A Yorkshire company is laying the foundations to revolutionise the housebuilding industry – by creating the UK’s first home built by a robot Pocklington-based Construction Automation started work on the three-bedroom house in Everingham this week, a modern property being built from traditional bricks and mortar. But there is nothing
HS2 awards contract for modular slab track system for Phase One and 2a New factory in Somerset, set to create up to 500 jobs HS2 today awarded a major contract to design and manufacture the modular track system for the UK’s new high speed railway, to a partnership which includes
In the modern-day, interior designers and architects are using metal for safety and decorations. They use the finishing for protecting the walls from cracks and chipping. Modern homes are utilizing the metal corner guards in kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms. The simple option to décor is durable and robust for
In recent times, manufacturing industries are embracing non-destructive non-package testing. A defective package makes the product loos sterility. Contamination of manufactured due to leakage can be catastrophic in pharmaceutical products. The physical method of testing packages is reliable and verifiable, unlike biological tests. With package leak detectors like FlexPax, businesses
Contractor Henry Brothers Midlands has been appointed to build a new £15m ‘mock hospital’ facility at Nottingham Trent University to help train healthcare professionals of the future. Procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, the 34,000 sq ft building at NTU’s Clifton Campus will serve as the base for the university’s
Vital Energi have won the £17m contract to deliver the primary energy infrastructure package for the Greystar and Henderson Park, Nine Elms Park plots B and D development which will be situated on the former Royal Mail centre. The 14-acre development, which lays between Battersea & Vauxhall, south of the
Tridify announced today it has been awarded an Epic MegaGrant to develop a new BIM streaming service, enabling AEC professionals to view interactive BIM models rendered with Unreal Engine streamed to any mobile device. Designed to improve collaboration at all stages of the construction process, the service will make existing
A NEW £9 million primary school built on the former RAF Locking base and surrounding land in North Somerset has welcomed its first cohort of pupils – after construction completed in time for the 2020/21 academic year, despite setbacks caused by COVID-19. The Parklands Educate Together Primary School, in Weston-super-Mare,
Various industries around the globe continue to be affected by the ongoing pandemic. This is why companies are doing their best to survive or at least manage the coronavirus’ impact on their business operation. At this point, organizations need to adapt to change. One of the ways is to transform
Raised in the rural south west of Scotland, I remember only too well wet playtimes at school, sitting bored at my desk and staring out of the window, or hanging around the corridors. Thankfully, there is a shift happening and indoor breaks are becoming a thing of the past and
A Yorkshire company is laying the foundations to revolutionise the housebuilding industry – by creating the UK’s first home built by a robot Pocklington-based Construction Automation started work on the three-bedroom house in Everingham this week, a modern property being built from traditional bricks and mortar. But there is nothing traditional about the way the walls are being constructed. Instead of bricklayers and labourers, the house is being built by Construction Automation’s Automatic Brick Laying Robot (ABLR) – an innovative piece of technology that has been four years in development. In a world first, the robot will lay all the bricks, blocks, and mortar. It is also the first machine of its type ever created that can build around corners – meaning it can construct an entire house without stopping. Construction Automation was formed in May 2016 by entrepreneurs David Longbottom and Stuart Parkes. David said: “The house will contain around 10,000 bricks and will take the ABLR about two weeks to build. “It is the first house in the UK to be built by a robot, and possibly the first in the world. “The ABLR comprises of the robot and a sophisticated software control system that reads digitised versions of architect’s plans. “This instructs the robot exactly where to lay the blocks, bricks and mortar. “It is controlled from a tablet and all the data about a specific build can be accessed remotely, making it very easy to assess progress on site at any time.” Building in this way requires just two people to work on each house – a labourer to load bricks and mortar into the robot and a skilled person to install tie bars, damp courses, and lintels, and to do the pointing. The control system sends out alerts when these important jobs need doing, and then takes a photograph of the completed task to form a complete digital record of the key quality criteria. Stuart said the advantages of the ABLR include increased productivity, better quality houses, and improved health and safety on site. He said: “Although bricks are meant to be a standard size there is quite a lot of variation in them. “So, we use sensors to measure each individual brick and then to line it up, so it is precisely central on the wall. The sensors also align the edge of each brick to produce a perfect finish. “That way, the ABLR builds quickly and to a consistently high standard.” He added that as it sits on a nine-metre high vertical lift frame, it removes the need for scaffolding and for people to work at height. “The robot is mounted on a track that is placed around the footprint of the house,” he said. “With the in-built vertical lift, the machine can build easily to the height of a standard two-storey house, so it is much safer than building in the traditional way.” Construction Automation has already secured patent in the USA on the technology, and a European and UK patent is expected to follow shortly. David added that once the ABLR had completed this house and a number of other test properties, the company will be ready to go into full production. “Our goal is to automate housebuilding as far as we can,” he said. “By doing this, we can increase productivity for the industry, improve health and safety, and guarantee quality.”
HS2 awards contract for modular slab track system for Phase One and 2a New factory in Somerset, set to create up to 500 jobs HS2 today awarded a major contract to design and manufacture the modular track system for the UK’s new high speed railway, to a partnership which includes PORR UK Ltd and Aggregate Industries UK. The deal will see the slab track segments manufactured at a new factory near Shepton Mallet in Somerset helping to create up to 500 jobs over the life of the contract. The deal – worth £260m – will see the PORR consortium manufacture all of the track (excluding tunnels and some specialist structures) between London and Crewe, where HS2 joins the existing west coast mainline. Using a modular construction system known as Slab Track Austria, the concrete slab track will be manufactured offsite at a new purpose-built factory in Somerset before being transported to site. Once installed, the rails are then fitted onto the slab track. This type of system – which is used on several high speed railways across the world – will reduce maintenance costs and improve performance in comparison to traditional ballasted track. HS2 Ltd’s Procurement and Commercial Director, David Poole said: “HS2 is designed to provide reliable high frequency, high capacity rail services for millions of people across the UK. Slab track will provide long-term value for money with lower maintenance costs and greater reliability and that’s why I’m pleased that today we are awarding that contract to the PORR consortium. “This award – and the announcement of the new factory at Somerset – is another example of how HS2 is already supporting companies across the UK, creating jobs and helping the economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic.” PORR is one of Austria’s leading engineering companies and one of the first companies in the world to develop a slab track system. PORR’s slab track system has been used to lay more than 780 kilometres of track worldwide – with its first stretch operating almost maintenance free since being laid in Langenlebern, Austria, in 1989. Aggregate Industries UK is one of Britain’s leading providers of construction materials, employing more than 3,700 people at 300 sites across the UK. The new factory is planned to be built at an existing Aggregate Industries site in Somerset. Simon Jukes, Managing Director of PORR UK Ltd said: “The PORR Consortium is delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this major contract and will bring a wealth of technical expertise and experience in high speed rail and slab track to the HS2 project. We are looking forward to working collaboratively with the HS2 team to deliver a world class sustainable rail infrastructure for the United Kingdom.” A separate Track Systems contractor – due to be appointed in 2022 – will have overall responsibility for managing and coordinating the design and installation of the complex rail systems in each section of the route. This includes the installation of the slab track manufactured by the PORR consortium and the interface with signalling and overhead power supply. Separate specialist contractors will also deliver the rails, switches and crossings, high voltage power supply, communications and mechanical and electrical systems.
In the modern-day, interior designers and architects are using metal for safety and decorations. They use the finishing for protecting the walls from cracks and chipping. Modern homes are utilizing the metal corner guards in kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms. The simple option to décor is durable and robust for all kinds of building designs. There are numerous reason to install corner guards in-home or workplaces; Acts as reinforcement to the wall corners The corners at the wall are the first places prone to damage in a new home. It is vital to reinforce the parts to minimize the risk of damage. Guards will offer protection against dents, scratches, and cracks. Places with massive traffic of users and lots of movement to assets need this kind of property proofing. The corner guards make the wall corners resistant to the constant collision with movable items. Offer Protection to walls in Industrial Places Companies that engage in industrial work are in the constant movement of raw materials and machines. The walls are prone to damage when the heavy items hit against the walls. Corners guards protect the most vulnerable part of the wall. Industrial buildings are investing in the metal corner guards that offer strong protection to the building. It is an excellent investment to increase the value of a property and avoid frequent repair costs. Prevents Injuries to Occupants Corner guards offer protection to the wall from distractive children. On the other hand, the guards will protect the child from injury upon falling. Rubber corner guards are the ideal in proofing the house. It is a preventive measure if you have kids and pets at home. They are also suitable for places with high human traffic as people get in contact with the wall edges. Protects the Wallpaper from peeling Over time, wallpapers start peeling from the wall corners. Corner guards protect the corners at the wall from wear and tear that leads to the wallpaper peeling. It keeps the interior design last longer, thus reducing the cost of maintaining the wallpaper. Prevent staining Many people tend to touch the wall corners. The practice stains the wall and it is tasking to clean dirt off the paint. Corner guards are easy to clean and it is why restaurants use them in their interior design. Kitchens are ideal places for metal and wooden corner guards that are easy to clean and maintain. Are Decorative The wooden corner guards can have a beautiful texture to it. On the other hand, metallic ones offer a nice shiny finish to the wall. Using corner guards in home interior design gives a unique touch to the outlook in the room. Homeowners have the option of painting the corner guards to blend them with the interior décor and furniture. A Variety of Materials to choose from Every home and business environment can find the right fit for the corner guard to use. The component in interior design comes in a different type of material according to the need. They come in varying gauge and size. The most common materials in the industry are metal, rubber, synthetic, vinyl, and wood. Saves money Unprotected walls are prone to damage at home or the workplace. Corner guards aids in protecting the interior from the environment’s daily demands and activities. It costs less to install the guards than a complete renovation to the damaged space. Most Spaces need protection A lot of spaces in residential and commercial buildings are exposed to constant impact and force. Without protection, the impact will cause damage to the property. Places such as offices, restaurants, schools, and hospitals make use of equipment that causes an impact on the walls. Corner guards are a necessity in the interior design of such high traffic places. Conclusion Apart from safeguarding the life of your property and loved ones, corner guards will save you money in the long run.
In recent times, manufacturing industries are embracing non-destructive non-package testing. A defective package makes the product loos sterility. Contamination of manufactured due to leakage can be catastrophic in pharmaceutical products. The physical method of testing packages is reliable and verifiable, unlike biological tests. With package leak detectors like FlexPax, businesses can detect leakages in packages before shipping the products. Let us look at the importance of package Integrity. What is package Integrity? Package integrity entails maintaining the exact configuration of products for the consumption of users. Manufactured food products need to keep their nutrients and quality. For pharmaceutical products, packaging will affect the safety and shelf life of the product. Reasons why Package Integrity matters Testing for leakage is a continuous process during the manufacturing process. Businesses must pay attention to the packaging needs of their products. The package leak detector is a tool for manufacturing industries to maintain integrity in their packaging. Excellent and efficient packaging will increase the customer base and appeal to potential consumers. It offers a competitive advantage over companies offering similar products. Let us look into some of the reasons why package integrity matters; It portrays the product quality Packaging offers the first impression for every potential client. A well-packaged item will appeal to a customer and prompt him/her to purchase the item. The packaging of food products needs to be secure from contamination. It is also the case of pharmaceutical products that are tight-packaged. A leakage in the packaging system will reduce the shelf life of such products. Offers protection to the product One of the primary purposes of packaging items is for product protection. The product must remain safe from the moment the manufacturers dispatch the item until it reaches the consumer. An ideal package should be resistant to damage while on the shelves. Package testing ensures that businesses find reliable methods to prevent tampering of the product. Specialized packages and seals help to discourage the sale of counterfeits. Is part of pharmaceuticals protocol Design The package design for pharmaceutical products needs testing before being qualified for selling. An accurate result in the testing process ensures that the product reaches the required specifications. The testing methods enhance the sterility and shelf life of the products. Testing using physical techniques is essential for package integrity. It prevents deterioration of the manufactured items during the transportation and storage process. Ensures the Safety of the Products Proper packaging ensures that manufactured products withstand forces that may cause damage. Businesses can show care about their customers by offering tamper proof products. It is critical for food items to maintain their nutritional value and taste. Checking against damage to the package ensures that the item reaches the client to enjoy as intended. There should be a minimal distortion to the product through leakage, compression, or impact. Instructions and user Information Package integrity also includes the ability to communicate with consumers. It is a way of offering consumers with safety and precaution measures. The package contains instructions about the product and shows the tests that the products go through in the production process. Customers will know if the product package is damaged or not. Testing ensures high-quality Packaging Solutions The choice of packaging material should not react with the components in a product. It is critical to consider the effect of moisture and water to the product. A damaged product makes the manufacturers lose money. With the right testing technique, you can be sure that; External components such as moisture, air, and light do not penetrate the package. The product will maintain its quality and sterility. No physical damage happens during the shipping process. There is no contamination of the product. Conclusion It is bad for business when products are damaged and catastrophic when it poses a health risk to the consumer. Companies need to utilize the modern package testing techniques available.
Contractor Henry Brothers Midlands has been appointed to build a new £15m ‘mock hospital’ facility at Nottingham Trent University to help train healthcare professionals of the future. Procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, the 34,000 sq ft building at NTU’s Clifton Campus will serve as the base for the university’s Institute of Health & Allied Professions, which offers a range of specialist courses such as Adult and Mental Health Nursing, Paramedic Science and Public Health. One entire floor will be dedicated to simulated healthcare environments including hospital wards, consultation and counselling rooms, and even a flat for home and emergency care scenarios. The settings will also feature lifelike patient manikins to give students the experience of working with men, women and children with a variety of injuries. Two additional floors will provide office and flexible teaching spaces, including removable seating in lecture theatres to allow for creative learning approaches such as role play. The centre will allow NTU to equip future healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed for modern healthcare. Ian Taylor, managing director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “We are proud to have been selected to build this facility which will have such an important role to play in training future generations of healthcare professionals. “Henry Brothers Midlands has successfully partnered with Nottingham Trent University on a number of projects in recent years, helping to create first-class facilities for a range of disciplines, including a new £23m engineering building and the £9m Enterprise Innovation Centre, which is currently being built, and we are delighted to have been appointed on this latest state-of-the-art scheme.” Dr Anne Felton, head of the Institute of Health & Allied Professions, said: “Contemporary registered healthcare professionals are required to be dynamic and flexible. As well as providing compassionate care, they need to be able to think critically, make complex decisions and lead. “Fostering these skills in the next generation of nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals requires universities to use a range of teaching and learning strategies which complement and enhance the time students spend in practice during their courses. “The facilities in this cutting-edge new building will enable us to recreate a ward setting, or a persons’ home environment, so students can practice and apply the skills they are learning in a safe way and in a realistic context, as well as creating scenarios for students that may be rare in a real world situation.” Executive Dean of the School of Social Sciences at NTU, Professor Sara Owen, added: “Simulations and virtual reality are providing huge opportunities in healthcare education and we are proud of the technological advances and facilities on offer in this building. They will enable us to make these creative and innovative approaches an integral part of our education and give our students the best possible experience.” Jonathan Parker, National Framework Manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to see that NTU has chosen once again to utilise our Major Works Framework to successfully procure and appoint Henry Brothers Midlands. “The new facility is set to have a huge benefit on the next generation of healthcare professionals and continue to transform NTU’s ever-changing campuses, which is something we’re extremely proud to play our part in. “Henry Brothers are a key delivery partner of ours and operate across multiple regions on both our Major and Medium Works Frameworks, so it’s a real pleasure to be continuing to build on our excellent working relationship with them.” The scheme is being led by NTU’s capital projects group within the Estates department. As well as main contractor Henry Brothers – appointed under the Pagabo Framework – the delivery team includes external project managers, Edge, together with architects, Pick Everard, and Turner & Townsend, Atkins and Waterman Group. Work is expected to get under way on site this month (October) with completion due by January 2022. Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk
Vital Energi have won the £17m contract to deliver the primary energy infrastructure package for the Greystar and Henderson Park, Nine Elms Park plots B and D development which will be situated on the former Royal Mail centre. The 14-acre development, which lays between Battersea & Vauxhall, south of the River Thames, will create a total of 894 rental homes in plots B and D with the addition of high spec amenity areas and retail units at ground floor. Each block will be served via their own district heating, chilled and water services plant and the development will be future proofed to enable easy connection to a wider district heating network in the future. Rob Callaghan, Regional director for Vital Energi commented, “Not only are Greystar and Henderson Park, with their delivery partner Telford Homes, creating much-needed, high quality rental housing in London, they are doing it with sustainability at its heart. The overall Nine Elms Park development will deliver a vibrant community with a school, retail units and community facilities and at full build out will deliver almost 2,000 new homes where they are needed. “This will be a fantastic addition to the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Regeneration Area (known as VNEB) and London in general and we look forward to beginning work on this exciting new development.”
Tridify announced today it has been awarded an Epic MegaGrant to develop a new BIM streaming service, enabling AEC professionals to view interactive BIM models rendered with Unreal Engine streamed to any mobile device. Designed to improve collaboration at all stages of the construction process, the service will make existing workflows more efficient and increase the quality of the viewing experience, when sharing large BIMs remotely. Breaking down existing barriers to sharing large BIMs, the service works with any size of model on any device. Previously, due to the size of data and restrictions of mobile devices, viewing large models remotely made collaboration difficult. Users can now benefit from uninterrupted workflows, seamlessly interacting with complex models from any location. Tridify’s new service automatically publishes any IFC file to Unreal Engine and streams it to users via a URL. As the model is streamed directly to a device, there is no need to download any additional applications. The service will be available during October via a range of different priced packages and is an addition to Tridify’s existing set of BIM publishing tools. “Being able to view any type of BIM model on any device, rendered in the industry’s highest quality game engine Unreal, is a major milestone in the streamlining of AEC workflows,” said Alexander Le Bell, Tridify CEO. “The service solves the problem of how to share complete models of large scale developments such as airports, hospitals or shopping malls with everyone, anywhere, without any technical or financial barriers. Tridify is delighted to receive the MegaGrant from Epic Games to create the new service and transform the working practices of architects, engineers and BIM managers.” “The new Tridify service opens up amazing opportunities for the AEC community to benefit from the power of Unreal Engine visualisations, as they work more remotely with increasingly complex BIMs,” commented David Weir-McCall, Business Development, Unreal Engine Enterprise, Epic Games. “Making Unreal Engine more accessible in this way will allow the AEC ecosystem to understand projects more easily and open communication between designer and client.” Users can select to combine different models, such as architecture, HVAC, plumbing or electricity, or simply choose to stream a complete BIM model. Future tools will include mark-up, annotations, measuring and cutting planes. For more information and video demo please visit: https://go.tridify.com/bim-streaming-signup
A NEW £9 million primary school built on the former RAF Locking base and surrounding land in North Somerset has welcomed its first cohort of pupils – after construction completed in time for the 2020/21 academic year, despite setbacks caused by COVID-19. The Parklands Educate Together Primary School, in Weston-super-Mare, has been designed and built to meet the needs of staff, pupils and the local community – delivering 14 modern classrooms, a multi-use games area, main hall, hard and soft informal play areas, and a habitat area. Initially, the school will provide 420 primary school places and a self-contained pre-school, with capacity to expand to 630 places when required. Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle was appointed by North Somerset Council via Scape Group’s National Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework to provide cost management and quantity surveying (QS) services for the project. Victoria Brambini, managing director of Perfect Circle, said: “We are delighted to have supported with the opening of the new Parklands Educate Together Primary School, which has created 420 much-needed school places for pupils in the local community. “Throughout the project, we worked collaboratively with contractor Willmott Dixon, which was appointed via Scape’s National Construction framework, to overcome a number of challenges, namely the coronavirus pandemic. This effective collaboration across two of Scape’s frameworks ensured that a spacious, light and innovative primary school was delivered in time for the start of the new academic year.” A temporary building to house pupils from the new, nearby housing development originally opened just around the corner from the new site in September 2018. Another provisional building was added a year later to expand the school to four classrooms. The permanent site welcomed pupils to the finished building on Monday, 7 September 2020. William Phillips, regional lead for the South West at Perfect Circle, said: “During the height of coronavirus in the UK when numerous restrictions were in place, we were uncertain whether the school was going to be ready in time for the upcoming academic year. “However, as the school had been operating out of temporary buildings for the past two years, the entire team was committed to ensuring that, despite construction taking place in the middle of a pandemic, the building would be ready to welcome pupils in September. “Credit has to go to Willmott Dixon and its supply chain for their efforts adapting to the new site operating procedures under COVID-19 restrictions, as well as the council’s internal project management team for ensuring the scheme maintained momentum. “Due to the challenging circumstances, we spent more time than usual on the scheme, getting costs agreed between the client and contractor in order to keep things moving and get the project finished on time. And, despite the COVID-19 restrictions that were implemented, the school was able to open its doors to pupils this week, which was a huge success for everyone involved, and fantastic news for the school and local community.” Scape’s BECS framework offers direct access to the most extensive property, construction and infrastructure consultancy services available to the public sector. The fully OJEU-compliant procurement route brings together the strongest collaborative team with value for money, while contributing substantially to local social value. Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “The new Parklands Educate Together primary school will significantly enhance the lives of young children and their families across the Locking Parklands community. This state-of-the-art project demonstrates the ability of the public sector to overcome the obstacles presented by Covid-19 and its ongoing commitment to supporting the economic recovery. “The delivery team at North Somerset Council, Perfect Circle and Willmott Dixon deserve an immense amount of credit for adapting to the new Covid-19 operating procedures. We’re proud that our frameworks and expert partners have helped to provide the school with an innovative learning environment for the start of the academic year.” For more information on Perfect Circle, please visit www.perfectcircle.co.uk.
Various industries around the globe continue to be affected by the ongoing pandemic. This is why companies are doing their best to survive or at least manage the coronavirus’ impact on their business operation. At this point, organizations need to adapt to change. One of the ways is to transform the suite of goods and services they offer to their customers. By adopting technology during these difficult times, many businesses have seen a growth in online sales for their products. However, to ensure quality for the different industries they serve, industrial companies continue to utilize both traditional and modern processes. Industrial Coatings And Sealants For Various Industries For many decades, diverse industries have utilized protective coatings and sealants. Despite the changing requirements and standards, there will always be a use for these industrial products. Here are some of the numerous industries that benefit from high-quality industrial sealants and coatings: Aerospace: Protect the surfaces of aerospace vessels from wear and degradation. Architecture: Fixtures and windows get decorative protection from reflective coatings and paint. Automobile: Cars’ body panels are applied with sealant and coatings to protect against wear and exposure. Construction: Coatings and sealants protect the materials of various structures from improving their durability. Engineering: To enhance durability and performance, mechanical and electronic parts may be coated with protective material. Furniture: Sealants are used to make furniture more stable while coatings add a layer of protection to the surfaces. Industrial: Most coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers are used for industrial and manufacturing operations Marine: In addition to blocking water from seeping inside the ship, industrial sealants prevent leaks and rust on the surfaces of water vessels. Printing: Coatings and sealants are used in the printing industry as well as in the paints and coatings industry Textile: Coatings are utilized to produce patterned fabrics and clothing Protective coatings and sealants fall under the category of CASE materials (coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers). These materials aim to improve the appearance, durability, performance, and resistance of various products, tools, and equipment. Top 3 Uses Of Protective Coatings and Sealants Businesses and organizations that utilize protective coatings and sealants know that these materials are essential in creating top-quality, industry-standard products. These are the top 3 ways industries use coating and sealants: Enhance Performance And Durability One of the most important purposes of coatings and sealants is to improve the material’s performance. A common use for industrial protective coatings is in the manufacturing industry. Manufacturers that utilize metals overcome the disadvantage of working with the material by using protective coatings to prevent rust. It also protects against harsh conditions, corrosion, and impact. The lifespan of products, tools, and machinery pieces is also extended with industrial protective coatings and sealants. The choice of protective coating ultimately depends on the type of surface it’s being applied to. On the other hand, industrial protective sealants are used to effectively bind materials because of their gluey properties. Adhesives typically have greater strength and flexibility than sealants. So, the primary application purpose for both may differ. 2. Add Waterproof Protection In most construction-related applications, sealants’ function is to block sound, heat, or dust from passing through surfaces. Industrial protective sealants also work by preventing fluids and moisture from seeping through various surfaces’ joints or openings. Industrial coatings, on the other hand, are used to protect or enhance the substrate. Sometimes, these chemicals or substances are used as a decorative and protective coating for substrates–the underlying layer where the coating or sealant is applied. Examples of industrial protective coating are those applied to wooden decks and machine parts. Coatings not only protect the surface of various substrates, but it can also change the product’s surface properties. 3. Boost Aesthetic Appeal Aside from the functional purposes of industrial protective coatings, these materials are also used to enhance the products’ aesthetic appeal. For example, lacquers and paints are coatings that enhance the physical appearance of various substrates, like wood, paper, metals, foil, and film. Industrial sealants and coatings protect and improve the performance of materials, making the end-product more appealing, which is very important. Manufacturers should aim to produce durable but aesthetically appealing items. This is where protective coatings and sealants can help. Takeaway No matter how technology or time may change industries’ requirements or processes, protective sealants and coatings continue to be essential materials for the manufacturing or finishing of products. Since coatings and sealants come in many forms, choosing the best one will depend on the application’s purpose and the composition of the substrate.
Raised in the rural south west of Scotland, I remember only too well wet playtimes at school, sitting bored at my desk and staring out of the window, or hanging around the corridors. Thankfully, there is a shift happening and indoor breaks are becoming a thing of the past and even if it is raining, children are being encouraged to go outside. Educationalists are being influenced by the Scandinavian countries and their approach to making the most of outdoor spaces surrounding nurseries and schools. For them, it isn’t just about play and break times. It is about creating learning and social environments that spark imagination and creativity, encouraging them to connect with nature. The events of 2020 have surely kick started an even greater need for us all to get outside and appreciate the physical and mental health benefits that the natural world provides. As a landscape architect at BDP’s Glasgow studio, I am very fortunate to work as part of an expert team who take a ‘whole estate’ approach to design and where the starting point is always to consider the history and the context of the area to provide a solution that is of its place. Having worked on numerous early years and education projects, I have had the pleasure of working with clients who recognise the valuable asset they have in their external areas and are aspirational in their approach to teaching – taking learning beyond the school building. They recognise how well-designed external spaces can inspire both children and teachers offering benefits such as improved health, motor skills development, psychological wellbeing and positive behaviour. They have also embraced the need for risk in the external environment which helps to build resilient and fearless wee folk. My role is to educate clients on how a relatively small proportion of the budget can help to create so much more than just tar and grass areas. I encourage clients to look at completed projects to see what they could achieve by working with a landscape architect. Small changes can really enhance the outdoor experience for children and help to provide a variety of stimulating spaces that can accommodate play and learning, for all types of young learners, and in all weathers too. From the consultations we have carried out with children during the early stages of the design process, they tell us they want to be outside, even when it is wet. In fact, their excitement and the sense of adventure at being able to create dens and shelters during these exercises really shines through. And this is why I love my job – I get to design spaces where young people can thrive. But the responsibility of a landscape architect extends beyond creating spaces for today’s group of young learners, it is about sustainable design that will meet the needs of future generations. Working in a time dimension, the spaces I create today will continue to evolve. Trees planted to create an attractive setting for a building will not only improve the microclimate and provide shelter but will also become a habitat for wildlife ,. Ongoing maintenance of school estates is a key consideration for local authorities, from both cost and environmental perspectives. If costs and budget are proving to be challenging, I can also demonstrate to them how the landscape can be added to over the years to evolve and change with their needs. There’s nothing I love more than revisiting a project years on to see just how it has developed and matured but most importantly to see how it is being used and loved by the children. I have a favourite quote from Sir David Attenborough who said, “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced”. As a child, I was lucky to have parents whose love of the outdoors helped to shape me. It is now my turn to encourage future generations to experience this so that they too can learn to love, care for and protect their landscapes. Kath MacTaggart is a Landscape Architect at BDP Glasgow Studio