Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel operator and owner of Premier Inn, has secured planning permission to develop a 693-bedroom hotel at 5 Strand, just metres away from Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column. The new development, approved by Westminster City Council, will be one of London’s largest budget hotels and
The UK Government has announced a substantial £22 billion investment in carbon capture and storage projects, aimed at cutting emissions while driving economic growth. This major funding boost is set to support two significant “carbon capture clusters” in Merseyside and Teesside over the next 25 years, creating thousands of jobs
Liverpool City Council is set to seek a development partner to help transform a prime waterfront spot into Liverpool’s newest residential community. A report to Cabinet on Tuesday, 10 September, is recommending the Council embarks on a competitive procurement exercise to appoint a high calibre development partner to lead on
Jordan Smith, technical director at Thomas & Adamson, said: “It’s encouraging to see a significant increase to construction output in the latest UK Construction PMI data, indicating a strong level of confidence returning to the sector. The large rise in civil engineering and interest in renewable infrastructure, in particular –
FPA Commercial Director Chris Miles considers the compliance of construction products and the impact the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report will have on this sector In the first article in this series, entitled ‘Inquiry Phase 2 Response – Time for change’, Dr Gavin Dunn takes a wide view of the
M&G Real Estate Finance has announced £200 million in prime refinancing deals across the resilient UK logistics and retail warehousing sectors. The company is capitalising on robust tenant and investor demand, driven by constrained supply in key markets. One of the deals includes a £50 million construction loan (72.5% LTV)
Considerate Constructors Scheme, the independent champion for change in construction, has partnered with compliance and risk management leader Veriforce CHAS to broaden its inspection monitoring services across the UK. As public and government scrutiny on build quality intensifies, the collaboration marks a major step forward in both organisations’ missions to
Cable Services Group, the UK’s leading supplier of specialist electrical equipment, proudly announces its appointment as the official custom kitting partner for 3M, a global leader in innovation and high-performance materials. This prestigious partnership will see Cable Services delivering sustainable, customised solutions for medium-voltage projects. 3M has specifically developed custom
Central Co-op is thrilled to announce that it has taken home the title for Most Sustainable Retailer Initiative of the Year at the Retail Industry Awards 2024. This award, presented at one of retail’s most esteemed events, recognises Central Co-op’s deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. The Most Sustainable Retailer Initiative of
In October, FSi Promat will launch a reformulated PyroPro HPE sealant to support healthier working practices in the construction industry. As part of a company-wide initiative to reduce chemicals that could pose a risk to health, FSi Promat has modified the formula of its PyroPro HPE fire stopping sealant to
BDC 321 : Oct 2024
Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel operator and owner of Premier Inn, has secured planning permission to develop a 693-bedroom hotel at 5 Strand, just metres away from Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column. The new development, approved by Westminster City Council, will be one of London’s largest budget hotels and will operate under Whitbread’s hub by Premier Inn brand. This prime site acquisition is part of Whitbread’s strategy to expand its footprint in London, where a large portion of its future hotel room pipeline is focused. The £200 million-plus investment, which covers construction and related costs, highlights Whitbread’s commitment to bringing affordable accommodation into the heart of the capital and other major UK cities. Mark Anderson, Whitbread’s Managing Director for Property and International, commented: “The hub by Premier Inn brand was launched 10 years ago in St. Martin’s Lane, not far from this new site. Since then, it’s grown into a network of 18 popular hotels across Central London and Edinburgh. The development at 5 Strand showcases how we can evolve the brand in London’s core and leverage our strong balance sheet to secure high-demand, accessible locations. With planning approved, we’re eager to start construction and create a flagship location for our guests.” Whitbread has been making significant investments in London to address the shortage of branded budget hotel rooms. Currently, it operates over 100 hotels within the M25, with 12 more in its development pipeline. The company is also scouting for new sites in 40 locations across inner and outer London for both its Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn brands. The new hotel at 5 Strand will cover 16,000 square metres over 13 storeys and will feature a spacious ground-floor area on the Strand and Northumberland Street. Around 150 team members will be employed at the hotel, with recruitment prioritised in the City of Westminster and surrounding boroughs. The hub by Premier Inn hotels offer compact rooms – around half the size of a standard Premier Inn room – with a modern design, tech-focused amenities, and a relaxed lounge-style food and beverage area. In line with Whitbread’s commitment to achieving net-zero direct emissions by 2040, the 5 Strand hotel will be powered entirely by renewable electricity. This exciting new development is set to provide affordable, centrally located accommodation for visitors to London, further strengthening Whitbread’s presence in the capital’s competitive hotel market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The UK Government has announced a substantial £22 billion investment in carbon capture and storage projects, aimed at cutting emissions while driving economic growth. This major funding boost is set to support two significant “carbon capture clusters” in Merseyside and Teesside over the next 25 years, creating thousands of jobs and attracting private investment, all while helping the UK meet its climate targets. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, highlighted the initiative as a means of “reigniting our industrial heartlands by investing in the industry of the future.” Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technology traps emissions produced by energy generation and industrial processes, such as cement manufacturing, and stores them underground in geological formations like disused oil fields beneath the sea. Experts, including the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Climate Change Committee, consider CCUS vital to achieving the greenhouse gas reductions needed to combat climate change. The Government’s £22 billion commitment will fund carbon capture initiatives in Teesside and Merseyside, focusing on projects that capture emissions from hydrogen production, gas power plants, and energy-from-waste facilities. This investment is set to generate around 4,000 direct jobs and support up to 50,000 jobs long-term. Additionally, it will help the UK remove 8.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, with the first carbon being stored as early as 2028. These projects are expected to serve as a catalyst for the UK’s first large-scale hydrogen production plant, while also helping the oil and gas industry transition to greener energy sources. The move has been widely welcomed, with David Grier of Verdant Regeneration stating, “This funding provides industry with the confidence to invest in groundbreaking technology that will create jobs, spur growth, and help meet the UK’s climate ambitions.” The initiative is predicted to attract £8 billion in private sector investment. CCUS technology is also key to the development of “blue” hydrogen, which is produced from natural gas with carbon emissions captured and stored. However, environmentalists, including Greenpeace, have raised concerns that blue hydrogen still relies on fossil fuels, potentially locking the UK into what they call “second-rate solutions.” Prime Minister Starmer defended the plan, stating: “For the past 14 years, business has been held back by a dysfunctional government. Today’s announcement provides the certainty needed to deliver jobs, drive growth, and set the UK on a path to a cleaner, greener future.” Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who first announced plans for carbon capture projects back in 2009, said, “This investment paves the way for a clean energy revolution that will revitalise Britain’s industrial heartlands.” Businesses involved in the carbon capture clusters, including those focused on hydrogen and industrial production, have welcomed the Government’s commitment. Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of Energy UK, described CCUS as “a vital tool in our arsenal to decarbonise industries that cannot yet rely on clean electricity, unlocking significant investment in the process.” However, Greenpeace UK’s policy director, Doug Parr, warned that the £22 billion investment risks extending the lifespan of the oil and gas industry. He called for a greater focus on truly green jobs in sectors like offshore wind or nationwide home insulation programmes to reduce energy bills. The Government’s investment in carbon capture is seen by many as a bold step forward for UK industry and climate action, but its success will depend on balancing economic growth with genuine long-term sustainability. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Liverpool City Council is set to seek a development partner to help transform a prime waterfront spot into Liverpool’s newest residential community. A report to Cabinet on Tuesday, 10 September, is recommending the Council embarks on a competitive procurement exercise to appoint a high calibre development partner to lead on creating a new neighbourhood as part of the city’s famous International Festival Gardens site, which was originally opened in May 1984. The ambition is to significantly boost the city’s housing supply with a diverse range and mix of housing types, including affordable properties, together with local amenities, creating a thriving new community in this prime south Liverpool location, which is well connected and within 10-minutes of the city centre. The scheme, which is a flagship project outlined in the city’s draft housing strategy, will connect with and enhance its natural surroundings and biodiversity and provide a high standard of desirable and multi-generational living for all. Significant remediation and enabling works were recently completed in January 2024 to enable development, and since that time a team of experts have been curating an ambitious, and deliverable development brief which will provide an essential framework to market the site. Clear objectives are outlined which state the council’s intentions to make the 28-acre site a sustainable, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood which has a strong identity and high design quality. If the report is given the green light, the initial phase of the procurement process will begin in October, with a view to securing a partner towards the middle of next year. The development brief will form the central part of a procurement process, seeking viable expressions of interest from developers with a proven, successful track record in delivering transformative schemes at pace, which are built on strong community engagement. Montagu Evans will be running the procurement process on behalf of the Council. It is expected that the contract with the successful development partner will be finalised in Autumn 2025 once thorough due diligence has been undertaken. • You can read the full Cabinet report here. THE REMEDIATION : Remediating the Festival Gardens site has been a three-year project, which began in 2021. It was a mammoth excavation programme, moving almost 450,000 cubic metres of soil and waste of which more than 95 per cent was recycled, including 100,000 cubic metres of earth being used to create the city’s newest park – the Southern Grasslands which opened in August 2023. The remediation won a national brownfield award in recognition of the complex and sustainable nature of activity which was carried out to ensure the viability of the next phase in the transformation of Festival Gardens. Additional works have also been carried out which include laying drainage and constructing a substation to provide a power supply for the future development. This 28-acre site includes a unique 8-acre area of landscaped amenity space, with the other 20 acres now primed and ready for development. The remediation was led by the Council’s principal contractor VINCI Building. The improvement works to the site that are integral to enabling this exciting development to progress were made possible through a combination of Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Homes England grant funding. Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, said: “This is a major milestone moment in the evolution of the Festival Gardens site. “The appointment of a development partner will see the completion of the International Garden Festival initiative and marks the final chapter in a 40-year story of a site which originally covered 250 acres. It will also ensure that the UK’s only remaining Festival Gardens are preserved and enhanced for future generations to enjoy. “We know how well-loved this area is and want to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to ensure this prime waterfront land has the potential to be a flagship development that sets the standard for sustainable housing in the UK. “The extensive remediation work is another piece in the puzzle, and we’re now in a position to go out to the market and invite developers to share with us their viable vision which will be transformative for the area and the city as a whole. “It’s an incredibly exciting time and is the next step in making this in-demand, thriving community a reality.” Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, said: “This is another milestone on the journey to transforming Festival Gardens into a vibrant, inclusive community that will be cherished by generations to come. This isn’t just about building units; it’s about building desirable homes, where families can put down roots, where nature and urban living coexist in harmony, and where the community spirit that defines our region can thrive. “Working with the city council we have done much of the hard graft on remediating the contaminated land, and we’re now ready to work with a partner who shares our vision to turn this prime waterfront site into a beacon of sustainable living. Together, we’ll make sure that this development is something we can all be proud of.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Jordan Smith, technical director at Thomas & Adamson, said: “It’s encouraging to see a significant increase to construction output in the latest UK Construction PMI data, indicating a strong level of confidence returning to the sector. The large rise in civil engineering and interest in renewable infrastructure, in particular – along with the boost to housebuilding – suggest the recovery is broadening out, and that the government’s commitments to investment are translating into real projects. It’s critical that this commitment is maintained, however, to meet the needs of the industry and avoid projects being paused or stuck in their infancy. Respondents to the survey noting greater political stability, while interest rates beginning on a downward trajectory should hopefully create a more predictable funding environment, enabling more projects to get off the ground. A potential issue to be closely monitored is cost inflation rearing its head once again, which developers will need to consider carefully in their project plans.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
FPA Commercial Director Chris Miles considers the compliance of construction products and the impact the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report will have on this sector In the first article in this series, entitled ‘Inquiry Phase 2 Response – Time for change’, Dr Gavin Dunn takes a wide view of the content and implications of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report. It is worth (re)reading to enable the following article to be contextualised. One of the key areas that the Inquiry Phase 2 report looks at in some depth is that of the compliance of construction products and systems and how the process can be improved, noting that using relevant, robust standards is essential. This article will look at the current process, some of the issues identified in the report and progress made in improving it, and will then examine ways in which the recommendations made in the Phase 2 report can be implemented. There are multiple elements to the compliance of products and systems, including how the process is governed and regulated, and the report includes a number of recommendations related to this. Some of the elements forming the recommendations in the report include: Current compliance If we look at the various routes to compliance that are currently available to the construction product industry we find multiple options – e.g. testing by the manufacturer/supplier, independent testing by a third party, sampling of products from the market (surveillance), and third party product certification. Whilst the third-party product certification route is often seen as the highest current level, there are variations between the providers offering various qualities such as user-friendliness, locality, project/market needs, costs, and turnaround time. However, the Inquiry report showed that too often the need for quality and thoroughness were a lower consideration when selecting which option was to be used. Analysis of the lead up to the Grenfell Tower fire by the Inquiry showed that examples of poor practice in the compliance processes led to inappropriate products, critical to the safety performance of the system, ended up on the building, namely the use of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding. The Inquiry report states that: “The choice of combustible materials for the cladding of Grenfell Tower resulted from a series of errors caused by the incompetence of the organisations and individuals involved in the refurbishment… “Everyone involved in the choice of the materials to be used in the external wall thought that responsibility for their suitability and safety lay with someone else.” These issues can be shown to stem from a weak governance of the system that the testing laboratories and certification bodies operated under. This demonstrates that the governance of the compliance process is critical to an effective system. Applying recommendations The Inquiry report provides a clear recommendation that the construction regulator should be responsible for assessing the conformity of construction products with the requirements of legislation, statutory guidance, and industry standards. The regulator would then, perhaps, issue certificates to cover products, as appropriate, with a proposal that these certificates would become pre-eminent in the market. This would, in effect, create a new independent authority to regulate construction product safety (see figure 1), and whoever takes on this task must ensure there are clear responsibilities on product manufacturers and must also set out the consequences of acting outside the required system. To give this system real teeth, it must have the ability to set statutory liabilities and be able to enforce them through criminal proceedings if necessary. To improve the system overall it is important to have this recourse to legal action if a company or individual does not follow the proscribed system. If a serious mechanical failure occurred on an aeroplane, there would be a thorough investigation as a matter of course, and where fault was found there would be statutory implications. However, currently none of that happens routinely with construction products. This needs to change and it will need government and legislative support as part of their response to the Inquiry report recommendations. It should be noted however, that taking on the role of construction products regulator is a huge task and one which should not be undertaken lightly by any organisation, even by government. There are hundreds of certificates produced each month by the various current certification bodies and, as a response to the events at Grenfell and the subsequent Hackitt report, these numbers have grown significantly in the past seven years as the authorities started asking for more proof of compliance. To replace and/or replicate this through a newly founded construction products regulator will be a major undertaking requiring significant investment. If government decide that this is the way forward they wish to take, they will need to ensure this new body has access to sufficient numbers of competent staff in an area where we are all aware of the current lack of this type of resource. Therefore to rush into this could be a major mis-step and cause delay and confusion at a time when the construction sector as a whole is looking for clarity after the Inquiry report’s publication. The Inquiry Phase 2 report recommendations under section 113.23 are: Looking at each of these points individually highlights the difficulties faced when trying to implement a system to meet these recommendations. Recommendation 113.23a recommends that copies of all test reports supporting any certificate issued by the construction regulator are included, however product manufacturers will often go through numerous test cycles during the R&D process of a product or system. Many of these test reports do not represent the final product and are used to prove variations in the design. This will result in a large number of failed results showing on the certificate for prototypes that may bear little resemblance to the final product to be sold on the market. If these R&D results are included in a certificate they could be a red herring, confusing potential product users as to the ultimate safety of a product or system. This may in
M&G Real Estate Finance has announced £200 million in prime refinancing deals across the resilient UK logistics and retail warehousing sectors. The company is capitalising on robust tenant and investor demand, driven by constrained supply in key markets. One of the deals includes a £50 million construction loan (72.5% LTV) to PineBridge Benson Elliot, aimed at developing two prime logistics assets in Woodford and Enfield, North London. Both sites have received planning consent for seven warehouse units, delivering 175,000 sq ft of high-quality speculative space with strong environmental credentials. Completion is expected within 18 months. London continues to experience a shortage of Grade A logistics space, with vacancy rates currently at 5%, highlighting the strong demand for premium assets that meet modern market standards. In a separate deal, M&G is providing MetroBox—a joint venture between Delancey and Tritax—with a £150 million refinancing loan (53% LTV) to replace an existing debt facility. This loan is secured against four prime retail warehouses in Guildford, Crawley, Luton, and Solihull, all of which are fully let to prominent tenants such as Next, B&Q, and Marks & Spencer. The retail warehousing sector is also experiencing record-low vacancy rates, with the current rate at around 4.6% nationwide and 4.4% recorded in July—the lowest since 2017. These deals highlight M&G’s ability to originate large-scale loans independently, without relying on third-party syndication. The assets secured by these loans showcase M&G’s expertise in underwriting investment-grade properties with positive credit profiles and growth potential. Dan Riches, Head of Real Estate Finance at M&G Real Estate, commented: “We remain committed to financing prime logistics and retail warehousing assets in strategic UK and European locations that meet the evolving needs of modern businesses. With e-commerce and manufacturing growth driving demand for Grade A logistics space, we continue to invest on behalf of our clients in well-located, high-quality assets.” George MacKinnon, Managing Director at PineBridge, added: “We are thrilled to have secured this financing with M&G, which enables the development of two sustainable, high-quality urban logistics assets in key London sub-markets where such facilities are in high demand.” A spokesperson from MetroBox also remarked: “Despite uncertainties in the debt market, we saw significant lender interest during this refinancing exercise. It’s been a pleasure working with M&G, whose competitive terms reflect the strong asset management success of our joint venture with Delancey and Tritax.” M&G’s £73 billion Private Markets division, which includes one of the world’s largest real estate investors, manages more than £40 billion in assets. Established in 2009, M&G’s Real Estate Finance team has deployed over £13 billion across the UK and Europe, investing on behalf of over 100 institutional investors globally. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Considerate Constructors Scheme, the independent champion for change in construction, has partnered with compliance and risk management leader Veriforce CHAS to broaden its inspection monitoring services across the UK. As public and government scrutiny on build quality intensifies, the collaboration marks a major step forward in both organisations’ missions to raise standards in the construction industry. The Considerate Constructors monitoring service assesses members’ adherence to the Code of Considerate Practice, helping identify opportunities for improvement. This service, conducted by Considerate Constructors’ expert Monitors, is now strengthened by the partnership with Veriforce CHAS. Benefits of the partnership include: Amit Oberoi, Executive Chairman for Considerate Constructors, said: “Veriforce CHAS leverages its business expertise and investments in technology to consistently deliver high quality services across the UK’s built environment. Our partnership enables us to streamline our operations, scale faster and more impactfully and enhance overall efficiency for contractors and developer partners.” Alex Minett, Head of Products & Markets for Veriforce CHAS, added: “Partnering with CCS reinforces Veriforce CHAS’s dedication to making the UK construction sector safer, higher quality and more successful. We’re excited to collaborate and broaden our impact.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cable Services Group, the UK’s leading supplier of specialist electrical equipment, proudly announces its appointment as the official custom kitting partner for 3M, a global leader in innovation and high-performance materials. This prestigious partnership will see Cable Services delivering sustainable, customised solutions for medium-voltage projects. 3M has specifically developed custom kits for medium-voltage jointing and termination applications. Now, through Cable Services’ nationwide distribution network, electrical installers operating throughout the UK can quickly access and customise kits to exact project specifications. This highly responsive and flexible solution not only integrates seamlessly with project deadlines but also reduces waste and delivers exceptional cost savings. Renowned for its customer-centric approach, Cable Services operates five strategically located branches across the UK, allowing for rapid delivery and localised technical support. Unlike traditional, one-size-fits-all solutions, this partnership brings flexibility and precision to the industry. Installers of medium-voltage applications can build kits to an exact specification, reducing unnecessary waste and driving sustainability across the electrical installation sector. Jason Bostock, the Managing Director of Cable Services Group, commented on this exciting partnership. He said: “The ability to customise kits will be a game changer for many of our customers. At Cable Services Group, we understand that no two projects are alike, and by providing tailored solutions, we ensure that our customers receive exactly what they need when they need it. This approach not only drives cost efficiency but significantly reduces material waste, an increasingly important priority in today’s environmentally conscious world. Our commitment to delivering sustainable solutions is evident in the success of our cable cutting service. The synergy between our efforts and 3M’s custom kits further strengthens our ability to meet our customers’ evolving needs.” The dynamic, flexible and responsive service provided by Cable Services will allow 3M to focus on high-volume production of its performance products. Reflecting on the partnership, 3M’s Jenny Swindells – Regional Division Leader, Northern Europe said: “We are delighted to welcome Cable Services as our new kitting partner and look forward to continued success and growth together. The kitting partnership enables us to provide tailored solutions for our end customers, allowing us to meet specific demands and respond more swiftly to dynamic timeframes.” This strategic partnership with 3M further enhances Cable Services’ ability to deliver value-added solutions to customers and deepens its commitment to sustainability. With over 50 years of industry expertise, Cable Services Group continues to set the standard for excellence and innovation in the sector. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Central Co-op is thrilled to announce that it has taken home the title for Most Sustainable Retailer Initiative of the Year at the Retail Industry Awards 2024. This award, presented at one of retail’s most esteemed events, recognises Central Co-op’s deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. The Most Sustainable Retailer Initiative of the Year award recognises exceptional efforts in advancing environmental practices and celebrates Central Co-op’s groundbreaking work on its journey to becoming green-energy self-sufficient. The installation of solar panels across Central Co-op’s 182 retail and funeral locations plays a vital role in the retailer’s purpose: creating a sustainable Society for all. This initiative’s primary objectives are to enhance green energy self-sufficiency, reduce carbon emissions and create long-term cost-saving opportunities that can be reinvested in other sustainability measures and community projects. It is designed to reduce reliance on traditional, fossil fuel-based electricity by generating solar power on-site, addressing the dual challenges of the climate crisis and rising energy costs. In terms of environmental impact, the initiative has been significant. By generating 2,023,397 kWh of solar energy in 2023 alone, Central Co-op achieved 4% of its total energy consumption from renewable sources, reducing carbon emissions by 487,806 tonnes. This reduction is equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting approximately 22,479 trees annually. As well as the award win, Central Co-op was also named as finalists in the Best Use of Technology category, for its electronic shelf edge label rollout; Store Manager of the Year, for Sundeep Stewart’s achievements at Central Co-op’s Kibworth Beauchamp store; as well as the prestigious Convenience Retailer of the Year. The Retail Industry Awards brings together the industry’s greatest to celebrate and reward the organisations, teams and individuals contributing to the advancement of retail. The award was judged by a distinguished panel of retailers, ex-retailers, industry experts, analysts and sector leaders. Their industry knowledge and keen scrutiny of all submissions make this award particularly meaningful, highlighting the real impact of our efforts on sustainability in the retail sector. For more information on Central Co-op’s initiatives, visit centralcoop.co.uk or find out more on socials. Details on becoming a Member can be found on membership.centralengland.coop/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In October, FSi Promat will launch a reformulated PyroPro HPE sealant to support healthier working practices in the construction industry. As part of a company-wide initiative to reduce chemicals that could pose a risk to health, FSi Promat has modified the formula of its PyroPro HPE fire stopping sealant to help protect contractors and installers – critically, whilst maintaining its fire performance so the new formula can be used in the same applications as before. A key product in the FSi Promat range of fire stopping solutions, PyroPro HPE is a high performing sealant that is used to reinstate fire resistance for service penetrations and is approved for use around CPVC pipes (as typically used in sprinkler systems), plastic pipes, cables and non-combustible insulated pipes. In the reformulated sealant, FSi Promat has successfully removed a raw material, which had recently been re-classified as potentially carcinogenic, whilst retaining the same level of fire performance which has been verified in third-party testing; so all of its existing certification remains unchanged. As a high-pressure expansion sealant, PyroPro HPE is an intumescent sealant that can expand up to 20 times and is used to reinstate fire resistant compartments where breaches have been made to allow for service penetrations, such as pipework and cables. Packaged in cartridges made from up to 50 percent recycled plastic, and also in foil packs, the move to reformulate the sealant is in line with FSi Promat’s commitment to make changes where possible that make their products less impactful on the environment and support improved standards in health and safety. FSi Marketing Manager Emma Taylor said: “FSi Promat prides itself on creating fire stopping solutions that are proven to perform, and wherever possible, we also want to make products that are safe for the people using them. “FSi Promat’s PyroPro HPE sealant is an important product in the marketplace as it is approved for use with CPVC, and in particular, sprinkler systems, making it a critical part of a fire protection system. “The sustainability challenge in our industry lies in making changes to established solutions such as this, whilst ensuring they still offer the performance needed to protect people and property. Changes to fire stopping formulations require extensive research and testing to ensure the product continues to perform at the highest standard. “Updating the HPE formula to remove chemicals that could cause a risk to health is a step forward and demonstrates FSi Promat’s commitment to making changes for the better, both in terms of creating a healthy working environment – and a more sustainable future.” FSi Promat is a leading manufacturer of passive fire protection products in the UK. Through a specialist research laboratory and testing facility at its headquarters in Measham, Leicestershire, FSi Promat continually develops high quality, innovative products to protect buildings across the world. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
