WINDOWS FOR LIFE
VOL 4 .
AUTUMN 2013 // A MAGAZINE ABOUT DAYLIGHT, FRESH AIR AND WINDOW DESIGN //
CASE STUDY: CITY CENTRE LUXURY 6
London Square’s Leonard Street apartment building uses VELFAC glazing to complement stunning interior and exterior design.
VELFAC celebrates 50 years of innovative window design this year – we take a look at our history, and ask Nick Brown, General Manager VELFAC UK, what lies ahead.
BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY
10
From zero-carbon homes to BREEAMrated Excellent projects, VELFAC is synonymous with sustainable building design – Technical Director Jim Rowley considers the impact of BREEAM, and we showcase some of our most sustainable projects.
20
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
2 | VELFAC | ContEnts
6
| Case study: Leonard Street apartments, London
10
| Sustainable windows
14
| Recent BREEAM-rated Excellent projects
15 16
| Assessing sustainability | Case study:
20
| Nick Brown, General Manager
24 26
| A history of innovation
30 31
| VELFAC projects win awards
BREEAM update
CarbonLight Homes, Kettering VELFAC UK, looks ahead
| Case Study: Holy Trinity School, Barnsley
| CPD and the Window Collection – latest news from VELFAC
sustAinAbiLity MiniMuM iMPaCt, MaXiMuM beneFit VELFAC has been a pioneer of sustainable window design, but what can sustainable windows offer architects and property owners? In this extended feature we showcase recent VELFAC sustainable projects and ask Technical Director Jim Rowley to consider the impact of BREEAM on window design.
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liFe at tHe top VELFAC windows are adding value to London Square’s Leonard Street apartments, London’s latest luxury residence.
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6
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Happy birthday VELFAC
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VELFAC is 50 years old this year - we go back to our Danish roots to trace a history of innovation in window design and, in an interview with VELFAC UK General Manager Nick Brown, look ahead to the future.
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An education in building design At the Holy Trinity School in Barnsley, VELFAC glazing was pre-installed in factory-made structural panels as part of an innovative building strategy.
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Latest news See some of our latest, award-winning projects, and find out more about VELFAC CPD.
4 | VELFAC | Editorial
Windows for Life Magazine Published by VELFAC Ltd The Old Livery, Hildersham Cambridge, CB21 6DR T: 01223 897100 E: post@VELFAC.co.uk www.velfac.co.uk
Executive Editorial Team Andy Cook Christina Hauberg Rasmussen
Editorial Team Angela Murray Kevan Woolf Anine Drivsholm Br책ten Christina Haugsted Gemmer
Design Editor Mikkel Johan Krogh, Datagraf Communications
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Welcome to the autumn 2013 edition of Windows for Life, our magazine for construction professionals, looking at daylight, fresh air and window design.
Supporting sustainability Sustainability is an issue always in the
corporate history, one that started on a
headlines, but is a term which – for the
small island off the coast of Denmark, and
architectural community – is constantly
in an interview with VELFAC UK General
evolving. In this edition of the magazine
Manager Nick Brown, we also look ahead
we explore what sustainability means
to the challenges of the next 50 years.
to window design and manufacture. As
Finally, the two recent projects featured
a company we have always pioneered
on pages 6 and 26 demonstrate the
sustainable window design, and we are
versatility and – yes – sustainability – of
currently testing performance to the
VELFAC glazing in very different contexts;
limits at the CarbonLight Homes project
at Holy Trinity School, a large, busy school
in Kettering, where two semi-detached,
in Barnsley, and at the luxury apartment
zero-carbon homes will be occupied by ‘real
block recently completed at Leonard Street
life’ families for a year as part of a series
in central London.
of similar schemes taking place across
We hope you enjoy reading this edition
Europe. We look at the project in detail on
of Windows for Life, which also includes
page 15, and also ask VELFAC Technical
the latest industry developments, product
Director, Jim Rowley about BREEAM and
updates, and CPD information.
its influence on window design, as well
For more information on any article,
as reviewing some of our BREEAM Rated
or to book a CPD course, contact us on
Excellent projects.
01223 897100, or email post@velfac.
VELFAC has always worked according
co.uk
to sustainable principles, developing windows that feature responsibly
We look forward to hearing from you
sourced raw materials, deliver exceptional insulation and maximum light, and which
Andy Cook
require very little maintenance over a long
Project Sales Director
lifetime. As we reach our 50th birthday, we look back - on page 24 – over an unusual
Print Oberthur Technologies Circulation: 5.000 copies
Front cover General Manager Nick Brown, VELFAC UK
Published Bi-annually
Photos Craig Auckland, Timothy Soar, Fokus Foto and VELFAC archives.
Apology We would like to apologise for the use of incorrect exterior photographs in the article on VELFAC glazing at the original PowerGen HQ building, designed in 1994 by architects Bennetts Associates, which featured in the last edition of ‘Windows for Life’. The photographs showed VELFAC glazing installed in the PowerGen annexe designed by BDP.
03.462-09.13 © 2013 VELFAC A/S ® VELFAC, VELFAC logo and VELFAC VinduesHuset are registered trademarks used under license by VELFAC Group. HELO is a registered trademark belonging to VKR Holding A/S. FSC®-C111486, www.fsc.org
6 | VELFAC | Case study
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LIFE AT THE TOP:
LEONARD STREET APARTMENTS, LONDON VELFAC glazing adds to the concept of luxury living in one of London’s newest apartment blocks.
F
eaturing a penthouse priced at just over two million pounds, specialist housebuilder London Square had a very demanding brief for its latest luxury apartment development at Leonard Street, London.
Designed by architects AHMM, each apartment had to be finished to the highest specification, to deliver sleek and contemporary living inside and out. Built on what was one of the capital’s few remaining bomb-damaged sites, the development – finished in late 2012 - comprises 45 apartments over eight storeys, including penthouses on two floors and over 20,000sq ft of ground level office space. Always vital but sometimes not fully considered, daylight maximisation is an important consideration for all, and in particular inner city developments, and so the choice of window system is crucial.
Clean, modern architecture VELFAC glazing met the specification for both performance and design; the slim, uniform sightlines are a perfect compliment to clean, modern architecture, while also allowing maximum light into interior spaces. In addition, the composite pine and aluminium frame construction is both durable and distinctive, ideal for apartment living where windows can be a major feature within a room, but also where window maintenance is low on the agenda. Over 470m2 of VELFAC glazing is installed within the apartments at Leonard Street, used in full height and punch-hole windows, and in external doors. Fantastic views of the London skyline are a key selling point for upper floor apartments, and these are emphasised by the VELFAC slim frame profile. On lower floors, the windows maximise natural light entering the interior, and views of the development’s private courtyard for
VELFAC windows met the architectural objective of a clean brick facade.
8 | VELFAC | Case study
south-facing residents. All glazed units also combine fixed and opening lights to allow ventilation; VELFAC developed a custom-made design to both assist the ventilation strategy and meet London Square’s objective of a clean brick façade. The solution, created and manufactured by the VELFAC design and technical team, comprised a project-specific extract vent which sits at the head of the reveal.
Quality and choice of finish is important The quality and choice of finish is always important when windows are used as a key design element. At Leonard Street, the inner pine frame is finished in white paint, complementing the cool palette used throughout the interior spaces. The hardwearing external aluminium frame features a granite finish chosen specifically to enhance the simple brick and stone façade, fitting into the urban landscape surrounding the development while also creating an imposing statement at street level and above. VELFAC high quality fittings add to the quality of the finished windows which also deliver the performance required for urban living. Double-glazed, the windows offer excellent acoustic insulation as standard, ideal for street-facing residential developments. An enhanced U-value of 1.42W/m2k also ensures optimal thermal insulation which, in turn, maximises energy efficiency for residents and for the building as a whole. Having been involved with AHMM since 2006 on this project, both AHMM and VELFAC were delighted when the project finally became live thanks to London Square, a company which VELFAC has already worked closely with in the past. Construction started at the Leonard Street site in January 2012, with the first show apartment open for viewing by the following September. Demand has proved ‘astounding’, says London Square, with almost all apartments sold by March 2013. VELFAC and London Square are already planning to work together on future projects and look forward to building an even stronger relationship.
‘The quality and choice of finish is always important when windows are used as a key design element.’
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10 | VELFAC | Sustainability
MEETING THE BREEAM BRIEF BREEAM has become an increasingly valuable asset for buildings keen to showcase their sustainability – but what does BREEAM mean for window companies such as VELFAC?
By Jim Rowley, VELFAC Technical Director
I
n the context of sustainable building, a BREEAM
of BREEAM, and the place of sustainability on the built
rating for building design, construction and operation
environment agenda, will undoubtedly rise for a number
is one of the most widely recognised accreditations
of reasons.
of environmental building performance available.
The standard is considered to be the world’s foremost assessment methodology and assessment scheme and encourages all those involved in building construction and management to consider environmental and ecological impact, energy demands, and low carbon technologies. The aim is to deliver sustainable quality buildings with a strong emphasis on social responsibility, health and well-being. Launched in the 1990s by the Building Research
Establishment, BREEAM is now used in over 50 countries, and more than 250,000 buildings have been assessed using the methodology. Depending upon the score achieved under the various assessment criteria, a building may be awarded one of five ratings, ranging from a pass through to the top award of ‘Outstanding’. In recent years, economic pressure has prompted greater scrutiny of the costs associated with sustainability, but as growth slowly returns to the UK – at least in the construction sector – the value
Purpose-built and client-led Given the holistic performance goals demanded by BREEAM – from automatic lighting to proximity to bus routes - many ‘ideal’ BREEAM projects are purpose-built and client-led, but such an investment is increasingly considered worthwhile given the reputational advantage earned by a BREEAM rated building, whether a company HQ or a primary school. With ‘green’ values increasingly important to all stakeholder groups, the number of BREEAM-focused projects will undoubtedly grow, and in every sector. In addition, efficient sustainability is now seen as an essential response to growing energy costs, with the gap between energy and capital costs narrowing significantly. With energy seemingly set to become ever more expensive, initiatives such as BREEAM, and the Code for Sustainable Homes, provide a means of assessment for building efficiency.
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12 | VELFAC | Sustainability
Specified for BREEAM credit So what does this mean for component suppliers such as VELFAC? As demonstrated throughout this issue of the magazine, we have supplied windows for numerous BREEAM-rated and exemplar projects for many years, and have been specified for a number of key reasons: • Within the Green Guide to Specification, part of the BREEAM accreditation scheme, the VELFAC 200 window system is given an A rating for domestic windows and a B rating for commercial windows. These ratings help a project gain credits in the ‘Materials’ category of a BREEAM assessment. • VELFAC operates a policy of responsible materials sourcing. Timber is FSC certified with a traceable chain of custody, whilst aluminium is from recycled sources produced using hydro-electricity. Additionally, our manufacturing facilities carry ISO 14001 accreditation for environmental management.
• The VELFAC frame offers market-leading thermal efficiency - this is important as although the environmental impact of materials is a principle objective, in-service thermal performance is given more weighting when calculating a BREEAM score. • The slim frame design of the VELFAC 200 system negates the need for an outer frame profile, thus reducing the material content of the window system. • The homogenous slim frame design allows more natural light to enter the occupied space, thus reducing the requirement for artificial lighting. • VELFAC windows have gained Secured By Design certification which gains credit within a BREEAM assessment. • VELFAC supplies a comprehensive end-user guide, and fully detailed operation and maintenance guidelines for clients. This information is used to compile the Building User Guide which earns further BREEAM credit.
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‘Such an investment is increasingly considered worthwhile given the reputational advantage earned by a BREEAM rated building, whether a company HQ or a primary school’ Jim Rowley, Technical Director, VELFAC
Future innovation and BREEAM Going forward, both BREEAM and the Green Guide to Specification will evolve to reflect the innovations and new materials entering the market. Many of these currently lie beyond the scope of current recognition and accreditation, but which will be launched by suppliers wanting to meet market demand for pioneering and sustainable products. The VELFAC 200 Helo window system, for example, maximises energy balance and U-values by using a new, VELFAC-developed composite material comprising 82% glass threads and 18% polyurethane. This replaces the aluminium element of the established VELFAC composite frame design, and offers a class-leading U-value of 0.7W/ m2k for a window with 48mm glazing. Helo represents true cutting-edge performance, but as a highly innovative product it presents a challenge to the BREEAM assessor as its Life Cycle Analysis cannot reflect established and familiar use, or draw on historical
data for performance evidence. In response, VELFAC has commissioned bespoke LCA analyses in order to demonstrate the environmental impact of Helo. BREEAM is currently in the process of being updated, and the latest version is planned for release early next year. As a company closely involved with BREEAM rated projects – and one which also supports the aims and ideals of the BREEAM concept – we will be closely watching developments as they emerge and continuing to help our clients meet new demands as they are defined.
14 | VELFAC | Sustainability
CASE STUDIES:
BREEAM RATED EXCELLENT PROJECTS
VELFAC glazing has featured in ‘BREEAM Rated Excellent’ projects for many years, specified for its excellent energy performance, and use of sustainable raw materials and manufacturing practices. This is also detailed in the full life cycle analysis which supports every product installed, and by the company’s public commitment to reduce environmental impact. Here are just some examples:
iCon Innovation Centre, Daventry Architect: Consarc Architects Comprising business units, conference facilities, exhibition space and a café, the iCon Centre achieves outstandingly low average CO2 emissions of only 15kg/m2 per year through a number of innovative sustainability techniques, including the use of VELFAC windows to maximise daylight and minimise air permeability. Different glazing strategies were also used to control unwanted solar gain, including shading, coated glass and different glass spacing.
Innovation and Business Base, Luton Architect: Hopkins Architects A natural ventilation system was a key feature of this low rise, cedar-clad development, with automatic VELFAC windows used to help moderate internal temperature fluctuations, and to provide night time cooling. VELFAC glazing is installed in ribbon windows extending along the entire length of the building, which houses office space and business support facilities, thereby maximising daylight for occupants working inside, and further enhancing the building’s many energy saving features.
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Woodland Trust HQ, Grantham Architect: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios As befits a conservation charity, the new HQ for the Woodland Trust demonstrates excellent energy efficiency
3 WAYS TO ASSESS SUSTAINABILITY
throughout. VELFAC has been used to deliver maximum daylight to office spaces, and is also part of the building’s natural ventilation system. In addition, three storey high VELFAC windows, interspersed with timber cladding, are used in the building’s striking facades to evoke the spacing and verticality of woodland in this sustainable office development.
Greenwich Wharf, London Architect: bptw partnership This major scheme, comprising 267 affordable housing units and 29 private units, specified VELFAC glazing as it could meet a range of demanding
At VELFAC, we work with three international sustainability standards:
No. 1 BREEAM
BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is an English certification scheme, launched in England in 1990 and which has been used in the UK for over 20 years. The BREEAM method can be used to certify both new build and renovation projects.
No. 2 LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an American certification scheme, and its development began in 1993. LEED can certify both new build projects and the refurbishment of existing buildings. The Green Lighthouse project at Copenhagen University, in which VELFAC is a partner and window supplier, has achieved LEED Gold certification, the first building in Denmark to do so.
No. 3 DGNB
sustainability criteria which earned the project an EcoHomes
DGNB (German Sustainable Building Certificate) is a German certification scheme. The DGNB System covers all the key aspects of sustainable building - environmental, economic, sociocultural, functional, and technological, and including process and site. Depending on performance, a project can be awarded a bronze, silver or gold DGNB certificate.
Excellent rating - the BREEAM standard for social housing. Close collaboration was also required between architect and VELFAC as installation - into facades featuring a range of wall constructions - was particularly complex.
which became home to the Broads Authority, Environment Agency and Natural England. The glazing was used to create a dramatic main entrance, window wall and four storey glazed screen, and was also installed in large ribbon runs along the building’s facades in order to enhance the contemporary external design, and maximise light throughout the interior.
It pays
A study conducted by Scandinavian benchmarking organisation Byggeriets Evaluerings Center, shows that the certification costs associated with BREEAM, DGNB or LEED range from 0.1% to 0.5% of the total construction cost. The study also points out that certified buildings have an increased commercial or rental value of up to 10%, suggesting an economic benefit associated with sustainability certification.
ED
VELFAC windows were used to deliver both energy efficiency and style in this purpose built office building
LE
DEFRA Dragonfly House, Norwich Architect: Aukett Fitzroy Robertson
BR E E A M
DGN
B
16 | VELFAC | Sustainability
– T HE FUTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSING?
CARBONLIGHT HOMES
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A pioneering project by VELFAC parent company VKR Holding asks real people, across Europe, to spend a year in an Active House – we see how two families are enjoying life in the UK ‘home of the future’, at the CarbonLight Homes in Kettering.
I
n February 2013, the Glazebrook family moved into the UK’s first CarbonLight Home – one of only six developments in Europe built according to Active House principles by VELFAC parent company VKR
Holding. The Glazebrook’s house, near Kettering, is one of two semi-detached homes which prove that energy efficient, sustainable housing can be enjoyable to live in, and – most importantly perhaps - can be constructed in volume by a commercial housebuilder. Designed by HTA Architects, each home is built to achieve Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and uses the latest building technology to capture natural daylight, improve ventilation and minimise energy consumption. The design is deliberately flexible, ready to adapt to local environments and to different lifestyle choices, and by making positive use of gardens and outside spaces, helps generate a sense of community and a respect for the environment.
Natural daylight The starting point for the CarbonLight project is natural daylight. Extensive use of VELFAC windows and doors, combined with VELUX rooflights, deliver a glazing to floor area ratio of 23.8%, and a minimum average daylight factor of 5% for the whole house – up to three times greater than the amount required in living spaces by the Code for Sustainable Homes. In Kettering, the glazing strategy takes account of site and location; triple glazed windows are installed on the cooler, east elevation, while double glazed windows on the warmer western side take advantage of
18 | VELFAC | Sustainability
solar gain, thereby making an important contribution to energy efficiency, and demonstrating that optimum energy performance does not need a south-facing building plot.
About ‘Active House’
As well as solar gain, generous windows minimise the need for artificial lighting and play an essential role in the natural ventilation system which – together with internal and external sun screening – ensures fresh air and a comfortable room temperature throughout the building,
In Europe, people spend an average of 90% of their time indoors, in buildings that consume approximately 40% of all energy used. In addition, 30% of the building stock does not contribute to, or provide, the healthy indoor climate necessary for health and well-being. In response to this challenge, Active House - a notfor-profit organisation – was set up to realise a vision for buildings that create healthier and more comfortable lives while contributing to a cleaner environment with less pollution and waste. An Active House meets the demand for sustainable buildings which focus on the health and comfort of residents, which interact with local conditions and which – to a wide extent – use natural resources to make each building CO2 neutral. Sister companies VELUX and VELFAC are both participants within Active House; VELUX is on the Board of the organisation and VELFAC is an Alliance Partner. For more information, visit www.activehouse.info
and throughout the day. In addition, the excellent VELFAC U-Values offered as standard help sustain the high levels of insulation demanded across the fabric of the building, and help minimise air permeability.
Energy efficiency throughout Additional features throughout the house further improve energy efficiency, including low energy light fittings, solar thermal collectors, air source heat pumps, and rainwater harvesting for toilets, washing machines and sprinkler systems. An emphasis on automation means that the house continually monitors – and reacts to - energy efficiency levels, a concept widely used in commercial buildings but which is highly unusual in the domestic space. Together, these innovations deliver a 70% reduction in energy consumption, and with 30% carbon offsetting added to the equation, the result is a zero-carbon home. Despite the extensive use of technology, the CarbonLight concept remains focused on well-being; each house is around 30% larger than its conventional UK equivalent, and greater integration of house and garden design brings an extra appreciation of nature and seasonal change, with views exploited by the generous glazing used throughout the house.
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‘The starting point for the CarbonLight project is natural daylight’
Home for a year Although many active and ‘passive’ houses exist worldwide, most of these are designed to showcase concepts in action; the CarbonLight project, however, is a real home to two test families who will live in the CarbonLight houses until April 2014, documenting their experiences in a regular blog before the houses eventually go on sale. The energy consumption and performance data generated during this testing and monitoring phase will be used in the further development of the CarbonLight model. Not surprisingly, the project has attracted considerable attention since it was launched. The test families have been featured in the Sunday papers and on national TV, while the homes have also gained industry accolades, including the prestigious Innovation Award for Building Technology at the 2012 British Homes Awards. In addition, the local Government Office now considers the CarbonLight Home project as a benchmark solution for all new build housing in the area, a region where 5,500 houses are due to be built over the next 10 years.
20 | VELFAC | 50th Birthday
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A CLEAR VIEW
AHEAD As the company celebrates 50 years of consistent growth across Europe, VELFAC UK General Manager Nick Brown considers the reasons behind this success, and the challenges and opportunities of the future.
V
ELFAC has been designing,
design without compromising
manufacturing and selling
market leading quality or technical
essentially the same product
performance; together this represents
for 50 years, a business
a premium solution at an attractive
strategy built on a set of product
price, backed by on time performance
values that include excellent design
and committed service without which
and quality, technical leadership,
first rate product quality would be
modularity, and ease of installation.
significantly undermined.
We listen to our customers, and to
But we value our people as well
regulators, and retain the aspects
as our products, and the culture
customers like and improve what
and values inspired by Villum Kann
needs improving. We offer timeless
Rasmussen all those years ago
22 | VELFAC | 50th Birthday
‘We offer timeless design without compromising market leading quality or technical performance; together this represents a premium solution at an attractive price’ Nick Brown, General Manager VELFAC UK
continue to inspire our teams today.
window was sold. Originally
A top class product can only achieve
manufactured in Denmark, our
increasing regulation. In the 1990s, a
so much, but with the support of high
windows are now made in Poland,
U-value of 3.3W/m2k was considered
quality people the result is a winning,
a transition which brought many
challenging yet today, in Denmark,
and lasting, combination.
challenges but which was essential
U-values of 0.8W/m2k or less are not
if we were to maintain design,
uncommon and we can even achieve a
quality and technical excellence at an
U-value of 0.73W/m2k – almost equal
affordable market price. Today, we are
to the U-value of a solid external wall
reaping the benefits of that move.
in the UK in the 1990s.
Economic and regulatory challenges Local and global economic variations have also led to periods of great opportunity and growth for VELFAC, but also periods of difficulty and recession. It has been a huge challenge to maintain our investment in product and structural development, but our business model is designed to recognise – and respond - to change, not just when times are good, but also when they are bad. This inevitably results in some difficult decisions, but by staying true to our company values we have protected the long term success of the company.
demands without compromising our
Significant change VELFAC UK has significantly changed since we opened our first office, in Cambridge, in the early 1990s. At first we were a small company working with local architects to introduce composite windows into the UK marketplace. The product was well received, filling a premium quality gap, and as interest grew we opened new offices in Manchester and Kettering; now we market a product which is synonymous with quality, as demonstrated by a portfolio of over 5,000 projects. We are also now able to offer industry-leading performance at competitive prices as a result of our optimal manufacturing systems. VELFAC has seen enormous economic changes since the first
We also face the demands of
Our remit is to meet regulatory product in any way. We have seen competitors work hard to improve technical performance but in doing so also undermine key elements of window design and product quality. We continue to offer a ‘true’ composite solution – without the use of glued or aluminium coated components – which delivers a floating sash, uniform finish, distinctive shadow lines, and internal beading. This has been a significant challenge but one we have met successfully. In fact, regulation is one of the defining characteristics of the UK
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market. In Denmark, climatic extremes
plans to grow continuously but
that VELFAC glazing can bring to the
demand higher thermal performance,
without exposure to unnecessary risk,
private home. These projects might
whereas in the UK the emphasis is
and this is a constant challenge for us
be small – and a good example can be
on security and weather tightness.
all.
found on page 30 – but they showcase
There is also significant regional
We constantly strive to become our
our versatility, and represent a
variation across the UK; in Scotland,
customers’ preferred choice when
market sector which is set to grow
perhaps not surprisingly, customers
specifying windows, and although we
significantly.
focus on weather tightness whereas
are pleased to have achieved so much
in the south technical aspects
in our first 50 years, the premium
accelerated by the many new products
such as thermal insulation are key
composite window market remains
currently under development,
considerations. Experience gained
relatively small. I’d like to think that in
designed to access previously
across Europe is also pooled to the
50 years time many more people will
untapped opportunities, especially
benefit of all our customers – for
understand the benefits of composite
innovations in highly energy
example, our thermal performance
products and as a result our windows
efficient windows which represent a
capability is now so good, thanks
will represent a much larger market
considerable investment in research
to our Danish market, that we are
segment.
and development. Wherever our
effectively ‘future-proofed’ for some
We have also experienced
This growth may be further
business goes next, one thing that is
years to come with respect to relevant
significant growth for VELFAC Direct,
certain is that we will remain true to
thermal regulations.
our department which deals directly
where we have come from and who
with the self-build and consumer
we are. Our vision and values have
markets. Initially driven by architects
stood us in good stead for the last 50
wanting VELFAC products in their
years, and will remain the bedrock of
own homes, VELFAC Direct has
our success for the next 50.
Future growth As for many in the construction sector, VELFAC faces shrinking markets and instability among customers and suppliers. But we are part of an ambitious Group which
benefited from lifestyle media – such as ‘Grand Designs’ – which is raising awareness of the benefits
24 | VELFAC | 50th Birthday
A history of innovation The VELFAC brand has now been on the market for 50 years, but is part of a business with an even longer history.
A
lthough VELFAC celebrates
performance – Rasmussen developed
its 50th year in 2013, its
an alternative which countered
history really begins when
problems such as condensation
young engineer Kann
and poor insulation with a unique
Rasmussen set up his glass roof
composite frame and better drainage,
company in Copenhagen, in 1941. As
further improved in later years
a result of hard work, perseverance
with double-glazing for additional
and innovation, the business quickly
insulation, and a pivot hinge to allow
became a success, gaining a reputation
cleaning from the inside.
for good design and excellent service, and for new ideas such as the TUBUS iron window bar, a glazing bar designed to hold glass in place with a clip, rather than putty, and which also incorporated a channel to drain condensation away from the glass. As a glass roof specialist, it was not long before the company was asked to consider providing skylights for a new type of school design which featured classroom space in the roof. Having worked with existing roof lights – and been dissatisfied with their
The company’s first vertical window While perfecting the VELUX roof light that would eventually become a household name, Rasmussen and his team were also developing vertical windows using similar techniques, and the company’s first vertical window entered the market in 1952. The first units featured wooden frames and a coupled sash design which offered a double-glazed window with an inner pane which opened for cleaning. A key feature
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1941
1952 V. Kann Ramussen & Co launches the first vertical window
1963 Leif E. Hansen establishes RIBO Vinduer in Ringkobing, Denmark
was the newly-developed pivot-friction hinge, concealed within the frame, which allowed the window to rotate up to 180° while remaining fixed in all opened positions.
The VELFAC name is launched In 1963 – and completely independently – Danish builder Leif Hansen founded a company to create window facades; Leif’s ambition was to standardise the production of vertical windows and to do this he established what was, in those days, a major production facility extending over 15,000m2, in West Jutland. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Rasmussen and Hansen both produced vertical windows until Rasmussen finally took over Hansen’s company in 1978. The vertical window design was further refined, over many years, until the revolutionary 200 system window was unveiled and, in 1992, the VELFAC brand name was launched. Kann Rasmussen’s small roofing company is now the VKR Group, which still uses the same logo designed in the 1940s. The Group owns more than 20 companies in four business areas – vertical windows, roof windows and skylights, solar thermal energy, and ventilation and indoor climate - and remains committed to the original vision of providing daylight, fresh air and a better environment for everyone.
1980 The production of vertical windows with aluminium and wood begins alongside the production of wood windows
1992 The company changes its name from RIBO Vinduer to VELFAC
Villum Kann Rasmussen establishes the company V. Kann Rasmussen & Co
1962 V. Kann Rasmussen & Co registers the trademark VELFAC
1978 RIBO Vinduer becomes a part of V. Kann Rasmussen Firmagruppen
1985 The first VELFAC 200 window is launched. Wood windows are phased out of the company's product portfolio
2008 The first of eight experimental, low energy houses is built in Denmark
2010 VELFAC 200 Helo® is introduced to the market
2013
26 | VELFAC | Case Study
HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL, BARNSLEY
– An education in building design Innovative design and innovative construction combine to deliver an award winning school building.
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H
oly Trinity ALC (Advanced Learning Centre), Barnsley, has attracted much media attention since opening its doors in 2011 – and not just for its stylish architecture (designed
by AHMM), and innovative use of VELFAC glazing, but also for its construction. The school is one of several built using a Design for Manufacture and Assembly approach pioneered by main contractor Laing O’Rourke; using this system, standardised components and offsite manufacturing allow the team to deliver affordable, quality schools more quickly, to tighter technical specifications. At Holy Trinity, this included concrete structural panels manufactured off-site – with windows pre-installed - at Laing O’Rourke’s Nottingham-based Explore Industrial Park. learning environment that reflects the spirituality of
‘Generously sized windows’ The school accommodates 1,200 pupils, aged from 3 to 16, in four wings radiating from a central hub. This pinwheel design breaks up the mass of the building and – as AHMM explains - maximises the impact of ‘a liberal helping of generously sized windows. Abundant natural daylight and direct views out across the landscape and countryside are the result, creating a constructive
the School.’ Side vents allow manual ventilation, but the windows also feature top hung vents, linked to the school’s BMS, which open automatically when levels of CO2 in teaching spaces rise above prescribed levels. This is particularly important in a school environment, where high levels of CO2 can lead to loss of concentration among pupils, and a subsequent reduction in educational achievement.
The VELFAC frame complements the building’s sharp lines.
28 | VELFAC | Case Study
‘Abundant natural daylight and direct views out across the landscape and countryside are the result, creating a constructive learning environment that reflects the spirituality of the School’ AHMM Architects
The glazing is also used to add diversity to the well-honed yet uniform concrete exterior. Vertical metal fins, finished in bright green hues, are used to shade west facing window units, while all windows feature coloured mesh safety panels fitted in front of opening lights. Holy Trinity was the first project to feature externally supplied
Bolt-on safety
components fitted directly onto VELFAC frames – as detailed in insert box.
Pre-specified and pre-installed Working with Laing O’Rourke, VELFAC windows were pre-specified before the design phase began, and pre-installed into factory-made panels which were then shipped to site to construct the building. This strategy can dramatically cut the cost of public buildings such as schools, and for suppliers such as VELFAC also results in quicker, easier and safer installation. The accuracy of the pre-fabricated process also allows greater precision when planning window manufacture and delivery, and avoids the storage of windows on site with associated risk of damage, especially when installation is delayed. VELFAC windows maximise natural light while further enhancing interior spaces with internal wooden framing. Externally, the distinctive slim VELFAC frame complements the building’s sharp lines, while the combination of green fins and mesh with a grey aluminium frame finish adds colour, variety and interest to the exterior. Holy Trinity School has been named one of three 2013 RIBA Yorkshire Regional Award Winners.
The deliberately large windows installed at Holy Trinity combine a main fixed panel with an inward opening sidelight to provide ventilation, and as a result, safety is essential when windows are open. The solution is a coloured metal mesh panel fitted over the opening light and bolted directly onto the VELFAC frame before installation. The end result preserves the sightlines of the window, maintains the quality of the frame, and enables ventilation without compromising natural light.
| 29 Green fins and mesh add colour, variety and interest.
2 | VELFAC | ContEnts 30 | VELFAC | Award-winning VELFAC projects
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| Case study: Leonard Street apartments, London
Preston Manor Lower School makes awards shortlists
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| Sustainable windows
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| Recent BREEAM-rated Excellent projects
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| Assessing sustainability | Case study:
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| Nick Brown, General Manager
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| A history of innovation
new 420-pupil school, designed by architects HLM
| Case Study: Holy Trinity School, Barnsley
Greenbuild Awards 2013, and for Design and Innovation
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| VELFAC projects win awards
BREEAM update
CarbonLight Homes, Kettering VELFAC UK, looks ahead
VELFAC windows feature in another award-winning project - Preston Manor Lower School, Wembley. This
| CPD and the Window Collection – latest news from VELFAC
for Brent Council, was Highly Commended at the at The BSEC Awards 2012. BREEAM-rated ‘Excellent’,
liFe at tHe top
the school was also shortlisted in two categories for London RICS Awards 2013.
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arewere adding value to of windows installed, carefully OverVELFAC 630m2 windows
integrated to maximise design measures of London Square’s Leonardpassive Street apartments, natural daylight and latest ventilation. composite London’s luxuryVELFAC’s residence.
P. timber and aluminium frame complements the timber construction of the school and contributed to the
fast-build required. As Philip Grant, Associate architect at HLM commented: ‘VELFAC pine/aluminium windows were ideally compatible with the cross-laminated
Malabar House wins new build accolade
sustAinAbiLity An innovative new build home featuring VELFAC has just been named winner of the Isle of Wight glazing MiniMuM iMPaCt, RIBA 2013 New Build Award. RIBA described the house, MaXiMuM beneFit commissioned and occupied by property developer Malcolm Beckett, an example of how much a client VELFAC has been aas pioneer of sustainable can inspire great architecture. window design, but what can sustainable Designed by Fletcher Crane Architects, the house windows offer architects and property owners? features large VELFAC glazing and doors on all three In this extended feature we showcase recent storeys, and uses the grey aluminium external frame VELFAC sustainable projects as a compliment to the distinctive exterior finish which and ask Technical Director combines pure white with honeycomb brickwork. Jim Rowley to consider RIBA judges described the house as featuring some the impact ofinnovative BREEAM on ‘extremely and carefully considered window design. architectural devices’, which together created a ‘sense of dignified calm’.
P.
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timber panel system, also making fixing very simple. VELFAC’s unitised window system satisfied our need for standardised window sizes throughout, helping us meet a very tight building programme of just six months.’
around VElFaC | VELFAC | 31
CPD VELFAC offers a CPD presentation for architects and professionals that explains the concepts of energy balance and efficient window design. The presentation lasts around 45 minutes and describes the basis of the thermal performance of windows and the optimisation of controlled solar gains and glazing to harness solar energy and offset thermal losses. The content briefly comprises of: 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
the window collection - a collection of vertical windows
Going to Copenhagen? Swing by a museum featuring only windows! The Window Collection is a window display with a difference – documenting the historical development of the vertical window, and the window industry, the Collection features 145 windows dating from the 1800s to the present day. The Window Collection is the initiative of VKR Holding, parent company to both VELUX and VELFAC, and guided tours can be arranged by appointment - contact VELFAC on 01223 897100, or by email at post@ VELFAC.co.uk for more details. If you can’t visit the display in person, visit www.windowcollection.dk for more about the Collection, and for details of the online database where you can find out more about different windows, styles and periods.
Booking Please contact: Lead Manager Tom Kirk T: 01223 897 144 E: toki@VELFAC.co.uk
@ VELFAC eZine Sign up for our ezine and get all the latest news about window design and technology sent directly to your inbox. www.VELFAC.co.uk
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WHY COMPROMISE?
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When you can have cutting edge window technology and great design …
With slim, uniform sightlines for both opening and fixed lights, and attractive internal wood frames, VELFAC 200 offers the design quality expected of a premium window, and delivers exceptional energy performance. Low energy windows which also look good – read more about the VELFAC 200 window system at www.VELFAC.co.uk
VelFAC 200
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The original slim
The original slim frame
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VelFaC ltd / t: 01223 897100 / e: POst@VelFaC.CO.uK / WWW.VelFaC.CO.uK
design with improved thermal properties
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