2017
Annual Review The Council for Aluminium in Building
CAB
Mission & Contents
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CAB’s Mission is ‘to promote the use of aluminium in building by being the recognised voice of the sector’.
President’s Report
5
Chief Executive’s Report
7
Technical Director’s Report
9
Regional Members’ Meeting
10 & 11
Aluminium in Building Conference
12
CAB News 1
13
CAB Training
14
CAB News 2
15
Membership Benefits
16 & 17
Membership 18 Industry Bodies
19
President’s Report Mo Panam
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s another year draws to a close I am sad about some events but happy too with the progress CAB has made. Our sector has experienced an incredibly busy and challenging year. UK construction must change following the tragic events that took place at Grenfell Tower. CAB represents the aluminium in building sector on the Construction Products Association Technical Expert Panel which links directly to the DCLG Industry Response Group. I am particularly grateful to all those members who have contributed and to the work of the CAB Fire Safety Working Group. We must ensure that positives emanate from this tragedy in the form of clearer regulations, improved guidance, increased levels of training and robust compliance procedures. While the Construction Products Association forecast that construction output will show only a nominal increase in 2017 and no growth in 2018, our own CAB State of the Market Surveys have consistently been more positive. Our Q3 2017 Survey highlighted that 56% net balance of members see growth over the next 12 months. In addition to the vital work that our Technical team undertake with standards and regulations, this Review also overviews other important areas we are working on including BIM, Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and carbon embedded in building products. Our events, seminars and training programmes were attended by over 700 members and their guests during the year. I was particularly pleased to see the high level of member engagement in our 500m2 CAB Aluminium Pavilion at the FIT Show 2017 and the opportunity it provided to highlight and promote our entire membership. The success of the event is just one of the reasons that CAB membership increased yet again in 2017. The FIT Show also saw the launch of our CAB Fabricator/ Installer Training Days which aim is to promote basic competency amongst fabricators and installers through one day assessed training courses. Successful candidates can then apply for the CAB Skills Card. Training remains a key area that your Board will be looking to develop further in 2018. Finally, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to my fellow Board members, the hard working, ever vigilant CAB Team for their input and all our valued members for their continued support. CAB Board at 1 January 2018 Mr K Ashby
Mr Peter Dziurzynski Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems Mr P Newcombe Float Glass Industries Mr M Panam Barley Chalu Mr J Ratcliffe Company Secretary Mr A Toon a2n Management Mr M Wadsworth Senior Architectural Systems Mr R Yates AluK (GB)
Chief Executive’s Report Justin Ratcliffe
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e welcome you to our 2017 Annual Review.
Despite continued uncertainty over Brexit, I am pleased that our sector is continuing to hold up well. Even though the Construction Products Association anticipate no growth in 2018, our latest Q3, 2017 State of Market survey highlighted many positives. 56% net balance of members forecasted growth in the year ahead while capital investment again remained one of the key priorities with the focus over the next 12 months being product improvement (81%) followed by plant and equipment (63%) and R&D (56%). On the downside the key driver of cost inflation in Q3 was raw materials (100% net balance), owing to the weak sterling exchange rates and rising global commodity prices. In addition, 73% net balance reported rising wages and salaries. CAB’s role is very much to promote and defend members’ interests and the FIT Show 2017 at the National Exhibition Centre, was an exceptional opportunity to highlight the resurgence of aluminium in the residential marketplace. According to Insight Data the number of window, door and conservatory installers offering aluminium products now stands at over 5,400 firms, an increase of 41% in 4 years. Meanwhile Palmer Market Research forecasts that by 2020 aluminium as a replacement window material will hit a 17 year high. The CAB Aluminium Pavilion, featured 15 members with a further 19 exhibiting elsewhere within the Show representing possibly the most significant aluminium presence at a UK exhibition since the 1980’s. CAB has already secured a central location for its Pavilion in Hall 20 for 2019. We continue to develop and extend new added value propositions for members. Our Autumn Contractual Awareness Programme included new seminars on JCT/NEC Contracts and Design Liability. Our Regional Members’ meetings brought together a range of speakers from companies across the Supply Chain including Laing O’Rourke, John Sisk & Sons, Chapman Taylor, Walker Simpson Architects, Gumuchdijan Architects, Haworth Tomkins and Constructing Excellence. As your President notes, training will remain a key area for the Association in 2018 as we attempt to address part of the ‘Skills Gap’ through our CAB Skills Card. We will be launching a series of Regional Training Days for Fabricators and Installers and developing additional assessed units. We look forward to working closely with you in 2018.
CAB Staff - as at 1 January 2018 Mr J Ratcliffe - Chief Executive Dr J Furness - Technical Director Mr M Ford - Technical Support Officer Mrs J Harley - Events Manager Mrs J Dean - Membership Support & Finance Officer
Technical Director’s Report Justin Furness
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or the whole construction sector, 2017 will be marked by the terrible events that took place in the early hours of 14 June 2017. The effects of the Grenfell Tower tragedy on our sector will be felt for many years to come as we all strive to ensure that nothing like that ever happens again. While we cannot speculate on what went so badly wrong, widespread changes are needed to the culture, competence and confidence of the sector with respect to fire safety. CAB is contributing to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Building Safety Programme, primarily through the Construction Products Association Technical Expert Panel, which feeds directly into the DCLG Industry Response Group. We have established a Fire Safety Working Group within CAB, which helped compile our response to the Independent Review of Buildings Regulations that is underway. This group will continue to guide our work in this area and helping to improve the fire safety skills of installers is high on its agenda. We continue to promote and defend members’ interests with respect to standards as well as regulations. We remain active on several BSI mirror committees as well as CEN Working Groups and are directly involved in the drafting, revision and amendment of several standards. This year also saw us getting involved in the work of ISO, through our participation in FAECF, the Federation of Trade Associations for Windows and Curtain Walling in Europe. Given the Brexit process and related uncertainties, who knows how the standards landscape might change in the future. This year’s Aluminium in Building Conference tackled the themes of offsite manufacturing, digitalisation and the circular economy. Each speaker highlighted dramatic changes underway in our sector. You can find a report on the conference on page 12 of this annual review. One area where progress has been slower than anticipated is in the development of Product Data Templates for the communication of product data in Building Information Modelling (BIM). While there are several national and international initiatives underway to develop PDTs, we remain committed to the LEXiCON process and we are still planning to play an important role in the “Relevant Authority” that will manage PDTs for fenestration products. Another TLA or “Three-Letter Acronym” that members will hear with increasing frequency is EPD, which stands for Environmental Product Declaration. Building sustainability assessment schemes will be a driver for this, as they move to using EPD to assess products in the context of each building. Over the coming months we will need to determine how we can best help members in this regard so that aluminium building products are fairly evaluated. With regulations for energy efficient buildings reducing in-use carbon emissions from new buildings, attention in Europe is starting to turn to the carbon embedded in building products. While aluminium has a positive recycling and reuse message at end-of-life, how can we reduce the carbon embedded in virgin metal? We need to look at ways to reduce the carbon embedded in the aluminium used in the UK, as well as to continue to highlight the need to properly consider the end-of-life stage for building products in all assessment schemes, with metals such as aluminium that are fully recyclable effectively representing an energy bank.
Members’ Meeting Library of Birmingham 16 November 2017
The second Regional Members’ event of the year at Library of Birmingham attracted over 100 CAB members and their guests. The iconic building was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2014 and has become a familiar landmark in Birmingham’s city centre, with its distinctive façade of intertwining aluminium rings. The meeting’s theme was ‘Aluminium in building delivers affordable quality’ and consisted of a series of case studies and interactive panel discussions with leading members of the supply chain lead by Prof Michael Stacey, Michael Stacey Architects. Discussion centred around how everyone in the aluminium in building supply chain added value from the fabricator, to the finisher, to the facade specialist and facilities manager. The panel team comprised: Don Ward, Chief Executive, Constructing Excellence (UK); Michael Swiszczowski, Associate Director, Chapman Taylor; Michael Ramwell, Architect, Gumuchdihjan Architects and Laura Gaskell, Architect, Haworth Tomkins Architects. They considered five key themes: Design, details and finishes. This included the vision, project information including the specifications. Early interaction, dialogue, fabrication and delivery. Projects benefitted from early interaction within the supply chain. The architect considered the balance of U value/g value and embodied impact of the overall facade or window system and the role of all the constituent parts that formed the building envelope. 21st Century Technology Transfer. Achieving more with less. Aluminium’s collaborative role in the material culture of construction. Manufacture, delivery and installation. It was considered how we could deliver so well that we did not need to snag buildings. Refurbishment and reinvention of heritage building. The challenge of refurbishing mid-20th Century architecture including listed buildings (examples included the early use of aluminium).
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Above: Panel discussions Right: Prof Michael Stacey introducing the theme for the event
CAB T Aluminium in Building Conference 2017
his year’s Aluminium in Building Conference on the 4 October focused on offsite construction and the circular economy. For both issues, there is a need for the construction industry to do something that does not come naturally: collaboration. In the opening keynote address, Chris Ashworth, Competitive Advantage, picked up from the recommendations of the Farmer Report, “Modernise or Die”, and explained that we are not primarily looking at whizzy ways to make products, but rather whizzy ways to use data from those products when installed, that could in turn lead to new products and services. Ken Davie, Head of Offsite and Modern Methods of Construction Research at Carillion plc developed the theme of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and the need for product manufacturers and specialist contractors to develop an industrialisation as well as a collaboration mindset. The opportunities for digitalisation were explored by Elizabeth Kavanagh, Head of HR and Head of Research and Innovation at Stride Treglown. She explained how Digital Built Britain will deliver a digital economy for the built environment and described the “servitization” of the industry, moving away from making products to delivering services. This will require a new skill set and more “T-shaped” people – that is indepth technical knowledge combined with a broad mix of creative and interpersonal skills.
Speaker line-up 2017
Michael Swiszczowski, Associate Director, Chapman Taylor, introduced “umbrellahaus”, their offsite housing model that draws inspiration from other sectors as well as from their direct experience. Michael compared the automotive and construction sectors, with a car engineered from different modules to precision by robots in a factory, whereas a house is typically built in a muddy field. Concerning the interfaces between the different build elements related to the facade, Michael closed with a plea to all delegates: “We need your expertise.” Jane Thornback, Construction Products Association, highlighted the role for the circular economy, given the massive changes taking place around the world and the need for us to better manage the finite “stuff” on our planet. Businesses in the construction supply chain need to start asking themselves if they are resilient and innovative, able to respond to the economic and societal changes taking place. Andrew Kinsey, Operations Director – Sustainability, Mace Group started with some of the typical industry responses to this topic: “Circular economy, isn’t that just a fancy way of saying recycling?”; and: “Our clients don’t ask for circular economy goods and services”. As well as possible regulatory drivers for the circular economy, Andrew identified green building assessment schemes, offsite construction (and possible deconstruction), BIM and material traceability as additional drivers. The final presentation neatly joined together the themes of the day and provided a practical example for our industry. Juan Azcárate, a Researcher at Delft University of Technology explored how facades could be delivered as a service, allowing a building owner to lease their facade in the future. By installing an integrated facade to replace an outdated unitized system at the university, it has been possible to carry out a study into the total cost of ownership for such a facade on a leased basis. This approach incentivises technical innovation to improve quality and reduce maintenance. Juan’s closing remark highlighted that all stakeholders should have the same goal: to do more with less.
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CAB
NEWS 1
CAB at FIT Show 2017 The FIT Show 2017 held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (23-25 May) was a great success with 34 CAB member companies exhibiting in total of which 15 supported the huge 518m2 CAB Aluminium Pavilion in Hall 8. The exhibition, attended by nearly 10,000 visitors, captured the imagination of the residential aluminium in building sector with Hall 8 dominated by the material. This was unsurprising, as according to Robert Palmer, Palmer Market Research, ‘since 2008 aluminium has seen exponential growth of 37% in value terms’ in this sector.
The CAB Pavilion offered an outstanding networking opportunity
The CAB Lounge, within the Pavilion, highlighted aluminium’s significant presence in the residential sectors and the potential for further growth. The CAB Technical Team were on hand to answer queries on relevant standards, regulations and best practice issues. The area was a draw for many fabricators and installers who were interested in adding aluminium to their existing range and learning about the Association’s growing array of membership benefits. There is already a significant level of member interest in the CAB Aluminium Pavilion for 2019 (21-23 May). A busy CAB Lounge area within the Aluminium Pavilion
Contractual Awareness
CAB’s popular contractual awareness programme was once again presented by Geraldine Fleming, Partner, HKA and there was almost a 100% attendance at the three Autumn seminars in Basildon, Sheffield and Birmingham. A new seminar held in Basildon, ‘JCT and NEC contracts explained’, gave an overview of the two main forms of contracts used in the UK and the pitfalls that members needed to watch out for. Subjects covered included contract formation, communications, dealing with changes in scope, dealing with delays and prolongation costs and payment. The seminar was attended by estimators, QS’s, site managers and directors. Our second seminar, ‘Pre and Post Contractual Awareness’, started with a focus on the formation of a contract and introduced the basic concepts of a contract law, which was relevant to a host of office based staff including estimators. The afternoon sessions looked at post contract management and covered essential commercial knowledge for site managers and contractors. Our final seminar of the year, ‘Design liability’, was extremely topical and presented a summary of the highly important and potentially expensive issues that could arise when you take on board full or part design responsibility. Geraldine considered areas such as the difference between ‘Reasonable Skill and Care (RSC)’ and ‘Fit For Purpose (FFP)’, who has design responsibility and the risks of design engineering. A series of four contractual seminars are planned for 2018 to cover: Design Liability and Pre-Contract Awareness; Post Contractual Awareness and Payment Issues; JCT and Contract Amends; Claims and Contractual Nightmares.
Skills Card
CAB has launched an initial series of Fabricator/Installer Training Days in conjunction with GQA Qualifications and Total Support Training to demonstrate basic competency. The aim is also to encourage a culture of training within our sector. The Training Days, which each incorporate three NVQ Level 2 units, are classroom based with a maximum of 10-12 candidates participating in each. Candidates who are successfully assessed can then apply for a CAB Skills Card and will also receive a certificate from GQA confirming knowledge requirements of the three units. Remaining NVQ units can be completed later, including practical competency, without the need to repeat units already covered. The initial Training Days will cover the following units in both the Fabrication and Installation courses: •
Maintain Health and Safety in the Fenestration Installation Working Environment
•
Locate, Transport, Handle and Position Materials and Components in the Fenestration Installation
Courses will then be customised for either Fabrication or Installation with either:
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Install Window and Doors or
•
Fabricate Glass Framing/Supporting Systems by Joining.
CAB
NEWS 2
CAB at MOSI, Manchester Nick Gibbins, Senior Design Manager, Major Projects, Sisk Group was the main guest speaker at the Regional Members’ meeting at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Manchester on 16 March. He looked at ‘How we achieve efficiency in the delivery process’. Drawing on his working experiences from the side of both the contractor and the client he considered the whole design process and its nature and complexity. Nick focused on an understanding of how members could engage with the design process in an efficient way to ‘sell stuff’ and achieve company success.
Over 160 CAB members and their guests attended the Regional Members’ meeting
The second part of the meeting was a panel discussion hosted by Chris Ashworth, MD, Competitive Advantage on ‘Specification and the Supply Chain’. The panel consisted of: Nick Gibbins; Darren Clare, Operations Manager, Laing O’Rourke; Ange Francis, Façade Manager, John Sisk & Sons and John Holroyd, Associate Director, Walker Simpson Architects. One of the many areas addressed was how early collaboration between architects, contractors and manufacturers could ensure specifications were robustly costed and delivered as intended later. A dinner was served amongst the Museum’s huge array of machinery, models and exhibits covering 200 years of innovation
Membership Benefits Key Membership Benefits 2018 The Council for Aluminium in Building is recognised voice of the sector. We promote and defend the architectural aluminium industry by encouraging increasing use of residential and commercial aluminium products. The key benefits of joining are:
Technical Advice and Guidance • • • • • • •
Access to independent information, advice and guidance on regulations, standards and best practice Online access to CAB Technical library (e.g. CAB Guidance Notes) Online access to CAB Technical Committee and Working Group papers The opportunity to influence future regulations & standards through representation on the CAB Technical Committee CAB ‘Standards Watch’ service to track standards of interest Annual Aluminium in Building Conference Representation on UK, European and International Technical Committees
Marketing Opportunities / Member Promotion • • • • • • • • •
Use of the CAB logo which is widely used across the aluminium in building supply chain on literature, stationery and vehicle livery Prestigious engraved aluminium logo plaque Exclusive member page on CAB website www.c-a-b.org.uk/members Member details listed monthly in The Fabricator magazine Promotion of Member Projects www.c-a-b.org.uk/aluminium-projects Sector ezine www.aluminiuminarchitecture.co.uk distributed monthly with CAB logo recognition for every piece of member PR CAB Marketing Forum RIBA fully approved CPD that is an excellent training tool for new staff as well as gaining the attention of Architects and Specifiers Promotion on the CAB Aluminium Pavilion at FIT Show 2019
Market Research and Intelligence • •
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Trends, briefings and surveys from the leading industry associations including Construction Products Association Exclusive CAB State of the Market Reports (quarterly) and analysis
Member Communication • • •
Monthly updates on relevant technical topics in the ‘INSIGHT’ Newsletter Member newsletter Regular updates at Regional Members’ Meetings and ad hoc seminars and conferences
Member Business and Training support •
• •
Two Regional Members’ meetings per annum with high quality, specialist speakers from the sector (optional chargeable dinner afterwards) and excellent networking opportunities Annual series of up to four specialist Contractual Awareness Seminars, presented by Knowles (up to two free places per Member Company per seminar) Fabricator/Installer assessed Training Days leading to the CAB Skills Card
Sector Representation • • • • •
A powerful voice on standards and regulations issues Membership of the Construction Products Association and CWCT Promotion of the aluminium in building sector through extensive press features Secretariat of FAECF (Federation of Trade Associations for Window and Curtain Walling Manufacturers’ in Europe) Board Directorship at GQA
CAB Key Events Programme 2018 8 March
Regional Members’ meeting in Leeds City Centre
April/May
Aluminum in Building Conference, venue tbc
28 June
CAB AGM & Annual Dinner at Forest of Arden Hotel, Warwickshire
Autumn
Regional Members’ meeting, venue tbc
Membership Architectural Metalwork Q-railing Consultants a2n Management Exova (UK) NET Project Management & Consultancy Placing Leaders VINCI Technology Centre UK Wintech Engineering Extruders Hydro Extrusion UK Fabricators 4 Aluminium Alchemy Architectural Aluminium Systems Alimatic Architectural Aluminium Systems Alumet Aluminium Bending Specialists Amberley Doors & Windows APiC UK Arkay Windows AWS Turner Fain Ayton & McKeown Barnshaws Aluminium Bending CDW Systems Clearway Doors & Windows Dortech Architectural Systems Drayton Windows Dutemänn UK Emperor Shopfitters Everglade Windows Fineline Aluminium Granada Secondary Glazing Greenways Contemporary HansenFacades Howells Patent Glazing HW Architectural IDF Aluminium Metalline (Services) NorDan Aluminium Norwich Aluminium Open Entrances Openwood Facades Panel Systems Paul Evans Architectural Prater Ridgeway Glazing Solarlux Systems The Standard Patent Glazing Company The Window Glass Company (Bristol) Total Aluminium Systems
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Fabricators cont’d Unique Window Systems Vitral (UK) Vulcan Aluminium Finishing AkzoNobel Powder Coatings Almetron Axalta Powder Coating Systems UK Barley Chalu Chemetall Powdertech (Corby) Superior Paint & Powder Coating Tomburn Valspar Powder Coatings Vertik-Al Glazing Products AGC Glass UK Euroview Architectural Glass Float Glass Industries Guardian Industries UK Pilkington UK SWISSPACER Hardware Adams Rite Europe Alpro Architectural Hardware Aluminium Door Supplies ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems Aumüller UK Axim Architectural Hardware Caldwell Hardware (UK) Carl F Groupco Centor Europe CiiLOCK Engineering DORMAKABA Dyer Environmental Controls ERA Home Security GEZE UK L J Pratley & Partners Roto Roof Windows and Hardware R W Simon Savio SE Controls Securistyle SFS intec Siegenia Sobinco Titon Hardware Vent Engineering WindowMaster Control Systems Winkhaus (UK)
Machinery Suppliers Elumatec UK Emmegi (UK) Recyclers Alutrade Repair and Maintenance Commercial Windows & Doors Roofing Components Dales Fabrications Guttercrest Shading Devices AW Louvers & Ventilation Renson Fabrications Software Design & Supply BM Aluminium Systems Design & Supply AluK (GB) Aluprof UK Architectural & Metal Systems Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems Exlabesa HUECK UK Hydro Building Systems UK iKON Aluminium Systems Jack Aluminium Systems Kawneer UK Metal Technology RAICO UK Reynaers Schueco UK Senior Architectural Systems Smart Architectural Aluminium Thermal Barrier Products Ensinger Building Products Technoform BAUTEC Watkiss Thermalbreak Weatherproofing Adshead Ratcliffe & Co Reddiplex SealEco Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands
Industry Bodies CAB is a member of the following industry bodies:
CAB also works closely with these organisations:
Council for Aluminium in Building Bank House Bond’s Mill Stonehouse Gloucestershire GL10 3RF
CAB
Council for Aluminium in Building
design by a2n
telephone: 01453 828851 fax: 01453 828861 email: enquiries@c-a-b.org.uk website: www.c-a-b.org.uk