthetic. Westerland slate is a good alternative to natural slate as it has a similar appearance. Its attractive riven surface and natural dressed edges make it an ideal solution for situations where a traditional appearance is important. www.cembrit.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 43

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Pitched Green Roofs – A Modern Design Element More and more frequently pitched green roofs are being seen as providing an important visual design element for modern buildings.

There are widespread advantages in specifying green roofs, such as water retention, protection of waterproofing membrane and protection from heat and cold. However sometimes the appearance of attractive vegetation on a pitched roof is seen in itself as being the sole reason to specify a green roof when planning modern and sustainable projects.

Central Parc Prague, Czech Republic Stefan Zeller, Managing Director of Optigreen explains: “At first glance you don't even think that it is a roof you are looking at, however an area of 1,000 m² was greened with the Optigreen Pitched Roof solution. The range of possibile ways to use a green roof as a design feature for modern buildings is very wide.”

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Witchford Recycling Centre For the waveform roof of the new Witchford Recycling Facility the client selected an Optigreen Pitched Roof Solution. The low maintenance sedum planting will assist with rainwater attenuation and help to blend in the pitched roof with the local rural landscape.

BFI Master Film Store The 45° pitched roof on the new Master Film Store for the British Film Institute is an excellent example of a green roof that adds not only functionality but also an outstanding design feature to the building.

THE BOOK/ROOFS

Carol Costello of Edward Cullinan Architects, who were the designers of the award-winning BFI Master Film Store, said: “When it came to the design of the 45° roof at the BFI Master Film Store we chose the Optigreen T-System solution. With not many proven products for pitched green roofs available in the marketplace, we were able to rely on Optigreen’s experienced technical support for this challenging element. The green roof provided a sustainable solution for the building, enhancing the ecology of this rural site.”

In the UK specifiers and installers still tend to be unsure of the long-term effectiveness of pitched green roofs and fear the risk of a failing design. To ensure even steep pitched green roofs stay looking stunning calls for planning and installation by experienced green roof professionals.

Two factors are particularly important and need to be considered with regard to pitched green roofs: a reliable and permanently functioning anti-slip system and fastrooting vegetation in the form of pre-cultivated mats to help prevent erosion. The build-up, in particular the substrate layer, has a propensity to slip necessitating anti-slip measures. Typical tried and tested mechanical solutions involve either the use of a bearer and sill system which transfers the shear force to the roof eaves, or alternatively a netting and sill solution, which instead transfers the shear force across the roof ridge. The choice of system will very much depend on the shape of the roof and whether it is mono- or duopitch.

Under the right conditions permanently functional green roofs on steep roof pitches are entirely possible and have been successfully designed and installed by Optigreen for over 40 years. www.optigreen.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 44

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Balcony Systems Supplies Elegant Balconies For Chateau Valeuse Taking full advantage of extensive views across St Brelade’s Bay on the Channel Island of Jersey are curved and straight clear glass balconies supplied by Balcony Systems for the prestigious award-winning Chateau Valeuse apartments. The versatile Balcony 1 system with a handrail in Royal Chrome finish was installed by Pallot Windows, the island’s Balcony Systems dealer, at the striking Art Deco-inspired building which comprises 15 one to three bedroom luxury apartments.

Offering tremendous design options for larger external balconies and balustrading projects, the system’s elegant aesthetics complement the building’s 1930s streamlined architectural style.

Designed by Jersey-based Naish Waddington architects and built by AC Mauger Construction, Chateau Valeuse took third place in the ‘Best LargeScale Development’ category at the 2011 Jersey Design Awards. For Naish Waddington, clear glass balustrading was a key design element. ‘The strong semi-circular balconies are sculptural, dramatic and functional. The horizontality of the South Elevation is emphasised by the continuation of these balconies which span towards the central element. Chateau Valeuse is a calm, refined, modernist building, set within a landscape that evokes its seaside setting’.

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Project Architect Bruno Francisco commented: “Balcony Systems was able to provide a cost-effective frameless curved balustrading solution to ensure uninterrupted sea views. We were able to achieve this with semi-circular projecting balconies using the handrail as the structural tie without the need for vertical intermediate posts” Managing Director of Balcony Systems, Effi Wolff said: “As this impressive project shows, curved or straight panels, or a combination of both, can deliver the architect’s vision for an aesthetically-driven balustrading solution that is as visually stunning as it is practical.”

Balcony Systems is a specialist in sophisticated glass and aluminium balustrading solutions and stunning curved patio doors, supplying straight or curved external and Juliet balconies to exact client specifications. From single balustrades to multi-apartment developments, the company works with architects, designers and specifiers to deliver the most cost-effective, stylish and durable balustrade solution. www.balconette.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 45

THE BOOK/DOORS, WINDOWS & GLAZING

Cantifix Install Structural Glass Foyer At Kent Church Chislehurst Methodist Church was originally constructed between 1868 and 1870, with extra rooms being added at various points during the twentieth century. The main church underwent a refurbishment and modernization in 2011 to transform it into a multi-purpose worship and community space. As part of this scheme, Cantifix installed a new glazed entrance foyer, now known by church members as the courtyard.

Using structurally bonded fixed panels, PureGlaze casement doors, and a glass roof supported on 3 huge glass beams; the glazed foyer was designed to complement the much-loved old building - forming the main entrance to the church, and providing views across Chislehurst Common woods.

Fixed directly onto the original south wall of the church, the glazed foyer blends tradition and modernity seamlessly. The glass beams are supported on stainless steel shoes, which are set into the stone wall of the church; and the side return panels are fixed into a groove meticulously formed in the wall.

Both the entrance doors and the doors leading into the church are from the Cantifix PureGlaze range - which features an aluminium frame, sandwiched between two sheets of glass.

This means that there is no bulky framing to spoil the clean, sleek lines of the structure.

Cantifix has installed structural glazing at a wide range of listed and historic buildings, both public and residential – and understands the specific requirements of this type of project. www.cantifix.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 46

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New Steel System From Schueco Jansen Delivers Stylish 'All-Glass' Look For Structurally Glazed Façades With structurally glazed façades currently very much in vogue, architects and specifiers are expected to welcome the arrival in the UK of VISS SG, a new thermally insulated system from steel specialist, Schueco Jansen, which delivers the stylish 'all-glass' appearance they are seeking. The effect is achieved by means of a special toggle and channel system which holds the glazed unit in place mechanically, without the need for the traditional mullion/transom pressure plate and cover cap profiles.

This means that from the outside, only the narrow silicone joints between adjoining units are visible.

Utilising the outstanding structural properties of steel, Schueco Jansen VISS SG façades are characterised by long spans and large glazed areas. With the system being capable of supporting glass panes up to 2.5 m wide x 5.0 m high and weighing up to 800 kg, VISS SG delivers maximum transparency for the building envelope together with excellent 'U' values.

The thermally insulated steel mullions and transoms of a VISS SG system can accommodate double- or triple-glazed units up to a thickness of 70 mm and readily fulfil the requirements of current and future proposed Building Regulations. www.schueco.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 47

CWCT Success For Smart’s MC600 Smart Architectural Aluminium has announced their new MC 600 curtain wall system has successfully passed CWCT testing on the first attempt. The system achieved test results of Air: 600pa, Water: 600pa and Wind: 2400pa.

MC600 is a new curtain wall system capable of providing impressive, practical & economic glazed facades as a solution for both small and large scale multi-storey commercial buildings and ground floor treatment.

The system has been designed with efficient fabrication in mind. MC600 benefits from an inter-changeable transom/ mullion profiles that allow fabricators to utilise the same section for both purposes whilst achieving consistent sight lines. MC600 is assembled on-site by a stick build system and can incorporate Smart window and door inserts. www.smartystems.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 48

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THE BOOK/DOORS, WINDOWS & GLAZING

Enniskillen Hospital Puts Patient Safety First with Pyroguard Pyroguard fire glass solutions from CGI International have been installed as part of a £1.5m fire protection contract at Enniskillen Hospital, Northern Ireland. Designed and specified by specialist fire door manufacturer, TDSL, Pyroguard was used within high performance fire doors and screens throughout the new £276m state-of-the-art acute facility.

Appointed by main contractor, FCC Elliott, TDSL worked closely with CGI International to ensure the 2745 fire rated doorsets and 35 fire screens were installed within the specified timescales – just eight weeks from initial order to site delivery.

Designed with safety in mind, Enniskillen Hospital is the first facility of its kind in Northern Ireland to have a single en suite room for every patient.

With 300 individual patient rooms, this significantly increased the number of fire doors required as compared with a traditional open ward approach.

Ash Malhan, TDSL CEO, explains: “Fire rated doors are an essential part of any public development, but especially those where there are vulnerable people, such as hospitals. At Enniskillen, we installed one of the highest numbers of fire rated doors per square foot – which demanded a high level of coordination and efficient delivery of products to site.

“Working closely with CGI International, we were able to ensure the Pyroguard products were manufactured and ready when we needed them, ultimately keeping the project on track and enabling the handover of the scheme on time.”

Pyroguard fire glass solutions provide access to the full range of fire rated glazing products, including integrity only (E), integrity with radiation control (EW) and full integrity and insulation (EI). As an approved Pyroguard partner, TDSL is able to utilise these Pyroguard products as part of its own specialist range of fire rated door and screen solutions. www.pyroguard.eu or call 01942 710720 ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 49

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D R Services Turns Glass Into Silk Or Copper Mesh It's tough making glass laminates containing a decorative feature, a copper mesh for example, if they are designed to be used as frameless glass in a wet area.

“One of the clients currently coming to us wanted copper mesh inside the glass,” said D R Services director Julie Jarvis. “To do that in the past, you made a sandwich out of glass with the copper laid into it. Up to now it's always been with a PVB foil laminate that absorbs water, or a resin that also absorbs water, so it was impractical to do it frameless. On top of that it used to be that if you laminate glass it is much more bendy than the same thickness of solid glass.”

But the company has discovered a new Ionoplast interlayer that has enabled the company to create much stiffer laminated glass ideal for the gymnasiums, sauna, steam rooms and showers the company often works in.

“We have now got a new stiff interlayer that is waterproof, with the copper or with silk screening on the inside to give it some translucency, so that a gym, for example, would be out of public gaze,” said Julie Jarvis. “Because it is stiffer, we could make it using 6/6 toughened glass which gives us the rigidity of about 12 mm glass, whereas with the old laminate it would only have given us the rigidity of 7mm glass. As a result we have managed to do copper filled glass framelessly for a gym, sauna and steam room so that they look like ordinary frameless glass doors, but they don't have to have the waterproofing.

To do this we have cut the mesh back by 5mm all the way round so that the interlayer seals the metal invisibly.”

The very earliest form of laminate had a liquid resin that was poured into a glass envelope. The air bubbles were expelled and it was then left to cure.

After that came the plastic liner polyvinvyl butyral (PVB foil) as used currently in vehicle windscreens, but if you get a chip in the glass, water gets absorbed and it swells, leading to delamination and perhaps even cracking. EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate) is stronger than PVB. It's a waterproof polymer, but it

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was difficult to get the toughened glass flat enough to stick it together. It is still used commercially but usually on very thick pieces of laminate.

The latest generation of glass lamination uses Ionoplast (sometimes branded as Sentry Glass Plus). “This is basically a very rigid, clear interlayer,” said Julie Jarvis. “It's very strong so we can use it for things like balustrade glass.

We only need to use about half the amount of glass because even when fully broken on both sides, it's still rigid and stands up. It still needs an axe to get through it. We can now do really safe and intruder proof, frameless glass doors for shop fronts that look like absolutely ordinary doors, just the same as every other shop front. Even if these doors are ram-raided they stay in place. Once it's broken it stays there absolutely safe, blocking the door the way any other material would.”

D R Services learned about Ionoplast through its balustrading business. The company has worked with Ionoplast, developing and improving the DR-y® Shoe System. But use of the interlayer is not simply a matter of strength, as impressive as that undoubtedly is. Ionoplast also produces an attractive finish, offering translucency and aesthetically interesting light transfer.

The copper mesh interlayer used by D R Services was very fine at 30 threads to the inch and had a very attractive glistening copper colour. By using Ionoplast this enabled the inclusion of almost any kind of decorative effect not just a copper mesh.

“It's particularly useful close to swimming pools where it's very important that you don't get any of the broken glass in the filters,” said Julie Jarvis. “It is very difficult to get broken glass out of a swimming pool and filters can be destroyed by glass.” www.drservices.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 50

THE BOOK/DOORS, WINDOWS & GLAZING

SAS International System 8000 Comar And K2 Pool Talent Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, with their approved fabricator K2 Aluminium Systems, recently completed the £12M showcase Harborne Pool & Leisure Centre in Birmingham which has achieved a BREEAM rating of “excellent”. Comar 6 curtain walling is a versatile thermally efficient system designed to integrate panels and glass of different widths into the façade with special profiles to include opening vents and doors.

Comar 6 was selected due to its slim 50mm profiles which maximised the glazed area for natural day lighting. www.comar-alu.co.uk

SAS International’s System 8000 fully-glazed, frameless partitioning system combines aesthetics with outstanding acoustic, fire and structural performance. Offering design flexibility, System 8000 is available in traditional single and double glazing along with a new 50mm wide double glazed detail. Meeting the rigorous demands of large open plan spaces, a range of deflection heads, providing +25mm deflection are available with the new System 8000 partitioning system, along with SAS International’s unique C-Joint which creates the appearance of butt jointed glass without using silicone. This partitioning system provides up to 49dB acoustic performance, up to 60 minutes fire performance and severe structural performance. www.sasint.co.uk

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Smart Launch Vs600 Vertical Sliding Window

Total Glass Offers Triple Glazing And Grey On White Profile Total Glass has added triple glazed units and Grey on White PVC-U profile to its comprehensive product portfolio, further widening choice for installers and commercial specifiers.

The addition of 36mm triple glazing units enables the Liverpool-based window and door fabricator to offer ‘A’-rated PVC-U windows, manufactured from quality Profile 22 profiles, which achieve a whole window U-value as low as 0.8.

Rising demand for coloured frames has led Total Glass to now offer Grey on White windows in the popular RAL 7016 shade.

Available on a five-day lead time, the frames have an attractive foiled woodgrain finish and offer a cost-effective alternative to aluminium. www.totalglass.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 54

The VS600 vertical sliding window is a brand new innovation to the Smart product range. VS600 incorporates the traditional styling of sash windows with the advantages of modern thermal aluminium profile. A traditional sash window that may be used in heritage and conservation areas where Georgian and Victorian architecture is predominate. The ease of operation and excellent natural ventilation rates means that VS600 is also suited to high occupancy buildings. The window offers a flush opening with no projection into or out of the building.

As well as the vertical sliding sash, VS600 features a ‘tilt in’ operation that facilitates the cleaning of the external glass. The system features low line glazing gasket that will accept 28mm sealed units. The system can achieve overall U Values of 1.6W/m²K and a W.E.R. B rating.

VS600 windows also feature concealed drainage and a concealed coupling option. www.smartystems.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 53

Frame, Set And Match Vicaima has launched a new brochure outlining the range of solutions the company offers those looking for ways to reduce build time, address shortages in skilled labour and cut building costs. Vicaima’s new Door Kit and Set Solutions brochure contains full details of all options available to suit a variety of applications. Vicaima’s door sets and kits are available across three of their principal ranges – Exclusive, Essential and Classic. Vicaima offers door sets and kits in two formats. The Portaro system provides doors complete with frames, architraves and ironmongery with options such as sliding, inverse or pivotal doors and performance options including fire, acoustic and security certification. Portaro doors can be specified from a pallette of more than 30 different finishes with solid or hollow cores. The Block range offers simpler door kits and sets, which are supplied primed and ready-assembled, complete with essential ironmongery. www.vicaima.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 55

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Glazing Vision Focuses On Both National And International Growth Glazing Vision invest heavily on technology and service to keep abreast of national and international orders for standard and bespoke rooflights.

The best a lot of UK manufacturing companies can do in the current business climate is tread water, with UK, European and International sales seeing a lean time as economic constraints take their toll.

Not so, Glazing Vision.

With pipeline orders and current completions from as far afield as San Francisco, New York, Russia and Greece as well as the ever expanding home market, rooflight manufacturer Glazing Vision (GV) is proving that strategic investment in technology, production and staff takes you from a market competitor to a market leader in more than one country.

Jeremy Dunn, Technical Director Glazing Vision, said “This confidence is born out when you witness the state-of-the-art factory facilities and processes we now have in place. Our customers demand high standards and need products which are adaptable to their ideas. GV has been built on the fact that we are a bespoke company but with production techniques for the way we build bespoke products. Every aspect of design and manufacture is in-house.

Whether it’s electronics, software or the big new powder coating processes, from start to end, we have total control.”

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GV have not stood still in marketing either as Jon Shooter, Sales & Marketing Director points out. “We constantly see our initiatives replicated by other GV are innovators and as such lead the industry and drive standards. Take our website for instance. We have just completed a new online shop offering more stock sizes delivered in just 2 working days and we have also commissioned a new video which not only tells everyone (including our competitors) what we are doing but shows, first hand, our quality production facilities and processes.

Our acclaimed website resource centre used to be password protected but is now open to anyone interested in case studies, technical drawings, imagery and documentation.”

Jon continues “People will always try to imitate what we are doing, but it’s my job to make sure GV doesn’t stand still and we continue to deliver on our promises.”

GV are now entering a further planned expansion phase and the next six months will prove to be an industry defining period. www.glazingvision.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 56

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Freedom Of Control With Videx Digital GSM Access Control

Refurbishment Project Hits The Right Mark Thanks To Faber Blinds

Videx Security's GSM access control systems now have a capacity for up to 1000 apartments, or are suitable for just a single property. They are now available in both the popular 4000 Series and vandal resistant versions in standard and digital keypad/LCD display formats. They provide users with complete freedom of control and are a truly wireless access control solution. They use mobile phone technology to communicate with and operate doors or automatic gates. Both GSM kits and systems are available with 1- 50 call buttons or with a digital keypad and LCD display. These systems allow a call to be made to any mobile or land line, allowing a conversation to take place and the door or gate to be released. They are ideally suited to gate systems and remote site installations as no cabling back to a telephone is required. A number of useful features are included including dial-in to open the speech or release a gate or door and SMS messages to query the balance, latch a gate or door open, check signal strength plus many more options. www.videx-security.com

The refurbishment of a 1970s office development in London has presented Faber Blinds with an opportunity to create a stylish solution. The development at 24 Britton Street in Clerkenwell included a specific brief to create more flexible and comfortable office accommodation whilst improving the sustainability and environmental performance of the building.

The building cladding had reached the end of its useful life and in addition it suffered extensively from heat build-up through solar gain. Faber Blinds supplied more than 250 EOS 500 roller blinds - type 5-11 with screen fabric. This type of internal roller blind system makes a dramatic and functional statement, defining and controlling heat, light and views.

The Faber roller blind systems are adaptable and particularly suitable where there is a need to control solar glare and light transmission through the window. www.faberblinds.co.uk

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 57

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 58

New GEZE Slimchain Scoops Awards For Innovation And Quality A pioneering chain drive from GEZE has been honoured at one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation awards, the annual Plus X Awards in Cologne. The versatile Slimchain for windows, which is suitable for natural ventilation and as a smoke and heat extraction system (RWA), has won Plus X Awards for both ‘High Quality’ and ‘Functionality’.

The Plus X Awards celebrate Europe’s most functional, innovative and well-designed products, which reach the highest standards of quality and longevity. In addition to the two category wins, the Slimchain was named ‘Electric chain drive of the year’ and awarded the ‘Best product of the year’ quality seal.

“GEZE’s new control technology makes the Slimchain incredibly flexible,” said GEZE UK’s managing director Andrew Hall. “No two sites are the same, which is why it’s important that products like the Slimchain are adaptable and easy to adjust.”

The aesthetically-pleasing, discreet Slimchain has a broad range of application options and is adaptable enough to fulfil diverse requirements relating to loads, upstroke lengths, opening widths and the widest range of types of installation. With the maximum upstroke of 800 millimetres, it achieves a large aerodynamic opening width, meaning that it can also be used in natural smoke and heat extraction devices (SHEVs) in line with EN 12101-2. www.geze.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 59

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Inspirational Interiors In Glass Kathryn Dalgleish, Marketing Manager of GLASSOLUTIONS, formerly known as Solaglas, examines the way in which interior glass technology has developed over the years and is now used to create practical yet inspirational interior designs for commercial buildings.

Since being discovered nearly 5000 years ago when it was used in Egypt for jewellery, glass has evolved into one of our most versatile and striking building materials. The 20th century and more recent years have seen some of its most rapid technological advances.

Glass has transformed from being merely a decorative feature in jewellery and church windows to becoming a practical way to allow light inside a building and enable vision of the external environment, and has taken its rightful place as an inspiring building component.

Around a third of glass used in commercial buildings is used inside the building and GLASSOLUTIONS has recently announced a ÂŁ2 million manufacturing, operational and product development investment programme, which will

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expand its capability in this area. This on-going investment programme includes exhibiting its interior glass range at 100% Design in September at Earls Court.

The interior glazing products on show provide exciting wide-ranging creative options for applications such as partitioning, doors, floors, balustrades, wall cladding, signage, table tops, shelving, screens and feature glazing for the commercial market.

Internal applications Architecturally, glass is used inside buildings for its partial transparency and to visually connect one place with another by replacing the barrier of a wall. It is commonly used to let more light pass through an area, so the use of artificial light is used less during the day, and energy and cost savings can be made.

Glass can therefore be used in interiors to create dramatic visual impact, whilst offering environmental benefits such as reduced energy consumption.

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STADIP PRINT from GLASSOLUTIONS for example is laminated glass with a printed PVB interlayer. It is available in three variants: transparent, translucent and opaque. Spaces can be personalised with images, whilst the passage of natural light can be retained.

TEX GLASS is a new laminated glass product, with fabrics and metallic meshes encapsulated inside. It is used to create a dramatic feature in applications such as partitions, screens, doors, and furniture. When combined with either a back-painted glass or mirrored glass, the combined effect is an inspired solution for wall cladding applications.

But glass is not just used for partitions. Back-painted glass, for example, can be used for cladding walls, or as splashbacks or even worktops. Paint is applied to the rear face of the processed piece of glass, either as a single colour, with sparkle finishes, or with customised designs. Any colour is possible which enables full creative flexibility in the design of washrooms, bathrooms and kitchens in particular.

For example, washrooms inside The Shard, Western Europe’s tallest building, are as modern and dramatic as the iconic building’s exterior, with the installation of VITRIO back-painted glass from GLASSOLUTIONS.

The project featured a complex schedule to manufacture and deliver back-painted glass, used to line the walls of 78 washrooms within the 87 storey central London mixed-use building. GLASSOLUTIONS accommodated the intricate requirements set by fit-out contractor Swift Horsman.

to integrity and insulation (EI) glass, which also provides heat insulation.

Ratings range from E30 (30 minutes Integrity only) to as high as EI120 (120 minutes integrity and insulation).

Fire-resistant glass must only be used as part of an accredited fireresistant glazing system – which includes the glass, the glazing seal, beads, fixings and frame. All essential components of such a system must be compatible under fire conditions, and the performance must be referenced to appropriate and relevant test evidence.

GLASSOLUTIONS provides a range of fire-resistant glass including CONTRAFLAM, which is the only integrity and insulation fire-resistant glass to be manufactured in the UK. CONTRAFLAM consists of two or more sheets of toughened safety glass, where the cavity between the sheets of glass is filled with a transparent intumescent gel interlayer. This intumescent layer reacts when exposed to fire, turning opaque to block the view of the fire whilst acting as an indicator of its location, and expanding to provide a barrier against the heat. The protective interlayer is based on nanotechnology and is UV stable. It also offers high light transmission. In addition to its fire protection properties CONTRAFLAM also meets the demands of use of ‘break safe materials’ and offers optimum safety in escape routes and busy areas.

The key is to involve a supply chain partner such as GLASSOLUTIONS at the earliest design or concept stage, to ensure the most appropriate and innovative combination of products and processes are utilised in order to meet the needs of the project.

Architects continue to challenge engineers and glass manufacturers to produce the ultimate designs. The focus remains on creating buildings that are energy efficient and comfortable for the occupiers whilst showcasing a striking design – and glass continues to take centre stage. www.glassolutions.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 60

Back-painted glass is an increasingly popular choice for architects and specifiers looking for a product that creates a striking visual effect and is also functional, durable and easy to clean.

Fire-resistance The use of fire-resistant glass can be a real lifesaver in the event of a fire. It is therefore critically important that the specification, selection, and installation of fire-resistant glazing are all carried out with close attention to detail. Fire-resistant glazing may be used as a barrier as part of an integrated fire safety strategy for the building.

Different levels of protection are available, from integrity-only (E) which acts as a simple physical barrier to smoke, hot toxic gases and flames through

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Hörmann Meet The Style Challenge As market leaders in both garage and industrial doors, Hörmann has the technical expertise to provide the right solution whatever the project. When it comes to style and design, both up-and-over and sectional garage door frames are available to clad in a material and finish of your choice.

This way doors can be created to blend in with the building style and design or simply become a design feature in their own right.

The steel up-and-over frame is fully welded for strength, pre-drilled and then galvanised and coated in high-grade polyester primer. The design allows the frame to be either completely hidden or used as the door edges as a part of the desired look.

With space saving, insulated, weather-sealed sectional garage doors established as the standard across Europe, Hörmann has now developed an aluminium sectional door frame that can also be clad to suit your requirements. Based on the proven ALR industrial door this is especially stable and designed for reliable long term operation.

The BiSecur system is a bi-directional FM radio signal that uses the same 128 bit encryption favoured by banks for their online services. Signal strength is greatly improved and operational distance increases, however one of the key benefits of the BiSecur system is a remote status query function. A simple push of a button will tell you whether an out of sight door is open or closed. The multicolour LED light shows red if the door is open and green if closed.

New handsets, designed for the latest, series 3, automatic operators from Hörmann, are also adding style with their Red Dot award winning design.

Available in either a black or white high gloss finish that replicates piano lacquer, the new higher quality, tactile hand transmitters from Hörmann, are not only more stylish but also more secure. Featuring Hörmann's BiSecur radio system, the elegant design fits comfortably into the palm of your hand.

The door can be closed even when out of sight, the LED displaying a blue light until the door is closed and the light turns to green. In this circumstance It is recommended that an additional photocell is installed for added safety. Whatever your design challenge, Hörmann has the range, knowledge and expertise to deliver the style you want.

For more details simply call 01530 516888, e-mail info@hormann.co.uk or go to www.hormann.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 61

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American Softwoods Species – Douglas Fir Douglas Fir - Straight-grained and moderately heavy, with limited resin, Douglas fir is one of the most attractive and strongest of the Western softwood species.

The wood has a slight rosy cast; the sapwood generally a light straw colour and the heartwood a deep russet brown. Its appearance is prized for joinery, panelling, cabinets, flooring, windows and cladding. Its strength, straightness and ease of fabrication make it the perfect high-performance timber for structural uses, such as metal plate-connected trusses, framing, bridges and large heavy members.

One of the tallest on the continent, Douglas fir accounts for a fifth of North America’s total softwood reserves, is grown on 14 million hectares of forest in the Western Woods region and is readily available.

Medium texture, with a weight of 540 kg per cubic metre, and a high density, specific gravity and strength-to-weight ratio. Very stiff, with high strength values in bending, tension, horizontal sheer and compression. High shrinkage when seasoned from a green state, but minimal shrinkage and swelling once seasoned. Moderately durable.

America’s forests currently produce over 80 million cubic metres of sawn timber a year, making America the largest producer in the world. About 10 per cent of this timber is exported overseas.

As sustainability and carbon reduction become increasingly important to all building activity, wood’s compelling environmental benefits are helping to make it today’s building material of choice.

Modern forestry management ensures not only that felled trees are replaced, but that every year more timber is produced in US forests than is harvested. As a result, the US has more trees today than 70 years ago. 1.6 billion seedlings are planted in the US every year, the equivalent of 4.4 million trees every single day of the year. The carbon sequestration during each tree’s growth more than offsets the total combined emissions from harvesting, processing and even transport of the timber to the EU from the US. For more information on Douglas fir, other American softwoods species and UK importers and suppliers visit www.americansoftwoods.com. Watch for the new American Softwood species brochure, coming soon.

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 62

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Accoya is a long lasting product that can be used for numerous joinery applications including windows

Lathams All Set For Timber Expo 2012

A unique engineered wood, Dendrolight is just one of the exciting new products on Latham’s stand this year

With two high quality, clear faces, WoodEx is perfect for use in timber doors and windows

It looks like bigger promises to be better at this year’s Timber Expo. As well as the show being 50% bigger than in 2011, James Latham’s stand will also be 50% bigger, providing a platform to showcase an even wider range of products.

Plus, not only will James Latham be a Gold Sponsor of the show, they will also be hosting the VIP area where visitors will be invited to join them for refreshments and learn more about their extensive range of panel products, hardwood and hardwood flooring.

On Latham’s stand this year you will find a number of their new value-added products including HIF Finesse; a veneered panel which gives dimension, depth and texture to an otherwise flat surface, Dendrolight; a solid wood material that grants extra lightness and stability to natural solid wood as well as Accoya and Tricoya, two exceptionally durable and stable products which are suitable for a wide range of internal and external uses.

In addition, you will also see Latham’s range of Moralt doorblanks, plus WoodEx, its versatile engineered hardwood and softwood which offers two high quality clear faces, making it an ideal product for use in numerous joinery applications including windows and doors.

Chris Sutton, Director, Lathams who will also be a guest speaker at one of the Timber Expo 2012 seminars, commented, “Timber Expo 2011 was a real success for us and a perfect platform to let the industry see the expansive range of products that we offer, so with 50% more space this year and even more of our products on display we are looking forward to another terrific show.” www.lathamtimber.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 63

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Timber Expo – The Industry Hub The timber sector is a vital part of the UK’s construction industry. It is also a central component of how the UK will meet its low carbon and sustainable building targets. You can see and hear more about why timber matters, at the material’s leading dedicated show later this year.

The design, structural and sustainability benefits of timber will be explored at Timber Expo at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, 25 & 26 September 2012 where a huge programme of timber-related activity will take place including seminars, networking, technical tours and product demonstrations all taking place within the main exhibition area.

Running across both days the Timber Talks seminar programme will include nearly 100 FREE sessions and will be one of the most comprehensive, stimulating and thought provoking programmes dealing with timber.

Issue-based seminars will cover a range of topics, including the government's flagship Green Deal, Part L amendments, the EU Timber Regulation, building information modelling (BIM), designing to Passivhaus and Fabric First principles, environmental product declarations (EPDs), CE marking and the EU Construction Products Regulation. Similarly wide-ranging will be the building product presentations including timber connections, SIPs, modified wood, decking and cladding, fixtures, and protective coatings.

The sessions will be delivered from a diverse range of individuals and organisations ranging from TRADA, UKTFA and BWF to Arup, Kingspan, Ramboll, Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants and the Olympic Delivery

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Authority. Plus you will also be able to hear more from the deserving winners of the Timber Expo and TRADA-sponsored TTJ Innovation Award, who will be revealing the secrets of their success.

Seminar Theatres All Set For Action The Timber Talks programme will take place inside three separate bespoke timber theatres created by UKSIPS, Frame Wise and Deeside Timberframe with James Jones & Sons, especially for Timber Expo.

Seminar Theatre 1 - UKSIPS The UKSIPS Helix Theatre will be hard to miss. Its creative structure will be one of the highlights of the show and the name comes from the view from above. The sculpted roof panels form the shape of a helix and although it is purely an aesthetic aspect of the structure, it is designed to demonstrate that intricate shapes and overhangs can be achieved using SIPS technology.

The 60sqm footprint has only one structural beam – the ridge beam that runs down the centreline of the roof structure.

Seminar Theatre 2 – Frame Wise You will see a full range of panel systems including the new ‘Wise Wall’ series that was developed last autumn. There will also be glulam framework on the ground floor, cross laminated timber (CLT) for partitions, raised tie roof trusses plus various types of non-combustible wall panels. This will demonstrate how well the industry can work together and come up with ‘Smart Timber Solutions’.

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Seminar Theatre 3 – Deeside Timberframe and James Jones & Sons The structure is mainly single storey but incorporates the James Jones IntelliRoof system over one end of the theatre. The roof system will include a Velux Cabrio balcony window and there will be a JJI-Joist cassette floor panel to complete the room in the roof design. The wall panels will be made up of JJI, metal web and space studs (220mm deep) ranging in height from 2.4 up to 3.6m high clad with 9mm OSB sheathing with the walls sloping up from the main entrance towards the room in the roof section.

Timber Buyers and Home Builders Forums The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is backing one of the highly anticipated elements of Timber Expo by becoming sponsor and show partner for the Timber Buyers Forum. It will also be adding its own exciting dimension to the event with the addition of the HBF Buyers Forum – aimed at bringing key players in the house building sector together face-to- face.

Both Forums will be located at the heart of Timber Expo in the main exhibition space and will be truly exclusive parts of the show. With major names such as ASDA, BAM, B&Q, Jewson, Lend Lease, Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Vinci Construction signed up to take part in the Timber Buyers Forum. After a hugely successful first year, the Timber Buyers Forum returns in a larger, fresh format to provide a simple, structured and highly effective way for timber buyers to meet with new and existing suppliers. Nearly 50 contractors and clients signed up to the Forum last year, amongst them were some of the biggest, most innovative and forward thinking businesses in the construction sector.

The unique HBF Buyers Forum will take place on the first floor of the main Seminar Theatre (constructed by timber frame specialists Frame Wise) and will run along the same lines as the main Timber Buyers Forum. This focused Forum approach has proved to be highly successful in creating new business relationships and facilitating meetings that allow participants to get the most out of their time at Timber Expo. The primary aim of both Forums is for show exhibitors to access relevant Buyers, and match supplier’s wants with the Buyer’s preferences with each appointment scheduled to last 30 minutes.

Careers in Timber New features for 2012 include the Careers in Timber area. Responding to the skills shortage across the timber sector and construction industry generally, recruitment specialists ARV Solutions will be delivering and facilitating Careers in Timber. The area is designed to be the central meeting place for all those wanting to explore new roles, responsibilities and career opportunities in the timber, offsite sector and wider construction industry. Along with the expert knowledge, in excess of 60 years of combined experience and specialised advice on offer, there will be plenty of visual elements for visitors to see as well. A variety of large scale boards will show graphical statistics, facts and figures and job information, revealing the many layers of the timber industry and what roles and positions could be available to you. Importantly it will show where the connectivity is for those wishing to move across disciplines.

We are expecting over 5,000 UK and International visitors to attend the show, so it is crucial that you pre-register yourself and colleagues prior to your arrival, to make your entry and overall visit as smooth and stress-free as possible. www.timber-expo.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 64

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Out of the Woods: Adventures of 12 Hardwood Chairs The American Hardwood Export Council has collaborated with product design students at the Royal College of Art in London to produce and exhibit chairs during the London Design Festival.

Under the leadership of tutors Sebastian Wrong (Established & Sons) and Harry Richardson (Committee), the use of wood as a material and its associated Life Cycle impacts have been added to the Design Products programme and the students have been set the challenge of designing a functional chair or seat in an American hardwood of their choice.

Photography by Petr Krejci The designs have been developed in to working prototypes with the help of Benchmark, internationally renowned for its craftsmanship in wood and long-standing relationship with designer Terence Conran. The students camped out on Terence Conran’s lawn by night and descended on Benchmark’s workshops by day in early July where the company’s highly skilled craftsmen, led by owner Sean Sutcliffe, helped them turn their ideas into reality.

“I was very impressed with the quality of the designs and the students’ enthusiasm for their projects,” says Sutcliffe. “As experts in woodworking, we saw some very strong pieces come to fruition.”

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having worked with the likes of David Adjaye, Matteo Thun, Sou Fujimoto, Arup and Amanda Levete. But now its attention has turned to the potential stars of the future with a unique and ground-breaking project for students.

Education and research provides a unique element to the project because AHEC is using, for the first time, its ground-breaking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) research. AHEC has recently announced the publication of the ISOconformant report on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of rough-sawn kiln-dried hardwood lumber. The report, which has been prepared by sustainability experts PE International after an intensive process of data collection, analysis, and review, is the first stage of AHEC's LCA project. The report covers the environmental life cycle of hardwood lumber from point of harvest in the U.S. through to delivery at the importers yard in major export markets.

It provides quantitative data on Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential, Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, and Ozone Depletion Potential. It also provides a qualitative assessment of toxicity, biodiversity, land use and land use change, and water resource impacts. The report includes a sensitivity analysis to show how environmental impacts vary according to key factors such as species, lumber thickness, and transport distance and mode.

Using this data and data collected during the manufacturing process, including time spent on each machine and quantities of material used, each chosen prototype has been environmentally profiled using an ‘i-report’ system developed for AHEC by PE International. In producing detailed Life Cycle “cradle-to-grave” impact assessments for their designs this project allows the young designers to develop genuine understanding of the real and very direct environmental impact of their decisions when using U.S. hardwoods.

According to Sebastian Wrong, the project “offers a pioneering opportunity for students to create designs within the context of a stark reality.” His co-tutor Harry Richardson added, “it is not only a case of designing a chair that will survive physically far in to the future, it is also to produce a chair whose design will remain relevant far in to the future.”

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Floating Chair by Bobby Petersen and Tom Gottelier Photography by Petr Krejci

Studio Shots by Mark O Flaherty

David Venables, AHEC’s European Director who developed the idea for the project with Sebastian Wrong, says: “The talent amongst these students is astounding. This project has given them the opportunity to work with hardwood and the fact that they can also see and understand the full environmental impact of their design gives this collaboration extra relevance to today’s world, whilst setting it apart from other student design projects.”

Out of the Woods will be exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum during the London Design Festival, 14-23 September 2012. www.ahec.org ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 65

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Interior Film – A Room Revival Solution

Gripple’s Beautiful New Suspension Solution Matches Modern Lighting

For an innovative and creative way to revive an outdated reception area, office, boardroom or a shop, Interior Film from David Clouting Ltd is the perfect solution. Manufactured by LG Hausys, Interior Film is a selfadhesive, decorative film especially designed for the commercial and shop fitting sectors where speed of refurbishment is often time critical.

Interior Film can be applied to almost any substrate - this enables interior surfaces such as walls, doors, furniture, skirting and architrave to be attractively and quickly transformed. It has excellent flexibility and adhesion properties. Interior Film is fire rated, easy to clean and maintain, is hardwearing and remains stable when exposed to heat, humidity or low temperatures. Air free technology enables Interior Film to be easily applied to give a bubble free professional finish. www.davidclouting.co.uk

To complement the clean and aesthetic lines of lighting luminaires, Gripple has come up with a sophisticated and attractive suspension solution – the Squeezelock.

The new Squeezelock – a sleek, streamlined ‘barrel’ with a bright plated finish – is designed to suspend all lighting and signage accurately, with a 5:1 safety factor and a 15kg load rating.

The Squeezelock’s finger-friendly adjustment feature on its side allows easy, one-handed squeeze movement up or down wire rope, with no tool required. This year Sheffield-based Gripple secured a fourth Queen’s Award for Enterprise – the company’s second time for innovation! www.gripple.com

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Shower Tray ‘Anti Slip Kit’ Launched

Drinking in the New Design Bureau By The Lough, the Greater Belfastbased bar and restaurant business, has undergone a £250,000 redesign. One of its stunning features is a long bar front clad with Oberflex American Walnut real wood laminate from ABET LAMINATI. The design was inspired by the work of Paul Henry, a northern Irish post-impressionist painter, and this is reflected in MCA’s choice of materials and colour. The Oberflex laminate, complete with a mottled hammered finish, adds to the natural and atmospheric styling. Oberflex is a collection of real wood laminates which offers architects and designers the ability to combine the natural beauty of a real wood finish but with all the advantages and durability of high pressure laminate. www.abetuk.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 69

The significant dangers of people slipping over in the shower, in the bath or on wet tiles and bathroom floors has been addressed by the launch of the new MX Anti Slip Kit. Launched by the MX Group the new product offers a complete kit to make a shower or bath ‘anti slip’. The specially formulated and easy-to-apply no-slip surface instantly creates safety in wet showers and bath tubs and can be applied to tiles and floors as well. It’s hygienic and low maintenance, solvent free, environmentally friendly, colourless, durable but easily removable. The MX Anti Slip kit is ideal for retrofitting to baths and showers in retirement homes, nursing and care homes, sheltered housing, hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation facilities, swimming pools, sports centres, saunas, steam baths and homes across the country. www.mx-group.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 68

Yeoman Shield ‘Checks’ In At Prestigious New Hotel Yeoman Shield wall and door protection products have been fitted into the recently opened £24m flagship Hotel La Tour in Birmingham including Corner Protection Angles, and Door and Wall Protection in the hotel’s service corridor, store and staff rest room. The hotel’s maintenance manager Charlie Wilson said: “Installing Yeoman Shield before damage has occurred will help us to keep the internal fabric of our new building in good condition and cut back on the need to spend on expensive and time consuming remedial work.” www.yeomanshield.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 70

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Beko Backs British Business Embassy During London 2012 Olympic Games Beko is actively demonstrating its commitment to developing British business. Throughout the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the company is sponsoring the Terrace Pavilion at the British Business Embassy. A global initiative developed by UK Trade & Investment, the Embassy has been set up to generate billions of pounds worth of investment as part of the country’s Olympic business legacy. Showcasing the best that Britain has to offer across various industries, the British Business Embassy is supported by some of the biggest names in global business. Through its sponsorship, Beko is presenting its corporate credentials.

Levent Çakıroğlu, President of Koç Holding Consumer Durables Group and CEO of Beko PLC’s parent company Arçelik A.Ş., attended the opening Global Investment Conference at The Embassy. A series of 17 highgrowth sector and country days with thousands of prominent UK and international businesses registered to attend are to follow.

Ragip Balcioğlu, Managing Director of Beko PLC, announcing the sponsorship said: “As a UK-based company, Beko is proud to be supporting the Government’s Olympic trade and investment initiative. This activity is part of the company’s commitment to work closely with the British Government to increase trade and investment ties between the UK and Turkey. This sponsorship comes at a time when the Beko brand in the UK continues to go from strength to strength. We feel very honoured that Beko has been accepted by British consumers and become one of the leading white goods brands as a result. We are now the market leaders in washing machine, refrigeration and freestanding cooker categories and we take great pride in the UK awards we have received for innovation, quality and distribution.” www.beko.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 71

Decoflame® e-Ribbon Fire Since 2007, Decoflame has become the synonym for Danish Design and Craftsmanship on the market for bioethanol fireplaces. Comprising a large variety of both standard and made to measure bioethanol fireplace models, the decoflame® range of fires are amongst the safest and most stylish currently available.

In February 2012, the Denmark-based manufacturer introduced a second generation of electronically controlled ethanol-fuelled burner – the decoflame® e-Ribbon Fire (patent pending). Featuring cutting-edge technology, this remotely controlled burner can be installed as a stand-alone drop-down unit or as part of the decoflame® made to measure built-in bioethanol fireplace models Montreal and Orlando. The decoflame® e-Ribbon Fire combines ease of installation and operation with functional safety, introducing the joy and warmth of a real open fire to domestic and commercial fireplace applications without the need for a flue or chimney. www.decoflame.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 72

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Trend Signs Exclusive Deal With Missoni Fashion House Underlining its own style credentials, Italian tile maker Trend has signed an exclusive deal with internationally acclaimed fashion house Missoni, renowned for its colourful knitwear designs in a variety of natural fabrics.

Under the arrangement, one of Italy’s top design dynasties will use Trend’s authentic Italian glass mosaic tiles and modern agglomerate finishes in all Missoni hotels, boutiques, bars and restaurants around the world.

The two leading Italian names first came together when Trend decorated a series of large, iconic mosaic vases, originally conceived by Rosita and Luca Missoni, and hosted the launch of the Hotel Missoni brand at its luxurious Villa alle Scalette headquarters, in Vicenza. The Missoni fashion house is noted for a multitude of patterns like stripes, zigzags and abstract florals in a kaleidoscope of colours, as well as the use of state-of-the-art machinery and innovative textile techniques to achieve supremacy of design. It should thus have an excellent fit with Trend, which blends artisan processes with modern manufacturing to create unusual combinations of interior finishing materials and colourways that are equally distinctive in concept.

Described as a new kind of luxury hotel for the 21st century, the Hotel Missoni chain is being meticulously built, with a myriad of designer details, and Rosita is the day-to-day Creative Director, each property reflecting her personal style and values. There are already three Hotel Missoni, either completed or under construction, and plans for another ten in fashionable locations around the globe; while Missoni sells its ready-to-wear collection through upscale boutiques in Europe, the Middle and Far East, the United States and Russia. Trend will be supplying high quality decorative finishing products for these and future Missoni sites, helping to provide showstopping

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theatrical spaces, more intimate and fashionable interiors, and the brand’s flamboyant and eyecatching colours. Or as the company’s own website declares ‘an immense mosaic of Missoni design genius’.

Trend’s handcrafted glass mosaic tiles and luxurious agglomerate surfaces will certainly provide Rosita Missoni and other in-house designers with vibrant colours and a vast range of patterns and textures, to complement Missoni’s own hallmark flair. Offered in traditional and mini-mosaic formats, the Trend tile collection covers iridescent and enamelled effects, semi-transparent fused glass, eco-chic recycled textures, traditional hand-cut tesserae, and tiles crafted from 24ct yellow and white gold. Its equally striking range of agglomerate cladding and floor tiles provides a rich mix of Italian granite, natural quartzite and recycled glass materials, bonded together with a minimal amount of polyester resin for outstanding performance in high traffic areas.

The outsize vases, designed by Missoni and decorated by Trend with precious glass mosaic, are now showcased in the ultra-stylish lobby of the first Hotel Missoni in Edinburgh, as well as Missoni Home showrooms, and exemplify the new collaboration between these creative Italian companies. Trend’s artistic studio used hand-cut tesserae in 2 x 2, 2 x 1 and 1 x 1cm formats and traditional opus incertum laying techniques to recreate the characteristic graphic patterns of the fashion house. By translating these into Trend decorative materials, they introduce a new dimension and aesthetic to Missoni’s hallmark style. www.trend-group.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 73

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Stelrad Unveils Radical

Marble By Design From COMPAC

Stelrad Radiators, the UK’s leading radiator manufacturer, has unveiled its brand new Radical radiator. Radical is the first genuinely energy efficient radiator on the marketplace, offering a 10.5% gas saving compared to a standard heating system, a fact independently confirmed by KIWA - and includes some very clever technology that makes it stand apart from the crowd.

It’s the first ‘serial feed’ radiator on the UK market place and it’s an ideal companion to lower temperature renewable heating systems, with the return flow from the heating system to the boiler being at a lower temperature, ensuring that the condensing boiler is actually able to condense efficiently.

Full details of the new Radical can be found on the Stelrad web site at www.stelrad.com, or you can request details by calling on 0870 849 8058.

Natural marble, although beautiful to look at and touch, is extremely expensive, difficult to fabricate and costly to transport. Patterns and colours vary from slab to slab and it has to be carefully maintained.

It can also be fragile, easily stained, damaged and its excessive quarrying has had an environmental impact too.

COMPAC have been able to create ‘technological marble’- an engineered stone composite which has the look and feel of natural marble but with properties that eradicate many of the problems associated with it. Containing up to 96% natural marble mixed with resins, COMPAC’s technological marble has a hardness that is similar to marble but its resistance to impact and breakage is much greater. It has a consistent, uniform appearance and can be fitted to large surfaces without breaks or differences in colour tone being noticeable. Its porosity is practically zero and, like natural stone, COMPAC’s technological marble can also be polished, thus maintaining its shine and original appearance for much longer. www.compac.es

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 74

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 75

Cinder For Small Places JIS EUROPE of Haywards Heath has introduced another heated towel rail to its Sussex range named The Cinder.

The towel rail is manufactured for places with restricted space with only three horizontal rails. The Cinder is ideal for the smaller bathroom, wash room, downstairs cloak room or the kitchen.

The measurements are a compact 370mm high by 520mm wide. It can be used in dual fuel formats or electric, which will allow the rail to be heated when the central heating is turned off. The Camber towel rail is manufactured in 100% stainless steel, with satin finish available to order, making this radiator durable and hygienic and it is covered by a 25year guarantee. www.thecoastalrange.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 76

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Living, Breathing, Green Interiors Sean Farrell of Mobilane explains how living walls are moving from building exteriors to create healthy interiors.

It is widely accepted that greening the urban environment is a positive step towards increasing the sustainability of our built environment. Green roofs, walls and living walls have proved to enhance the aesthetics of many buildings, while reducing, carbon dioxide, particulate pollutants and balancing humidity. It was only going to be a matter of time before living walls started to transform the interiors of our buildings, just as they have the exterior landscape.

Some may find it surprising that the environment inside a building can be more polluted than outside.

Inadequate air conditioning, ventilation, emissions from computers, printers and paint all contribute towards the increase of carbon dioxide and particulate pollutants. To counteract this, plants can provide defence humidity; remove carbon dioxide and particulate pollutants.

The aesthetic and psychological benefits of vegetation within interiors is now well understood as research has shown plants can reduce stress, improve health, affect mood and increase productivity in the workplace.

Previously interior planting has habitually meant potted plants. While there is nothing wrong with potted vegetation, there is now a much more impressive option for those wanting to increase the level of interior planting within their buildings. Interior living walls have now started to appear in many buildings, from offices to hotels and restaurants. Interior living walls carry all of the benefits of exterior living walls, and are both quick and easy

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to install. The self-contained living walls require nothing more than a blank wall and an electric socket for installation and takes something which is inanimate to something which lives and breathes.

Mobilane’s LivePanel interior living wall features a built-in reservoir, specially developed nutritionally balanced mineral substrate to support vegetation, and can support a wide variety of plant types, depending on available lighting and level of maintenance needed. The first ever LivePanel interior living wall has been installed at the new Radisson Blu hotel at East Midlands Airport, which has achieved the highest ever BREEAM rating for a commercial hotel in the UK. It also attained an ‘A’ rating on the Energy Performance Certificate.

The wall, which measures 10sqm and features a range of indoor plants, greets visitors at the hotel check-in desk in the main reception. The system takes up little space, but the effect is stunning. Installation of the living wall, by Hedera Screens, took just one day. The plants were delivered fully grown and ready for installation; the only preparatory work needed was the fitting of growing lights prior to installation. The wall is now thriving and attracting positive comments from staff and guests alike.

The scope for including living walls within interiors of buildings is proving to be diverse. Bespoke living walls can be ordered in nearly all sizes and shapes, different foliage can be used and they can even function as an indoor mini-allotment, growing herbs and other edible plants. It is likely we will continue to see the market expand and develop until living, breathing; interiors become a common sight. www.mobilane.co.uk twitter.com/mobilane ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 77

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Energy Efficient LED Emergency Lighting Serves A Dual Purpose The carbon footprint for the NHS England now stands at a massive 21 million tonnes a year. To address this The Department of Health has set an ambitious target of a 10 per cent reduction by 2015 and an 80 per cent reduction by 2050. Lighting accounts for anywhere between 10-20 per cent of a hospital’s total energy bill and when set against a backdrop of increasing fuel costs, reducing expenditure on this resource can appear to be an insurmountable task. However, the introduction and innovative use of light emitting diode (LED) emergency lighting has already resulted in significant savings for some forward thinking health estate managers.

Correctly specified, installed and maintained emergency lighting plays a vital role in keeping the occupants of a building safe from the potentially deadly consequences of a failure in the general lighting. While a traditional system is often just left in ‘standby’ mode until it is needed, the flexibility of a modern LED based system means that it can also be used as a secondary source of lighting – one that is far more cost effective than using the mains equivalent.

LED luminaires produce less than five per cent of the carbon emissions of fluorescent lighting and this allows operating costs to be kept to a minimum without compromising efficiency. They also operate via functional extra low voltage (FELV) power, meaning that a mains electricity supply does not have to be run to every luminaire, which vastly reduces the amount of wiring

associated with 230V cabling. As well as energy efficiency, an LED emergency lighting system offers enhanced levels of control. At particular times of the day when certain areas may have a much lower footfall, it can be used to provide general lighting via one of seven different levels of illumination. As each luminaire can be controlled independently, areas of a building can be lit where and when necessary.

The use of low-level lighting can also enhance security, giving the impression that areas that are in fact closed are occupied. It is also possible to have a separate switch so that the emergency lighting system can be activated to provide light at a pre-determined level to assist manned security patrols.

While lighting can be controlled via timers and light levels configured to suit particular requirements, in the event of an alarm situation the system will resort back to its primary use and adjust the light levels accordingly.

Although reducing energy consumption is a formidable challenge, the savings possible by using LED based emergency lighting are significant and can go long way in helping healthcare estate managers achieve their carbon reduction targets. www.hochikieurope.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 78

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‘Mosaics On A Mattress’ Launch Adds Extra Brand Appeal Renowned for the ease, speed and affordability of its top quality kitchen makeovers, the Granite Transformations franchise has now complemented its made-to-measure replacement worktop overlays and cabinet doors with mosaics on a mattress. That’s the description for the quickest and smartest system ever for laying glass mosaic tiles on large surface areas like kitchen walls, alcoves and splashbacks.

Developed in association with a sister company, Italian tile maker Trend, it allows genuine handcrafted mosaics to be installed over virtually any surface, even existing tiles, in a fraction of the normal installation times.

Just as ‘the top that fits on top’ can be installed neatly over existing work surfaces, without need for ripping out the old material, the flexible, cushioned base of Granite Transformations’ mosaic mattress can be used over smooth, curved or uneven surfaces and the tiles are pre-grouted for a perfect finish.

This innovative glass mosaic laying technique provides yet another revenue stream for Granite Transformations franchisees and the super-efficient process, with no grouting required, means that tiling jobs can be completed within half a day. To assist colour coordination with worktops and door facings, the company’s interior design consultancy has selected a Granite Transformations Collection of around a dozen different mosaic colourways, which are designed to tone with popular granite, quartz and recycled glass finishes and woodgrain effects, focusing on the ambers, bronze, pewter, blacks and pearlescent whites that are in tune with today’s kitchen décor.

The tiles are chosen from Trend’s classic 2 x 2cm range of semi-transparent mosaics, produced using the superior fused glass technique and coloured 068

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‘en masse’, so that each piece is tinted throughout and resistant to wear, sunlight, heat, impact and chemicals.

These mosaics are mounted on a flexible polyethylene support mattress, measuring 126 x 63cm and containing 1800 individual tiles, which is applied directly to the wall or on top of existing tiles. Based on Trend’s innovative Smart2Go system, this reduces installation times and costs by up to 40%, eliminates waste and produces a highly professional finish that is ready almost immediately.

The flexible base will follow most surface contours and accommodate surface irregularities like existing ceramic tiles, while the mosaic sheet can be cut with a Stanley knife through the stain-resistant latex grout lines, to the desired length or shape, for laying around plug sockets and other fixed features.

Used as mosaic panels from worktop to ceiling, half-height splashbacks to the underside of wall units, or a simple 100mm upstand running the length of the work surface, these glass mosaics add texture, colour and class to a final kitchen makeover and one early GT adopter is already installing five or six full-height splashbacks per month.

The same ‘mosaics on a mattress’ system is also suitable for refacing washbasins and bath surrounds, even complete shower cubicles and wetrooms, as well as being perfect for installing mosaic panels in other living areas. www.trend-gb.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 79

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Xpelair Specified At Major Affordable Housing Development Xpelair Ventilation Solutions has been specified for a major affordable homes development being built on a Greenfield site by Bromsgrove District Housing Trust and West Mercia Housing Group. Xpelair has supplied its popular Premier Ultra DC3 range of fans. Designed to meet the latest Building Regulations for either intermittent or decentralised MEV extract use, the Premier Ultra DC3 unit is suitable for through the wall or ducted applications in bathrooms, kitchens, toilets and utility rooms. A key benefit of Xpelair’s Premier Ultra DC3 is the constant trickle feature. When it is installed in every wet area of a property it can be classed as a decentralised MEV whole house system, allowing it to comply with current building regulations for either intermittent or continuous extract ventilation.

Another feature of the Premier Ultra DC3 range is an integral power supply, which means no additional external electrical connections are required. www.xpelair.co.uk

JS Air Curtains Stand Proud At Novotel In response to an unusual air curtain requirement from Accor UK & Ireland, JS Air Curtains has custom-designed an independently supported Rotowind air curtain to stand above the glass revolving entrance door at the Novotel London Paddington Hotel near Paddington Station Accor, who own and operate Novotel, feared the glass façade would not to be strong enough to support the weight of a standard product. JS recommended a bespoke solution based on its 1.5m Rotowind air curtain for revolving doors, specially modified as a free standing unit supported by ‘goalpost’ legs. JS Air Curtain’s Rotowind range was designed to meet the specific conditions of a revolving door, which can act as a low-speed fan, forcing a mass of cold air into a room with each rotation. By combining a Rotowind with a revolving door system, this cold air is prevented from entering. www.jsaircurtains.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 81

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 80

Designing LED Downlights With The Customer In Mind Designed and manufactured with the retail, hospitality and office environments in mind, Gamma Illumination launches its TTS and GTS range of fixed and adjustable LED recessed downlights, powered with the exceptional Fortimo LED SLM module from Philips.

Gamma has taken one of the leading LED modules, from Philips, understood the technical features and developed a range of luminaires which convert the features to benefits for the end-users application.

The TTS and GTS range provides an attractive, discreet and powerful LED downlight and gimbal solution which lends itself to a variety of environments.

The range is powered by the Fortimo LED SLM module which offers outstanding efficacy and has been designed to optimally perform in combination with the Philips Xitanium LED driver and backed by the Philips system guarantee.

The TTS and GTS heatsink has been developed so that the thermodynamics are effectively managed to optimise light output, as well as the life of the luminaire, in up to a 35°C ambient temperature. It has also taken into consideration the increased need to install luminaires in restricted ceiling voids, the TTS can fit into voids of less than 100mm. The range provides colour rendering of 85 Ra, a choice of 800 or 1100 lumen output and 3000 or 4000 colour temperature options which are consistent up to L70 of their 50,000 hour life. In addition, mains dimming, Touch + DALI controls, ILEM emergency options as well as a wide range of decorative accessories make the TTS and GTS a fantastic adaptable lighting solution. www.gamma-uk.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 82

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Building Adaptation Achieves 80% Reduction In Running Costs Dr Jerry Harrall of SEArch architects describes how simple, low invasive design techniques such as using extruded polystyrene as external insulation transformed the cost of living and quality of life for residents of a 200 year old house in High Wycombe.

“For some, the clock is ticking towards zero carbon goals. For others, it’s already become a reality. The good news is that it doesn’t require complex building methods or even high tech equipment to achieve significant improvements in the energy performance of existing building stock.

Greening-The-Box™ offers a suite of building techniques developed

by SEArch (Sustainable Ecological Architecture Ltd) applying straightforward, low invasive design methods to enable existing buildings to operate without reliance on fossil fuels.

Greening-The-Box™ High Wycombe is the first private dwelling to benefit from such adaptation techniques, resulting not only in remarkable cost and energy savings but, according to the homeowners, an improvement in their quality of life too. When a client uses words such as “uplifting” and describes their new environment as providing “serenity and tranquillity”, you know you are on to something!

Insulating the envelope In its pre-adapted condition, the absence of any external insulation to the solid external walls and below the ground floor slab meant that both building elements offered little resistance to heat transfer; it was a difficult building to keep warm. The average rate of heat loss, or U-Value, was calculated at 2.17W/m2K. STYROFOAM™–A insulation from Dow Building Solutions was specified for the project for both environmental and performance reasons. The material is not only UK-manufactured, but is blown with carbon dioxide giving it a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of less than five. The material also has an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero and is ideal for external use where moisture resistance, rigidity and strength are key requirements.

Post adaptation, the introduction of 200mm of STYROFOAM™-A insulation to the external fabric and below the floor slab reduced the rate of heat loss by a very considerable 620% to just 0.35W/m2K. Thermographic images show minor surface temperature variations over the STYROFOAM™-A clad external fabric and junctions with minimal heat loss detected. In comparison, thermographic images of the adjacent, twenty year old property indicate significantly higher levels of fabric heat loss with noticeable variations across different building elements.

Increasing thermal mass Adding such high levels of insulation also contributed to the effectiveness of thermal mass within the structure. The pre-adapted, un-insulated thermal mass of the building was calculated as 0.68MJ/K/m2. Post adaptation, the property’s thermal mass marginally increased by 9% to 0.72MJ/K/m2, a small incremental increase.

I believe the environmental and cost benefits are just as impressive, including: • 100% reduction in CO2 emissions of 18 tonnes/year (17,878kg CO2/year) • 80% reduction in running costs (a very considerable £2,000 reduction in the first year) • 100% reduction of fossil fuels use.

Providing further credence to the building’s enhanced performance, the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) produced a rating of 89A, a highly notable performance when most housebuilders are working to ratings of lower than 80 for new dwellings. The pre-design SAP rating was 49.

So how was this achieved? Let’s go back to the beginning. The High Wycombe project is a 200 year old detached house. The owners were looking to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, cut energy bills and at the same time have less of an impact on the environment. Their ambitions were to design out the need for an oil fired central heating system, and put in its place a naturally heated environment as well as a natural ventilation regime.

Perhaps surprisingly, just five key changes were needed to make the existing building fit for a low carbon future: • enveloping the house externally with STYROFOAM™-A extruded polystyrene insulation • increasing internal thermal mass of walls and floors • increasing the southerly glazed areas • decreasing the northerly glazed areas • modifying the layout to encourage natural ventilation.

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Despite the small increase, the thermal mass acts as a highly effective heatsink and helps to moderate internal ambient air temperatures throughout the year for both heating and cooling; introducing STYROFOAM™-A externally means the thermal mass becomes that much more effective.

Residents now enjoy a relatively stable ambient internal air temperature of around 21oC without the aid of a central heating system. Instead, supplementary heat contributions are achieved with a low grade, selfregulating electric under-floor heating system, a wood burner and secondary heat from household appliances. The 35KW rated under-floor heating

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contributed 1200KWhr of heating load over the first twelve months; this is anticipated to reduce over the second year due to drying out.

Adapting fenestration To the south of the building, the potential for solar heat gains through the fenestration was increased by creating a larger area of direct south facing glazing which now measures 9.3m2 in total, an increase from 3.9m2. This represents a 72% increase in south facing glazing areas with a net solar heat gain contributing to the overall heating load.

In contrast, the north elevation glazed area was reduced from 11.3m2 to 6.1m2. This 50% reduction in glazing combined with the higher specification replacement glass (24mm low–E double glazing), reduced the heat transmittance through the north windows collectively from 34 W/m2K to 11W/ m2K. This resulted in a 68% reduction in the rate of heat loss from the north windows alone.

A change in the view!

As an additional touch, who would have thought that simple changes to layout could result in dramatic changes? Simply by putting bedrooms on the ground floor and principal occupation rooms on upper floors, solar receipts could be increased and elevated daylight levels enjoyed where they are needed most.

Finally, as well as relatively simple changes to the building structure, 5.5KWp of roof mounted photovoltaics (PVs) were added, generating 4,200KWhrs in the first year and displacing 3,106kg of CO2.

Blueprint for the future What has been created at Greening-the-Box™ High Wycombe is a pragmatic, affordable and replicable solution which will no doubt be of great interest to those working hard to get the Green Deal out of the policy papers and into our homes.

A highly inefficient 200 year old building has been transformed into a genuinely low carbon, low impact household which offers a perpetual environmental legacy. It’s been achieved by employing simple design techniques and by using materials which are already widely available in the UK, and as such offers a potential blueprint for the benefit of generations to come.”

For more information on Greening-the-Box™ visit www.searcharchitects.co.uk. For STYROFOAM™-A product details visit Dow Building Solutions at www.styrofoam.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 83

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Armacell Secures Contract Extension With British Gas

Spacetherm® Keeps It Cool

Armacell UK is pleased to announce it has secured a contract extension until the end of 2013 to supply British Gas. The agreement maintains Armacell as the preferred supplier of pipe insulation for heating and plumbing installations, including central heating pipework and boiler condensate pipes. In addition to polyethylene and elastomeric pipe insulation products, the new contract also includes a solution for protecting against property damage during boiler repairs and installations.

The products supplied to British Gas are manufactured in the UK. Replacing old gas boilers with A-rated high-efficiency condensing boilers, in addition to using effective pipe insulation and improving heating controls can significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions - and save homeowners as much as £300 a year. www.armacell.com/uk

The A. Proctor Group have manufactured a bespoke fridge using Spacetherm® thermal insulation for the yacht Lynn Rival.

The specification was to make the bespoke Tektanks fridge as thermally efficient as possible within a restricted space. Using 6 layers of Spacetherm® Aerogel Blanket the fridge tank sides were given a U-Value of 0.22 W/m2K. The Spacetherm® Blanket consists of unfaced sheets of high performance aerogel composite insulation. The Spacetherm® Blanket are virtually limitless. The Spacetherm® range of high performance laminates provides unrivalled performance for thickness. This outstanding performance is delivered through the use of Aerogel insulation. www.proctorgroup.com

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 84

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 85

Baxi Commercial Division Space And Water Heating For New Science & IT Block Baxi Commercial Division has supplied a pre-fabricated packaged boiler plant, solar thermal hot water system and a wall-hung direct fired continuous flow water heater for the new two-storey Science and IT block at Bryn Alyn School in Wrexham. The Baxi Commercial Division equipment was selected on the basis of functionality, features, size range and value.

The heating equipment was installed in the boiler room and provides space and water heating for the new building. Space heating, via underfloor and perimeter systems, is provided by a Sirius MB packaged boiler plant, with two Sirius 110kW wall-hung boilers. Baxi’s Potterton Commercial Sirius MB package is a complete heating system, including boilers, pumps, pressurisation system and heating controls. www.baxicommercial.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 87

Elta Secures Place In Midlands Business League Table A report by the Wolverhampton Express & Star has seen global ventilation manufacturer Elta Group placed in the top 100 businesses in the Black Country region. Using detailed research by the University of Wolverhampton, the report’s findings were based on turnover for the last business year, seeing Elta Group placed 41st with a turnover of over £81 million, an increase of over £11 million on the previous year. The report highlights that manufacturing still has a prominent role to play in the region’s fortunes, generating investment and revenue, as well as employment for thousands.

Elta has strengthened its position in the last year, acquiring businesses as far afield as Australia, but, as Elta Group Vice Chairman David Ball comments, the company’s roots remain very much in the Black Country and its Head Office in Kingswinford. www.eltagroup.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 86

Adaptable Flue Systems And Ease Of Installation Provide More Opportunities For Economaire One of the advantages of Johnson & Starley’s range of Economaire Warm Air Heaters is the adaptability they offer in terms of flue paths. Both horizontal and vertical flue options are available and, combined with Economaire’s overall ease and speed of installation, the result has been high demand for free-standing, compartment or slot fix models when replacing older heaters or installing new warm air systems. Standard Economaire features include the ECO electronic control system, an infinitely variable supply air fan and a self diagnostics panel. Central to the design is the electronic panel that uses digital technology and microprocessor control to provide management of flue gases and heat exchanger temperatures. This results in the warmth delivered to each room being accurate to ± 0.1°C, ensuring exceptional comfort. www.johnsonandstarley.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 88

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The ALL NEW Dataterm IHC Can Knock A Massive 25% Off Your Fuel Bill!

System Sensor Launches Unique IP-Enabled Aspiration Detectors

The all new Dataterm IHC can now control up to 4 heating zones and hot water all from 1 handy control pad allowing you to be in total control of your heating and how much it costs you. So if central heating is a burden to your budget enquire about Dataterm today, after all it is the control that can pay for itself in as little as 2 years and its good for the planet too!

Suitable for all heating systems, it simply replaces existing time clocks and thermostats allowing greater flexibility and control.

Features include illuminated display, optimum start / stop, close temperature control, wireless sensing and an average 25% savings in fuel spend per annum. www.warmworld.co.uk

System Sensor Europe, part of Honeywell, moves into the ultra-sensitive aspiration detection space for the first time with the introduction of FAAST, an EN54-20 Class A approved very early warning aspiration system that will alarm more than an hour before combustion. FAAST’s early warning functionality and removal of false alarm risks makes it an essential safety measure in enterprise critical operations such as data centres and IT / telecoms facilities, where revenue loss and reputational damage due to disruption are unacceptable.

Overheating cables are a significant source of problems, FAAST will give IT managers time to transfer data from affected servers, preserving operational uptime. Support products available with FAAST include Pipe IQ, a PC-based Pipe Design Wizard that enables the configuration of the sampling pipe network to be calculated simply and quickly. www.faast-detection.com

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 89

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 90

SMI For KNX Automated Solar Shading Offers Major Advantages

Rainwater Harvesting – From The Experts Rainwater harvesting is fast becoming a standard feature in new build designs. The design and construction industry understands the integral part rainwater harvesting plays in creating sustainable buildings. Polypipe’s Rainstream systems are predominantly targeted at domestic installations but can be used in light commercial applications too. Rain harvesting can replace up to 50% of household mains water consumption, and up to 85% on commercial installations. One third of all water used in the home gets flushed down the toilet. The roof on an average 4-bed family home captures more than 100,000 litres of rainwater each year – most of which currently goes down the drain. www.polypipe.com/building-products/ products/water-management-sustainablesolutions/rainstream ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 92

SMI (Standard Motor Interface) is a standardised system for electrical connections between solar shading products and their drives. The interface allows complete compatibility between the motors and actuators from different blind manufacturers with the SMI logo indicating these have been tested and certified as compatible. SMI is now available on the KNX platform in ranges of roller and venetian blinds available from Better Blind Company and in controllers available from WAGO. Both companies are members of the KNX UK Association. Automatic sun protection can now be integrated into a wider range of building management systems with enhanced functionality and additional benefits. Blinds can be grouped as well as individually controlled and precisely positioned. Feedback between the motor, actuator and BMS enables constant adjustment facilitating intelligent the use of technology such as sun tracking and heat sensors. Feedback also allows fault detection, making SMI ideal for integration on large scale installations. ww.knxuk.org ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 91

Vortice Heat Recovery System For Rory McIlroy’s Home Club!

Burton on Trent ventilation systems supplier Vortice is among many celebrating Rory McIlroy’s US PGA Open Championship win today. Why? Because Vortice has recently been selected by his home club, the Holywood Golf Club in North Belfast to supply an NRG Commercial Heat Recovery System for its changing room refurbishment. Eddie Finn of Crystal Air, who installed the system said: “We chose the NRG Commercial Heat Recovery by Vortice for the changing room area because of the metal plate heat exchanger which is required for the removal of the moist stale air and the supply of fresh air into the changing area of the clubhouse. The size of the unit was also an important factor to take into consideration.” www.vortice.ltd.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 93

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Timoleon Lowboard – The Slimline System For Floating Floors One of the many under-floor heating products to come from Timoleon under-floor heating (UFH) specialists is the innovative LOWBOARD, specifically designed for situations where there is minimal height available for floor build-up.

The product consists of 13mm high density panels which are preformed to accept 12mm polybutylene pipe to BS7291 class S, in an optimal conformation for UFH heat diffusion.

The LOWBOARD panels can be laid directly on any existing reasonably flat surface.

They are simple and quick to install and the ultra flexible pipe is easily pressed into the grooves directly from the roll when they are in place.

The grooved panels [in dimensions of 1200 x 600mm] are manufactured from high-density, moisture resistant MDF with an aluminium layer bonded to the underside so that the heat spreads upwards throughout the board and into the floor.

When the panels and piping are in place a 6mm layer of plywood or similar material is firmly fixed in place over the top to give the system complete integrity before the eventual floor covering is installed. The LOWBOARD system is the ideal solution for renovation projects of all types of buildings where there is little room to increase the floor depth. www.timoleon.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 94

Eclipse Launch The Ultimate In Heating System Protection Eclipse Magnetics have launched a new high performance domestic heating system filter which increases energy efficiency, extends boiler life and reduces maintenance time. BoilerMag combats the build-up of black sludge in domestic heating systems.

Black sludge reduces boiler heat transfer, can cause blocked pipes, radiator cold spots and corrosion. In many cases it can lead to frequent maintenance call outs and premature boiler failure.

BoilerMag cleans the system by removing both magnetic and nonmagnetic debris thereby contributing to a trouble free operation.

Ideal for new build and refurbishment projects, BoilerMag comes complete with the assurance of a 3 year warranty.

Other than annual cleaning, BoilerMag is a fit and forget product which requires no consumable or replacement items. A unique magnetic circuit ensures that the system cannot block even in highly contaminated systems.

A unique dual flow around a magnetic core and mesh filter ensures almost 100% of all debris is removed from circulation. BoilerMag can also be fitted to any pipework orientation by simple hand adjustment.

With almost 100 years’ experience, Eclipse Magnetics are a world leader in magnetic technology. Their range includes the established BoilerMagXT commercial heating and cooling system filter and the Eclipse range of high quality plumbing tools. www.boilermag.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 95

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Sika Provides The Watertight Solution To The Bard’s Basement A basement at the world’s most iconic theatrical site has been made watertight as part of the £113 million three and half year transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Stratford. With the Grade II listed home of Shakespearean theatre situated on the banks of the River Avon, the water table on the site is high. High performing Sika 1 Pre-bagged Waterproofing System from global building product manufacturer Sika was specified to prevent water penetration and guard against any future failure.

This prestigious project involved the construction of a new auditorium and the remodelling of public and back-of house spaces whilst retaining the art deco interiors of the existing foyers.

With building works overseen by Shaylor Special Projects main contractor Mace was given the task of waterproofing an existing basement used for the storage of scenery and props.

Due to the age of the building which had parts dating back to 1879, the contractor was faced with a number of different substrates including stone, brick and concrete for this circular basement. All these retaining walls had to be grit blasted prior to the application to create a solid base on to which to apply the waterproofing system. With the walls ready, 350m2 of Sika 1 Pre-Bagged Waterproofing System to all basement surfaces, including walls and floor.

Sika 1 Pre-bagged Waterproofing System is hand-applied and incorporates a specially developed admixture which is mixed with blended pre-bagged mortars. When applied to the walls and floors, it reacts with water to turn into a jelly-like substance, blocking all gaps and capillaries, to provide an impenetrable and invisible seal. By bonding monolithically with the substrate, it becomes one with the structure.

As a market-leading system, it has a proven track record of more than 100 years and has been specified for some of the most prestigious and demanding environments, offering a reliable, long-term solution.

The waterproofing system was applied to a high specification ensuring the basement achieved Grade Two in the updated BS 8102:2009 – Code of practice for protection of below ground structures against water from the ground. Sika 1 Pre–bagged waterproofing system has also been certified by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) to last the life of the building, providing exceptional standards of durability and reliability.

For complete peace of mind, Sika, also offers a comprehensive product warranty when the application is undertaken by a Sika Registered Contractor.

This nationwide scheme offers total quality control – from product to service to installation – and grants specifiers, contractors and end users complete peace of mind with a wholly professional service to match the exceptional technical service.

Sika’s innovative online specification tool, SikaSpec, found at www.sikaspec. co.uk, has also been enhanced with the addition of functionality for the creation of comprehensive waterproofing specifications. Easy to use, the system has been designed to offer an efficient, accurate and reliable method of producing specifications for basement refurbishments, as well as new build projects.

Now open, the new look art deco main theatre at RSC Stratford is a return to the kind of theatre Shakespeare would have been happy with more than 400 years ago. www.sikaconstruction.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 96

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STEICO Offers A Simpler Flooring Solution STEICO offers a bespoke and enhanced floor and roof joist designed especially for the smaller developer and renovator.

New STEICO tradejoist supplied off the shelf from timber and builder’s merchant outlets offers a simpler engineered timber floor solution for house building, self build, and home improvement or renovation projects. The complete STEICO floor kit combining tradejoist beams with either STEICO weatherdek or new weatherprotect flooring panels and fixing accessories ensures a superior floor performance which when fixed correctly will be virtually noise free in use.

Matching rectangular sections of Laminated Veneer Lumber are supplied alongside to complete the fully engineered floor. Full usage instructions are included and technical advice is readily available from our support team.

All STEICO joist products feature FSC certification and Chain of Custody together with full European Technical Approval. STEICO and its network of I Joist supply partners can also offer a full floor design service if required. www.steico.co.uk

Nvelope Secures BBA Approval Following approval from the British Board of Agrément (BBA), NVELOPE Rainscreen Systems has announced that it is the only rainscreen cladding support systems manufacturer with a BBA certified range. The new Certificate relates to the NVELOPE rainscreen cladding support system range which is designed for use as a subframe to support cladding on the external or internal wall structure of new or existing buildings.

NVELOPE supplies a versatile, quick to specify and simple to install range of support systems, all manufactured in theUK under the ISO 9001 quality management system. www.nvelope.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 98

ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 97

Sika Gives Ageing High Chelmer Car Park New Lease Of Life

SST Launch New Improved Fixings Catalogue Industry leader, Simpson Strong Tie, has launched a new comprehensive fixings catalogue that clearly demonstrates the variety of applications its improved range of screws and nails can cover.

Everything from decking, drywalling, cladding and ceilings to oak framing and modular housing can be tackled with the products listed in the catalogue, which also features new additions to its fixings section, such as the fully integrated Quik Drive Collated Screw System and a full a range of stainless steel screws.

The catalogue includes full specification details, product images and graphics as well as design and installation instructions and is available as both a printed or online version. www.strongtie.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 100

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A comprehensive range of concrete repair, corrosion management and waterproof car park decking products from Sika has helped transform Chelmsford’s 1960s High Chelmer multi-storey car park into a safer, more stylish and modern parking facility. Completed to such a high standard, the project has been shortlisted in the Best Car Park Refurbishment category at the British Parking Awards 2012. With market leading reliability and the ability to exceed the requirements of BS EN1504, the standard for concrete repair and protection, a complete concrete repair, corrosion management and waterproof decking system from Sika was specified.Sika, offered a full range solution for the concrete repair corrosion management using a combination of Sika Galvashield XP2 sacrificial anodes, Sika Ferrogard 903 migrating corrosion inhibitor and 120 tonnes of Sika-Armorex Armorcrete flowable micro-concrete. The car park decks were then waterproofed with 36,000kg of the highly durable and cost-effective Sikafloor 161/264 car park inter-deck system – finished in a range of colours to differentiate between each car park section. www.sikaconstruction.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 99

One Of Over 300 Solutions In Cavity Trays New Publication Offering Compliancy And Cost Effectiveness Many decades ago a small pocket book arrived on the building scene. It contained information on a range of building practices together with some good sound advice. It rapidly became a useful reference source and aide memoir for builders and architects. July 2012 sees the publication of a new edition, It is now thicker and contains even more data. The handbook is called: ‘The Book of Wise Decisions’. It’s publisher, Cavity Trays Ltd is the longest-established specialist in its field and the only one awarded European Technical Approval.The Book of Wise Decisions is printed in full colour, produced in A6 size, and available free of charge to industry professions. www.cavitytrays.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 101

THE BOOK/STRUCTURES

Encasement’s Circa Casings Give A ‘Trim’ Solution At Slimming World Circa pre-formed plywood column casings have been supplied and installed by Encasement to provide a decorative corporate finish and conceal existing structural columns at a new office and conference suite at Slimming World in Derbyshire. The new facility enabled Slimming World to increase office space as well as undertaking more on-site training for its 250 head office staff and its 3,500 consultants.

Throughout the interior of the building, the design strongly reflects the company’s red and black corporate colour scheme, which is carried through into the conference centre, reception foyer and washrooms, as well as Encasement’s column casings.

The 500mm diameter casings stand 2700mm high and are finished in a Polyrey R001 ‘Rouge Mephisto’ red with contrasting vertical and horizontal joint detail to provide a striking feature to the interior of the new office area. www.encasement.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 102

Ancon Thermal Breaks: Proven Through Thermal Modelling To Reduce Heat Loss Brick support systems from Ancon can now be supplied with Thermal Breaks to minimise heat loss through cold bridging, and improve the energy efficiency of a building. Thermal bridging occurs where the insulation layer is penetrated by a material with a relatively high thermal conductivity. Although heat loss through a stainless steel support bracket is not significant – just 17W/mK compared to 50W/mK for carbon steel fixings - it should be considered as part of the overall thermal performance of the structure.

Ancon Thermal Breaks work by inserting a material with a very low thermal conductivity between the brackets and the frame. They are proven through thermal modelling to reduce heat loss and can typically enable details to comply with BRE IP1/06 floor junction. Shaped like a standard Ancon key-hole shim, these Thermal Breaks are designed to locate quickly and easily on site. They are manufactured from a durable fibre-reinforced thermoset plastic which combines high compressive strength with a thermal conductivity of just 0.3W/mK. www.ancon.co.uk/Thermal ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 103

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Yorkon Launches Revolutionary New Building System – Offering The Widest Range Of Modules From Any Off-Site Manufacturer In The UK Award-winning off-site specialist, Yorkon, has launched a new building system which is set to revolutionise modular construction in the UK. Yorkon now offers the widest range of building modules currently available from any off-site manufacturer in the UK – giving architects, contractors and construction clients the unrivalled design flexibility to meet almost any building footprint.

This revolutionary building system, which has thousands of configurations and permutations, will realise the full potential of off-site construction as a more efficient alternative to site-based building methods but with absolutely no compromise on design, aesthetics or layout.

The Yorkon system has been launched following a three-year development and testing programme which has included significant investment in new state-of-the-art production facilities in York – now the most advanced facility of its kind in Europe.

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The new building system incorporates a host of innovations including: • Columns that are no longer visible either internally or externally, for a seamless façade that can be specified with or without cladding • The facility to fit any building footprint, including those designed for traditional site-based construction – reducing architects’ design time and resources • Module lengths from 6m to 18.75m that give even greater flexibility and the option of using larger but fewer modules to reduce cranage, transport costs and site works • Two module width options of 3m and 3.75m; three height options for single-storey buildings, and seven different heights for ground and intermediate floors on multi-storey schemes to facilitate linking to existing traditionally-constructed buildings • All connections between modules will now be carried out from inside the building – which is more efficient, quicker and safer on site • The option of angled corners for further architectural variety • A system built to engineering rather than construction tolerances for even greater accuracy and build quality • A new wall construction which offers improved insulation and acoustic

THE BOOK/STRUCTURES

performance, and an even wider choice of window and fenestration options • A new insulation production system to further improve quality and consistency • A new 30-year structural warranty for even greater peace of mind.

Simon Ambler, Director of Yorkon said, “The launch of the new system follows extensive research with our customers and construction partners.

It has been developed specifically to meet their needs and particularly the requirement for a more flexible off-site solution that offers genuine freedom of expression in terms of layout, footprint and aesthetics.”

Yorkon also offers the widest choice of cladding, glazing and roofing options to create outstanding architecture and landmark buildings – or bespoke facilities which complement existing schemes – with all the advantages of an off-site construction solution. These include programme times reduced by up to 50 per cent; 99.9 per cent recycling of waste material in the factory and 92 per cent recycling on site; less disruption during construction; improved thermal efficiency for lower running costs and reduced carbon emissions, and much greater assurance of delivery on time and on budget.

“As a Group we have invested in new state-of-the-art production facilities, which further demonstrates our commitment and the scale of this R&D process – particularly in the current challenging economic climate. This is a major milestone for the business and we are delighted to have scored yet another industry first for Yorkon by offering the widest range of configuration options of any off-site manufacturer in the UK. The design potential is simply limitless.”

Commenting on the new building system, Joe Biggs, Managing Director of P+HS Architects, said, “We have worked with Yorkon for a number of years and have found its off-site solutions offer significant quality, site and programme benefits to our clients. Yorkon also recognises the importance of offering unrivalled flexibility in design and layout to suit individual project requirements, as well as a fast and efficient response.

The new system is a tremendously exciting development which could potentially revolutionise the use of off-site construction and the design possibilities of the approach.”

The new Yorkon off-site building system has many applications, ranging from teaching facilities for schools and academies; hospital buildings and health clinics; laboratories; to control centres and amenity buildings in the power and utilities sectors; superstores, retail kiosks and convenience stores; and passenger and operations facilities for railways and airports. www.yorkon.info/newsystem ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 104

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OPINION

www.aico.co.uk Article By: Aico Ltd Title: Cutting Corners Isn’t An Option But You Can Still Make Savings Author: Neil Perdell, National Technical Manager

It’s an increasingly familiar problem: costs are rising, budgets are being severely squeezed and yet the standards being applied to tenant safety are becoming ever more stringent. You need to do more, with less.

This applies to the specification and installation of domestic smoke alarm systems as much as anything else. But lives depend on these alarms.

Cutting corners isn’t an option. It’s still vitally important to fit the best mains powered smoke alarms you can afford throughout a property and interconnect them to provide residents with a loud, clear warning wherever they are in that property.

But savings can be made in the alarm interconnection.

Interconnection is a requirement of BS 5839-6 2004 and Building Regulations, but using radio frequency (RF) alarm interconnection as opposed to hard wired interconnection can save time, mess, disruption and cost. Such systems have been proven to offer reliable protection, while offering sizeable potential cost savings.

When an alarm system is installed using traditional hard-wired interconnection, the disruption and cosmetic damage to property is

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not insignificant. To lay the interconnecting cabling (which in itself can be expensive), floorboards may have to be lifted up and the coverings re-laid. Wallpaper may need to be stripped and later replaced as channels are made in walls for the wiring, along with re-plastering.

Alternatively, unsightly trunking will need to be laid to protect the cabling. It’s messy, time consuming and costly.

Fitting a wireless interconnect system does away with all of this. The installer simply wires each alarm to a permanent mains feed from the nearest local lighting circuit – the same with any mains powered alarm - and then simply presses a button on each unit to ‘code’ them together as a system. Installation is much faster, cabling and trunking costs are eliminated and so too are all the associated redecorating costs.

Different landlords have chosen to use the savings in different ways.

For some, RF technology has made interconnection financially feasible for the first time, which has enormous safety benefits for tenants. Others have used their savings to install more comprehensive systems, or used them to purchase other critical life safety devices like Carbon Monoxide alarms.

As RF systems are obviously far easier and cheaper to reconfigure or expand than the oldhard wired systems, they also provide specifiers with far greater flexibility to meet changing tenant needs. Without this RF technology, providing an optimal system is often considered financially impossible.

It sounds the perfect solution, but different wireless systems on the market offer different features and functions which can either help you to optimise your system and make savings or can hinder you. When specifying, it’s worth considering a number of points in relation to this.

Firstly, pay particular attention to the quality of the alarms. It’s easy to concentrate on the RF aspects and pay less attention to the alarm itself, but the quality of the alarm is everything – it’s the building block of the system. Build quality, design quality, reliability, a proven track record of successful installations without problems are all vital considerations. Specifying alarms that later prove unreliable will easily swallow any savings made by wire free interconnection.

Be careful not to compromise on the power backup. Wireless interconnect alarms are just as

OPINION

vulnerable to mains failure as hard-wired units.

Always choose a unit that has a 10 year plus Lithium rechargeable cell back-up as standard.

It will never need changing and is designed to outlive the life of the alarm itself. Make sure that the same battery back-up is present in both the alarm and the wireless technology so that

by ten year plus Lithium batteries – no wiring required. A simple but effective device, it allows the resident to test and silence all the alarms on the system from the one conveniently placed switch as well as allowing for quick identification of the unit that has caused the alarm. This added facility may look like an extra cost in terms of equipment purchase but it can actually save money by reducing the number of call outs to the property.

You may also wish to extend a hard-wired system at a later date. It’s far less expensive to do this by adding on an RF extension. Some RF systems can interface and work with a hardwired system, whilst others will have to be extended the traditional way.

the whole system continues to work as normal in the event of a mains power failure. Some systems do not offer this ability. If possible, avoid units that only offer conventional, nonrechargeable battery back-up as residents rarely remember to change batteries, and they are also non-tamperproof.

Advanced RF systems will give you the option of adding extra control to the system, such as Test, Silence and Locate switches. These are also linked to the system by RF and are powered

It’s true that RF signals can have their effective range shortened by walls and ceilings, etc. In some cases this can complicate the installation and increase costs as the installer has to use trial and error to find the optimal signal pathways. You can, however, avoid this by specifying a system which includes a multilevel repeater function so that RF signals are passed on from unit to unit. This ensures good signal strength and multiple signal paths, giving a ‘nested’ system. Consequently, such systems are significantly quicker to install.

systems on the market can be used with a relay, manual call point, switched module and other accessories to provide application solutions.

With this feature, the system can be used for example to sound if the sprinkler system is activated, signal to a warden call system or to activate specialist alarm systems for the hard of hearing.

Wirelessly interconnected mains powered smoke alarm systems are the perfect way to achieve real cost savings without compromising on quality or safety. By choosing a well-proven system with extra functionality that best meets your needs today - and potentially tomorrow - you can optimise those savings and even enhance and increase the level of safety provided to tenants.

Aico Ltd is the exclusive supplier of RadioLINK Professional wireless interconnect alarms and accessories. Aico is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, Europe’s leader in residential fire and gas detection. All alarms are designed and built in Europe - specifically to meet UK standards and regulations.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning additional functionality. Some RF systems can do everything you’d expect from a hard-wired system, so don’t be tempted to avoid RF if you are specifying a system with unusual requirements. The better

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OPINION

www.vicaima.com Article By: Vicaima UK Title: Don’t Play With Fire Author: Peter Johnson, Managing Director of Vicaima UK and Chairman of the BWF-CERTIFIRE SCHEME

When things become difficult in the economy, quality and performance often take a back seat to cost savings and a ‘good enough’ mindset can start to emerge. Although this is perhaps understandable in some instances, it is inexcusable when it comes to safety. Fire doors are one example where second best can have truly damaging consequences both to property and, of course, lives.

The Building Regulations contain full details of minimum requirements of fire resistance for doors depending on their location within any building – be it 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60).

As is well known, smoke often kills more people than fire itself and the Building Regulations also specify where fire doors are required to restrict smoke leakage at ambient temperatures – such as on a protected stairway.

Combined smoke and intumescent seals fitted to the top and sides of doors expand to 5-10 times their original size, sealing the gaps around the door and providing an effective barrier to both smoke and fire. The Building Regs also describe the situations in which fire doors need to be fitted with an automatic self-closing device.

Some may feel that Building Regulation waters have been slightly muddied by a recent official ruling* concerning fire doors in a 223-bed hotel built in the 1980s. This determined that the

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hotel owner was not required to upgrade three quarters of its bedroom doors which had no intumescent strips or smoke seals. The hotel successfully argued that the cost of upgrading the doors would be disproportionate to the risk, given that there were other fire prevention and protection measures in place.

However, it should be made clear that this is a one-off ruling, relating to one particular set of circumstances and building owners need to guard against believing that it’s OK not to maintain or upgrade their fire doors.

This need for vigilance is reinforced by a recent survey of 17 hotels carried out by the UK’s Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS). The survey identified problems at almost every location, including ill-fitting doors in frames, damaged fire doors and incorrectly fitted and damaged fire/ smoke seals.

OPINION

So, having studied the Building Regulations and assessed the requirements for your building where do you go to find your ideal doors? In the current economic climate this is where things can often prove difficult, with a multitude of manufacturers’ test claims and an influx of uncertified or self-certified imports flooding the UK market. Sifting through the many assertions to avoid the risk of fitting fire doors without true third party accreditation can be a daunting task.

The one thing you can trust of course is your own eyes! Simply looking at the edge of any legitimate fire door reveals all you need to know. They should all be fitted with a tamper evident and fully traceable BWF-CERTIFIRE, BM TRADA or Chiltern Q-Mark label that guarantees that the door has been third party accredited and audited.

This means that these doors have been subjected to rigorous test exposure on each side of the door every five years or every 250,000 doors produced.

The label clearly states the fire rating, and carries the manufacturer’s name, contact telephone number and certificate number. If the doors are glazed, they should also carry certified labels to indicate factory fitted fire glazing and tested frames where applicable, together with a TRADA plug, which verifies testing in a UK certified laboratory.

Whilst fire safety is therefore a crucial consideration in any building, gone are the days when design had to be sacrificed to performance. Now you can have the best of both worlds. Companies such as Vicaima produce fire doors, kits and sets with full third party accreditation using a range of designs, veneers and finishes that enhance the design of the spaces they occupy. *The ‘Determination on the suitability and sufficiency of a fire risk assessment in a hotel in respect of the adequacy of the existing bedroom fire doors’ published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 9 May 2012.

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OPINION

www.balconette.co.uk Article By: Balcony Systems Title: The Importance Of Privacy Author: Effi Wolff – Managing Director

Privacy screens are an important component of many balconies, terraces and upper floor amenities. An outdoor privacy screen gives the user personal space away from the view of neighbours or passers-by, contributing to the greater overall enjoyment of their facility.

Local authorities frequently stipulate that opaque taller screens are installed to restrict views where a terrace, balcony or parts of them overlook neighbouring properties and infringe on residents’ privacy.

A privacy screen is a tall balustrading element that cannot be seen through and must be at least 1.8 metres tall, though sometimes even higher. It’s often a case of striking a balance between providing maximum views from the balcony and protecting the privacy of neighbouring properties and their residents.

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Invariably, planning officers tend to err on the side of caution and ensure that this rule is quite strictly enforced. As a result, many balcony projects include a section that has a 1.8m high opaque privacy screen.

Implications for screen design So how is this achieved and what are the design implications? Given that normal balcony balustrade height is 1.1m, adding a privacy screen to a balcony may seem like a simple issue of just adding 0.7m of glass to the balustrading to keep everyone happy. This is certainly not the case.

Balcony railings and balustrades are designed to bear certain loads. The height factor has quite dramatic implications on these loads. At 1.1m height the effects of wind loads on balustrades is fairly moderate; but take it up to 1.8m height and the wind load factor becomes a major issue requiring extra consideration and design.

OPINION

This is compounded if the screen’s length is longer – for example more than 5.4m, at which point the loads are increased again.

The subject of calculating the required loads on privacy screens has to take into consideration several variables such as wind speed within the geographical location of the site, altitude of the site, effective building height and distance from the coast.

The privacy screen posts and fixing plates will need to be substantial enough so that they can support these loads under severe weather conditions, while taking into consideration the aesthetics so the resulting screen does not look like a battleship mast.

The laminated glass option is more expensive than the sandblasted or satin solution, but it also offers better acoustic properties. Laminated glass should be installed with all edges encapsulated as exposed edges present a risk of delamination of the panels.

Both the sandblasted and satin types require extra care as the surface of the glass is more susceptible to attracting surface dirt, grime and other contaminant build-up than regular clear glass. It is advisable to apply these types of finishes with a hydrophobic protective coating to keep them clean and make them easier to maintain.

Glass type and glass coating There are a few options of glass finishes for use within a privacy screen: • 10mm sandblasted glass Other usages for 1.8m high balcony panels 1.8m high screens are versatile and their use is not limited to just privacy screens. Higher glazing screens, clear or opaque, are frequently used in other locations as wind breaks, acoustic panels and for various other applications where the standard 1.1m high railings will just not suffice.

In all these cases, the same considerations as outlined above must be taken into account at the design stage so they can bear the brunt of the elements while fulfilling their ultimate purpose on site.

Sandblasting is a process that involves shot blasting of sand by a robotic arm on 10mm clear glass at a high velocity in a self-contained cubicle. This creates a coarse opaque surface on the face of the glass.

Sandblasting produces a ‘whiter’ finish that offers more privacy and remains opaque even when wet.

• 10mm “Satin” glass

Balcony Systems is a specialist in sophisticated glass and aluminium balustrading solutions and stunning curved patio doors. Straight or curved external and Juliet balconies are supplied to exact client specifications.

From single balustrades to multi-apartment developments, the company works with architects, designers and specifiers to deliver the most cost-effective, stylish and durable balustrade solution to exact client specifications.

This type of glass is created using acid to etch the surface of glass. Satin glass is manufactured using a proprietary acid-etching process where acid is applied to the glass surface, actually dissolving part of the glass. The result is a smooth, flat, satin-like decorative surface that disperses light and transforms transparent float glass into translucent glass. This forms a ‘velvet smooth’ surface which has a high light transmission yet is still opaque. When the glass is wet it becomes temporarily almost clear until dry again.

• Laminated opaque glass Opaque laminated glass has an opaque white PVB (plastic) interlayer that makes the glass obscure and smooth on both sides.

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OPINION

www.nullifire.com Article By: Nullifire Title: Smoke – Preventing Death Is In The Detail Author: Jeff Dyson

As a result stairwells and spine corridors are normally built from reinforced concrete or have their steelwork protected with intumescent coatings as an alternative to multiple layers of non-combustible boards. But every penetration, from a waste pipe to a light fitting, and even the cabling for the alarm systems, represents a potential weakness in any fire compartment strategy.

It is therefore necessary for the services engineers and specialist firestopping contractor to employ fire-proof sealants or gap seals to create linear seals at all vulnerable points. Meanwhile it may also be necessary for these seals to further offer acoustic, air movement or moisture resistance, while also needing to accommodate movement.

A poorly detailed fire stopping installation

Jeff Dyson of Nullifire, advocates the use of accredited systems and installers to ensure properties feature adequate fire stopping measures.

Along with pre-completion testing under Part E of the Building Regulations, which evaluates the performance of party walls and floors, the other really onerous check on new properties is the one on air leakage through the envelope.

With a large fan unit mounted in the main entrance doorway, the rate at which air escapes through the building fabric is measured in cubic metres per hour, per square metres of surface area. Interestingly, if it should t fail to achieve the required standard, the engineer is likely to conduct a smoke test to discover where exactly the cracks and holes are which have led to the problem.

This should be a reminder to architects and other building consultants, of the way that smoke and hot gases, together with flames, can spread through a building; including its cavities and countless interfaces. And this is also the reason why fire precautions - including fire stopping and the use of intumescent systems - are so important to prevent loss of life and to minimize damage to property.

Depending on the amount of combustible material which a fire can contact, the temperature rises rapidly, generating pressure and currents that can cause smoke to travel at speeds of between 30 and 120 metres per minute.

80 per cent of fatalities in a fire are due to smoke inhalation and, even where alarms are properly specified and maintained, the rate at which smoke spreads makes escape difficult, as visibility is reduced to just a few metres and panic sets in.

Smoke and intumescent seals on internal doors are obviously a key measure, but as we have already remarked, there are many other potential pathways for heat and smoke to breach walls and floors. And it is therefore imperative for design professionals to define and defend zones or compartments within each type of construction. In blocks of flats, offices, public buildings and other workplaces, protecting the escape routes – which often also double as the access for the emergency services - will be a priority.

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As a major manufacturer in the field, Nullifire has available a comprehensive selection of products to close the gaps around service provisions: including coated mineral wool batts, flexible intumescent bags, fire curtains, pipe wraps and pipe collars. The latter, for instance, being able to close up the hole created when a blaze causes a PVC pipe to melt and collapse.

A particular challenge often arises where a multiplicity of pipes, power cables and other building services pass through risers or plant room floors.

In which case the fire-stopping solution may also be required to support imposed loadings.

Structural fire stopping compounds offer the ideal means of completing the floor slab where it has been left open for the installation of services, so that it gains full integrity and is safe for maintenance engineers to access in the future. The B220 and B270 products manufactured by Nullifire require temporary shuttering with boards or even insulation batts while they harden, but are then able to deliver 700 mm and 1800 mm unsupported spanning. No reinforcement bars are required and the resulting 100 mm thick slab can carry uniformly distributed loads of up to 2.5 kN per square metre, and achieve four hours fire protection.

With respect to any of these approaches to fire stopping, it is essential that the systems concerned are correctly specified, and that the chosen products carry third party accreditation. Accordingly, the clients and their consultants will also want to work with manufacturers who have a network of fully accredited contractors, thereby guaranteeing the work is done to the highest standards; and that there is no attempt made to break specifications through the substitution of cheaper, inferior products.

This is because when a reputable company such as Nullifire makes a recommendation, based on an engineering judgement, it is taking on responsibility for the safety of a building and its occupants, Therefore subsequently going against such recommendations will shirt liability back onto the project team.

All manner of building components including doors & windows, board products and ductwork are routinely tested, in isolation, to the standards set by BS 476 in accredited laboratories; but just as important is protecting the entirety of the property and its potential pathways; for the consequences of allowing a building to fail in a real fire situation are all too well documented.

Therefore consultants and main contractors striving to ensure developments are built correctly, as well as to protect themselves from any accusation of failing in their statutory responsibilities, should seek to partner with specialist manufacturers offering unquestionable credentials.

OPINION

www.tremco-illbruck.co.uk Article By: Tremco illbruck Title: Think Ahead Author: Simon Foy, Specification Manager

Tremco illbruck specification manager Simon Foy on how mechanical joints can be simpler, cheaper and more elegant. Waterproof joints are predominantly used in car parks and podiums. Podiums include areas above basements, a common form of construction in London and other cities.

Car decks are generally constructed using a combination of either concrete coated with a coloured resin, which gives highly coloured bays, or concrete with an asphalt top coat that makes it look like a roadway. There are two approaches to using Superspan, a mechanical joint. The asphalt type has a long side sealing sheet designed to stick to the concrete deck. This prevents any water from leaking out of the asphalt deck.

The non-asphalt type usually has a rebate in the concrete deck and the joint sits in it and is sealed on the short side. So each scenario has its own joint version. Shopping centres also tend to get redeveloped and when that happens the car park is often revamped. That may well involve new joints.

If only it was always like that. I’ve even seen movement joints running through the middle of an individual stall in a toilet block. In fact I’ve only ever once seen an architect start a design from the movement joints and work out, but perhaps that’s how it should always be done. Sometimes the building seems almost to have been built before they started to think about the movement joints.

With a little thought considerable difficulties can be overcome. Lots of elements can be combined to produce just the right joint. For example our Superspan is really a bespoke system so we make each product in the factory to suit the individual needs of each building site. It is not just a question of making the standard components fit somehow. Each site is surveyed to discover exactly what is required. That means examining all the likely cause of movement, the traffic will have to carry, the floor make up and waterproofing. Sophisticated movement joint manufacturers like Tremco can even make new types of joint for one off conditions. For example sometimes we are able to cope with angles that are not quite 90°.

That means a tailor made joint and seal.

Movement joints may need to be decorative as well as functional. If you have a high rise tower, movement joints will be needed underneath because that building is going to settle. Joints like that are almost invariably made to look like they fit in comfortably with the environment. Perhaps these days you’d think every design should be wrapped up by a computer but in reality when it comes to components as individual and specialised as movement joints, the human interface often plays a vital role in the project.

Designing a building is more than its look, the impact on the environment, functionality, light and shade. The building process itself, the materials used and the way they are put together, is a vital and sometimes neglected aspect of the process.

The key issues when designing one of these car parks or podiums, so far as the movement joint is concerned, is the location and the drainage. There is a tendency to install the linear slotted drainage beside the movement joint. In an ideal world the movement joint would be at the highest point, far away from the drainage. This minimises the risk of failure in the joint or the drainage.

Concrete has been used since Roman times but it is surprisingly subject to expansion all the same. I’ve seen a gap in the top of a wide car deck shrink as much as 30 mm on a very hot day! Today’s concrete slab can be a huge structure and expansion of less than a millimetre per cubic metre, can add up to a hefty total.

One problem that occurs every now and then is that engineers design the building and movement joint in a way that makes it easy to build.

Unfortunately they then seem to come back to the design to consider waterproofing and at that stage things can become complex. The path of a joint can get moved higgledy piggledy and this obviously adds to the cost.

The best idea is usually to keep it simple. This often means creating a straight line joint at the highest point and thinking about waterproofing right at the start.

A design and build package may start out as little more than a shell. That’s when we find ourselves having to help the contractor shoehorn a movement joint into a building that isn’t really prepared for it. The joint has to work with a variety of materials and different situations. This can mean it is tough to make the system work. Drawing a line on a computer may not be enough. Some architects, particularly experienced ones, have got the message. Clearly this is something people tend to learn on the hoof rather than at design school.

Things are improving but I still get to see movement joints that run northsouth and a drainage system that runs east-west. Clearly that won’t work because the water pipes are not going to accommodate flexing at the point where they cross the joint! Any gasket seal on the butt joint of a unit trough is going to break thanks to the cyclic movement, and drip through.

Let’s hope if that happens it won’t be the movement joint that gets the blame!

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Subsiding Building Threatened With Demolition Stabilised By Helifix Disraeli Court in Hereford, a sheltered housing development owned by Herefordshire Housing Ltd, was suffering from subsidence problems so severe that the facility had to be closed and the residents moved out. Structural repair specialist, Helifix Ltd, proposed a cost-effective scheme that would restore structural integrity and also be covered by a 10 year warranty.

The Helifix repair scheme proposed a combination of foundation stabilisation and super-structure masonry repairs beneath all external and internal load bearing walls were stabilised by installing 417 Helifix micro piles, between 3m and 7m in length, at approximately 2.5m centres. To minimise disruption to the internal floor slab, external walls were supported by piles installed on the outer face fitted with foundation support brackets jacked up beneath the existing footings. The internal walls were supported either by foundation support brackets or new reinforced concrete needle beams cast onto the pile head, spanning beneath the walls to provide support.

Access to internal load-bearing walls was severely restricted but the portability of the Helifix micro pile system made it ideal as the pile sections and hand-held hydraulic drive head could be easily manoeuvred through doorways. The correlation between pile driving torque and pile bearing capacity makes the Helifix micro pile system a very accurate means of structural support. To reinforce and secure the superstructure and spread the loads between the micro piles, masonry beams were created from the existing brickwork by bonding pairs of stainless steel HeliBars into the mortar beds. Further single HeliBars were used to undertake extensive crack stitching on both the internal and external walls, with well over 6,000m being installed in total. www.helifix.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 105

ABI Caravans Choose Salice Soft Close Hinges Salice UK were delighted to supply their Silentia 12mm soft close hinge for installation within all kitchen units within the new range of holiday homes manufactured by ABI Holiday Homes.

For 2012 each ABI range has been modified or redesigned with features and finishes that keep pace with the fast moving leisure industry, whilst at the same time incorporating innovative design initiatives to further enhance their popular range. With the increasing desire for soft close units within our home environments, ABI have set an industry benchmark by incorporating ‘integrated soft close hinges’ to their kitchen units, offering an even more sophisticated finish to their luxury holiday homes.

Their Silentia hinge has been designed to have a shallow cup depth of only 12mm, which permits the use of this hinge in doors with even the deepest edge profiles. The closing force is calibrated to provide a soft close motion ensuring that doors do not slam shut, but close smoothly and quietly with a consistent 3-5 second closing time at a 30 degree position. In addition, it is available for the full range of applications - angled, wide opening and blind corner specification and has a lifetime warranty for total peace of mind. www.saliceuk.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 106

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Transformation Of Historic Building Is Complete Teesside-based Tolent Construction have completed a £3.84 million contract to transform Custom House, one of Middlesbrough’s oldest buildings, into a world-class youth facility.

Originally built as a hotel and business exchange in 1836, the Grade 2 listed building at North Street in the Hilda’s area has been renovated to create myplace, a state-of-the-art leisure and community support centre to be used by up to 9,000 young people every year. Costing £4.3 million in total and officially open from 30 June, the new facility was designed by Middlesbrough Council to provide education, employment and training information, generic health services and a wide range of activities including gym, internet café, catering training kitchen, nightclub, interactive games, library, allotments and arts projects such as dance, drama, music, film and art. The initial brief for the project was drawn up by a user group of young people, who were consulted regularly prior to, and during the contract on site.

Standing in the shadow of the iconic Transporter Bridge, the imposing, Greek Revival-style Custom House was one of the most prominent buildings during the birth of Middlesbrough as an industrialised town but had fallen into major neglect for many years before being chosen as the home of myplace. As part of the comprehensive renovation, major, essential and delicate structural repairs had to be carried out.

The existing building fabric generally was repaired where possible and replaced where required. Tolent as well as the council’s design team liaised closely with the Council’s Conservation Officer at every stage to ensure that the Grade 2 Listed status was not compromised. Contemporary glass extensions were also incorporated in the development.

Bernard Griffin, principal architect at Middlesbrough Council’s Design Services said: “Custom House was in a serious state of disrepair and its renovation was a difficult process. The council entered into a Partnering Contract with Tolent Construction after a rigorous tendering and interview procedure. Over and above basic financial criteria, the Partnering Contract requires that the successful Contractor to buys into the spirit of a scheme. Tolent performed this role admirably – their team offered plenty of support, input and enthusiasm, and they fulfilled key requirements such as bringing in local young people to work on the construction where appropriate and helping to organise regular progress monitoring visits for the young client group.” www.tolent.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 107

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Sustainable Sliding Entrance For Students A sophisticated TORMAX Rondor circular-sliding automatic door forms the main entrance to the new £5.4m Humanities building at the University of Nottingham, delivering an opening space of up to 40% more than would be created using linear sliding doors. Combining the elegant curvature of a traditional revolving door with a modern mode of operation, the Rondor consists of two sets of curved glass doors that move independently. High quality sealing allows an airlock to be formed between the doors during inclement weather, effectively helping reduce energy bills. The Rondor curved sliding entrance is powered by two energy efficient TORMAX Win Drive 2201 operators. This door drive successfully combines simple keypad programming for easy day-to-day control with long term reliability.

The Win Drive units are surprisingly compact, measuring just 142mm x 100mm each and can be neatly concealed in the Rondor circular casing for a smart, minimalist finish. www.tormax.co.uk

Norfolk Architects Win In First Ever UK Passivhaus Awards Norfolk-based practice Parsons + Whittley Architects has won the residential category of the first ever UK Passivhaus Awards for a scheme which was insulated with STYROFOAM™ insulation. Parsons + Whittley won the much sought after award for the Wimbish Passivhaus project, a scheme designed for Hastoe Housing Association which delivers extremely low fuel bills and has minimal carbon emissions. The buildings were insulated below the concrete floor slabs with FLOORMATE 300-A STYROFOAM insulation from Dow Building Solutions. www.wimbishpassivhaus.com www.styrofoam.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 109

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AET’s Flexible Space Delivers Energy Efficient Air-Conditioning For Platinum Leed Development In Beijing

Passivhaus Milestone For STYROFOAM In Rural Affordable Housing Scheme FLOORMATE™ 300-A – a STYROFOAM™-A insulation material manufactured by Dow Building Solutions – was used to insulate the UK’s first rural affordable housing scheme to gain Passivhaus certification: Ravenscroft in Wimbish, Essex. Produced at Dow’s facility at King’s Lynn, FLOORMATE 300-A was installed below the concrete floor slabs of the development which celebrates its first anniversary in summer 2012. FLOORMATE 300-A is highly durable with excellent moisture-resistance and compressive strength, enabling the insulation to perform outside the waterproofing envelope. The design was based on FLOORMATE 300-A insulation running below the entire floor slab, solid aircrete external walls wrapped in over 250mm of foam insulation, and conventional insulated ceilings. www.wimbishpassivhaus.com www.styrofoam.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 111

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Flexible Space from Advanced Ergonomic Technologies (AET) is providing comfort cooling and heating for Parkview Green, the prestigious development in Beijing encased in a glass environmental envelope with a sloped roof made of ETFE-plastic. As part of the air conditioning solution provided for the office development, AET has installed more than 80,000 m² of its low energy Flexible Space System. When mechanical heating or cooling is required, AET’s Flexible Space System provides a complementary low energy solution. Each Flexible Space zone on the development is supplied with chilled or warmed air from the the underfloor void which acts as a plenum. Supply air is drawn up into the occupied space by fan assisted terminal units which are recessed into the floor, plugged into an underfloor power source and could be connected by data cabling for intelligent control. These fan tile units feature individual controls to provide variable speed and temperature adjusted for maximum user comfort. Air travels back return grilles located over the return plenum for reconditioning and is mixed with fresh air at that point to achieve high standards of indoor air quality. www.flexiblespace.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 110

Therapeutic Matting Heronrib matting, manufactured by Plastic Extruders Ltd, is being enjoyed by visitors and patients at a new physiotherapy pool in an orthopaedic rehabilitation hospital in Athens, Greece. The matting provides a safe surface which is slip resistant, warm and comfortable to stand on. Cable ties have been used to secure the matting on the steps to ensure they remained stable for users – even when covered with water. Heronrib is manufactured from hardwearing non-porous vinyl with a two layer open grid construction and channelled underbars to help water drain away easily in all directions. The matting has an embossed slip resistant surface and impregnated antibacterial and anti-fungal additives. www.heronrib.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 112

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Howe Green Super HG100 Drainage Solution For Bolton’s ‘Super School’ Howe Green’s HG100 linear drainage solution was chosen for Bolton’s first ‘super school’. The modular system provided client Kier Northern with an effective and attractive drainage solution to remove water from around a multisensory pool area at the new £36m ultra-modern site of Bolton’s St Catherine’s Academy and The Firwood School.

A fast delivery was critical to the client. Within 3 weeks of the order date, Howe Green supplied a made-to-measure linear drainage system with bespoke polymer grating to suit Kier Northern’s specifications with no price or delivery premium incurred. It was installed to sit perfectly flush to the tiled floor, forming an efficient linear drainage system around the 25m x 11m state-of the-art interactive pool which was specially designed to improve cognitive and physical abilities of pupils with special needs.

Capable of fitting into all types of floor finish, the HG100 system is perfect for any environment that requires drainage. An easy-to-clean, hygienic and durable channel drain solution, it is made from stainless steel, 100% recyclable and resistant to corrosion with a load bearing up to 3 tonnes.

“We were working to an already condensed build schedule,” said Mike Fallon of Kier Northern “The delivery times we were being quoted by other suppliers were completely unworkable. Thankfully Howe Green was able to supply their quality drainage solution in half the time and without us having to pay a premium”. www.howegreen.com/en/uk/lineardrainage ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 113

Five Star Façade For Burton’s Lifetime Homes GEZE UK has created a custom-made curved sliding glass door and façade for Chestnut Grange, a progressive development of ‘extra-care’ retirement homes in Burton-on-Trent. The glass entrance from GEZE UK provides a striking focal point for visitors to the £9.5m Chestnut Grange complex.

Syte Architectural Glazing called upon GEZE UK to provide a safe, effective and elegant main entrance solution. The brief was to design a stylish and contemporary entrance that would be safe and easy for all to use, so GEZE UK constructed a curved glass façade with bi-parting doors. A Slimdrive SC operator was tailored to a bespoke radius and door dimension, providing sophisticated automated access. Just inside the building, a Slimdrive SL automatic sliding door was also installed, creating a lobby area that minimises heat loss or gain, enhancing the sustainability of the development.

In order to provide safe and secure access to the 67 apartments and the rest of the unique multi-use building, GEZE UK also installed four highly compact Slimdrive EMD-F electro-magnetic swing door operators at side entrances and in corridors. Operators in GEZE’s Slimdrive range are just 7cm high, which means they can be mounted discreetly, making them the ideal choice for Chestnut Grange. All the operators are designed and tested to meet the requirements of all relevant standards and regulations, including Building Bulletin 93, Approved Documents B and M, as well as assisting with the vigorous demands of the Equality Act. www.geze.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 114

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Titanic’s Story Launches Southampton’s Seacity Museum Forming the focal point of Southampton’s recently launched “Cultural Quarter” is The SeaCity Museum housing, amongst other things, “Southampton’s Titanic Story” and their “Gateway to the World” exhibition detailing the city’s 2,000 year history of emigration and immigration.

The Museum officially opened on 10th April 2012 to commemorate 100 years to the day that the RMS Titanic departed from Southampton’s Docks – the “Titanic Story” focuses on the 897 crew members, 714 of whom came from Southampton of which 538 lost their lives, leading to one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

The energy efficiency of the building was poor and needed to be improved. Both English Heritage and the Council’s Conservation Team required the original single glazed windows to be retained and these were carefully overhauled and repaired. Secondary glazing was considered to be an appropriate adaptation for thermal improvement and Kier consulted Selectaglaze. Besides the thermal insulation, the gallery spaces also needed sound attenuation and blackout facilities as many of these rooms rely heavily on AV presentations which would be unduly affected by intrusive noise and light.

The Museum also features an exhibition dedicated to Cunard’s Queen Mary, including a 26’ one tonne scale model of the liner. In 1936 The Queen Mary’s maiden voyage also departed from Southampton, bound for New York.

Selectaglaze designed a range of slim line sliding and removable panels.

In the gallery spaces a special laminated glass has been specified with a black interlayer which avoided the need for additional black-out blinds. Other windows were glazed with toughened low emissivity glass to provide the best thermal insulation.

The Museum occupies a two-storey Grade II listed building which was purpose designed in the early 1930’s to accommodate the city’s police station, cells and Magistrates’ Courts. However, following the relocation of these facilities, the Local Authority, with the assistance of a £4.9m grant awarded from the Heritage Lottery Fund, embarked on a £15m project to develop this new venture.

Selectaglaze systems glazed with low emissivity glass can reduce the u-value of a single glazed metal window from 5.7 to less than 2.0, a more than 60% improvement. Laboratory tests also demonstrate that a sound level reduction of 45dB is possible. The results are achieved through tightly engineered systems, high performance seals and, for noise insulation, an air gap between the windows of 100mm or more.

Under the expert guidance of Main Contractor, Southampton-based Kier Construction, many of the building’s original Art Deco-influenced features have been retained and, in many cases, actually incorporated into the Museum. One of the most impressive examples is the use of the original courtroom which is used to recreate the London Court of Inquiry which was subsequently held into the disaster.

Selectaglaze’s units are purpose made with a wide choice of styles and finishes.

They are fully factory assembled allowing rapid installation with minimal disruption. They do not alter the appearance of a building so therefore offer an ideal solution for Listed buildings or those within conservation areas. www.selectaglaze.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 115

The Queen Mary exhibition - this room’s windows were treated with secondary glazing (concealed behind display panels) and now provide excellent levels of thermal insulation

Courtroom in which the Titanic Inquiry Story is told - secondary glazing featuring laminated glass with a black interlay, to avoid the need for additional black-out blinds

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Howe Green Solution To London’s Cable Car Howe Green’s 5000 and 7500 Series aluminium access covers have been installed in both the North and South Terminal buildings of the first urban cable car in the UK. Terrazzo flooring contractor TRI, chose Howe Green’s aluminium covers to provide easy, reliable and durable access to essential under-floor services for The Emirates Air Line; Transport for London’s gondola link across the River Thames from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks.

Howe Green is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fabricated metal access covers and their quality products are made to order at no additional time or financial cost.

The 5000 and 7500 Series aluminium panels are tamper resistant and double-sealed for safety and hygiene and sit flush with the floor to prevent slips and trips. They are also exceptionally hardy, making them ideal for the high levels of traffic expected to use the link, which connects two important Olympic sites. Howe Green also designed and fabricated a bespoke decorative trim for the project. An aluminium bar with special anchors was made featuring a semi-circular section with a 10-metre radius and a 6mm visible edge.

The company’s technical team worked closely with client TRI and added anchors on one side only to accommodate a 20mm Strata Granazzo floor tile - making tiling up to it much quicker and easier on site.

“We’ve worked with Howe Green for over 20 years” commented Simon Petrou, TRI’s Commercial Director “That says an awful lot about the company and the excellent standard of manufacture, service and support we get from them. The Emirates Air Line is a very prestigious project for us. It’s a job with tight time and budget pressures though, as every project is these days. Having Howe Green’s full support and knowing that they will pull out all the stops should we need them to gives us greater flexibility and peace of mind”. www.howegreen.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 116

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RMIG Is On The Ball With Warsaw’s Euro 2012 National Stadium Almost 26 km2 of expanded aluminium from RMIG has been used to create a unique exterior to Poland’s National Stadium in Warsaw, which is not only home to the Polish football team, but also staged the opening ceremony of the UEFA Euro 2012 competition, hosted jointly with Ukraine.

This new UEFA category 4 stadium has a maximum seating capacity of more than 72,000, when used for concerts and entertainment events and was designed by the international architectural consortium of JSK Architekci and Gerkan, Marg and Partners in collaboration with Schlaich Bergermann & Partner GmbH. The expanded aluminium façade sits above the stadium’s lower level glazed section and is painted in a red and white colour scheme, which represents Poland’s national colours and the waving of the country’s flag, as the exterior panels are installed at subtle angles with each layer alternating with the adjacent levels above and below.

As the stadium is designed as an open structure to provide natural ventilation to spectators and competitors, even when the venue’s innovative folding roof is closed, the exterior cladding from RMIG not only enables air to flow through the structure, but also provides a semi-transparent and durable external skin that allows internal lighting to show through. More than 9,000 individual anodised aluminium panels were manufactured by RMIG to extremely tight

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tolerances. This was an advantage in connection with the on-site installation and enabled the complete external mesh to be readily secured to the internal aluminium support structure to provide an integrated corrosion-resistant facade.

Each aluminium panel measures 2310 mm x 1240mm and incorporate a 70mm x 200mm mesh with a 20mm wide bridge. While most are 4mm thick, 784 were produced from slightly thicker 5mm material for specific parts of the façade where additional strength was required.

RMIG’s Project Manager, Anna Siwek, explained: “The use of expanded aluminium mesh in this application not only creates a highly decorative and versatile solution to the stadium’s exterior appearance, but also provides a practical benefit in the venue’s natural ventilation strategy, to help keep spectators cool and comfortable.”

She added: “While we are regularly involved in high profile exterior and interior projects, it’s not often that the structures we work on are on view to a worldwide television audience as well as being featured in international media quite so often, so we’re extremely proud to have been involved in this project.” www.rmig.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 117

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Europe’s Tallest Building Incorporates Schöck Thermal Breaks Some of Europe’s most sophisticated buildings incorporate thermal break technology from Schöck. But the new Mercury City Tower in Moscow is possibly the most iconic – and certainly the tallest – to utilise the Isokorb®.

Rising 327 metres above the Moscow skyline, the Mercury City Tower, is currently the highest building in Europe, beating London’s Shard into second place by some 17 metres.

This remarkable building is the centrepiece of a £7 billion International Business Centre development known as Moscow City, located about two and a half miles to the west of Red Square. A key design feature of the building is the use of inclined planes at various levels of the structure, which support vertical posts on which the facade cleaning system is installed.

The unit has to bear loads on two of the inclined planes, in addition to offering exceptional thermal protection. The proven high technical performance values and adaptability of the Isokorb® range have been the main drivers in helping establish and maintain the leading market position for Schöck across Europe.

In addition though, significant attention has also been given to providing specifiers, structural engineers and contractors across all regions the highest level of design and technical input.

Part of this package includes a 20 page ‘Specifiers Handbook‘, which provides an overview and introduction to the Schöck Isokorb®; and a comprehensive 236 page ‘Technical Guide’ which displays in detail the complete range of thermal break applications for all construction types. www.schoeck.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 118

To prevent any of the risks associated with thermal bridging, it is necessary to separate the vertical posts from the thermal contour of the building.

The unusual shape, size and characteristics of Mercury City required careful planning and involved the design of a unique Isokorb® insulation element.

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Photographys by: Bowmer & Kirkland

Diffused Daylighting At The FA’s National Football Centre One of the world’s largest sporting facilities to use Lumira aerogel insulation technology is St George’s Park, the FA’s National Football Centre and training ground. It is designed to be the place to inspire world class performance and become the international University of Football and also a hub where sport and business can interact.

Architects RedBox Design Group has designed this dramatic multi-purpose facility, on its 134 hectare site, to focus on coaching and education, including sports science and sports medicine facilities. The main contractor was Bowmer & Kirkland.

Of particular interest is the full size indoor football pitch and the separate sports hall both of which are side lit with Kalwall, supplied by Stoakes Systems. The cladding not only evenly diffuses natural daylight but creates perfect playing conditions by eliminating glare and shadows.

Importantly, the architects have maximised the highest levels of daylight insulation and energy efficiency by incorporating Lumira aerogel within 950sqm of the 2780sqm of Kalwall panels used on the site. This produces a remarkable insulating ‘U’ value of 0.28W/m2K, equivalent to a solid wall.

Sometimes called “frozen smoke”, Lumira aerogel is the lightest and best insulating solid in the world. Each particle consists largely of air, up to 95%, contained in a structure with pore sizes less than the mean free path of air molecules, which severely inhibits heat transfer through the material.

Kalwall is the most highly insulating diffuse light transmitting cladding and sky lighting system available. It is designed to transmit "museum-quality" light, flooding an interior with natural diffused daylight without glare or the harsh contrasts of light and shade. Running costs are reduced because of the superior insulation which reduces a building energy running costs including less reliance on artificial lighting.

Apart from being specified for all types of new build, Kalwall is increasingly used for the refurbishment of aged buildings and failed curtain-walling or sky lighting. www.stoakes.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 119

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Granite Transformations Finishes Aboard Luxury Motoryacht The slim profile of Granite Transformations’ agglomerate finishing material, at just ¼” (6.7mm) thick with a patented Flexiweb™ backing, lends itself perfectly to overlaying existing kitchen worktops and other hard surfaces like ceramic tiles, without demolition, debris, disruption or delay. Yet these same technical properties make it equally suitable for refitting yacht interiors, finishing RUV’s, caravans and motorhomes, upgrading narrowboats and lining out horseboxes, all applications where light weight and flexibility count as much as aesthetics.

One notable example is a $1.5million Viking 72 motoryacht, ‘Cary On’, which was recently subject to an extensive refit prior to resale, including more than 150 square feet of Granite Transformations agglomerate surfacing on existing galley counters and floors, stateroom cabinets and surrounds, cockpit storage units, tiled ‘head’ or bathroom flooring and more. The yacht broker who commissioned the refit chose GT because he needed the job done asap, without any risk of failure and no onboard demolition work. The fact that the chosen Nero Maltese near-black recycled glass finish is totally at home in these millionaire surroundings and needs absolutely no maintenance by the crew, were further bonuses.

Composed of around 95% natural material bonded with a high performance polymer resin, Granite Transformations agglomerate is offered in a choice of Italian granite, quartz and eco-chic recycled glass, each with its own distinctive aesthetics and choice of colours.

For boat owners and builders, its inherent flexural strength is important, as constant seagoing movement can cause other materials to bend and crack.

There is also the ballast issue, with GT’s agglomerate at least two-thirds lighter than granite slab, avoiding the problem of excess unladen weight.

Nor is there need for regular sealing to prevent staining and odours in a hardworking galley or pristine stateroom. For refacing the original galley countertops, surrounds and other surfaces, a densely textured Nero Maltese finish was specified, which is made from recycled beer, wine and mineral water bottles and contains up to 72% post-consumer recovered material.

With flecks of golden brown on a rich background of purple-blue and nearblack, Nero Maltese has a classy granite-like appearance and tones beautifully with Trend Plaza mosaic splashbacks, featured above the galley stove and prep area.

The predominant burnished copper Brillante glass mosaic in this studiodesigned mix is coincidentally one of the latest ‘mosaics on a mattress’ collection now available from Granite Transformations showrooms. The work was completed in just two days, with the overlays fabricated off-site to eliminate dust, debris and waste disposal issues. Later, 24” square floor tiles in the same Nero Maltese agglomerate material were laid in the galley area and one of the bathrooms, to complete the upscale look. www.granitetransformations.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 120

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Securistyle In Its Prime In Switzerland Securistyle, manufacturer of quality, innovative hardware for the window and door industries, has recently supplied its Parallel Plus Hinge System for the prestigious Prime Tower in Switzerland. Dave Walsh, Sales Director at Securistyle comments on the project: “The Prime Tower is a stunning glass building in the centre of Zurich on the site of the former Maag Cogwheel factory and is the tallest building in Zurich at 126 metres high. Each of the windows can be opened individually to provide controlled ventilation and by using the Parallel Plus System the air exchange provided is equivalent to a conventional vent opening of 100mm or more. What this means to the end user is that it can offer a sustainable alternative to a complete air conditioning system throughout the building. With 40,000m of floor space spread over 36 floors, that’s a significant saving.” Securistyle’s Parallel Plus Hinge is manufactured from high grade 304 austenitic stainless steel to provide increased strength and guaranteed long-term resistance to corrosion. It is also supported by a 12 year guarantee. www.securistyle.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 121

Beko And Bradfords Team Up For Green Weymouth Development Beko is one of the biggest selling major domestic appliance brands in the UK and has been specified for a luxury development at Officers Field, part of Osprey Quay in Portland, Weymouth. The Verwood, Dorset branch of Bradfords Building Supplies will install the kitchens, and Beko will supply a range of built-in appliances, including ovens, hobs, fridge freezers and dishwashers.

“We specified the Beko range of appliances because of the eco-friendly nature of the Officers Field development,” says Denise Hopkins, Contract Kitchen & Bathroom Supervisor at Bradfords.

“As we needed to use reliable, smart and cost-efficient appliances, the Beko brand was an automatic choice’’.

Using high quality materials, these residential units have been constructed to meet Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The units, most of which have coastal views, are built around a green to provide low energy, low carbon contemporary living in an environmental setting.

In terms of specification, all materials used were chosen for durability and their reduced impact on the environment. The kitchens will be fully fitted with Beko’s built-in range of low energy appliances, including integrated hob, oven, extractor hood and fridge/freezer. Some homes will also include built-in dishwashers and built-in washer/dryers. The Officers Field development combines style with sustainability on a number of levels. This includes reducing carbon and minimising energy and water bills through the installation of the latest energy-saving technologies – which is why Beko’s built-in appliance range was chosen for this highly contemporary development. www.beko.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 122

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Timoleon UFH Graces Belgravia When developer J.A.S. Truscott & Son of Westminster purchased a three bedroomed mews property in prestigious Belgravia it was the beginning of a transformation. S. J. Henderson & Company of Dulwich, chosen as main contractor for the project, ripped out the entire interior, leaving the beautiful Georgian façade overlooking the cobbled mews as an empty shell.

A basement was excavated increasing the floor area from 1,950 to 3,500 square metres enabling a conversion plan to a luxury four floor, four bedroom, four reception rooms property with a large kitchen and breakfast room area. It was at the ‘gutted interior’ stage that Timoleon, experts in all aspects of under-floor heating, was asked to produce detailed designs for heating all four floors of the mews house, these included plans for Timoleon’s Staple System, ideal for the screeded floor in the newly created basement and for the company’s Toron System, designed specifically for timber floor joist constructions, for the other three floors.

The Staple system in the Basement provided a quick, flexible and simple method of installing heating into a screeded floor. The Timoleon gridded insulation is layed on the sub floor, the 15mm polybutylene pipe is then stapled onto the insulation with barbed staples, this can be done by hand or with a pipe Stapler following the grids clearly marked. Once the pipe work has been pressure tested a screed is applied. The remaining floors used the Timoleon Toron system; this is suitable for conventional timber batten floors.

backed foil can be applied over the pipe work to provide additional output from the system.

An overboard layer of 6mm plywood completed the floor construction ready for carpet, wood flooring or vinyl. The efficiency of heat transfer using the Toron system is such that it is possible to run the system down to a temperature of 45 degrees rather than the 55 degrees norm, this makes it ideal for use with a Heat Pump or solar heated water and is at the same time extremely energy efficient and the heating performance will not deteriorate during the installed life of the floor.

Two Timoleon Axios Manifolds control the total heating system, one monitoring the two lower floors in the basement, the other covering the first and second floors in the loft. These manifolds proved simple to install and they have many inbuilt sophistications of design, possibly the most important, being the ability to balance individual circuits then isolate, thus ensuring accurate performance for each room. Auto air vents, technically advanced mixing valves and simply fitted but secure pipe connectors are also featured. www.timoleon.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 123

The standard Toron panels measuring 2400 x 600x 22mm are tongue and groove moisture resistant flooring chipboard, which are pre-routed to accept 10mm polybutylene pipe. The system is unique as it can be used as a structural floor across the joists. As the pipe work is embedded within the floor, there is an excellent transfer of heat, also specified strips of adhesive

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Photos: ©Norking Aluminium Ltd.

THE BOOK/PROJECTS

‘Reflections’ On Shackerley’s Ceramic Granite Facades The availability of highly polished Sureclad ceramic granite facade panels in a wide range of colourways and formats is providing architects with new ways to give buildings a luxurious standout appearance, says Shackerley, the UK’s market leading supplier of ceramic granite ventilated cladding systems.

Centre within its surroundings. The building is set amongst dense mature trees, so the reflectivity of the material was an important factor. Depending on the time of day the elevations appear to have a mirrored finish, allowing them to take on the colours of the surrounding trees, landscape and sky.”

Shackerley CEO Brian Newell says “Ceramic granite is an exceptionally versatile building material that can be produced in a vast array of styles and colourways to meet any aesthetic brief. Our ‘mirror finish’ Sureclad facade panels in traditional rectangular and contemporary square formats are increasingly popular because they deliver sustainable, external ventilated cladding with the appeal and natural appearance of highly polished stone such as marble or granite, but at a fraction of the cost, and with much lower loadings on the building.”

Appearances, although critical, were not the only reason why Shackerley’s Sureclad ceramic granite ventilated façades were installed, as Mark Clasper explained: “As the primary envelope cladding for the University Centre, it was important that the material we selected was sustainable. The ceramic granite scored an A rating in the BRE Green Guide to material specification, contributing to the credits we achieved under MAT1.” The building subsequently attained a BREEAM rating of Very Good.

The luxurious aesthetics are exemplified by a recently completed project at Grimsby Institute, where Ryder Architecture has delivered a new £10 million University Centre on the campus. Externally the new building makes a strong visual statement thanks to Ryder’s specification of a white polished ceramic granite ventilated facade panel from Shackerley’s Sureclad Collection.

Ryder Architect Mark Clasper said: “Our client wanted us to create a clear distinction between the new University Centre and the existing Further Education buildings. Our brief was to create a flagship building...somewhere aspirational that students could progress towards. We chose Shackerley’s white polished ceramic granite cladding primarily for its aesthetics. We wanted a premium material that would help add a ‘sense of grandeur’ to the University 0100 ISSUE 4 2012

Over 3000m2 of Shackerley’s Sureclad ceramic granite cladding was installed by total building envelope contractor Norking Aluminium Ltd. All panels were prefabricated at Shackerley’s ISO 9001 accredited production facilities in Lancashire and supplied to the Grimsby campus ‘installation ready’ - predrilled and bracketed using a patented undercut anchorage system to provide a secure mechanical fix to the Sureclad aluminium substructure (compliant with BS 5385 Part 2). The panels had been specified in an optimal 1200 x 600mm format to minimise cutting and material waste and Shackerley also supplied ceramic granite pieces cut to bespoke sizes for corner detailing.

Because of the project’s scale and tight deadlines, Norking and Shackerley’s technical experts worked very closely together to ensure it ran smoothly at every stage. Norking completed the facades on schedule, successfully creating interfaces with the external glass balustrading and Shueco glazed windows, delivering sleek streamlined elevations interrupted only by the deeply grooved and brightly coloured window reveals. www.shackerley.com ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 124

THE BOOK/PROJECTS

Sika Provides Efficient Solution For Balcony And Walkway Repairs At Toryglen A £15 million refurbishment project is underway at Toryglen, Glasgow, where contractor Lawtech is completing the renovation of 1,083 properties. As part of this refurbishment, a system was required that would provide an efficient and long term method of repair to the extensive balconies and walkways across the estate. A range of concrete repair and flooring products from global building product manufacturer Sika met the brief.

The two-year project is being managed by ‘whole house’ refurbishment specialist Lawtech. For the walkways and balcony repairs, a fast application process that would allow the extensive refurbishments to be carried out with the minimum of disruption to residents was required. With its ability to be laid and trafficked in the same day Sikafloor 415 proved the ideal solution.

Working for Lawtech, specialist contractor Site Sealants was appointed to repair and resurface the balconies and walkway. Before resurfacing, Site Sealants used a range of Sika concrete repair and protection solutions, including Sika Rapid Repair Mortar and the Sika Monotop concrete repair system – a system that meets the requirements of the European Standard EN 1504, the standard for the repair and protection of concrete.

Sika Rapid Repair Mortar was specified for its fast application process and long term performance. The one component fast setting cementitious repair mortar is ideal for use on vertical and horizontal concrete surfaces and is ready to apply after simply mixing with water. This was used in conjunction with Sika Monotop which contains silica fume, a highly reactive pozzolan.

Applied “wet-on-wet” to provide a robust protective layer, it is resistant

to water and chloride penetration, and helps to prevent future damage to the substrate whilst repairing the concrete. Once the concrete repairs were completed, Site Sealants applied a Sikafloor bonding and concrete primer before installing 5,000m2 of the innovative Sikafloor 415 Elastic system across more than 1,000 balconies and interconnecting walkways. With its quick curing abilities, and low odour application, it proved the ideal choice for this project, as the housing blocks can remain occupied throughout the two year programme.

Sikafloor 415 Elastic is weather resistant and abrasion resistant under normal use such as foot traffic, light wheeled transport and typical furniture. Able to be laid and trafficked in the same day and featuring Moisture Triggered Technology, meaning its curing is unaffected by rain, the system offers an efficient installation that enables residents access to their balconies and communal walkway within a short space of time and causes minimal disruption.

Due to its crack-bridging abilities, it ensures longevity and minimal maintenance. The system is also resistant to thermal shock created by exposure to elements including ice, hail or warming through sunshine.

Offering exceptional weatherproofing, durability and a simple installation process, the Sikafloor system – with a 10 year life expectancy – has ensured that the Toryglen housing estate’s walkways and balconies will remain protected for many years to come. www.sika.co.uk ENQUIRY CARD/ONLINE NO 125

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