With over 30 years’ experience in designing and specifying rooflights under his belt, architect Peter King knows it’s not just about maximising daylight; it’s optimising daylight that matters. Find out more about optimising top light and thermal efficiency. www.therooflightcompany.co.uk/daylight or call 01993 833108 to talk to an expert.
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Housing continues to seemingly lurch from one crisis to another as the Government faces criticism from multiple sources over a wide range of issues.
Although official figures still point to a housebuilding boom, there are continuing rumblings of discontent. From the ongoing aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire and BRE’s sobering testing programme on high-rise building materials, through to the Local Government Association’s scathing report on the quality of new-build housing in the UK, there remains plenty of cause for concern even if “Britain is building again”.
Now the National Housing Federation has weighed in with a timely report showing that housing associations have slashed plans to build new homes, down from 8,800 to 1,350 units.
income, and some boards have had to make difficult decisions.
David Orr, NHF Chief Executive, said: “With social care in crisis, the role supported housing plays in alleviating pressures on the NHS is ever more important. These changes have not even come in yet and they have taken 7,000 homes for vulnerable people out of the pipeline.”
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The survey of 69 leading organisations that deliver a third of supported and sheltered homes in England, follows months of concern generated by Government plans to review the funding for these services, which the sector and leading parliamentarians believe will not work. A Green Paper, expected to detail the proposals, was due before the summer but has now been delayed until the end of autumn.
The NHF says Government indecision has left residents and housing associations with little certainty about their future
Tarasafe Ultra H20 is a high performance slip-resistant flooring for wet and dry, barefoot and shod applications, which meets HSE 36+ guidelines. It is suitable for use in all areas where slip-resistance, durability and hygienic conditions are required.
The survey and the NHF’s warning cannot be ignored. The issue might not be headline-friendly but it points to the entrenched and systematic failings that the UK’s wider housing industry has faced for years and through successive Governments.
Lessons from Grenfell Tower should not be limited to building regulations, product suitability, the specification process and build quality. The failure of both central Government and the local authority to act swiftly, decisively, with clarity and with compassion in providing immediate and positive help and support to those affected points to the wider issues that are still being ignored.
Paul Groves Group Editor
The full scope of the independent public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, being led by retired judge Martin Moore-Bick, has been published and approved by Prime Minister Theresa May.
The inquiry will examine the design and construction of Grenfell Tower, including its refurbishment, and look at the scope and adequacy of Building Regulations including its guidance on fire safety.
However, RIBA President Jane Duncan was critical of the announcement. She said: “The RIBA is supportive of the aims of Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s inquiry. It is right that the terms of reference includes an examination of the adequacy of building and fire regulations, as well as other areas relating to the construction of Grenfell Tower and other high rise residential buildings.
“It is disappointing however that the terms of the Inquiry do not explicitly mention the overall regulatory and procurement context for the construction of buildings in the UK.
“We consider this examination crucial to understanding the often complicated division of design responsibilities and the limited level of independent oversight of construction. These pervade many current building procurement approaches prevalent in the public and housing association sectors.
“Such regulatory and procurement concerns should not be dismissed as they would have helped set the full context for the decisions that were made at Grenfell Tower and at other residential buildings. This is the missing piece of the puzzle and we will continue to make this case over the course of the inquiry, and to UK Government and others.”
Sir Martin acknowledged the desire among many for the inquiry to consider a broader examination of social housing policy, but rejected this.
He said there was “an obvious need for my inquiry to complete its work as quickly
The Fire Sector Federation (FSF) has intensified its long-running campaign for a review of Approved Document B in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Since 2012, the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) has been working to shape future policy and strategy related the UK Fire Sector.
Over the last few months, the FSF has been developing a survey to understand the fire and construction industries’ views about the future of Approved Document B (Fire Safety) and is now releasing that survey.
The FSF commissioned NBS Research, an independent research organisation, in March 2017, to conduct the research that is carried out in accordance with the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Along with a 12-person strong Steering Group, the FSF planned for its launch in June 2017.
Given recent events, this research has taken on an additional importance and poignancy.
The FSF knows that this is a sensitive time; however, it believes this survey will be used as an important and collective tool to gather specific feedback and views on the practical guidance in Approved Document B to meet the fire safety requirements of the Building Regulations in England.
The survey findings will be analysed by NBS and the FSF. It will form the basis of a submission to the DCLG to help those responsible for making sure Building Regulations and AD B are as effective as possible.
The Fire Sector Federation has offered to assist the Government after it announced a review of building regulations and fire safety for high-rises. It is calling on Government to listen to the experience and expertise of the Federation’s membership, who can provide a pan-industry view of the systemic breakdown of fire safety regulation and propose recommendations on possible solutions.
Paul Fuller, Chairman of the Fire Sector Federation, said: “We are gravely concerned
as possible in order to identify defects in the design, construction (including refurbishment) and management of the building that may exist elsewhere and put at risk others who live and work in similar highrise structures”. To add in the broader terms of reference would “add significantly” to the length of time needed to carry out its work, he added.
The consultation on the terms of reference received 554 responses, with approximately 50 per cent of respondents saying that the terms should cover questions around Building Regulations and related legislation.
In his summary of the responses, Sir Martin said: “A number of pieces of legislation were identified, including Building Regulations both nationally and locally, the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015, the Fire Safety Order 2005 and associated guidance, the Housing Act 2004, and product standards generally.”
in particular about the whole design, specification, supply chain and construction process.
“The system is inherently fragmented; meaning decisions about design strategies, products, techniques, certification, competency and auditing, amongst others, are made in a disjointed and often ineffective and inconsistent manner, with less regard to fire safety than should be the case.
“At the moment we see too many fire experts each day making snapshot comments without true consideration of the whole picture. The FSF is the only representative organisation that brings together all of the fire sector in one place, as well as like organisations in other sectors across the built environment and responsible authorities. The Federation has made an offer to Government to assist. It is calling for Government to be proactive in helping to develop the most appropriate mix of solutions to make sure a tragedy such as Grenfell Tower can never happen again.”
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The average new home in England will have to last 2,000 years if the sluggish rate of house building and replacement continues, the Local Government Association has warned.
The country has not built enough homes for decades. As a result, existing homes must house more people and last for much longer, which has led to the country spending nearly as much on the repair and maintenance of existing homes as it does building new ones.
But analysis reveals that one in 10 new home buyers are dissatisfied with the quality of their new home and one in six would not recommend their house builder to a friend.
The research, carried out for the LGA, also reveals most local areas have more homes built before 1930 then from any other period of time, demonstrating the age of much of England’s housing stock.
The LGA is calling on government to help councils build a new generation of high quality, genuinely affordable and additional homes, supported by adequate infrastructure and services. Housebuilders also need to work with councils to ensure new homes are built to a good quality, and will stand the test of time.
With increasing numbers of people in the private rented sector, council leaders are also concerned that 28 per cent of privately rented homes are not decent, an increase of
150,000 homes since 2006. In comparison, council homes are more likely to be better quality, with 85 per cent meeting the decent homes standard, an increase from 70 per cent in 2008.
Local government leaders insist a “national renaissance” in council housebuilding must be central to solving our housing shortage and improving quality, and for delivering the mix of different homes that meet the growing and changing need of communities.
For this to happen, the LGA said councils need to be able to borrow to build and to keep 100 per cent of the receipts of any home they sell to reinvest in new and existing housing.
Cllr Judith Blake, LGA Housing spokesperson, said: “Our country’s failure to build enough homes over the past few decades is putting huge pressure on our existing housing stock.
The Golf Classic 2017 is in its fourth round and the excitement and anticipation is palpable. This year’s Grand Final will be held at the acclaimed Hanbury Manor England championship course.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary The Golf Classic is awarding additional prizes in each round, so there’s plenty to play for.
This truly national golf competition has become the must-attend event for many professionals
working in the UK construction industry. Players return to play enjoyable golf and forge new contacts as new players participate each year.
Malcolm Crowson of Canal and River Trust and his partner Kevin Taylor of Polyflor, have competed in the competition for many years and are delighted to be through to the next round: “We love the Golf Classic, it’s super.
“We play new courses and meet friendly, fun people. Most enjoyable, great games and lots
“Families are having to spend more on rent or mortgages every month and deserve a decent home that is affordable. But as costs are rising, so is dissatisfaction with the standards of new homes.
“Everyone deserves an affordable and decent place to live. It’s crucial that all new and existing homes are up to a decent standard.
“Councils need to be able to ensure quality through the planning system, and to encourage high standards in rented and owned properties across the board.
“To spark a desperately-needed renaissance in council housebuilding, councils also need to able to borrow to build new homes and keep all receipts from any homes they sell to reinvest in building new homes that are of a good quality and affordable.”
of laughs. This has been the furthest we have got in the many years of entering.”
Winners of the tournament take home an impressive trophy and Pro Shop vouchers. But there are many more ways to win including prizes for the Runner-up, Nearest the Pin and the Longest Drive.
The Golf Classic is proud to receive the continued support of Marley Plumbing & Drainage. This leading manufacturer and supplier of above and below ground drainage has sponsored the tournament since its inception 25 years ago. The tournament is also supported by a wide cross-section of the specialist construction press and media, further proof of its position as a flagship event in the industry’s calendar.
We wish everyone taking part the very best of luck. Please send in any pictures and stories from your matches, there is a prize for those we include in the press and online.
Product shortages are a perennial challenge for UK housebuilders.
But, with the current political uncertainty and limited materials abroad, the industry is currently facing increased risk of delays and cost increases.
Arguably the most notable shortage of recent times came in 2014 when a severe shortfall in the supply of bricks caused prices to increase by more than 30 per cent in some cases. Projects reported waiting for up to four months for consignments of bricks to arrive on site.
More recently, other material shortages have caused widespread delays, including pulverised fuel ash (PFA) – the main component in aircrete concrete blocks – and polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation.
These are just a few examples of the many shortages that are constraining the industry. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors UK Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey for Q1 this year found that more firms
are worried about a lack of materials in 2017 than they were in 2016.
The current uncertainty over trading relationships with other European countries is a major factor in this, given the fact that the UK construction industry imports 62 per cent of all building materials from the EU, according to the Office for National Statistics figures for March.
“It is against this backdrop that the UK housebuilding sector will need to deliver its ambitious goals for creating hundreds of thousands of new homes to help tackle the ongoing housing crisis,” said Lisa Richardson, glass mineral wool product manager at Knauf Insulation.
“If this is to be possible, the industry urgently needs a plan to avoid a steeper fall in product supply. A key part of this must be investment in homegrown manufacturing to reduce our overreliance on imports.
“As an example, to ensure supply of our core raw material – recycled glass – we recently partnered with the UK’s leading resource
In a quarter characterised by political uncertainty, the Construction Products Association’s Construction Trade Survey shows that despite a strong Q2 the industry’s supply chain are more pessimistic for the year ahead.
The survey of main contractors, SME builders, civil engineering firms, product manufacturers and specialist contractors found that all reported increases in sales, output and workloads in the quarter driven by increased demand.
Notably however, order books were sustained by private housing and R&M work, but fell in sectors such as commercial and industrial. This was echoed throughout the supply chain, with net balances weakening for enquiries, orders and expected sales among SMEs, civil engineering contractors and product manufacturers compared to Q1.
After Sterling’s depreciation since the EU Referendum, the strongest cost pressures for the construction industry have been rising prices for imported materials.
On balance, 88% of main contractors, 87% of heavy side manufacturers and all light side manufacturers reported raw materials costs rose in Q2. In spite of this, almost half of main contractors and specialist contractors opted to keep tender prices unchanged, leading to a fall in margins.
Commenting on the survey, Rebecca Larkin, Senior Economist at the CPA, said: “Perhaps more conspicuous in the survey data is the squeeze on margins for main contractors and specialist contractors.
“Strained margins had already been acute for some time given skills shortages pushing up construction wages. Now there’s the added pressure of contractors trying to avoid or delay
management company, Veolia, to support the construction of a state-of-the-art glass cullet processing facility. The site – which will be built by the end of 2017 at our manufacturing plant in St Helens – will recycle tens of thousands of tonnes of glass that will be reused in our glass mineral wool products.
“Above all, the facility provides us with breathing space, protecting our operations and our customers from shortages as we manage our own raw material production.
“During the ongoing PIR insulation shortage, we’re also working closely with customers to help them to find a mineral wool alternative when PIR is unavailable. As an industry, we should be working together to make sure that low material supply doesn’t impact output levels.
“Doing as much as we can to avoid low supply should be on all of our agendas. By putting a greater emphasis on securing our own supply and providing suitable alternatives, we can make sure that housebuilders can deliver the impressive targets they have in place.”
passing on the full cost of higher raw materials prices to clients when tendering for upcoming construction projects.”
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Despite rising material prices and a period of political uncertainty, it is encouraging to see the SME construction sector continuing to grow.
“The industry is demonstrating significant resilience, especially when we consider difficulties in recruiting key trades such as bricklayers and carpenters, and shortages in other trades, such as plumbers and plasterers. Furthermore, there are real challenges ahead for the sector.
“The possibility of Brexit exacerbating already severe skills shortages and the continuing upward pressure on wages and salaries this brings, means construction SMEs will be cautious in their optimism”.
The Posi-Joist open web floor system makes a difficult job simple.
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The advantages are simple:
• Open web design provides easy access for the design and installation of services
• Improved quality of service fitting, eliminating costly remedial work
• Greater clear spans for design flexibility
• Clear profit from savings in labour, time, materials and call-backs
• For the largest network of licensed manufacturers throughout the UK and Ireland visit: www.mitek.co.uk/Manufacturers/Posi-Joists/Posi-Joist-Manufacturers/
Award-winning Estonian developer Kodasema has launched its revolutionary KODA house on the UK on the BRE Innovation Park. KODA aims to shake up the UK and international property markets by providing a multi-purpose self-build structure that can be used as a city centre home, a lakeside summer house, a cosy café, an office, workshop or studio or even a classroom.
Kodasema is a recent winner of WAN Urban Challenge 2017, a global ideas competition with a focus on London’s housing crisis. The super-sustainable factory made 25m2 modular home can be erected on site in a day. It has been designed to allow stacking, with multi-storey modules scheduled for release in 2018.
KODA addresses a gap in the market for ‘meanwhile planning’ situations. Using ‘lift and shift’ technology, the building allows easy mobility, creating an effective solution for under-utilised land before it is permanently developed. The structure provides the perfect opportunity for local authorities to provide affordable housing or commercial space on empty sites in key areas.
The open-plan living space features a fullheight quadruple-glazed window at the front, providing thermal and acoustic insulation, whilst filling the interiors with natural light. The bathroom and mezzanine bedroom are located at the back of the building for optimal use of space, with a living and dining space to the front, and also a terrace at the front.
Groundbreaking developments in glass, stone, steel and concrete technologies are shared In SuperMaterial video series. These are now available to watch on The Building Centre website and Youtube channel. The variation of subjects available include:
• Experts discussing the development of graphene, self-healing concrete and fibre-reinforced concrete, how they can be incorporated in the built environment and what makes them so unique.
• Combining architecture, engineering and biology, a panel of academics and architects discuss how microorganisms are changing the way we think about sustainability and the fabric of our cities.
• Discover how the essential materials of buildings can perform in ways that challenge old physics. Innovation is taking place from molecular level upwards, going back in time as well as forward.
The Innovation:2050 report from Balfour Beatty includes 10 predictions for innovation in the construction industry, and the results were telling – as the industry continues to embrace innovation, robotics, automation and disruptive ideas will emerge resulting in a much faster, safer and environmentally friendly construction industry. But the real question is, how can the industry prepare for the future of construction innovation?
1. The industry will become increasingly focused on innovation and both contractors and customers will become less risk-averse.
2. The shape and offer of the infrastructure industry will change significantly, with new business models, products and services.
3. Infrastructure will move on from concrete and steel to include new
materials which respond to their surroundings.
4. New jobs and industries will be created –and some will disappear, especially low or zero skill roles and those relying on repetition of tasks.
5. Thinking only about design and construction will become an outdated concept as infrastructure becomes multifunctional.
6. Robots will become more prevalent in construction.
7. Construction will get faster, using 3D and 4D printing, and self-transforming objects which self-assemble.
8. New, disruptive ideas will emerge, for making mass transit faster, safer and less damaging to the environment.
9. We will increasingly use wearable technology such as exoskeletons.
10. Direct neural control over devices and vehicles will be accessible to the industry.
According to Barbour Search, one of the latest construction technologies to emerge in this ever changing and futuristic world in which we live is transparent aluminium.
Aluminium itself has been around a while and is an extremely popular material to use on certain construction projects. It’s light and durable qualities make it one of the most key engineering materials of current times. Combining these qualities with adding a most aesthetically pleasing transparent element could open up a whole host of new possibilities.
It has been the ambition of engineers for a long time to find a material that combines the strength and durability of metal with the crystal-clear purity of glass. Such a “clear metal” could be used to construct towering glass-walled skyscrapers that require less internal support with the added benefit of being tougher, stronger and harder than glass.
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Architect Christopher Sykes continues his regular Investigation into Interesting projects which demonstrate great design imagination and innovative specification of different products and materials.
142 South Street is a new house within the scenic South Downs National Park on the banks of the River Ouse in Lewes, East Sussex. Designed by Sandy Rendel architects, the Corten steel clad project is set against the dramatic backdrop of white cliffs. It fulfils the local planning authority’s aspiration to have a ’landmark’ building and bold design marking the entrance to the town.
Emphasising the building’s form, a simple palette of self-finished materials has been carefully selected to be robust and to weather naturally, developing a character that reflects the qualities of the site and surrounding area. On the ground floor on the riverside the exposed frame is constructed of boardmarked concrete echoing the tone and texture of the rugged in-situ concrete river wall below. In contrast, the street elevation features walls of handmade ash-glazed
Sussex brickwork traditional to the town, which gives a softer texture and more intimate scale to the street.
The roof and external first floor walls are wrapped in a continuous skin of Corten steel expanded mesh that articulates the form of the upper volume. The homogenous appearance of the surface conceals gutters, eaves and other traditional architectural elements resulting in clean, crisp detailing.
Contrasting with the muted tones of the masonry base below, the decorative Corten rainscreen weathers naturally to a striking red ochre colour with a subtle variety of tone and texture. The mesh echoes the colour of the local soft red clay brickwork and tiles, whilst still remaining distinct, alluding to the industrial heritage of the area.
The 257m2 house is entered through a small courtyard followed by an enclosed and
dramatic hallway lined with blackened sawn oak boards. Developed in close collaboration with Jeremy Pitts Design, the oak wall lining and joinery continue into the open plan living space. Complementing the oak interior, midgrey terrazzo tiling flows throughout the ground floor and connects through the glazing to the skirt of external paving around the building.
Walmer Yard is the first residential scheme in Britain by Peter Salter, the internationally acclaimed teacher and architectural designer. It comprises four finely crafted houses built around a shared courtyard in Notting Hill and reflects the architect’s unique approach to the design of spaces for living. The structure, volumes and materials are used to create a series of rooms and circulation spaces that are precisely tuned to domestic use, private peace and sensory experience.
The scheme offers an alternative ambition for contemporary domestic architecture. It features a combination of new, old and nonstandard materials selected for fitness for purpose rather than ease of construction, convenience or cost. As a result, the design and construction have involved painstaking experimentation in materials and techniques, exacting craftsmanship and successful compliance with regulations for non-standard approaches.
Cast from in situ poured concrete, structured around rectangular and elliptical stairwells, each house fits within an interlocking plan around an acoustically adjusted timber-lined courtyard removed from the street. The floors are a single unrestricted span supported by the stairwells, creating flexibility and extending space and circulation as well as allowing the play of light deep into the rooms across smoothly moulded concrete ceilings.
Roof and walls - Expanded Corten
Mesh rainscreen claddingIMAR (UK Distributor - Just Facades)
Single ply membrane roofing –Renolit Alkorplan Membrane with Renolit Alkorsolar Fixing Bars
Ash Glazed Brickwork - Lambs Bricks
Ground Floor Structural Glazing and Sliding Doors - IQ Glass
First floor aluminium framed glazingLuxal
Terrazzo flooring - Janatti Marble
Ever y Worcester Greenstar gas and oil boiler has been awarded Which? Best Buy status.
Each of the interior rooms and the connections between them are designed to be experienced from within. The complex interplay of structural form and material textures, light and shadow, colour and sound are the result of decades of teaching by Salter and his team at the Architectural Association and other leading architectural institutions in Britain.
The houses are primarily made from in situ concrete, either as a double skin wall, or poured with an internal concrete surface. This surface deflects airborne sound, enabling each room to become its own haven. The walls are cast with two kinds of surface - smooth finish to reflect light and a birch faced graining that retains shadow. The smooth soffits of the ceiling enable light from high-level windows to enter deep into the room.
Each room is serviced with a piece of architectural furniture: a bathroom, lavatory or cupboard, constructed from black steel. Straight from the rolling mill, finished with beeswax, its surface retains carbon residue and blue heat stains. These black structures sit profiled against the light, their height acting as a datum, their industrial presence softened by the use of a range of wooden and richly painted surfaces
Flexibility of space has been a major consideration throughout: doors like walls can be swung back over each other to increase or decrease space and to offer alternative uses for the room. The manipulation of the
34 floor Vauxhall Sky Gardens, designed by cjctstudios, boasts an array of totally unique and innovative characteristics, none more striking both inside and out than the twostorey high communal gardens situated on the 8th floor and at roof top. These sublime,
geometry of both plan and section makes the internal space feel extensive. A constant inventiveness allows light and shadow to play across the rooms throughout the day, so that every moment of light can be appreciated, as it is scooped, interrupted, filtered and shuttered.
The architectural vocabulary changes at top floor level, where a series of yurt-shaped rooms, reminiscent of the ‘pepper pots’ on the leads of Elizabethan country houses, enable the interior to interact with the skyline
organic spaces open 3000sqm of exclusively to residents and their guests, for daytime relaxation, watching the sunset over the capital or after dark entertainment. Is roof top woodland now to be the latest building product?
Copper roofing – Roles Broderick
Paint – Lascaux Studio Paints
Cast Glass lights – Davey & Co
M&E Installation – Shaw Interiors
of Holland Park. What architects Alison and Peter Smithson used to call ‘sky catchers’, these timber structures are covered by tiled copper roofs that pick up the asymmetrical forms of the structure.
Hafer Road is a co-housing project providing 15 beautiful new apartments in a quiet residential road close to Wandsworth High Street. The project is the brainchild of a group of residents who lived in a 1950’s council block on a post war bomb site infill. By degree the residents exercised their right-to-buy and ultimately bought the freehold from the council. The group of residents came together as a small community and made plans for the redevelopment of the site with the aim of reproviding improved accommodation for their families, in terms of space, design, amenity and technical advancements (acoustics, sustainability etc), as well as providing additional accommodation to help fund the development.
Peter Barber Architects together with Mark Fairhurst architects were commissioned to design and construct a new building which would enable the seven existing householders to enjoy larger apartments in most cases to accommodate growing families. Eight additional “for sale” apartments funded the whole project. The homes are a mixture of cool courtyard houses with their own street front doors and light bright and spacious apartments above.
Tilt and turn windows (aluminium/timber frame) – Velfac
Sideguided windows (aluminium/timber frame)’ - Velfac
Brick slip cladding panel with brick reveals – FastClad
Internal curtain walling system (luminium frame)’ – Aluprof
External frameless windows – Aluprof Skylight glazed AOV - Xtralite
The dramatic light coloured rustic bricks have a massing and scale which links them closely with their neighbours. The roof line of the buildings is stepped and notched to create tasty roof gardens which together with balconies, oriel windows and front gardens make a picturesque backdrop to the street.
This new two storey, two bedroom house in south London was designed by Horden Cherry Lee architects. What is unusual is the perforated aluminium façade on the south side.
This open leaf pattern is machined into the vertical metal screens to give light and views from living, dining and bedroom spaces and to link the design to the leaves of the adjacent Ash trees in Slade Gardens. This device also gives additional privacy to the occupants from the public presence outside the well-known Crown and Anchor pub.
As sunlight penetrates through the leaf pattern screens, a special quality of light and illumination to the living room and bedrooms is created. More depth is given to the visual quality with the double sunlight reflection from the two panes of glass; this can be seen on the inner face of the facade screens. The architects have used the play of light not only through the trees and leaves that overhang the house
but also to make use of it by designing a leaf pattern screen to optimise the feeling of being totally surrounded by nature.
Norwegian architect Henning Kongshavn Frønsdal of LINK Arkitektur has recently completed his own self-build project located on the outskirts of Bergen. Kebony, a beautiful
wood recommended by leading architects, is renowned for its versatility and has been used throughout Villa Sval in a number of different applications including; cladding, decking, window frames and exterior doors. Offering exceptional views of the surrounding landscape, Frønsdal’s inspiring yet simplistic design has gone on to receive widespread television coverage across Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
In collaboration with artist Marcus Taylor, Lisa Shell architects have completed a small house on stilts over a salt marsh at St Osyth on the Essex coast. Unusually it is clad in cork.
The client’s brief was to replace a dilapidated beachside holiday house with a dwelling to be used as an artist’s drawing studio. The enclosure is constructed in CLT, clad in 180mm thick agglomerated cork as insulation and weathering skin. English oak lines the terrace. The building is supported on a steel grillage raised on three legs through which services pass. A galvanised steel ‘imperial’ stair docks against the building, providing access, but also an exit into the wilderness. Taut netting balustrade maintains a clear view.
The building is supported on a steel framework, formed in CLT, and its walls, roof and soffit are wrapped up in 180mm thick Amorim cork – maybe the first new building in the UK using cork in this way.
The house replaces a former timber framed building the foundations and debris of which were removed to allow the salt marsh to regenerate. It is located within an SSSI and incorporates boxes for birds and bats within its fabric.
The volume of the concrete raft supporting the structure was reduced through the use of lightweight CLT in the fabric. And whilst the steel framework was substantial to achieve the cantilever support, the material is capable of future recycling. The structural CLT is not only light but has a very low embodied carbon footprint. Its quick construction time and clean erection process minimises waste, so carbon emissions are controlled and the contamination that comes traditional construction techniques is avoided. Lining materials are eliminated as its surface offers a desirable interior finish. The ridged, dimensionally stable, fireproof insulating agglomerated cork panels used in the cladding are a bi-product of wine-cork manufacture.
Glazing achieves low u values and controls solar gain to the south whilst shutters provide through ventilation for summer cooling. MVHR allows good air tightness so that a single wood-burning stove can generate ample space heating.
This new house is located on a plateau giving wonderful views over the North Ayrshire landscape. There is little natural shelter and it is very exposed to the elements especially the strong winds. In response to all this Ann Nisbet architect has designed the house within a cluster of building forms which reflect the traditional groupings of agricultural farm buildings and so-called steadings in the region. These are clustered around a three sided courtyard.
Again drawing on the traditional rural architecture, Newhouse of Auchengree has its roofs and walls clad in zinc. Its large barn doors can be closed to provide both privacy and security as well as a small micro-climate via indoor/outdoor space which extends the seasonal use of the courtyard and provides sheltered outdoor space, even in the most severe weather.
As housing association heating system refurbishment and upgrade programmes aim to reduce emissions and energy consumption while improving efficiency, it is also important that the updated systems look good and are cost effective.
manufactured to the required boiler dimensions and pre-finished with durable melamine or laminate, so there is no need for on-site fabrication or painting, allowing them to be fitted in less than half the time of site made alternatives, which saves time and money.
By using and Encasement pre-formed boiler casing, which are supplied to the correct dimensions, the freestanding casing just slides into place underneath the boiler, which can be done by the heating engineer at the time of the boiler installation.
Also, as each casing is manufactured to the same high quality, using only FSC® ‘Chain of custody’ certified and sustainably sourced timber; they provide a consistent finish, as well as being compliant with housing association sustainable procurement policies.
Every boiler pipe casing order is accompanied with a copy of Encasement’s FSC® certification, which takes car of compliance and traceability. Also, as the company supplies so much FSC® boxing, it can purchase cost effectively, so there’s no price premium for using FSC® compliant products.
Routine maintenance and boiler servicing is simplified too. With site made boiler casings they’re usually damaged or destroyed during removal, which requires their replacement or re-manufacture, as well as re-fitting, all of which adds labour and materials costs. As Encasement’s pre-formed boiler casings are self-supporting, they can be easily removed and replaced in seconds, dramatically reducing the time maintenance engineers need to be on site along with the associated cost.
Housebuilding is hitting levels not seen since the worldwide financial crisis of a decade ago. The Department of Communities and Local Government has reported that work on more than 160,000 homes was started in the 2016/17 financial year, with almost 150,000 homes being completed during the same period.
Encouraging as these figures are, they’re still some way off the annual target of 250,000, which the Government set out in last May’s Queen’s Speech by promising 1.5 million new homes would be built by 2022.
With the drive to meet this ambitious figure gathering pace, sector chiefs are hailing a revitalised construction industry that’s creating jobs and bringing heavy investment in infrastructure. However, there is still the logistical challenge of creating 1.5 million new homes by that 2022 deadline.
With that in mind, Marshalls has aligned its residential offering to help meet this challenge, with a range of products that are specifically designed with housebuilders in mind.
Keyblok is the UK’s most popular modular concrete block paving. Available in a wide range of colours, it’s been the product of choice for driveways and public spaces across the country. It’s also available as Priora Permeable Block Paving – which has been proven to mitigate the risk of flooding, thereby meeting the sustainable drainage guidelines for new developments.
Alongside these existing paving solutions, Marshalls wanted to create a competitivelypriced collection of products specifically designed for residential projects. Marshalls’ new complementary kerb, edging and drainage systems are designed to draw a scheme together.
Crucially, they are also easily installed –not least because unlike many products on the market they aren’t over engineered commercial products that are being used for residential projects.
Keypave is a flag variant of Marshalls’ popular Keyblok, manufactured with the same standard smooth finish and available in keyblok’s most popular colours and three modular plan sizes. Keypave has been designed in accordance with building regulations Part M, 2015 to enable housebuilders to easily meet 900mm pathway requirements. The thickness of Keypave is also engineered specifically for the housebuilder, being set at 40mm rather
than the typical 50mm seen in commercial schemes.
Keykerb provides small element kerb units designed to complement Keyblok, Keypave and Priora surfaces. The range includes a full suite of functional units including droppers and radius curves and is available in the four popular Keyblok colours.
An incredibly versatile kerb, one way up it has a rounded bullnose profile, the other way it has a chamfered edge.
Keyedge offers coloured edging to help differentiate and provides a complementary product for paving and block paving. Again, it comes in the four Keyblok colours of Buff, Bracken, Brindle and Burnt Ochre and along with the same attractive chamfered edge as Keyblok & Keypave.
A unique drainage product completes off our one-stop solution. Drexus Driveline Drain is our patented aesthetic concrete drainage system, perfect for patios and driveways. Two v-shape grooves built into the face of the unit intercept surface water and divert it into the vertical inlets and channel body. This patented system is Kite Mark certified to B125 loading, making it suitable for standard residential vehicles.
Drexus Driveline Drain installation is the same as laying edging and kerbs, which means there’s no need for specialist installers. The modular system makes installation quick and easy, with less cutting required onsite. Made from concrete, it provides an affordable and robust alternative to the plastic and polymer systems currently on the market, giving the same consistent character throughout the build.
As well as being both durable and versatile, all the products within Marshalls’ housebuilder product package utilise complementary colours and come in the same finish to allow for attractive design while still producing a fully integrated look.
Importantly, none of these products are over engineered. Where other suppliers have tried to satisfy the needs of the housebuilder with products designed for the general commercial environment, Marshalls has recognised that it isn’t necessarily a one-size fits all approach.
For example, the new Drexus Driveline Drain product is engineered to B125 loading, which is suitable for standard residential vehicles rather than commercial trafficking. “It’s all been driven by the fact that there’s a need in the
market that we’ve worked hard to satisfy,” says Andrew Stalker, Marshalls’ head of commercial marketing.
“We’re constantly working with our customer base to gather feedback on how we can help them further, and strive to create quality products which offer value for money, durability, and fantastic aesthetic options –it’s a continuous development process.”
With a target of building 250,000 new homes every year, the housebuilding sector has its work cut out. The Housebuilder Product Package offers a complete solution that can help meet this challenge through quality, complementary products that are competitively-priced and easy to install.
For further information on Marshalls Housebuilder Product Package, visit: www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial
To make an enquiry - Go online: www.enquire2.com Send a fax: 01952 234003 or post our free Reader
Evinox has extended its best-selling range of ModuSat® Heat Interface Units with the introduction of the new ModuSat® XR and ModuSat® XR- ECO Twin Plate models.
Providing both indirect space heating and domestic hot water, ModuSat® XR units are ideal for use in modern, efficient district and communal heat networks. All units deliver fast, dynamic domestic hot water response, and the ModuSat® XR-ECO models also provide ultra-low DHW return temperatures to the primary heat network.
With extensive experience in the design and application of HIU’s across thousands of UK-wide installations, Evinox has made significant advances in the performance of its latest range, aiming to help improve the overall efficiency of heat networks, whilst retaining high levels of user satisfaction and comfort levels.
An overriding requirement for many consulting engineers involved in the design and specification of heat networks, is to ensure abundant and responsive supply of domestic hot water. This goes hand-in-hand with residents expecting consistent and safe hot water at the tap. ModuSat® XR HIU’s
Recent contract gains for the Inverness based Cairngorm Group, manufacturers of high energy rated windows, are being supported with hardware supplied by Carl F Groupco. With a Scottish distribution centre located in Cumbernauld. David Dowling, Managing Director of Cairngorm Group said: “An ability to provide a PVCu alternative for timber windows, while maintaining aesthetics and functionality with PN reversible window gearing supplied by Carl F Groupco, was pivotal in Springfield’s decision to work with Cairngorm Group. The PN reversible hinge is particularly important due to Scottish Building Regulations.”
Carl F Groupco - Enquiry 13
deliver fast hot water without reducing the efficiency of the heat network.
Evinox - Enquiry 11
Story Homes has chosen Roofshield, the unique vapour and air permeable pitched roof underlay as a key product in their strategy for continuous improvement in the quality of build.
In 2017-18, Story Homes hopes to sell more than 1,000 homes across three regions, all sites from the beginning of 2017 will be constructed using Roofshield from the A. Proctor Group.
An important area which Story Homes wanted to improve was the ventilation of their cold roof spaces, particularly given the complexity of the roof designs on their 4/5-bedroom house types.
Following initial meetings between the A. Proctor Group’s technical team and the developer’s design team, Roofshield was selected.
It’s high performance air permeability means that the roof space has five times more air changes than using traditional eaves/ridge ventilation.
The use of Roofshield vapour and air permeable membrane will lead to savings in labour and material costs, and avoid the risk of ventilation being blocked by insulation or household storage.
For 45 years, Titon’s core product has been the window trickle ventilator, with the company renowned as the biggest manufacturer and supplier of these products in the UK. High performance acoustic vents such as Titon’s SF Xtra Sound Attenuator also offer vastly improved levels of sound attenuation. The basic versions of this surface mounted aluminium slot ventilator are the shortest available capable of providing 5,000mm2 EA – while being equally suitable for domestic or nondomestic applications. This short length means fewer vents are needed to comply with an application’s required EA.
Titon - Enquiry 12
The A. Proctor Group developed Roofshield 21 years ago in response to problems caused by the requirements of the UK’s demand for cold-pitched roof construction.
A. Proctor Group - Enquiry 14
Titon remains market leader in trickle ventsStory Homes chooses Roofshield to endorse quality and excellence
One of Manchester’s latest high rise residential developments, Cambridge Street, is using smoke control systems from SE Controls to provide a safe environment for residents, by ensuring escape routes are kept clear of smoke in the event of a fire.
Designed by Hodder & Partners and constructed by developer-contractor, Renaker Build Ltd, the new building stands on a previously derelict 0.35 hectare site and now provides 282 private rental apartments within two towers, which stand 19 and 28 storeys above ground level.
With such a large number of apartments at Cambridge Street, fire safety is an essential consideration of the building’s design with the smoke control system being an integral part of the solution.
Each tower has its own escape staircase at the centre of the structure, which is protected by SE Controls smoke ventilation and control systems. These systems are code compliant to Building Regulations Approved Document B, as the travel distance from each apartment is less than 7.5 metres.
Every floor of each tower is fitted with an automatically opening smoke vent door, leading
to a dedicated smoke shaft, which includes a SHEVTEC automatically opening louvre at roof level. This allows smoke and hot air to be vented and ensures corridors and escape routes are kept clear. On the top floor of each block, an additional corridor roof vent is also incorporated as part of the design, which is controlled by a dedicated SHEVTEC control panel.
The smoke vent doors use SE Controls actuators, which are compliant with BS EN 12101, and these are controlled by a series of OSLoop controllers that provide instant response in the event of a fire to ensure the appropriate doors are opened, allowing smoke to escape.
Cambridge Street, is also installed with SECloudlinkTM, a remote services solution from SE Controls that uses 4G communications technology to constantly provide system status information, allowing data to be displayed remotely to enable facilities and building managers to monitor the building’s smoke control system.
Michael Scrimshaw, Business Development Manager for SE Controls said: “Cambridge Street has rapidly become an iconic landmark on Manchester’s skyline with its white tile cladding contrasting with the red brick of adjacent listed buildings. We’re delighted to have been involved with the project, as Renaker Build has delivered a high quality apartment building, which is an attractive proposition in the growing private rental sector.”
SE Controls - Enquiry 15
The Government has just confirmed the new Domestic Renewable Heating Incentive (RHI) tariffs, which will come into effect on Wednesday 20th September 2017.
This will see the domestic RHI rate for Air Source Heat Pumps increase to 10.18p per kWh, subject to a cap of 20,000 kWh per property – something that is unlikely to affect the majority of domestic heat pump installs.
The announcement also confirms that homeowners who purchase the additional MMSP (Metering & Monitoring Service Package) will be eligible for an additional £805 payment in the first year, and an extra £134, for each subsequent year of RHI.
At the moment, the Ecodan range from Mitsubishi Electric is the only line up able to offer this extra funding stream.
Gas boilers remain the dominant force in the domestic heating market with around 1.5 million units sold each year. However, the Government has forecast that by 2030, the use of air source heat pumps to provide heating for UK homes will rise to over one million units per year.
At the same time, the way we as a country produce electricity is becoming greener, which increases the benefits of air source heat pumps further as a renewable technology and brings the demise of gas boilers as the default heating, even closer.
At the end of April, the UK generated a whole day of electricity produced without burning a single lump of coal – a landmark moment and the first working day this has happened since 1882.
So heat pumps are on the up, backed by the Committee on Climate Change and with the electricity needed to run them coming from more and more renewable sources.
The market leader in air source heat pumps by far is Mitsubishi Electric, with its Ecodan range which can be fitted to almost any property and can also be used in a hybrid situation with the existing heating system.
“In addition to helping with newer homes, this can offer landlords a quick renewable fix for older properties on the gas-grid, with funding from the RHI helping to significantly reduce the payback period,” explains Sharon Oliver, marketing manager for the Ecodan brand.
In a hybrid system, the heat pump is added to an existing heating system, with the
advanced controls in the heat pump able to decide when it is most efficient and effective to use the heat pump over the existing heating system.
“This provides reassurance to the occupants whilst bringing them the benefits of fully controllable heating throughout the home, all year round,” adds Oliver.
Heat pumps can also reduce annual maintenance costs as there is no need for a gas safety certificate.
Mitsubishi Electric has also produced a website for tenants and homeowners, explaining how a heat pump works and
answering all of the frequently asked questions that tenants are likely to ask.
The website (http://homeownerportal. mitsubishielectric.co.uk/faqs) includes short videos which not only focus on noise levels and controls, it explains how a heat pump works; how much heat you will get for the home; how hot the radiators should be; and how the technology works when its cold outside (this particular video was filmed whilst snow was on the ground!).
For more information on the Ecodan range of air source heat pumps visit http://ecodanerp.co.uk.
Mitsubishi - Enquiry 17
When Excell Trade Frames was awarded the contract to replace the windows in a student accommodation block for the sanctuary group, the company set to work immediately on the fabrication of the 1,100 REHAU frames required for the job – as well as a plan to overcome the challenge of installing them in a 17-storey building, without access from inside.
Wardley House is a student accommodation block in the centre of Bradford, providing high-quality, modern living for up to 290 students from the University of Bradford and Bradford College.
Located above the National Media Museum, the complex was in need of an upgrade so owners Sanctuary Group invested £1.5m in a refurbishment project to be completed in time for the 2016 academic intake.
The scope of the work included the replacement of 1,100 windows, new lighting, the replacement of the water and heating system and a facelift for reception/common room areas.
The building’s existing windows were singleglazed, metal frame windows, which were inefficient and in a poor state of repair. The contractor on the job, City Gate Construction, worked with REHAU on a dedicated specification to meet Sanctuary Group’s vision for the refurbishment and the use of REHAU’s TOTAL70 profiles was agreed.
REHAU’s TOTAL70 casement windows are designed to meet the requirements of commercial and domestic refurbishment
projects, as well as new builds. Available as either chamfered or sculptured profiles, the windows have single leg beads to provide easy but secure on-site glazing.
As TOTAL70 profiles are PVC-U, they guarantee maximum energy efficiency yet are low maintenance for building operators. So for Sanctuary Group, the windows will be very much fit and forget.
To give a modern, contemporary look, the spec for the TOTAL70 profiles included a grey laminate foil so that the windows and glazing would look completely grey – even with the sun shining on it.
Excell Trade Frames, a REHAU approved manufacturer and supplier, won the contract to replace the windows at Wardley House. With a factory in nearby Manchester, Excell measured and manufactured all the windows for the job and transported them to site in Bradford. The installation of the windows had to be carefully planned, as this had to be done from the outside of the building.
Eddie McGrath, commercial Sales Manager at Excell said: “In a previous refurbishment, false walls had been put up in front of the
windows, giving students access to them via a meter square hatch. Unfortunately, this meant that we couldn’t get complete access to the windows from the inside of the building – the only way was from the outside!”
Scaffolding was put up around the building to help with the complex installation. Eddie devised a plan with four teams of fitters, who took out the old metal windows and lowered them to the ground, before hoisting up the 3m2 PVC-U replacements and installing them in position. The planning paid off, and Eddie’s team managed to complete a floor every week to finish the installation in just four months.
Matt Janicki, Area Sales Manager for the North West for REHAU Windows Solutions, said: “This was a large scale, complex project, but thanks to a well considered specification and careful planning of the installation, the new windows have unquestionably transformed the exterior of the building. Wardley House is a landmark for students and locals in Bradford and the TOTAL70 windows provide a fresh new look for the building to make it look modern and appealing while reducing energy and maintenance costs for Sanctuary Group.”
To make an enquiry - Go online: www.enquire2.com Send a fax: 01952 234003 or post our free Reader
Pegler Yorkshire, the leading UK manufacturer of plumbing and heating solutions, has launched the new Terrier TRV. An evolution in the drive to provide greater flexibility, reliability and trust.
The Terrier TRV was the first radiator valve to be manufactured in the UK in the 1990’s. Today Terrier TRVs and MRVs command the largest share of the UK market, with over 20 million already fitted, and continue to be manufactured at the company’s state of the art £15m manufacturing and plating facility in Yorkshire.
The new Terrier design is such that it succinctly addresses the needs of specifiers and contractors from its ease of installation through to meeting the demands of Building Regulations and energy performance.
The areas in which the new Terrier TRV differs are Design, Operation and Performance.
The Design – is a flawless slim profile which alters the airflow to an Active Air Flow Vent System whereby the elongated open vents along the body are now enclosed in favour of open vents on top. In addition, the body has been manufactured in a bright white colour
with accent chrome trim, a larger easy grip and easy care surface finish.
The Operation – This has been radically altered to provide a more intuitive low friction mechanism which offers effortless turning making it easy for any dexterity.
Arguably the most radical change of the new Terrier is its performance. Enhanced by a pure copper element the performance provides a faster response to temperature changes. Technical tests have shown that the new Terrier provides even better accuracy for temperature settings with a 33% lower hysteresis. Therefore, reaching comfort levels in a significantly reduced time when compared with other TRVs on the market.
The new Terrier TRV range is supplied suitable for 8, 10 and 15mm pipework and is also offered in a tamper resistant option. It fully complies with the requirements of EN215 - it is also “A” rated under the TELL scheme and meets Part L requirements.
The valve carries the CEN symbol and the manufacturer’s identification number to confirm its compliance. It also carries a five year warranty against manufacturing or material defect.
For further information about any of Pegler Yorkshire’s products and solutions call 01302 560 560 email brochures@pegleryorkshire.co.uk or visit www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk.
Pegler Yorkshire - Enquiry 19
Powermatic controlled, concealed door closers tick all the right boxes when it comes to providing reliable fire safety in social housing applications.
Meeting all relevant fire and accessibility performance standards, Powermatics also deliver many practical benefits that make them ideal for use on fire doors in high-rise flats and HMOs.
The door closers meet the requirements of BS EN 1154 and carry the CE mark. They have been tested by an independent laboratory and proved to meet the requirements for one hour and half-hour fire doors under BS EN 1634-1, and have Certifire accreditation.
Powermatics also enable doors to comply with the accessibility requirements of Approved Document M of the Building Regulations and BS 8300.
Nationwide Windows Ltd has been
Powermatic door closers are particularly suited to social housing situations thanks to the fact that they are totally concealed when the door is closed. In addition to creating a more homely, less institutionalised appearance, this concealment significantly reduces the risk of the door closer being damaged through vandalism or tampering, which could render the door useless and pose real risks to life in the case of a fire. It also means less maintenance call-outs and enhanced reliability.
Powermatic door closers are available in standard and Free Swing models. Further details are available from Samuel Heath on 0121 766 4200 or by visiting the dedicated door closer website, www.concealeddoorclosers.com.
Samuel Heath - Enquiry 20
high
design, manufacture and installation of windows and doors to the new build sector for almost 30 years.
To make an enquiry - Go online: www.enquire2.com Send a fax: 01952 234003 or post our free Reader
Every day, 16,000 handmade bricks - enough to build a large family house - are created at Ibstock’s 150 year old Swanage brick works.
Using traditional manufacturing methods and brick making skills honed over a lifetime, housing specifiers and architects looking to enhance their projects with the beauty of brick, can choose from a spectacular array of bespoke brick designs which can help turn their design vision into stunning reality.
Skills that have stood the test of time One of just a handful of brick works which still produces bricks by hand, Ibstock’s Swanage site is home to a team of master craftsmen brick makers.
Their skills have been handed down from previous generations and it is this heritage which determines the character of each brick produced on site. Hand thrown into pre-sanded moulds, every Swanage brick takes on the characteristics of its maker, and incorporates a unique ‘signature’ which cannot be replicated by any modern machine process.
Together with the kiln settings and firing process, the methods used produce bricks with personality and integrity unlike any other.
The comprehensive portfolio of products includes more than 390 mould options and to support its longstanding legacy, the Swanage brick works stills uses clay from the same quarry on the Isle of Purbeck that first produced bricks back in 1867.
The expert craftsmen at Swanage are also on hand to create bespoke moulds and blends to meet the specific requirements of any of today’s housing projects.
As many housing specifiers know, unique housing projects come along where standard bricks are unable to meet a specific design vision. It is for such special projects which may require a particular colour, texture or size of brick, that the Swanage bespoke blends really come into their own.
The ability to create a unique brick solution enables architects and housing specifiers to fully exploit their creative flair, meet a design aspiration or, simply, ensure a project blends seamlessly into the local environment.
In addition, Swanage is also able to offer a full range of both manufactured and cut & bonded special shape bricks.
All Swanage products are available in British Standard and non-standard formats, including the bespoke blends. The range of special bricks offers a seamless match to main brick features, or an effortless pairing with existing special shapes where there is a requirement for the intricate ornamental designs that are typical of Victorian masonry architecture.
And, when it comes to refurbishments and restoration, Ibstock also manufactures an in-
depth range of imperial bricks, with options including 50mm, 65mm and imperial size formats with fine stock textures available in a range of colours.
Ibstock’s traditional and bespoke bricks from its Swanage brick works have enabled the creation of award-winning traditional and contemporary buildings.
A site rich in both heritage and expertise, housing specifiers are invited to take a factory tour to see for themselves the traditional handmade manufacturing methods still used today and the high quality, individual products they bring to life.
For more information, visit: www.swanagehandmadebricks.com or call 0844 800 4575
Ibstock - Enquiry 23
To make an enquiry - Go online: www.enquire2.com Send a fax: 01952 234003 or post our free
Quintain House is a unique two-bedroom house in Gloucestershire designed by Kirkland Fraser Moor. Central to the stand-out design is the magnificent sweeping curved roof, which demonstrates the highest standards of architectural aspiration, roofing expertise, craftsmanship and delivery.
Furthermore, Quintain House is one of less than 100 homes over the past 15 years to have met the stringent standards for the National Planning Policy Framework Paragraph 55, which allows for construction of buildings of ‘exceptional quality or innovative nature in design’.
Showcasing a truly bespoke architectural vision, John Phipps, the project’s architectural consultant has been able to create a unique, striking and seamless curving roof finish. The stunning curves of the roof are articulated by the beauty of the Acme Double Camber clay plain tiles, which are the crowning glory of this masterpiece home.
The complex nature of the design required ongoing collaboration with the architectural consultant and roofing contractor, Andy Rowlands from Rowlands Roofing on site to produce an elegant finish, which appears to sweep across the property. Yet, it is this
flowing beauty of the roof design which also disguises the need for a highly complex and challenging roofing sub structure; one that ensured the entire project team had to work patiently, diligently and flexibly to create the design vision.
While the fluidity of the roof design at Quintain House delivered unparalleled aesthetics, the design was not without its challenges, and none more so in creating the extreme rise and falls of the project’s roof. To produce the fluid finish, the team had to devise a satisfactory battening solution to enable it to replicate the unbroken and smooth flow of the roof, apply it safely while adhering to the latest roof fixing standard, BS
5534, where applicable; and then proceed to securely fix almost 60,000 Marley Eternit Acme Double Camber clay plain tiles, all of which had to be hand cut.
Yet, while the project’s architectural consultant required a roofing solution capable of meeting its bespoke vision for the flowing design, they were also keen to deliver a highly textured appearance to the project. With its longitudinal and latitudinal camber, Marley Eternit’s Acme Double Camber clay plain tile’s unique double curve was the ideal choice to create the highly textured desired roofscape. The 820sq m sized roof was a significant area; so, to achieve the design vision, each of the 60,000 tiles had to be individually marked and cut by hand to match the space requirements of all the roof sections. With some areas having pitches of just 21 degrees, the team was mindful at all times of adhering to roof fixing (BS 5534) best practice, as not only had the roof to be stunning to look at, it also had to be waterproof, secure and built to last.
To understand what else can be achieved with Acme double camber clay plain tiles, visit: marleyeternit.co.uk/doublecamber
Britain’s leading garage door manufacturer Garador has recently invested heavily in new production machinery and equipment.
Garador offers a full range of garage doors, including Up & Over, Sectional, Roller and Side Hinged garage doors. Expertly engineered, available in a selection of designs and colours, as well as being easy to fit and maintain, it is no wonder Garador’s garage doors are the UK’s market leader.
In the last 3 years the company has invested over £2 million in production technology for its steel doors, with enhancements to its painting facilities and further upgrades to
the manufacturing process for its Chevron, Salisbury and Sutton steel Up and Over doors. These developments will help to ensure a long-lasting garage door that can be delivered at a reasonable price.
An important aspect of this investment is that the new production machinery is all based right here in the UK, at Garador’s state of the art factory in Somerset. The new machinery and equipment has been fully tested and is currently in operation with steel garage doors already running off the production line.
Garador - Enquiry 26
The Grade II listed Manor Farm House in Monmouthshire has been converted into two new homes and benefitted from Catnic’s lightweight, durable and quick to install SSR2 Roofing and Cladding system. Specified by AVArchitecture, the system was used to create a unique lean-to structure. As such, Catnic’s pre-coated metal standing seam SSR2 Roofing and Cladding system was specified. A cost-effective alternative to traditional copper and zinc systems, SSR2 has a lifetime guarantee and is suitable for roofs with pitches as low as 5°. It is manufactured from Tata Steel’s Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel.
Catnic - Enquiry 27
Nine Solitude constant flow decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV) units from Titon have been installed throughout two residential barns in Essex.
Not only is Solitude the most efficient dMEV available according to BRE tests, it also meets stringent 5 Pa back pressure requirements. In addition to the dMEV fans, the converted barns also benefit from a ground source heat pump-powered central heating system and high levels of insulation. Solitude dMEV fans can be wall, ceiling, panel or window mounted and benefit from a unique impeller design.
Titon - Enquiry 28
Freefoam Building Products supplied the PVC foiled X-Wood cladding range to update the windows and refurbish the annex for a rural Leicestershire property to create an easy to maintain, long lasting façade.
The X-Wood cladding range is an innovative PVC-U exterior cladding that looks and handles like wood but without all the usual maintenance issues associated with timber with a subtle woodgrain finish designed to bring a refreshing new look to the exterior of any refurbishment or new build project.
Freefoam have used their manufacturing expertise to design and produce an attractive high performance cladding comprised of
three different layers - a heavy duty through coloured plastic foam core, covered with a durable plastic skin and then coated with market leading Renolit film which creates a hard wearing, stable material with a beautiful subtle woodgrain effect finish.
The range is available in a choice of six contemporary colours to create an attractive finish. From subtle White, Cream and Greyed Cedar to traditional Oak and more dramatic Anthracite Grey and Wine Red all with an impressive ten-year guarantee. With its high-performance credentials X-Wood can also be successfully used in coastal and highly exposed areas.
Freefoam Building Products - Enquiry 29
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Titon provides efficient ventilation for barn conversion
Eurobrick is the UK’s leading brick slip systems specialist and its P-Clad system has been installed on this residential development in Liverpool.
Belle Vale, a £3.5m development of 33 eco homes for Liverpool Mutual Homes, adopted modern methods of construction techniques to build modular houses for the project. The houses were constructed off-site in a factory before being transported to site in sections.
P-Clad was also installed off-site, which offers benefits in terms of quality control and speed of project delivery.
The development has a contemporary mixed finish and Eurobrick supplied circa 1600m2
of P-Clad along with Autumn Leaves brick slips and Smooth Red slips for the plinth detail, both are brick colours from Eurobrick’s Britannia Range.
The ground floor of the houses was finished entirely with P-Clad with a brick slip panel detail to the first floors. The brickwork was pointed using Europoint standard grey pointing mortar.
Richard Haines, technical director at Eurobrick said: “A well-designed system offers a level of product consistency that is essential to the off-site construction industry and vital for mass produced buildings.
“We were delighted to contribute towards this attractive development.”
For further information about Eurobrick and its products, please visit www.eurobrick.co.uk.
Eurobrick - Enquiry 31
The effectiveness of SuperQuilt, part of the YBS range, as a single layer insulation solution for use beneath pitched roof rafters, in either new-build or refurbishment situations has been underlined by the award of a coveted BBA Certificate.
Agrement Certificate 17/5388 explains in detail how the already widely specified, multilayer foil insulation can be used to retain energy within attic or habitable loft spaces: cutting fuel bills, improving comfort levels for building occupants and adding value. Importantly it can be employed to address detail areas such as the cheeks of dormers, dwarf walls, bonnet hips and other features.
The Certification comes after prolonged evaluation by the British Board of Agrement
and covers such considerations as related Building Regulation matters. design criteria, ventilation and installation guidance, as well as regular review by the highly respect authority.
Crucially, the Agrement Certificate confirms that under normal conditions the durability of the SuperQuilt will be equivalent to that of the roof it is installed within and will contribute to controlling condensation in the roof space, while offering very good thermal performance.
The emissivity of 0.03 for the outer foil is complemented by a declared core thermal resistance of 1.35 m2KW.
YBS Insulation - Enquiry 32
CUPA PIZARRAS, the world leader in natural slate products has extended its Thermoslate range of solar collector systems. The newest addition, Thermoslate Technical Solar Floor subtly integrates into flat roofs, terraces and facades to provide even more options for sustainably meeting the heating and hot water needs of a property. Thermoslate Technical Solar Floor combines the aesthetic and design advantages of natural slate with the benefits of generating clean, renewable energy. The system also features an innovative, modular design that makes it easily scalable and completely undetectable once installation is complete.
CUPA PIZARRAS - Enquiry 33
Amongst lead-free flashings, Klober Wakaflex® continues to prove its worth as one of the market’s highest performers.
BBA-certified, it is ideal for all roofing abutment and upstand work where lead would otherwise be the material of choice. It has similar malleability to lead with the added benefit of being stretchable by up to 50% in length and 15% in width. With no need for a forming tool or specialist application skills this makes it suitable for complex detailing, shaping around deeply profiled tiles, sealing chimney saddles and flue penetrations.
Wakaflex has a high strength, self-adhesive Butylon® backing which provides immediate weatherproofing and on laps welds to the facing to create a virtually unbreakable bond.
Cut by knife or scissors, Wakaflex is not susceptible to thermal movement so can be laid in long lengths without fixing clips. Environmentally safe, it presents no contamination problem with water run-off and can, therefore, be used with rainwater harvesting systems.
No heat, solvents, adhesives or other additional means of fixing are needed and installation can take place in temperatures from minus 40 - 100°C, normally without
priming. Wakaflex is also available in four colours.
Klober - Enquiry 34
Using I-Joists in place of solid timber joists for floor installations in domestic housing is now so commonplace as to be unremarkable.
A combination of light weight, resistance to bending and dimensional stability has made I-Joists a firm favourite with builders across the UK. And first choice amongst the builders and architects is the James Jones & Sons Ltd JJI-Joist, which is the UK market leader with an estimated 40% market share.
What is less well known however is the versatility of JJI-Joists in being used for much more than just floor systems.
JJI-Joists are now commonly used as wall studs where the range of depths available and 9mm web make them ideal where thermal efficiency and depth of insulation are paramount. A lot of architects are turning
to JJI-Joists when designing to Passivhaus standards for just these benefits.
JJi-Joists are also being increasingly used in roof structures as well. James Jones & Sons pioneered the Intelli-Roof concept over a decade ago; where cassette panels, formed using JJI-Joists and OSB sheets, are used to create a fully insulated ‘room in a roof’.
As the cassettes are craned into place in sections, the process of getting a watertight roof onto a building is much, much faster than conventional construction methods – the record, using Intelli-Roof cassettes is seven house roofs in one day on a site. Today the cassette roof principle has been widely
adopted, and not just for houses. JJI-Joist based cassettes are ideal where larger spans – up to 12 metres - are required, such as schools and leisure facilities.
Pull out
• UK Manufactured
• Market leader
• FSC and PEFC Certified
• BIM compatible
• Best resourced design and engineering back up
To find out more about using JJI-Joists in your project please visit www.jamesjones.co.uk/ewp
James Jones – Enquiry 36
Sioo:x are leaders in wood protection using silicate technology.
We provide a h ighly e ffective proven s ystem to protect wood of all types. It gives long life and a beautiful natural surface with even colouration and is friendly to people and the environment. An example of a Sioo:x project is the larch house Lentran project in Scotland.
Sioo Wood Protection AB
Tel: +44 (0)7788 542859
E: sioouk@icloud.com www.sioo.co.uk
Sioo:x are leaders in wood protection using silicate technology. We provide a highly effective proven system to protect wood of all types. It gives long life and a beautiful natural surface with even colouration and is friendly to people and the environment. An example is this cedar clad house in the Lake District.
Although wood is an incredibly versatile and beautiful material it does suffer from some problems. For exterior applications in Use Classes 3.1 and 3.2 (EN 335 Part 2) wood in exposed conditions will weather to give a silvery grey driftwood appearance.
However, when wood is sheltered (such as under overhanging eaves) then the wood will retain its original colouration. This leads to a very unsightly appearance with uneven weathering, examples of which are not hard to find. The weathering of wood has been researched for over 100 years and although we understand very well why it happens and what causes it, there has never been a solution developed.
Conventional wood coatings rely on adhesion to the wood surface for their integrity. Over time, the movement of the wood under the coating due to the effects of wetting and drying result in localised failure of the coating, usually at the earlywood latewood boundary. Once this happens, liquid water is able to penetrate below the surface of the coating, which is then forced off due to hydrostatic pressure.
The only remedy is to sand back to good material and re-coat. The only way to stop this from happening is to use more flexible coatings, but this is not feasible because the coating would then be tacky and pick up dirt very rapidly in service. Conventional paints and varnishes also use carbon-based chemistry and carbon-based compounds are susceptible to UV degradation when exposed to sunlight.
Clear coatings suffer from the additional problem that the wood underneath is susceptible to UV degradation and failure can also occur because the surface layers of the wood start to lose their structural integrity as the lignin (which binds the wood cells together) degrades. Putting UV stabilisers and filters in the coatings may slow down this degradation to some extent, but it is the wood that is the Achilles heel in the clear-coating system.
The SiOO:x Wood Protection System is different; it is not a coating, but an envelope. The protection system has two components; the first penetrates the wood where it gradually forms an inert glassy polymer, by reaction with atmospheric carbon dioxide. The second component acts to seal and protect the first application until it is fully cured, but it also forms an inert water resistant envelope which penetrates the wood and gradually creates a grey surface appearance.
It does not stop the lignin from degrading, but it takes the same role by keeping the wood cells glued together, essentially using the strength of glass. Just as important, the wood now has an even weathered appearance once the protection system cures. This means that the unsightly patchy weathering of exterior
wood cladding is no longer a problem. SiOO:x Wood Protection locks in the beauty of wood. The SiOO:x polymers that form in the wood have silicon-oxygen bonds, the same as glass and are completely UV stable.
www.sioo.co.uk
Sioo Wood - Enquiry 40
Marshalls is proud to introduce a new riven utility paving range to the market.
An ideal budget paving option, Urbex is a great alternative to Standard Pimple paving, and is available in three different plan sizes and two thicknesses in order to best suit particular environments.
Urbex is an ideal flag choice for both housing schemes and commercial, pedestrianised areas thanks to its versatile Natural and Buff colour options and functional riven finish. Developed with housebuilders in mind, the three flag sizes available for housing schemes have been designed to meet pathway requirements in accordance with Building Regulations Part M: 2015, making meeting the 900mm walkway condition easy.
On the other hand, the 50mm thickness of the commercial Urbex offering - as opposed to the 38mm of the housing alternative - is a fantastic option for areas with high pedestrian traffic such as retail parks where a practical, hardwearing solution is required. This functional flag has been developed for use alongside British Standard Kerb and Edging, and is an attractive, yet low cost option for a variety of schemes with heavy foot traffic. The surface texturing also acts as a more practical solution when compared to a standard smooth flag as it masks any dirt which may loiter on the paving surface.
For more information, visit: www.marshalls.co.uk/urbex
Marshalls - Enquiry 41
When Outerspace undertook a project to completely strip out a large residential front garden, removing a traditional linear block-paved drive and side lawn, the landscaping experts knew they needed a high-performance solution to give structural stability to their elegant new design. Plantex® GroundGrid® proved to be the answer to ensuring both the integrity and minimal maintenance of the gravel-laid renovation.
The previous narrow approach and parking space had become a problem for the large extended family that owns the house, making for very tight turns or tricky reversing, especially when other cars were visiting. The family also felt there was no longer any need for a high maintenance lawn to the front of the house, as they enjoy a large garden to the rear. They wanted ample driveway space, together with the smart look of gravel, while keeping a planted barrier of mature shrubs at street front for both privacy and greenery.
The client was keen for a solution that was smart and attractive while offering easy upkeep, and which also gave extra parking, with a bay wide enough for easy turning and unloading. Outerspace came up with a landscape design that met all key criteria, and which also incorporated a circular paved pathway for pedestrians. Gravel was the desirable covering for the inner circle on many levels, not only for the satisfying crunch underfoot/wheel (which also adds to security), but also for its light reflecting properties.
Nevertheless, a firm foundation was needed that would prevent excessive movement and therefore gravel loss, especially as a great deal of manoeuvring would be taking place over the surface. In order to create stability and help keep the gravel layer in place, an advanced system with a robust structure and sufficient depth was required, so that the base would not become easily exposed.
Terrey Maufe of Outerspace explains, “After doing considerable homework, we found the ideal solution in Plantex® GroundGrid®, which allows the gravel to be separate and yet held together, so decreasing the chance of it being moved or exposed. The product also offered greater design freedom, as it was easier with this system to accommodate the circular design. This is a lovely property in a high-end area so the aesthetics were very important, but also lasting performance mattered too. What’s more this system allows for crucial drainage to take place while being lower maintenance than simply applying a loose layer of gravel.”
“We haven’t used the system before and DuPont offered comprehensive info and
assistance, but it was also a very useful learning curve. Although we decided to use some hard-core to the initial depths on this occasion, in future we realise the grid is stable enough to completely infill with gravel from the start. The client is delighted with the results and while there’s still some planting to do, the new frontage of the property looks amazing already.”
DuPont™ Plantex® GroundGrid® is a strong, three-dimensional and permeable geotextile with an innovative honeycombed cellular structure, which can be used with a range of infill materials from soil to stone to sand. Ideal for delivering a firm and stabilised gravel surface, it withstands heavy use from vehicles and pedestrians in a much more durable and effective way than loose laying. It also enhances drainage, as the advanced non-woven structure permits rain water to pass through both horizontally & vertically, thereby preventing the pooling of water or localised flooding that can otherwise occur during heavy rain fall.
Minimising gravel migration and wheel rutting, Plantex® GroundGrid® offers high tensile strength, and is also highly suited to uneven
terrain or to the passage of wheelchairs, prams, buggies, bicycles, motorcycles, and even high heels! Supplied in tightly packed concertina form, Plantex® GroundGrid® is lightweight and easy to expand, cut to size on site, and install.
Outerspace create beautiful gardens and outdoor spaces using responsive design, thoughtful construction and expert planting. www.outerspacegardens.co.uk
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
DuPont - Enquiry 42
Wedged or propped-open fire doors are a common problem in a vast array of public buildings.
This is often done for very good reasons; fire doors can be heavy, restrict access through the building, and prevent a free flow of air… and people often do it in all innocence without realising that fire doors provide a very important function in preventing the spread of fire and allowing time for people to escape a fire. So, wedging them open is both dangerous and illegal.
At Laidlaw, the UK’s largest independent supplier of ironmongery, integrated doorsets, balustrades and security systems they can offer a simple and effective solution to this common and dangerous issue: fire door controls. These products safely hold fire doors open in normal use but automatically close them in the event of a fire alarm, ensuring compliance with fire regulations. They carry the CE mark and therefore are perfectly safe and legal. They can be wireless for retrofit situations or integrated with the buildings fire alarm system. Finding the right solution will depend on the exact application and Laidlaw can advise you on this.
Sheffield City Council has upgraded fire safety throughout its 1,134 sheltered housing properties using Aico’s MultiSensor Fire Alarm for an enhanced level of safety. Aico’s Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm contains two sensor types, optical and heat, to constantly monitor smoke and heat levels, sending and receiving information via its intelligent detection software. This sensor information alters the alarm’s sensitivity and trigger points, automatically providing the best response to all fire types and reduces potential false alarms.
Aico - Enquiry 44
As Fire Door Safety Week (FDSW) approaches (September 25 – October 1) its message reinforces the critical need for ‘fit for purpose’ fire doors which save lives and property. Their Click It, Kick It campaign is encouraging people to stop the dangerous and illegal practice
of wedging open fire doors which Laidlaw wholeheartedly supports.
Find out more www.laidlaw.co.uk
Laidlaw - Enquiry 43
Kentec’s new Taktis fire detection and alarm system combines the very latest in hardware and software to produce a control and indication system that is both powerful and sophisticated, yet simple to understand.
Available in 2-8 loop or 2-16 loop versions and certified to EN54-2 and EN54-4, Taktis is ideal for installation in larger buildings. Its capacity to be networked up to 128 panels and repeaters gives reassurance to all building owners/operators that they’re in safe hands.
Taktis has been designed with the end-user in mind. Its integrated touchscreen interface and QWERTY keyboard make it simple to use and understand. Access to the Taktis menu and control functions is through a unique six-digit code or enable control key switch, allowing up to 64 user accounts to be configured with different profiles and access permissions.
Multiple protocol support on one panel (in banks of 2 loops) gives full flexibility. Its cause and effect capacity allows 5000 cause and effect entries with up to 40000 inputs/ output across the network. Taktis will deliver added value, displaying clear information so that when an event occurs appropriate action can be taken, which is why Taktis supports
a 10,000 entry log with filtering that records system activity down to event type, dates, zone, panel and address.
Training for the Taktis Fire panel
Taktis Fire is a very sophisticated and advanced fire panel, which is why Kentec is encouraging customers to undergo a short mandatory training session. This training is very user-friendly and available online, to ensure any down time is kept to a minimum. Kentec will also be providing contact days for those who would prefer to conclude their online training syllabus with a hands-on training experience.
Ever wondered how the nation’s best loved boiler goes from individual components to an award-winning appliance?
Thanks to the Worcester, Bosch Group’s new Specification Focus factory visits, local authorities and housing associations are now able to see things the Worcester way through a visit to its main headquarters.
On arrival at the state-of-the-art head office in Worcester, senior managers will be on hand to meet and greet, before leading the group into a break out area for some early morning refreshments. During this time, your host will give a brief overview of what can be expected from the day ahead.
Following the opening introductions, it’s time to check out the facilities. You’ll set off on a guided tour of our award-winning factory, discovering how we ensure the highest quality standard along the way.
With over 400 process steps and 600 parts required to produce a typical Worcester appliance, you’ll observe our world-renowned manufacturing excellence, as well as the level of care and
rigorous testing that goes into all of our leading products.
The tour will cover all key areas of the factory. In addition to looking along the four lean assembly lines designed to cope with seasonal customer demand, there will also be the opportunity to gain insight into the heat exchanger build, copper shop, press shop, paint shop, sub-assembly line and finally the quality testing department.
After some lunch provided by the superb catering team, the afternoon will begin with a presentation from one of Worcester’s key experts, depending on your chosen focus for the day. As Worcester strives to strengthen the partnership between manufacturer and customer, this time is used to hold an interactive brainstorming session where questions can be put to the experts.
All activity prepared for the day is bespoke to what each customer specifically wants to learn. By letting the Worcester team know the topics that want to be covered in advance, the best guide can be allocated to you, which ensures all questions can be answered.
Whether it’s an aspect of Worcester’s business, product experiences or future industry developments, Specification Focus is the ideal opportunity to find out more. The bespoke interactive Q&A sessions are led by experts in a specific chosen area, which allows for any unanswered topics to be openly discussed, in order to help the role and responsibilities of those in attendance.
The focus visit will not only give a better understanding of the solutions offered by Worcester, but it will also go towards earning CPD points, which will be recorded on the certificate of achievement that each customer receives at the end of the day.
With 20 visits a year, there’s plenty of opportunity to get on board and experience the visit. To book your place, speak to your local Technical Specification Manager or visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk.
Consort’s PLE panel heaters feature an electronic timer which offers a seven-day programme with three heating periods per day. The concealed digital controls located on the side of the heater include an easy-toread display, four large control buttons with audible and tactile feedback and an electronic lock to prevent tampering with the controls. These heaters are easy to operate; splash proof to IP24 and operate at a very low noise level, making them ideal for use in hotels, homes, offices and many other areas.
Consort Claudgen - Enquiry 47
Advanced has recently updated the savings calculator on its Lux Intelligent website to demonstrate the savings customers can achieve by retrofitting its cloud-enabled emergency light testing system. Robin Kemp, Lux Intelligent’s National Sales Manager, said: “We’ve seen a significant growth in installations, driven by Lux’s cloud functionality and ability to cover all a site’s lighting testing needs, so users need only invest in one system. The ease of installation of the system, particularly in retrofit markets, has also grown quickly and the updates reflect this.”
Lux Intelligent - Enquiry 48
Seventy-five SFX Sound Attenuator vents from Titon have been installed at the newly constructed Honduras Wharf project in Birmingham. Titon’s SFX Sound Attenuator is a compact slot ventilator which provides high levels of sound attenuation compared to similar ‘acoustic’ products. The vents and accompanying canopies for the Honduras Wharf project were coloured RAL7024 Matt Graphite Grey in line with the décor of the building’s façade and window frames. Combinations can be chosen depending on the acoustic requirement and can achieve up to 44 D,n,e,w attenuation when the vent is open.
Titon - Enquiry 50
A high quality residential development in Devon is making extensive use of underfloor heating systems from the well proven and very versatile OMNIE range.
Within the converted paintworks, the modernised masonry construction offers both high standards of insulation and thermal mass while the space heating is being provided by high performance gas boilers distributed by two OMNIE solutions.
The boiler in each property is connected via two of OMNIE’s Axios manifolds located at ground floor and first floor level. Across the kitchen and other downstairs rooms, OMNIE’s Staple system has been installed
Visitors this year’s UK Construction Week (NEC October 10-12) will see the latest generation of boilers and other advancements from Stokvis Energy Systems on Stand H262. The Econoflame R600 EVOLUTION offers outputs from 142 to 540KW thanks to the patented downward firing, pre-mix burner and stainless steel heat exchanger; as well as low weight and compact dimensions. Equally versatile, the R40 EVOLUTION range encompasses six models delivering between 56 and 138KW, which can be combined either back-to-back or in line to provide a maximum capacity of 1,102KW.
Stokvis - Enquiry 49
over insulation before being covered by a screed. Then in the bedrooms and bathrooms, the specification switches to the LowBoard 15 panels installed over the particleboard flooring, with insulation between the timber joists.
OMNIE provided Vision Developments and the installer, Exeter based Radiate Heating and Plumbing, with detailed layout drawings showing the different pipe runs and manifold positions in relation to the room layouts. The design support included heat loss calculations and flow settings for the commissioning of the underfloor heating.
OMNIE - Enquiry 51
Titon helps keep the noise down at new apartments
Stokvis Energy Systems exhibiting EVOLUTION boiler range atDevelopment shows benefits of OMNIE underfloor heating Consort Claudgen’s panel heaters with digital heating controls
It goes without saying that any wetroom solution should be functional: the least of your worries should be how your design withstands its intended usage. But in producing a successful design for such a space, creativity also plays a key role.
Innovative and practical, Schlüter-Systems’ intelligent wetroom solutions allow you to meet the functional requirements of wetroom substrate preparation whilst retaining freedom for design. All the components of a Schlüter®WETROOM system are manufactured to complement each other, resulting in a long-lasting solution for a demanding area. The Schlüter®KERDI range provides an extensive selection of products to create a CE marked bonded waterproof installation—including installation boards, membranes and drains, as well as pre-fabricated niches, shower trays and corner pieces—in addition to the Schlüter®-KERDI-200 waterproofing membrane, which celebrates its 30th year in 2017. The strength of the thicker versions of the multi-functional installation board Schlüter®-KERDI-BOARD is such that they can be used to construct major features such as seats, vanities and partition walls, and are suitable for natural stone and large format tiles.
Schlüter offers a number of other products to enhance a wetroom installation: underfloor heating systems are available in both electric and hydronic variants and high quality collections of profiles protect the edges of your chosen floor covering and smooth transitions.
For contractors, Schlüter products save time, hassle and manpower, ensuring a quick and
intuitive installation process and minimising material wastage. With your entire solution obtained from one source, troubleshooting is easier and there is a clear point of contact for any advice.
Protection should extend beyond the physical: the guarantees provided by manufacturers can make or break the decision to specify. Schlüter-Systems Ltd stands by its complete system solutions, and provides advice, specification, and product warranties where required. Where a member of the Schlüter Approved Installer Network has been used, product and application warranties can be extended, for even greater peace of mind.
Use of the right system at the point of specification pays off in the long-term, preserving reputations and avoiding costly remedial works. Full product specs and comprehensive sets of NBS Clauses and BIM assets are available from the company website, allowing for quick specification time after time.
With Schlüter-Systems you’re in safe hands; for more information call 01530 813396, email pr@schluter.co.uk or visit www.perfectwetroom.co.uk.
Schlüter-Systems - Enquiry 55
Want to see our products in situ? There’s now a space to do just that. Next time you’re in London, take a wander to Clerkenwell, the scene of one of our latest collaborations—49 Leather Lane. In this brand-new space for inspiration you can experience a complete Schlüter ®WETROOM system, making extensive use of our underfloor heating, lighting, profiles and more. In addition, a hot desking office and a meeting room are available to book for the holding of appointments, and the Porcelain Gallery offers a unique exhibition space featuring a multitude of Schlüter products, both installed and in sample form. For booking enquiries, please email specifier@schluter.co.uk.
With a vast choice of beautiful and functional designs available, Polyflor vinyl flooring is becoming a preferred choice for many housing projects.
Whether developers are creating luxury homes and apartments, social housing or adapted homes for those with disabilities, there is a vinyl flooring product on the market to fit their aesthetic and practical requirements.
The types of vinyl flooring most commonly used in homes are “Luxury Vinyl Tiles” (LVT) and “Luxury Vinyl Sheet” (LVS) flooring, which are designed specifically for living spaces in residential interiors. Luxury Vinyl Tiles, such as Polyflor’s Camaro and Colonia ranges, are provided as individual planks and tiles that are adhered to a subfloor, whilst as its name suggests, Luxury Vinyl Sheet (Polyflor’s Secura and Designatex ranges) is provided in a roll format and is in some instances loose laid for a faster installation time.
Polyflor’s LVT and LVS flooring collections feature designs which authentically replicate every type of tree species and wood treatment imaginable, from classic warm and cool toned oaks to reclaimed wood and vintage timber, all with grain patterns and surface embossing to add further realism. Stone collections include everything from industrial concretes and
slates to traditional limestones, developed to complement any interior design scheme. Vinyl flooring also provides warmth and comfort under foot, unlike real wood and stone which can be too cold and hard for bare feet.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles can also be fitted with complementary or contrasting grouting, marquetry and feature strips to give installations a bespoke look. Luxury Vinyl Sheet material can be produced to feature complex designs such as wooden herringbone or intricate stone paving patterns, providing a quick and simple way to create a statement floor.
Polyflor vinyl flooring is also easy to clean and maintain, featuring a polyurethane reinforcement which allows for a polish-free maintenance regime and optimum appearance retention, helping to prevent stains and scuff marks. With fewer chemicals, less power and less cleaning time required to maintain vinyl flooring, this means that these products have a reduced environmental impact.
In our health and safety conscious culture, Polysafe vinyl safety flooring products are also
popular choices for housing projects, offering sustainable wet slip resistance in areas where there are potential slip risks to residents, such as apartment building entranceways and staircases. Polyflor also offer Polysafe safety flooring designed specifically for for wet rooms and ensuites within homes. The Polysafe Hydro Evolve range is available in fresh, homely colours with subtle pimple embosses and non-intrusive safety aggregates to generate the required slip resistance when barefoot.
In summary, vinyl is an easy to install and easy to maintain flooring material which should be considered for a wide range of environments in the residential sector. Thanks to the huge selection of designs available, the high level of quality products in the market and the years of performance which vinyl flooring offers, it is likely to become more and more commonly installed on future housing projects.
For more information about Polyflor vinyl flooring, visit www.polyflor.com
Polyflor - Enquiry 56
Triton Showers has launched its HOST wireless digital mixer, which allow for cable-free precision siting on the wall of choice, in the centre of a tile, or on the grout line. HOST is also suitable for every type of application, from brand new bathrooms to replacing previous digital showers, with a choice of one or two outlets, all with push-fit fittings. The unit promises superior flow rates to a standard brass mixer when used with a gravity-fed cylinder and more precise temperature control when paired with a combi or mains fed cylinder.
Triton Showers - Enquiry 57
Creating accessible homes can alleviate pressure on health and social care and with the portfolio from Closomat, key features in the bathroom are simple to achieve, maintainand easy to evolve as the occupant’s needs change. Robin Tuffley, Closomat marketing manager, said: “Our equipment is proven to enable people to be discharged from hospital without the need to provide as much, or any, care support. And research shows people who are enabled to live independently, remain in their own homes, require less social care support, and have better health and wellbeing, reducing pressure on health services.”
Clos-o-mat - Enquiry 58
Luxury vinyl sheet flooring and Polysafe safety flooring from Polyflor was recently installed throughout social housing apartments in Newport. Approximately 1400m2 of Designatex PUR sheet vinyl flooring, Polysafe Wood fx PUR and Polysafe Arena PUR safety flooring was installed during the interior fit out. The Platinum Oak grey wood effect design from Polyflor’s Designatex collection of luxury vinyl sheet flooring for residential interiors was used throughout each apartment. Both the Polysafe Wood fx and Polysafe Arena collections feature in-built sustainable wet slip resistance to ensure underfoot safety.
Polyflor - Enquiry 60
Uni-blinds integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass & Glazing has developed SmartMotion, a unique interface that helps installers quickly and easily incorporate its motorised integral blinds into home automation systems.
Ian Short, managing director of Morley Glass & Glazing said: “Home automation systems integrate various domestic applications such as lighting, heating, safety and security, energy management, entertainment systems – and motorised integral blinds - and are growing in popularity in the UK, as the concept of “smart” homes takes off.
“An increasing number of our customers are being asked to incorporate our motorised Uni-
A modern development of retirement apartments from McCarthy & Stone in Perthshire has been enhanced with Ethafoam, a high quality acoustic flooring solution, offering impact sound insulation properties, from The A. Proctor Group Ltd. Specialist floor screeding contractor
Glenalmond Contracts installed Ethafoam 2222, a closed-cell polyethylene foam, which is designed as a resilient acoustic insulation layer for concrete floor structures. Ethafoam has a low profile, requiring only a minimal increase in floor height, and is highly resilient to the rigours of on-site environments. Lightweight and easy to install, it can be applied as a single, or multiple layer system. A. Proctor Group - Enquiry 59
blinds® integral blinds into electric-powered home automation systems – and in the past it has been a daunting and a complex task that could cause damage to the wiring of the blinds or the home automation system.
“This inspired us to commission the development of a unique interface called the SmartMotion which makes the process so simple it’s child’s play. In one easy step the operation of the blinds is smoothly integrated into the whole home automation system so that they can be controlled at the touch of a button, even when you’re not at home.”
Morley Glass - Enquiry 61
Polyflor flooring helps create modern apartmentsMorley launches smart solution for home automation integration Triton empowers specifiers with new wireless digital mixer
JJI-Joists have an answer for everything built-in. No matter how demanding your job, JJI-Joists are in a class of their own. Solid timber flanges and OSB web make them light but very strong and easy to work with (creating service holes couldn’t be simpler). Our environmental credentials are also second to none. Add to that our technical brains - on hand to answer questions - and our design software that gives smart cost-effective answers, and your choice has to be intelligent JJI-Joists. Well, you’d be daft not to.
WEB: www.jamesjones.co.uk/ewp EMAIL: jji-joists @ jamesjones.co.uk