DOORS, WINDOWS & GLAZING

OPERATOR IN HIDING

An automatic swing door operator that is completely hidden from view has been introduced by GEZE UK. The UFO NT is the new underfloor automatic swing door drive. It boasts a much wider range of capabilities and features than its predecessor including manual use via the Smart swing function. Providing maximum transparency and meeting aesthetic and access demands the UFO NT is hidden in the floor and so overcomes the problem of a limited area at the top of the door frame, perfect for use with glass facades or listed or historical buildings with structural limitations, or where automatic doors are required but with an operator that is not visible.

The UFO NT can be used on any type of door – glass, wood or metal and is especially suitable for use where vandalism could be a problem as the operator is fully concealed. It is also suitable for retrofitting. It provides compliance with the demands of the Equality Act and the building standard BS EN 8300. Developed from the robust and efficient GEZE Powerturn operator the UFO NT has a higher IP rating (IP 67) making it suitable for external doors, and a higher closing force than its predecessor size EN1 - EN4.

In addition, it can operate leaf widths up to 1250mm on external doors and 1600mm on internal doors, and leaf weights up to 125kg, surpassing the older unit in all areas of performance. The Smart swing function enables large doors to be operated manually with ease, though if the door is manually opened at high speed the operator will apply motor resistance to slow it down. www.geze.co.uk

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

The four-storey structural steel-framed blocks were built in Long Street in 1959 with plenty of natural daylight and generously sized lifts for transporting uncut sheets of plywood to the upper floors. The two blocks now form part of a luxury residential development, Long and Waterson. Architects Fletcher Priest have taken their design cue from the industrial lineage of the area, retaining original external brickwork and window settings and adding two rooftop penthouse levels creating a total of 71 apartments.

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

HELPING TO PRESERVE AN INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE

’From Aluminium to Apiaries’

by Wojciech Brozyna MD of Aluprof UK

Aluminium, since its commercial debut in the 1880s, has shaped our world in so many ways, in fact, if the metal did not exist, much of what we take for granted today, would never have been possible. Aluminium is the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, and makes up 8% of it by parts per million.

Once dubbed ‘the wonder metal’ for its light weight and high strength, its discovery continues to elevate human progress today. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable with no loss of characteristics, using just 5% of the original energy to produce aluminium, recycling is well established. With ‘clean’ scrap value almost that of new prime aluminium, it is fair to say that we cannot get hold of enough scrap aluminium to meet the current recycling demand.

With an estimated total discovered and undiscovered bauxite resources across the globe to be in the region of 55 billion to 75 billion tons we will not run out of new, prime aluminium anytime soon.

So where is the downside? Like all metals, aluminium carries high embodied energy, described today as embodied carbon. This has been historically quoted as high as 20 tonnes of carbon for every tonne of aluminium produced when energy from fossil fuels is used to produce new prime aluminium from bauxite. So aluminium smelters have traditionally been located next to renewable energy resources, such as hydro power for decades in order to use cheap renewable energy sources. Now the industry is looking at hydrogen power to further reduce embodied carbon.

Aluprof are proud to be leading this low-carbon revolution, using a greater recycled content to prime in aluminium can reduce embodied carbon to a very low parameter of 2.79 tCO2e (Tonnes of CO2 equivalent) for low-carbon billets manufactured at the group’s low-carbon Kety line at the factory in the southern Polish town of Kety.

These low levels of emissions have been achieved thanks to the use of the company’s cutting-edge plant for the manufacturing process and the high content of secondary raw materials in the form of recycled aluminium scrap at an average level of 65%. Whilst to some this may seem to still be a high carbon price to pay, consider the carbon savings using a product containing aluminium during its long life span, compared to alternative materials which can create more carbon in their lifetime.

Architects are understandably wanting to specify lowcarbon aluminium for future projects but with global aluminium recycling running at about 33% of all aluminium output, to source 65% scrap for specific projects will often mean extended lead times should be catered for. The Aluprof UK field team are always on hand to advise specifiers on what can be achieved for any given project and how further carbon savings can be achieved through the supply chain.

OK, so where do Bees enter the cycle of aluminium production? Many companies in the aluminium supply chain strive to save energy and at the same time protect our fragile environment from climate change. Aluprof, together with their parent company Grupa Kety, are probably the most forward thinking aluminium company operating out of Poland today.

The company has acquired and run their own apiaries and produce honey that goes to the charges of the Grupa Kety Foundation for the Children of the Podbeskidzie Region. Honey is also handed to employees for dining rooms and used in kitchens of various group companies. Some of the smallest jars are used as corporate gifts for customers. The delicate balance of bees and their environment, reminds our employees of the fragile environment we live in today and ensures that employees continue to strive to improve manufacturing efficiency whilst protecting our own ecosystem.

In 2019 Aluprof released their EPD’s (Environmental Product Declarations) produced by the Polish institute ITB, in accordance with the PN EN 15804 (Construction Product Environmental Declaration) standard and verified in accordance with ISO 14025. These are available to specifiers and customers of Aluprof and are constantly being updated and added to as Aluprof continue to update and improve their systems.

Various Aluprof systems are also now Cradle to Cradle Certified™ this is a globally recognised measure of safer, more sustainable products made for the circular economy. For more than a decade, Cradle to Cradle Certified™ has been helping companies to innovate and optimise materials and products. Measured against the world’s most advanced science-based measures that assess the safety, circularity and responsibility of materials and products across five categories of sustainability performance.

Grupa Kety will be celebrating its seventieth anniversary in 2023. As you would expect the Group’s anniversary is being marked in an exceptional environmental way, with the group planting seventy thousand trees in Poland. The initiative will carbon offset a small portion of the Group companies’ activities, but together with other initiatives from Grupa Kety and Aluprof, these are a huge step forward in the direction of sustainability. More information on how the group strive to be at the forefront of our future sustainability can be viewed on the Aluprof website and in particular the company’s sustainability document ‘Sustainable future with Aluprof'.

Since setting up the Aluprof Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their high-performance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the company’s headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk

Stylish Performer

Crittall’sT60 Thermally Broken Steel windows system marries timeless aesthetic to 21st Century performance

With the soaring cost of energy dominating national headlines for many weeks and likely to remain a reality for months, if not years, there has never been a better time for architects, designers, and property owners to review options for bringing down bills while increasing the sustainability of their buildings.

Leading steel window manufacturer Crittall has retooled its Essex plant to meet the increased demand for its T60 thermally broken window that is finding favour in an ever-increasing range of applications. “Whether it’s the wish of the customer, the architect, or the demand of legislation, it’s all being driven that way,” says Crittall managing director Russell Ager.

“Our T60 offers the same aesthetic as our well-known steel-framed windows but with an enhanced thermal performance and,” he adds: “it is equally well suited in heritage as well as contemporary modern and new build situations.” With T60 Crittall is able to meet the most exacting thermal credentials. The window features an advanced high density glass fibre reinforced polyurethane isolator as a thermal barrier. This, together with housing high performance double or triple glazing up to 32mm wide, ensures the system surpasses the requirements of current regulations while at the same time providing contemporary levels of comfort, particularly in harsher weather conditions where traditional steel windows may not have previously been sufficient. T60 can provide a thermal rating of Uw 0.8 W/m²/K or 0.14 BTU.

All this is achieved within the same slender profile for which Crittall steel windows are duly celebrated, ensuring the maximum amount of daylight entering the building, which in itself is a contributor to sustainability and reduces energy consumption. And steel, of course, is itself a 100% recyclable material.

“More and more people are considering the thermally broken T60 as their first choice when planning a new build or a refurbishment,” says Russell Ager. And if there is a heritage element to a development the window, because it offers the same sightlines as traditional rolled steel products, is finding favour with planning authorities.

This was certainly the case with the Levine Building, a new development within the grounds of historic Trinity College, Oxford, that provides a perfect example of how 21st century environmental performance can be blended seamlessly with traditional aesthetic requirements. The new buildings, designed by ADAM Architecture, were classical in their proportions and external appeal, finished in honey-coloured ashlar limestone, with the bronze powder-coated T60 fenestration set within stone surrounds. They harmonise effortlessly with the surrounding conservation area that includes listed structures.

Energy efficiency is a major concern for educational establishments and now the University of Gloucester has specified T60s in a new campus development that includes conversion of a former Debenhams department store. At present the major appeal of the T60 is being found in both the educational and commercial sectors. A recently completed office building refurbishment and upgrade is Devonshire House where black powdercoated T60 frames were installed in the seven-storey Great Portland Street structure in central London. The windows were provided in both inward and outward opening configurations with glazing bars to mimic the Georgian-style panes in the substantial 1930s building. Construction is achieved using CNC (computer numerical control) machines which cut the steel at Crittall’s Witham, Essex, manufacturing plant. The company has increased the number of such machines from one to three and further additions are planned as demand increases. But emphasises, Russell Ager, the frames are hand welded retaining the craftmanship for which Crittall is renowned.

As the commercial use of the thermally broken steel window increases Ager foresees it expanding into the higher end residential market because, of course, building owners of every type are seeking the means to keep heating costs under control while helping to reduce energy usage. www.crittall-windows.co.uk

Profab Access Adds A Five Star Finish To Cardiff’s Newest Luxury Hotel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GLASS DIVIDE FOR TOP LONDON MEDIA COMPANY

At the Mediabrands office in London’s Old Bailey, Style worked with MCM Architects and contractor, 8 Build, to create a flexible meeting room next to a large community and circulation space. Choosing a Dorma Hüppe Variflex glass moveable wall, the meeting room can be divided from the rest of the space with ease whilst retaining visibility and an open plan feel. With a 52dB acoustic rating, meetings can be hosted without outside interference and the inclusion of the two fully glazed pass doors enable the moveable wall to remain in place for extended periods, creating a more permanent meeting room.

“We are seeing very strong demand for glazed moveable wall systems,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s group managing director, “because companies are looking to enjoy adaptable office space whilst retaining that open plan working environment. “At Mediabrands, the black painted frames on this moveable wall complement the interior design of the room perfectly, and the semi-automatic operation of this Dorma Hüppe moveable wall makes it simple to open and close, with the acoustic seals being applied to the perfect pressure each time.”

Style is the UK’s exclusive partner to Dorma Hüppe, Skyfold and SWG offering a broad portfolio of solid and glass moveable walls for all requirements and budgets. Its glass operable wall range offers acoustic and non-acoustic systems for a wide range of market sectors. www.style-partitions.co.uk

IP65-RATED ENTRANCE FOR UNIVERSITY

Greatly improving the main entrance to the Ken Edwards Building at the University of Leicester, TORMAX was recently contracted by Summers-Inman to work with GD Building Services to install a set of bi-parting automatic sliding doors, giving students and staff clear and easy access to lecture theatres and study areas. Due to extremely restricted space inside, it was necessary for the sliding doors to be fitted to the external façade of the building, making the door mechanism liable to water ingress and a build-up of moisture.

Ensuring a long working life and reliable operation whatever the weather, TORMAX recommended their iMotion 2301.IP65 system which meets the most stringent requirements for resistance to dust, water penetration and corrosion. The Ken Edwards Building was built in 1995 and is home to the college of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities. Named after former genetics lecturer, Dr Kenneth Edwards, the prominent campus building has three substantial lecture theatres, as well as classroom facilities, IT suites and a student common room.

In addition to being IP65-rated, the iMotion 2301 operator features a wear-free synchronous motor which delivers a near-indefinite working life, making this a low- energy, highly sustainable option in the long term. Rapid reaction movement sensors combine with powerful opening and closing speeds, ensuring the doors operate with maximum efficiency, helping minimise heat-loss from the building. www.tormax.co.uk

SELECTAGLAZE CURVED ON PLAN UNITS CREATE A SPLASH AT KIDDERPORE HALL

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

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

Traditional Timber Window and Door Specialists

Beautiful timber windows and doors, designed to improve energy efficiency. Tailor made solutions for your project. Supply only, supply and install, secondary glazing and draught proofing.