TH E
M AGAZINE
FOR
IN DUST RIA L
LE ADER S
ISSUE 112 EARLY
CONSTRUCTION
&CIVIL Engineering
Raisethe
roof A heatable site protection structure was needed to complete overrunning construction works on an important bridge See page 2
On the cusp of a revolution? Unearthing productivity trends in the construction industry
Working in harmony
It’s not often that you see three competing construction contractors working together on one project News: The University of Cambridge has awarded an £80m contract on the North West Cambridge Development
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2Cover story
CONTENTS
FEATURES
Chairman Andrew Schofield
SPECIAL FEATURE 2
Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch
A protection system allowed construction on an important bridge to be completed successfully
Editor Libbie Hammond
NEWS 5, 9, 15
libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk
Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market
Editorial Design Jon Mee
ENVIRONMENT 6
Advertising Design Fleur Daniels
6
Staff Writers Matt High Jo Cooper Steve Nash Andrew Dann Editorial Admin Matt High
16
Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Gavin Watson Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Laura Watling Tony Wright Sales Director David Garner Sales David King Mark Cawston Production/Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131
© 2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd
Constructing Excellence in Wales is looking at how the construction industry can achieve zero waste to landfill in Wales
OFFSITE MANUFACTURING 10 A new lighting solution is bringing lower costs, reduced emissions and more efficient energy consumption to a warehouse in Leeds
CASE STUDY 12 Three competing construction contractors came together on one project and created a real team effort
EQUIPMENT 16 Construction technology has established its benefits and it is now for contractors to embrace the solutions
20
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 18 The essence of Building Information Modelling is information sharing – taking this mobile should bring more benefits
COMPANY PROFILES
INTER-BETON 20 PART AB 24 DRICONEQ 29
24 24
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Construction & Civil Engineering 1
SPECIAL FEATURE
Raise the
roof A heatable site protection structure was needed to complete overrunning construction works on an important bridge
2 Construction & Civil Engineering
T
o complete roadworks on the Mühlwiesen bridge at BietigheimBissingen despite wintry temperatures, a heatable site protection structure had to be built quickly. This is where the new Keder Roof XL from Layher proved to be a crucial advantage for the scaffolding company, IBEK Gerüstbau GmbH. The aluminium-light components with their integrated keder sections ensured rapid assembly of the two weather protection
structures, while their high flexibility also permitted optimum adaptation to the curve in the road.
History Roadworks in built-up areas are usually a major annoyance for motorists – particularly when it’s the main traffic arteries that are affected. This was the situation that the city of Bietigheim-Bissingen was confronted with. To improve traffic flows, the local planning office had the Mühlwiesen bridge, part of the
‘‘
The aluminium-light components with their integrated keder sections ensured rapid assembly of the two weather protection structures, while their high flexibility also permitted optimum adaptation to the curve in the road
four-lane B27, comprehensively upgraded over the past few months. Since the bridge – already heavily used – was only usable to a limited extent during the work scheduled from July to October, it became a real bottleneck. The final straw for the motorists was however an interruption in the construction work, since the poor state of the structure necessitated unforeseen measures such as sandblasting. In addition to the additional costs caused by the delay, the persistently cold and
wet weather made it no longer possible to do sealing work on the bridge. To minimise both the costs and the sometimes very vocal displeasure of the public, an efficient site protection structure was urgently needed to complete the modernisation work. Two requirements for the scaffolding construction company in charge – IBEK from Vaihingen/Enz – had top priority in the assembly of the temporary enclosures, split into two building
sections each with a length or around 100 metres: rapid assembly, modification and dismantling within the tight building schedule, plus optimum adjustment to the curvature of the road. In view of that tight schedule, only one system could be considered by IBEK’s managing director Edgar Knienieder and his top scaffolding expert Wolfram Schwab, as the latter reported - the new Keder Roof XL from Layher. “There are a few temporary roof and enclosure systems on the market. The Keder Roof XL has however some technically crucial advantages in addition to its attractive appearance. Unlike systems – in some cases even new ones – based on heavy steel beams, Layher uses lattice beams made of aluminium. The component weight, twice as light, contributes just as much to speedy assembly as the connection technology used, with snap-on claw and the integrated keder section in the top chord. That way, our personnel don’t have to first connect the keder rail to the roof beam in a time-consuming operation,” explains Mr. Schwab. IBEK Gerüstbau GmbH was supported by the Technical Office of the leading system scaffolding manufacturer: “Detailed instructions for assembly and use, plus material lists and load-bearing capacity lists, are available for every bracing variant of the Keder Roof XL. Together with
Construction & Civil Engineering 3
SPECIAL FEATURE
Layher’s applications engineers, we planned the design on the basis of verified values, and were able to pick up the material the very next day, without any delays for an individual verification, and then start on the assembly work,” says IBEK’s top scaffolding erector. The scaffolding erectors first built a supporting structure using Layher SpeedyScaf, which thanks to fewer basic components, bolt-free insertion and a logical assembly sequence also saves time and costs during the assembly work. The Keder Roof XL was then assembled as a 12 metre wide monopitch roof, continues Mr. Schwab. Thanks to the low component weight, it was possible to pre-assemble the individual roof trusses manually on the ground before lifting them into place using a forklift truck – and so speeding up the construction process. However, assembly using gable scaffolding is also a practical and safe alternative as a mobile variant. “We get a lot of flexibility from the Keder
St Thomas Street
4 Construction & Civil Engineering
Roof XL not only during assembly and dismantling. Roof widths of up to 40 metres, and working during winter are also possible. Even heavy snow loads of up to around 100 kilograms per square metre can be sustained without any problems in the case of medium spans.” But there’s flexibility in the structural shape too: from a double-pitch roof to a polygonal barrel roof – or adapted to curving roads, as is the case on the Mühlwiesen bridge. “This enables us to offer construction companies ideal solutions for weather-independent construction work every time – and with a high-grade appearance too.” In just four days, six men used the Keder Roof XL to build the first partial section of 100 metres in length. The Keder tarpaulins were pulled bay by bay over the supporting structure and the roof trusses along their full length, facilitating the heating of the protective structure. After all, the temperature had to be at least five degrees Celsius for application of the resin. The resin had barely set underneath the temporary protective roof, when the scaffolding erectors quickly modified it for the
second building section, this time 95 metres long. Protected from wind and weather, the construction company was able to work late into the night on some days. And successfully. The construction work was completed in good time before Christmas. That meant an end not only to the sometimes kilometrelong tailbacks caused by the site, but also to the usual delays during early morning commuter traffic, because the measure also included the lengthening of an exit lane. m
For more than 60 years, Layher has been the undisputed pioneer for top-class scaffolding systems ‘made in Germany’. Layher is also a dependable partner for customers requiring scaffolding, crafts, construction, industry and events. For further information, visit www.layher.com.
NEWS
Mobile mapping Severn Partnership has made a significant capital investment in the new mobile mapping solution from spatial information systems provider, Leica Geosystems. The second company worldwide to purchase the device, it enables them to scan an impressive one million points per second with 120 metre range giving up to 5mm accuracy – enabling the firm to rapidly collect accurate data on any terrain. Pegasus:Two combines the latest rapid collector Z&F Profiler Scanner, with seven cameras and a twin GPS system, together with an Inertial Navigation System. For Severn Partnership, the product will revolutionise the mobile mapping process; allowing the company to capture calibrated imagery and point cloud data together, making for higher accuracy, and faster data collection. The company had previously tested the equipment at a recent project for a client in Central London. The company claims that it has the capability to reduce five days of traditional laser scanning processes into just 40 minutes, producing more accurate data, in a less intrusive way, which the company utilises to construct working Building Information Models (BIM). Mobile mapping is a geospatial data collection method that is fastgrowing in popularity and usage. The process allows for rapid and accurate determination of position and attitude of remote sensing equipment, effectively leading to direct mapping of features of interest without the need for complex post-processing of observed data. While Severn Partnership is currently collaborating with other companies to provide the application of Pegasus:Two in surveying jobs, the company has bold plans for the technology.
Roof record A Cornish roofing specialist has been invited to quote for a six-figure contract in Manchester thanks to a recent record-breaking performance. JR Flat Roofing, based in Redruth, Cornwall, completed a job in Hemel Hempstead this autumn to refurbish two roofs where the waterproofing layer was in need of repair. The project concerned residential buildings, which had to remain fully occupied during the works, with minimal disruption - however, working with Heritage Scaffolding Ltd of Berkshire, JR Flat Roofing completed the task in under three weeks, which is a record for the two companies. Nick Rogers, managing director for JR Flat Roofing said: “We are experienced in challenging projects which have a tight deadline, but our team and Heritage Scaffolding really excelled themselves in Hemel Hempstead. We welcome projects with challenges that need to be overcome - this one involved removing and replacing a huge amount of materials, which covered the damaged waterproof layer. I’m pleased that our efficiency and speed on this project has led to further opportunities for JR Flat Roofing.”
World’s biggest elevator buffer After two years of research and development, and an investment in excess of £1.5 million, world-leading UK energy absorption technology expert Oleo International has had its new HSL 115 and HSL 72 high-speed elevator buffers certified to recognised industry standards. This means that these buffers, an enabling technology for the installation of high-speed elevators into ultra high-rise buildings, which are now moving towards heights of one km, are readily available worldwide. Oleo has already received orders in excess of £1 million for these products with significant new project enquiries. Oleo’s HSL range is available in multi-stage heights and is compatible with elevator speeds of up to 20 metres per second and higher. The buffers, which are positioned at the bottom of elevator shafts, are designed to provide a vital safety mechanism for elevator systems. While Oleo already designs, manufactures and installs buffers that support elevator speeds of 11.62m/s (41.6km/h - 25.8mph), until now, technology and equipment has not been available to cope with speeds in excess of 20m/s (72 km/h 44.6mph). Key to the unique technical advancements in Oleo’s design is the shift from a single-phase construction to two and four stage telescopic buffers. The multi stage feature minimises the stroke and overall height of the buffer allowing for an easier and more cost effective installation process by saving critical space in the shaft.
Construction & Civil Engineering 5
ENVIRONMENT
ICE Arena Wales
250 riverfront apartments at Carrow Quay in Norwich, believed to be the largest scheme in the UK designed to Passivhaus principles
waste The best possible
Paul Jennings takes a look at zero waste in construction and asks, is it possible or is it pure fantasy?
P
icture the scenario. A collaboration between the construction, demolition and waste management sectors across varying construction sites with the intention of identifying, managing and documenting each type of waste, the possible options and available solutions, together with finding the root cause. The aim? To help construction teams overcome obstacles and provide hard evidence
6 Construction & Civil Engineering
to change perceptions about waste management possibilities and the impact on culture and behaviour. It may sound fanciful but this is exactly what is taking place in Wales to help tackle what is generally seen as one of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry, as well as one of the most polarising. No one would disagree that generating less waste, reusing materials and using more recycled
content is a crucial strategy for a sustainable future and long term economic viability. How we get there continues to be a challenge however. Targets for the reduction of construction waste have previously been criticised for being unachievable, but there needs to be a vision and a clear determination within the construction industry to make waste reduction happen. In 2010, UK government statistics
Hence, the launch of ‘Enabling Zero Waste’, by Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) on behalf of the Welsh Government. The project aim is to establish if, and how, the construction industry can achieve the overarching strategy for waste in Wales of zero waste to landfill. CEW is working with four specially selected pilot schemes across Wales; Care Home, Newport (Castleoak Care Partnerships Ltd); Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea (John Weaver Contractors Ltd); Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff Bay (Kier Construction) and Millbank Primary School, Ely, Cardiff (WRW Construction Ltd) to identify ways that construction and demolition projects can generate less waste, reuse materials and use more recycled content.
Drone Shot
claimed that the construction industry produced in excess of 47 million tonnes of waste from construction and demolition processes. In 2012, figures showed that construction and demolition waste to landfill had reduced by 1.87 million tonnes. This was certainly a positive development, but clearly the issue still represents a massive challenge. In Wales, targets set by the Welsh Government have
– Ice Arena
challenged the industry to make sure that 90 per cent or more of the waste generated by the construction and demolition sectors will be re-used or recycled by 2019/2020. The latest figures suggest that Wales is moving in the right direction, with 87 per cent of waste being recycled in aggregate material terms. However there is still work to do, as targets require 90 per cent recycling to be achieved across every material waste stream.
Care Home Newport, Castleoak Castleoak is currently working in collaboration with the ‘Enabling Zero Waste’ project to avert waste generated during the groundwork preparation and construction phases of a new purpose built high quality 80-bed care home located at Castleton, near St Mellons, Cardiff. The £8.5m home has a total scheme size of approximately 4000m2 and will be of timber frame construction, manufactured off site at Castleoak’s factory in Ebbw Vale. Through early stage research and project analysis at design stage, Castleoak made decisions about demolition, groundworks and materials prior to onsite occupation. Work to minimise construction waste has also been carried out. Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, John Weaver (Contractors) Ltd John Weaver (Contractors) Ltd is working with the ‘Enabling Zero Waste’ project to avert waste generated during the restoration and refurbishment of the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, a 1911 Grade II listed Edwardian art gallery consisting of a 1974 extension building and conjoined 1911 construction in the creative district of the City of Swansea.
Construction & Civil Engineering 7
ENVIRONMENT
Millbank Primary School
The £5.3m large-scale project will require complete restoration of 1911 fabric (roofs, ceilings, walls, floors) together with protection and stabilisation works to existing retaining walls, replacement of mechanical and electrical services. John Weaver (Contractors) Ltd already uses the BRE SMARTWaste tool helping managers within the business to recognise and plan management of construction waste. The organisation is a specialist in conservation construction and concentrate on reuse opportunities for wood block, railings, and bricks tremendously assisting diversion of waste targets. Millbank Primary School, WRW Construction Ltd WRW Construction Ltd, based in Llanelli and Cardiff Bay, responded to an invitation across the sector to work in partnership with the ‘Enabling Zero Waste’ project. It is working to prevent and divert waste generated during the construction phases of a refurbishment and new-build project at Millbank Primary School in the Ely area of west Cardiff. The organisation has identified several waste management
8 Construction & Civil Engineering
challenges due to restricted access to the site located in a built-up, residential area together with specific planning conditions limiting access and operations. The school, at the heart of the community in Ely, was originally constructed in the early 1900’s and has beautiful period features. However as with most buildings of this era, refurbishment and treatment works have been identified including issues of managing dry rot, wet rot, damp infection and hazardous materials. Ice Arena Wales, Kier Ltd Kier was appointed by developer Greenbank Partnerships to handle the construction of Ice Arena Wales, a high-profile £17.5m project which will position Cardiff as the focus for ice sports in the UK, boasting twin ice pads and seating for 3000 spectators. Kier uses the BRE SMARTWaste online reporting tool to manage and reduce waste outputs, impacts and costs. Forecasts have been made about particular waste management challenges including the overuse of packaging and distribution resources, waste separation possibilities, steel
working connections and final street works design. A full report is planned to be published towards the end of 2015 on the achievements, solutions and lessons learnt from ‘Enabling Zero Waste’. Given the scale of the construction waste challenge, this project will address only a fraction. However, these four construction sites in Wales will certainly provide a firm foundation for understanding the varying dynamics of waste reduction and how ‘zero waste to landfill’ could possibly be achievable in the future. m
Paul Jennings is Director of the Construction Waste Programme, Constructing Excellence in Wales. Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) aims to encourage the industry to rethink and improve the construction process to deliver economically and environmentally sustainable outcomes in Wales. Funded by the Welsh Government, CEW works with all parts of the industry to facilitate, promote, encourage and demonstrate innovative ways of working to deliver a better built environment. For more information, visit:
www.cewales.org.uk.
NEWS
Light fantastic An energy efficient building in London has chosen to install lighting and controls from Luxonic Lighting. Sixty London is set to become the workspace for over a thousand employees of a major online retailer and the curved glass and steel structure, extending over 14 floors above ground, is designed to BREEAM Excellent standard, and has been build with a focus on sustainability. The landmark building, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), is located at an important intersection within the City, at 60 Holborn Viaduct. It is striking in its architecture - the expanse of curtain walling making up the façade allows it to be illuminated at night. Luxonic has provided over 2500 bespoke fittings throughout the 20,000m2 of prime office space. The Luxonic luminaires designed specifically for the project were selected for the excellent energy ratings they are able to achieve. The incorporation of DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) technology, a protocol for lighting controls and dimming, enables effective energy management,
UK’S largest solar panel array
and provides the building with the tools for reducing its energy costs. Luxonic also provided DALI addressable emergency inverters to integrate with the system. The sleek form of the recessed luminaires is in keeping with the contemporary, flexible and openplan office design at Sixty London. They integrate effortlessly into the SAS international ceiling and were supplied for direct installation, complete with lamps and cables. They provide a uniform, evenly distributed light throughout the space, ensuring appropriate illuminance levels for the working environment. A logarithmic dimming behaviour matches the response of the human eye making the users comfort paramount.
Room for drainage For a new £60 million hotel development in Bournemouth, the management and control of surface water required a proven long term solution which could work on a challenging sloping site. AquaCell Prime, a geocellular stormwater management unit from Wavin was up for the challenge. Set to be the first five star hotel in Bournemouth, the new 13 storey Hilton Hotel has been designed by Cube in association with White Ink Architects and consists of a 172-bedroom hotel with 14 exclusive residential apartments above. In addition, there will be an eight-storey 120-bedroom Hampton by Hilton complex as well as 45 apartments with a three-storey deep, underground car park and associated landscaping. In order to manage surface stormwater on the sloping site, main contractor McAleer and Rushe Group worked with Wavin on a design, which incorporated the AquaCell Prime system to help reduce the risk of flooding. Manufactured from specially reformulated, recycled material for trafficked and deep applications, more than 600 AquaCell Prime units were specified below a restaurant, terrace and entrance café area in order to create a 160m3 cellular attenuation tank for surface water in the event of any excessive surface water run-off due to torrential rain. AquaCell Prime has been specifically designed for use in areas subject to regular traffic loading such as car parks. For the challenging sloping site, the units were installed at a depth of between 1.2m and 1.6m and then clipped together to create a stepped, two tiered tank. A concrete slab was then installed above the attenuation tank ready for the completion of the café terrace.
Mark Group is leading the construction of the UK’s largest roof mounted solar panel array installation for Marks & Spencer at its East Midlands Distribution Centre in Castle Donington. The 24,272 solar panels, if laid end to end, would cover a distance of 39km, crossing the English Channel with ease. The installation, which is expected to be completed in early 2015, will cover the 900,000 sq ft roof of the distribution centre, and generate over 6000 MWh of electricity per annum – enough to power 1200 homes – lowering M&S’s carbon footprint by 48,000 tonnes over 20 years. “Providing the expertise to install this number of solar PV’s with a cantilever mounting system for maximum output is a highly specialised task,” explains Nathan Snowden-Merrills, project lead, Mark Group. “Working on a roof that’s 30 metres high and the size of around 11 football pitches requires specialist experience and we are used to achieving success for installations of this scale and complexity. “The completed solution will create one of the most sustainable distribution centres in the world making it self-sufficient during daylight hours and setting a high benchmark for others to follow.” Mark Group has worked alongside Amber Infrastructure, which has provided the funding of the project and SBC Renewables, which has designed the system.
Construction & Civil Engineering 9
OFFSITE MANUFACTURING
A case for
Alex Goodfellow takes a look at using offsite manufacturing to change the face of UK construction
10 Construction & Civil Engineering
timber
T
he UK construction sector remains in a state of flux with the latest official figures making for mixed reading. ONS GDP statistics for June suggest there was no change in quarter-to-quarter construction growth, although yearon-year, output grew by 5.3 per cent in June 2014 compared with 2013, indicating the sector is showing signs of recovery. The Home Builders Federation suggest that in 2012-2013 that England alone had one of the lowest rates of housing building since 1923, with more than 108,000 homes making it to market. Compare that to estimates suggesting up to 229,000
properties need to be built to meet household projections, and there is still some way to go before supply meets demand. With increased pressure for an upward trend in the UK economy there is a real and pressing need for a wide range of projects to get underway in both the public and private sectors. With the development of new showcase Garden City projects in Ebbsfleet and Barking there is already growing pressure from organisations including the Timber Trade Association for more developers to embrace the use of wood to deliver a new sustainable generation of homes. Indeed we are already
Case study Miller Homes East Scotland – Telford Campus, Edinburgh l With more than 30 years’ experience at sites across the UK,
to be kept as low as possible, while, along with minor changes to the
Stewart Milne Timber Systems has expertise in both the private
cladding systems, maintaining the original architectural proposals. Stewart Milne Timber Systems identified and resolved all of these
and public sectors, with developments delivered in the housing, affordable housing, student accommodation, hotel, and
challenges a year before starting on site, eliminating the need for re-
medical sectors.
works and delays to the construction programme and building warrant
One of their most recent projects is a 350 home project developed
approval process. The use of timber frame increased the speed of build and enabled the
by Miller Homes East Scotland at the Telford Campus in Edinburgh. With a mixture of apartments, terraced townhouses and detached
buildings to be wind and watertight quickly. With the added benefit of
villas on offer the site formerly belonged to Edinburgh’s Telford
early deployment of follow on trades, multiple tradesmen could work
College. Designed by Michael Laird Architects, the development has a
through the critical path simultaneously, further supporting the speed of
strong community feel and is planned around courtyards and other
build. This also meant the project was not dependent on good weather
communal green spaces. The full build was completed, with external
conditions, and therefore less vulnerable to delays. Stewart Milne Timber Systems has a long established supply chain,
cladding installed, 12 months quicker than a comparative masonry build. In total, Stewart Milne Timber Systems erected 140 homes
so availability of materials was never a concern for Miller Homes East
within a single 12-month period.
Scotland. With all structural timber sourced direct from mill owners
A particular challenge involved integrating balcony steelwork
with long-standing relationships, there were no additional costs from
into the timber systems, as was working with a mixture of flat and
distributors, or any material capacity to cause delays. Likewise, with
gull-wing roofs. The primary supports for the balcony were included
capacity to manufacture 10,000 units per annum and the ability to flex
within the timber frame package designed, supplied and erected by
manpower to accommodate larger projects and shorter lead times,
Stewart Milne Timber Systems with a pre-fabricated steel balcony
Stewart Milne Timber Systems easily met the requirements of the
structure then attached after the external cladding was completed.
project. There was no restriction in the height, shape or configuration
This kept the balcony structure off the critical path.
of panels, and each was individually designed and made to suit the building layout. Call off times were shorter too, with the ability to call off
The flat roofs were formed with pre-fabricated panels to help reduce the build programme. The gull-wing roofs were designed with
within three weeks once designs were completed, thus supporting the
pre-fabricated roof trusses that kept the cost of forming the structure
speed of build to meet the project’s timescales.
starting to see evidence that more organisations are opting for reliable, fast, construction methods in order to help drive growth. An increasingly used construction method is the use of offsite manufacture – particularly with the use of timber systems – which can be used for both housing and commercial projects. It’s a way of working that has obvious benefits. The fact that components are factory built guarantees a high standard of product, which will reduce construction time and snagging, while pre-designed materials provide short lead times and timely delivery to site. Cost effectiveness is a major part of the
attraction. The savings associated with offsite manufacture includes a reduction in preliminary costs of up to 30 per cent, with much of the
work being carried out by third parties. Timber frame systems also reduce foundation costs through the use of less material; the speed of build leaves a greatly reduced bill for scaffolding; while waste and disposal costs are lower, with waste managed at the factory. Another benefit of taking the offsite manufacture option is the need for fewer contractors on site, as many components such as doors and windows can be fitted at the point of production, leaving sites less congested ahead of final fit-outs. With an increased industry-wide focus on sustainable projects, which are both environmentally sound and cheaper to run, the enhanced design and material management available through a factory manufactured process also provides added long term value through the achievement of high standards for both thermal regulations and acoustic performance. In short, offsite manufacture makes for a compelling business case that offers a range of time and construction savings, which help deliver sustainable projects. While the method is probably most associated with housing, timber systems are increasingly being used across a wide range of sectors to create attractive new buildings to tight timescales. m
Alex Goodfellow is group managing director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems. Stewart Milne Timber Systems is the UK’s leading provider of precision-engineered timber system solutions. Part of the Stewart Milne Group, it has unrivalled expertise spanning over 35 years. The Stewart Milne Group concentrates on building quality residential homes and commercial builds for a range of customers including government bodies, private and public companies, local councils and private clients. Originally established in 1975, with just six employees, today the Stewart Milne Group employs over 900. Stewart Milne Group concentrates on building quality residential homes and commercial builds for a range of customers including government bodies, private and public companies, local councils and private clients. For further information visit: www.timbersystems.stewartmilne.com.
Construction & Civil Engineering 11
CASE STUDY
Working in
harmony It’s not often that you see three competing construction contractors working together on one project but that is the case at a busy site on the outskirts of York City Centre
12 Construction & Civil Engineering
Y
ork-based William Anelay Ltd, founded in 1747, together with Vinci Construction UK Ltd and R N Wooler & Co Ltd, based in Keighley, are all involved in different phases of construction and restoration work on Walmgate. The project in question is a £35 million development to construct 648 student flats on the site of what used to be the offices of the York Press newspaper and
Volvo car dealership as well as a range of other resources including a new build hotel. The refurbished Poads building, named after a grain merchant that used to call it home during Victorian times, is once again playing host to the journalists of the York Press. “It works like an orchestra,” explained Anelay site manager Adam Hickey, “with all parties in constant communication with each other. We are all taking charge of different phases of the overall
project and close liaison is essential in such a tight working environment. A weekly meeting is convened between senior figures from each of the neighbouring projects to review and plan all deliveries, whilst assessing the impact to the local businesses and homeowners. This is collaborative work in the real sense of the word by three firms that are normally competing against each other. “We have overseen demolition, alterations and the construction of an extension to the Poads whilst Vinci
focus on the new build student accommodation to the rear, due for completion in August 2015, and Woolers tasked with a new hotel build on adjacent land,” added Adam. William Anelay Ltd started on site at the start of February 2014 and completed their phase of works, valued at £780,000, at the end of August. The overall project is being delivered on behalf of Student Castle under the auspices of CSP Architects of York, M&E specialists Martin Design Associates and structural engineers Ward Cole. “Our phase of works has focused on providing a modern working environment for the Press team to ensure their continued presence in the city centre. It has involved partial retention of the existing building together with the creation of a three-storey extension. “We’ve carried out limited repointing and repairs to the outside of the building but the main thrust of works saw us demolish the entire ground floor, including supporting walls, and install over 80 prop beams and columns up to the first floor to ensure structural integrity whilst the building was being worked on. A great deal of salvage work has taken place with roof slates, radiators and bricks reclaimed for
use in the refurbishment. The Poads building is in a Conservation Area and is considered a Building of Merit by the local council. That has meant that we have had to adhere to many regulations in terms of what we can and cannot do but that is par for the course for Anelay given that we work on so many historic landmarks across the UK. “Logistics has been key here. Working collaboratively is not only essential for the successful running of each of the projects, its essential for the continuity of the local populace that thrive in this busy city centre location.” Balancing the demands of three large projects in one small space with one access road in and out requires detailed planning, open communication between all parties and friendly flexibility from all concerned. “Operating in such tight spaces has involved co-ordination by all parties in terms of deliveries and the safe storage of materials,” added Adam. It’s clear that it’s a real team effort along Walmgate with all three contractors working in harmony. m
www.williamanelay.co.uk
Construction & Civil Engineering 13
NEWS
Making music Plans for the first newly built Conservatoire in the UK for a generation have been submitted to Birmingham City planners. A brand new home for Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, will open its doors to students in 2017, continuing a history of producing talented musicians and performers dating back to 1886. The new facility is the first complete new build Conservatoire in the UK since 1987, and will provide state-of-the-art performance space and acoustical quality. It will comprise five performance venues, including a public concert hall with the capacity for over 450 seats and a full orchestra, plus a recital hall at 150 seats and smaller experimental music space, organ and jazz rooms. There are also plans for more than 70 music practice rooms. Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Allan said: “These state-of-theart facilities offer current and
£80 million contract
prospective students’ unrivalled teaching provision. “This new building, designed by leading architect Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios, provides us with a glorious opportunity to build on our proud history and continue to develop world-class music facilities for future generations.” Building work will begin in the summer of 2015 and is scheduled for completion in summer 2017.
Matting is no walkover Despite it being one of the first things to greet people entering a building, matting is something few people notice even though it plays a key safety role in the majority of commercial buildings by significantly reducing the risks of slipping on wet floors. According to The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) slips and trips are still the most common cause of injury at work, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of all reported major injuries, and they are also the most reported injury to members of the public. Workplace equipment supplier Slingsby, which supplies more than 35,000 workplace products across all industries including a wide range of flooring and matting products, says these statistics could be improved if workplaces checked their mats are up to the job. Lee Wright, marketing director of Slingsby, explains: “Most serious slip injuries happen indoors and are due to contaminants, such as water or grease, finding their way onto floors. Obviously the areas around outside doors are most likely to get wet as water is brought in on the soles of shoes. “UK workplaces spend millions of pounds on personal injury claims as a result of employees and visitors slipping or tripping on their premises. However all too often you still walk into buildings when it’s raining and see water all over the floor which immediately highlights the fact that the entrance matting is inadequate. It’s ridiculous that so many people are injured as a result of poor matting and no organisation should face the risks and hassle of someone having an accident for the sake of investing in a new mat. “Any workplace buying matting should always ask a supplier to advise them about the product’s water retention capabilities and the amount of traffic it can cope with.
The University of Cambridge has awarded its largest value construction package for the first phase of the North West Cambridge Development to BAM Construction. Worth approximately £80 million, the BAM contract includes building significant areas of the new local centre, named Eddington, on the North West Cambridge Development. Situated within the heart of the site, the works include 352 homes for University and College key workers built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5, as well as a supermarket and retail units, a doctor’s surgery, and the shell of the energy centre built to BREEAM Excellent standard. Gavin Heaphy, construction director of the North West Cambridge Development said: “BAM’s considerable experience in the realisation of large and complex projects, coupled with their commitment to sustainable delivery made them the right choice to become our partner for two major Lots on the development (Lots 1 and 3). We are delighted to have this experienced team on board to realise the University’s aspirations and to build a key part of the next chapter of Cambridge.” BAM will build to the designs from Wilkinson Eyre, Mole Architects, Mecanoo and landscape architects, Townshend, and will work alongside the North West Cambridge Development consultants, Turner and Townsend Project Management and Gardiner and Theobald Cost Management.
Construction & Civil Engineering 15
EQUIPMENT
On the cusp of a
revolution? Unearthing productivity trends in the construction industry. By Kjeld Jespersen
I
t is no secret that the European construction industry has been underperforming in recent years. A recent report from Deloitte (EPoC 2013 – European Powers of Construction - June 2014) states that earnings before interest and tax in European construction activities stands at 3.1 per cent for the major construction companies. Another study by Mckinsey Global Institute (Infrastructure productivity: How to save $1 trillion a year - January 2013) significantly shows that productivity in the construction industry has been declining since 1989 when the rest of the economy has enjoyed productivity increases of 30 to 40 per cent. Technology-enabled solutions provide a real opportunity to help
16 Construction & Civil Engineering
reverse this trend and improve productivity and efficiency. Over the past decade, the construction industry has seen significant developments in technology solutions, much as manufacturing experienced during the preceding decade with just-intime inventory strategy, automation and real-time control, to name but a few. The construction industry can now easily access tools to monitor, manage and enhance its operations with technology that is readily available and impacts four specific areas: Productivity monitors production and manages job site efficiency by using technology to measure payloads and cycle times to optimise production and reduce loading and hauling costs. It also utilises
grade and compaction control technologies so operations get done faster with more accuracy and less rework. By applying grade control technology on all relevant equipment, higher accuracy can be achieved across a project, saving not only material but also time and fuel. Our estimates indicate that material waste could be reduced by up to four percentage points. Surveying costs can be dramatically reduced by removing the need to employ surveying stake personnel. Those cost reductions can be as significant as 80 to 90 per cent of the surveying costs, and this can represent approximately 2.5 per cent of the overall project cost. By connecting machines and tracking the progress of a project against the plan, contractors are better able to manage a project and can take corrective actions earlier with the benefit of improving the productivity of
the operator and of his machine as well as that of other labour working on the site. Grade control will undoubtedly play a significant role in the productivity of a site, and overall Caterpillar estimates that when these factors are considered together, they can provide a six per cent reduction in the overall cost of a project. Equipment management helps contractors increase uptime and reduce operating costs by monitoring fuel burn, location and utilisation of machines, as well as health and maintenance issues like hours and fluid contamination. Fuel costs can be reduced by managing equipment idle time and by focusing on operator techniques to maximise fuel efficiency. Some sites have reduced idle time from over 40 per cent to less than ten per cent by focusing on this issue and by enabling data visibility for the operators and project managers. With advanced condition monitoring, maintenance costs can be markedly reduced by optimising maintenance and ensuring repair before machine failure. By better managing maintenance, it is estimated that contractors can save in excess of two per cent of the overall project cost. Safety increases job site awareness to encourage safe
practices for people and equipment. This includes on-board camera systems and object/ proximity-detection systems that significantly increase the operator’s viewpoint, contributing to a safer work site. Sustainability reduces environmental impact and simplifies compliance reporting. By monitoring fuel burn and carefully managing resource consumption, contractors can reduce operating costs and improve work site efficiency while considering environmental impact. Through its studies, Caterpillar has established gains of up to 15 per cent of the value of a project can be made by applying these solutions to work sites. In addition, overhead costs and bidding accuracy can be optimised by using equipment data to guide decisionmaking. Records of past projects can be referred to when bidding for future projects to help increase accuracy based on hard data. Over the past decade, the construction technology product portfolio has moved from niche producers or from products adapted from other industries to deeply integrated, industry specific solutions. The sensors used to gather this data are integrated during the manufacturing process
of the machine and the telemetry systems provide live data pertaining to the health and performance of the machines. Contractors are adopting these technologies at an ever-increasing pace, even during the financial crises, the sales of construction technology products kept up as contractors took the opportunity to improve the potential of their existing fleet to ensure that every piece of equipment achieves its highest level of productivity. The next step will be to link the various elements together to ensure that construction sites become more efficient, that the processes are adapted to incorporate the available data and information, and that project managers hold the tools to effectively manage a truly technology enabled worksite. Construction technology has established its benefits and it is now for the contractors to embrace these solutions and to leverage the technology on their worksites. Some companies have already embarked on this path and have invested in machinery that is equipped with the latest integrated technology, linked each of their sites to monitor real time productivity and integrated and stored data to ensure effective management which in turn improves the bottom line of their operations. m
For nearly 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2013 sales and revenues of $55.656 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For further information visit:
www.cat.com or www.caterpillar.com.
Construction & Civil Engineering 17
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Given the pressure on pricing as a result of the government’s desire to cut costs by 20 per cent, construction companies and building operators simply cannot afford to waste time with workers left idle due to lack of information. Nor can they risk mistakes due to inaccurate, incomplete, out–of-date, or just incorrect information that leads to rebuilds and the cost of additional materials, getting rid of the old materials and the carbon overhead. The financial implications are huge.
Performance improvement
The
BIMimperative
Iain Miskimmin discusses taking building information modelling mobile
T
here is no doubt that the Government’s decision to demand suppliers involved in public sector projects use Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools and techniques by 2016 has focused the attention of the construction industry. To date, this approach has only facilitated collaboration in the early phases of building design and construction. And while there is no doubt that early insight into potential problems of access or conflict are key to minimising delay and costs, that improved information resource has
18 Construction & Civil Engineering
Iain Miskimmin
huge – it could be argued, significantly more – potential on site. Today, far too much time is lost as a result of workers lacking the required information to do the job. Whilst the problem is manageable if the site office is only minutes away, on major construction projects for roads or other infrastructure, this is rarely the case and workers have to travel miles to attain information or carry vast quantities of paper-based information – from drawings and equipment schedules, to method statements. And there is no guarantee this information is up-to-date.
The essence of BIM is information sharing – not only 3D designs but also the related documents. These could include anything from the part reference numbers or documentation, through the maintenance scheduling, to the social media conversation where decisions were made about how best to construct it. With a consolidated information resource that includes drawings, specifications, commissioning requirements, method statements, health and safety assessments, environmental assessments, and supply chain logistical information, a company can extend BIM from the original design through on-site construction to on-site maintenance and repair. Add in key resources such as time sheets and employee training records to ensure they have the right skills and equipment expertise, and the technology also improves site management and project control. Providing a worker with access to the information they require at the point of activity, relevant to their role and the task they are performing, could dramatically improve their productivity and efficiency. But it is important not to overwhelm an individual with too much information or information that is non-relevant to their role. In addition, location-based services and technologies can be used to identify the worker, their location
to get comms on site – typically around 12 weeks – and the lead time available to the construction company, which is usually around two weeks, organisations must manage a mixture of satellite, 3G and microwave solutions to achieve the necessary connectivity. The issues are manageable but require planning and awareness of connectivity restriction and the applications required at sites in order to minimise the impact on data transfer rates.
Conclusion
on site, and work package being performed, making it possible to provide them with relevant information, and the ability to access more in-depth information as needed. This information needs to be available for both online and offline use to help ensure workflows continue seamlessly. Such personalised views into information relevant to the individual user’s project and role cut down wasted time trying to find documents specific to the task-at-hand.
Mobile challenge Many construction companies have banned the use of mobiles on site, because of the risks associated with distraction of the operative – putting them in direct danger from powered equipment and other site based obstacles and hazards. One possible solution to this is the adoption of Real Time Location Services (RTLS) technology that leverages Wi-Fi and other systems to alert the individual to the nearby presence of vehicles or equipment. A new approach to the procurement and management of mobile IT hardware could also reap significant cost savings. Traditionally investment is made in ruggedised equipment that requires careful selection, testing and is often very costly to purchase and maintain. This
approach requires that the new assets be given a long period of use (say four - five years) to derive the maximum value from the investment. During this time the equipment can fast become effectively obsolete given the rapid pace at which mobile IT is evolving. Recent new innovations in consumer-targeted hardware (such as tablets and the iPad) give the opportunity for a new perspective. Tablets are cheap to buy and can be retrofitted with durable cases to provide ruggedisation. The significantly lower costs mean that these devices can be regarded much like a consumable item and replaced more cheaply once damaged beyond economic repair. Couple this with the fact that many companies now give their users these new devices after a period of use means that users value and look after their equipment more. In these examples companies have seen replacement levels actually fall from figures of around 20-30 per cent per annum to around three per cent – a significant saving. One significant problem that continues to trouble organisations is that of site communications and its rapid deployment to construction sites. This is especially true given the volume of data now being transferred between core 3D building information systems and software. With a lag between the time it takes
With the barriers to mobile adoption diminishing quickly, and construction companies working hard to embrace collaborative workflows and BIM to improve information sharing across the supply chain, the goal of end-toend asset visibility is at last becoming achievable. Those organisations that fail to respond to the mobile imperative will not only be left behind but will also struggle to achieve the effective, efficient operations required to compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. m
Iain Miskimmin is an industry consultant at Bentley Systems and director of technology at Construction Opportunities for Mobile IT (COMIT). Bentley Systems is the global leader dedicated to providing architects, engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley users leverage information mobility across disciplines and throughout the infrastructure lifecycle to deliver better-performing projects and assets. For further information visit:
www.bentley.com.
Construction & Civil Engineering 19
PROFILE: INTER-BETON
solid A
future
Providing a broad range of high-quality, standard and customised concrete products, Inter-Beton has become the ready-mixed concrete market leader in Belgium
S
pecialising in the manufacturing and distribution of readymixed concrete, Inter-Beton offers its customers a broad portfolio of high quality, standard and customised concrete products from an extensive network of 29 sites. Founded as a joint venture in 1967, Inter-Beton has become the readymixed concrete market leader in Belgium’s construction industry over
20 Construction & Civil Engineering
the years, a glowing reputation that stems the company’s commitment to its core values. These strategic points include an extended service level and an ongoing innovative approach to market developments through the launch of new, industry relevant products. The company provides the most competitive cost value to customers, a structured environmental policy and employment of first-class, well educated personnel who are unconditionally committed to following the same vision and strategy. Celebrating its fourth decade in operation in 2007, the company witnessed strategic developments in 2004 when it became a 100 per cent subsidiary of the HeidelbergCement Group; a global leader in aggregates that boasts
nearly 53,000 employees and a prominent presence in the cement, concrete and building materials sectors. Today, Inter-Beton has 29 concrete plants, 515 employees, 252 trucks and 10,000 clients; on top of this, its annual production capacity reaches three million m3 and its annual sales are over 175 million euros. Over the years Inter-Beton has co-operated with customers and continuously invested in technology to develop a wide range of innovative products ranging from classical concrete composition over fast hardening road building concrete, piling products and mortars. In addition, its industrial floors portfolio includes aesthetic concrete floors, ready SCC Compactmix, steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC), insulating
supplier in Belgium to offer customers a guaranteed residual flexural strength and the essential mechanical performance of SRFC named Steelmix. Having further developed this concept alongside Bekaert, the two organisations launched a website for Steelmix QPC in October 2013. With the strength class C 30/37, consistency class S4 and environment class EE2, Steelmix can be used in specific applications that have a SECO certificate; this includes basement
walls, general foundation plates and slot foundations for individual houses. However, the use of Steelmix is not limited to these applications and can be used as a viable alternative for other projects. Enabling customers to work faster and more efficiently with SRFC, Steelmix QPC is attested by SECO for its flexural strength, making it the first SRFC to offer guaranteed bending strength. Other benefits of the product include no cut-and-pleat work at the yard, and increased progress of the yard; furthermore, there will be no loss of time for structural engineers signing off reinforcement details. These advantages, in addition to the strength of the innovative Steelmix QPC, will result in significant changes in the expectations of concrete in the future. On top of its commitment to delivering quality products, the company is dedicated to
concrete, hydromix concrete for use under or near water, Pilemix for pile foundations, Hillmix for steep slopes, Lightmix and Heavymix, which offers guaranteed volume mass and Gunimix, a ready-mix shotcrete. However, should a customer require a more tailor-made solution, InterBeton staff have the knowledge and adaptability to deliver a concrete design that is specifically tailored to each unique project. Constantly pushing boundaries, the company develops close working relationships with its customers to ensure its newly developed products provide the best possible value and are relevant to market needs. For example, although steel fibre reinforced concrete (SRFC) has been around for years under the name Fibermix, Inter-Beton is the first concrete
Construction & Civil Engineering 21
PROFILE: INTER-BETON
ensuring personnel operate in a safe and environmentally friendly environment; as such, Inter-Beton’s sustainability policy is determined by three key pillars – noise reduction, the recycling of waste water and residual concrete as well as the protection of soil and subsoil, and dust reduction. The latter of which means each cement silo is provided with filters and sand and gravel are separated by high walls in order to lower the risk of material blowing away. Meanwhile, Inter-Beton has had a new Global Prevention Plan in place since 2006; the main objective of this plan is to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents, and it is based on three key pillars. These include informing and raising awareness on safety standards to its staff, emphasising the importance
22 Construction & Civil Engineering
concrete for the new cable-stayed bridge in Geel-West. For the latter contract, Inter-Beton used classic raw materials such as 450 kg Portland cement, CEM I 52.5 R HES, sand, limestone and supranational used polycarboxylates to create a high-strength concrete that could be used for pillars of up to 55 metres. Moving forward, the company is currently working on a three-year contract to supply concrete for the new A11 highway in Belgium, which will amount to 350,000m3 of concrete. The construction of a 12 km A11 motorway link, connecting Brugge and Westkapelle in Belgium, will provide a direct link between Europe’s motorway network and the Port of Zeebrugge, which will thus lower delays and heavy traffic to freight
of safety and providing training to all staff to ensure they behave responsibly and remain alert to potential hazards. As part of its sustainability and safety strategy, the company was announced as the first concrete company in Belgium with four of its plants achieving the environmental ISO 14001 certificate and OHSAS 18001 safety certificate in February 2014, with all manufacturing sites due to be certified in 2017.
More than .... Standing by its logo of providing ‘so much more than concrete!’ Inter-Beton has successfully used its expertise in a diverse range of challenging projects for customers in the road building, infrastructure and construction industries. In 2013 alone the company used Fillmix, a high liquid mortar with guaranteed compressive strength that behaves like a homogenous liquid and remains stable, for a project at the West Flemish nature reserve De Blankaart; Ultrafastmix, a fast hardening ready-mix concrete, for the restoration of the E34 in Vrasene and high performance
companies. Some very innovative concretes will be used in this project, with particular demands like alfa-T and E-Modulus. In other areas of the business Inter-Beton is looking to grow through the acquisition of similar organisations; a strategy that will expand its network, enhance its product portfolio and result in stronger market positions in locations throughout Europe. Through diversity and adaptability, Inter-Beton’s future in the infrastructure and construction industries therefore is ‘more than concrete’. m
Inter-Beton NV www.interbeton.be Services: Manufacturer and distributor of ready-mixed concrete
Alcomat Hydraulic Service AHS, Alcomat Hydraulic Service, is since several years a supplier of new CIFA mixers to Inter Beton, for maintenance and spare parts of all kinds, specially all brands of mixers. The large stock of spare parts, the high expertise and flexibility of the well-trained technical staff, ensure that AHS is a strong partner for Inter Beton. Because of the strategic location of AHS, in Hasselt, the company is well placed to offer a fast service over a large area.
Construction & Civil Engineering 23
PROFILE: Part AB
Completesuite Thinking outside the box, Part AB sought to develop inside the box. Determined to speed up construction projects, behind closed doors it manufactures prefabricated bathroom solutions that are both aesthetically and financially impressive
24 Construction & Civil Engineering
C
onstructors have long battled with wet room design, requiring specialist knowledge, time and precision to meet high demands on quality, finish and cost-effectiveness. Part AB claims to have the perfect solution, producing its prefabricated bathrooms in the factory, it delivers high volumes at competitive prices without compromising on quality and flexibility. The solution has been met with positivity, resulting in a production capacity that amounts to 6000 bathrooms each year. As a family owned company, the business today employs 200 people to execute the offering, destined for hotels, nursing homes and residential properties. Trading since 1989, the company has over 25 years of experience delivering this ever-evolving concept into the heart of the construction industry. The slow down in the housing market for the five-year period following the birth of the company swayed the mainstream focus for Part AB into the hotel sector, supported strongly by the increase
in hotel construction ahead of the Winter Olympics of 1994. However, as the housing market improved the ratio was brought into equilibrium, and today an equal split between construction for residential accommodation and hotels exists. “That figure is continuing to evolve, and we expect that work within apartment complexes will soon outweigh demand in hotels,” begins Nils Lundholm, chaiman of Part AB group, adding: “Our products have become far more advanced over the years, and today we are able to produce pods with complex systems attached, including ventilation and electricity packages. Whatever requirements our clients have, we aim to facilitate those, and each project is engineered specifically in line with a specification.” High-quality prefabricated bathrooms are manufactured and supplied from its two factories in Kalix in northern Sweden. Lightweight walls of aluminium, zinc and steel coffered plate form the foundation of the modular system, and the client is able to determine the placement of openings for
&
PuraVida
! $ " ' !# " " !" # " $ $$$ " # % # www.hansgrohe.com/puravida Construction & Civil Engineering 47
PROFILE: Part AB
windows and doors, selecting the finishes and tiles from a large range of options. The floor is diecast concrete in a steel frame and slopes towards the floor drain with a wet room liner that is tested and certified before installation on site. A wet room ceiling made of coffered, white-lacquered polyester-coated steel plate provides further flexibility
Ifö Why choose Ifö? With Ifö as your supplier you will get your whole bathroom. We have a complete range of WC units, wash basins, furniture, showers and bathtubs, all designed by the Danish designer Knud Holcher in pure Scandinavian design. Our products are made in Sweden, and our factories are certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. It’s safe to buy Ifö - we have a spare parts guarantee, products with our own invention and we were the first in the world with a low flush toilet. We have been in the business for over 125 years and we will stay. Welcome to Ifö world!
26 Construction & Civil Engineering
in the design. Each bathroom is fitted out on delivery with the sanitary ware, fittings and interior fixtures, and with just one lift, the bathroom is in place in the building. Subsequently, all that needs doing is connecting the electricity, water and sewer lines, and the bathrooms are ready to use.
Supplying its services to the Scandinavian market, Norway and Sweden represent the biggest sector, with Denmark and Finland in hot pursuit as demand for this method of construction picks up pace. “Time is one of the most important factors with projects today, and using pre-fabricated pods is the best way to ensure that this is kept to a minimum. Production time for between 25-50 apartments takes no more than six months, and we aim to install at the earliest stages of building erection. However, it is our drive to offer the best price and quality available that really adds to the benefits our clients enjoy. Our pods can be up to 20 per cent cheaper than a standard bathroom installation, and the quality achieved is far greater than what is possible on site.
“The effort that goes into the manufacture of the suites ensures that the pod is delivered to site with a quality and certification that could only be achieved within a factory environment,” insists Nils. High and consistent quality is the result of industrial production indoors under controlled conditions, and reflecting this, a ten-year warranty is included. As with all materials, there comes a time when replacement becomes a necessity, or within the residential market, renovating rooms as desired. The units manufactured by Part AB are designed with this in mind, and add a great deal of ease into the question of renovation. Tiles may be easily removed and replaced without fear of damaging the gypsum board, which is a common issue in a standard room design. This is because the structure utilises steel plates that can withstand such activity. “We have a service team that is available to carry out any refurbishment works to suites if required,” he points out. Every project the business
undertakes is unique, and in apartment-based contracts designs are drawn up to incorporate the specification of the architect, as well as the individual customer. “We place a big emphasis on R&D, both in production and how to develop the product itself, with
new solutions and options being made available. As an example, one customer may want the wet room floor slope to be in one corner, whereas his neighbour may be looking for a drainage channel across one wall. Being at the forefront of design possibilities,
Construction & Civil Engineering 27
PROFILE: Part AB
understanding customer needs and remaining flexible ensures we can facilitate such requests,” Nils explains. Environmental interests are at the top of everyone’s agenda in today’s challenging market, and Part AB has worked hard to ensure that its system supports the eco drive. The material of the frame is approved by the Swedish construction industry’s system for environmental assessment of construction products, and furthermore, the bathrooms comply with the requirements for the Nordic eco-label building concept and the criteria of SundaHus for environmentally aware choice. Part AB is the first manufacturer of prefabricated bathrooms that has achieved certification of a type-approved product, holding a certificate issued by SINTEF and Swedish type approval from the SP SITAC, which have assessed that the product complies with high quality standards. The need for newly produced housing is increasing, and there are several major factors behind that demand, resulting in high expectation for growth over the next five years. For a business that is driven by energy, expanding into new markets is a natural step, and through its newly established sister company, Space Interior AB, it has begun supplying finished kitchens for new build apartments. As product development continues, the next year will reveal more costeffective, high-quality solutions, incorporating much more of the building services envelope. Confident in the future path, Nils concludes: “It is our underlying strategy to add more value to the product, and to make the installation easier and more efficient for the construction company.” m
PART AB NU www.partab.nu Services: Prefabricated bathrooms 28 Construction & Civil Engineering
PROFILE: Driconeq
Builton
reputation
Driconeq, a world-renowned developer and supplier of drilling pipes and equipment, has roots dating back to 500 years of tradition in the Swedish mining and industrial industries
T
he company, which supplies pipes for various drilling projects in construction, geothermal engineering, water wells, mining and other sectors has a strong reputation with clients around the world and has experienced a remarkable period of growth since its foundation. Driconeq was originally
established in 1995 in Sunne, Sweden, initially providing drilling equipment for various Swedish industry sectors based around drilling and construction. Very quickly the business established a strong reputation in the industry, with clients recognising it for its production capacity, dedication to service and firm commitment to its customers. During this period the company continued to expand its service offering in order to enlarge its market footprint, with Driconeq products and services being used by clients worldwide; this was partly a result of the growing interest in developing geothermal energy. In this particular sector the company has been working with leading names such as Atlas Copco and Sandvik, establishing the Driconeq name in all of the world’s major mining regions. Throughout this period of growth the business has built an enviable level of knowledge and experience in the industry that is considered unique in its field, and which translates operationally to Driconeq having the ability to supply a client with the exact drilling equipment needed, wherever and whenever it is needed. This level of service
Construction & Civil Engineering 29
PROFILE: Driconeq
is a key distinguisher of Driconeq, with the company priding itself on working closely with the client, carefully considering each aspect of a project, whether it is geography, timetable, equipment already in use, and finding the optimum solution to maximise production and minimise downtime. Driconeq offers clients a wide range of drill pipe, which is highstrength steel pipe used during drilling operations with most common lengths being three to ten metres. Drill pipe is a critical part of a drilling operation as its end pieces – with either a male or female thread – are subjected to high loads, with the risk of breakage and loss of the entire drill string. It is in this area that Driconeq’s reputation for quality is vital. The company not only has the knowledge to exactly customise drill
pipe to match the specific drilling conditions, but its end pieces are also made from high quality, tempered steel that achieves superior durability. This superior quality was recognised earlier this year during a test by one of the biggest mining companies in the world on its, and comparative, drill pipes and saver subs. During the test, run in Germany, a contractor ran two drill rigs with one equipped
with a Driconeq solution and the other equipped with a German competitor’s solutions. The results were remarkable, with the Driconeq solution extending the expected lifetime by far and the competitor’s product failing much sooner. As Johan Lilja, regional sales manager responsible for Europe at Driconeq explained on the company’s website: “Even if one takes the price difference into account, the cost per metre of using Driconeq quality products is much lower and more advantages [sic] for a driller. Our approach is to deliver high quality both in products and service. And we see that our customers appreciate that.” The company has also recently been conducting work in Canada in another project that helps to cement its reputation. Through a local partner in Western Canada Driconeq worked with a drilling contractor to improve its operations through cutting
30 Construction & Civil Engineering
a manufacturer of superior RC drilling equipment that was acquired by Driconeq in 2012. Drillstar is renowned for its innovative approach to drilling and provides design facilities with CAD facilities, and expert advice on materials such as plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, lubricants and bearing and structural calculations, and sealing techniques. The business has developed into a key player in the RC drilling field and has fast become an integral part of the Driconeq group. Considering it was only established in 1995 Driconeq has experienced considerable growth in a short period. The business has combined its vast skill and knowledge of drilling and drilling equipment with a dedication to working co-operatively with clients,
which has enabled its reputation to flourish. In October 2014 the company appointed a new Group CEO, David Shellhammer, who has deep market knowledge within mining equipment and consumables. Under his stewardship it is clear that Driconeq will remain successful for many years to come. m Driconeq’s distributor in the UK is SKELAIR, which holds stock of Driconeq’s product range. Contact details: www.skelair.com Attn. John Mayo
Driconeq www.driconeq.com Services: Developer and supplier of drill pipes and equipment
Seco Tools the costs of consumables. The drilling contractor had decided to change drill pipe supplier from a local Canadian firm to Driconeq, resulting in a reduction in costs due to the longevity and durability of Driconeq’s drill pipes, meaning that the client needed to buy less annually and noting that “These drill pipes don’t wear”, when discussing Driconeq’s products. The project in Canada represents just one area of the world where its products are regularly achieving success. The business has worked hard at extending its global presence since it was established and today, as well as its Swedish facility; it has added new companies to its group in order to have a factory presence in South Africa and Australia, and a commercial presence on every continent through a range of customer and technical service employees and distributors. One such company is Drillstar,
Seco’s successful range of Steadyline toolholders has now been extended to turning applications. Featuring a built-in vibration damper, the bars are available in 6xD, 8xD and 10xD to machine long reaches with the best stability, while a unique GL connection ensures fast and accurate tool changes.
Construction & Civil Engineering 31
Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Team
+44 (0) 1603 274130 Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU