Windows
for life
Vol. 2 // Autumn 2012 // A magazine about daylight, fresh air and window design
expertise on Public Buildings
Energy Balance
When assessing a window’s energy performance, U-values are just part of the equation. Page 12
Exceptional levels of Sustainability
Described as ‘the best school in Scotland’, Carnegie Primary School features VELFAC windows. Page 6
Innovative Architecture
Award winning Maggie’s Centre in Nottingham is a striking building designed to let in daylight from all four directions of the world. Page 18
Welcome to the autumn 2012 edition of Windows for Life, our magazine for construction professionals, looking at daylight, fresh air and window design. Autumn means a new start for all those involved in education – and this may also mean a new school, college or university facility. Continuous investment in the UK’s education sector has resulted in the opening of many new education buildings, from nursery, primary and secondary schools to university research facilities, and many of these feature VELFAC glazing, specified for its durable, low maintenance, low energy performance, and for its exciting design potential. On page six we feature one of our latest education projects, the award winning Carnegie Primary School in Dunfermline, Scotland. Further evidence of our long track record in the education sector can be seen on page 22, where we highlight more school and college projects that have employed our products and expertise. Such buildings experience heavy usage yet operate under tight maintenance budgets, and are also often flagship buildings designed to give a local community something to be proud of. This philosophy encourages greater use of higher quality building products such as VELFAC glazing, designed to deliver sustained performance even under the toughest conditions.
to deliver, and closely scrutinised by many different stakeholders – quality underpins a brief which can encompass design, safety, environmental performance, value for money and much more. Installation must also be on time, on budget and with consistent pre- and post-sales support to ensure the end result meets every expectation. To ensure quality is delivered across a brief, we take a proactive role in all our projects, acting as both supplier and consultant – and on page 24, Internal Business Manager Kevan Woolf explains more about the consultancy VELFAC provides, from initial design advice right through to post-sales support, a service which adds real value to every window we install.
To ensure quality is delivered across a brief, we take a proactive role in all our projects, acting as both supplier and consultant.
But it’s not only design and performance which matter – quality control is essential for public sector clients and on page 16, VELFAC Operations Director Eddie Rigby explains what our ISO 9001:2008 quality accreditation really represents. For public sector developments – often large in scale, challenging
We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Windows for Life, which also features more of our recent projects, and a round up of industry developments, product and energy updates, and CPD information. Andy Cook Project Sales Director
Windows for Life Magazine Published by VELFAC Ltd The Old Livery Hildersham Cambridge CB21 6DR T: 01223 897100 E: post@VELFAC.co.uk
Autumn 2012
Contents
Executive Editorial Team Andy Cook Christina Hauberg Rasmussen Editorial Team Angela Murray Kevan Woolf Anine Drivsholm Bråten Christina H. Gemmer
Design Editor Claus Sørensen Print Oberthur Technologies Circulation: 5.000 copies Published Bi-annually Front cover Maggie’s Centre Photography Craig Auckland, Timothy Soar, Fokus Foto and VELFAC archives.
15
Commitment to the environment VELFAC has gained FSC® certification for the timber used in its windows and doors, underlining the company’s commitment to the highest environmental standards.
03.420-10.12 © 2012 VELFAC Ltd, VELFAC and VELFAC logo are registered trademarks used under license by VELFAC Group. HELO is a registered trademark belonging to VKR Holding A/S.
6 A lesson in sustainability: Carnegie Primary School 10 VELUX – a close relative of VELFAC 12 Energy balance is more than low U-values 14 Up to date with a VELFAC CPD Seminar 15 Sustainability on the agenda 16 Quality counts 18 Beautiful Light and Lines at Maggie’s Centre 22 School Report 23 Olympics 2012 – VELFAC was there 24 Good Advice - use experts from start to finish 26 Curtain walling – preparing for 2013 30 Why compromise, when you can have it all?
23 VELFAC at the Olympics 2012 The slim and elegant VELFAC 200 series took part in this year’s Olympic Games.
16
Quality counts…
… and this is why VELFAC is fully BS EN ISO 9001 accredited, explains VELFAC Operations Director Eddie Rigby.
6 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . A lesson in sustainability
Carnegie Primary School :
A lesson in sustainability
When officially opening Carnegie Primary School in Dunfermline, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond called it ‘the best school in Scotland’. Now starting its second academic year, the school demonstrates how an exciting yet practical educational environment, can also deliver exceptional levels of sustainability. This is underlined by the award of a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the first such rating to be awarded to a UK primary school.
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Carnegie Primary School accommodates almost 600 nursery and primary pupils in a ‘pinwheel’ building design; four teaching wings are linked to a central timber-clad hub, which houses communal and administrative areas, and to a cantilevered zinc-clad library. The school was designed by Archial architects and built by Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure. The project employed passive design principles, recognised eco-technologies, and specified high performance products and materials from the very beginning, in order to ensure green strategies were ‘designed in’ rather than ‘added on’.
Carnegie Primary School accommodates almost 600 nursery and primary pupils in a ‘pinwheel’ building design.
8 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . A lesson in sustainability
Remote control VELFAC windows, with motors fully concealed within the timber frame, provide internal air quality and temperature control.
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The whole building is designed to maximise natural light and ventilation.
Natural light Sustainability underpins every aspect of school design, from the 15kW wind turbine, which generates power for classroom lighting and computers, to the rainwater harvesting system used to supply the school’s flush toilets. The whole building is also designed to maximise natural light and ventilation; the relatively narrow ‘spokes’ of the pinwheel encourage daylight penetration and cross-ventilation, and VELFAC glazing – specified throughout the building – significantly contributes to both. The slim VELFAC frame increases the amount of natural light entering the interior when compared to other more ‘traditional’ window designs, whilst the simple construction delivers high levels of durability, particularly suitable for a busy environment such as a school.
Remote control windows VELFAC glazing is also fundamental to the school’s natural ventilation system. Remote control windows, with motors fully concealed within the timber frame, provide internal air quality and temperature control, with the option of personal override whenever local conditions require. The VELFAC system brings light into the central hub, and is a key feature of the striking library façade, delivering a strong aesthetic complement to the unusual cantilevered design. School owner Fife Council is rightly proud of Carnegie Primary School. The building clearly supports the Scottish ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ which aims to make school buildings and landscapes part of the learning environment. As a result the school recently hosted the launch of ‘Making Space for Children’, an initiative to reward buildings and spaces which reach these goals. The school has also won plaudits from the architectural community, receiving a commendation in the ‘Sustainable Design’ category in the 2012 Scottish Design Awards.
10 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012
AROUND VELFAC
Meet us at Grand Designs in Birmingham
First Minister of Scotland opens new school Watch the news item on the opening of Carnegie Primary School featuring VELFAC windows.
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VELFAC will present its range of windows and doors at stand B360. Over 500 exhibitors are expected covering interiors, gardens, home improvement, self-build, renovations, technology and shopping. Grand Designs Live Birmingham takes place from 12-14th October 2012.
Show venue National Exhibition Centre Birmingham B40 1NT
Show opening times Friday 12th and Saturday 13th October · 10am - 6pm Sunday 14th October · 10am - 5pm
Did you know… … that VELUX and VELFAC are sister companies dedicated to providing window solutions for respectively roofs and façades? Both companies are subsidiaries of VKR Holding, a worldwide group of companies that supply materials which bring daylight, fresh air and a better environment into people’s everyday life.
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Window of the future
BIM
by nature
– smart
VELFAC has made BIM objects available to customers for quite some time on our own website. Now, we have taken this one step further by also making them available at http://bimobject.com. This website brings together BIM objects from various industries, making it even easier to plan complex projects. BIM objects still carry the representation of your products in 2D and 3D like a CAD symbol would, but they also carry so much more. In a BIM object you can also add links back to your product information, your website, contact details and installation instructions.
Looking for low U-values, strength and elegant design? Then you might consider cutting edge technology from VELFAC. The new VELFAC 200 Helo® has it all, including U-values down to 0.8W/m²k. The third generation of the original VELFAC 200 System optimises energy balance using a new composite material consisting of glass and polyurethane.
Like VELFAC on facebook and win an Amazon.com voucher worth £20
12 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . energy balance
ENERGY Balance When assessing a window’s energy performance, U-values are just part of the equation.
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A window unit’s energy efficiency is measured mostly in terms of heat loss, or U-value, but the latest window technology is turning this measurement on its head. By understanding a window’s ‘energy balance’ – a measure not only of how much heat is lost, but also how much is gained through free solar heat – architects and engineers can begin to fully understand how buildings will behave, and subsequently how to optimise energy performance.
Improved architectural design When maximising energy performance, architecture and window specification have to reflect a wider range of build parameters, including: • Orientation – crucial in determining how to manage solar heat, which can be exploited to passively heat a building during the cooler months, but also to prevent unwanted heat during summer. Windows can be designed to utilise solar energy (g-value), from south, east or west-facing façades, while minimising heat loss from north-facing façades. • Shading – from trees, neighbouring buildings or landscape features. • Window number and extent – window volume, placement and combination dramatically affect performance in terms of energy balance, shading and daylight.
High performance window features Energy efficient buildings demand windows designed to optimise energy balance, windows with features such as: • The right glass to frame ratio (Ff-value) – the thinner the frame, and the greater the glass, the more solar heat and daylight enter the building. • Sun screening or solar control glazing – essential to control excessive solar gain, especially during the summer. • Robust installation methods – thermal bridges can account for up to 15% of the heat lost from low energy buildings; bridges can be virtually eliminated by robust installation methods and perimeter sealing systems specifically designed to improve linear thermal transmittance values (y-values). • The right installation materials and components – thermal bridging can be reduced significantly by using installation components such as bracket and restraint fixings that eliminate thermal bridges, three layer sealing systems, and insulated window liners.
• Air tightness – energy efficient windows combined with robust installation details minimise air leakage, and resulting energy loss if heated air escapes.
Glass options and solar gain Glazing choice can significantly affect a window’s energy performance. As triple glazing always delivers better insulation (assuming all other window parameters are consistent), this is often the best choice for windows not exposed to direct sunlight, such as those on north facing façades. Double glazing with as low a U-value as possible is ideal in south-facing, unshaded façades, as the higher g-values available provide the most free energy. Associated g-values also depend on glass type; glass with a lower iron content, for example, allows more heat to enter the interior. The gas used to fill the space between glass layers also influences g-value. Krypton is one option, but the improved U-values achieved are not always worth the associated financial and environmental costs, and so argon – the gas used in most VELFAC units – remains the preferred choice for most projects.
Specification with understanding Latest developments in window performance underline how important it is to understand the impact of window construction and installation on energy performance. This may make specification a more exacting task, but if a positive energy balance can be achieved, then the benefits can be significant. For more information on achieving the ideal energy balance, contact the VELFAC sales team on 01223 897100.
14 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . knowledge
Get up to date on window technology
Book a CPD Presentation VELFAC offers a CPD presentation for architects and building professionals that explains the concepts ofenergy balance and efficient window design.
In short Booking
The basis of U-value calculations for windows Heat flow paths in window design Measures to improve window U-values Window and glass technologies Optimising window frame designs and glazing configurations Comparisons of performance Regulatory requirements Solar heat gains through glass Efficient building design and window optimisation Basic solar shading mechanisms Installation and air permeability
Please contact us on 01223 897100 to book a presentation for your team
Duration Approximately 45 minutes
Location In-house or at the VELFAC office in Cambridge
Practical details VELFAC will provide all relevant equipment and refreshments
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VELFAC GAINS FSC® CERTIFICATION VELFAC has gained FSC (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification for the timber used in its windows and doors, underlining the company’s commitment to the highest environmental standards. On gaining the certification, VELFAC CEO Finn Jespersen said: ‘The FSC certification system prevents illegally logged timber entering the market, and as an FSC certified company, we must be able to trace and document every piece of wood used in our windows and doors – from finished product through the supply chain. As a result, VELFAC windows and doors now carry a code which confirms that the timber used comes from FSC certified forests and other controlled sources. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification is assessed by independent, third-party certification bodies to ensure that it represents the highest social and environmental standards. FSC is an international, non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to promoting the responsible management of the world’s forests, and is supported by other NGOs including WWF, Greenpeace and the Woodland Trust. The FSC global forest certification system has two key components: 1) Forest Management certification – to ensure that the forest which supplies the timber being used is managed to the highest social, environmental and economic standards. 2) Chain of Custody certification – traces the wood from FSC certified forests through every stage of processing and distribution. Please ask for our FSC-certified products.
16 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . quality counts
QUALITY COUNTS
VELFAC Operations Director Eddie Rigby.
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VELFAC prides itself on the quality of its products, but also of its people and the service they provide. Any organisation can promise quality, but physically proving this commitment is essential – this is why VELFAC is fully BS EN ISO 9001 accredited.
A
chieving this standard demonstrates that the company’s service and support systems can deliver a proven level of performance, and can sustain this performance over the longer term.
“We first gained the Standard in 1995,” explains VELFAC Operations Director Eddie Rigby, “and have been successfully audited every year since. The VELFAC scope of certification covers every aspect of a project, from first entry in to the VELFAC organisation, through to the servicing of our windows once installed.” Every stage of a project – from initial inquiry to after sales service – has to be documented and then performed to the highest standards. Every member of the VELFAC team is then responsible for delivering the same level of service, no matter what size of project or inquiry.
Design Solutions VELFAC takes particular pride in its design service, agreeing practical, robust and cost-effective design details, which are critical to the successful completion of VELFAC works within the agreed programme. This process typically includes but is not limited to the following: • elevation drawings of all window and door elements • scheduling of cill and other aluminium pressings • scheduling of all door functions and ironmongery • structural calculations where appropriate • setting out and sectional interface information for the window and door elements
Achieving Consistency Investing in ISO 9001 is voluntary, but in a sector as volatile as the construction industry, there is no doubt that companies holding the Standard can offer customers real benefits. As Eddie explains: “Consistency is key in project management. A proven quality management system can help guarantee this consistency, providing a framework of procedures to ensure essential deadlines are achieved.” The Standard is not a static benchmark – it demands continual review and improvement and so also demands a monitoring
system designed to prompt better performance whenever necessary. “Quality should be an ongoing process,” says Eddie, and by committing ourselves to the ISO Standard we make sure that it is. We have put in place our own bi-annual internal audits, to complement the annual ISO 9001 assessments. This ensures that corrective measures and improvements are introduced and fully implemented ahead of each annual accreditation.”
Continuous Improvement The robust system VELFAC has put in place, ensured an update to it’s accreditation after successfully passing its latest round of assessment in August this year. VELFAC has also embarked on an internal quality driven strategy, known as ‘Future Excellence’. This strategy is focussed on improving all internal processes, in order to provide the most efficient route to solutions, which in turn guarantees the best customer service. Involvement in ISO 9001 and ‘Future Excellence’ demands significant investment in time and energy from the VELFAC team, but results through repeat business from major customers, have proven over time that the investment has been worthwhile.
The Standard is not a static benchmark – it demands continual review and improvement and so also demands a monitoring system designed to prompt better performance whenever necessary.
18 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . maggie’s centre
MAGGIE’S CENTRE:
BEAUTIFUL LIGHT, BEAUTIFUL LINES
Nottingham’s Maggie’s Centre, built in the grounds of Nottingham City Hospital, is designed by architect Piers Gough of CZWG, with interiors created by world famous designer Paul Smith.
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A two-story, floating green oval ‘tree house’ is the latest building to join the list of Maggie’s Centres, the network of ‘exceptional centres for cancer care’ built by the Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Trust. The drop-in Centres integrate professional help with community support to help alleviate the emotional distress and practical difficulties associated with cancer. They are also renowned for their innovative architecture and comfortable interiors, specifically designed to be inviting, encouraging and appealing to anyone walking through the door. Nottingham’s Maggie’s Centre, built in the grounds of Nottingham City Hospital, is designed by architect Piers Gough of CZWG, with interiors created by world famous designer Paul Smith. The striking building appears to be constructed from green oval overlapping elevations, with the whole structure suspended above ground. The building, accessed by a wide bridge from a nearby slope, features a series of interconnected rooms, a semi-basement, and large balconies extending out towards nearby trees, with branches and leaves also within reach of visitors opening the VELFAC windows to their full 90 degrees extent. VELFAC glazing is used to provide the full and half-height windows which enhance every façades, and the patio doors which open onto the balconies. The windows provide views in all four directions, further enhancing the ‘treehouse’ effect, while the aluminium external VELFAC frame echoes the pale gray steel soffits which curve around the external façades, clad in bright green ceramic tiles. Internally, the slim framed VELFAC windows maximise natural daylight, helping to create the positive atmosphere essential for the work at the Centre. The interior frame finish, of white painted pine, provides an ideal complement to the pale walls and wooden floor, and to the vibrant soft fabrics and eclectic furniture used throughout the Centre. Mandy McMahan, Centre Head, applauds the building’s ‘beautiful light openness and beautiful lines,’ which make visitors ‘feel a sense of being somewhere special, which is uplifting to them and makes them feel special as well.’ Formally opened in November 2011, the building now plays an important role in the local community, while also maintaining the ethos of Maggie’s Centres worldwide – to spark curiosity, and to be inviting and encouraging while offering psychological, practical and emotional support. In addition, the Centre was a regional winner in the RIBA 2012 Awards, and has been shortlisted for the 2012 WAN Healthcare Awards.
Award winning Maggie’s Centre is a striking building designed to let in daylight from all directions.
20 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . maggie’s centre
VELFAC windows maximise natural daylight, helping create the positive atmosphere essential to the work of the Centre.
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Awards
for Maggie’s Centre 2012 Structural Steel Design Awards * Finalist British Construction Industry Awards * Short-listed
*
WAN Healthcare Short-listed to 1 of 5
*
RIBA Awards Regional winner
RICS ‘Community Benefit’ * Highly Commended
2011 Nottingham Civic Society * Winner
22 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012
SCHOOL REPORT
Increased levels of light and ventilation, and enhanced energy performance – windows have to satisfy a challenging brief when installed in a school environment, with durability, low maintenance and easy operation also on the list. So it’s not surprising that VELFAC features in so many UK schools, as these examples show.
EXWICK HEIGHTS PRIMARY SCHOOL, DEVON Built: 2008 Architect: Fairview Architecture Ltd Specified as part of a commitment to sustainable design, VELFAC windows were used to complement other timber elements, and to provide a passive ventilation system. As a result, Exwick Heights was runner up in Building magazine’s 2008 Sustainability Awards, and was a finalist in the 2008 RIBA Town and Country Sustainability Awards.
LEIGH TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY, KENT Built: 2009. Architect: BDP VELFAC windows satisfied the ‘many cost, aesthetic and performance requirements’ for this award winning academy, said project architect BDP. As well as enhancing natural ventilation, the windows deliver excellent thermal and acoustic performance, important as the school is close to many busy roads, while the slim frames maximise natural daylight.
ST WILFRED’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL, WEST SUSSEX Built: 2010 Architect: Curl La Tourelle A striking, curved double-storey teaching block, wrapped around a courtyard, features a double ribbon run of VELFAC windows along its full length. Coloured aluminium sandwich panels add vitality and variety to the external glazing, used to enhance the dramatic exterior, and to maximise natural light and natural ventilation.
EARL MORTIMER COLLEGE, HEREFORDSHIRE Built: 2011 Architect: Haverstock Associates VELFAC glazing not only features in a multi-coloured window wall but also plays a key role in this new build school’s ambitious environmental strategy, with large windows used to maximise natural light and enhance the natural ventilation system, while carefully specified glazing minimises solar gain without affecting daylight transmittance.
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AROUND VELFAC
VELFAC at the 2012 Olympics
Of course VELFAC was present at this summer’s Olympic Games in London. Originally founded in Denmark, VELFAC is a very well known brand in Scandinavia and the Danish television channel TV2 chose to equip its two studios at St Katharine Docks with the VELFAC 200 system, presenting the sleek window design to viewers several times a day.
24 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012
TAILORED SUPPORT
ADDS
REAL VALUE
Kevan Woolf, VELFAC Business Manager.
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Window specification can be a complex process encompassing architectural and structural design, and product performance, all in the context of external finish and interior environment. Using a specialist supplier is key to successful specification - Kevan Woolf, VELFAC Business Manager, explains why the advice provided by VELFAC is so important, and why it can add so much value.
What is the goal of the VELFAC Sales Support Team?
What happens after a project is completed?
Kevan Woolf: “We use our in depth understanding of our products, and of the industry, to make specification easier, installation more successful, and to ensure window performance exceeds expectations both immediately and in the longer term. Often architects and specifiers are unaware of the design versatility of VELFAC, so we also help them understand how best to exploit our window, door and panel systems, and use our extensive range of colour and finish options.”
Kevan Woolf: “We continue to offer support even when a project is signed off, as buildings often continue to evolve over time. For example, if a room changes function, we can advise on how to adapt existing glazing to meet new needs – perhaps to change fixed lights to opening windows, adjust light levels, or change the function of entrance doors.”
When can customers ask for advice? Kevan Woolf: “As soon as we receive an initial enquiry we provide a consultancy service, which continues through specification and into the more detailed project phases, where we can provide tailored technical advice including thermal data, natural ventilation calculations, acoustic solutions, solar control glazing, structural engineering calculations, and security advice.”
How do you support the installation of your products on site? Kevan Woolf: “We undertake a full design process, including setting out and sectional interface information for window and door elements. This gives main contractors and window installers agreed details to work with, ensuring windows are installed as cost effectively and as swiftly as possible.”
This level of support requires considerable knowledge – what training does VELFAC provide? Kevan Woolf: “We invest in a significant training programme through the VELFAC College, designed to keep the sales support team fully up to date with VELFAC products, building regulations and wider industry issues. The sales support team attends regular courses, which we hope develops them in to experts in their field.”
Is support also part of the VELFAC 12 year warranty? Kevan Woolf: “Yes – support continues throughout the warranty period and beyond; for example, each VELFAC window carries a unique identity tag which helps us locate spare parts when needed, even many years after installation.”
Why does VELFAC offer such generous and comprehensive support? Kevan Woolf: “Consultancy and sales support is integral to our business. We want our customers to know that they are not just receiving a set of windows and doors when they buy VELFAC products - they are also gaining access to a service specifically designed to help them make the most of their investment, and that the end result exceeds expectations.”
We undertake a full design process, including setting out and sectional interface information for window and door elements.
26 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . curtain walling regulations
CURTAIN WALLING REGULATIONS – PREPARING FOR 2013
VELFAC glazing is frequently installed as curtain walling, where large glazed features add dramatic architectural impact, and increase the amount of natural light reaching the interior, thereby reducing artificial lighting and associated carbon emissions.
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The VELFAC 200 System is well suited to curtain walling applications, large glazed features, such as window walling, entrance halls, atria or stair wells, can be created, as opening and fixed lights have identical sightlines. VELFAC panels also allow the opportunity to create entire façades with a particular feel or aesthetic, where striking colours or textures formed from aluminium, enamel glass, laminate boarding, or cedar can be used to provide a contrast to the clear glazed areas. And because our windows and screens are made using the same system, the visual appearance of all glazing in a project is maintained, providing a coherent aesthetic for the whole development.
As curtain walling features in many new build and refurbishment projects, suppliers, contractors and specifiers need to know that from July 2013, all curtain walling products – from the largest atrium to the smallest screen – will have to carry a CE marking as the Construction Products Regulation (first published in April 2011), takes full effect.
28 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012 . curtain walling regulations
CE Marking
Performance characteristics
Curtain walling is a construction product covered by the European Standard BS EN 13830:2003, which requires CE marking from July 2013. BS EN 13830 is also under review with extensions to the scope expected to be completed by end 2012, which for the UK market means that curtain walling suppliers and specialist contractors will have to: • use Eurocodes when calculating loads and structural performance • test curtain walls for fire stopping • provide assessments of U-values, flanking sound transmission and radiation properties. The CE mark will apply to the whole wall, including framing members, infill, glazing, flashing and closures, with performance levels determined by the supplier and by the specialist contractor used during installation.
The Construction Products Regulation defines a range of performance characteristics for curtain walling, with some mandatory (such as fire and wind resistance, thermal transmission, and durability), others required where relevant, (such as resistance to snow load), and others being optional (including watertightness, impact resistance and air permeability). Suppliers can define these optional characteristics as NPD (No Performance Determined), but those that do so would find themselves at a market disadvantage. It is important to note that the CE mark is not a ‘fit for purpose award’, and is applied using the product standard, which allows many different classes of performance.
Responsibilities As the CE mark is given to the whole wall, any specialist contractor declaring the performance levels required must be responsible for every element comprising the wall. A number of guidelines and strategies are now in place to help suppliers ensure their products meet the standards required, including self-testing at accredited testing facilities, and the use of test results from system and component suppliers, known as cascading initial type testing. Underpinning all this, however, is a requirement for specialist contractors to implement control procedures at the factory stage, covering materials, components, equipment, the production process, and the product. This also demands comprehensive design documentation, and detailed records of the manufacturing and checking procedures, and also that these records are kept for 10 years. What does this mean for system suppliers – and architects – considering curtain walling options? It means that more, and more varied, testing will have taken place before a system is installed, with performance data increasingly available for aspects such as wind safety, U-values, watertightness, air permeability, and impact, and it is likely that system suppliers and specialist contractors will work increasingly closely on calculating the data required.
Enforcement Regulation means nothing, however, unless it is enforced and in the UK, the responsibility for enforcement now lies with the Trading Standards Institute. However, as this is a new area of activity for Trading Standards Officers it remains to be seen how enforcement will take place, but whatever the approach adopted, it is important for all parties to remember that Officers can now ask to see design and production process documentation for up to 10 years after a curtain wall has been constructed.
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CWCT This article summarises the latest advice from CWCT – the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology. CWCT is located at the University of Bath and is sponsored by a number of major organisations in the construction sector, including VELFAC. CWCT has been identified by the Department of Communities and Local Government as one of the bodies to be consulted on the detailed implementation of the Construction Products Directive in the UK. As a result, CWCT is currently meeting systems suppliers and specialist contractors in order to identify a workable approach to CE marking of curtain walling, lobbying for further clarification of requirements, and working to reduce the need for testing of fire stopping and acoustic barriers. CWCT is also involved in the development of training for curtain walling designers on issues such as the use of structural Eurocodes, and on the assessment of thermal transmittance and radiation properties. Kind acknowledgement to Stephen Ledbetter BSc PhD FICE FSFE CEng, Director of CWCT. For more information, contact: CWCT University of Bath Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AY Telephone: +44 (0) 1225 386541 Web: www.cwct.co.uk
30 | VELFAC . windows for life 2012
AROUND VELFAC
VELFAC handle in optimised material
Looking for inspiration?
Why
Compromise?
The distinctive VELFAC handle is now available in a new composite material designed to improve insulation and make the handle warmer and more comfortable to use. The new material covers a steel core, with the matt chrome plated surface finish making the handle identical in appearance to previous models.
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A new edition of the VELFAC Direct brochure has been released in both print and electronic versions. The brochure provides inspiration for any home owner planning a building or refurbishment project.
Call us at 01223 897100 to request your copy, or visit www.VELFAC.co.uk to download the electronic version.
energy l design l quality l consulting
T: 01223 897100 . E: post@VELFAC.co.uk . www.VELFAC.co.uk