Specification Magazine December 2022

Welcome

Industry looks for stability and growth after mini budget fiasco

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt highlighted “stability, growth and public services” as the three main priorities of his Autumn Statement 2022.

While the Chancellor announced that the UK economy is now in recession, his aim was to regain credibility following the previous Chancellor’s ‘Mini-Budget’ - to calm markets, tackle inflation, and bring down interest rates through a mixture of tax increases and longer-term public spending cuts.

His fiscal position will be crucial to our overall economic outlook, but the big announcements that are likely to directly impact construction looking ahead fell under his announcements for ‘Energy, Infrastructure and Innovation’.

CPA Economics Director Professor Noble Francis, said: “While the additional funding for energy efficiency from 2025 is welcome news, this funding is for further years after the current £6.6 billion finishes and clearly delivery in 2030 still signifies a longer-term goal for Government rather than a quick win. The detail of delivery for energy efficiency is crucial given previous flops in Government policy, and the CPA will closely follow further details as they emerge. Retrofitting our existing housing stock is crucial both for growth in the sector and to meet our net zero targets.

“The commitment to infrastructure projects at both a local and national level will be welcome news to the industry, given some calls to reduce HS2 to Birmingham to help avoid tax increases. However, the announcement that funding for infrastructure would be “maintained in cash terms” in times of double-digit construction cost inflation means that we will see less activity down on the ground, particularly for financially constrained councils. Levelling Up through investment in infrastructure is a crucial way in which the construction industry can support wider economic growth, as well as its own, so it is vital that it is fully funded.

“For housing, the stamp duty cut is likely to have only a marginal impact given the greater issue of interest rate rises and negative housing market sentiment. As a result, substantially more will be needed to stimulate both housebuilding over the coming years.”

Everyone at TSP Media would like to thank you for your continued support in 2022 and we look forward to a bright and prosperous New Year. Merry Christmas from the team at Specification Magazine.

Paul Groves || Group Editor

Buzon is the world leader in adjustable pedestal systems, developing the first pedestal for external flooring 38 years ago.

With 5 ranges now available, there is a Buzon pedestal solution for every project. If maximum fire-safety is a requirement, the NHBC Accepts certified A-PED range is Class A fire-rated and engineered to deliver millimetre-precise slope correction with heights up to 495mm.

See page 2 for more information. Enquiry - 1

Construction industry makes progress in move towards net zero

The construction sector has taken a number of significant steps towards net zero according to new data.

At COP26 last year, the Construction Leadership Council launched its CO2nstruct Zero programme, with associated measures to track carbon reduction activities, and challenge the industry to improve in 9 key areas.

The first annual review of progress sets out the evidence that UK construction is playing a leading role in cutting carbon.

The annual CO2nstruct Zero Performance Dashboard shows that the last 12 months has seen the sector:

• Train more than 500 retrofit coordinators, with associated business accreditation

• Connect 55,000 heat pumps by 4,100 trained & registered installers

• Deliver a 33 per cent increase in EV charging points

• Include carbon literacy in professional qualifications Alongside these targeted measures, the CO2nstruct Zero network has grown rapidly, with more than 200 organisations now established as Business Champions and Partners under the programme.

This network has played a crucial role in supporting carbon reduction policy development, feeding into UK Government work on retrofit and energy security, as well as developing its own detailed plans including a route map to cut diesel usage on sites.

Construction Leadership Council Co-Chair and Construction Minister Nusrat Ghani MP said: “We have decarbonised our economy faster than any country in the G20 and remain fully committed to supporting the construction industry in achieving its decarbonisation commitments through initiatives like Construct Zero.

“This report demonstrates the positive start our construction industry is making in the fight against climate change. I look forward to working with the CLC to accelerate progress in the years to come.”

Construction Leadership Council Deputy Co-Chair Richard Robinson said: “Last year we asked the industry to join us on a journey towards a lower carbon future, and the response has been very encouraging”. “We must now build on this momentum, pushing ahead with pace and purpose in 2023 as we continue to play a leading role in getting the UK to net zero.”

Foster + Partners wins airport competition

Foster + Partners has won a competition to design the masterplan for King Salman International Airport which will boost Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub, stimulate transport, trade and tourism, and act as a bridge linking the East with the West.

Luke Fox, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “Looking forward to the future, the new King Salman International Airport reimagines the traditional terminal as a single concourse loop, served by multiple entrances.

“The terminal is very much of its place and connects passengers to the sensory experiences of the city, with natural elements, tempered light and state-of-theart facilities.”

Beard completes spectacular temple complex

Beard Construction has completed the rebuilding of a stunning, light-filled temple complex, aligned on the axis of an ancient ley line.

The £5m turnkey redevelopment of White Eagle Lodge at Newlands near Liss in Hampshire includes a domed main temple, a cloistered walkway, a lecture room, library, consultation and meditation rooms, reception area and kitchen.

Designed by architectural firm James Gorst and using stone and timber, the buildings are constructed from white brickwork, lime mortar and glass, supported by Glulam columns.

Using GPS co-ordinates for absolute accuracy, the temple has been built on an east-west axis on the ancient ley line – with the central altar sitting in exactly the same place as its counterpart from the former temple.

D E L A B I E

public washroom design done differently

delabie.co.uk

DELABIE, expert in Water controls and sanitary ware for Public and Commercial Places, is saving water and energy, without compromising design, high-performance and responsible products.

Industry welcomes ECO+ scheme as step in right direction

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to the announcement of the Government’s ECO+ scheme –intended to improve the energy efficiency of hundreds of thousands of homes.

The new ECO+ scheme will extend support to those who do not currently benefit from any other government support to upgrade their homes. Joining the existing £6.6 billion ‘Help to Heat’ energy schemes this new £1 billion funding will ensure hundreds of thousands more households benefit from new home insulation and with that, lower bills.

Plus, a new £18 million public information campaign will also offer technical tips and advice for people to cut their energy use, while also keeping warm this winter. Alongside the impact on their bills from the Energy Price Guarantee, the campaign will demonstrate how consumers can make significant savings.

RIBA President Simon Allford said: “As the world grapples with the climate crisis and soaring energy prices, additional funding to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock is welcome a step in the right direction.

“Whilst this announcement fills some of the funding gap in the owner-occupier sector it still falls short of the comprehensive National Retrofit Strategy we have long been calling for.

“We will be responding to the consultation to ensure ECO+ works effectively and avoids the pitfalls of previous schemes. It’s crucial we get this right - for both people and the planet. We will continue to work with policy makers to ensure this becomes reality.”

Support for homeowners to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat is welcome, but this short-term focus on single measures must be followed by a long-term comprehensive plan to retrofit all of the UK’s 28 million leaky and energy inefficient homes, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “I welcome any move to improve the UK’s leaky and draughty homes and making them cheaper to heat. ECO+ is a step in the right direction, targeting a much wider section of homes-owners, but it must not be considered ‘job done’ by the Government.

“I’m also cautious about rollout of the scheme; consultation with industry is nonnegotiable, to avoid a repeat of failures of the Green Homes Grant Scheme and we must ensure that installation is of the highest quality.

“Ultimately, to give homeowners and the industry confidence, we need a broader whole-house approach to retrofit, rather than a piecemeal policy.”

NHBC launches Build to Rent insights

NHBC, the UK’s leading independent provider of warranty and insurance for newbuild homes, has brought together some of the leaders of Build to Rent to share their thoughts on this burgeoning sector.

Available to download and in print, NHBC’s Build to Rent, Insights from Industry Leaders explores what today’s renters want from their homes, details the experiences of those at the forefront of the market and profiles some of the most exciting Build to Rent developments in the UK and the people behind them. Importantly, this collection also looks forward with its contributors considering the future of the market.

From the rapid rise of working from home post-pandemic to a greater understanding of the value of community, this publication reflects how Build to Rent addresses changing societial and consumer needs.

More than just examining how the sector operates, this collection delves into the mindset and motivations of its contributors; from personal backgrounds and early careers, right through to professional successes and their emergence as market leaders, this publication portrays the people, as well as the projects.

Helsinki announces winner of design competition

K2S Architects’ and Swedish White Arkitekter’s design is selected for new waterfront cultural destination, which will include site of New Museum of Architecture and Design.

The Saaret (‘The Islands’) proposal promises an interconnection of flexible built spaces, dynamic public gathering points and urban nature, with views across to the city, the Uspenski Cathedral and waterfront.

The realisation of Saaret will create an intersection of cultural and sustainable environments that aim to improve the area’s microclimate and create bio-diverse habitats with rooftops featuring beehives, vegetable and herb gardens forming an important part of the design.

Construction product supplies and availability continue to improve

Product supply continues to improve, with the availability of building materials and products overall now at its best since pre-pandemic levels last seen at the end of 2019.

The restricted supply of semi-conductors, however, continues to challenge manufacturers of electro-technical products and gas boilers, though stock volumes are recovering.

With current demand in the UK still outstripping supply, coupled with ongoing capacity and logistics issues in Asia, extended delivery times are likely to remain until the middle of 2023 and inflationary pressures will persist for these products.

In the latest statement from John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working group, they say there is a plentiful supply of timber in the UK and prices have reduced for popular groups such as CLS; however, log prices in Europe and North America are still strong and production is being reduced to reflect demand in the UK and Europe.

This could lead to gaps in the supply chain if demand rises suddenly but should not be a major issue if demand continues at current levels.

“Inflationary pressures rather than availability present the main challenges for energy intensive products such as glass,

concrete, cement, PIR, plasterboard and bricks,” they discovered. “A warm autumn has helped reduce demand for gas but going into colder winter months prices may rise again. It is also unclear what financial relief from government will be available to energy intensive manufacturers in the spring when the current scheme is due to finish.

“In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of tax rises and spending cuts intended to stabilise the economy and lay the foundation for growth. Nonetheless, the near-term outlook will be challenging.

While large-scale infrastructure projects will continue and larger housebuilders are currently maintaining volumes, we are already seeing a slight decline in starts by smaller housebuilders and a steady erosion of work in the home improvement sector as homebuyers and customers feel the pressure of rising living costs and interest rates.

“We are also seeing a sustained, high level of construction firm insolvencies, particularly amongst SME builders and specialist contractors. This is in part the result of firms that became vulnerable during the pandemic now being wound up due to pandemic support being withdrawn.

“Other insolvencies are linked to economic uncertainty and the difficulty of reconciling fixed priced contracts with price inflation and reduced cash flow. Collaborative risk sharing will be key to preserving industry resilience and capacity moving forward.”

Progress continues on new stadium

The first section of roof truss has been hoisted into place in the south stand at Everton Stadium.

The 100-tonne steel section – the first segment of three separate trusses that will span across the stand – was bolted into the south west corner, in an operation that mirrored the initial lift in the north stand last week. Construction partners Laing O’Rourke took advantage of the benign early morning weather to complete the installation and offer a further tantalising glimpse of the profile of the stadium. In total, there are two full span roof trusses to be installed atop the north stand and three in the south.

Blackpool’s Mirror Ball shines again

The Blackpool Promenade is renowned for its many sights and sounds, either by day or by night. A seaside getaway for all ages, the promenade had been adorned with a giant 6m mirror ball showcasing the town’s love of partying and sparkling energy.

Originally installed in 2002, the Mirror Ball has faced many years of standing up to hard winds, damp conditions and corrosive salt spray and had unfortunately become tarnished, losing its lustrous sparkle.

In September 2021, Blackpool Council saw fit to sign off on a refurbishment project to bring the Mirror Ball back to its shining glory.

Over the space of two months, the team worked tirelessly to disassemble the massive disco icon, before working to fit over 47,000 new Pilkington Mirropane Chrome tiles, before returning it to its rightful place on the south end of the beach.

Project: Hackney New Primary School and 333 Kingsland Road

Architect: Henley Halebrown

Suppliers: Reynaers; Wienerberger; Creagh Concrete; Klinker Covadonga; Alpine Group

Affordable housing complex and new school revitalises community

The RIBA announced Hackney New Primary School and 333 Kingsland Road as the winner of The Neave Brown Award for Housing 2022.

Located on London’s Kingsland Road, this hybrid scheme skilfully combines a community-led school with 68 apartments on a compact urban site.

The deliberately dense housing – which includes 68 rented homes, 50% of which are offered below market rates – frees up the maximum footprint for the school, whilst also providing a substantial baffle from noise and emissions from the neighbouring busy road.

The development is owned by an affordable housing charity which primarily focuses

on housing key workers. 333 Kingsland Road operates a tenure blind arrangement, whereby 50% of apartments are available below the average market rent.

Orientation, natural ventilation and light have been carefully considered and prioritised to create spacious, bright apartments. On each of the main floors, eight homes are clustered around a central octagonal stair. Windows are deliberately large to optimise views across the capital, and all residents have access to a communal roof terrace. Below, as the building meets the ground, a

welcoming colonnade generously extends the pavement and provides access to the new commercial units, completing an impressive, multi-faceted urban complex.

Chair of the Neave Brown Award for Housing jury, Kaye Stout, said: “This is a notable architectural response, demonstrating how to effectively combine multiple functions without diminishing the strength of either the educational or residential aspect. Here, Henley Halebrown deliver high-quality affordable housing that stimulates and delights residents, visitors and passers-by. >>

Greener environment

>> “The robust design is thoughtfully detailed throughout. Not only does it provide social value to this inner-city neighbourhood, it responds to a complex brief with architectural ambition and sets an extremely high standard for urban design. When Neave Brown accepted the RIBA Gold Medal, he said ‘… we weren’t so much doing housing, as making part of the city’, and this project does just that.”

RIBA President Simon Allford said: “This is a highly-intelligent response to providing critical social infrastructure – a thoughtful and generous set of spaces for residents and the local community to live, learn and play in. The educational and residential elements are elegantly engaged in a single composition - an architectural essay in designing an important city corner that engages with the public realm.”

The 2022 Neave Brown Award for Housing jury was chaired by Partner at Pollard Thomas Edwards, Kaye Stout; Architect and Development Manager at Meridian Water (Enfield Council), Yemi Aladerun; and Neave Brown family representative, Professor David Porter.

A spokesperson for the architects said: “The relatively compact footprint of the residential tower frees up much of the site for the school and protects it from the noise and fumes from one of London’s busy arterial roads.

“The community-led co-educational primary school was completed in 2020 five years after Hackney New School, the secondary school with which it shares its name and pedagogy, in particular a focus on music.

“The entrance to the school, with a view through to the courtyard, is animated by an outdoor staircase and illuminated by sunlight. The courtyard conjures up an inner world in which to learn and play. The walls are sheltered by canopies and lined with ivory glazed brickwork that illuminates the space.

“The accommodation is ‘pushed’ to the edge the site to carve out the largest possible courtyard play space along with

a roof garden above the hall. Corridors are replaced by open galleries that wrap around the courtyard creating an efficient plan, healthy circulation and a direct relationship between inside and outside space.

“The design uses the scale and composition of the apartment building’s facades and arcades at the base to give weight to the building. Arcades create generous pavements and shelter from the sun and rain.”

For more information 01708 39 80 22 sales@brundle.com www.fhbrundle.co.uk

Dekton® specified as a facade and kitchen worktop at new development

Designing three detached properties to replace a pair of existing houses in the beautiful coastal town of Poole, Ström Architects developed stunning and practical residences with façades fully clad in Dekton® Milar.

The Partridge Walk development has been designed with the lower storeys set into the ground and the top storeys set to one side, allowing neighbouring properties to maintain their seaside views. “Dekton® is a fantastic option for a façade material because of its versatility,” says Matt Slark, General Manager at Cosentino. “It’s available in multiple thicknesses, a wide colour range and can also be optimised in terms of the panel sizing for any design brief.”

Dekton is not only chosen by architects, designers, developers and builders for its aesthetics. Combining safety, sustainability and energy efficiency, Dekton® has LEED and BREEAM certifications in environmental and sustainable design along with the highest classification in fire resistance. “This allows it to be used on residential buildings as well as on a larger national application,” adds Matt.

The design for Partridge Walk was brought to life by Kubo Homes, specialists in sustainable property design. “The design brief from Ström Architects was to look at the orientation of the site with its views across Poole Harbour and to orientate them for the passive haus principle,”

says Andy Taylor, Director of Kubo Homes, “which was to ensure minimal energy loss as well as looking at the shading and solar gain. We also wanted to maintain the Swedish minimalism that Ström is famous for and look at the materiality of how to create that aesthetic.

“With Cosentino we were able to visit the factory so that we could look at the slabs and their full size, which gives a much better representation of the colour differentiation and how it might work on our buildings and they were extremely helpful in providing us with an introduction to a steel framing system that we could then utilise to hang the tiles onto the building. They’ve been incredibly supportive of us as a business and allowed us to simplify the whole process of ordering of the tile with the façade design, the implementation and fixing of it to the building. That’s why we’re going to continue to use Dekton® in future projects.”

The properties are designed with the front entrance on the middle floor, which also contains the bedrooms and a generous hallway with a staircase leading to the first floor. The kitchen, dining and living space are all on this upper level to take advantage of the stunning views over the harbour. The lower level then contains two further bedrooms and a narrow lap pool.

The façade in Dekton® Milar was the ideal choice for the exterior cladding, as Matt Slark of Cosentino explains, “Dekton was a perfect material for Kubo Homes because we can

guarantee the cradle to grave lifecycle of the material. It’s a carbon neutral product, which was really important to them, and its production process uses 99% recycled water and 100% recyclable electrical energy. We wanted to make sure that it was not only the right product for them in terms of the application but also that we fulfilled all of their sustainability pledges as well.”

“It’s incredibly important for us at Kubo Homes that ultimately we create homes that perform to the 2030 Climate Challenge from RIBA and that are carbon negative,” says Andy Taylor of Kubo Homes. “We were also looking at the energy efficiency of the procurement of items as well. Dekton® has some wonderful attributes in terms of their usage of recycled water and their energy neutrality, so that was important to us to include that and ultimately, it’s what the clients demand.”

Dekton® was also selected for the kitchen worksurfaces and splashbacks. Highly scratch resistant, stain resistant, fire and heat resistant, it’s the ideal practical and hardwearing surface suitable for everyday use. Made from 80% recycled materials, Dekton® Radium was the surface of choice. Fabricated by County Stone & Granite, experts in bespoke design, the colour and finish both beautifully complement the sleek, handleless kitchen with its open plan layout and generous island unit.

Dekton® – Enquiry 10

Cosentino’s ultra-compact, versatile carbon neutral surface, Dekton® has been specified for multiple applications at Kubo’s “Partridge Walk” residential development.

Rundum Original garage doors provide unique feature in prestigious Cornish development

Twin Rundum Original ‘round the corner’ side sliding doors have been manufactured and installed by bespoke garage door specialist Rundum Meir UK as part of the North Quay development in Hayle, Cornwall.

The development by Corinthian Homes on the north Cornish coast is on the edge of an estuary with World Heritage Site status, and is one of the largest building projects of its kind in the South West. The scheme will create 500 new properties, two cinemas, restaurants, shops, an art gallery and better infrastructure for the fishing community.

Their vision is for North Quay to transform a former industrial area into an exciting new coastal quarter for people to live, work, shop, eat, stay and enjoy the stunning waterside location. Key to this is high quality design by FCBStudios which has already been independently recognised through the project winning in the 2020 Housing Design Awards.

With the first phase of the project, which includes around 140 dwellings and public realm development, as well as office space and waterside commercial buildings, are two residential units with garages. In order to make a statement feature of the garage doors, Rundum Meir was approached to explore the potential for twin bespoke doors with radiused corners at their adjacent edge.

This design was perfectly suited to the Rundum Original, which slides along a track as it opens sideways before turning a corner to run along an inner side wall of the garage. Equally important, however, was the ability to manufacture the garage door in materials that would enable aesthetic goals to be achieved whilst being suitable for the harsh coastal conditions, dominated by an aggressive saline atmosphere.

Rundum Meir was able to use Accoya for the timber slats that make up each of the doors. Accoya is ideal for conditions of this kind, and for meeting the project’s sustainability aims, given its superior durability and FSC accreditation. Marine grade stainless steel was used to create the U-channels which guide the Rundum Original as it slides, along with the PPC tracks and binding. This will ensure the key mechanical elements of the two doors have maximum resistance to corrosion for a long design life.

In line with the high specification of all the Corinthian Homes dwellings under construction, the Rundum Meir garage doors are also automated. A door-mounted motor

is activated via a remote control device and it is HomeLink compatible for safe and secure operation from inside a vehicle.

Accoya is just one of the numerous different timbers available for Rundum Original side sliding garage doors. As every door is bespoke, the creative potential is vast with a high quality construction achieved thanks to the craftsmanship of Rundum Meir’s skilled team.

To find out more visit www.rundum.co.uk.

Rundum – Enquiry 12

M-AR goes back to school with its largest education project to date

Work is well underway on site at Little Ilford secondary school in Newham, London where offsite specialist contractor M-AR is currently working on one of its largest education projects to date.

The large new block, which will soon be complete and ready for teachers and students to move into, includes several new classrooms and connecting corridors, a SEND block, an activity studio and a new underground car park area complete with several electric car charging points and PV panels.

Taking a proportion of the build offsite and into M-AR’s factory reduced both the time spent on site and the sheer number of tradespeople required on site at any one time too.

Ryan Geldard, director at M-AR said: “This is our largest education project to date and has not been without its challenges due to the constraints of the site and surrounding areas.

The London Borough of Newham has experienced rapid population growth over the last ten years meaning that demand for secondary school places within Newham is forecasted to increase significantly over the next five years. Little Ilford School therefore needed to be able to accommodate a larger intake of students in the very near future, so a large new block with more facilities has been designed to sit adjacent to the existing school building within its grounds. It is being built using a hybrid offsite approach with M-AR playing a key role in its delivery.

There was no room to extend the footprint of the site itself meaning that the new block had to take up part of the school’s existing car park, and with parking at a premium in the area, this had to be maintained which meant sinking the carpark underground and building the new school block built directly above.

It’s projects like this that showcase the benefits of offsite for the education sector. As this is an extension project, the school remained open throughout the project so it was vital to keep disruption to a minimum and follow strict safeguarding regulations to keep everyone safe.

“But by taking a collaborative approach with everyone involved we’ve been able to meet the challenges safely and efficiently head on by developing each separate module for ease of manufacture, delivery and installation from the outset.

“It’s great to see the new school block taking shape and we’re looking forward to seeing the staff and students making the most of their new space once the project completes.”

For more information call 01482 635 08, email buildingrelationships@m-ar.co.uk or visit www.m-ar.co.uk

M-AR – Enquiry 14

Joyous and eccentric project named best new house

A contemporary new family house in rural Dorset has been named RIBA House of the Year 2022.

The Red House by David Kohn Architects has won the prestigious annual award given by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to the UK’s best new architect-designed house.

The winner was revealed in the final episode of the four-part Grand Designs House of the Year series on Channel 4.

The Red House is situated in the rolling hills of rural Dorset. The owners fell in love with the idyllic location and stunning panoramic views when they first visited the site in 2011 and, 10 years later, moved into their dream family home.

The house takes inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement, reinterpreting the style in an intentionally provocative way. The house’s playful eccentricity, including oversized eaves, patterned red brickwork, and contrasting bold green details, jumps out - but this is consistently underpinned by outstanding craftsmanship and attention to detail.

The open plan ground floor creates a light, airy atmosphere. Different ‘rooms’ are formed by walls moving in and out of alignment – offering only glimpses into the different areas, rather than a full view down the length of the house.

This provides the practical and accessible ease of open plan living, alongside the cosiness of more enclosed spaces. The staircase is a central feature of the house – a sumptuous, sculptural design sweeping up to the first floor and dropping down through a projecting bay window.

Architect, David Kohn, said: “The Red House winning the RIBA House of the Year Award is a validation of the ambition and unerring support of our clients and the dedication of the whole project team. Furthermore, the jury have chosen to support architecture that is intimate, playful, colourful, and engages both with its context and history. I could not be more delighted.”

Chair of the RIBA House of the Year 2022 jury, architect Taro Tsuruta, said: “Ordinary yet quirky, extravagant although utilitarian, The Red House confronts our expectations of a house in a beautiful setting that never wants to settle into being one way or another. An aesthetic and sustainable building with future-proof functionality, it draws on architectural references from Morris to Stirling – with many surprises throughout which were applauded by all the jury members. Internally, the enfilade is formed without doors from the entrance to the living, kitchen and dining area, allowing the space to magically flow. This house was certainly the most debated, which in itself deserves praise.”

The jury for the House of the Year 2022 was: Taro Tsuruta (Chair), founder Tsuruta Architects; Alison Brooks, founder and creative director of Alison Brooks Architects; Yinka Ilori, founder of Yinka Ilori Studio; Ben Ridley, founder and director at Architecture for London; Nicola Tikari, co-founder and director of Tikari Works.

number house blocks, plus smoke control dampers for each corridor and plant ventilation louvres.

The combination of Gilberts’ EG extract grilles, GPS4 perforated fascia grilles and FR security grilles that ensure a comfortable, fresh environment within the house blocks was all validated in advance.

NHS GP practice improves patient access

Government plans to transform prisons to make them more modern and sustainable have begun with the completion of the first of six new prisons, the award-winning HMP Five Wells.

The design for the new £253million, approx 1,700 place Category C custodial facility at Wellingborough, delivered by Kier Construction with a nationwide support team working to BIM Level 2, has deliberately been standardised as far as possible. Gilberts has provided the ventilation supply and extract grillescompliant with Ministry of Justice guidelines - for the 60,000m2 of accommodation via 7

For fire control, Gilberts contributed to a scheme whereby its CE and UKCA Series 60 smoke evacuation dampers were doubled up to achieve the required level of smoke evacuation within the build constraints of structural opening limitations. The EN13501-3 compliant dampers and grilles deliver up to 120 minutes’ fire integrity.

Gilberts’ WGF factory-built louvre screens provide a compact appearance with 50% free ventilation area to maximise efficient working of the plant screened behind.

Gilberts – Enquiry 18

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the biggest public procurement organisation the UK.

At its busy offices in Norwich, Style worked with contractor, Sol Services Ltd, to create flexible space in one of the meeting rooms, enabling staff to configure the area into two smaller rooms or to completely open-up the area into one single space.

The partitioning experts at Style designed a system that combines two glass folding partitions with impressive 42dB Rw acoustic ratings, alongside a Stylefold 120 solid folding wall with a 50 dB Rw rating, successfully delivering the level of adaptability demanded by CCS.

With over 900 employees spread across four UK offices, CCS uses its commercial expertise to help buyers in central government and across the public and third sectors to purchase everything from locum doctors and laptops to police cars and electricity. The new partitioning moveable walls help ensure there is always the required room space available to accommodate the myriad of meetings that happen each week.

“This is a great example of how a combination of solid and glass acoustic folding walls can create flexible meeting room space which offers light and visibility but is also very private,” said Steve Williams, sales director for Style Midlands.

Style – Enquiry 19

As part of a significant re-development project, Derwent Practice has improved patient access from the carpark by installing a smart new TORMAX automatic bi-parting entrance system.

Giving clear and easy access to all users, the sliding doors are fully compliant with current legislation.

Powered by the in-house designed Win Drive 2201 operator, a long and reliable working life can be expected thanks to the sophisticated design of the motor which benefits from almost wear-less operation.

As with all TORMAX operators, the Win Drive is tested to significantly more than current industry requirements of one million cycles and can be found installed in busy locations throughout the world.

A significant local service, Derwent Practice is the only GP practice in Malton, North Yorkshire.

As well as the newly positioned automatic entrance, patients also now benefit from the addition of new consulting rooms, extending the clinics and services that can be offered.

“With heating bills set to rise even further, an automatic entrance is a sound financial investment,” comments Simon Roberts, MD for TORMAX.

“Not only do our door drives feature low-energy operation but an automatic entrance can itself significantly help reduce heat loss from a building.” TORMAX – Enquiry 20

Gilberts helps create “template” for eco prison estate

Moveable walls add flexibility to public sector offices

Taraflex® is the most widely specified indoor sports surface in the world. Chosen by top international athletes for its unique construction and technical performance, it has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Taraflex® provides industry leading innovation and is widely recognised and installed in the education sectors with over 6 million pupils everyday enjoying the benefits of Taraflex® sports flooring. It is extremely durable and cost effective to maintain and provides safety, comfort and protection so that both children and adults can further enjoy their sporting and exercising experience.

University of South Wales

Diversity could hold key to retail’s fortunes

Developers in the hotel and leisure sector face some tough times as rising costs and tight consumer budgets take their toll. But indoor leisure construction projects are continuing to attract significant new investment.

According to the November Glenigan Construction Industry Forecast 202324, the value of detailed planning approvals for indoor leisure projects has been ‘particularly firm’ over 2021 and 2022 and is expected to translate into a growth area and more construction contracts as work gets underway on new schemes.

More investment comes as the underlying prospects for indoor leisure businesses have improved as Covid has faded. According to a report from property agent Avison Young earlier this year, cinema admissions are set to reach 80% of 2019 levels in 2022 whilst theme parks and visitor attractions should benefit from more international visitors

The weaker pound should also boost overseas visitor numbers. Meanwhile, new formats in the sector such as virtual reality and so-called ‘immersive experiences’ are also generating new investment in indoor leisure projects.

Glenigan data highlights a series of significant indoor leisure schemes around the country where construction work is getting underway.

Some believe this success could also prove a boost for wider retail prospects. Increasingly, retail developments are looking towards such indoor leisure projects as the anchor to a scheme and to help attract investment from a diverse range of outlets.

Forensic attention to detail

Enabling the refurbishment of historic properties is a skill that London-based metal window specialist, Associated Steel Window Services ( ASWS ) has become renowned through the decades. The company rightly reflects with pride on the complexity of the challenges it faced in carrying out its largest ever survey and detailed removal project as part of the £1billion redevelopment for the former Whiteleys Shopping Centre in West London.

Originally completed in 1911, but partly destroyed in a fire and rebuilt by a different architect, the landmark retail property on the Queensway had seen its former glory fade by the time ASWS was invited to carry out a comprehensive condition survey by the owner's architectural consultants, in 2016.

Two of the company's highly experienced surveyors were subsequently kept occupied for 14 weeks - detailing every frame member, piece of ironmongery, each copperlight and other component across 147 windows on the three main elevations to the three storey building. >>

ASWS

ASWS

>> With both Heritage England and the local conservation officer closely involved with monitoring the project, ASWS went on to present its very detailed report, including individual drawings of each window - not only in digital form, but also as a bound volume which was circulated to all the main parties involved on the project.

Contracts Director of ASWS, Kris Bennell, reflected, "Whiteleys is of enormous historic significance and complexity - being split between the original Belcher & Joass end and that designed by William Curtis Green after the 1920 fire - while it is also very unusual to see an entire façade of copper glazed windows.

Following on from our full condition survey which took some three and a half months, we produced a report on the 19 different window types, with physical drawings, CAD drawings and details on every component.

This all added up to a digital and bound document setting out what work needed to be done, what windows or elements could be saved, and formed the basis for liaising with the conservation bodies.

Due to the confused picture presented by a century of maintenance replacement as well as the fire damage, the forensic nature of this work included checking back on catalogues for the earliest designs of steel windows, plus dating items like hand-made screws as well as coatings, to help the project team determine the comparative age of all the ironmongery and other components.

From the logistical viewpoint, the windows' removal was made more complex by the fact that parts of the building were already being demolished while openings were being made ready for the façade retention system to reach through.

Historic canal opens up Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has helped to unveil a historic canal in the centre of Cardiff which has been covered over for more than 70 years, as part of a £6m regeneration project in the city.

Atkins was appointed by Cardiff Council to design the Canal Quarter development, alongside Faithful+Gould, also a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, which is providing project management and commercial support.

The development scheme involves the daylighting of 70 metres of the Dock Feeder Canal on Churchill Way, Cardiff.

The dock feeder was originally constructed in the late 19th Century to provide a constant supply of water to the Bute docks – allowing for large container ships to dock in Cardiff, regardless of the tide, leading to Cardiff becoming a world leading exporter of iron ore and coal.

It was paved over between 1948 and 1950, and after being hidden to generations of shoppers and city residents, will now form the centrepiece of a new sustainable urban district in the city centre.

Ben Ferguson, Senior Landscape Architect for Atkins and lead designer on the project, said: “It’s great to be able to reflect the industrial heritage of the area by re-opening the dock feeder. During the late 19th and the early 20th century this waterway was at the centre of a tree-lined boulevard and to re-establish that aesthetic, and to reveal the waterway once again within a forward looking and sustainable design will be incredibly exciting.”

This project, which started in February, is part of a wider masterplan to develop a new district in the city, interlinking Bridge Street, David Street. Charles Street, Tredegar Street, Guildford Crescent, and Barrack Lane to develop a highdensity, mixed-use development, attracting homes, hotels, hospitality, high quality offices, leisure and retail units.

Atkins Atkins

Recticel PIR insulation panels provide rapid, effective thermal protection for historic school’s new buildings

Recticel PIR insulation is proving the ideal solution to ensure two new public school buildings attained regulation levels of thermal performance.

Charterhouse public school in Surrey is one of England’s most revered seats of learning. As part of an expansion at the site, which opened as a school in the 16th century, two new buildings designed as boarding accommodation for students are under construction.

The huge project involves nearly 50 roofs – containing pitches of between 3.55° and 65° - and 60 dormer windows. Therefore, an insulation system that was rapid to install and offered superb thermal capabilities was essential to meeting the works programme’s strict time constraints. Recticel’s Eurothane GP insulation board met both requirements.

Waterproofing work on the new school buildings began in August 2020. The build-up comprised a vapour barrier, which was applied to a plywood deck, and breather membrane with a standing seam. For the insulation, TSH Architects in conjunction

with contractor Salmon Solutions, and Recticel, specified 140mm Eurothane GP PIR insulation board. Despite this high-performance system’s lightweight composition, it provides a thermal capability of 0.022 W/mK.

Eurothane GP boards fit easily between roof rafters to create a superbly flat foundation for a waterproofing finish. For the Charterhouse project, the boards were installed across a huge, 2,200m2 area. The prevalence of dormer windows provided an additional challenge, which was overcome due to Eurothane GP’s easy handling and cutting properties ensuring these features were quickly and effectively insulated against instances of thermal bridging.

Charlie Whitman, Project Manager and Surveyor at Salmon Solutions, said: “Recticel Insulation played a significant role in ensuring this vital project was completed

to the agreed timeframe and to the highest specification. Lightweight and easy to handle, Eurothane GP insulation boards, were a pleasure to work with on this project. This benefit, along with their superb durability and consistent performance, ensured the boards were ideal when it came to selecting an insulation system which helped the roofing element of the impressive public school buildings achieve the required U-value.”

Despite the stop-start nature of the works programme due to coronavirus restrictions and inclement periods of weather, the Charterhouse building’s roofs are on track to be fully-waterproofed by the agreed completion date: August 2021. This is in no small part to Eurothane GP’s superb usability, resulting in a quick and easy installation that will futureproof these impressive structures against cold and damp for years to come. Recticel

Rockpanel® high-rise trio shimmer safely in the South

London sun

Constructed in the 1960s, Ambleside, Grasmere and Windermere are 20 storey blocks of flats which were in need of complete renovation. Rockpanel external cladding systems have given the trio safe, efficient, contemporary facades which shimmer and shine.

Planning and feasibility

Property owners, Southwark Council, engaged Engie Regeneration as Design and Build Contractor, who appointed architects and surveyors Blakeney Leigh to lead the £35m development.

At this point the buildings had several serious issues which had resulted in condensation, drafts and heat loss which was affecting the health and wellbeing of those living there. In collaboration with stakeholders, the works team, residents and the wider community, a feasibility programme was instigated which led to a jointly agreed solution.

The process and community engagement Tenants, landlords and the residents association were shown examples of the proposed materials and meetings were held where demonstrations took place to show attendees their fire properties. A pilot phase was also run where these systems were installed at a selection of flats to further instil confidence and consolidate ‘buy-in’.

Project Designers Blakeney Leigh, “Due to the fact that the residents would be living in their homes throughout the renovations, communication was key. Main Contractor Engie Regeneration and everyone involved in the construction process worked hard to maintain good rapport and ensure each step of the process was understood by those it concerned the most. We were particularly impressed with the colour changing qualities of Chameleon and there was great support and engagement from the Rockpanel team.”

Tustin Estate Resident’s Committee member Andy Eke, “Regular meetings were held to discuss the plans and progress with due diligence given to every aspect of the materials and installation. Rockpanel presented a video which explained how the new cladding would work and how it would alleviate the issues we had experienced and ensure fire safety. We are very pleased with the results...”

A Chameleon-like approach

Residents were given the final decision on the colours and finishes to be used. In total more than 16,000m2 of rivet-fixed facades are installed across the three blocks. A2 Rockpanel Chameleon reflects light to offer

a unique changing spectrum of colour tones due to its innovative crystal effect layer. Chameleon transforms any building into an eye-catching structure that is constantly transforming, impactful and inspiring.

Rockpanel is proud to be working on similar projects across the UK. With outstanding sustainability credentials, unlimited colour matching and an unrivalled range of surface designs from super-realistic natural woods and metals through to specialist ranges including unique Chameleon, the company truly delivers superior fire-safety and design freedom. Visit www.rockpanel.co.uk.

24

Rockpanel – Enquiry

Facade Engine is a state-of-the-art analysis tool for all of your rainscreen subframe requirements. This free to use software provides comprehensive static calculations to help our customers generate the optimum framing design.

Facade engine is part of CLAD-LINE, which is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of extruded aluminium non-combustible subframe systems.

Kemper protects St John’s and St Elizabeth Hospital

Kemper System’s cold-applied liquid waterproofing solution has been specified for a multi-million-pound extension at St John’s and St Elizabeth (HJE) Hospital in the St John’s Wood area of London.

The £35m new build development has created six, hi-tech theatres and a day case suite which is one of the most modern in the UK. The extension also includes a new admissions lounge, imaging department, consultant rooms and an expanded Urgent Care Clinic.

A total of 9,060sqm of Kemper System’s Kemperol 2K-PUR solvent-free and odourless waterproofing membrane has been applied beneath the building’s green roof, onto a pedestrian trafficked walkway, the lower roof area and a plant roof area. The cold-applied solution was installed by London-based Ridgewell Flat Roofing Ltd.

Contractors had a strict timescale to

adhere to, meaning a quick and easy application solution was required to complete the job.

Because of the location of the new build extension, adjacent to an occupied hospital building at HJE, the solvent-free and odourless qualities of the Kemperol system meant minimum disruption at the hospital throughout the application process. No hot works were required as part of the project, further reducing potential health and safety risks, and meaning no wait times were needed between applications of resin.

Once cured, the system forms a seamless, elastomeric waterproof membrane that

cannot delaminate, is UV stable, and creates a sturdy bond directly to the substrate.

Additionally, the plant roof area had a number of complexities with many ventilation outlets and air conditioning units, and because Kemper’s waterproofing system is roller-applied, operatives could easily install the resin underneath the units and around the complex roof structure.

The new building, which is opening in planned stages throughout 2022, follows a recent £3.5 million ward refurbishment.

Kemper System – Enquiry 26

Roofing,

Fully encapsulated Vacuum Insulation Panel, providing ultra-high thermal performance in flat roof and terrace applications. Say goodbye to issues when installing effective insulation on fla and terraces where space is tight and where height constraints exist. With a thermal performance of the core of lambda (λ) 0.006 – the best performance in the market – Deck-VQ VIP panels allow you to achieve a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K with just 60mm thick board. It’s time to think thin.

The British climate demands that roofs are built to withstand the many different conditions that can cause damage. Our underlays provide an effective solution to protect any building from the harmful effects of condensation and weather conditions including wind, snow and rain. Hambleside Danelaw underlays can be used for warm and cold roof applications, unsupported, draped over timber rafters or counter battens, or fully supported over timber sarking and rigid insulation. They have been independently tested by the BRE for wind zone suitability, and have BBA approval.

Euroform obtains BDA Agrément for Easyboard®

Construction materials supplier Euroform confirms that its ‘Easyboard®’ exterior grade fibre cement board now has BDA Agrément certification.

Easyboard®, which makes an ideal exterior sheathing board for steel frame system (SFS) walling, is one of the first boards of its kind to combine the benefits of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) into a light weight ‘score & snap’ building board, making it quick and easy to install.

The BDA Agrément certification confirms Easyboard® performance as a building board for non-structural use in indoor and outdoor non-loadbearing applications, such as for use in the planking and lining of walls, for sheathing timber frame or steel frame supporting walls, and for ceilings and roof truss structures.

“Easyboard® is a highly durable OPC based board that has the same workability as a gypsum-based board,” says Euroform’s technical director John Taylor.

Whereas traditional cement-based boards require cutting with power tools, creating dust and taking time, Easyboard® is manufactured

Welsh Slate helps a historic country mansion

A country mansion that was once one of Britain’s most at risk Grade II* listed buildings is enjoying a new lease of life, thanks in part to Welsh Slate. Cwt-y-Bugail Dark Blue Grey roofing slates from the leading UK manufacturer have been used over 1,000m2 of roof at Bank Hall in Bretherton, Lancashire, which has been converted into luxury residential accommodation and exhibition spaces. The Welsh slates were specified for the £5.6m renovation on a like-for-like basis by architect Miles Pearson as the existing Welsh slates had been on the roof, in diminishing courses since it was remodelled in the early 1830s.

Welsh Slate – Enquiry 30

with a process that combines the cement with a reinforcing matrix that enhances its workability, so that it can be scored and snapped with a traditional utility knife. The edges do not require sealing as would be the case with an external plasterboard installation.

Currently being installed as part of a SFS wall at a large commercial/residential project at The Castings, Manchester, subcontractor AM Structure’s dry liner reports, “I couldn’t believe how easy the board was to score and snap, especially for an OPC board. It is such a time saver and better for dust. We should like to use the board on future SFS sheathing installations.”

Easyboard®’s BDA Agrément certificate confirms the product’s fire performance as being A1 non-combustible in accordance with BS EN 13501-1. Euroform points out that, in all cases Euroform should be consulted to discuss specifier/project requirements to advise on the suitability of Easyboard® in respect of fire resistance.

Other product characteristics independently assessed through the BDA Agrément process include moisture control, strength and durability. Details of water impermeability, water absorption, load resistance, impact resistance and thermal performance are all available.

Easyboard® is quicker to install than traditional cement based boards due to its lower density of 900kg/m3 (minimum). A video demonstrating the ease with which Easyboard® can be cut via the ‘score & snap’ method can be seen at: https://www.euroform.co.uk/easyboard/

– Enquiry 29

Wraptite selected for zero carbon affordable homes

The Wraptite® external air barrier system from A. Proctor Group has been selected as part of a new zero carbon affordable homes project at New Ferry on the Wirral by Property Development Group Starship at its off-site manufacturing facility in Deeside.

The superior airtightness performance of the Wraptite membrane from the A. Proctor Group is the perfect solution, delivering significant benefits to the combination of in-factory manufacture and on-site housing construction.

Karl Ventre, Director at Starship, explains why Wraptite was chosen to achieve the airtightness solution and how it benefits off-site construction. “We have specified this product within our system offering for the last three years, and it has always performed well and helped contribute to good airtightness test results.”

These Carbon Zero homes provide over 105m2 of modern, affordable living space and were installed in seven days, ready for internal fit-out. “Starship’s unique panelised model means that a new home can be delivered and installed anywhere a refuse collection vehicle can fit, with no special arrangements or unnecessary disruption to the community.”

The Wraptite air barrier system offers a safer and simplified membrane system. It is a fully selfadhered vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA.

A. Proctor Group – Enquiry 31

Euroform

Innovative subframe solutions by CLAD-LINE

CLAD-LINE has positioned itself at the forefront of innovative design, to become one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of extruded aluminium non-combustible subframe systems, developing a complete set of facade framing solutions for the cladding market.

CLAD-LINE aim to simplify the design process, reduce installation time, and provide products which make everybody’s life that little bit easier.

What better way is there to do this than to work in conjunction with our valued customers and draw upon their first-hand industry knowledge to develop a structurally efficient and fully compliant subframe offering.

Servicing the new build and reclad/refurb markets, the key ethos of CLAD-LINE is innovation. Our team of qualified Design Engineers help to develop innovative solutions to overcome any challenges presented by the most complicated construction projects.

With the aid of CLAD-LINE’s state-of-the-art and free to use Facade Engine specification

software, CLAD-LINE can help any customer overcome project-specific challenges and provide a comprehensive static calculation for their project requirements.

A full Finite Element Analysis is also available to verify the performance of the more bespoke systems and ensure that framing designs are fully optimised.

The CLAD-LINE range offers framing solutions for all design requirements and can accommodate a diverse range of cladding materials. From the most simplistic but effective rail and bracket systems to our unique Floor 2 Floor framing.

CLAD-LINE’s own Managing Director, Darron Brough has been honored to collect a hat-trick of awards this year including National Building & Construction Awards for ‘Innovation of the Year’: Intelliclad, The London Construction Awards for

‘Smart Technology of the Year’: Intelliclad and Façade Awards For ‘Outstanding Contribution of the Year’: Metalline.

To find out more about CLAD-LINE or to arrange a free CPD visit www.clad-line.com or contact the team on 01543 222500.

CLAD-LINE – Enquiry 32

Maxi 60 - Extraordinary Acoustic and Fire Rated Ceiling System

Aside from the requirement for New Build and converted multi-occupancy buildings to meet Part E of the Building Regulations (Resistance to the Passage of Sound), major upgrades to many pre-existing acoustic insulation levels are vital if people are to truly experience ‘comfort’ in their domestic and work environment.

With only 25% of UK homes being classed as detached, the lives of millions of people living in terraced properties, semi-detached houses and apartments are made a misery because of noisy neighbours. Whilst national statistics for noise complaints are not readily available, in the city of Leeds alone, a Freedom of Information Act request showed that 23,350 noise complaints were made to Leeds City Council in a period of just over two years up to March 2018. If these figures are typical for a large council area, the scale of the problem UK-wide could be huge.

Effective solutions can begin with the soundproofing of separating walls and ceilings using Maxiboard, manufactured by Sound Reduction Systems. Maxiboard is a patented composite soundproof board manufactured from cement and gypsum with a polymeric core effecting constrained layer damping to maximise performance.

Maxiboard offers excellent sound insulation performance and is a very strong, impactresistant board, capable of taking screws and fixings direct.

Designed to be easily and quickly installed within many different types of buildings, Maxiboard is ideal for soundproofing new and existing ceilings and walls –anywhere you could use a standard plasterboard but require far higher levels of sound insulation.

It is normally installed as part of a system incorporating Maxi Resilient Bars to create an isolated frame, Maxi Slab insulation for absorption in the cavity and perimeter sealer to ensure isolation where the product abuts adjoining floors, walls and ceilings.

Alex Docherty, Director of Sound Reduction Systems says: “The Maxi 60 Ceiling System offers a virtually bullet proof solution to Part

London School of Economics receives airtight solution

The Marshall Building, part of the renowned London School of Economics has been fitted with the Wraptite external air barrier system from the A. Proctor Group.

Part of a winning design created by Grafton Architects, the impressive 10-storey building features pale stone cladding and is home to a series of educational facilities including lecture theatres, offices, classrooms, and a sports hall.

Specialist contractor, I & S Construction, Dartford consulted with the A. Proctor Group’s technical team and selected the Wraptite air barrier to be incorporated within the external wall cladding system.

Wraptite is the only self-adhering vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA and combines the critical properties of vapour permeability and airtightness in one self-adhering membrane. This approach saves on both the labour and material costs associated with achieving the energy efficiency demands in buildings.

Wraptite is Class B1-s1,d0, compliant with Approved Document B Building Regulations for use in the external wall

systems of buildings over 18m in height, both as a continuous layer on sheathing board, behind fire classified insulation, and for use to tape joints in insulation behind rainscreen.

A. Proctor Group – Enquiry 34

E of the Building Regulations whilst also achieving a 1hr fire rating and all within a tiny 60mm build up.”

Find out more about Maxiboard and the full range of soundproofing solutions from Sound Reduction Systems at www.soundreduction.co.uk.

Sound Reduction Systems – Enquiry 33

Solar panel installation

Cladding Coatings’ team provide quotations for the installation of Solar Panels. Due to the current schemes in place and often the idyllic positioning of commercial and industrial buildings, the payback time is much shorter than you would imagine. Subject to energy usage, solar panels can repay for themselves after approximately 2-3 years andn help towards your goals of zero carbon by 2050. Contact us for a free quotation and we can check the condition of your roof and provide a free no obligation quotation. Call 0161 626 3493, email info@claddingcoatings.co.uk, or visit www.claddingcoatings.co.uk.

Cladding Coatings – Enquiry 35

Sto makes its mark on skyline

One of the tallest new buildings recently added to the Bournemouth skyline has been completed with a combination of external wall insulation and render products supplied by Sto. The company’s StoTherm Mineral M system, with Sto-Rotofix Plus mechanical fixings and StoSilco exterior render were all used on the new Skyline student accommodation building, which achieved a BREEAM ’Very Good’ rating. StoTherm Mineral is a highly durable external wall insulation system which uses mineral-fibre boards that provide outstanding thermal performance and unrivalled fire protection. Sto insulation using the unique Sto-Rotofix Plus spiral fixings.

Sto – Enquiry 36

CUPA 12 selected for Grand Designs project

As showcased on a recent episode of Channel 4’s Grand Designs, CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPA 12 natural slate has been specified for a spectacular new build project in Chichester.

CUPA 12 is a non-carbonated slate that is formed by tectonic compression, giving the product a smooth, matt surface. The dark grey colour provided an effective contrast with the timber and glass. The CUPA 12 natural slate is also high performing with outstanding weather resistance, as it has been tested to achieve a water absorption rate of 0.11% and a rating of T1 in thermal cycle tests.

CUPA PIZARRAS – Enquiry 37

ITP Ltd celebrates façade award win

Yorkshire-based building membrane specialist, Industrial Textiles & Plastics (ITP) Ltd, celebrated a major award win when the Stamisol Safe One breather membrane scooped Product of the Year in the Façade 2022 Design and Engineering Awards.

As the exclusive UK suppliers of Stamisol Safe One, ITP attended the finals at Hilton Park Lane, London, to accept the award alongside the product’s manufacturers, Serge Ferrari. Safe One’s innovative design has been at the forefront of membrane development, representing the first breather membrane in the UK to combine a Euroclass A2 fire safety rating with W1 water repellence.

ITP Ltd – Enquiry 38

MAXI

Acoustic & Fire Rated Ceiling System

Maxiboard is a high performance and versatile acoustic building board, designed to significantly reduce the passage of sound through walls and ceilings in residential and commercial environments.

Contact us today to discuss how Maxiboard can enhance your project!

Specialist products and expertise help create developments

Companies are working closely with design teams to help create some developments across the country. Using their specialist skills and knowledge, they are supplying the products needed to bring visions to reality.

As work on Sighthill Bridge across the M8 in Glasgow nears completion, BAM has become the first contractor in Scotland to make use of 3D concrete printing – installing the staircase which will provide access to the new structure. It is believed to be largest printed concrete construction in the UK to date.

When complete, the iconic new pedestrian and cycle bridge will connect Glasgow City Centre to the Sighthill area in a new sustainable transport corridor.

Working on behalf of Glasgow City Council, BAM craned in the new staircase this week. Once fully installed the new steps will be clad in granite, creating attractive, long-lasting, slip-free finish.

Printing the bridge components allows for precise and intricate shapes, which can be tricky with traditional formwork, creating a truly unique structure. The removal of moulds and materials reduces waste by 40% compared to traditional methods, keeping costs down and improving carbon efficiency.

Printing the bridge components allows for precise and intricate shapes, which can be tricky with traditional formwork, creating a truly unique structure. The removal of

moulds and materials reduces waste by 40% compared to traditional methods, keeping costs down and improving carbon efficiency.

The staircase will be just as strong as if poured on site, however, this innovative method allows the structure to be manufactured in a highly controlled environment, removing concerns around weather and reducing the risks associate with on-site construction. Automated sensors embedded in the materials add further certainty to the quality of mortar throughout the process.

The steps were printed by Weber Bemix in their factory in the Netherlands before being shipped to Scotland. BAM has a sustained relationship with the concrete printing experts, previously creating the world’s longest 3D concrete printed bridge with them in 2019 in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

“It’s wonderful to see these 3D Concrete printed aspects installed as this iconic bridge takes shape,” said Ian Steele, BAM Contracts Manager, M8 Footbridge. “The printed element saw us manufacture the stairwells offsite, creating strong, one-of-akind structures, all while reducing waste and interaction with weather and other elements which can create hold ups.

“Although this part of the landscaping will ultimately be hidden from site, it marks a huge step forward for BAM in how we modernise our approach to construction – reducing risk, improving efficiency, and driving down our carbon footprint.”

“The use of this technology is in its infancy, but the aspiration is that interest and application grow to such a degree that we can invest in a UK based printing facility which would improve how we construct within the UK.” >>

BAM

>> Specialist glazing supplied and installed

Located in Clerkenwell, London this fivestorey office project has been completely transformed due to modern interior design and IQ Projects’ luxury glazing solutions.

IQ Projects designed a bespoke glazing package for the commercial building, with a number of features that utilised modern glazing technologies to enhance productivity in an office environment. The frameless glazing systems have been designed to create large amounts of light infill which is proven to create healthier environments to work in.

IQ Projects who worked closely with the architects to achieve elegant, frameless effect glass walls with neat silicone joins in between each pane and back painted glass spandrel panels. The frameless structural glass walls were combined with structural roof glazing to create a frameless dormer, tee frame sections were installed along the silicone joins between each glass pane to support the frameless glass.

Various casement doors were installed within the fully glazed facades of the fifth floor to provide access out onto the terrace and for ventilation throughout the office. on the exterior frameless effect balustrades can be seen lining the recreational rooftop area, which provides a safety barrier to protect the users as well as creating uninterrupted views of the surrounding building.

Director, Rebecca Clayton said “the combination of Portland stone columns and minimally framed glazing is visually stunning, giving the space a modern industrial feel and allowing in a huge amount of natural light.”

Balcony systems as safe as houses

In urban and rural dwellings, the trend for balconies that fill interiors with natural light and make the most of views externally is on the rise. Juliette and Paris balconies are a particularly popular option where space is at a premium.

IQ Projects

The latest systems from CR Laurence make light work of installation and maintenance wile always focusing on safety first.

Increasingly being specified for new buildings and added to existing dwellings, for practical and decorative purposes, Juliette balconies provide a safety barrier by means of the balustrades or railings.

Available in a brushed or polished finish, the CRL Juliette Balcony System is made from 316 stainless steel for durability and strength. Designed for use with 12mm toughened glass or 13.52mm toughened laminated glass, the top and bottom rail provide reassurance and safety should the glass fail.

Creating a streamlined finish with its frameless design and offering an uninterrupted view from a balcony, the CRL Paris Balcony system is designed to be used with 13.52mm, 17.52mm & 21,52mm toughened laminated glass. The 1200mm long profiles can be face fixed or reveal fixed to brickwork, concrete or steel and can be chosen in a grey or white finish. A top cap rail is not required as the toughened laminated glass offers extra protection if one single pane fails.

Both the CRL Paris and Juliette Balcony Systems are tested to comply with building and safety regulations, including BS6180:2011.

CR Laurence

World’s first solution for post tensioned balcony connectors

Leviat has launched the world’s first insulated balcony connector element for post tensioning applications, which can be used alongside its industry renowned range of Halfen HIT Structural Thermal Breaks.

Hervé Poveda, Leviat’s Head of Product Excellence, Reinforcement & Building Physics – Europe & APAC, said: “The development of this innovative solution was as a result of our customers looking to include balconies in the post tensioning process.

“Our new Halfen HIT Insulated Balcony Connector System allows balconies to be cast together with the main slab and then simultaneously stressed – something which has never been possible before with conventionally reinforced concrete balconies.”

Post tensioning performed on-site in cast-inplace applications gives designers flexibility, allowing them to create original concrete components that are thinner, longer and stronger. Architects can take full advantage of the plasticity of concrete in their designs to create truly amazing spaces.

Specifiers can be confident that the new Halfen HIT Insulated Balcony Connector system complies with the UK’s latest guidance and building regulations, with particular reference to fire resistance.

The innovative Halfen HIT Transition Piece is filled with mineral wool insulation for optimum thermal efficiency and fire resistance. The mineral wool specification is identical to that used for standard HIT insulated connection elements, which have an REI 120 fire resistance rating.

The Halfen HIT Insulated Connection system has recently been granted a UKTA by the British Board of Agrément, covering compressive design resistance as required for post tensioning applications.

Halfen HIT Transition Pieces are designed for use with all types and configurations of post tensioning cables currently available on the market, using either bonded or unbonded strands.

Leviat – Enquiry 40

Bodmin Jail Attraction

The five-year project to restore and reinvent the Grade II listed Bodmin Jail from its derelict state into a luxury boutique hotel and leading visitor attraction required the installation of disability access lifts.

Platform Lift Company’s expertise was called upon by the main contractor, CField Construction, to provide a twostop vertical platform lift for the historic 18th century building and the new stone gabion clad ‘Dark Walk’ experience building.

A platform lift was required to create step free access from the entrance level of the new building to the lowest level of the ‘Dark Walk’ experience. The appearance of the product needed to blend in with the theme of the buildings which transport visitors back to Cornwall’s murky past.

The Platform Lift Company built a bespoke platform lift in a matt black finish to meet the specification.

The hydraulic platform lift complete with as elf-supporting shaft was installed using a ramp system to avoid digging a pit into the floor which had already been constructed as part of the new building.

When visitors reach the original jail building from the ‘Dark Walk’ experience, they are taken up a level which is accessed by stairs. A platform lift would overcome this architectural barrier but limited space within the 18th century building presented a challenge.

The Platform Lift Company proposed the Motala 2000 because of its small external footprint. This model of lift fitted the available space and could provide the 4 metres of travel needed to reach

the upper floor. With no modifications required, a standard white platform lift was installed. The clean appearance of the lift remains sensitive to its historic setting and clearly shows modern intervention has been successfully used to enable the building to be accessible.

Results

Both the platform lifts were installed within the given timeframe and fulfilled the architectural and structural requirements of the new and old buildings. Bodmin Jail Attraction is fully accessible, welcoming all to its unique immersive experience.

Platform Lift Company – Enquiry 41

Raised access Porcelain paver system

With a vast choice of finishes available for any Design scheme, including larger formats and co-ordinating internal tiling, Levato Mono porcelain paver system is perfect for balconies, roof terraces, garden decks and piazzas. Key benefits include; high slip resistance & load bearing, fade & wear resistance – so low cost ongoing maintenance. Both of our self-levelling support pedestals promote a fast cost-effective installation process for use on delicate waterproofing or covering tired slabs. The tilting head adjustment compensates slopes up to 5% even with multiple falls. If a Fire rated pedestal is specified then the FRSL range has Class A1 classification or the SL polypropylene type which have their own key features; secure height locking, non- slip acoustic dampening pads and large height range (28 to 550mm).

A modern tradition from Granorte

Bringing the unmistakable look of classic cork floor tiles, Tradition from Delivering Nature by Granorte features four striking new designs. With archetypal looks such as Classic and Twist as well as contemporary designs like Expression, Fineline and Canyon, Granorte’s Tradition floor tile collection is ideal for bringing the natural style of cork into commercial interior schemes. Now with the addition of Segment, Primus Black, Crust and Blend, Tradition has four new looks to bring cork’s unmistakable aesthetic. From the highcontrast bark-like formations of Primus Black to the concrete-like Crust and tiled effect of Segment, each design offers a unique and subtle take.

Granorte – Enquiry 43

An instant finish with decorative MDF

Decorative MDF from UNILIN Panels are ready-to-use, pre-finished wood fibre panels that give an instant and affordable decorative finish in a wide range of applications.

Ready-to-use panels that let you put a great design together quickly and affordably, decorative MDF from UNILIN Panels are suitable for general interior use including furniture, wallcoverings, cupboards, stand constructions and displays. Coming in five striking looks that give any project a premium look that belies its cost-effective nature, decorative MDF Panels also deliver impressive durability for a design that stands the test of time. It is moisture-resistant, stainresistant, exceptionally scratch-resistant and easy to maintain.

UNILIN Panels – Enquiry 46

Create immersive experiences with a world first

Immersion is the new carpet tile collection from IVC Commercial made with Thrive® matter, the world’s first carbon negative carpet yarn. Used in IVC Commercial’s new Immersion carpet tile collection, Thrive® matter has the lowest emissions of any solution-dyed nylon carpet yarn, removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits. Available on all three Immersion designs, it’s made from 90% recycled content and has the lightest production footprint in the world. Immersion explores the corners of the virtual world where there are no limits, creative freedom is absolute and digital and physical personalities blend effortlessly.

IVC Commercial – Enquiry 44

Award-winning Master Oak

Master Oak is the multiple international award–winning decorative finish from UNILIN Panels. Recognised for excellence in sustainability and product by DNA Paris Design Awards and the MIAW Design & Innovation Awards, Master Oak is the decorative finish from UNILIN Panels that’s receiving international acclaim for its authentic recreation of natural oak. The DNA Paris Design Awards jury is made of architects, designers and influential people from across the world of design, judging excellence in architecture, graphic design, interior design, landscape design and product design. Master Oak is winner of the Responsible Design category.

UNILIN Panels – Enquiry 45

Mapei Ultratop Loft complements Victorian house

Surface design specialist BaSE has completed a stunning ‘trowel effect’ floor installation using Mapei’s Ultratop Loft.

The installation forms part of a kitchen renovation project within the basement of a period property in Balham, South London.

During the installation, Ultratop Loft was trowel applied under the existing units and around the cabinet legs; it was applied with a Nuvolato (cloudy) texture in a warm grey called Venezia.

The micro-cement based finish replaced a seamless resin floor which had faded in sunlight. A rapid-drying, micro-cement based system, Mapei Ultratop Loft is built up in layers made up of special primers, cementitious layers and hard wearing sealers.

The two cementitious layers - coarse grained Loft F and finer grained Loft W – are mixed with water and colourings to create a trowelable cementitious paste which is then applied in layers up to 2mm thick.

Ultratop Loft is part of Mapei’s fast-track range and, in the correct conditions, the surface sets to foot traffic within three hours. The installation was completed with Mapei’s Mapefloor finishing products; Mapefloor finishes provide additional resistance to wear, abrasion and chemicals, creating an easy care, anti-static surface with highly pleasing aesthetics.

Mapei – Enquiry 47

A timeless feel, always

Now part of the dp-limitless range

RAUVISIO Noir HPL - 12 matt finishes with a robust HPL surface perfect for horizontal application.

RAUVISIO Brilliant Matt - A matching collection of matt acrylic finishes suitable for vertical application.

For cut and edged panels, contact us for your regional conversion perfect partner.

Available laminated on single sheets up to full load quantities. Standard sheet size 2800mm x 1300mm x 15mm or 18mm MDF. Double sided or with matching balancers on all designs.

High impact resistance

Soft touch finish

Easy clean and antibacterial

Anti-fingermark technology

Contact us for more information.

Century House, Premier Way, Lowfields Business Park, Elland, West Yorkshire, HX5 9HF

High water and heat resistance

High scratch and micro-scratch resistance

Shown in Boxcar Blonde 2464L

Matching Rehau edging

T: +44 (0) 1484 658341 E: info@decorativepanels.co.uk www.decorativepanels.co.uk

Hunter Douglas HeartFelt® ceiling specified for legal firm’s Edinburgh office

One of Hunter Douglas Architectural’s most innovative and environmentally friendly ceilings greets visitors and staff to the new Edinburgh office of a leading legal firm.

When Brodies LLP moved to Capital Square, in Morrison Street, the design included the global architectural products manufacturer’s awardwinning HeartFelt® ceiling for its foyer and waiting area – complementing the building’s impeccable ESG standards.

Not only does the seven-storey office building incorporate solar panels, energy efficient lighting and numerous energy saving initiatives, it will also have a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and EPC ‘A’ rating.

The office for Brodies LLP, which has moved to the upper three floors of Capital Square, is designed to WELL building standards, which helps to enhance the health and wellbeing of occupiers, and it combined its smart working knowledge into a dynamic space, supported by the latest workplace technology, design and fittings.

This included an impressive foyer, complete with a 223m2 HeartFelt® ceiling. Specified as a boxed panel in light grey 7596 and black 7594, this is a 100% recyclable ceiling, made from non-woven thermoformed PES fibres. A popular choice among architects and designers who are looking to add an

environmentally friendly and original ceiling with superior acoustic properties, HeartFelt® is also lightweight and certified Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Bronze.

Hugh Bell, technical sales manager at Hunter Douglas Architectural, said: “A HeartFelt ® ceiling certainly provides the ‘wow’ factor when it comes to aesthetic appeal and including it in such an impressive office building of the calibre of Capital Square, with its superb ESG credentials, demonstrates that it provides both style and substance.”

The HeartFelt® collection now comprises: linear ceiling and wall systems, which are available in rounded and box-shaped panels; baffles; origami – based on the ancient folding technique; and the multipanel, providing even greater design freedom because it allows the felt system to be mixed with other Hunter Douglas ceiling panels.

To make an enquiry – Go online: www.enquire2.com or post our: Free Reader

The colour range has also expanded from five grey shades to also include five earth tones, from umber to crème. HeartFelt® is available in heights of 55, 64, 80 and 105 mm and complies with regulations for use in non-polluting buildings. It is resistant to dirt and dust, meets the indoor European standard EN 15251, and EN 13501 Class B, S1, d0 fire certification. The panels are available in up to 6m lengths and are fixed via a special carrier system, which is also recyclable.

It also provides superior acoustic comfort, with tests recording absorption values (αw) between 0.45 (module 100) and 0.70 (module 50).

Hunter Douglas Architectural –

Taraflex® Multi-Use triumph for Gerflor at St Francis of Assisi Catholic College

St Francis of Assisi Catholic College in Walsall, needed to replace their existing flooring in their main sports hall, in order to cater for the demanding needs at the facility.

International flooring specialist Gerflor supplied 650m2 of their world class Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports flooring in Light Grey (Concrete) to complete the refurbishment project to the highest standards.

Chris Newey, Gerflor Specification Area Sales Manager, West Midlands said, “The existing sports hall floor was in desperate need of refurbishment. The new Concrete effect Taraflex has transformed the look of the hall from a dated school sports hall to a fresh and very modern look.”

The management and procurement process of the new sports floor would be the responsibility of the Schools Site Manager Bernie McNally who is a former professional footballer for West Bromwich Albion and has also pulled on the green jersey for his home country Northern Ireland.

Bernie McNally said, “We are delighted with the results and how less intrusive Gerflor’s Taraflex® sports flooring was to fit, against digging concrete out which would have been a lengthy, costly, and messy process. Our Headmaster is really impressed with the new Taraflex® sports floor, which is performing really well and also looks amazing, the before and after pictures speak for themselves.”

The installation of the new Taraflex® Multi-Use floor would be undertaken by the Solihull-based FLR Group. Adam Kaid, Contracts Manager, FLR Flooring said, “Gerflor have some of the best options and varieties out there and we are always extremely confident in the quality of their products.”

Gerflor – Enquiry 50

INTERIOR DESIGN REDEFINED

Designing individual, on-trend bathrooms and wet rooms has never been easier. The lightweight and at the same time enormously stable wedi modules allow for the realisation of almost anything from the floor to the ceiling and practically everything else in-between. Free-standing or partially attached creative partition walls, shower solutions,

customised bathroom furniture or complete system solutions: all bespoke items are test-built in the wedi factory and marked for easy assembly. Seen here, a popular T-module utilising all 3 sides for toilet, shower and wash basin - including all technical components and reinforcements - can be built on site within just 1 hour.

INDIVIDUALITY MEETS SPEED

Zentia renames one of its most popular ceiling tile ranges

Zentia’s new Fission range will incorporate the former Tatra, Cortega and Fine Fissured tiles.

Leading UK ceiling manufacturers Zentia are bringing together and renaming three of their most popular mineral tiles. The new Fission range will comprise Fission (formerly Tatra), Fission ND (formerly Cortega) and Fission FT (formerly Fine Fissured) which are all fire rated to Euroclass A2-s1, d0.

Despite the renaming, there are no changes to the products or their technical performance, and they are still warrantied for up to 30 years (when fitted with the Zentia grid system). Alongside this, they are manufactured with up to 51% recycled content and remain 100% recyclable.

Fission and Fission ND are white tiles available in two different edge details - Board

(600 x 600mm and 1200 x 600mm), and Tegular (600 x 600mm) for greater design flexibility. The Board edges fully expose the suspended ceiling grid, while the Tegular tiles are rebated, creating a semi-bevelled visual.

Featuring directional and non-directional fissured patterns, they balance the need for sound absorption and sound attenuation in open plan spaces such as atriums, libraries, storage facilities and warehouses.

The premium product in the Fission range is Fission FT which is available in black as well as white and in three different edge details (Board, Tegular and MicroLook). The MicroLook edge is designed for use with Zentia’s 15mm grid range, with a vertical edge creating crisp shadowed effects. Its ultra-fine non-directional fissured

pattern offers an optimum balance between sound absorption and sound attenuation. All three ceiling tiles are suitable for new-build and refurbishment projects in the commercial, industrial and retail sectors.

Zentia’s sales and marketing director Graham Taylor said: “In 2020, we began our journey transitioning from Armstrong to Zentia. It is an exciting time that will deliver opportunities for us and our customers. As part of this process, we’re renaming our products and reshaping our ranges. But there’s no need for our customers to worry, their favourite ceiling solutions won’t disappear, and they can still rely on us to manufacture and deliver the same quality suspended ceilings we always have.”

Zentia – Enquiry

52

modulyss opens London showroom

modulyss has opened its new London showroom for designers and architects needing sustainable textile flooring that create inspiring interiors. Installed with the new Artcore collection of gold standard carpet tiles, modulyss has officially opened the doors of its new London showroom. Jose Hamp, sales director UK & Ireland says: “The showroom is not only home to our carpet collections but will also give us the chance to hold workshops and events right in the heart of Clerkenwell. It’s an exciting time and we look forward to sharing the space with designers from across the community.”

modulyss – Enquiry 53

CTD Architectural Tiles has curated a bespoke tile package for the refurbishment of Birmingham’s landmark 54 Hagley Road shared office building. CTD Architectural Tiles supplied several tile collections for the scheme, including the Aspenwood porcelain floor tile for 54 Hagley Road’s café space as well as part of the building’s entrance. The collection of woodeffect tiles is inspired by the natural beauty of the Aspen Mountains, and this endlessly stylish finish is ideally suited to entrance spaces which set the tone for the rest of the building. The Aspenwood collection also offers users an antislip solution guaranteed by a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) rating of 36.

CTD Architectural Tiles – Enquiry 54

F. Ball proves to be

the top dog

F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s Stopgap Fill and Prime thixotropic primer and Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound, have delivered a fast-track solution for installing floorcoverings in one of the largest small-animal referral hospitals in Europe. Contractors from Veatu Flooring, based in Colchester, installed vinyl safety flooring and luxury vinyl tiles throughout a total area of 1100m2 at Southfields Veterinary Centre, in Basildon. Requiring a timesaving solution for working over chipboard as an alternative to overboarding with plywood, the contractors contacted their regional F. Ball technical representative, who advised preparing subfloors with Stopgap Fill and Prime prior to the application of a suitable levelling compound.

F. Ball – Enquiry 55

CTD gets to work on office refurbishment

Fire, acoustic and thermal insulation specialist reveals new website

Fire, acoustic and thermal insulation specialist A I M Acoustics & Insulation Manufacturing (A I M) has published a completely new set of technical product literature, which is accessible via a brand new website.

AI M designs and produces a wide range of acoustic, thermal and fire containment insulation products as well as bespoke products to customer specification.

A I M’s commercial director Ian Exall says: “The new website is intended to be simple to navigate and use. A key priority for the site was to provide up to date product information and technical guides to make specification easier. The launch is the culmination of a significant investment in product testing, technical drawings and building the new website.”

Information at www.aimlimited.co.uk is organised by product attributes - fire stopping, thermal and acoustic, and by applications, including cladding, roofing, interiors and traditional building. There is also a simple product list option.

A I M’s set of 16 new technical product guides and eight new installation guides are all online. Covering product composition, application and performance, the guides have updated detailed drawings of applications and installation guides where necessary.

Fire barrier and acoustic product guides include new performance data reflecting tests to the latest EN standards.

The guides can be found via the product pages or on a simple downloads page.

AIM’s Technical & Development team is also available to provide customers with expert support covering specification,

Sika invests in its industrial sealant offering

To strengthen the support and training for specifiers and engineers in finding the perfect product solution for industrial and commercial contracts, leading building chemicals specialist, Sika, has appointed Dean Bell to the role of Technical Engineer for Sealing and Bonding.

development, manufacture and installation. Earlier this year A I M’s fire barriers and acoustic products were selected for the ground-breaking, platform-based construction demonstrator building ‘Seismic’ and A I M insulation products can be found in the likes of City of Westminster apartment development The Courthouse SW1.

A I M – Enquiry 57

Manufacturer reaps rewards of sourcing 100% from UK

A Yorkshire manufacturer which sources 100% of its raw materials in the UK has seen a major increase in its competitive strength amid soaring energy costs and global supply chain issues. Malton-based Neaco Ltd uses domestically supplied aluminium alloy and glass to produce a range of modular building systems, including architectural grilles, decking, adaptive bathing aids, balustrade and balconies. Competitors which sourced cheaper raw materials from overseas are now feeling the effects of increased import costs and delays, negating their price advantage. As a result, Neaco has recorded a surge of interest for the company’s entirely homeproduced products.

The new role is dedicated to supporting the sealing and bonding range including Sikaflex-423 Powercure – a rapid-cure, high-performance sealant and booster that is ideally suited for infrastructure projects such as sea and harbour walls, railways and industrial jobs including manufacturing plants and warehouses.

Engineers can now access tailored product training across Sika’s sealing and bonding range including the fast-curing Sikaflex-423 Powercure sealant which is ideal for projects that require a quick turnaround. Easy to prepare and apply, the product is fast curing even when applied at low temperatures.

Sika has developed Sikaflex-423 Powercure for use with its unique Sika Powercure Dispenser which accurately mixes the correct ratios of sealant and booster for a quick and convenient direct application.

This not only offers a considerable time saving when compared to the traditional two-part products available on the market, but also reduces the risk of mixing errors which would impact on the effectiveness of the product.

Sika – Enquiry 59

Tiles with a view from Parkside

With a range outdoor-ready wall and floor tile collections, as well as technical accessories designed to withstand the rigours of allweather use, Vistascape is the new outdoor tile brand exclusively available from Parkside. For landscape architects, designers and contractors working on outdoor commercial and residential projects, Vistascape makes it easy to find a tiling solution that will deliver durability in all-weathers. Not only tiles, but outdoor Easy Joint and ProScape grouts, fabricated metal treads and strips, trims and pedestals; this is a solution for creating beautiful outdoor spaces. Vista is Vistacape’s core collection, providing 36+ PTV frost and UV-resistant floor and wall tiles in a range of effects and specifications.

Parkside – Enquiry 60

successfully tanks basement pool room

When the owner of White Cross Farm in Staffordshire built a new property on his land – a swimming pool - keeping water out of the underground structure presented more technical challenges than keeping it in.

The solution was presented by ProTen Services and its long-term working relationship with Kent based Triton Systems, who jointly designed and supplied an integrated package of waterproofing products to successfully tank the external perimeter wall forming the basement, which will house subterranean spa in very challenging ground conditions.

Aside from a high-water table and suspect stability, the waterproofing also had to respect the architect’s preference for constructing the retaining walls using Stepoc walling, which comprises concrete blocks whose interlinking void spaces are intended to accept both horizontal and vertical steel reinforcing bars, before being infilled with a high slump mix.

Despite being fair-faced, there is the potential for the completed wall to contain unseen voids and the system does not readily accommodate water bar within construction joints. Triton and ProTen therefore

considered the most dependable solution would be to apply the TWS EX100 selfadhesive HDPE membrane across the primed outer face of the Stepoc blockwork and then to protect it from damage and static pressure using the Triton Platon Double Drainage membrane.

Triton – Enquiry 61

CaberShieldPlus

platform

CaberShieldPlus, from West Fraser is a durable, P5 flooring which features a permanent, waterproof coating on both sides. Almost exclusively preferred now to P4 boards - for both new-build and refurbishment applications, the P5 particleboard panels are able to withstand the unpredictable British climate without deterioration. If installed using CaberFix D4 adhesive, the boards have BBA approval for 60 days exposure to the weather while, for safety, the upper face is non-slip and colour-coded to distinguish this: making them an ideal choice for flooring - especially when working at height or where they will remain open to the rain until the roof is complete. West Fraser – Enquiry 62

Hamworthy Heating introduces Tyneham technology

Hamworthy Heating is set to celebrate the future of heating with the launch of its first ever monobloc air source heat pump range, the Tyneham, designed to meet UK efficiency requirements in commercial applications. In line with the latest uplift of Building Regulations’ ‘Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L’, which state that non-domestic buildings should be moving to low-carbon heat sources, the launch of the new Tyneham Heat Pump range plays a key role in decarbonisation. The new Tyneham heat pump range from Hamworthy offers superb operational reliability, excellent quality and outstanding performance.

Hamworthy Heating – Enquiry 63

Junckers launches new RIBA-approved CDP

Junckers has launched a new RIBA approved CPD, Specifying Sustainable Flooring. The presentation provides candidates with a good understanding of the role solid hardwood flooring can play in sustainable building design and how specifying the correct wooden floor, a carbon neutral material, can produce a measurable reduction in global warming. The CPD also covers the use of sustainable flooring in net zero carbon builds, shows how a product with a long life cycle has a positive impact on the environment, how wood keeps CO2 out of the atmosphere and contributes a healthy indoor climate.

Junckers – Enquiry 64

forms a safe and sustainable

Triton system solution

SPATEX – a water leisure powerhouse

Each year, the SPATEX exhibition at the Coventry Building Society Arena breathes new energy into the UK and international water leisure industry, bringing life to water and water to life, and from Tuesday January 31st to Thursday February 2nd 2023 the topic of energy is top of the agenda.

With over a hundred exhibiting companies, including all the leading international manufacturers, planning to launch a host of new products, this is a must-attend event for all those involved in the design and construction of water leisure facilities, commercial or domestic.

From spas, wellness suites, swimming pools and steam rooms to saunas, water features, enclosures and all their ancillary equipment – SPATEX is the one and only chance in 2023 to view the fast-moving, innovative world of water leisure under the convenience of one roof.

“Energy considerations should be factored in at the design stage which is why SPATEX, with its focus on energy saving and sustainability, is a must-attend for

architects, specifiers and builders,” says Exhibition Organiser, Michele Bridle.

Energy saving will also feature in SPATEX’s free-to-attend, double seminar programme, along with up-to-the-minute health and safety guidance and the design and build of commercial pools.

Award winning luxury house developer relies on Multiboard

The latest development by one of the country’s leading luxury housebuilders is making full use of Marmox Multiboard’s benefits in converting a series of former agricultural buildings into half a dozen high specification homes.

Maybanks Manor, Cox Green, close to Horsham in Surrey, is being built by Surrey based Rockwood Homes; a past winner of both Silver and Bronze awards in the annual Daily Telegraph ‘What House’ competition.

With one property already being marketed and another close to completion, the site is expected to be finished by the end of this year, with the Multiboards featuring in the bathrooms and en-suites throughout.

In total, 400 of the 12.5 mm thick 1250 x 600 mm Multiboards are being supplied by Marmox stockist, Travis Perkins; along with the special fixing plugs, waterproof tape and Marmox 360 adhesive.

Bring your plans with you – there’s no better place to seek impartial advice from a variety of specialists, and all for free.

Register now for free www.spatex.co.uk

SPATEX – Enquiry 65

Marmox Multiboards are manufactured from extruded polystyrene or XPS and offer a range of positive physical characteristics, including good thermal insulation and being fully waterproof, with the polymer modified concrete coating to both faces providing an ideal key for tiling or rendering.

They are both light to handle and easy to cut, while still being able to sustain substantial loadings if required, including as part of a floor build-up.

Marmox – Enquiry 66

ELCO revisits heat pump installation

Two AEROTOP® T26 air source heat pumps from ELCO continue to operate at peak performance and supply highly sustainable heating to Heath Primary School in Suffolk –10 years after their installation. In 2012, the heat pumps were fitted outside a new purposebuilt teaching block and have since supplied efficient space heating to six classrooms, communal rooms and toilet facilities via a low temperature underfloor heating circuit. During their operating lifecycle, the heat pumps have consistently delivered extremely high COPs, allowing the school to save up to 15 tonnes of carbon, when compared to a traditional gas boiler setup.

ELCO – Enquiry 67

SALTO launches Homelok for residential living

SALTO Systems, a global leader in smart electronic access control solutions in the hospitality and commercial industries, is launching a groundbreaking new platform aimed at the residential market.

SALTO Homelok is set to revolutionize residential living with its all-in-one solution that integrates smart access control technology, hardware, cloud software, digital keys, a smart living ecosystem, and global service support.

“Smart home living is becoming increasingly more popular,” says Iñigo Unanue – Global Residential Lead, at SALTO Systems. “Residents want seamless access, without managing multiple keys – and property managers want a solution that is easy to manage and provides seamless resident onboarding.

“All want physical security and protection for assets as well as a smarter living experience. Homelok, SALTO’s residential solution, delivers all this and more, providing convenient, secure, and technology-enabled living.”

SALTO Homelok will provide smart access control solutions across the residential market, from multi-family to single-family housing, vacation rentals, and home care/assisted living establishments. SALTO Systems’ electronic locking solution is modern and easy to install and maintain, without the cost and complexity of traditional access control solutions.

“We are very excited to launch SALTO Homelok to the residential and multifamily market. The platform is set to revolutionize the way we live, access our home, and go about our everyday lives. And, while security has always been a concern, data protection, privacy and secure home

FIEGER helps to complete high quality development

access are vital – now, more than ever. Homelok is the solution,” says Aznar Sethna, CSMO of SALTO Systems.

The Didsbury is another example of Newham Council’s plans to provide quality residential spaces in the form of both private rental and homes for the London Affordable Rent scheme.

Designed by dRMM Architects, to meet the combined requirements of Approved Document B and Approved Document K, Vent Engineering selected FIEGER Louvre Windows.

A total of 72 FIEGER FLW 32 SmoTec vents were installed across the facades to the main stairs and lobbies. A further 12 FIEGER FLW 32 vents were fitted at the top level, with the louvres fixed closed, to provide a complementary architectural feature.

Each vent comprises double-glazed louvres, using toughened and laminated glass and provides a minimum geometric free area of 1.5 m2, as required by The Building Regulations.

The vents were each fitted with D+H LDF 100-70 24V DC motors, programmed for

anti-trapping, which were wired to the control system installed by Vent Engineering, using bespoke control panels, interfaced with the smoke detectors. The vent framework was polyester powder coated to RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey to contrast with the adjacent cladding.

Typical overall U-values of 1.90 W/m2 K were achieved, which with a class-leading low air leakage rate to Class 4 of EN 12207 provides a highly energy efficient feature of the installation.

In addition to mandatory testing to EN 12101-2 for natural smoke vents, the FLW 32 vent is also tested to BS 6180: 2011 for barrier loading, providing an additional safety feature, essential for multi-storey residential buildings. FIEGER – Enquiry 69