Top ten national homebuilder Keepmoat Homes has signed an Armed Forces Covenant in a virtual ceremony – it is a commitment from the Doncaster-based company to support former and current serving military personnel in the workplace. The Armed Forces Covenant was signed with the Head of Reserve, Commodore Martin Quinns
As organizations begin to test different hybrid working styles, new data from Chargifi reveals that spontaneous office interactions, like work chats, between coworkers can boost individual wellbeing and productivity for over an hour. The hybrid workplace specialist found almost half (45%) of employees report feeling happier after such encounters like
Works are moving along well at the new Greenwood House Medical Centre on Lichfield Road in Burntwood, Staffordshire, and an event was held on 22nd June to mark the progress of the project. The £3.4 million medical facility, which is being constructed by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson, is due
Market-leading single ply roofing manufacturer Sika and five of its Certified Contractors have triumphed at this year’s Single Ply Roofing Association (SPRA) Awards. The awards, which recognise best practice within the single ply roofing industry, saw Sika Sarnafil, working with Berkshire-based Malone Roofing, take home the Best New Build award
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has announced it was working up plans to develop its biggest-ever speculative logistics building in the UK, a 630,000 sq ft facility in Yorkshire. The 630,000 sq ft facility will be built along with a smaller 85,000 sq ft facility by
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson has recruited six new team members and promoted three existing team members to service its growth in client work. The six new appointments to bolster the team include Victoria Tinney as senior engineer, Alasdair MacPhee and Jennifer Davies as project engineers, and three new graduate
Roger Bullivant South East has completed the installation of more than 3,000 Continuous Flight Auger Piles for a major residential scheme with the award-winning developer, Croudace Homes. Roger Bullivant was appointed in 2016 to install over 3,000 300mm diameter Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles across four phases to bring forward
A new landmark 95-home residential waterside scheme housing a £1 million penthouse is progressing well, with waterfront apartments now available to view, and plans to extend the development along the northern banks of the River Trent just announced. The first phase of Trent Bridge Quays, located on Meadow Lane by
Building product manufacturer IG Masonry Support is the first masonry support manufacturer to achieve carbon neutral status and is on its way to becoming a net zero energy company; the latest stage in IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey. A manufacturer of innovative brickwork support systems, IG Masonry Support is leading
For most people, home is where they unwind, escape the world around them and enjoy times of tranquility. But thanks to design elements like open floor plans, lightweight frameworks, high ceilings and hardwood floors, today’s properties are more susceptible to noise pollution than ever before. This is a recipe for
Top ten national homebuilder Keepmoat Homes has signed an Armed Forces Covenant in a virtual ceremony – it is a commitment from the Doncaster-based company to support former and current serving military personnel in the workplace. The Armed Forces Covenant was signed with the Head of Reserve, Commodore Martin Quinns and commits Keepmoat Homes to supporting all those who serve in the Royal Naval, the Army and the Royal Air Force, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families. The Covenant details an agreement that no member of the Armed Forces community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen, and consideration that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate. The agreement includes a clause in which Keepmoat Homes has agreed to provide service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment upon completion, or when a vacancy becomes available, supporting the employment of veterans and recognising military skills and qualifications in their recruitment and selection processes, while working with the Career Transition Partnership to support the employment of service leavers. The national housebuilder has also committed to supporting employees who choose to become members of the Reserve Forces by providing additional leave to support their training and deployment, as well as offering flexibility in granting leave for, and supporting the employment of, Service spouses and partners by signing up to the Force Families Job Site. The final clause in the covenant details that Keepmoat Homes will support employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations, granting additional leave where appropriate and actively encouraging members of staff to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations. Commodore Martin Quinn, Head of Reserves in the Ministry of Defence, said: “The Armed Forces Covenant is a commitment that those who serve, and who have served, and their families are treated fairly and are never disadvantaged in their lives because of military service. “The support of employers is vital and making a public pledge of support makes a statement to the Armed Forces community that they are valued by society, and it encourages other organisations to do the same. “Employers can reap real rewards from employing military personnel – the skills and training they bring to civilian employers includes nationally recognised business and technical qualifications, as well as leadership, teamworking and problem-solving skills proven in the most challenging of environments. “I’d like to thank everyone at Keepmoat Homes for being supportive of the armed Forces community and, in particular, two of the pledges you have made. The first, your support to employees who have chosen to be members of the Reserve Forces, allowing an extra ten days of paid leave to support their training and deployment. And also providing service leavers with work placement experience with the intention of assisting them in gaining future employment within Keepmoat. “On behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and everybody here at the Ministry of Defence, I thank you and your colleagues at Keepmoat Homes for signing the Armed Forces Covenant.”
As organizations begin to test different hybrid working styles, new data from Chargifi reveals that spontaneous office interactions, like work chats, between coworkers can boost individual wellbeing and productivity for over an hour. The hybrid workplace specialist found almost half (45%) of employees report feeling happier after such encounters like work chats, and around a third say they feel more motivated, creative and productive. What’s more, almost half (48%) of respondents said these positive effects lasted at least 30 minutes afterwards, with a fifth (21%) indicating that they remained for longer than an hour. “Apple’s recent three-day-a-week office request is a great example of how leading organizations have recognized the critical need to better balance in-person and virtual interactions. Our research shows the impact of unexpected connections on productivity and creativity, every day,” commented Dan Bladen, Co-Founder and CEO at Chargifi. “New hybrid working models should help employees achieve the right balance and weighting between home and office working. Done right, hybrid maintains the productivity and flexibility benefits of remote, while blending the creativity and wellbeing boost gained from in-person connections. Many organizations are starting to miss the benefits previously gained from these interactions, and now see it’s potential to deliver a competitive advantage in today’s landscape.” The combined study of UK and US office workers also revealed that ‘watercooler moments’ were one of the most noted benefits of office work for over half (55%) of respondents. “We’re relational creatures, wired for connection and that’s where the magic happens. Ideas form faster, decisions are made quicker. Now there’s every reason for companies to offer ways to combine all the great things about remote and in person working. This is as much about workspace design, as it is about understanding the context of booking spaces, for example, when individuals and groups will be in the office, or at home, and how and when they can best connect,” Bladen continued. Chargifi Wx is the operating system for hybrid working, and enables teams and individuals to optimize face-to-face collaboration and productivity in hybrid working by removing the friction of coordinating people, time and spaces. Individual employees and teams can use it to reserve particular office workspaces like desks and rooms to easily coordinate with colleagues at home or elsewhere to truly bake-in the magic of human connection.
Works are moving along well at the new Greenwood House Medical Centre on Lichfield Road in Burntwood, Staffordshire, and an event was held on 22nd June to mark the progress of the project. The £3.4 million medical facility, which is being constructed by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson, is due for completion in September 2021 and will bring a first class healthcare facility to the community to relieve the pressure on local hospitals. The new single storey centre is being constructed on a site previously occupied by a residential care home, which has been vacant since 2008. The centre will replace the current provision on Hudson Drive, approximately 300 metres away from Greenwood House, with medical services still being provided by the Darwin Medical Practice from within the new facility. “This important project is progressing as planned and will see a new, modern and spacious healthcare facility delivered to the local community. Recent months have highlighted how vital accessible healthcare services are for communities, and with an ageing population, Burntwood’s current facilities were inadequate and unable to meet public demand,” said Chris Flint, director of G F Tomlinson. “We are pleased to be working alongside Staffordshire County Council once again to deliver another crucial public service building to the area, providing local residents with access to excellent healthcare. We look forward to seeing the project reach completion later this year.” Consisting of 12 consulting rooms, five treatment rooms, a healthcare and phlebotomy room, and a health education space with an adjoining pharmacy unit, the Greenwood House Medical Centre will provide much-needed upgraded and accessible healthcare facilities for the area. There will also be 61 onsite parking spaces created and surroundings will be landscaped, with the centre using the existing road entrance for the former care home. The site progress event for the Greenwood Medical Centre was held onsite on 22nd June and delegates from partners involved in the project attended, including Staffordshire County Council, Entrust, The Darwin Practice, CCG and G F Tomlinson the main contractors. G F Tomlinson was selected from the Staffordshire County Council Framework to provide the construction works for the site which began in November last year, this being their fifth project secured on the framework. The scheme has been funded by NHS England’s Estates and Technology Transformation Fund, which aims to improve healthcare services for patients across the country with modernised facilities and technology. Works onsite are taking shape, with the centre’s steel frame and new car park constructed first to enable staff parking and material storage, minimising disruption to local residents. Works to the drainage, render, masonry and curtain walling are all complete, with work underway on decoration and ceiling and floor finishes which will allow for the installation of radiant panels and lighting to commence. The electrical and mechanical installation is also nearing completion. “Part of the strategy for reducing demand on our hospitals from ageing communities is to provide more facilities and services in the community and we have always earmarked this council-owned site for use to benefit the people of Burntwood. This will be a first-class healthcare facility centre on the community’s doorstep and it will make a huge contribution to residents’ health and wellbeing, as well as supporting older people’s independence,” added Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council. Staffordshire County Council is leading this project, with project management from ENTRUST, G F Tomlinson acting as main contractor, CPMG as architect and Jackson Purdue as structural engineer.
Market-leading single ply roofing manufacturer Sika and five of its Certified Contractors have triumphed at this year’s Single Ply Roofing Association (SPRA) Awards. The awards, which recognise best practice within the single ply roofing industry, saw Sika Sarnafil, working with Berkshire-based Malone Roofing, take home the Best New Build award for their contribution to St George’s college’s new sports facility and its bespoke freeform glulam roof. The lightweight system was ideal for the complex curved roof. Also the addition of Sika décor profiles meant rainfall could be interrupted and guided across the roof area ensuring high pitched areas could provide more slip resistance, offering substantial health and safety benefits. Sika, working with Perth-based AIM Developments Ltd, also came out top in the Best Safe Working category for their work on the iconic dome shaped Bell’s Sports Centre roof in Scotland. The contractor’s expertise in working with the flexible single ply system for over 35 years meant the complicated project was installed safely and finished on time. The Best Refurbishment category was won with Oxfordshire’s Owlsworth Roofing, for their work on the University of Reading’s immense library overhaul. 13 different roof areas on 8 separate levels didn’t faze the Sika contractors, with technical guidance and support in creating bespoke specifications for each roof area. Throughout the full roof refurbishment, the library was still safely accessible to students. A further two Sarnafil projects were highly commended: one for Refurbishment work on historic treasure the Royal Gunpowder Mills with Essex-based Contour Roofing, and one for Best Safe working on the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury with Bedford’s Delomac Ltd. Announced at SPRA’s first ever virtual conference and awards ceremony, held on Wednesday 16 June, this year’s awards celebrated projects completed in 2019 across five project categories, with 2020 projects now to be carried forward to an event next year (2022). This year’s event focused on ‘Driving Confidence and Developing Competence’ with live keynote speeches from a host of influential speakers within the construction industry including senior figures from the CPA, Peter Caplehorn (CEO) and the BBA, Hardy Giesler (CEO). “Despite not being able to attend this year’s SPRA Awards in person, it was great to join virtually and saw us overjoyed to see so many of our Sika Sarnafil projects shine. From roofs that curved in multiple directions and domed roofs that were difficult to manoeuvre around, to roofs with multiple areas and levels, we saw a real diverse selection of projects succeed this year. They all endured challenges, but thanks to a combination of Sika’s technical expertise and the hard work provided by some fantastically skilled Certified Contractors, each one was a testament not only to Sika Sarnafil Single Ply flexibility and robustness, but to the brilliant working relationships we share with our trusted contractors,” said Tim Halls, National Sales Manager for Roofing New Build in England and Wales at Sika.
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has announced it was working up plans to develop its biggest-ever speculative logistics building in the UK, a 630,000 sq ft facility in Yorkshire. The 630,000 sq ft facility will be built along with a smaller 85,000 sq ft facility by junction 1 of the M18 at Rotherham on a 40-acre site, which Panattoni has recently acquired from Stretton Denman. Panattoni is aiming to submit a reserved matters planning application in the next few weeks, with a view to beginning construction in the first quarter of 2022. The 715,000 sq ft development, called Interchange Park, is part of Panattoni’s commitment to a significant speculative development programme in the UK in 2021 in response to strong demand from occupiers for immediately available space. The acquisition of Interchange Park increases the size of Panattoni’s current speculative building development programme to around 4.2 million sq ft across eight locations across the North and Midlands, the largest of which are at South Normanton, Derby, Northampton and Crewe. “Our continued appetite for speculative development reflects the strength of demand from occupiers for immediately available space. In the first quarter of this year half of all take-up in the logistics sector was of speculative developments, driven by demand from e-commerce companies. And in the last 12 months alone, we have let more than 6 million sq ft of space,” said Dan Burn, Development Director for the North West and Yorkshire at Panattoni. “Having let our speculative Wakefield 515 development in May, we are delighted to have acquired this strategic site and look forward to bringing this nationally significant scheme forward over the coming months.” Interchange Park is located in an established distribution location, immediately adjacent to junction 1 of the M18 and just two miles from junction 32 of the M1. Local occupiers include Great Bear, Clipper Logistics, DX and FedEx. Letting agents at Interchange Park are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson has recruited six new team members and promoted three existing team members to service its growth in client work. The six new appointments to bolster the team include Victoria Tinney as senior engineer, Alasdair MacPhee and Jennifer Davies as project engineers, and three new graduate engineers Graeme Thorpe, Amy Lillico and Matthew Pieroni. Three promotions have also been awarded at the consultancy, with Andrew Yule now a senior engineer team leader; Darren Tannock becoming a senior engineer and Lee Guthrie stepping up to project engineer level. The appointments come after Will Rudd Davidson announced a positive start to 2021, in part thanks to contracts from three major projects within Glasgow totalling close to £125 million. “We are really pleased to welcome this new talent on board to our Glasgow team. They all complement our existing work across a diverse range of sectors, and our ambition to expand on our work within the energy sector, particularly in the creation of renewable energy parks in the UK,” said MJ O’Shaughnessy, managing director, Will Rudd Davidson Glasgow. “I am also incredibly proud of our newly promoted team members and all three thoroughly deserve to make the step up. I know they will quickly adapt to their new responsibilities and I look forward to supporting their career development. “The new and promoted team members will begin working on a wide range of challenging projects across the UK, including several tall buildings in London and Scotland, and large scale residential projects across the UK.”
Roger Bullivant South East has completed the installation of more than 3,000 Continuous Flight Auger Piles for a major residential scheme with the award-winning developer, Croudace Homes. Roger Bullivant was appointed in 2016 to install over 3,000 300mm diameter Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles across four phases to bring forward a development of 475 homes, a community centre, green open space, and a retail unit. Over the last six years and twelve visits, Roger Bullivant has worked in partnership with Croudace Homes to offer a sustainable and virtually vibration-free solution, allowing construction works to continue with minimal disturbances to adjacent buildings and new homeowners. Piles were installed using their in-house designed, 7000 series rigs to pile depths between 9.0 and 18.5m in made ground and weald clay ground conditions. The rigs are equipped with sensitive state-of-the-art instrumentation that monitors the installation of CFA piles, including pile depth, auger rotation, penetration rate, concreting pressure, extraction rate and over-break. CFA piling is drilled and concreted in one continuous operation enabling much faster installation time than bored piles and is one of the quickest forms of piling. This method can be used in ground conditions such as gravel, sand, silts, clay and low strength rock. “It has been very rewarding seeing this major regeneration scheme taking shape. Our collaborative approach has ensured that the project was completed to an award-winning standard despite the disruption of the global pandemic. Ensuring that we worked safely, efficiently and to the high standards we set ourselves is always our number one priority and look forward to working with Croudace Homes again soon,” commented Matt Walpole Area Manager at Roger Bullivant. As construction has developed, the site has been recognised by leading industry awards. In 2019, Croudace Homes was awarded the pride in the job award recognising site managers who achieve the highest standard in housebuilding. In 2020, the ongoing development was Highly Commended in the Best High-Volume New Housing Development category for the South East LABC Building Excellence Awards 2020.
A new landmark 95-home residential waterside scheme housing a £1 million penthouse is progressing well, with waterfront apartments now available to view, and plans to extend the development along the northern banks of the River Trent just announced. The first phase of Trent Bridge Quays, located on Meadow Lane by developer Elevate Property Group, has recently finished, and 80% have already sold to buyers who have moved into their new homes by the river. The scheme will grow from the current spot by Trent Bridge along the north side of the River Trent banks, as part of the city’s Waterside Regeneration master plan to redevelop the area all the way to the racecourse. Situated within Nottingham’s Regeneration Area, Trent Bridge Quays is one of a number of new riverside developments taking shape, offering families and first-time buyers, commuters and retirees quality living space that is designed around the benefits of residing close to the water, with the conveniences of the city within easy reach. Plans are also in the pipeline for the potential expansion of Nottingham’s tram network to West Bridgford which will benefit the area, linking the Trent Bridge location with the city centre. With frequent bus services to all areas of Nottinghamshire, and in close proximity to major employers such as E.ON, Boots HQ, Experian and Speedo, Trent Bridge Quays is situated close to Nottingham city centre, the train station and West Bridgford amenities including local shops, bars and restaurants all within easy walking distance. Trent Bridge Cricket Ground is also on its doorstep and beauty spots such as Holme Pierrepont Country Park and The Hook nature reserve in Lady Bay, are just a short walk away. One, two and three-bed apartments, many with south-facing waterfront views, outside space and parking are available to buy – and prices range from £192,500 for a one-bed apartment, to £1million for a luxury penthouse apartment, with panoramic views across the River Trent. Three storey three and four-bed townhouses with ‘morning and afternoon’ balconies to enjoy sunrise and sunset vistas range in price from £345,000 to £500,000, and all properties feature floor to ceiling windows, stylish bathroom and kitchen décor and high spec appliances, fixtures and fittings throughout. Viewings of the waterfront apartments are now available for prospective buyers to get a taste of waterside living, and visitors are now welcome to view the finished show townhouse by booking an appointment with selling agent FHP Waterside Living, on a bespoke appointment basis.
Building product manufacturer IG Masonry Support is the first masonry support manufacturer to achieve carbon neutral status and is on its way to becoming a net zero energy company; the latest stage in IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey. A manufacturer of innovative brickwork support systems, IG Masonry Support is leading the way in the Keystone Group, becoming the first company within the group as well as its sector to achieve carbon neutral status. As a Group committed to reducing the environmental impact of all operations, other companies within Keystone are now taking the necessary steps to achieve carbon neutral status. IG Masonry Support’s achievement feeds into the wider Keystone Group’s commitment to becoming increasingly environmentally responsible and sustainable organisations, through the reduction of carbon emissions. IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey began in 2018. Year on year the company has implemented sustainability initiatives including upgrading forklift trucks to electrically operated systems and having 0% waste sent to landfill. Earlier this year, carbon neutral certification was awarded to the company’s B.O.S.S. A1 brick on soffit system product, a goal which formed one of the first steps in the company’s commitment to bringing innovative products to the marketplace in the most sustainable, carbon neutral way. Speaking of IG Masonry Support’s latest achievement Andy Neal, IG Masonry Support Managing Director said: “We take our environmental responsibility seriously and are making the necessary changes within our business practices to become a net carbon zero company. I am proud that we have now achieved carbon neutral status and are the first masonry support manufacturer in the UK to reach this goal. It is testament to our team’s passion and commitment to operating a sustainable business and to delivering sustainable products and solutions to our marketplace.” Amidst many initiatives implemented by IG Masonry Support, such as switching to a 100% renewable energy tariff, the company is continuing to proactively reduce its carbon footprint alongside SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiative) methodology. This methodology drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets. For IG Masonry Support, identifying Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions provided clarity of the environmental impact across all operations and raised opportunities for carbon reductions. As the company sees its emissions plummet following the SBTi, IG Masonry Support is on track to achieving the 1.5 degree Paris Agreement target, tackling climate change on a global scale. Going forward, the company will continue to address all areas for improvement with a sustainably-focussed supply chain, helping to source its responsible future. IG Masonry Support pledges to develop products that provide environmentally significant solutions to its customers and end users, amongst other goals including a conversion to 100% electric fleet by 2025. It will also develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its product portfolio, providing transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of its products. Doing so will empower the business and its people to make and adhere to the changes that are needed to reduce impact on the environment.
For most people, home is where they unwind, escape the world around them and enjoy times of tranquility. But thanks to design elements like open floor plans, lightweight frameworks, high ceilings and hardwood floors, today’s properties are more susceptible to noise pollution than ever before. This is a recipe for disaster considering the loudness of modern life. Everything from internal sounds such as washing machines, loud speakers and even the humming of the fridge, to outdoor disturbances like planes, sirens and construction work can create a cacophony of disturbance. Add noisy neighbours into the mix and you can see why homes are increasingly failing to fulfil their roles as sanctuaries. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little forethought, you can soundproof your home and make it the peaceful place you want it to be. Here’s how. 1. Sort out your walls Your first port of call should be your walls, as they are responsible for a huge chunk of the sound coming into a room. Unfortunately, most are built like drums, featuring surface plasterboard (drywall) attached to a structural framework of wall studs or ceiling joists. The spaces in between these studs or joists are usually filled with air or insulation, meaning sound is usually easily conducted through a wall. One way to reduce this is to add a second layer of plasterboard to one or both sides to give the wall surface greater mass, making it less likely to vibrate and transfer sound waves. Soundproof plasterboard will give you the best protection, though be aware of the benefits offered by different types too. Building Materials Nationwide Limited suggest using fire resistant plasterboard to offer serious insulation, or moisture resistant plasterboard for more humid places. Meanwhile, holes or cracks around areas like window frames, ventilation grates and electrical sockets can let in lots of sound. So, closely inspect your walls and repair any cracks or holes you find with caulk. However, if the damage is significant, get a professional to fix these instead, or you risk doing even more damage. Likewise, electrical switches and outlets are usually set into hollow plastic boxes in the wall, which can also help conduct sound. Installing putty pads will create an air seal and add mass to the box that noise can’t pass through. 2. Upgrade your windows Sound is also easily transmitted through windows, so this should be your next area of focus. First of all, moving to double glazing if you haven’t already is imperative. But don’t just go for any type of window — invest in special soundproofing types. These have thicker glass, more space in between the panes and stronger frames, offering much greater sound protection. As noted in The Telegraph: “Acoustic double glazed windows reduce sound by up to 40dB, which would take the loud 80dB noise from road traffic down to a quiet 40dB noise — that’s the equivalent to the sound of someone speaking in a library.” Indeed, even if you already have double glazing, you should consider upgrading it to this kind, wth sites like Windows Guide great for comparing quotes across local suppliers. On the other hand, window inserts may be the better option overall. These are custom-made to fit your window, pressing inside the frame to act as an extra wall against sound vibrations. Going down this route prevents you from forking out on entirely new windows. Meanwhile, other useful window soundproofing options include sound-blocking curtains, filling any cracks and holes around them with caulk, placing furniture near your windows to absorb sound waves, and planting shrubs outside to prevent them getting in. 3. Refurbish your doors Doors are often poor at blocking noise considering they’re usually the thinnest barrier in a wall. The first thing to consider when soundproofing one is whether it’s a hollow-core or solid-core door. The latter will do a much better job at protecting your home from noise, meaning an upgrade is essential. If you need to shop for a new door, make sure to take into account its Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating — the higher it is, the better. Hollow-core doors tend to have a STC of around 20, whereas solid-core ones are usually in the mid thirties. However, this step alone will only block sounds like low speech, and not louder noises, meaning you need to go further to give yourself the best protection. One way to better soundproof your door is to add materials like mass loaded vinyl, soundproof blankets and panels to it to block noise coming in. Mass loaded vinyl is a thick sheet that can be installed inside a door’s core, soundproof blankets go over the top of it, while panels go inside the door itself. Like with walls and windows, another way to improve things is seal any cracks or holes. You can use a door gasket to fill any that are underneath, and things like gap foam, silicone sealant or noise-reducing tape for any in the door itself.
