Public Sector Building News - October 2018

www.psbnews.co.uk October 2018

HLM ARCHITECTS £11.5M GREENMEAD AND RONALD ROSS SCHOOLS COMPLETED

FORRESTBROWN

TAX CREDIT MEANS UNIQUE PROJECTS NEEDN’T BE SINK OR SWIM FOR CONTRACTORS

CALEDONIAN GRADE A SOLUTION TO OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS

KAWNEER

WORKS WITH POLAR NE TO HELP HEALING AT A PIONEERING AUTISM CENTRE

EDUCATION

HEALTHCARE

HOUSING

Allegion’s top tips for making university’s students feel safe this coming September

Hospital flooring development focus

Homes England’s ambitious pipeline of development opportunities

Contents

PSBN

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING NEWS

Editor’s Note General Enquiries info@psbnews.co.uk

Hello and a very warm welcome to the October edition of Public Sector Building News.

Editor Maria Lapthorn editor@psbnews.co.uk

In this edition one of the projects we feature is HLM’s £11.5M project of merging Greenmead and Ronald Ross Schools. Co-locating a mainstream primary; Ronald Ross Primary School, together with an SEN primary; Greenmead, has its challenges, particularly on such a constrained site, but now complete the project has clearly been a success. You can view the project on page 24.

Editorial Assistant Georgina Baxter editorial@psbnews.co.uk Production/Design Laura Whitehead design@psbnews.co.uk Sales Executive Lucy Robinson lucy@psbnews.co.uk Accounts Richard Lapthorn accounts@psbnews.co.uk Circulation Manager Leo Phillips subs@psbnews.co.uk Website Management Rob Turner rob@psbnews.co.uk Phone: 01843 808 117 News 4U Ltd 5-7 Ozengell Place Eurokent Business Park Ramsgate Kent CT12 6PB

On the cover Our cover image comes from architects Saunders Boston’s project, recreation centre Sapphire Ice & Leisure. Further details on the project can be found on page 16.

As always, if you have a recent project or news story that you would like to see published within our pages, please contact the editorial team.

Features 07

10

Cladding - Upwards extensions with Eurobrick

Doors & Windows - Kawneer works with Polar NE for autism centre

12

16

Education - Construction in Education Case Study

Finance - Finance & Planning Case Study, Sam Dewar talks to PSBN

18

20

Healthcare - Hospital flooring development focus

Heating & Ventilation - The HD551, now available from Rinnai

22

26

Insulation & Acoustics - Hospitals use spray foam to aid patient recovery

Project - £11.5M Greenmead and Ronald Ross Schools completed

28

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Lighting - School to save £320,000 by changing its lightbulbs

Roofing - Funding secured to refurbish Woodlands Academy in Scarborough

Find us online - www.psbnews.co.uk Latest news, features, articles and products

Follow us on Twitter: @psbn_social

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£76M A YEAR FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY Thousands of extra homes, specially designed for people with disabilities, mental health issues and older people who need extra support, will be created over the next three years with an additional £76 million a year, government announce today.

This supported or specialised housing is designed to be accessible and aid independent living by having features including: • • •

•

Individual home with their own front door flexibility to adapt or install equipment or assistive technology in the home varying levels of personal care and support to residents, including access to GP or other health services communal areas (for housing for older people)

The fund is run in partnership with Homes England for schemes outside London, and the Mayor of London for London-based schemes, who implement the programme.

Providers can bid for money through Homes England and the Mayor of London’s office to build these specially designed new homes.

Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said: “No one should have to go into a residential home or get stuck in hospital because of a lack of specialised housing adapted to

suit their needs. This programme provides a vital life line for some of the most vulnerable people in society to live their own lives in a home that works for them. We want the fund to be used to its maximum potential so more homes can be created, more quickly, ensuring that thousands of people are supported to live independently in their own homes, benefitting both them and their carers.”

The Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund (CASSH) was announced in 2012 and has been extended until 2021. After two fixed bidding rounds were rolled out housing providers have applied for funding and already built around 3300 specially designed new homes.

To streamline the process and enable as many schemes to get off the ground as possible, local authorities and housing developers will now be able to apply on a rolling basis, until all the funding has been allocated for the year. The housing ensures people with disabilities and older people can live independently for longer in the community.

Homes England Executive Director, Gordon More said: “So far we have allocated over £150 million to specialist housing providers to support new development for disabled and older people. Bidding

for this important fund remains open with a further £125 million available through Homes England over the next three years. We urge all specialist housing providers to consider how they can access this funding to provide new homes for vulnerable people” James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development at the Greater London Authority, said: “The Mayor is delighted to have secured additional funding from the Government for his Care and Support Specialised Housing programme. This will enable us to boost the supply of much-needed homes that meet the diverse needs of Londoners - improving quality of life for the capital’s older and disabled residents and helping them to continue living independent and fulfilling lives.”

HOUSING TO HEALTH SAVES MILLIONS IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE COSTS The BBC’s Hospital, broadcast earlier this year, highlighted the pressures that the QMC faced last winter and specifically highlighted the problems caused by delayed discharge, when patients are forced to stay in hospital because of unsuitable housing, despite being well enough to be discharged.

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Nottingham City Homes (NCH) has been working with the NHS to address the issue of delayed discharge since 2015 via the Housing to Health (H2H) initiative.

H2H aims to help people leaving hospital to find appropriate housing, make any necessary adaptations, free up a hospital bed and give patients the opportunity to go home – and this week has released its latest figures.

In the past year, the initiative has supported 107 people to be re-housed into more suitable homes. 40% of these people were occupying high-demand NHS and social care beds.

One such individual is Mr A, who was

referred to H2H by the QMC. He was left a permanent wheelchair user after circulation problems led to the amputation of his foot, and couldn’t be discharged to his home, a first floor flat.

H2H identified a newly built, fully adapted and accessible bungalow for Mr A, and he moved in within three weeks. The H2H team worked with him through the entire process to make sure that the property would be suitably furnished and that he had the help he needed to move.

Latest News

NEW SURVEY REVEALS HIGH LEVEL COMPETENCIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING SURVEYORS A new survey of LABC’s 3,000 building standards surveyors has shown more than two thirds of local authority building control teams have surveyors with the top level competencies to deal with higher risk and complex buildings.

LABC has established that there are 1,096 local authority building standards surveyors with these competencies across England and Wales.

The survey also found that the vast majority (72%) of these highly skilled surveyors are able to accommodate projects outside their own authority to support other teams’ client work or provide peer reviews.

The survey comes as the first pilot group of local building standards surveyors passed their accredited Fire Safety Specialist Validations – including surveyors in Manchester where there are many high rise buildings. LABC, in association with the Institution of Fire Engineers, is carrying out a full assessment of all its high level surveyors to produce an ‘LABC Fire Safety Specialist Licence to Practice’ which will include annual mandatory fire safety training.

The results from this first group of surveyors to be assessed are being used to confirm the certification papers and the competency validation programme.

Commenting, LABC Deputy Managing Director, Lorna Stimpson said, “We’ve been working on identifying and accrediting the skills of our teams for more than 18 months as part of our ISO backed Quality Management System. I’m delighted that we have so many very highly skilled surveyors and have identified capacity that means they can provide a service for higher risk building projects nationwide.

With more than 1,000 highly specialised surveyors, the public sector is more than capable of taking on the task of surveying the higher risk residential buildings identified in Dame Judith Hackitt’s report.

“Our surveyors provide full geographical coverage and are able to peer-review each other’s work. Clients, other professionals and other regulatory contributors will have complete reassurance that they’re dealing with surveyors with proven and measured competency.

“LABC will continue to invest in the skills and competencies of our surveyors to ensure that they are fully capable of implementing all the recommendations contained within Dame Judith’s report.”

Mr A said that he was very satisfied with his new home, and that he was managing his health and finances much better. He was also delighted to be part of a new and accessible community.

H2H has also saved the public purse over £2.1m last year in health and social care costs. The NHS made the biggest saving - £1.6m - with Nottingham City Council saving nearly £400,000 and Nottingham City Homes nearly £144,000.

With an overall project cost of £135,600 over the same year, the net financial return on investment stands at £14.73 for every £1 spent.

Many of those supported by H2H

have been able to report significant positive impacts on their general health following their move.

Residents have reported better health, better quality of life, and a substantial reduction in anxiety and depression.

Ciara Stuart, Deputy Director of City Locality services at the Greater Nottingham Clinical Commissioning Partnership, said, “Since its inception the Housing to Health project has become an increasingly important part of how we help our patients avoid being ‘stuck’ and facing worsening health due to inadequate housing. No one should have to spend more time than they need in hospital or a care home simply because their housing doesn’t

support them to recover and stay healthier for longer.

“The service is helping people to find housing that meets their health needs and allows them to develop and maintain more active and independent lives. It’s helping GPs, community nurses, and hospital staff to focus their care where it’ s needed, and it’s helping to reduce delays within the health system.”

Gill Moy, Director of Housing and Customer Services at Nottingham City Homes, said: “I’m delighted to see the positive impact the Housing to Health scheme has had on the lives of local people, and the savings it’s offered to local health and care agencies.”

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Latest News

BARTON WILLMORE URGE PLANNERS AND DEVELOPERS TO HAVE THEIR SAY AND COMPLETE SURVEY ON THE PLANNING (SCOTLAND) BILL Barton Willmore, a leading Planning and Design consultancy, are urging planners and developers to have their say and complete a survey to help influence the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

Barton Willmore, who recently expanded its operation in Scotland with the opening of an office in the centre of Glasgow, have been monitoring, along with their clients, the Planning (Scotland) Bill at all stages of the process in order to gain an understanding on how changes emerging from the Bill may affect the delivery of development in Scotland.

Colin Lavety, Planning Director at Barton Willmore, said: “Whilst monitoring the progress of the review, it came to our attention that fundamental changes have occurred through the key stages of the Planning Review to what is now being proposed through the Local Government & Communities Committee Stage 1 Report in May this year.

“The direction of the review seems to be moving away from some of the key aims - such as enabling housing and infrastructure delivery - and it is disappointing that such fundamental considerations seem now to be less of a focus, in our view.”

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Review in our survey, as well as those which now seem subject to less focus as the Bill progresses.

To highlight these fundamental changes, we have identified those topics which we consider to be key to the discussion on the Planning Review in our survey, as well as those which now seem subject to less focus as the Bill progresses.

“Whilst we acknowledge that the debate is moving fast (currently, more than 90 proposed amendments to the Bill have now been proposed) and therefore the system may end up being fundamentally different to that reflected in our survey, we feel it is important to analyse how the emerging Bill (at this current time) sits against the stated aims and intentions at the start of the process.”

“To highlight these fundamental changes, we have identified those topics which we consider to be key to the discussion on the Planning

The survey, sent to professionals working in the property, architecture and planning industry as well as

local authorities, tackles a series of issues that relate to the Bill focusing on, for example, the questions of greater community involvement during the drafting process compared to the current system and how the introduction of Local Place Plans will impact on local development.

Barton Willmore aim to use the survey to gather as many opinions as possible in order to use the information to formulate a robust industry response to the Scottish Government, and plan to discuss this further with organisations such as Homes for Scotland and RTPI Scotland.

Cladding

Upward extensions with Eurobrick Adding floors to buildings can be a complicated process, particularly as far as the foundations are concerned, but lightweight cladding systems can help to simplify the process. Eurobrick has been leading the brick slip cladding sector for nearly 30 years and has seen an increase in upward extension projects, which are a great solution where space is limited. Director Richard Haines outlines the challenges faced on some recent projects that chose to build upwards, “Recently, our systems have been used in two challenging upward extension projects that have given older properties a new lease of life as residential apartments.

One of those projects was on Norwood Road in South East London and involved the redevelopment of an existing commercial building.

The original building included a large ground floor retail unit with snooker club and offices above. The proposal was to demolish the upper floors and build nine new residential apartments over the retail unit.

This project was particularly challenging because the retailer had to continue trading throughout the build. And although they wanted to add two floors above the retail unit, the existing foundations and structure of the building could not be altered. A lightweight solution was required so Eurobrick’s P-Clad system was specified.

The new parts of the building were constructed with an insulated timber frame with an exterior sheathing. This is a faster construction technique than traditional building methods and was important for minimising disruption to the retailer and its customers. The project was finished externally with brick and render.

Our P-Clad system was used with a special order brick slip alongside render panels to create a distinctive mixed finish to the building.

Pechiney House was the second ambitious project, involving the conversion and redevelopment of a 2-storey office building into residential apartments by adding a 4-storey upward extension to the existing building. This time Eurobrick’s X-Clad system was the lightweight solution that helped to simplify the process. It was attached to a ply panel on the lightweight steel frame construction, reducing the overall weight of the upward extension considerably.

The resulting redevelopment of 42 new residential units, including studios and 1 & 2 bed apartments, was completed at the end of last year. The mixed palette of finishes, using both bricks and timber, created a contemporary look that was sympathetic to the original building.”

The new parts of the building were constructed with an insulated timber frame with an exterior sheathing. This is a faster construction technique than traditional building methods and was important for minimising disruption to the retailer and its customers.

Eurobrick provide flexible brick cladding solutions for all types of projects offering a quick, easy and robust solution. Brick slip cladding is durable and will weather and age in the same way as conventional brickwork, requiring little to no maintenance. Eurobrick’s systems are BBA certified and they also offer a 25 year product guarantee.

For more information please visit www.eurobrick.co.uk.

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More for less Janisol Arte 2.0, the new version of Schueco Jansen’s steel renovation window, delivers in three key areas: appearance, performance and affordability.

Still retaining elegantly retro looks, the window is now available in both high-grade austenitic 1.4401 stainless steel and Corten steel, with laser-welded profiles for wider mullion spans. Add in more profiles, improved insulation, increased corrosion resistance and a new lower cost and Janisol 2.0 is an unbeatable proposition. www.schueco.co.uk

Doors & Windows

Kingston Joinery and West Port Windows and Doors join forces to bring ‘exceptional’ new fire door product to market A leading specialist joinery contractor and one of the UK’s premier timber window and door manufacturers have joined forces to introduce a new high-performance fire door-set to the commercial market.

East Yorkshire based Kingston Joinery says it is delighted with a new distribution agreement with longterm supplier West Port Windows and Doors which will see it offer a complete ‘turnkey package’ on the new industry-leading fire door-sets.

Recognised as one of the largest, most advanced timber window and door producers in the UK, Cumbrian specialists West Port is looking for Kingston Joinery to use its established reputation with major developers and contractors to introduce the product to market including local authorities and housing associations.

The door has been third-party accredited and tested in extreme temperatures of fire, reaching nearly 1000 degrees Celsius and passing rigorous testing by containing the blaze for 42 minutes - 12 minutes (40%) over the 30 minutes standard requirement.

Kingston Joinery are themselves registered with International Fire Consultants (IFC) – allowing their site managers and supervisors to selfcertify fire door installations on site immediately after installation – in turn giving clients an immediate fully certified installation on their projects.

The product is specifically suited for flat or apartment entrance doors and communal doors, as well as any associated stairwell and corridor doors.

Craig O’Leary, managing director of Kingston Joinery, says it makes the product an ideal option for local authorities looking to replace doors in high rise tower blocks as a result of new, increased fire safety regulations in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

He said: “We are thrilled to be further strengthening our long-term relationship with West Port Windows and Doors to offer this exceptional, industry-leading new product and a complete installation and accreditation package. We feel can make a really positive impact in the commercial development and refurbishment sectors and bring peace of mind over fire safety standards to all involved. It is a unique offer in that it is a new product to market, developed by a leading and trusted manufacturer, which has the highest level of performance for withstanding and limiting the spread of fire. It is also being installed by a company qualified to certify it immediately when fitted. It is a fantastic option for any major development or refurbishment scheme as it means crucial safety standards are not only being met, but exceeded by some way, and there is no delay in work as certifications are instant.”

West Port has manufactured the new fire door-sets to be available in a range of styles, finishes and glazing options, making them suitable for any building with the highest standards of security and safety.

They come made to measure and manufactured to meet the Secured

by Design (SBD) standards.

West Port has already secured a major contract in the North East to supply a large quantity of the new door-sets for a major new housing development.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Kingston Joinery,” comments West Port Managing Director Sean Parnaby.

“Grenfell Tower was a long-overdue wake-up call for everyone in construction. Finally, fire safety regulations are being tightened, and now, as an industry, we’re responsible for producing and fitting fire door-sets that perform to the highest standards. Together, that’s what West Port and Kingston can offer.

“Every door we provide has exceeded standard fire resistance times by 40% and comes supplied with relevant markings to verify the door’s fire integrity, as well as lowlevel thresholds for disability access.

“Available with five to seven-week lead times, this is an ideal solution for major UK developers, main contractors, local councils and housing associations.”

Kingston Joinery has worked on large-scale developments for the likes of Bam, Balfour Beatty, Galliard Homes, Galliford Try, Interserve, Kier and Morgan Sindall.

For more information please call West Port on 01900 814225 or visit www.west-port.co.uk

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KAWNEER WORKS WITH POLAR NE TO HELP HEALING AT A PIONEERING AUTISM CENTRE A bespoke healthcare window stars at the UK’s first dedicated adult autism unit.

Windows by leading UK architectural glazing systems supplier Kawneer have helped meet a host of complex criteria for the UK’s first dedicated healthcare facility for adults with autism.

The Mitford unit at Northgate Hospital in Morpeth, Northumberland, where fenestration was led by architectural glazing specialists Polar NE, uses a variety of Kawneer window and framing systems including a bespoke secure healthcare window specially fabricated for the £10 million project.

This specialist window – based on the Kawneer AA®3110HW horizontal slider - has been used in the bedrooms and some communal areas alongside Kawneer’s AA®540 fixed casements in corridors, AA®541 top-hung casements in offices and reception, and 451PT framing in communal areas and corridors.

Supplied in moss grey (RAL 7003), they were specified by Medical Architecture in conjunction with Kawneer dealer Polar who had a team of two specialist installers on site for 11 months.

The new BREEAM “Excellent” Mitford unit for Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust provides 24-hour inpatient support and treatment for up to 15 adults with severely complex autistic spectrum disorders.

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Built by Kier under ProCure21+, the accommodation comprises eight single-person and two and three-person shared flats within four fingers of accommodation linked at their southern end by a band of shared spaces interspersed with staff facilities. Patients typically stay 18 months to two years, during which time individual stimuli and appropriate therapies are used before they return to the community.

The development of the design was particularly extensive regarding the patient flats and a full-size mockup was built to test bespoke joinery and other details for robustness and particularly acoustic properties.

well. Creating a ligature-resistant window is a challenge that very few manufacturers/fabricators take on. It also needs to facilitate a challenging cleaning regime and in some cases prevent the passage of contraband, so all in all a complex component that is vital to creating a therapeutic yet safe environment.

This particular project required an internal shutter in place of curtains so we were able to adapt the already successful horizontal slider mental health window unit to work in a pocket alongside an internal shutter.”

The trust’s key objectives included incorporating best practice from around the world and becoming a leading-edge national autism service, enhancing the facilities for research and development to provide a national centre of excellence, and building a sustainable commercial model to ensure the capital costs of the building were recuperated over an eight-year period.

The windows were required to incorporate thick toughened and laminated glass for safety reasons so achieving the appropriate thermal performance within the width capacity of the frame was challenging at times. A bedroom window, for example, required a 10mm toughened inner and a 10mm toughened outer as the bedroom windows looked out onto a courtyard area.

The unit’s design has created a calm and protective setting that helps ensure the comfort and privacy of its residents while responding sensitively to the existing established features of the wider hospital site. External materials, forms and overall heights have been carefully matched to the surrounding buildings.

“Aesthetics are definitely secondary to performance in this case,” said Paul. “The Kawneer range of components has allowed us and the window designers to achieve innovative and bespoke design where necessary. In this instance the need was for a very simple, discreet appearance from the inside and a clean robust outer appearance. I think we achieved this despite the inherently ‘heavy’ nature of the unit.”

Given there was no precedent in the UK for this type of building, the project team had to develop design standards harnessing knowledge gained from visits to other residential buildings for autism patients, information from organisations such as the Autistic Society, and first-hand knowledge from the trust’s clinicians.

Medical Architecture director Paul Yeomans said: “Mental health inpatient windows are a very specialist product and we have developed designs with one of the few manufacturers/fabricators over a period of 11 years. Polar chose Kawneer’s AA®3110HW system components as a basis and we adapted the successful design to the particular needs of the autism unit.”

The Kawneer systems helped to meet a multitude of criteria.

“Windows in mental health inpatient buildings are complex things,” he added. “They need to facilitate natural ventilation, preferably be controlled by patients but be extremely safe and robust as

The trust engaged a local artist to design artwork on a vinyl film that was incorporated into some key windows for a combination of stimulation and privacy.

Polar NE director Sandy Baxter said: “This was a unique window design. Using our Wansbeck Secure healthcare window – of which the ‘platform’ is the existing AA®3110HW horizontal slider from Kawneer – we were required to further develop the design to meet the criteria for this specific project. It was installed so the patient only had access to the internal sliding sash. The rest of the window was concealed inside

Doors & Windows

Medical Architecture has specified in conjunction with Polar NE, with whom they have collaborated on 10 other window projects, since 2007.

“Most of the projects have been for the NHS estate so BREEAM compliance has been essential RENOVATION RESTORATION

and the aluminium construction has contributed to this,” said Paul.

“This client has been a close partner in developing these window types for their estate over the past 11 years so is very happy with the window design.”

Staff and visitors are happy too.

Ward manager Pamela McIntyre said: “Staff are witnessing huge impacts on quality of life. Seeing a mother reacting to her son having his first incident-free days in seven

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years is very rewarding.”

Another staff member said: “In the old building there was one patient who used to live in self-imposed isolation and crawled everywhere.

Within a week of moving into Mitford he was having a drink with staff in one of the offices.”

And a visitor said: “The design is innovative, forward-thinking, cuttingedge and sets the standard. It is uncomplicated in appearance but sophisticated in its design solutions.”

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the wall. The Polar NE Wansbeck Secure windows had night vents as part of the design due to being in service users’ bedrooms and manual Teleflexes to open high-position windows were used along staff-only corridors for increased ventilation.”

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04/05/2018 10:20

Grade A solution to overcrowding in schools Here Paul Lang, Caledonian’s CEO, looks at how off-site construction can help alleviate the shortage of school places, through shorter build schedules that minimise disruption to the students, campus and the local community.

Research recently conducted by a leading procurement specialist has revealed that an additional 435,646 pupils will be joining the UK’s secondary school system in 2020, requiring over 14,500 additional secondary classrooms, each with 30 pupils, across the country. These 14,522 secondary school classrooms would need to be built over the next three years in order to cope with the increase in pupil numbers. In practical terms, this would equate to over 400 brand-new 1050-pupil secondary schools across the country.

Also, according to a separate report published by a major UK political party in 2017, just over one in five existing schools (21%) were over capacity across all year groups,

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and a further 20% were at capacity, making it clear that classroom overcrowding is becoming a bigger and bigger issue.

LEAs, therefore, need to extend existing establishments and invest in new facilities quickly to accommodate the increasing number of pupils. However, with a shortage of funds and resources available, new schools, and supporting campus buildings, must be cost-effective and built within short timescales. They also need to be of guaranteed high quality and low maintenance so that the LEA achieves value for money.

SMART construction Compared to building using traditional methods; the education sector benefits enormously from off-site construction.

More than 80 to 90% of the work can be completed in a factory, like our Newark-based facility, a quality controlled environment, unaffected by the weather or skills shortages on site. This

significantly reduces the likelihood of delays to the project. In addition, offsite offers minimal disruption to the surrounding community by ensuring a rapid build and cutting down significantly reducing deliveries and activities to site.

Suitable to more than just schools, off-site construction delivers a raft of benefits in all sectors – residential, hotels, communal buildings, further and higher education, retail, commercial outlets and health, amongst others.

Suitable to more than just schools, off-site construction delivers a raft of benefits in all sectors – residential, hotels, communal buildings, further and higher education, retail, commercial outlets and health, amongst others. Offering a full turnkey solution, we design and build to an exacting specification, offer a wide range of finishes and roofing options, and produce a design that fits seamlessly alongside any existing structures.

Manufacturing off-site, in itself, creates a safer workplace, being a more controlled environment,

Construction In Education Case Study

requiring less need for working at height. Modular is also more economical and kinder to the environment, with a dramatic reduction in waste and the consumption of materials such as cement, compared to traditional build methods.

It is for these reasons that the education sector is starting to recognise and embrace the benefits of off-site construction. So much so that we have recently been awarded a position on the £50m Education and Skills Funding Agency Framework to act as lead designer and principal contractor for new schools, academies and other educational facilities.

Outside of the classroom

of off-site construction outside of the classroom is Ashville College in Harrogate. We developed a striking new £2.5m sports complex, featuring a projecting entrance pod, and a large, open area gymnasium space, with full-height windows to maximise natural light. This was a challenging project because the new sports complex was positioned between two existing buildings, and within the school campus, thus requiring a very precise footprint. As a result, the accuracy of design and installation were key factors taken into account before the college chose an off-site solution. There was also a very strict timescale amongst other contractual obligations, all of which were achieved on time, within budget and before the new school term began in September.

We have worked on several projects within the education sector; including a £13m turnkey contract to build an extension of the existing boarding facilities at ACS Cobham International School, which was designed by Broadway Malyan. We were responsible for the manufacture and construction of the modular components of the new facility, which provided an additional 113 bed spaces, all in premium single and double rooms.

It also incorporated supervisor accommodation, study areas and common rooms to complete an eye-catching four-storey building.

Complete school built off-site

Another great example of an educational establishment that has fully embraced the benefits

Up to 80% of the building was manufactured in our facility, before being delivered to site for rapid

The design and build of Farnborough Academy in Nottinghamshire was probably one of the biggest off-site projects that we have completed within the education sector. The 7005m² academy, effectively a whole new school with full campus facilities, houses more than 1000 pupils. The project was on a very demanding timescale and, as it needed to be delivered alongside an active secondary school, off-site construction was identified as the most effective method of meeting the requirements.

assembly, meeting the demands of a tight 42-week programme.

Overall, the off-site solution specified achieved a time saving of six months compared to a traditional build and included the manufacture of 141 modules, on-site construction and internal fit-outs.

Preferred option This and some of our other recent projects are testament to the fact that off-site construction is also proving a popular choice for entire schools and campus facilities outside of the classroom. With many educational establishments throughout the UK opting for modular solutions for communal, sports and leisure facilities.

We believe that offsite construction will continue to be embraced by local authorities and education bodies for the foreseeable future.

We believe that off-site construction will continue to be embraced by local authorities and education bodies for the foreseeable future.

The Government has already stated in its November budget statement that it will favour offsite manufacturing on all publicly funded construction projects from 2019, and that augurs well for tackling the ongoing problem of school places.

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Not just decorating classroom spaces, but designing them to improve learning

Gratnells is proud to be working with these opinion formers

Sir Ken Robinson

Professor Peter Barrett

Dr Harriet Sturdy Photo credit: chadwickdryerclarke studio

Gratnells is privileged to be part of a global movement that is shaping the learning environment.

Working with academics, educationalists, teachers and architects our vision is to create better spaces for children to learn and teachers to teach.

Our work has gone far beyond the concept stage.

Supported now by empirical evidence, the views of renowned experts and professional bodies, Gratnells Learning Rooms is an idea whose time has come.

To find out more...

Tel: 01279 401550

www.learning-rooms.com

Education

ALLEGION’S TOP TIPS FOR MAKING UNIVERSITY’S STUDENTS FEEL SAFE THIS COMING SEPTEMBER University campus buildings and student accommodation facilities are complex infrastructures and, with so many security requirements, it can be challenging to keep on top of them and the hurdles they impose. Andrew Shaw, Architectural Consultant for Allegion UK, discusses how to ensure the security and safety of the students of today and tomorrow.

Many UK universities treat safety and security as a feature hardwired into their systems, as young adults and their parents are citing safety when it comes to essential factors when choosing a university.

It’s listed in prospectuses and on university websites to ensure that current and prospective students, staff and parents alike have a clear idea of the safety and security procedures in place.

Student accommodation and campus facilities can pose many security challenges, and with the high turnover of students, keeping track of access is important. This not only allows the responsible persons to keep everything running smoothly and safely, but it also helps to eliminate the possibility of certain crimes.

Security teams must consider hightraffic areas, access for all, student turnover, fire safety measures, security of people and belongings, as well as efficient and smooth people movement.

Efficiency and coherency Every October, universities must ensure that everything – from individual student data records to

premises refurbishments and site safety – is in place to welcome new and returning students, staff and visitors.

choice available means universities can opt for hardware that suits their needs, even when faced with budgeting pressures.

This means that throughout the academic year as well as over the summer and other holidays, universities have a constant obligation to keep safety and security standards high.

Adequate lockdowns

Student accommodation has also been previously criticised for poor design, especially when it comes to fire safety and general security.

With that in mind, it’s important to give the appropriate thought to which doors and door hardware are suitable to specific requirements, to maximise security and, in turn, student safety and wellbeing.

Traditional and electronic When it comes to university accommodation, without a key handover strategy in place, how can universities be sure their students have adequate access?

For example, some access control systems allow tracking of who accesses and exits a premise.

They also easily issue and retract credentials, allowing someone access as easily as it can be taken away.

Conversely, traditional mechanical locks can be beneficial both as a standalone solution and as a combination with electronic access control.

Ultimately, all design aspects of a particular building must be considered before arriving at a product choice. The variety of choice available means universities can opt for hardware that suits their needs, even when faced with budgeting pressures.

Ultimately, all design aspects of a particular building must be considered before arriving at a product choice. The variety of

The Complete University Guide states that an estimated one-third of the UK’s student body becomes a victim of crime (mainly theft and burglary).

When you also consider the vast number of new students moving away from home to university, it’s easy to understand how their lack of knowledge about a particular area may make them susceptible to victimisation.

One focus for optimising security in university facilities and accommodation is to put in place an effective lockdown strategy.

Every university campus has both exterior and interior sections, so implementing an adequate lockdown plan must include both of these layers.

Fire safety protocols An evacuation plan, and highquality doors and door hardware, can help to keep end-users safe.

In the event of a fire, students and staff must be clear on what is expected of them to ensure a smooth and effective evacuation.

Doors and door hardware that facilitate maximum egress can help to improve evacuation and prevent unnecessary stagnation of movement.

Specifically, hold-open devices are linked up to the fire alarm so that in the event of a fire, the doors release immediately and then return to a closed position.

Similarly, exit devices (such as panic bars or emergency exit devices) open without keys and are easily accessible, to allow a functional exit if needed.

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Finance & Planning Case Study

Tax credit means unique projects needn’t be sink or swim for contractors When recreation centre Sapphire Ice & Leisure opened in Romford this January, it became the UK’s first example of an ice rink built on a floor wholly and directly above a heated swimming pool. In building design and construction terms, this posed a number of unique technical challenges.

Guided by research and development (R&D) tax credit specialists ForrestBrown, two firms working on the project – architects Saunders Boston and mechanical and electrical company Kershaw Mechanical Services – received a financial boost from the government that allowed them to invest in business growth.

The project was Havering Council’s largest single investment (£28m) in a borough-wide improvement programme. Work began in 2013 when Saunders Boston were briefed to design a building that would include a 25m, 8-lane swimming pool and National Standard ice rink, alongside other fitness facilities.

The Cambridge-based architects did not have the luxury of a large plot of land, so the initial challenge was to find a way of fitting two facilities with fixed, regulated sizes into a limited build space in the heart of Romford.

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With the working concept agreed on, the architects were presented with a number of technical challenges to address. The priority

was to ensure that the two markedly different climates – warm and cold – could co-exist on stacked floors.

The condensation risk needed to be analysed in detail, and specialists were enlisted to crunch the numbers.

The building’s heating and ventilation system was designed and built by Kershaw Mechanical Services. The main challenge they faced was that they again needed to accommodate extremes of temperature and humidity, which they solved with two major plant rooms for the specialist equipment.

With little by way of a precedent on which to base this project, it was R&D-intensive for both contractors, who explored brand new solutions and collaborated with a number of external experts.

Both contractors were relatively new to R&D tax credits at the time of this project, and had previously believed that their work might not meet its eligibility criteria. Working with ForrestBrown, they both secured cash payments for R&D undertaken on projects including Sapphire Ice & Leisure.

The R&D tax credit schemes, administered by HMRC, are designed to incentivise businesses to enter the unknown and create innovative products, processes or services. Successful R&D tax credit applications result in a corporation

tax rebate, paid in cash, for qualifying projects.

Emily Williams, senior tax manager at ForrestBrown, who handled the claims for both contractors, said: “As the Sapphire Ice & Leisure example shows, construction firms are frequently undertaking R&D during projects. Companies often view this simply as part of the job – solving problems to get things done – whereas R&D is viewed as something done by people in laboratories.

As the Sapphire Ice & Leisure example shows, construction firms are frequently undertaking R&D during projects. Companies often view this simply as part of the job – solving problems to get things done – whereas R&D is viewed as something done by people in laboratories.

“The number of construction companies actually claiming R&D tax credits is still much smaller than those who qualify, so any project that presents scientific or technological challenges that need solving is definitely worth an initial conversation. Only by discussing projects with specialists, who can clearly explain the government’s guidelines, do many of our clients see that they are eligible.”

Finance & Planning Feature

A brave new (planning) world?

Sam Dewar from DPA Planning tells Public Sector Building News his views on the new National Planning Policy Framework The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s policies for planning and directs local authorities on matters around granting permission for developments. Sam Dewar, a planning expert and director of DPA Planning, gives his assessment of a new-look blueprint for housing and development.

The Ministry of Housing has revised the NPPF and it’s heartening to see that a deal of time and effort has been devoted to small builders and developers, whose needs have been somewhat addressed through the helpful revision of ‘small sites’ to ‘small and medium sites’ status.

This has to be seen as a welcome move, undoubtedly contributing in no small measure to paving the way to delivering the quality houses – and homes – this country desperately needs, through a planning system that (finally) seems to be edging towards one that’s fit for purpose.

Under the revisions, councils will be forced to identify ‘at least 10% of their housing requirement on sites no larger than one hectare’ – it was previously stated that 20% of sites identified for housing should be half a hectare or less.

Under the revisions, councils will be forced to identify ‘at least 10% of their housing requirement on sites no larger than one hectare’ – it was previously stated that 20% of sites identified for housing

should be half a hectare or less.

It’s also encouraging to see that neighbourhood planning groups will have a long-called for chance to ‘…consider the opportunities for allocating small and medium-sized sites’ for local housing schemes.

Attempts to tackle the housing shortage can be seen moves by in the NPPF designed to tackle unaffordable house prices. New ways for councils to calculate the housing requirement of their local community (including retirement homes among other forms of housing) based on the affordability of existing homes for people on lower and medium incomes among other factors, will be seen by some as step in the right direction.

However, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which itself broadly welcomed a number of the revisions, has made it clear that the housing crisis will not be solved without direct and significant investment by Government and local authorities in housing and strategic infrastructure.

You can’t help feel that while it seems the Government appears to have listened to key stakeholders and industry professionals about the importance of good design in new housing, the problems caused by those who overbid for land before procrastinating to avoid building affordable housing or providing the necessary infrastructure, cannot be ignored.

This is a source of delay, irritation and contributes to eroding the trust, which for so many is vital to securing community support for new housing.

Compelling action is needed – and urgently - which targets delays in the planning system, including the overuse of planning preconditions that hinder development and asphyxiate design quality.

Compelling action is needed – and urgently - which targets delays in the planning system, including the overuse of planning preconditions that hinder development and asphyxiate design quality.

The Housing Delivery Test (effective from November 2018), will also compel councils to focus on increasing the number of houses in their area rather than simply looking at how many plans are in the pipeline - a subtle yet significant change. Also, ‘clearer guidance’ on infrastructure and affordable housing will be published, hopefully bringing greater clarity for both developers and councils.

Overall, the new-look NPPF is I believe a step in the right direction when it comes to tackling the chronic litany of housing issues the country faces. If there’s anything more to be said, it’s that I would have wanted to see more measures to address the widespread belief that planning in this country is a progressively systematic, impersonal process, stifled by budget reductions that restrict ambition, creativity and imagination at a local level.

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UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL GALWAY SELECTS FORMICA® LAMINATE IN €18 MILLION DEVELOPMENT As part of a newly completed 75bed ward block, Formica® laminate has been selected for the interior door facings, fitted furniture and integrated panel systems (IPS) of University Hospital Galway.

Moloney O’Beirne Architects were commissioned to work on the hospital’s €18 million development and specified Formica laminate due to its performance credentials.

The impact resistant qualities of the surfacing material, its ease of maintenance and availability in a wide range of decors being primary factors.

Laminate is often favoured for high traffic areas such as hospitals due to its hygienic qualities. Cleanliness is vital to ensuring high quality patient care and failure to meet required standards can lead to the spread of infections, the closing of wards and impact the health of patients and staff. Since Formica laminate is inert and does not support microbial growth, it is ideal for applications where cleanliness and hygiene are of paramount importance.

As a completely sealed surface, Formica laminate is impervious to liquids and easy to clean and maintain. In a sector where budgets are often tight and the maintenance cost of material come under scrutiny, surfacing that offers value for money without compromising on functionality is understandably favoured by architects and facility managers.

In the instance of University Hospital Galway, Formica laminate in the colours of Seed, Thistle and Sandstone have been applied

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to fitted furniture and to over 400 door facings. Delivering seamless design integration to the IPS panels is Formica laminate in the grey tone of Folkstone. The colours chosen for the project were selected for their soothing attributes in order to help calm patients and reduce stress.

with the minimum of effort while offering aesthetic options to potentially complement recovery.

Formica laminate’s durable surfacing assists in the design of environments where a high level of hygiene is essential. In a wider context the material also enables hospitals to look better for longer

CHORLEY HOSPITAL GIVES CHILDREN A YOUNIQUE® EXPERIENCE The refurbishment of a 1930s building by Frank Whittle Partnership Ltd, into a children’s educational centre is the first of its kind in the UK. The architects specified Younique® by Formica Group for the washrooms at this ground breaking NHS experience centre at Chorley & South Ribble Hospital.

The new Learning Inspiration Future Employment (LIFE) centre offers the young people of Lancashire the opportunity to learn about various hospital operations while gaining a greater understanding of the NHS. In the washrooms, the use of Younique

by Formica Group’s digitally rendered panels has enabled the project team to create a fun design feature with an educational theme on the toilet doors. Formica® laminate has also been used for the lockers and an integrated plumbing system to provide a consistent aesthetic. www.formica.com

Healthcare

DAVID BAILEY FURNITURE SYSTEMS COMPLETES TWO MAJOR HOSPITAL FURNITURE CONTRACTS IN WALES David Bailey Furniture Systems is thrilled to have been chosen to supply furniture for two substantial hospital furniture refits based in Wales. The £6.5 million upgrade to maternity and neonatal services at the Prince Charles Hospital in Mid Glamorgan and the £5.8 million state-of-the-art refurb of the renal unit at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital.

Selected by Interserve Building as its hospital furniture partner for both of these prestigious projects, David Bailey Furniture Systems was tasked with sourcing fixtures, fittings and equipment to the value of over £90,000.

As part of the £6.5m upgrade to maternity and neonatal services at Prince Charles Hospital in Mid Glamorgan, David Bailey supplied and fitted base and wall storage units, as well as worktops and drugs cupboards in over 60 different rooms. A further 84 rooms at Morriston Hospital in Swansea

benefitted from being fitted out with similar storage units from David Bailey’s healthcare furniture range this spring, following the recent £5.8m state-of-the-art refurb of its renal unit.

We are thrilled to be breaking into the welsh market, we’ve worked in some of the UK’s most prestigious hospitals and health centres, but Wales is fairly new - and exciting - territory for us.

Trevor Gillman, Managing Director for David Bailey Furniture Systems, said: “We are thrilled to be breaking into the welsh market, we’ve worked in some of the UK’s most prestigious hospitals and health centres, but Wales is fairly new - and exciting territory for us.”

A colour scheme of crystal white was chosen for the fitted base and wall

storage units, as well as worktops and drugs cupboards to give a clean and welcoming appearance for parents using the maternity and neonatal services at the Prince Charles Hospital. Work on the site for the hospital furniture makeover commenced in March, and was completed in good time in May. The 84 refitted rooms at Morriston Hospital in Swansea are now bedecked with white coloured units and grey worktops to lessen the clinical feel for repeat visitors at the renal unit.

Trevor, added: “2018 has got off to an encouraging start for us, thanks not just to these healthcare furniture contracts in Wales but to several other significant hospital furniture refurb projects we recently secured.

This spring we are also excited to be launching another complementary range of furniture to sit alongside our hospital and healthcare offering.”

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Heating & Ventilation

Now available from Rinnai - The HD55I RINNAI HOT WATER – INSTANT, CONTINUOUS, LIMITLESS AND SENSIBLY ECONOMIC FOR EVERY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL SITE Now available from Rinnai is the HD55i, a heavy duty high efficiency gas fired continuous flow water heating unit with optimal fuel consumption, and in likefor-like comparisons with more traditional methods, is more cost effective over a lifetime. Rinnai is an acknowledged global leader in the manufacture of tankless hot water heating units with group sales approaching £2 Billion.

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The Rinnai HD55i Internal water heater is a wall hung, gas fired, continuous flow water heater capable of producing hot water at 820 litres per hour at a 50°C rise. The HD55i has a 125mm concentric flue which can be extended up to 15m,

less 1m per 45° bend. As with the whole of the Rinnai range the HD55i is ErP A-rated and is super low- NoX ready for the next phase of ecodesign.

The unit is compact, reliable and combines industry standards with innovation and quality. The HD55i operates between 1-10 bar pressure, which is suitable for mains cold water supply and systems with booster pumps and reaches water temperatures of up to 85°C, making the HD55i suitable for secondary return systems.

Rinnai Heavy Duty continuous flow gas fired water heaters feature outputs up to 58kW and water can be delivered at very precise, high volume temperature control. The smart digital controller regulates to within +/- 1ºC without any variation of temperature even with additional outlets. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

The Rinnai HD55i is a fully modulating

52.6kW unit that can also be installed in a manifold arrangement.

This ensures that the system can and will meet any hot water demand at all peak times, no matter what the demand.

Typical applications include major restaurant chains, industry offices, hotels, sports centres, schools, sports clubs, shower blocks in holiday parks – anywhere with a need for extremely reliable supplies of hot water delivered economically and at energy efficiency levels surpassing all building regulations and European standards.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Latest News

HOMES ENGLAND’S AMBITIOUS PIPELINE OF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Homes England intends to bring to market more than 1,250 hectares of development opportunities over the next 12 months.

The government’s national housing agency has published its latest Land Development and Disposal Plan, which details the nationwide portfolio of sites it plans to market for development.

For the first time an interactive map is available alongside the Development and Disposal plan allowing users to identify sites geographically and to view sitelevel details, including red-line plans, online.

To support its ambitious disposal plans, Homes England will provide improved technical packs and site information as well as a standard Building Lease to ensure a consistent approach across the country.

These will incorporate clear approaches to the pace of build-out, Modern Methods of Construction, design and quality of place and tenure mix.

Stephen Kinsella, Executive Director - Land at Homes England, said: “As part of Homes England’s expanded remit, we will be much more active in the land market, using our

increased resources to ramp up the acquisition of land opportunities and developing new ways to partner other government departments to bring forward more sites more quickly.

“We are ambitious about our disposals for the year ahead so we’re really keen to talk to developers about the opportunities in our latest plan.”

The publication of the Land Development and Disposal Plan follows the news that Homes England is launching a new

framework that will help speed up the delivery of new homes, which will be in place in the autumn.

The procurement of a new Multidisciplinary and Technical Services Frameworks will broaden the technical and design services available to support Homes England and other public bodies to accelerate the supply of new homes, with the frameworks providing direct access to the professional, technical and design services needed to prepare land for housing development.

NOVUS AWARDED £1M HOUSING ASSOCIATION REFURBISHMENT CONTRACT Contractor Novus has been appointed to deliver planned maintenance works across Croydon as part of a contract worth £1 million.

The project will see Novus carry out kitchen and bathroom maintenance and replacements to CCHA’s properties. It will also perform windows and door replacements and internal and external redecoration works.

CCHA owns and manages around 1,400 homes in Croydon, Bromley, Merton and Sutton. Novus will work alongside Gilmartins to provide

planned and reactive maintenance services as part of the project.

Tony Ronayne, operations manager at Novus, said: “This is the first time we’ve worked alongside CCHA and we’re looking forward to building a good working relationship going forward. Despite being in one of the most expensive places to live in the country, we’re committed to ensuring high-quality work in affordable housing is carried out across all of the provider’s properties. As part of the scheme we’ll be carrying out planned maintenance works to care homes,

which requires us to liaise with tenants to ensure minimal disruption to them. Our experience with these types of projects ensures we’re able to do that for CCHA and its tenants.”

Craig Humphrey, property services manager at CCHA, said: “Ensuring our residents get the very best maintenance services available within a timely manner is vital to us.

Novus’s work helps us achieve that.

We’re looking forward to working alongside the business over the coming months and building on our relationship.”

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ABOVE

Quartermile, Edinburgh

Donaldson’s College, image courtesy of CALA BELOW

Robin Mackenzie Partnership Excellence in Acoustics We provide innovative and cost effective design solutions including: • • • • • • •

Pre-Renovation Acoustic Surveys Building Acoustic Design Sound Insulation Testing External Noise Control Air Tightness Testing & Design Thermal Imaging Environmental Noise & Vibration Control

Established in 1969 Robin Mackenzie Partnership is one of the UK’s largest specialist acoustic practices with offices throughout the UK and in France.

RRNews - Issue 33

RMP has the experience and knowledge to meet every architectural acoustic challenge – from the conversions of historic properties, offices, hotels, school halls, courtrooms and multipurpose spaces through to concert halls, exhibition centres and special needs schools. We achieve the very best results through a combination of experience, the latest computer modelling techniques and a full suite of on-site testing services.

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Office Locations: Edinburgh Merseyside South West England Wales New Office Opening in South East England (enquiries now being taken)

26 Bath Street, image courtesy of John Kinsley Architects

ABOVE

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Insulation & Acoustics

Hospitals choose spray foam for temperature control to aid patient recovery Spray foam insulation can be used in the healthcare sector to help regulate the internal temperature.

It is one of the highest performing insulation materials in terms of preventing heat loss when closed cell materials are chosen.

A superior insulant retains the heat for longer or prevents warmth from the sun entering the building during spells of hot weather. By controlling the internal temperature at an optimum level this is a key factor in a patient’s recovery.

In the healthcare sector, King’s College Hospital’s Critical Care Centre has utilised spray foam insulation. The hospital is radically changing the way they care for the most seriously ill and injured patients by creating a new world class Critical Care Centre. Each year the dedicated team of nurses and doctors provide critical care for over 3,600 people who urgently require lifesaving medical treatment.

The new £68M Critical Care Unit will provide natural light, uplifting artwork and home comforts to create a more healing experience.

Construction of the new Unit is above an existing theatre block in a busy working hospital. Insulating the steel ceiling above the operating theatre would prove challenging due to the heavy load of plant resting on the floor above. The plant room is unheated and could only be insulated from below with a material that was compact and versatile.

Walltite spray foam was chosen to provide 1700m2 of versatile insulation to a depth of 155mm which could be sprayed from below onto the underside of the irregular shaped corrugated sheeting,

providing the required U-value and Class 0 fire rating.

The spray foam installer was Spray Foam Solutions, of Rugby, and BASF was the material supplier. Both companies are members of the British Urethane Foam Contractors Association, the national trade association for the spray foam industry.

The sprayed polyurethane foam insulant is a two-component liquid system which produces a highlyefficient blanket of insulation with an exceptional thermal conductivity figure. Systems can be applied to various depths and have K-values in the range of 0.025 to 0.028W/mK. This form of insulation can be

used for air tightness and to help meet Building Regulations as wall, roof, or floor insulation - or to fill voids and other areas providing a seamless, thermal insulation barrier.

Other jointed systems give rise to a potentially weak point, leading to a significant loss of insulation value.

Architects and specifiers working in the healthcare and other sectors should ensure that professional installers who operate to high standards are chosen.

The British Urethane Foam Contractors Association has a list of competent registered installers for sprayed and injected polyurethane foam installations at www.bufca.co.uk.

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£11.5M Greenmead and Ronald Ross Schools completed An exemplar of colocation and inclusive design maximising a constrained site

Award winning architects HLM, working with Wandsworth Borough Council and Neilcott Construction Group, have completed an £11.5 million new facility for Greenmead and Ronald Ross Schools.

Co-locating a mainstream primary; Ronald Ross Primary School, together with an SEN primary; Greenmead, has its challenges, particularly on such a constrained site.

However the decision to co-locate the schools enabled both expansion of the specialist accommodation to support a growing need within the borough, and it also provided the opportunity to design shared facilities.

HLM produced a design that offers

an environment capable of meeting the needs of all pupils in mainstream and specialist settings. Both schools are rated ‘Outstanding’, having their own identity and unique requirements in terms of teaching and specialist facilities. At the same time however, the schools identified areas where shared or joint facilities would promote inclusion and result in improved facilities for all users.

Situated at the heart of site and between the schools is a shared hall which best exemplifies the inclusivity focused design principles.

Each school has their own separate circulation routes that congregate at the hall. Flexible partitioning enables this space to be configured for multi-use, assemblies, dining, performances and joint events.

Passive environmental principles informed the design with the shared hall and the Greenmead classrooms best exemplifying this through the incorporation of high-level clerestory windows mounted within a southfacing saw-tooth roof configuration.

In terms of dedicated facilities, Ronald Ross has a range of teaching areas for small groups of children, as well as food technology, music and ICT rooms. Greenmead has a range of specialist facilities, including a hydrotherapy pool and sensory rooms, as well as more conventional recreational and classroom spaces.

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Each school has its own external space specifically designed for the needs of each group of pupils.

Project

Active play and social spaces are directly accessed from the ground floor accommodation with the upper floor teaching spaces having access to a roof terrace for outdoor learning and community involvement.

A key consideration of the design was the existing schools’ strong links with the local community, which the design team ensured was retained and strengthened. The new design includes a multi-use games area that is accessible to local young people outside school hours, while the hall complex has been designed so that it can be used by the community at large. The hydrotherapy pool is also located in this area and, as with the former Greenmead pool, can be let to more specialist users.

excited by the potential for the shared facilities to foster social inclusion; and we hope that pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community will enjoy using their new facilities.”

We found ourselves continually reviewing our decisions and where necessary, HLM were quick to accommodate any changes.

The parents and pupils at Ronald Ross Primary School are proud of their new building.

Abigail Brady, Headteacher said: “The school community were

involved in the design process from the start of the project. HLM initiated a careful consultation, involving the whole school community. What has been impressive is to watch how our needs and preferences have come to fruition in the building itself, and the impact this has had on the quality of teaching and learning.

We found ourselves continually reviewing our decisions and where necessary, HLM were quick to accommodate any changes. The parents and pupils at Ronald Ross Primary School are proud of their new building. The learning spaces fit the needs of our teaching staff who have found moving from the 1950s to the present day, to be a revelation.”

This was a demanding and complicated project, but also one that offered the opportunity to add value to the educational facilities available to the people of Wandsworth.

Richard O’Neil, Chairman of HLM, said: “HLM has extensive experience in designing educational facilities and brought this knowledge to bare at Greenmead and Ronald Ross school. This was a demanding and complicated project, but also one that offered the opportunity to add value to the educational facilities available to the people of Wandsworth. We are particularly

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Lighting

SCHOOL TO SAVE £320,000 - BY CHANGING ITS LIGHTBULBS A HIGH school is due to save more than £320,000 over the next 15 years just by changing its lightbulbs, thanks to renewable energy company Greenio.

Trinity Catholic School has had a full LED lighting system installed both internally and externally at its site in Nottingham. The 1,350 LED project, which has just completed its second phase, will begin to offer savings of more than 150,000kg of carbon dioxide per year – the equivalent of over 200 trees.

Changing the external lights at the school also improves health and safety and will save the education facility an estimated extra £3,000 per year. The school plans to invest the money it will be saving into books, laptops and staff development.

Assistant headteacher Steve Manderson said: “As a project it sounded daunting to change 1,350 lights in the school but it was a surprisingly smooth process.

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“Since the first installation of the LED lights six months ago, we’ve already seen the energy bills come down.

The lighting has much improved work spaces and we expect to save hours of time changing light bulbs.

It’s given the schools a more clean and modern look, with departments already acknowledging a vast improvement in the quality of the light. It’s a win-win situation.”

The installation was cost neutral, with the school paying the difference in savings for the duration of a four-year payback period in order to cover the capital cost of the equipment. A Carbon Trust grant has reclaimed £5,000 of the investment back for the school – which can be used on anything the education facilities likes.

Anna Wooster, managing director of Greenio, said: “Having worked with many schools across the country it was a blessing to work closely with Steve Manderson and his team, who were accommodating, understanding and so driven to turn this school into a sustainable future proofing hub. The fact the school has now gone for phase 2 is really special. There are no upfront costs for the school and it will always be in a positive position. The school now has more money to spend on learning and providing a better education for pupils. Some schools have bought new equipment such as laptops and books, whereas others have invested in their staff development and even hired extra members of staff.”

Greenio, which was set up in 2013 and is based in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, has been involved in dozens of educational projects. The company is now starting to work with local councils across the UK to reach out to schools and offer them cost-saving heating and electrical solutions.

You’d think having to change thousands of lightbulbs would cause some disruption but no learning is interrupted Anna added: “You’d think having to change thousands of lightbulbs would cause some disruption but no learning is interrupted. Some schools prefer it to take place during the holidays, however we’re happy to work around the school – working late out-of-hours shifts to ensure the smoothest transition.”

To learn more about this project, or to find out how you can improve your carbon footprint contact Greenio on 0800 810 0565.

Project News

SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY PROJECT REACHES PRACTICAL COMPLETION A multi-disciplinary construction consultancy has reached practical completion on a significant community project in Norfolk.

JP Chick to preserve the original 19th century brick and flint structure during the refurbishment and extension, which began in February 2017.

Daniel Connal Partnership, with offices in Norwich, Colchester and London, acted as quantity surveyors and project managers on the £4 major redevelopment of the 200-year-old Grade II Wells Maltings complex on Staithe Street in Wells-Next-the-Sea, North Norfolk.

The striking extension has been enveloped in brass cladding with a characteristic flint wall on the southeast facade. The building materials were chosen to complement the local surroundings and for their robustness and suitability in a coastal environment.

With building work completed, the interiors are now being finalised, with Wells Maltings opening in stages to the public over the summer months before being launched completely in September.

Wells Maltings is a significant asset to North Norfolk and we hope that it will be used as widely as possible by locals and visitors alike.

Once fully open to the public, Wells Maltings will provide a state-of-the-art community, heritage and arts facility to the town, with visitors being able to enjoy a ‘user-centred’ heritage and learning centre, state-of-the-art theatre and cinema space, café and bar, box office, Visitor Information Centre and a number of community spaces.

Robert Dale, Senior Partner at Daniel Connal Partnership said: “We are thrilled to have been involved in this ambitious project from the very start, and to see it through to completion is really exciting.”

Daniel Connal Partnership worked with architects Chaplin Farrant, contractor Robson Construction and engineers

Director of Wells Maltings, Simon Daykin said: “We are absolutely delighted with the new Wells Maltings complex and really appreciate the hard work and professionalism of all those who have been involved. Wells Maltings is a significant asset to North Norfolk and we hope that it will be used as widely as possible by locals and visitors alike.”

With considerable experience working on heritage lottery projects, Daniel Connal Partnership also provided cost advice to the Well Maltings Trust in support of their successful Stage 1 Heritage Lottery bid in 2013, which kick- started the project.

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Roofing

Funding Secured to Refurbish Woodlands Academy in Scarborough Woodlands Academy is a special educational needs (SEN) school in Scarborough for pupils aged 2-16.

The two-storey building on campus had previously been refurbished using Sika Liquid Plastics’ Decothane Ultra 25-year cold-applied liquid roofing system. With an additional four buildings on site in need of roof refurbishment as the existing roof surfaces reached the end of their service life, the school worked with Sika Liquid Plastics’ and building surveyor partner, Make Consulting, to secure government funding for a new roof refurbishment project.

Project Requirement

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The roofs of two classroom blocks, the kitchen and the hall on the campus had reached the end of their service life with the existing felt surface leaking in several places.

While some of the works could be carried out during the summer holiday period, there was a need to complete the project during term time. Working in a live school

environment always involves specific health and safety and safeguarding challenges. Consequently, it was vital to avoid the use of hot works and heavy equipment during the project to minimise health and safety risk and noise, the use of virtuallyodourless Decothane Ultra avoided any nuisance odours on site.

The buildings were brought up to current building regulations standards with 130mm Decotherm insulation board, adhered to the existing roof surface using Decostik adhesive. The Decotherm was also used to create new gutters to reduce the risk of ponding water on the new roof surface.

Sika Liquid Plastics Solution

On the classroom block and kitchen roofs more than 50 roof lights were replaced using the existing apertures and custom-fabricated Decolight triple-glazed fittings.

Following a site audit and roof condition survey carried out as part of the funding bid process, Sika Liquid Plastics’ Area Technical Manager developed a full technical specification and Quality Assured (QA) contractor, Surface Protection Coatings Ltd, was appointed to carry out the project.

The Surface Protection Coatings team prepared the roof surface and carried out spot repairs before undertaking the roof refurbishment as an overlay.

Comments Martin Eyre, commercial director at Surface Protection Coatings: “The school had been so pleased with the Decothane system on their previous roof refurbishment that they were keen to use the same system again on these four buildings.”

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Safety, Fire Safety & Security News

DAME JUDITH HACKITT MEETS YOUNG CHEMICAL ENGINEER TO DISCUSS FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS Chair of the EEF, Dame Judith Hackitt met with young chemical engineer Erin Johnson, to discuss their respective reports for UK government on the fire safety of buildings and building materials.

Hackitt led the review into the safety of UK buildings following the Grenfell tower fire in June 2017. She gave evidence to MPs in May this year, where she criticised the current fire safety regulations for housing construction in the UK – describing them as “overly complicated yet at the same time vague”.

Her report, Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, recommended several changes to the UK’s building regulations, including: creating simple and effective processes that ensure safety requirements are met; making clear roles and responsibilities with incentives for good practice and sanctions for poor performance; and to reassert the roles of residents to create greater reassurance for them with regards to safety.

Johnson is a chemical engineering postgraduate student at Imperial College London. She recently spent three months at the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). The placement was a result of winning the Ashok Kumar Fellowship in 2017, provided by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).

During her time at POST, Johnson compiled research and produced a briefing note for MPs and policymakers entitled Fire Safety of Construction Products. The note examines how construction products are regulated, tested and classified when exposed to different types of fire (such as combustion, flame spreading, smoke, and resisting fires).

Hackitt, Past President and Fellow of IChemE, joined Johnson to discuss their findings during an afternoon tea held in Westminster, London, UK.

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During their meeting, Hackitt and Johnson discussed the radical changes needed to systems, rather than individual building materials.

While researching for their respective reports, both used their chemical engineering expertise to apply a systems-thinking and risk-based approach and were surprised to find that this is not used or understood in the construction industry.

Hackitt also explained some of the challenges she faced in her widely publicised review, including emotional conversations with residents and criticism in the media and on social media.

The pair also talked about the importance of chemical engineers becoming Chartered and gaining continuous professional development, as well as the different perceptions of female engineers that they had encountered.

Fire safety affects everyone. Everyone is responsible for ensuring robust systems and processes are established, that improve safety and reduce the risk of tragic events such as Grenfell from happening in the future Dame Judith Hackitt FREng FIChemE said: “Fire safety affects everyone.

Everyone is responsible for ensuring robust systems and processes are established, that improve safety

and reduce the risk of tragic events such as Grenfell from happening in the future. It is imperative that those working in all aspects of safety update their knowledge and skills, to ensure they are competent and committed to best practice. IChemE is committed to ensuring its members are supported in their professional development. Giving young chemical engineers the opportunity to use their technical skillset to provide scientific and technical information to MPs making decisions in Parliament, via the Ashok Kumar Fellowship, is a great example. It’s a remarkable achievement for Erin at this early stage of her career and stands her in good stead for the future.”

Erin Johnson said: “It’s an honour meeting Judith to talk about our reports and fire safety. She was thoroughly interested in my experience and what I’d learned while interviewing MPs, policymakers and health and safety experts. She has achieved so much throughout her chemical engineering career and beyond and has had a significant impact on safety in the UK. As a chemical engineer, it’s really inspiring. Meeting Judith, coupled with my experience in Parliament, has definitely broadened my horizons. The experience will be invaluable as I continue to progress my career.”

Safety, Fire Safety & Security

Intratone access control technology installed at over 900 sites for Hounslow Council Door entry and access control equipment from Intratone, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers, has been installed at over 900 different sites across Hounslow Council’s estate.

The access control systems across the Council’s residential and commercial portfolio had become obsolete with the desire to move from keys to a fob-based system.

Residents had been complaining at the delays in receiving new keys – in some cases taking up to six weeks for them to be delivered. New fobs can now be obtained straight away by residents when visiting their local housing office through the new cloud-based technology. Since late 2016 the Intratone fob readers have been installed at low and high-rise apartment blocks and Council offices, commercial buildings and operational sites, and complaints have dropped significantly.

Ian Williams, Electrical Engineer for Hounslow Council is in no doubt as to the benefits of the new Intratone proximity readers: “We hadn’t heard of Intratone before it was recommended by the installer. So far, we have been very impressed – although it is a sizeable investment for the Council initially, the build and technology of the readers means that they will last for at least ten years.

“At one point the fob programming was carried out by two full-time members of staff who would visit site daily to program residents’ fobs.

This can all now be programmed remotely by the relevant housing officers at the local housing office which will be a large long-term

saving to the council.”

The cloud-based fob-reader system has significantly enhanced control over who has access, for how long and to which properties. Because it is cloud-based, changes made to key fobs are almost immediate and can be facilitated from anywhere where there is internet access – whether that’s at a PC, laptop or a smartphone on site.

“The simplicity of the database is such that some of our concierge and caretakers are being trained to manage the system themselves which frees up even more of the engineer’s time,” Ian adds. “With the older technology residents were also able to copy fobs in some local shops which did not give the council full control over who could access certain blocks. The new Intratone fobs have similar technology to an

Oyster card – you cannot rewrite or copy them so when someone tries to use a copied fob it sends the system a notification. We can check the system when a certain fob has been used so we can assist Police when they have been trying to track someone’s whereabouts.”

Daniel Bacon, Area Sales Manager at Intratone says its products are flexible enough to suit a wide range of sites and applications: “Our access control and door entry systems are installed across Social Housing, Private Properties and HAs all over the UK and Europe, and prove popular for residents of all ages, but especially the elderly, because they are very easy to use.

Installers and customers also like them because they are very easy to install and competitively priced.” www.intratone.com

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Safety, Fire Safety & Security

Aico alarms conntected to council warden call systems for maximum security South Cambridgeshire District Council is upgrading its 1400 sheltered housing properties with new warden call systems connected to Aico mains powered Multi-Sensor, Heat and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms.

As the Council was already planning to replace the existing hard wired Warden Call systems, it took the opportunity to upgrade the Smoke and CO Alarms at the same time.

What’s more, Aico was able to offer a bespoke solution to wirelessly connect its alarms to the new Warden Call systems using its unique Ei414 Fire/CO Alarm Interface.

This solution provides maximum tenant safety and convenience, as Eddie Spicer, M & E Surveyor for South Cambridgeshire District Council, explains: “The integration ensures that there is one system in each property, reducing costs and maintenance visits. We have two providers of call systems and one of them has expressed great interest in the system we are using as they have not seen it used on their equipment previously”. The Ei414 Interface can also be used to interconnect Aico Alarms to Sprinkler and Part 1 Fire detection systems.

The new Smoke Alarm systems are being installed by the Council to Category LD2, with a Heat Alarm in the kitchen, a Multi-Sensor in all circulation spaces and entrance halls and CO Alarms in properties that are not fully electric. Properties and tenants that need extended protection from risk will see their alarm systems extended to include additional rooms for added safety.

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Eddie was impressed with Aico’s award winning AudioLINK data

extraction technology, which is built into the Multi-Sensor and CO Alarms: “the recording of details from AudioLINK is invaluable as it holds the history of activations and testing details. This can provide us with the added value of knowing the units are tested regularly and if an incident of a CO leak is detected but subsequently clears we have a record of the leak and can investigate it properly rather than the possibility of false activations of malicious acts.”

been really useful and has made the system work for us.”

AudioLINK enables real time data to be extracted from each alarm using its sounder directly to a smartphone or tablet via a free App to create an Alarm Status Report. The Report displays useful information about the alarm, such as alarm sensors status, number of times tested and removed and any alarm activations.

“I have used and specified Aico products for a number of years. I am continually monitoring the market place for new technologies and products from both Aico and the wider market and, so far, the products offered by Aico have suited our requirements above others. It is imperative to specify the right product for the right situation.

Obviously cost is a major factor and with the introduction of the latest technologies in the Multi-Sensor, the lack of false alarms has paid dividends with lower call out rates and nuisance alarm activations.”

South Cambridgeshire District Council is pleased with the outcome of this latest project, as Eddie comments: “The service provided

by Aico is impeccable. The stock provision and minimal failure rate has ensured that this project is running smoothly and to time. We have also integrated an online monitoring trial into the project and the ongoing support from Aico has

South Cambridgeshire District Council is a long standing Aico customer and uses Aico alarms across its 5700 housing stock. “This latest project not only allows us to meet the latest regulations and safeguard our most vulnerable tenants and leaseholders alike; it will also enable us to standardise Smoke Alarms across our properties” states Eddie.

For more information please go to www.aico.co.uk or contact Aico on 01691 664100 or enquiries@aico.co.uk.

Safety, Fire Safety & Security News

BUILDER FINED FOLLOWING NAPIT’S INTERVENTION NAPIT has called for more prosecutions to be brought against electrical work which does not comply with Part P of the Building Regulations, after playing a key role in a conviction in South Gloucestershire by conducting a full Electrical Compliance Inspection.

David Appleton was fined a total of over £8,000 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court after substandard electrical work was found at two properties he had worked on.

NAPIT were invited by South Gloucestershire Council to conduct inspections on these properties after the council’s Building Control Department found that work may have breached the Building Regulations. The subsequent investigation uncovered several

major electrical faults, some of which could have posed immediate danger to inhabitants.

The subsequent investigation uncovered several major electrical faults, some of which could have posed immediate danger to inhabitants.

David Cowburn, NAPIT’s Chief Operating Officer, said “I was delighted to hear the outcome of this court case, and I hope it sends a clear message that non-compliance with the Building Regulations is unacceptable.

“This case also serves as a reminder that using qualified and competent electricians to undertake work can help to stop dangerous situations like these from arising. South Gloucestershire Council have set a fantastic example in pursuing this prosecution, and we would like other Local Authorities to follow their lead to ensure that the Building Regulations are respected.”

Cllr Paul Hughes, Cabinet Member responsible for Communities and Tourism in South Gloucestershire, said: “This case demonstrates the importance of ensuring the correct route is followed when undertaking any building work. Construction is a complex arena where unscrupulous individuals can take advantage of customers’ unfamiliarity with legislation, and profit from cutting corners. Our Building Control team has a very important role to play in maintaining a level playing field for local businesses and to make sure householders can be confident that where unsatisfactory and unsafe work is evident it will be followed up.

In this case, we stepped in when a complaint was made and engaged with NAPIT to successfully bring this prosecution, and the outcome proves that a hard line will be taken by the council on those who profiteer at the expense of others’ safety.”

HUMAN RIGHTS, AS WELL AS HEALTH AND SAFETY, ARE COMPROMISED BY GRENFELL-STYLE COMBUSTIBLE CLADDING British Safety Council supports the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s challenge to the government over failure to protect lives.

The British Safety Council welcomes the challenge to the government that a failure to address the risk to life posed by flammable external cladding, similar to that used on the Grenfell Tower, is a breach of human rights.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (DHCLG) outlining its concerns about the continued use of combustible cladding in existing buildings and advising the department of its responsibilities under human rights laws to protect lives.

The Commission has expressed its concern that the consultation on the use of external cladding omits any reference to the government’s duty to protect lives under article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and schedule 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998.

The British Safety Council vision of no-one being injured or made ill by their work will only be realised when everyone cooperates to defend this basic human right for all. We call on the government to take a much clearer lead and responsibility for past failures to protect life so tragically highlighted by the Grenfell Tower fire.

“The British Safety Council has participated in the consultation, calling for much tighter building controls, clearer guidance and effective enforcement,” said Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of the British Safety Council. “The EHRC intervention takes a wider view and supports our long-held and consistent argument that health and safety is a crucial underpinning of the human right to life.”

He continued: “The British Safety Council vision of no-one being injured or made ill by their work will only be realised when everyone cooperates to defend this basic human right for all. We call on the government to take a much clearer lead and responsibility for past failures to protect life so tragically highlighted by the Grenfell Tower fire.”

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