BAM Wills JV has begun installation of Duradrain as part of the new €241 million N5 upgrade project, in County Mayo, Ireland. The product, a sustainable and recyclable combined kerb and drainage system, manufactured bygreen construction innovators Dura Products, will line a significant stretch of the new 20.3km dual carriageway
Coventry’s redeveloped Warwick Arts Centre has opened its doors as one of the region’s key venues for the city’s tenure as the 2021 UK City of Culture, with low noise level air distribution products supplied by Waterloo. Located on the University of Warwick campus, Warwick Arts Centre has been transformed
Britain’s manufacturers invest more than £500 million to end Britain’s housing crisis – targeting 75,000 sustainable modular homes by end of decade and 50,000 highly skilled jobs across the UK Six modular homes can be installed each day by a single crane and heating costs are slashed by 20% Upscaling
Placefirst’s £8m Manchester residential scheme of 53 high quality apartments in Longsight has topped out. Placefirst is a leading and award-winning build-to-rent provider with over 1,300 homes, and a further 1,000 in the pipeline and under construction. Work on the development began in March 2021. The topping out represents an
“Ambitious investments in production capacity and R&D will allow Daikin Europe to expand market and product leadership,” says Patrick Crombez of Daikin Europe. Market leader Daikin Europe sees an inflection point in the European hydronic heat pump market, with growth rates anticipated to increase from 10% CAGR to 20% CAGR.
Now in its 21st year, The Construction Marketing Awards showcase the construction industry’s creativity, innovation and effectiveness in marketing ADEY Innovation, Genuit with SLG Marketing and Fabrick were among the 29 winners announced at the Gala Dinner Previous winners include Tobermore, Jewson and Tensar International ADEY Innovation, Genuit with SLG
Hörmann UK has announced the acquisition of the South Lincolnshire based Fen-Bay Group, in a move which will see Hörmann strengthen its’ position as the market leader in the supply and servicing of loading bay equipment, industrial doors and perimeter systems. Serving a broad, diversified customer base, both from within
Ashwood House is a development of Manhattan-style apartments in the desirable Surrey commuter town, Camberley. Situated in a converted 1960s office block, developer Berkeley Homes Southern Ltd needed to ensure the 116 luxury flats were as energy efficient as possible. This was a particular concern for the properties situated above
HS2 CEO Mark Thurston visits Bolton factory as work starts on £36.5m contract Bolton SME continues to recruit new staff to build over 300 safety doors for HS2 tunnels Progress on the manufacturing of safety doors for HS2 tunnels been made as Booth Industries, a Bolton based SME, opened its
Office Principles has delivered the refurbishment of a new 24/7 coworking space in the City of London on behalf of one of the UK’s fastest growing coworking providers. The leading interior design consultancy has completed Work.Life’s new collaborative, community-led workspace, Farringdon at 120 Aldersgate, near Barbican. Office Principles has
BAM Wills JV has begun installation of Duradrain as part of the new €241 million N5 upgrade project, in County Mayo, Ireland. The product, a sustainable and recyclable combined kerb and drainage system, manufactured bygreen construction innovators Dura Products, will line a significant stretch of the new 20.3km dual carriageway between Turlough and Westport. It forms part of the biggest single infrastructural investment ever undertaken in the county. Duradrain was chosen primarily as a low carbon kerb and drainage solution, recording a carbon footprint of just 1.71kg of carbon dioxide per kg in its recent Life Cycle Assessments. In addition to its low carbon footprint, its lightweight nature increases productivity, while also reducing risk of injury during installation, making it a safer, simpler and greener alternative to concrete kerb and drainage systems. Dura Products, who supplied over 4km of Duradrain in October, and will supply another 10.5km between now and the New Year, uses a blend of recycled polymers to manufacture its products, ensuring it continues to divert waste from landfill and reduce demand for virgin plastic. The company has installed more than 400,000 units of its flagship product Durakerb in the UK since 2003, reflecting a burgeoning demand for sustainable construction solutions. BAM Wills JV, who signed the contract for the N5 upgrade project in October 2019, are equally committed to sustainable practice. Its parent company BAM Ireland recently partnered with the Irish Green Building Council to decarbonise Ireland’s building stock, promote circularity in the construction industry and enhance biodiversity, whilst also planting 150,000 trees to mark its 150th anniversary in 2019. Commenting on the installation, Steve Bennett, Managing Director of Dura Products said: “We’re delighted that BAM Wills JV selected Duradrain as its chosen kerbside and drainage solution for this project, and that we can help them continue leading the way for sustainable construction in Ireland. Knowing what this project will bring to the region in terms of accessibility, employment and road safety, it fills us with great pride to be involved.”
Coventry’s redeveloped Warwick Arts Centre has opened its doors as one of the region’s key venues for the city’s tenure as the 2021 UK City of Culture, with low noise level air distribution products supplied by Waterloo. Located on the University of Warwick campus, Warwick Arts Centre has been transformed into an environmentally sustainable multi-artform venue offering three state-of-the-art cinema screens, new gallery, spacious foyer, café and bar, alongside the existing large theatre, and other performance spaces. And coinciding with the long-awaited season when audiences were able to get back inside to enjoy the arts after months of lockdown, the October opening took on a special significance. With a proven track record of providing bespoke air distribution systems for spaces used for performance and exhibitions, this exciting project was the perfect challenge for Waterloo’s expert sales and technical teams. The Warwick 20:20 Project, which began in 2019, has transformed the original 1974 building into a vibrant showcase for the very best in contemporary art, events and entertainment that will appeal to the widest possible audience. Following the phase one refurbishment of the existing theatres, entrance area and restaurant, phase two began in autumn 2019 with the creation of a brand new building to house the new cinemas, large accessible ground floor gallery, new café and a welcoming, spacious foyer. When specifying air terminal devices for performance spaces, optimum air quality is not the only consideration. For moments when the audience should be able to hear a pin drop, low noise generation is crucial. Mechanical & electrical services subcontractor Dodd Group, working in association with engineering consultants Hoare Lea and supported by the Waterloo team, selected Waterloo’s Thermally Actuated Swirl Diffusers (SDACH) for the three auditoria to ensure the lowest possible noise levels. By using a temperature controlled actuator, this diffuser achieves very good control levels in both heating and cooling modes to provide ideal comfort at all times of year. In contrast, the exhibition galleries presented a different requirement. To ensure that the regularly changing exhibits would not be disturbed by air flow, Waterloo’s adjustable Hi-Flo Jet Diffusers (RWH) were chosen because of their ability to provide long throws and 360˚ rotation. Dodd Group’s mechanical engineer James McGugan said: “It was crucial that the air terminal devices chosen for Warwick Arts Centre delivered more than just optimum indoor air quality. Keeping noise levels to an absolute minimum for a performance venue was also top of our list when choosing who to work with on this project. Waterloo was able to provide exactly what was needed to achieve the required standards and the responsiveness of the team ensured on-time delivery.” The requirement for low noise levels also applied to the exterior of the building. Waterloo’s Large Format Fixed Blade External Louvres (WG-EF) were selected due to their 75mm pitch which ensures low noise and pressure drop characteristics whilst offering the necessary protection against water ingress. A polyester powder coating provides long term protection against the elements and a fully galvanized bird screen prevents unwanted inhabitants from nesting in the ventilation system. Air Valves were used in the toilets and for the areas immediately outside the toilets Waterloo specified the adaptable Louvre Faced Diffuser (DF41) which is ideal for integration with a variety of ceiling types whilst maintaining consistency in appearance. The DF41 is available with five frame styles and 14 different air pattern control core designs for vertical and horizontal diffusion.
Britain’s manufacturers invest more than £500 million to end Britain’s housing crisis – targeting 75,000 sustainable modular homes by end of decade and 50,000 highly skilled jobs across the UK Six modular homes can be installed each day by a single crane and heating costs are slashed by 20% Upscaling modular housing would provide capacity for 75,000 additional new homes by the end of 2029 Up to six houses installed each day by a single crane and a factory produces each house in just two hours Modular homes cost 20% less cost to heat, and use 30% less energy as a whole due to cutting-edge design With a 25% reduction in the workforce between 2016-2025 construction labour will be the new haulage industry unless action is taken now Upscaling modular housing can create 50,000 flexible future economy jobs where they are needed across the UK With up to 96% less embodied carbon modular housing is vastly more sustainable than traditional homes 33% of UK construction businesses are currently based in the South East of England. Modular housing can use the nation’s buoyant housing markets to drive employment in other parts of the country supporting the levelling up agenda Modular homes achieve net zero through the use of solar panels, air source heat pumps, superior building materials and production which delivers almost zero defects for energy efficiency Today Make UK launches a new trade body Make Modular, bringing together Britain’s leading modular housing manufacturers with a plan to solve the country’s housing crisis by delivering 75,000 affordable high-quality homes before the end of the decade. The UK housing market is at a tipping point where it could transform into the most advanced housing manufacturing market in the world in under a decade delivering in excess of 75,000 new homes via modular housing. Make Modular members’ factories can produce a new home every 2 hours. These homes are near defect free with 97% less embodied carbon than traditional builds. Make Modular members have already invested more than £500 million in new factories, cutting edge processes, and state of the art technology. The UK construction sector will have lost at least 25% of its workforce by between 2016-25. There is a major risk that by the next election construction has become the new haulage with economic competitiveness undermined by an ageing workforce leaving the industry. More than 2,000 new jobs have been created by Make Modular members in the last 3 years. By moving people off-site and into clean, safe, modern working conditions volumetric can rebuild the construction workforce bringing up to 50,000 new younger people into the workforce. Uniquely in the construction sector, modular housing provides the opportunity to construct offsite and in regions where labour is available. Homes are then transported to the areas where demand for new homes is the highest. Current factories driving the start of the modular revolution are already located in the Midlands and the North of the country, providing highly skilled and sought after careers using the latest digital and automated technologies with innovative design bringing about the highest environmental credentials. Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK said: “Imaginative and speedy solutions are required to tackle Britain’s housing crisis and modular housing could certainly play a significant part in helping local authorities deliver the challenging home building targets set for them by Government. But to make real significant progress, modular housing needs to have equal access to land for construction with many sites still favouring traditional modes of construction. “Modular also needs to have the weight of Government procurement behind it using a joined-up approach including education, defence and housing to build much needed scale the UK’s modular industry.” Modular housing manufacturers are also keen to accelerate the development of building regulations to match a new, more ambitious new normal when it comes to quality and energy across construction as a whole, driving forward the world’s biggest challenge of climate change. Dave Sheridan, Chair of Make UK Modular said: ‘Modular housing has grown rapidly in the last few years. The establishment of our own trade body is the crucial next step in this process. As a natural partner to Government to solve the housing crisis, deliver the levelling up agenda, and combat climate change Make Modular will accelerate and advance the MMC agenda through one strong voice rather than a series of disparate ones.’
Placefirst’s £8m Manchester residential scheme of 53 high quality apartments in Longsight has topped out. Placefirst is a leading and award-winning build-to-rent provider with over 1,300 homes, and a further 1,000 in the pipeline and under construction. Work on the development began in March 2021. The topping out represents an exciting construction milestone, with the former job centre’s rooftop extension now complete and the building reaching its highest point. The rooftop extension has given a new lease of life to this building and will accommodate eight homes with stunning views across to the Manchester City Centre skyline. Ground floor residents will have the luxury of private entrances and dual aspects with windows at the front and rear. The overall scheme comprises a mix of high-specification apartments, ranging from studios to 3 beds, and is on track for completion in Spring 2022. Alongside the topping out, the internal fit out is also well underway and the build programme is making great progress. Interiors will include high quality, modern kitchens and bathrooms and residents can expect top spec finishes throughout and bright communal areas. All apartments will also be available with a furniture package, and show homes will be launching in the coming weeks. Longsight has fantastic links to the centre of Manchester, making it an ideal location for commuters, and in turn shall add further value to the local community with increased footfall for amenities and leisure facilities. Placefirst worked with Project 3 Architects to repurpose and transform the former job centre, paying close attention to sustainability and modern design. The regeneration specialists also partnered with an arboriculturist and Manchester City Council to plant new trees and install new public realm, also adding a perimeter hedge and protect high value trees in the southwest corner of the site. Energy efficiency of the apartments will be maximised by incorporating renewable sources such as solar panels, improving Psi values to limit heat loss and electric panel heaters that have a high level of control for residents. All apartments will be available for long-term let through Placefirst as part the professional landlord’s commitment to offering a viable alternative to outright home ownership. Residents will also benefit from a dedicated resident services manager as part of the developer’s dedication to high quality service and community engagement within their schemes. David Mawson, chief executive at Placefirst commented: “We are excited to have reached this construction milestone where despite the challenges of the past year, the hard work undertaken by our team and partners has seen a former derelict building brought back into use, to transform it into a thriving, sustainable neighbourhood and providing 53 new homes. “This development in the up-and-coming area of Longsight is another great demonstration of our commitment to placemaking and shall provide high-quality apartment living for local residents with excellent links to Manchester City Centre and surrounding areas. “To see the building topping out is a great step in bringing this building back to life, and we look forward to its completion next year and residents moving in.” Craig Smith, architect director for Project 3 Architects, added: “It has been fantastic to work in partnership with Placefirst on this project for the adaptive re-use of a former office building, and witness the completion of the roof structure. The rooftop extension, which has been designed to complement the existing surroundings, helps bring the building to life and will create desirable and attractive much-needed homes for local residents, whilst also offering stunning views of the city skyline.”
“Ambitious investments in production capacity and R&D will allow Daikin Europe to expand market and product leadership,” says Patrick Crombez of Daikin Europe. Market leader Daikin Europe sees an inflection point in the European hydronic heat pump market, with growth rates anticipated to increase from 10% CAGR to 20% CAGR. This will lead to annual heat pump installations of 4 million heat pumps by 2030, up from 1 million in 2021. Daikin Europe is responding by investing in production and innovation capacity, warehousing and logistics and increased training for installers and service technicians across the EMEA region. Patrick Crombez, General Manager Heating and Renewables at Daikin comments, “Switching our heating systems to heat pumps represents a historical transformation to low-carbon heating, with benefits for climate change but also healthier living environments. We are proud to lead this transformation in Europe.” Daikin Europe’s business unit ‘Heating & Renewables’ is growing fast and – as the European market leader in this category – is outperforming the European heat pump category growth. “For us 2021 has been a turning point for heat pumps”, says Patrick Crombez. “Consumers and policy makers have never been more eager to decarbonize heating systems.“ Over the past decade, the European market for heat pumps has grown at a strong pace, with an annual growth rate of 10% (CAGR) from 2011 to 2020, resulting in the expected installation of 1 million heat pumps in 2021. In the coming years, Daikin – in line with other industry experts – anticipates a sharp acceleration in heat pump adoption. By 2030, it expects 4 million heat pumps will be installed each year, representing an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%. At that point, 1 out of 3 heating systems installed will be a heat pump, up from 1 out of 10 in 2020. While this represents steep growth compared to recent years, Daikin Europe considers this the minimum to ensure a move to a decarbonized residential heating market in Europe. Patrick Crombez: ”From all available data, it is clear that heat pump adoption is hitting an inflection point this year and the already robust growth of the category will only accelerate.” A key driver for heat pump growth has been the introduction of legislation governing new builds in many European countries, ranging from general regulations in France such as RT2012 (which sets a new minimum standard for thermal insulation of dwellings), to a ban on combustion boilers in the Netherlands. Additionally, incentives in France, Germany and Italy have successfully increased the appeal of heat pumps in the replacement- and renovation market. At the same time, heat pump technology has evolved to make heat pumps an attractive option: the arrival of ‘high temperature’ heat pumps means existing fossil fuel boilers can be replaced without the need to update or modify existing radiators. Daikin Europe invests in production capacity, innovation In the coming years market leader Daikin intends to more than triple its European heating production and expects their heating business to become one of the key pillars of Daikin’s revenue by 2025. Today, 5 of 14 Daikin’s EMEA factories are dedicated to heat pump production. All Daikin heat pumps sold in Europe are developed and produced in Europe, with main Daikin factories in Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic. A recently announced investment plan for the next 5 years includes a sizable investment in the heat pump category. Patrick Crombez, Daikin Europe notes, ”Without offering a detailed breakdown of our investments, a substantial part of Daikin EMEA’s planned 840 million EUR investment over the next 5 years will be allocated to heat pumps. This will allow us to expand our European market leadership in heat pumps.” Part of the investment aims to expand production capacity to keep up with demand. Another area of investment is the planned construction of a cutting-edge development complex ‘European Development Center (EDC)’ in Ghent, Belgium, allowing Daikin to strengthen its leadership in innovation and to allow a faster and wider development of heat pumps. The EDC complex represents an investment of €140M, will offer 380 jobs locally and will also function as the Daikin global centre for heating product development. Daikin Europe expands European warehousing, training and deliveries to support transition to decarbonized heating In 2021, production of Daikin Europe heat pumps will amount to 1.5 million units (covering residential, commercial and industrial hydronic heat pumps produced within the EU). It currently handles some 71,000 deliveries per day from its 30 warehouses all over Europe, and it is ready to scale this to meet demand. Patrick Crombez comments, “In the next few years, we will increase our number of warehouses to allow us to reduce delivery distance to our customers. Our integrated stock and warehouse management approach allows us to move stock faster, offer better service and lower logistics costs.” Finally, Daikin Europe offers support and training to installers in 54 training centers across Europe. Training ranges from starter courses on installation of heat pumps and direct expansion technology, to advanced troubleshooting courses and service controls on new products. Patrick Crombez says, “Despite the difficult conditions due to COVID-19, we are proud to report that the number of trainees – both online and in real life – doubled in 2020. Our investments strengthen our existing production and distribution network and allow us to look forward to the next decade with confidence and excitement.” Supporting “a historical transition” The investments and growth plans of Daikin Europe Heating and Renewables fit into its vision of decarbonizing residential heating throughout Europe. As fossil fuel-based residential heating is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, this transformation will allow Europe to achieve its ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2030. Patrick Crombez states, “The coming years will be pivotal in decarbonizing the heating of residential and commercial buildings. It’s a truly historical transition that will contribute to a stable climate, safer and healthier homes, and more affordable energy bills. We are proud and we could not be more excited to take the
Now in its 21st year, The Construction Marketing Awards showcase the construction industry’s creativity, innovation and effectiveness in marketing ADEY Innovation, Genuit with SLG Marketing and Fabrick were among the 29 winners announced at the Gala Dinner Previous winners include Tobermore, Jewson and Tensar International ADEY Innovation, Genuit with SLG Marketing and Fabrick were among the winners at the recent Construction Marketing Awards Gala Dinner. Endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG) and the Construction Products Association (CPA), the Construction Marketing Awards are the most sought-after accolade in the industry’s marketing calendar. The winners were crowned by an esteemed panel of industry experts, including James Ellis, chair of CIMCIG and head of marketing at Certsure, Ross Sturley, principal of Chart Lane and CIMCIG committee member, Steven Plimmer, head of marketing (commercial) at RIBA and Mike Leonard, chief executive at Building Alliance. The awards were held at Hilton London Bankside and hosted by multi award winning South African comedian, Loyiso Gola. This year’s awards featured 29 categories, including Best Use of Content Marketing, Best Distributor Marketing Campaign and Marketing Team of the Year. ADEY Innovation scooped the prestigious Marketing Team of the Year and Best Product Launch awards for its unrivalled performance in delivering marketing excellence for clients, whilst Genuit with SLG Marketing were awarded the Strategic Planning and Management award and Fabrick triumphed in the Agency of the Year category. Claire Miller, marketing director of ADEY Innovation said: “We are extremely proud of everything the ADEY marketing team have accomplished together. To have won Marketing Team of the Year as well as Best Product Launchat this years’ CMAs is a true accolade to the team’s hard work and creative minds. Our customer-centric approach really helps to deliver truly meaningful marketing to all our audiences.” James Ellis, chair of CIMCIG, said of the night: “The construction sector is renowned for its innovation and creativity and when it comes to marketing, the awards confirm that the industry recognises and celebrates the insight, creativity and impact of marketers in construction. “The competition this year was so strong that to be considered as a finalist for one of the awards available meant showcasing astounding talent, innovation and an ability to make a genuine difference and deliver tangible results. Many congratulations to all the finalists and winners, it was a fantastic night to celebrate and honour marketing excellence across the built environment.” Maggie Jones, director of qualifications and partnerships at the CIM added: “We’ve been very impressed by the breadth of talent entering this year’s Construction Marketing Awards. Despite the economic and social uncertainty we have faced over the past 20 months, it is great we have been able to recognise and celebrate the insight, creativity, and impact construction marketers are having within the industry. Many congratulations to all the winners and finalists, they reflect the very best in construction marketing talent and originality across the industry.” Now in its 21st year, The Construction Marketing Awards celebrate creativity, innovation and effectiveness in marketing across the construction industry, and the awards shine a spotlight on excellence at a business and individual level. To see the winners list, please visit – http://www.cmawards.co.uk/2021-finalists/ For more information about CIM – the world’s leading professional marketing body, becoming a member, volunteering, or upcoming marketing events in construction, visit: https://sigs.cim.co.uk/construction-industry-group/
Hörmann UK has announced the acquisition of the South Lincolnshire based Fen-Bay Group, in a move which will see Hörmann strengthen its’ position as the market leader in the supply and servicing of loading bay equipment, industrial doors and perimeter systems. Serving a broad, diversified customer base, both from within the retail end-user sector as well as the construction market, Fen-Bay is well known in the market for being a leading manufacturer and installer of loading bay equipment, industrial doors, and security barriers – priding itself on maintaining strong, and long-lasting relationships with its customers. The acquisition also includes TransDek who became part of the Fen-Bay Group in 2020. Based in Doncaster TransDek are a specialist in the design, manufacture and installation of modular loading bays and lifting systems. Employing 150 staff, part of its turnkey offering includes the provision of 24/7, nationwide service support employing over 100 fulltime engineers. Commenting on the acquisition, Wolfgang Gorner, Managing Director of Hörmann UK said, “We are delighted to welcome the Fen-Bay Group to the Hörmann family. We see this as a natural fit and a key part of our drive to increase our footprint in the Industrial and Service sectors. The Fen-Bay Group with its excellent brand, reputation and nationwide coverage will complement our existing operations, but will allow us to compete even more so in these areas. We are also excited to build on the success already achieved by TransDek throughout Europe and we are committed to ongoing investment in the Fen-Bay Group operations. We see great potential moving forward.” Carl Sedlan, Managing Director of the Fen-Bay Group added, “We already have extensive experience of Hörmann and its’ strong family values, which resonated strongly with our Management Team. Everyone is genuinely excited by the opportunities moving forward and becoming part of such a well-known and respected Group.”
Ashwood House is a development of Manhattan-style apartments in the desirable Surrey commuter town, Camberley. Situated in a converted 1960s office block, developer Berkeley Homes Southern Ltd needed to ensure the 116 luxury flats were as energy efficient as possible. This was a particular concern for the properties situated above the first floor car park, which has open walls to allow adequate ventilation of exhaust fumes. As a result, the specification stipulated a U-value of 0.25 W/m²K. Chris Body, Business Development Director at RPN Ltd, the specialist sub-contractor at Ashwood House said: “We approached several insulation manufacturers to discuss the different options available. Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard met the brief in terms of thermal and fire performance. It can be used on uneven substrates and looks fantastic – all of which were key priorities for Berkeley Homes.” Aesthetic appeal How the insulation looked was an important part of the brief as Berkeley Homes wanted a solution that would be aesthetically pleasing. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard features a black glass veil facing, so no additional finishing was required. This meant that RPN Ltd has been able to install the slabs perpendicular to the ring beam to create a quilted effect across the ceiling. A high-performance solution The other specification factors were thermal performance and fire safety. Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team undertook U-value calculations to determine that 130mm Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard would be required. It is manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool, has a thermal conductivity of just 0.034 W/mK and is designed to insulate structural soffits in applications such as open sided car parks. It is non-combustible with the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, so will not contribute to the development or spread of a fire should it occur. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard also has excellent sound absorption characteristics so will help to ensure that residents are not disturbed by the noise of cars parking beneath their flats. Better for installers The insulation was supplied by distributors CCF Ltd who delivered it to the site in line with the schedule of works. It was then installed by RPN’s specialist team. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard is easier to install correctly than other insulants. The product recipe makes each slab rigid, which ensures the insulation maintains continuous contact with the substrate, preventing gaps that can reduce thermal, fire and acoustic performance. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable, and is less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is more environmentally friendly. Products made with ECOSE® Technology are soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs, and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. This means they are kinder to the installers who use them too. A safe solution Ultimately, using Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard means the Ashwood House car park ceiling not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but it helps to meet the increasing demand for non-combustible insulation in car parks too.
HS2 CEO Mark Thurston visits Bolton factory as work starts on £36.5m contract Bolton SME continues to recruit new staff to build over 300 safety doors for HS2 tunnels Progress on the manufacturing of safety doors for HS2 tunnels been made as Booth Industries, a Bolton based SME, opened its new purpose built facility where the doors will be built. Today [Tuesday 7th December] they welcomed HS2 CEO, Mark Thurston, to the new unit and to meet staff working on the project. The £36.5million 10-year contract awarded in September 2020 has enabled Booth Industries to expand its facility in Bolton and increase its workforce including offering new apprenticeships. The company employed its first female apprentice earlier this year adding to its 130 staff based in Greater Manchester. The new 600m2 facility is adjacent to the main factory in the heart of Bolton, and will increase the capacity on the production line, enabling the company to fulfil the HS2 contract whilst delivering other work. The initial phase of the HS2 contract will focus on developing and testing, and then manufacturing of the cast-in sub-frames. Manufacturing and installation is expected to start around 2025. Speaking after his visit to Booth Industries in Bolton, HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “There are businesses across the UK with the expertise and ability to help us build HS2 and Booth Industries is just one of over 2,000 that are already helping us do that. It is great to see the benefit the project is bringing to an SME in Bolton, as well as the onward economic impact through the local supply chain. “As progress to build HS2 continues, there will be thousands of contract opportunities for UK companies to become part of this exciting national endeavour.” The safety doors will play a crucial role in the operation of the railway, sealing off the cross passageways between the separate north and southbound tunnels and giving access in the event of an emergency. With trains capable of travelling at speeds of up to 250Mph passing within metres of the doors, they will not only need to provide fire integrity and insulation for up to two hours but will also have to withstand a wide-range of challenging day-to-day environmental and fatigue pressures. The doors will be capable of withstanding constant 14Kpa pressure cycles, along with 2hr Integrity and 2hr Insulation against fire – a world first and setting a new benchmark within the industry. They will be manufactured using majority UK made steel and fitted across the 32 miles of tunnel between London and Crewe. Since winning the contract, Booth has made progress to become a carbon neutral company. Having implemented a carbon zero roadmap, the business is already operating as a Carbon Neutral and will continue to progress to reach Net Zero by 2025. Mike Jenkinson, Managing Director of Booth Industries, said: “We’re proud to welcome HS2 to our primary site in Bolton, where our new state-of-the-art, energy efficient, manufacturing facility has just been built. The new facility provides valuable additional capacity to facilitate the delivery of several key public sector contracts, including our work for HS2. “The skills required to deliver this project are highly specialised, including modelling the effect of a 200mph wind load created by trains as they pass the doors at high speed, destructive testing for fatigue and fire-testing in furnaces, reaching temperatures of around 1,000 degrees Celsius. Delivering on this means pairing decades of knowledge and unique I.P. with new innovative techniques and designs. “Securing the contract has also enabled us to create new jobs, including apprenticeships and graduate positions, and many more will come once we move into the manufacturing and installation phases. We are delighted to be part of this key infrastructure project and looking forward to delivering a program of great British engineering and manufacturing we can all be proud of.” As the construction of HS2 gathers further pace, thousands of contract opportunities will be available, creating many associated jobs. To date over 20,000 people are supporting the construction of HS2, and nearly 2,400 UK businesses delivering the work. For more information about joining HS2’s supply chain visit hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/supply-chain/
Office Principles has delivered the refurbishment of a new 24/7 coworking space in the City of London on behalf of one of the UK’s fastest growing coworking providers. The leading interior design consultancy has completed Work.Life’s new collaborative, community-led workspace, Farringdon at 120 Aldersgate, near Barbican. Office Principles has transformed 13,000 sq ft on the ground and first floor of the four-storey building, to create flexible and fully furnished, private offices. The new coworking location includes facilities designed for teams and entrepreneurs, with hot desking, meeting rooms, phone booths, a library and comfortable breakout spaces. Its design is characterised by the use of reeded and patterned glass, reflective of the site’s historic use as a crystal glass making workshop, the Glass House Yard in the 1800s. Crittall-style screens and decorative glass pendants complement the raw, industrial nature of the exposed concrete architecture. The effect is softened by the contrasting use of botanicals, geometric textiles, rich velvet textures, Scandinavian-style timbers and a pastel colour palette throughout. A ground floor bar provides a shared central space that connects with a series of open fronted work areas, with folding cross walls promoting collaboration and social interaction. At the heart of the space is a winter garden, with bifold doors opening out onto an external terrace and planting, with views up to the other floors of the building. A new central staircase connects the ground floor to the space above, with additional first floor workspaces, including quiet external seating areas, a fully equipped kitchen, Zoom rooms, laptop tables and seating. Members also benefit from evening and weekend access to the building, as well as secure bicycle storage and showering facilities. Spaces can be branded and customised to suit member requirements. Office Principles was chosen to deliver the 16-week refurbishment following a competitive tendering process. Tom Parsons, sales director at Office Principles, said: “Farringdon is a fabulous new coworking space in one of London’s most exciting business districts. It truly embodies the Work.Life approach to changing the perception of the workplace, by enabling people to feel happy and fulfilled. We’ve delivered a warm, welcoming and personal environment for Work.Life members, with vibrant and sociable shared offices and amenities. It is always pleasing to have delivered a successful project, especially on behalf of a client that is helping to make work a better place.” Elliot Gold, co-founder of Work.Life, said: “There’s a huge correlation between happiness and productivity – engaged employees are not only better for individual wellbeing, but for business too. We’ve finely tuned our workspaces to create a personal experience designed to increase happiness for our members. Office Principles has helped to make our Farringdon space come alive. The high-quality, striking design was everything we wanted and more.”