Two construction companies are making history by conquering the delicate job of restoring a 600-year-old castle ruin. Seymour Civil Engineering has been brought in by principal contractor William Birch to help carry out the painstaking work of transforming Hylton Castle in Sunderland into a visitor and learning centre. The £4.5
R-Alvarez is a company that can transform your apartment into a real home, that suits you and your family. With excellent quality, personalized attention and punctuality as their core values, it is the best option when choosing who you will trust to renovate your home. It is perfectly normal to
DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis
It’s been the best ever start to a year for East Midlands demolition firm AR Demolition, with record turnover and profits in the first half of 2018. In the six month period to July the company saw turnover rise by 54% compared to the same period in 2017, with year-on-year
Continuing to transform the London skyline, Aggregate Industries has returned to the capital, this time for the £250m redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street, where once again Lytag has proved the go-to concrete solution for high-end refurbishments and new builds. As part of the wider Broadgate campus adjacent to Liverpool Street
Bury, Lancashire-based steel fabrication specialists, Wm. Hare Group has taken delivery of its first-ever Volvo truck – a brand-new FM-460 6×2 tractor unit with Globetrotter cab – which will be used for inter-depot and site deliveries across a large part of the UK. Paul McNicholas, Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas
Benoy has completed its first development with e-commerce giant Alibaba – the new Ali Centre in Hongqiao, Shanghai. Benoy was appointed as the Interior Designer, Signage and Wayfinding Designer and Retail Planner for the development. Located in the business district of Hongqiao, Shanghai, the new Ali Centre covers three plots and
The independent hire firm, Alide Hire, has invested in two, award winning, X-Splash wash bays supplied by Trime UK. X-Splash is an ecological, flexible cleaning system for plant and machinery. The system prevents soil pollution and contamination of drains, from oil, grease, and similar chemical contaminants. It features a modular
Hiab, part of Cargotec, is proud to introduce the next generation of hooklifts, the MULTILIFT Ultima, with several industry-first innovations that will enhance productivity, ease of use and operational safety. Hiab is the market leader with its MULTILIFT XR range, the predecessor of the now launched MULTILIFT Ultima. “The Terho
Viridian Solar announces that its Clearline Fusion BIPV roofing system has completed the full suite of European fire testing for external spread of flame and has been accredited to have the highest fire resilience in all tests: Broof (T1), Broof (T2), Broof (T3) and Broof (T4) The solar panels and
Two construction companies are making history by conquering the delicate job of restoring a 600-year-old castle ruin. Seymour Civil Engineering has been brought in by principal contractor William Birch to help carry out the painstaking work of transforming Hylton Castle in Sunderland into a visitor and learning centre. The £4.5 million project is a partnership between local community group Castle in the Community and Sunderland City Council and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and the castle itself is a Grade I Listed Building in the guardianship of English Heritage. The project will rejuvenate the site for locals and visitors alike. Once open, it will be managed with and for young people and offer training and internship opportunities. Andy Mountford, Site Manager at Seymour Civil Engineering, said: “Hylton Castle is a magnificent building and we’re really proud to be working alongside William Birch to bring it back to life as both an historic attraction and a hub for the community. “Due to the nature of the project, the work has been far from run-of-the-mill, largely because of the archaeological significance of the site and the effect this has had on our work programme as we carry out all the groundworks. “Working closely with a team of archaeologists has certainly brought with it a fair few challenges, as you don’t know what you’re going to uncover as you go. “However, this has made working on the project really exciting and the team on site has adapted incredibly well to the situation, showing lots of ingenuity and professionalism when overcoming changes in circumstance and planning for what comes next.” Brought in as the civil engineering contractor for the project, Seymour Civil Engineering has completed the groundworks for the restoration, laying the surface trenches in the grounds of the castle for the electricity, water and the ground source heat pumps for the castle’s geothermal energy, as well as the car park and footpaths. Inside the castle Seymour has facilitated the installation of ground beams and will cast the concrete floors for all three levels, as well as the roof and a mezzanine floor. The main contractor for the project, William Birch, is a building and restoration company based in York, specialising in heritage projects. Simon Hills, William Birch’s Site Manager for the project, said: “Transforming the 14th century castle to a living, working building that benefits the local community and visitors has so far been an invigorating experience. “The interest from the local community has been incredible and we have been proud to show many of them the project as it develops. They have waited a long time to see the castle come back to life and we are looking forward to unveiling the completed project in 2019. “Working on buildings that are as nationally significant as Hylton Castle brings an abundance of challenges, challenges that the project team have had to really pull together to overcome. “Seymour has had a tall order with this project, as it has been predominately the groundworks which has been affected by the need for close archaeological monitoring. “The team are real specialists at what they do and they’re great engineers who are brilliant at their job and have acted really professionally throughout the bumps and halts of the project.” Andy added: “Working with William Birch has been a real pleasure and the two teams have gelled incredibly well. “Working hand-in-hand on a difficult job like this is of the upmost importance and having an effective working partnership means we’ve been able to sit down and quickly find solutions to any changes that come about.” As one of the North East’s leading civil engineering contractors, Seymour Civil Engineering is no stranger to projects of this nature. In partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council, Seymour Civil Engineering worked on the strengthening of the historic 14th century Hartlepool Headland Town Wall. The firm worked closely with archaeologists to excavate original wall cladding and developed the craftsmanship to ensure the new wall carefully matched to the original.
R-Alvarez is a company that can transform your apartment into a real home, that suits you and your family. With excellent quality, personalized attention and punctuality as their core values, it is the best option when choosing who you will trust to renovate your home. It is perfectly normal to want to improve your home, even though you may already love it, there is always something you will want to change, especially as your needs change. For example, you can redesign your bathroom to add more space, add additional storage or get better use out of the storage you already have. You could add a whirlpool bath, or maybe add a new spacious shower. You can remodel your kitchen to improve the design and functionality. Or perhaps it is just time for modernisation or an overhaul. Whatever work you decide to carry out, you can create the home of your dreams. What is important is that you choose a professional company with many years of experience and highly trained staff. Remodelling your home can be complicated and expensive. It is important to get it right, and important that the team you hire to do this for you works to the highest standards to avoid a poor quality or disappointing finish. If you are thinking of renovating your home, R-Alvarez is the perfect choice. What type of renovation do you want to do? Transforming the ideas you have for home improvement into reality can be tough. You might not know how to articulate it, or the right terminology to use to the contractor you have hired. How can you be sure the work will be carried out how you expected? Having confidence in your chosen company is vital to the success of the renovation project. R-Alvarez has a team of professionals ready to help, with expertise in a wide range of disciplines and skills that will be able to bring your plans to fruition. All parts of the home can be part of your dream project, whether you are converting to an open plan layout, designing an American style kitchen or adding built in furniture such as wardrobes to improve the use of wasted space. R-Alvarez can adapt and modify any room to suit your requirements. Take advantage of the wide range of services available? No matter what room you decide to carry out improvements, or redistribution of space, you will feel more relaxed and confident if you can rely on one company, with specialists all working together to create your vision. With quality finishes and a transparent costing that with be within an agreed budget, you can get that American kitchen you have always dreamed, complete with the best finishes and use of space. They can also source the best accessories and reliable stylish appliances from all around the world to get the look that you want. But without all the stress that comes with having to coordinate this type of work yourself. Imagine trying to install a modern and elegant bathroom in which to relax without professional help. It could easily turn into a nightmare with so many different tasks and skills required. With R-Alvarez they take full responsibility for delivery of your project, so you can have a headache free renovation. They will even ensure full cleaning at the end and legally dispose of any waste resulting from the work. You will be left with a luxurious and gorgeous new space with none of the worries. Why choose R-Alvarez for your apartment renovation? A single floor dwelling renovation is no small feat. Large-scale projects like this can drag on for a long time, disrupting daily life and preventing you from enjoying your home. Even more frustrating is when delivery dates are agreed and then note met. R-Alvarez pride themselves on being a responsible and professional company, always striving to do it’s best for its clients. They are adaptable and experienced and work hard to ensure that you can return to your home as quickly as possible. And they do not compromise on quality to do this, and so making sure that the renovations will stand the test of time. If you are looking for a company with excellent customer care, who will deliver to your needs and provide the highest level of quality in the redesign of your home, the R-Alvarez is who you are looking for.
DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis on streamlining training course booking processes and delivering the very best service and value to its members. With responsibility for overseeing both marketing and training functions, Patricia, who has worked at DHF for three years, will be tasked with taking the trade association’s training department ‘to the next level’, including offering online booking facilities for all training courses and ensuring that new entrants into the industry are presented with the opportunity to become proficient with the necessary accreditations, qualifications, such as NVQ, and CSCS cards. DHF, established in 1897 and committed to raising standards, is renowned industry-wide as the ‘go to’ place for technical advice and training. Regarded as a ‘centre of excellence’ with an expert team of professionals that can provide help and support across all sectors, DHF’s distinguished training programmes provide delegates with a deeper understanding of legislation affecting supply, installation, maintenance and repair. To date, more than 2300 delegates have successfully completed one of its four training courses and earlier this month, DHF moved its head office premises to ‘The Barn’ at ‘Shuttington Fields Farm’, a larger office space with a state-of-the-art Training Academy, demonstrating its continued commitment to training. “Training remains one of DHF’s biggest growth areas,” says Patricia. “The creation of a new Commercial Department will enable us to co-ordinate and restructure our training offering to ensure our programmes continue to provide both members and non-members with the support, technical expertise, information and knowledge they need to operate in their chosen sector, successfully and compliantly. Currently, DHF has four training courses on offer: the well-established two-day Diploma courses for Automated Gates and Industrial & Garage Doors, the one-day Industrial & Garage Door Certificate course, and now the recently-launched one-day Automated Gate Safety certificate course. Additionally, DHF will continue to work with BRE on the Fire Door Inspection training courses. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to develop this department and look forward to a new and exciting chapter in DHF’s continuing expansion.” “Patricia has more than proved her value as a key member of DHF’s senior management team; she was therefore the logical choice for taking the association’s training provision forward,” said DHF’s CEO, Bob Perry. “In a year that has seen tremendous growth and a move to improved office facilities, we look forward to the next stage for DHF and congratulate Patricia on her new position.” For further information about DHF’s training provision, please visit: https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/training.htm
It’s been the best ever start to a year for East Midlands demolition firm AR Demolition, with record turnover and profits in the first half of 2018. In the six month period to July the company saw turnover rise by 54% compared to the same period in 2017, with year-on-year gross profit increasing by 18%. The figures follow significant investment in new plant and machinery, including £1.5m spent on three new cutting-edge high reach Kiesel machines last year after previous investment of £1m in 2016. Following a period of restructuring and stabilisation, AR Demolition’s managing director Richard Dolman said he was happy with the direction in which the company, based in Carlton near Nuneaton, is now moving. “We didn’t perform as well as I’d have liked in 2017,” he said, “so we’ve worked hard to improve all areas of the business. I’m delighted with how quickly we’ve noticed such a dramatic improvement in financial performance. “Earlier this year we appointed a new board, including a financial director and a commercial director, and we’re currently looking for an operations director to join the team. “We’re introducing some new processes and procedures across all our departments, including some cutting-edge improvements in communications and reporting, as well as strong governance and controls. “It’s all had a dramatic impact on our bottom line. We have seen record turnover and profit for the first half of this year and in turn we have seen strong growth in our forward order book, with much of the custom being repeat business.” In May, AR Demolition was named in the prestigious ‘1000 Companies To Inspire Britain’ report, released annually by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). The report celebrates the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To qualify, company’s revenue between £6 million and £250 million, be operating for at least three years and be among the fastest-growing in their industry sector. Mr Dolman said that he and the leadership team at AR Demolition were keen to develop the company into a new type of demolition contractor, one where quality, safety and innovation – particularly in terms of sustainability and recruitment – were placed at the forefront. He said: “This improved financial performance opens up many opportunities for growth in terms of diversification, new customers, and the continued implementation of innovative techniques. “By helping to advise on and implement better methods of recycling, our industry can make dramatic improvements in the construction sector’s reduction of its carbon footprint. “We’re pioneering the first ever master’s degree in demolition at the University of Wolverhampton and we’re working closely with local schools and colleges to offer work experience and placements so we can find and retain the best talent out there. “And by investing in the Kiesel machines, which provides our clients with the benefits of massive operational efficiencies, as well as helping with carbon reduction, we are implementing innovative technology which showcases the future of AR Demolition and the industry as a whole.”
Continuing to transform the London skyline, Aggregate Industries has returned to the capital, this time for the £250m redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street, where once again Lytag has proved the go-to concrete solution for high-end refurbishments and new builds. As part of the wider Broadgate campus adjacent to Liverpool Street station, the high-profile redevelopment strips the original building back to its structural frame, demolishing 50% of it and rebuilding new infills in structural steel with the addition of three new floors to create modern, mixed-use space. Once complete, it will provide 520,000 sq ft of office and retail space and a new rooftop terrace offering outstanding views over the city. For main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, a key requirement of the project was to source a concrete solution which would enable more floors to be cast without compromising the dead load of the overall structure. The obvious choice, then, was to use Lytag from Aggregate Industries’ highly innovative lightweight aggregate solution, which can effectively reduce the composite deck concrete slab load by approximately 25% over normal weight control while offering the same level structural performance – enabling 100 Liverpool Street to – literally — reach new heights. Made from secondary aggregate, Lytag also offers a much more environmentally friendly alternative to standard concrete as thanks to its unique properties, it can help to significantly reduce the amount of material required on a project, along with the associated carbon emission produced in delivery. In total, Aggregate Industries, working with its specialist London Concrete unit, has supplied 5000m3 of Lytag to the project, with the building featuring an array of sustainable features that complement the significantly reduced carbon footprint. As a result, 100 Liverpool Street is expected to receive an Excellent rating in BREEAM. Barry Mellor, Commercial and Technical Manager for Lytag, comments: “The redevelopment of 100 Liverpool Street is a major milestone in Broadgate’s evolution into a world-class, mixed-use destination for London. This project wouldn’t have been structurally or architecturally possible without Lytag and its unrivalled capabilities. Not only did it enable us to take the project from conception to construction, and create a superior sustainable high rise structure but it was also instrumental in helping the building to achieve an Excellent rating in BREEAM.” Peter Watts, Project Manager 100 Liverpool Street at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “Lytag is a fantastic product which has enabled us to realise our vision for the refurbishment of 100 Liverpool Street and create something architecturally and sustainably outstanding.” For more information on Lytag call 01904 727922 or visit www.lytag.com
Bury, Lancashire-based steel fabrication specialists, Wm. Hare Group has taken delivery of its first-ever Volvo truck – a brand-new FM-460 6×2 tractor unit with Globetrotter cab – which will be used for inter-depot and site deliveries across a large part of the UK. Paul McNicholas, Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials Ltd, supplied Wm. Hare Group’s inaugural Volvo prime mover, which features a 3,900mm wheelbase and a 7.5 tonne fixed pusher axle. Powered by Volvo’s D13K 13-litre engine rated at 460hp, the truck also features Volvo’s award-winning, I-Shift automated transmission system, with Long Haul gear changing software. Rear air suspension, a Jost JSK37 cast iron fixed fifth wheel and a drive axle with a ratio of 2.64:1 completes the business end. The FM also comes with the top option, Volvo Gold Service contract for 36 months, which delivers carefree operation and complete peace of mind to operators, like Wm. Hare Group, wishing to focus solely on their own core business and customers. “Before purchasing a new truck, we asked some of our sub-contractors for feedback on truck makes and performance standards,” notes Amie Smith, Transport and Logistics Manager at Wm. Hare Group. “Volvo came back as the top choice for reliability and durability, so we were happy to proceed with the order for an FM-460 with Thomas Hardie Commercials.” Amie adds. “We needed a workhorse to haul steel and fabrications between our network of depots across England. The Volvo FM has been in service since early July and it works mostly night shifts. I’m happy with its performance and so far its fuel returns across the M62 Motorway are impressive and a real improvement on our other two trucks.” Wm. Hare Group’s new Volvo is also proving popular with its driver. “He really loves the FM Globetrotter Cab’s comfort levels and it has proved an easy truck to work with. We’ll definitely consider Volvo again for future fleet purchases,” Amie concludes.
Benoy has completed its first development with e-commerce giant Alibaba – the new Ali Centre in Hongqiao, Shanghai. Benoy was appointed as the Interior Designer, Signage and Wayfinding Designer and Retail Planner for the development. Located in the business district of Hongqiao, Shanghai, the new Ali Centre covers three plots and includes retail, commercial offices and two central squares. The development consists of four buildings covering a gross floor area of over 140,000m2. The lower floors of each will house new online and offline retail businesses which will be accessible to the public, while the upper floors are given to international Grade-A office spaces. The design philosophy behind the Ali Centre was to create an open and interconnected complex conscious of innovation and reflecting the characteristics of mid-to-high-end commercial needs. The overall concept looks at space maximisation, comfortable pedestrian flow and open-air spaces. As the Interior Designer, Benoy brought together simple elegance with science and technology to inform the interior style across each of the buildings. Through the logical division of indoor space, material use, lighting effects, colour application and furniture selection, Benoy’s team reflects a subtle, harmonious, comfortable and modern interior environment in line with Alibaba’s brand. Benoy also worked closely with Alibaba to ensure the retail and commercial office spaces would have their own identity and visibility yet still be united within the Ali Centre development. “Creating a sense of belonging from the outset was critical to our design approach. We wanted to reflect the Alibaba brand as a destination through colour and identifiable design elements from the moment a visitor, guest or worker enters the development,” said Simon Wong, Director at Benoy. Adhering to the design requirements outlined by Alibaba, Benoy created a strong arrival experience across the building’s lobbies – ensuring consistency for the e-commerce brand. The ‘Ali orange’ has been integrated throughout Benoy’s design, with the signature colour applied throughout the reception areas, information desks and elevator halls. Benoy has also introduced playful and eye-catching environmental graphics throughout the development. Such highlights include the oversized building numbering which can be found on the lobby glass curtain walls, the outdoor structural columns as well as the building entrances. The outdoor spatial design has also benefited from Benoy’s applications with the concept of the ‘Orange Ribbon’ applied to the two sunken courtyards which form focal points within the scheme. Extending from the first basement level to the fourth floor, the design connects across the series of interior and exterior spaces, and plays on the notion of brand consistency and visual connection. “The orange ribbon represents Alibaba as a brand which places connectivity at the heart of its approach and has revolutionised the online marketplace for business networks,” said Simon Wong. The Ali Centre in Hongqiao is the first project to be completed by Benoy for Alibaba and sets the foundation for future successful collaborations for the two companies. With the vision to attract top talent and develop an ‘intelligent business district’ within the Greater Hongqiao region, Ali Centre is set to establish itself as an engine for economic and commercial development for this growing area of Shanghai.
The independent hire firm, Alide Hire, has invested in two, award winning, X-Splash wash bays supplied by Trime UK. X-Splash is an ecological, flexible cleaning system for plant and machinery. The system prevents soil pollution and contamination of drains, from oil, grease, and similar chemical contaminants. It features a modular section drainage base with a micro-switch in the rear solids collection tank set to activate the drainage pump when the water reaches a pre-set level. The surrounding area is kept safe from over spray via its large side panels and the anti-slip diamond tread ramp ensures operator safety when loading plant on and off the wash bay work area. The unit comes complete with separation tanks for oil, water and solids. The X-Splash’s ecological qualities have been formally recognised by the internationally respected campaigners, The Green Organisation. Brett Thompson, Alide Hire’s managing director said, “We are a responsible company and take the care of our environment very seriously. So when we decided to upgrade our plant washing facilities at our Bath and Bristol depots, we were immediately drawn to sustainable and recycling attributes of the X-Splash. The X-Splash is well-built, robust and the people at Trime are knowledgeable and gave us a good service.” Alide Hire Services is an independent tool; toilet and small plant hire company with depots in Bristol, Bath and Keynsham. Established in 1981 Alide Hire Services provides a hire service to both the public and private sectors. They have a large fleet of vehicles and range of equipment and deliver throughout the South West area. Alide Hire Services display the strapline “where quality and service still count…” Trime UK believe that installing an X-Splash Wash Bay will work towards eliminating accidental discharge of contaminated water and cut-down on the overall water consumption. This brings together environmental benefits to the wider society and costs savings to the operators. In addition, the Hire Association Europe (HAE) , a leading hire trade association, have confirmed that the anti-pollution features and recycling capabilities, means that the use of an X-Splash Wash Bay will demonstrate a hire firm’s commitment to eliminating water contamination. This is one of elements needed to achieve HAE SafeHire Certification. Trime UK is extending its line of equipment to encompass a range of environmentally biased equipment built specifically for the hire markets. The X-Splash is one of the first products in this expanding range.
Hiab, part of Cargotec, is proud to introduce the next generation of hooklifts, the MULTILIFT Ultima, with several industry-first innovations that will enhance productivity, ease of use and operational safety. Hiab is the market leader with its MULTILIFT XR range, the predecessor of the now launched MULTILIFT Ultima. “The Terho brothers from Raisio, Finland, developed the demountable system in 1947 and turned it into a commercial product in 1949. Ever since this time, the MULTILIFT brand has been the industry leader. With the MULTILIFT Ultima, we reinforce our long tradition of innovation. The MULTILIFT Ultima makes use of state-of-the-art technologies such as cameras, smart sensors, and advanced connectivity features, to make operating the hooklift easier and safer than ever before”, says Henri Janhonen, Director, Sales and Product Business Management at MULTILIFT product line, Hiab. The MULTILIFT Ultima features a number of industry-first innovations that will help operators in every type of loading task: HookliftAssist(TM) offers operators three different levels of camera-based assistance, guiding the load-handling operation. SafePositioning(TM) is a detection system designed to safely slide containers into a pre-set position based on their length. The system automatically stops containers from dropping off rear rollers and prevents damage to other equipment such as truck cranes. Integrated Load Weighing (patent pending) is available with MULTILIFT Ultima ensuring everything required to maximize your payload while avoiding the risk of overload charges. This unique system calculates weight during the loading process, replacing the need to use an auxiliary indicative weighing system with a more cost-effective solution that lets the operator work more efficiently than ever before. FutureTouch(TM) display is an advanced all-in-one interface that lets the operator control every aspect of the hooklift and other on-truck equipment. With the FutureTouch(TM) display, the operator has easy access to diagnostic messages, load indicator and weight information, the Integrated Weighing System, and more, from a single, convenient interface. uControl represents a new era of hooklift control, thanks to the three different control system options that form part of Hiab’s revolutionary uControl platform. uControl Base, Flex and Pro lets Hiab’s customers choose exactly the right level of control for a wide range of modern loading tasks. The MULTILIFT Ultima can be ordered with HiConnect(TM), a connected service for Hiab customers to enhance productivity, efficiency and the safety of their business and the connected Hiab equipment. Clear and simple overviews and graphs help customers monitor status, plan maintenance and improve the operation of each unit and operator. As with all Hiab equipment, the new MULTILIFT Ultima also comes with the option of Hiab ProCare(TM), a flexible service contract designed to secure the uptime of the equipment. Scheduled and preventive maintenance helps retain the same high quality the customer has invested in. Using original spare parts and the highest standards, our global service network takes professional care of every piece of Hiab equipment, reducing the risk of costly breakdowns and unexpected downtime. The MULTILIFT Ultima is ready to receive orders at the IAA exhibition and the first deliveries will start during the fourth quarter of 2018. Please visit us to learn more about the MULTILIFT Ultima at our stand P35 at the IAA exhibition in Hannover, Germany from 20-27 September and join our launch event at the outdoor stand on Thursday 20 September at 12.30 CEST. The event will be also live streamed and available here: https://www.hiab.com/en/multilift/highlights/multilift-ultima/
Viridian Solar announces that its Clearline Fusion BIPV roofing system has completed the full suite of European fire testing for external spread of flame and has been accredited to have the highest fire resilience in all tests: Broof (T1), Broof (T2), Broof (T3) and Broof (T4) The solar panels and roofing kits underwent a battery of different fire-related tests to assess resistance to the spread of flame and roof penetration by a fire that originates externally to the building. “European fire tests are harmonised into one document, but there is no standard single test. For roofing there are four annexes (T1 to 4) describing four different tests. T1 is for Germany and Netherlands, T2 for Scandinavia, T3 for France and T4 the UK and Eire. Building control regulations in different countries will accept different tests. Clearline fusion is the first roof integrated solar system to be tested against all four tests and it has achieved the top rating ‘Broof’ in all of them,” explains KT Tan, Chief Technical Officer at Viridian Solar. Stuart Elmes, CEO at Viridian added: “Our investment in accreditation gives solar installers and housebuilders confidence that Clearline fusion meets building regulations for external spread of flame, wherever they are installing. Because the product is a proprietary system, there are no grey areas and no concerns about whether what is installed is the same as what was accredited. Fire is an area that regulators in many localities are starting to look at very seriously, especially as solar installation volumes increase.”