October 23, 2017

Why Oak Frame Construction is the Way Forward for Homes

If there’s one phrase that the construction industry hears a lot of in recent times, it’s ‘sustainable construction’ – the idea that as much as possible of a project should be made from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials and done in a way to reduce project time and therefore associated costs.

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

October 23, 2017

The Successful Partnerships Between Portcullis and Liberty Living Set to Continue

Canadian-owned firm Liberty Living Ltd is a modern-day success story and now, with its acquisition of Blackstone’s £460million property portfolio in spring 2017, is now the second largest provider of student accommodation in the UK. And Portcullis Gates who have provided ongoing maintenance and support to Liberty Living is set to continue with this successful partnership after a new three-year deal was announced. And with a rapidly expanding portfolio, it is a real coup for Portcullis that Liberty Living is placing its faith and trust in the company to be able to upscale its services too. Prioritising Student Safety Student ‘digs’ have become more refined over the years and with the onus weighing heavily on student safety on campus, the renewing of Portcullis’s contract is a welcome one. Portcullis will continue to provide planned preventative maintenance on a 24/7 call out basis covering gates, barriers, automatic doors and roller shutters. This reaffirms Liberty Living Ltd.’s commitment to making student safety a priority and with Portcullis having demonstrated outstanding engineering support and customer, it makes sense for both companies to continue to nurture and grow this relationship. A Large Undertaking For Portcullis, it continues to be a large undertaking. Operating throughout 19 locations from Aberdeen in the north to Southampton in the south, Liberty Living Ltd. functions across 55 sites. An increasing prolific brand, there is no denying the kudos that this contract will continue to bring Portcullis. Managing Director of Portcullis Gate Automation Ltd. Justin Earl, was clear that the renewal of the contract means professionally and personally. Calling it ‘gratifying news and a welcome pat on the back for the whole team at Portcullis, from our helpdesk team to the front-line engineering workforce’, the contract emphasis that as a business, Portcullis is making the right decisions when it comes to the detail of running its business in a competitive maintenance and engineering market. Understanding Needs Liberty Living Ltd is a prolific company, the rising star of student accommodation that has rocketed from a small player to a sector-leading company. In effect, they need the right businesses to supply them with all kinds of services, perimeter security is just one. The Portcullis team are clear: they understand customer needs and in the case of Liberty Living, it is a responsive maintenance service that adds value to what they have set out to achieve which, in this case, is superb and safe student accommodation. And this contract has given Portcullis the confidence to develop their plans to offer this service to other clients of a similar ilk to Liberty Living. For some, living in a well-maintained gated community brings many benefits. Safe perimeters, from gated student communities to roller shutters, have a positive impact on student life and thus, for Liberty Living and the university site in question, the impacts are obvious too. Portcullis Gates design and install specialist gate services to private and commercial customers, the renewed deal means that Portcullis will bring a wealth of experience to their services for both commercial and private customers.

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Why Oak Frame Construction is the Way Forward for Homes

If there’s one phrase that the construction industry hears a lot of in recent times, it’s ‘sustainable construction’ – the idea that as much as possible of a project should be made from environmentally friendly, sustainable materials and done in a way to reduce project time and therefore associated costs.  From the single self-build home to a huge housing estate, there is an emphasis on considering the planet in all that we do.  And that is just one reason that oak frame construction is a clear way forward for home building and extending. What is oak frame? Timber and oak frame construction involves using treated wood to create the framework of a house or extension to a property.  It uses a system of studs and rails paired with structural sheathing board to create a frame that transits loads to the foundations.  There are different styles and variations in use around the country with platform frame being one of the most popular. In addition to building the entire house, oak frame construction can be used on extensions to the property.  Oak framed garages are one example while orangeries and even full single storey extensions are all possible. Benefits of oak frame Aside from its environmental credentials, there are other practical benefits for people looking to use this system.  For example, construction time can be reduced – by as much as a third in some cases – due to the creation of parts of the frame offsite.  This also means that the weather has less impact on the project. Oak frame is lighter than other structural types and this makes it suitable for more ground types, especially if there are poor ground conditions.  And because it is a dry form of construction, there is no drying out period where cracks can appear. Timber has an impressive whole life – it is effectively carbon neutral even when taking transport into account.  It has the lowest CO2 of any building material and 77% of the energy used in the production of wood come from wood residues and recovered wood.  Converting timber into a building material uses less energy and therefore creates less pollution than other alternatives such as concrete, brick or steel.  And when the end of life does come, the material can easily be recycled so there is little waste. Living in oak framed homes Additional benefits come when you are living in an oak framed home.  The system makes for better internal insulation, meaning heat is contained within each space within the home.  This can help cut down on energy bills.  They also offer better sound insulation, keeping the outside noises from intruding into the home and sounds travelling from one room to another less. One thing people do worry about if they are buying an existing wood frame building is the prospect of woodworm.  While this is highly unlikely in most cases due to the treatment used on timber before it is put into the construction, if you are buying an older property with timber frame that pre-dates many current treatments, you can always have an expert such as Tapco HomeDry check out the property to ensure there are no problems. A winning option Because oak frame construction is made to order, there is a great deal of flexibility about design.  This means you can have the home or extension that you want in a shorter time frame than with other methods.  And you have a property at the end of it with top sustainable credentials that will last the longest time and make for a pleasant place for your family to live in for generations to come.

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