CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPACLAD® 101 Logic was recently specified by student accommodation provider Study Inn for a large-scale building at Walnut Gardens, Exeter. The natural slate cladding system was chosen for its durability as well as its premium aesthetic. The project involved the demolishment of an empty office building on the
Ecophon now expands its circular offer even further as its Swedish business unit launches a pilot and test market for the reuse of sound absorbers. Ecophon offers to buy back material from existing buildings, for instance in connection with reconstructions, renovations, or tenant customisations. The absorbers are then offered as
Reynaers Aluminium UK has won the coveted ‘Aluminium Systems Company of the Year’ award at this year’s National Fenestration Awards ceremony. The accolade highlights Reynaers’ work in supplying premium aluminium systems for doors, windows and facades to the UK fenestration industry. Decided by an open vote, the awards are based
Timber Development UK (TDUK) has just published the first set of its huge new library of Timber Knowledge Sheets – with 50+ now available for download. The new knowledge sheets introduce and answer common questions about every aspect of working with wood, from the difference between hardwood and softwood, through
Eurocell fabricator, Rapid PVCu has secured the first triple glazed site for Taylor Wimpey in Sunderland. National housebuilder Taylor Wimpey will use Eurocell’s Modus windows system at its Herrington View residential scheme in Penshaw, Sunderland. Doncaster-based Rapid PVCu is a new-build specialist and has worked with Eurocell, the UK’s leading
As an acknowledged specialist in dealing with the presence of lead paint, as well as the restoration of all types of metal windows, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) has carried out a detailed contract on behalf of Collins Construction during the refurbishment of 35 Dover Street in London. The London-based
More than three tonnes of glass from a London building that dates back to the 1800s, has this week arrived in Leeds at the headquarters of the UK’s leading manufacturer of sustainable glass surfaces. Diamik Glass has teamed up with contractors Ambit Moat to provide sustainable surfaces for the renovation
James Jones & Sons has announced that from October 2023, all timber and co-products supplied by the company will be dual certified as FSC and PEFC. This includes all timber delivered from that date, regardless of what date it was produced. Graham Blyth, Sales Director at James Jones & Sons,
Situated seven degrees west of the Greenwich Meridian, and exposed to some of the harshest weather conditions anywhere in the British Isles, the Hebrides present a challenging location for building projects, prompting a recently-established building company to adopt offsite construction technologies which make full use of the technical and environmental
The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) is delighted to share the news that the Level 2 Fitted Interiors Installer apprenticeship, which until now has been a pathway within the Furniture Manufacturer apprenticeship standard, has been approved to have its own standard by the Institute for Apprenticeships
CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPACLAD® 101 Logic was recently specified by student accommodation provider Study Inn for a large-scale building at Walnut Gardens, Exeter. The natural slate cladding system was chosen for its durability as well as its premium aesthetic. The project involved the demolishment of an empty office building on the land at Walnut Gardens and construction of a high-quality student accommodation block, which would house up to 166 students. Located in an affluent part of the city, the design would need to match the high-end, visually attractive buildings that surround the site. Furthermore, it was crucial that the materials used were highly durable and weather resistant, to ensure that the accommodation could endure for a significant amount of time with minimal maintenance required. CUPACLAD® 101 Logic, a rainscreen cladding system, was specified to help achieve this. Installation was simple. First, the insulation material was fixed to the building’s exterior using metal brackets. CUPACLAD® 101 horizontal profiles were installed followed by the 40x20cm natural slates, in a 7.65mm thickness. These were fixed horizontally using self-drilling screws, which are invisible post-application to ensure that the overall design and aesthetic is not impacted. Installation was a straightforward process, partly due to the lightweight of the system, with each natural slate weighing less than 30kg/m2.The slates were easy to cut and work around openings and features, while the self-drilling screws help to secure each slate to the substructure. Now complete, the dark cladding provides an effective contrast with the glass and render sections of the building to deliver a strong overall aesthetic with striking impact. As a natural product, the slate elements of the façade also complement the building’s leafy surroundings, as well as other local buildings made from similar materials. “Finally, as with all of our products, the natural slates used in the cladding system at Walnut Gardens are classified as A1 non-combustible in accordance with current building legislation,” said Simon Hope, Product Manager at CUPA PIZARRAS. “They are also highly durable, weather resistant and waterproof ensuring a performance life of over 100 years, with no noticeable colour fading. As such, our natural slates offer the ideal material for high-rise, exposed applications like this one.” To find out more about CUPACLAD®, please visit: https://www.cupapizarras.com/uk/rainscreen-cladding/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ecophon now expands its circular offer even further as its Swedish business unit launches a pilot and test market for the reuse of sound absorbers. Ecophon offers to buy back material from existing buildings, for instance in connection with reconstructions, renovations, or tenant customisations. The absorbers are then offered as an alternative to newly produced materials for use in new construction projects. The aim is to reduce resource and energy use and to avoid unnecessary scrapping. Construction and demolition waste accounts for more than a third of all waste generated in the EU1. Utilising resources more efficiently could reduce the industry’s carbon emissions by up to 80 percent2. An increased supply of reused and reusable building materials is needed to meet the rising demand in the industry. Ecophon is now seeking to take responsibility through the reuse of acoustic panels. ‘Everything that is purchased has an impact on the environment. Reuse is a real game-changer as it promotes lower waste, reduces energy usage, and provides products with reduced environmental impact and carbon footprint compared to buying new. We are proud to now being able to offer a reused acoustic solution that meet full functional and aesthetic standards, ‘says Elie Falcand, Innovation Project Manager at Ecophon. Building with reused materials has many advantages. Yet reuse is often associated with challenges in a wide range of areas, from logistics to gaining access to reusable materials. However, there are many arguments in favour of reusing acoustic panels made from glass wool. They are light, modular, and easy to handle. Ecophon acoustic panels are designed to last longer than average interior construction materials, making them particularly suitable for reuse. ‘We continuously work closely with customers and partners to design workable solutions for the reuse of materials. Large-scale reuse requires early planning and the right materials, as well as a systemic approach that includes the entire value chain. It also involves debunking myths about reused materials being inferior in terms of appearance and performance,’ explains Erika Edlund, Sustainability specialist, Ecophon Sweden. The initiative is currently at the pilot stage, and Ecophon is actively seeking more projects where they can help increase resource efficiency by buying back, checking, and then selling reused absorbers. Thanks to a thorough selection and screening program, the products put to sale again are, despite the natural ageing, deemed to be as good as new. Ecophon also offers recycling of non-reusable absorbers through SoundCircularity, a recycling service that won the Circular Initiative of the Year award at the Swedish Recycling Gala 2022. The reuse initiative is intended to complement the SoundCircularity recycling initiative, in the many cases where sound absorbers have second-hand value. The recycling service will continue to be offered for off-cut fractions and materials that cannot be reused. Read more about Ecophon work with circularity and innovation here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Reynaers Aluminium UK has won the coveted ‘Aluminium Systems Company of the Year’ award at this year’s National Fenestration Awards ceremony. The accolade highlights Reynaers’ work in supplying premium aluminium systems for doors, windows and facades to the UK fenestration industry. Decided by an open vote, the awards are based on industry recognition with all companies working within the UK fenestration trade eligible to take part and vote. Over the past twelve months Reynaers has made significant strides in ensuring its customers receive the best service and product range. This has included a major expansion of its warehouse facilities to increase stock availability and reduce lead times; continually developing products to offer additional options such as motorisation and open corners, as well as continuing to provide top performance quality for air, wind, and water testing. In addition, the company has implemented a strong sustainability strategy in Reynaers Act. It manufactures nine systems that are cradle-to-cradle certified and has developed products for the trade and retail sector that can achieve thermal efficiency ratings as low as 0.8W/mK² without compromising on slim sightlines. Reynaers also offers a comprehensive support programme for its installers and fabricators, with access to an online portal to make ordering and tracking deliveries easier, along with dedicated marketing support, including the Reynaers at Home website, which aims to generate additional sale leads for installers. The winners of the 10th NFA’s were announced at a ceremony on Saturday, October 28th at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Doncaster. Reynaers’ UK Head of Marketing Samantha Hill and Head of Sales for Trade and Retail Terry Ledwith were present to collect the award. In a statement they said: “Being voted as the Aluminium Systems Company of the Year by the people within the industry means everything to the team here at Reynaers. “We are committed to providing the highest quality products, backed by excellent service and to see this recognised by the industry that we serve directly is a privilege.” Managing Director of Reynaers Aluminium UK Richard Hall added: “Reynaers is dedicated to creating market leading aluminium systems that bring quality, durability and design excellence to the buildings they are used in. “We look forward to continuing to develop futureproof systems that are designed to meet increasingly stringent UK regulations, delivering sustainable, high performance, innovative products for our customers. “Customers are at the heart of everything we do here at Reynaers, which makes winning this award particularly important to us as it is voted for by the people within the industry that we work alongside. To see our commitment recognised in this way is a real honour.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Timber Development UK (TDUK) has just published the first set of its huge new library of Timber Knowledge Sheets – with 50+ now available for download. The new knowledge sheets introduce and answer common questions about every aspect of working with wood, from the difference between hardwood and softwood, through to acoustic regulations, Eurocode 5 principles, embodied carbon, and sourcing timber sustainably. Developed with experts from Edinburgh Napier University, and TDUK’s unrivalled membership network of supply, manufacture and design professionals, these 50+ knowledge sheets are the first batch of a planned 140 to help support the industry to build better with wood. TDUK chief executive, David Hopkins says: “Following the merger between the Timber Trade Federation and TRADA last year, we promised to connect the timber supply chain, lead best practice, and accelerate a low-carbon future. “Our Timber Knowledge Sheets are another example of us doing exactly that – and represent a big step towards our vision of the UK as a country where timber is the number one material choice for all construction projects. “Amidst a climate emergency, changing how we build is crucial – as it represents a major portion of our carbon footprint. The material and design choices we make today will shape the future we have tomorrow. “Timber is an existing, proven solution to how we construct a low-carbon future, with independent studies showing that methods such as timber frame have up to 20% lower embodied carbon than traditional masonry.[1] “Fundamentally, trees absorb carbon, and when turned into long term construction products, can store it for decades if not millennia. Most other materials you find on building sites do the exact opposite – spewing tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. “Taking on climate change requires collective action, so a big part of TDUK’s mission is to make sure that everyone in the timber supply chain has the opportunity, the tools, and the knowledge to succeed. “These sheets, released today, add considerable depth to our online library, which is already the largest, most comprehensive source of timber knowledge in the UK. This will support all to build better with wood.” These new Knowledge Sheets touch on all topics timber, so whether you are an architect, engineer, designer, builder, installer, contractor, or merchant, or any other member of the timber supply chain, you’ll find a wealth of information packed within. Between pages, you will find introductions to all kinds of timber components and methods of timber construction – all described in an accessible and easy to understand fashion – from Lightweight Timber Frame Construction to Modern Methods and Offsite Timber Construction. The Knowledge Sheets also contain plenty of regulatory guidance, ‘best practice’ information for working on site, as well as practical introductions to working with timber in challenging contexts such as flood-prone areas. Everything from the day-to-day (such as Loft Conversions or Timber Flooring) to the more specialised (Upgrading Doors for Fire Resistance) is covered, along with all aspects of sustainability – from Carbon Cycle and Storage through to Trees and Timber. These Timber Knowledge Sheets follow hot on the heels of the recently published Span Tables for C16 and C24 timber, which have already proven incredibly popular. TDUK members have access to our entire Knowledge Library, which along with these 50+ Timber Knowledge Sheets, includes briefs, case studies, research summaries and more. A further 90 Timber Knowledge Sheets are to be published imminently. While most Timber Knowledge Sheets are members only, anyone can access and download Timber Sizes & Tolerances, Timber and Embodied Carbon, or Construction Site Timber Best Practice with a free user account (register here) To get started on your new timber journey, simply go to www.timberdevelopment.uk, whether you are just beginning or a seasoned expert. If you work with wood, you already belong. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Eurocell fabricator, Rapid PVCu has secured the first triple glazed site for Taylor Wimpey in Sunderland. National housebuilder Taylor Wimpey will use Eurocell’s Modus windows system at its Herrington View residential scheme in Penshaw, Sunderland. Doncaster-based Rapid PVCu is a new-build specialist and has worked with Eurocell, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor, and recycler of PVC-U building products for 14 years. Eurocell’s market-leading Future Homes Ready Modus window system is made from 50% average post-consumer recycled PVC-U and is manufactured using innovative dual material extrusion technology (DMET). The ultimate sustainable option, with a significantly lower carbon footprint than profiles made or recycled outside the UK. For the new homeowners that will move into the neighbourhood, with U-values as low as 0.86, the triple glazed windows will reduce carbon emissions, use less energy to heat and present higher levels of security. Eurocell has been working closely with national housebuilders to enable them to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets that meet the Future Homes Standard. Martin Benn, Head of New Build at Eurocell comments: “Working collaboratively with housebuilders is something we really value at Eurocell, and this project is another example of the demand for our market-leading Future Homes Ready Modus system that ensures housebuilders meet the requirements that will be introduced in two years’ time. We look forward to the scheme completing and for future projects with Taylor Wimpey.” John Duggan at Rapid PVCu adds: “This has been a fantastic project to work on collaborating with both the Eurocell and Taylor Wimpey teams to provide innovative, triple glazing windows which are the highest quality of their kind. Triple glazing really is the best option for lowering energy consumption and the fact that the Modus window system is made with recycled PVC-U makes them incredibly attractive for housebuilders. The windows will look really smart once the homes are finished and will provide longevity and energy efficiency for the new owners.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As an acknowledged specialist in dealing with the presence of lead paint, as well as the restoration of all types of metal windows, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) has carried out a detailed contract on behalf of Collins Construction during the refurbishment of 35 Dover Street in London. The London-based company was selected to carry out the painstaking work, which required multiple applications of a non-toxic poultice strip, as the result of its previous involvement with the main contractor on other high profile projects. ASWS’s team of highly trained operatives was involved across four of the five storeys to the former ‘Empress Club’ and office building, striping and restoring a total of 36 large steel windows and screens. The use of lead paint was banned 30 years ago on health grounds, which means its presence is almost always masked by later coats of modern gloss paint; but trying to remove the build up by sanding or heat risks exposing workers to inhaling the harmful heavy metal. ASWS can offer other methods of paint removal, but chemical stripping was the best option for Dover Street, to take the frames back to bear metal for repairs to commence. Director of ASWS, Kris Bennell, commented: “The options for on-site paint removal are limited, but they do include grit blasting which can be noisy, has to be tented, and requires the provision of cleaning and changing facilities allocated just to the operatives involved. The second alternative is using hand-held chipping and scraping tools, which still generate significant vibration and dust hazards; or there is the poultice chemical removal.” Kris continues, “At Dover Street we applied between five and seven coats of the epoxy paste to the windows – some of which were quite large – and this has to remain for 24 to 72 hours before being scraped off. Not only is the paint retained within the ‘poultice’, but the lead is neutralised and converted into a manageable form, which is bagged and removed by an approved waste management company. The actual repairs involved replacing broken hinges and some corroded frame sections and the overhaul and the fitting of new single glazing into the very shallow, 3mm upstands. We also undertook the full redecoration of the windows.” ASWS can provide a full range of services for the repair or replica replacement of metal windows – from the early wrought iron and traditional Medium Universal section, through to mid and late century aluminium curtain walling. Options include the addition of draught-striping and a switch from single to double-glazing for improved energy performance, as well as the replacement or polishing of all ironmongery. For more information on ASWS, please visit asws.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
More than three tonnes of glass from a London building that dates back to the 1800s, has this week arrived in Leeds at the headquarters of the UK’s leading manufacturer of sustainable glass surfaces. Diamik Glass has teamed up with contractors Ambit Moat to provide sustainable surfaces for the renovation of the building in Farringdon Road known as ‘The Waterman’ to significantly reduce the embodied carbon of the project. The BGO owned building has been designed by Fathom Architects and will see the office units, spanning 70,000 square feet, redeveloped into a modern space that reduces the carbon footprint of the building and has an extensive sustainability commitment. The glass, removed from 360 windows which were no longer fit for purpose, has been shipped to Leeds and are set to be replaced with double glazed units to reduce unnecessary heat loss, paying back the embodied carbon from replacing the units within six years. Instead of condemning the waste glass to landfill, the project will ensure that the material fulfills a new purpose by being transformed into ecorok™ – a product by Diamik Glass that repurposes waste glass to create modern, luxury surfaces. The surfaces created from the glass will then be installed in the tea points and worktop spaces on Level 4 of the building. Michael Pickup, Managing Director at Diamik Glass explains: “We’re thrilled to receive the glass from The Waterman’s previous windows. This is a great opportunity for us to manufacture a unique product that gives back to the original building in a very exciting renovation project. We’re passionate about working with partners to find bespoke solutions to avoid sending any glass to landfill. “At Diamik Glass we know how important sustainability credentials are to businesses working with older building stock, and we’re delighted to be chosen by Ambit as a delivery partner. Once recycled, crushed and produced into hard wearing surfaces made to measure, each square meter of the ecorok™ surfaces will consist of 85 percent window glass.” Matt Robinson, Sustainability Manager at Ambit Moat added: “Maintaining heritage materials within the building was something that both the developer, BGO, and Ambit were keen to achieve. We knew the windows could never be kept as is, due to their poor insulating performance, the next best thing was to see where we can introduce the material back into the building, reducing waste, and furthering the materials lifecycle. “Ambit is always looking for innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint and introduce a circular approach to our fit outs. Working with Diamik on a project like this is a great example of some of the interesting forms materials can take on after their intended life.” To find out more about Diamik Glass, please visit: www.diamik.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
James Jones & Sons has announced that from October 2023, all timber and co-products supplied by the company will be dual certified as FSC and PEFC. This includes all timber delivered from that date, regardless of what date it was produced. Graham Blyth, Sales Director at James Jones & Sons, said “The dual certification offers our customers a greater choice when buying sustainable timber. The Soil Association, as our certification body, fully approved our ability to offer all our timber and co-products as dual FSC and PEFC certified. Our customers can continue to sell their timber as FSC certified but will now also have the choice to stock and sell as PEFC certified should their customers require this”. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Situated seven degrees west of the Greenwich Meridian, and exposed to some of the harshest weather conditions anywhere in the British Isles, the Hebrides present a challenging location for building projects, prompting a recently-established building company to adopt offsite construction technologies which make full use of the technical and environmental benefits of West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero. 70-22′ Systems was established in 2022 by three business partners whose experience encapsulates architecture, education and manufacturing amongst other skills, and who decided to develop their own highly-insulated, modular timber building system. Growing organically by providing bespoke packages to clients of parent business, Fraser Architecture, 70-22′ has already delivered properties on the Outer Hebrides[FA1]; and has more than half a dozen schemes of different sizes in the pipeline for the coming year. The trademarked system has been designed specifically to avoid the need for craneage, due to the inaccessibility of many sites, while the cellular component modules take the form of wall blocks, lintels and beams to span larger openings. The SterlingOSB Zero is CNC machined and assembled in the workshop before being filled with Warmcel recycled paper insulation. Significantly, the 70-22′ Systems design personnel were determined from the outset to utilise the West Fraser board because of its formaldehyde free formulation and the fact the material is manufactured in the North of Scotland, using mainly locally sourced softwood from well managed forests. 70-22′ Systems’ co-founder and Commercial Director, Alex Durie, commented: “We use West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero to construct our ecological building components, that are prefabricated in our workshop utilising CNC technology to achieve 0.1mm tolerances for each beam and block. It is the ideal material to use as the shell for our components, which are then filled with recycled insulation to achieve a building system that can achieve market leading thermal performance, with a U-value of 0.1 W/m²k, and excellent air-tightness, while maintaining a breathable floor, wall and roof construction. The added bonus of being formaldehyde-free, OSB enables us to build ecologically, utilising timber grown and processed in Scotland as we aim to limit the travel miles in each of our builds. The OSB produced by West Fraser has performed very well in our structural testing, with our system proving to be 1.6 times stronger than a traditional timber frame – and as our system arrives on site as a component that is pre-fabricated, pre-insulated and designed for manual handling, it is much quicker to assemble.” Not only do all of the 70-22′ Systems structures exceed the thermal requirements of Section 6 to the Building Standards, Scotland, but can also be delivered as a Passivhaus compliant solution where the client or planning consent demand it. In the medium to long term, the business is building a pattern book of standard house types and has plans to establish a pilot plant on the mainland. The company will also be showcasing its system at the Self-Build and Renovation exhibition in Aviemore this autumn. SterlingOSB Zero is available in a range of sizes and thicknesses up to 22mm as well as a T&G version ideal for flooring and decking applications. The high performance panel product, free of added formaldehyde, has also earned BBA approval and meets the requirements of NHBC Technical. As is always the case, West Fraser’s experienced technical team is available to aid with product specification, while downloadable data sheets are available at https://uk.westfraser.com For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) is delighted to share the news that the Level 2 Fitted Interiors Installer apprenticeship, which until now has been a pathway within the Furniture Manufacturer apprenticeship standard, has been approved to have its own standard by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE. This is a significant development and indicates an important juncture in the process of building a sustainable workforce – not just for the installation sector, but the whole KBB industry – as KBB installation career opportunities become instantly more visible to education leavers and those considering a career change. Even more so, having a standard specifically for KBB installation provides an opportunity for the industry to build other apprenticeship pathways within the standard to meet the needs of the sector, such as specialist pathways in kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom installation, as well as other disciplines including surveying, fabrication and even site management. The IfATE has advised that the Fitted Interiors Installer apprenticeship will be approved for delivery imminently, ahead of over 100 apprenticeship standard revisions which are currently being fast-tracked through internal processes, many of which within the construction and built environment team. Damian Walters, CEO of BiKBBI commented ‘This development is a game-changer for our industry, and we should all be very excited about the opportunities that now exist as a result of having a stand-alone apprenticeship standard for fitted interiors. It has been a long and arduous process to get the standard approved, and a huge amount of credit must be given to Lisa Williamson and her team at Achieve + Partners, who have been instrumental in driving this through. The possibilities for attracting new talent to our sector and addressing the skills shortage across the KBB industry are, quite literally, endless as a result of this achievement.’ Lisa Williamson, Director at Achieve + Partners said ‘We are delighted that we now have the standalone apprenticeship available, giving the KBB industry the recognition it rightly deserves. I would also like to thank the KBB industry for their continued support through the extended development process. We look forwards to working with the KBB industry and training provider network to offer apprenticeships and help build a skilled workforce.’ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
