EOS Framing - In the Frame Newsletter (Issue 14 - December 2022)

IN THE FRAME

MAKING THE BUILDING PROCESS INHERENTLY SAFER

As part of Etex, we have some of the best building performance experts on our team and the safety of residents and occupiers is our top priority. Coming in the wake of the Hackitt review, and receiving Royal Assent in April 2022, we welcome the Building Safety Act which covers a raft of changes for housebuilders and developers. These include a new system of accountability for safety in projects, a construction products regulator, and a refreshed regulatory framework. It is claimed to be the biggest change in building safety for over 40 years.

The overhaul of regulations will require building owners to demonstrate safety at each of three new ‘gateways’ for planning / design, construction and occupation. Compliance will be monitored by the newly established Building Safety Regulator, with significant powers to demand documents and stop works, and a new National Regulator for Construction Products, with power to remove dangerous products from the market.

In this edition of In the Frame, we focus on how EOS can help our construction clients meet the stringent demands of Building Regulations through our complete and compliant systems approach.

ETEX SUPPORT BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE

Following the outstanding success of our Thruwall® system which is supplied as a custom-designed offsite manufactured kit of parts – in 2021 in close collaboration with our Etex Group partners, EOS took factory prefabrication and preassembly to another level. Developed and rigorously tested our custom-manufactured Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) are an evolution of Thruwall® which are delivered to site as a unitised non-loadbearing infill system.

With such an exemplary track record in the development and robust testing of unitised infill walling systems, Richard Wilson and Robert Cridford from Etex Building Performance have recently contributed to the research and development of a Best Practice Guide for Through-Wall Infill Steel Frame Systems. This joint publication from FIS, SCI and ASFP, provides a clear definition and presents useful information relating to the performance characteristics of ‘through-wall’ systems. Steel has become the market leading material for this application owing to its quality, speed of installation and design versatility.

NEW PRODUCT

OFFERING FOR 2023

Constructed from our award winning Thrubuild® system, the new EOS housing concept is the ultimate in advanced offsite construction delivering outstanding Pre-Manufactured Value (PMV) with various factory fitted cladding, window and door options.

Our demonstration house presents the ideal opportunity for housing developers, architects and specifiers to get down to the detail and discover how this advanced systems approach can deliver residential projects in record time whilst enhancing building safety, quality and performance values.

To request a CPD or register your interest for a factory tour, go to: www.eosframing.co.uk/contact-eos-framing/eos-cpd-events

MINIMISING RISKS AND MAXIMISING OPPORTUNITIES

Our light steel structures fully comply with the requirements of Building Regulations and leading warranty providers. Steel is non-combustible and does not add to the fire load of a building therefore the risk of fire during construction and when in use is reduced.

According to a poll of the industry undertaken by the NHBC last year, fewer than three in 10 housebuilders expect to use timber frames. Our research and perspective interviews with sector experts have equipped us with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by housing specifiers. A lack of test data is a major concern.

Our fire performances are determined as a result of testing to BS EN 1365-1 for walls and BS EN 1365-2 for floors. Systems are tested and evaluated to provide for a safe ‘worst case’ performance. Loads applied during testing are selected to simulate representative stresses in accordance with the test standard.

From early design and engineering advice to simplifying specification and procurement, our products, processes and whole business philosophy show that as a manufacturer, we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. At the heart of this is rigorous testing and a systems approach to our light steel frame solutions.

EFFECTIVE TESTING REGIMES

Etex Group have three Innovation and Technology Centres where we have our own fire, acoustic, mechanical, structural and thermal testing facilities, equipment and laboratories. Annually we conduct over 500 tests in Europe alone. We also fully support and endorse third party certification such as BBA, BRE Global, Certifire and EOS has also recently gained BOPAS Accreditation. We work closely with certification bodies to jointly develop and design technical solutions.

Current regulations typically deal with individual products and how they perform in laboratory tests. However, we believe material providers should have full-scale testing regimes that study the performance of products working together to see how they interact in ‘real’ circumstances, like under fire conditions or when exposed to wind and rain.

Our components and products are rigorously tested together to ensure compatibility and system performance. When walling and flooring systems are built entirely with Etex components and materials in line with our latest standards, after a validation process— we award our Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF), Thrubuild® and Thruwall® systems with a 30-year manufacturer’s warranty.

This approach mitigates risk because these integrated solutions have been tested as complete systems and assessed for compliance with the latest regulations and standards, to ensure reliable performance.

The Building Safety Act makes ground-breaking reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections – so homes across the country are safer. Many of the detailed provisions in the Act will be implemented over the next two years through a programme of secondary legislation.

We are continually looking at ways to make the building process not only inherently safer but also to offer performance assurances to architects, housebuilders and specifiers to ensure they can provide sufficient levels of protection to occupants.

We have developed an award-winning range of unitised light steel frame systems. By working closely with developers, we are now able to provide real scalable light steel frame residential solutions – delivering precisionengineered homes that meet building safety regulations that can be produced at scale better than, faster than and more cost-efficiently than other market offerings.

We are committed to technical competence and as part of Etex, we have some of the best fire protection experts in the UK on our team. Technical support is there for specifiers throughout the lifecycle of the project, from concept to completion – in person, online, or by phone.

To collaborate with the light steel experts at EOS, call 01325 303030 or email eosenquiries@etexgroup.com

HELPING HOUSEBUILDERS COMPLY AND COMPETE

CERTIFIED SYSTEMS APPROACH

The EOS range of Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF), Thruwall® and Thrubuild® systems have been developed to eliminate uncertainty surrounding design and specification decisions.

All components – light steel frame, external and internal boards, glass mineral wool insulation, fixtures and fixings – have been rigorously tested together for fire, acoustic, weathering, airtightness, and mechanical performance. Only tested configurations are available for specification.

THRUBUILD®

Unitised loadbearing systems

• Winner Best External Product Housebuilder Awards 2021

• Custom-designed systems for external/internal walls and internal/separating floors

• 60, 90 and 120 minutes fire resistance options

THRUWALL®

Unitised non-loadbearing infill systems

• Supplied as a custom-designed certified kit of parts

• Can be applied to concrete or steel main frames

• 60, 90 and 120 minutes fire resistance options

PRE-ASSEMBLED FRAMES (PAF)

Complete non-loadbearing infill systems

• Custom-designed infill systems achieving 60 minutes fire resistance

• Prefabricated offsite and delivered to site as an assembled panelised unit

• Reduces construction programmes by up to 30%

When Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and PAF systems are built with Etex Group components and materials, following a validation processEtex award a 30-YEAR WARRANTY

For more information on our housing solutions, go to: www.eosframing.co.uk/eos-solutions/housing-solutions

EOS AWARDED ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION (EPD)

Sustainability is a key driving force in our strategy and as innovators in light steel systems, EOS want to inspire construction professionals to develop buildings that are not only safer but more sustainable.

We have been awarded an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) in accordance with EN 15804+A2 and ISO 14025 / ISO 21930. The scope of the EPD is cradle to gate which provides information about impact upon the environment and includes a comprehensive Lifecycle Assessment. This EPD is an important validation tool to support specifiers in making informed purchasing decisions to improve sustainable outcomes for construction clients.

RECYCLE AND REUSE

Based on 2021 data, the steel used by EOS is made from 59% recycled content and is 100% recyclable. Steel can be recycled or reused endlessly without detriment to its properties. This unique characteristic gives steel a high value at all stages of its lifecycle. The recovery infrastructure for steel recycling is highly developed and extremely efficient. Current recovery rates from demolition sites in the UK are 99% for structural steelwork and 96% for all steel construction products – figures that far exceed those for any other building material.

THRUBUILD® CASE STUDY

Renaissance Works, Huddersfield

The former Co-operative building in Huddersfield stood derelict for almost two decades. It has now been refurbished, expanded and reborn as Renaissance Works.

official – our systems are now BOPAS Accredited!

Engineers removed the original roof and replaced with a concrete deck ready for a roof top extension. This radical transformation uses Thrubuild® to best effect to maximise space via a three-storey extension on top of the existing building. Offering multiple loadbearing applications, Thrubuild® was used for external and internal walls, as well as internal and separating floors. Providing a robust and lightweight solution to reduce loading on the existing building and foundations, the combination of strength and precision engineering offered broad parameters for the designers to create 138 student bedrooms through 75 apartments.

With 60, 90, 120 minute fire resistance options, the Thrubuild® systems range delivered crucial safety, time and cost benefits – supported by a 30-year warranty. EOS designed, engineered and offsite manufactured a non-combustible loadbearing solution for the three-storey roof extension together with a hot rolled steel staircase for the top three floors. This systems approach offers assured fire, acoustic and thermal performance to meet the needs of the multiple occupancy building.