For companies looking to demonstrate forward-thinking design, sustainable construction and feats of precision engineering, submissions for the 2023 Structural Timber Awards are open. Now in its ninth year, these highly recognised awards showcase the best in timber structures and architectural achievements. Free to enter – the window for entries closes
VinylPlus® launched its Progress Report 2023 at the 11th VinylPlus Sustainability Forum (VSF2023). Under the theme ‘Making the EU Green Deal Happen’, more than 160 delegates from 21 countries gathered in Florence, Italy, to debate sustainable solutions towards carbon neutrality, circularity in the building and construction sector, developments in green
Fire doors are a vital component of any fire safety strategy – but does current UK regulation go far enough? Ruth Deardon, Product Line Manager at JELD-WEN looks at what can be done to ensure fire doors perform as needed. The critical importance of fire doors has been recognised throughout
Thermo Bamboo is a luxurious decking product available by Wallbarn Ltd and is truly one of the most sustainable materials available for construction projects due to its environmental performance, fire resistance, longevity and structural performance. This ultra-hard, compressed bamboo fibre board is ideal for high trafficked decking applications as it
Partel, a leading manufacturer of air and wind tight membranes, has combined a decade of industry experience and technical knowledge to develop two new fire-rated breather membranes EXOPERM DURO A1 and EXOPERM MONO DURO A2, that surpass current fire safety regulation levels for high-rise and high-risk buildings. These high-performance membranes
As the UK’s leading specialist in the repair and replication of metal window systems, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) was brought in by a long term client to carefully dismantle, catalogue and store all of the components to the listed façade of the Former Daily Express Building. This was done
A programme of testing being carried out by one of the country’s leading research universities is expected to verify the team’s early findings around the WikiHouse offsite building system – indicating that West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero panels offer superior performance benefits for the production of their large format blocks, beams
The softwood category started 2023 on a high, with volumes up 12% compared to January 2022, according to the latest Timber Development UK statistics. Softwood imports totalled 426,000m3 in January this year, with volume increases from Sweden, Finland and the Republic of Ireland largely responsible. Despite softwood increases, overall timber
The VELUX Group and partners open the doors to Living Places Copenhagen – seven prototypes that show how we can develop sustainable buildings with a three times lower CO2 footprint and a first-class indoor climate. Living Places concept holds the lowest CO2 emissions in Denmark, demonstrating that we do not
When Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, embarked on a project which is helping transform a former Liverpool children’s home into a bustling urban village, supply issues threatened to de-rail the tight deadline for fitting hundreds of square metres of carpet tiles and safety flooring. But thanks to a
For companies looking to demonstrate forward-thinking design, sustainable construction and feats of precision engineering, submissions for the 2023 Structural Timber Awards are open. Now in its ninth year, these highly recognised awards showcase the best in timber structures and architectural achievements. Free to enter – the window for entries closes on June 23. Meaning now is the time to start putting together your showstopping submission. This year’s expert judging panel will want to see builds demonstrating the exceptional benefits of timber construction while displaying world-class architecture and technical precision. Amongst the experts deciding this year’s finalists are representatives from the Timber Trade Association, Structural Timber Association and the British Woodworking Federation. With seventeen categories available to enter, businesses can submit projects focusing on commercial, education, low-energy, self-build projects and more. There will also be awards celebrating project management, innovation, and pioneering systems and ideas. Entering the Structural Timber Awards positions companies as those championing and setting the standard for structural timber construction. Widely recognised as a mark of excellence, these awards are a seal of approval to your activities and a sign of outstanding quality. Entry is also an opportunity to demonstrate to the sector and the wider business network how your projects are contributing to the global carbon agenda, local community, and social values and driving the common objectives of the timber industry further than ever before. The judges will be looking for entries that offer engaging data and evidence that showcase the positive outcomes of a project, supported by eye-catching images that detail the designs and structural timber systems and show how the work progressed. Companies are welcome to make multiple submissions and it is recommended that entrants read the submission criteria carefully before putting together their entries. A complete list of the 2022 and all other previous winners is available to view on the Structural Timber Awards website. The 2023 winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony on 04 October, to be held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham. The event will bring together construction professionals to enjoy an evening of celebration, networking and recognition. The event venue provides the ideal backdrop for businesses to celebrate the dynamic people and teams who bring these visionary timber projects to life. Previous winners have enjoyed extensive media coverage for their projects following success at the awards. Structural Timber Award winners have been featured in publications like Construction News, The Times and the architectural and design magazine, Dezeen. Winners from the 2022 awards include Hayhurst & Co, Ramboll, Adam Knibb Architects, and Innovaré Offsite. Businesses such as EURBAN, Constructional Timber, dRMM studio, Maich Swift Architects and Stora Enso were also highly commended by the 2022 judges. The Structural Timber Awards are presented in partnership with the Structural Timber Association, the leading organisation for the UK structural timber industry. To register your interest and take your first step on the road to success, visit: www.structuraltimberawards.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
VinylPlus® launched its Progress Report 2023 at the 11th VinylPlus Sustainability Forum (VSF2023). Under the theme ‘Making the EU Green Deal Happen’, more than 160 delegates from 21 countries gathered in Florence, Italy, to debate sustainable solutions towards carbon neutrality, circularity in the building and construction sector, developments in green procurement and sustainable product certifications. Two years after the launch of its VinylPlus 2030 Commitment, the European PVC industry convened in Florence, Italy, on 11 May 2023. Stakeholders debated progress in sustainability and the circular economy and how to put in place concrete actions to make the EU Green Deal happen. Opening the VSF2023, Karl-Martin Schellerer, Chairman of VinylPlus, highlighted the main progress and achievements of the European PVC industry in 2022, which are summarised in the VinylPlus Progress Report 2023. 2022 – A year with major milestones towards the 2030 sustainability commitment In terms of circularity, 813,266 tonnes of PVC waste were recycled within the VinylPlus framework in 2022, representing around 27% of the total PVC waste generated during the year in the EU-27, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. Since 2000, 8.1 million tonnes of PVC have been recycled and reused in new products, preventing the release of 16.2 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Heavy investments have been made in research and development projects aimed at removing legacy additives from waste and increasing chemical recycling of PVC waste that cannot be mechanically recycled in an eco-efficient manner. As we tackle legacy additives, the industry is also looking to future-proof additives used today: a key tool to achieve this is the Additive Sustainability Footprint® methodology, which enables companies to proactively assess and promote the sustainable production and use of PVC additives throughout the entire product lifecycles. The methodology was shared with European PVC converters and presented at several events in Europe and abroad. VinylPlus’ vision is to broaden the use of the Additive Sustainability Footprint®. Throughout 2022, VinylPlus also launched a series of initiatives aimed at supporting member companies’ efforts in reducing water and energy consumption, increasing the use of renewable energy and raw material, and minimising any accidental spillage of PVC into water and the environment. The VinylPlus® Product Label, the sustainability certification for PVC products for the Building and Construction sector, was updated and included in the Italian GPP CAM (minimum environmental criteria). The Label’s criteria are currently under assessment by the Swiss organisation Ecobau. In addition, the first five companies have obtained the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificates, the sustainability certifications for additives suppliers and compounders. Regulator and industry representatives exchange on state-of-play and future of PVC Moderated by EurActiv’s Senior Editor Frédéric Simon, the first session of the VSF2023 focused on the upcoming European policy initiatives on plastics and PVC and the regulatory challenges of the EU legislative framework. Significant contributions to the debate, and inspiring perspectives, were provided by Francesco Virtuani, Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Division of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy; Paola Migliorini, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission DG ENV; and Simone Doyle, Head of Risk Management Unit at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). “The European Chemicals Agency’s objective – observed Simone Doyle – is to implement legislation to ensure the protection of human health and the environment and we look at chemicals more holistically, across lifecycles in a less fragmented way, also considering sustainability. The current investigation work on PVC and PVC additives, requested of ECHA by the EU Commission, gives us the opportunity to develop a framework to compare circular economy aspects of PVC and alternatives and their wider environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle. We hope this approach for PVC can be used in other impact assessments in the future.” “VinylPlus is fully committed to supporting a rigorous, comprehensive, and science-based investigation process – commented Brigitte Dero, Managing Director of VinylPlus – to ensure the European PVC value chain a fair transition to a sustainable future. Our Forum 2023 shows that the European PVC industry can work jointly with policymakers and industry partners to address sustainability challenges. The recent publication of the REACH restriction on lead in PVC, for example, is the result of fruitful discussions between regulators, industry, and other stakeholders and builds upon the industry’s efforts to reduce the use of hazardous substances in PVC products and further enhance the circularity of the PVC industry. This regulatory measure will restrict the import of lead-containing PVC products from third countries where lead is still used as a stabiliser and will enable the PVC industry to meet its ambitious recycling targets in a way that is safe for human health and the environment.” The event’s second session focused on accelerating circularity in building and construction. Discussions revolved around the Construction Product Regulation, currently under revision, and to the implementation of the Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Regulation, as well as architects’ and industry’s perspectives on how circularity in construction can be achieved. In the last session of the Forum, speakers analysed the path towards sustainable development through certified and traceable products and the future of Green Public Procurement (GPP) in Europe. The contribution to more sustainable products for GPP provided by the VinylPlus® Product Label for PVC converters and the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificates for PVC additives suppliers and compounders is increasingly recognised by stakeholders. An award ceremony was dedicated to the companies that were certified in 2022: Akdeniz Chemson, Baerlocher, IKA, Polymer-Chemie, Reagens, Salamander and Sattler. Closing the Forum, Karl-Martin Schellerer remarked: “I am very proud to announce that the PVC industry is on track to deliver the first targets of VinylPlus 2030. We are continuously working to improve our sustainability performance. Still, a clear and supportive regulatory framework is essential to set even more ambitious targets and continue to play a significant role in enabling the EU Green Deal. To this end, we are ready to work collaboratively and constructively with regulators in line with a science- and evidence-based approach. I am sure that the enthusiasm and the engagement of our partners seen during the VSF2023 will
Fire doors are a vital component of any fire safety strategy – but does current UK regulation go far enough? Ruth Deardon, Product Line Manager at JELD-WEN looks at what can be done to ensure fire doors perform as needed. The critical importance of fire doors has been recognised throughout the recent scrutiny and revision of building regulations following the Grenfell tragedy, where a system found “not fit for purpose” by the Hackitt Review has been overhauled and strengthened to improve the fire safety of our buildings. This has led to the creation of the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which seek to address many of the recommendations made in Dame Hackitt’s report. These sit alongside, and in some cases modify, existing legislation impacting fire doors such as the Building Regulations Approved Document B and the Fire Safety Order. This new legislation sets requirements on how fire doors are maintained by a designated “Responsible Person”. All high-rise buildings, where applicable, will be managed by a Building Safety Manager, who oversees the fire door specification, door fitting and maintaining these in service. Without doubt, this is a welcome move towards increased responsibility on fire safety, but does it go far enough? JELD-WEN believes that without formal training or qualification for installing fire doors, we are missing one vital component in managing this risk. Fire doors are a specialist construction item and due to reliance on past accepted practices we rely on a fitter’s competence and duty on how well they fit doors on site. Even a perfectly manufactured fire door will ultimately fail if it is not installed or maintained correctly. This is a question not only of training, but also visibility across stages of a building’s life. Achieving a “Golden Thread” for construction projects, where all named stakeholders have access to a trail of readily available fire safety informationwill make a huge difference to how well fire doors are installed, maintained and, when necessary, replaced. Right now, this isn’t part of our building regulations. The definition of “Responsible Persons” still must be defined in context of the Fire Safety Act. Duties around fire door checks, any remedial work needed and other practices within the life span of a fire door again require attention. What can be done? Ultimately, fire doors are one of the most critical safety features of any building but will only perform as they should if properly specified, installed, inspected and maintained. Here at JELD-WEN we believe that there are a number of key areas of focus to address if we are to ensure every fire door can perform as intended. Firstly, we think it is worth looking at areas where stricter legal requirements could be implemented. The most important criteria is making it mandatory to use only third-party certified fire doors which will ensure best-in-class practice and the door’s consistent performance. This should be coupled with ensuring all fire door installations and maintenance work is carried out by qualified and accredited fire door installers. Making it a legal requirement to mark every fire door with its source manufacturer and performance will help to improve the traceability of doors within the UK housing stock. This task could be managed as part of a mandatory “Golden Thread” standard as it outlines how fire door information should be stored, updated and shared. This data should include manufacturer name and third-party certification, installation details, maintenance records, and blueprints all stored in an easily accessible digital format. Finally, more government support is needed in tackling the fire door safety skills gap, including creating more apprenticeship opportunities and an education campaign designed to raise awareness of the opportunities available within the sector. Looking to the future Ultimately, while the UK’s overall fire strategy is certainly shifting in the right direction, there is still some way to go, particularly when it comes to fire doors. A fire door, after all, is much more than just a door. It is one of the most critical components of limiting the spread of fire in a multi-storey building. As an industry, we must continue to work closely on each part of the fire door process to limit avoidable risk and help to keep people safe in their homes. After all, every fire door properly installed and maintained is another chance to save lives. For more information on the JELD-WEN range of commercial fire doors visit: https://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/behind-every-doorset/
Thermo Bamboo is a luxurious decking product available by Wallbarn Ltd and is truly one of the most sustainable materials available for construction projects due to its environmental performance, fire resistance, longevity and structural performance. This ultra-hard, compressed bamboo fibre board is ideal for high trafficked decking applications as it has superb dimensional stability, resistance to scratching and a 25-year warranty. Wallbarn believes it should be considered a sustainable natural decking product for the following reasons:-Source material-Long term durability and performance-Fire Safety-Warranty and reuse Source materialThermo bamboo is sourced, obviously, from bamboo forests. However, bamboo is a fast growing grass, not wood. The stems are not cut down but “mown” down to the roots. Therefore, the bamboo plants remain alive so grow back immediately after harvesting. Crucially the roots are not ripped out of the ground, so the topsoil on the forest floor is less disturbed.This means no deforestation and higher yields from a smaller jungle footprint. Fast replenishing forestsBamboo is extremely fast growing, up to 1 metre per day, the forests are fully replenished within 4-5 years. This fast turnaround compares to 40 years for fir trees, around 100 years for tropical wood and up to 300 years for oak. CO2 captureBamboo Elegance is rated as CO2 neutral. Since the fibre can be harvested so quickly and the finished decking material has a 25 year plus lifespan (and far longer recycled use) the CO2, which is absorbed during the growing process of the bamboo shoots, is locked in for longer. Furthermore, by growing new bamboo every 4-5 years at least 5 new batches of bamboo fibre are produced for every batch harvested. Therefore, more CO2 is captured through the new plants. EPD – Environmental Product DeclarationThermo Bamboo is covered by EPD , the Environmental Product Declaration (in accordance with EN 15804) which is a ‘cradle to gate’ environmental impact assessment for products over their entire lifecycle, including transport through to installation on site and End of Life. It is extremely rare for a “hardwood” material to be covered by EPD and it is important to look for products that have an EPD to assess their environmental impact. Long term durability and performance Thermo processThe thermo process turns bamboo fibres into an ultra-hard “hardwood” with incredible strength and dimensional stability. The fibres are steamed rather than being kiln dried. This removes the moisture and sugars from the fibres and the fibres are then pressed and glued together under heavy pressure. Super hard deckingThis makes Thermo Bamboo denser, drier and more rot-proof than tropical hardwoods with a specific gravity of 1,200kg/m3. It has a Brinell strength of 87 N/mm2, has incredible bending strength and is rated Class 1 Durable under EN350/CEN/TS 15083. Dimensional stabilityBecause the original fibres are grass not wood, Thermo Bamboo has a straight grain and does not contain knots. This reduces shearing and splintering considerably. The finished decking material does not twist and does not curl with temperature changes. It does not absorb moisture or swell at all meaning tongue-and-groove joints between the ends of boards is possible and concealed milling profiles can be used without any risk of the surface bulging. Fungi and rot proofThe thermo process also removes bacteria and fungi activity from the bamboo fibres. The sugars are boiled out of the material meaning there is nothing for these agents to feast on, creating a more rot-proof decking product. The material has been independently tested for mould infestation and achieved the rating “0”, meaning “The surface of the material is resistant against mould fungi” and “The surface of the material does not provide a nutrient source.” No spores were found whatsoever. Fire safetyUnlike most other natural decking products Thermo Bamboo carries a EuroClasse fire rating of Bfl-s1. With the correct non-combustible substructure system it is possible to achieve B Roof T4 for flat roofs and podium deck construction. The benefits of a natural surface on such projects to soften the aspect and alleviate the noise somewhat should not be dismissed. Warranty and reuseThermo Bamboo carries a performance warranty of 25 years. When compared to softwood, which has a lifespan of around 5-7 years and even composites and hardwoods which often do not carry such lengthy warranties, the extended lifespan of Thermo Bamboo enhances its sustainability credentials. Its lifespan is far longer than the warrantied period and even when the decking is removed at a future date, the material can and should be recycled since it will lose hardly any of its strength and mechanical durability. Thermo Bamboo is ideal decking material. It is fast growing and harvesting has far less impact on the local environment. The finished decking material is super hard, dimensionally stable with superior resistance to weathering. It has a rich colour which naturally fades and is high performance, premium product. It is suitable for high end domestic and commercial decking projects including areas subject to high levels of foot traffic. It the ideal low environmental impact and premium product. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Partel, a leading manufacturer of air and wind tight membranes, has combined a decade of industry experience and technical knowledge to develop two new fire-rated breather membranes EXOPERM DURO A1 and EXOPERM MONO DURO A2, that surpass current fire safety regulation levels for high-rise and high-risk buildings. These high-performance membranes are designed to achieve the highest levels of fire performance while also protecting the building structure by allowing vapour to diffuse from within the structure towards the exterior keeping the internal components of the wall dry, preventing ‘thermal bypass’ of external air through the insulation, and also performing the secondary task of weather protection and preventing penetration by external environmental impurities such as wind and rain. Suited to offsite and onsite construction, residential or commercial projects, both products are fully independently certified and tested in accordance with EN13501-1. The membranes are compliant with Document B Fire Safety and are suitable for use in a range of external wall types, especially in high rise buildings or those that pose a greater risk of fire safety. “At Partel, we are proud to introduce our additional fire-rated breather membranes, EXOPERM DURO A1 and EXOPERM MONO DURO A2, which go beyond current fire safety regulations and complement our limited combustible vapour control layer IZOPERM PLUS A2” said Hugh Whiriskey, CEO of Partel. “We are committed to developing advanced membranes that will help to facilitate offsite manufacturers, contractors, and architects create facades that are fully non-combustible.” Introducing EXOPERM DURO A1 EXOPERM DURO A1 is a newly engineered breather membrane that incorporates advanced technology with an integrated glass fibre fabric to achieve the highest fire performance levels. This CE and UKCA marked membrane is A1 non-combustible and is suitable for use on closed joint facades. It balances other technical attributes alongside fire in order to ensure long-term protection of the building envelope, highly vapour open with an Sd value of 0.03m, Class W2 resistance to water penetration, superior aging resistance and dimensional stability. Introducing EXOPERM MONO DURO A2 Partel’s EXOPERM MONO DURO A2 is an innovative airtight yet vapour permeable façade membrane, based on Monolithic Technology. This CE and UKCA marked membrane is Class A2-s1,d0, guaranteeing limited-combustibility, absent or very limited smoke emissions and no burning droplets. It is suitable for use on open or closed joint facades, providing architects with greater design freedom. It balances airtightness, moisture management and secondary weather protection with fire performance and is incredibly vapour open boasting an Sd value of 0.09m, air permeability value of 0,006 m³/m², h, Pa, Class W2 resistance to water penetration, superior aging resistance and dimensional stability. Complete System Partel’s membrane solutions are further complemented by ECHOSEAL ALU FR, a fire-rated air and windtight adhesive tape specifically designed for use with Partel’s fire performance membranes. The tape ensures that membrane overlaps, window, and door connections are securely sealed. It can be used internally and externally due to its particular technological functions. Delivering Exceptional Performance Partel’s newly developed fire-rated breather membranes, EXOPERM DURO A1 and EXOPERM MONO DURO A2, exceed current fire safety regulations and provide superior protection of the building envelope. Independently certified and tested in accordance with EN13501-1 and compliant with Document B Fire Safety they can help facilitate the creation of non-combustible facades and offer peace of mind that the products are tested and certified to the latest industry standards. For more information visit Partel or contact a member of the Partel team to discuss requirements for your next project. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the UK’s leading specialist in the repair and replication of metal window systems, Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) was brought in by a long term client to carefully dismantle, catalogue and store all of the components to the listed façade of the Former Daily Express Building. This was done in order to facilitate the demolition of its later extension, together with the much wider redevelopment of the landmark London site. The contract on 120 Fleet Street is the latest in series of high-profile projects where ASWS has provided its unique enablement service on behalf of demolition specialist, Erith. Previous collaborations have included the nearby 11 Pilgrim Street, 25 Lavington Street, and Olympia, as well as the famous Whiteleys department store. The City of London Corporation, in October 2021, approved the plans for a new 21-storey office-led development and rejuvenation of the Grade II listed former newspaper headquarters at 120 Fleet Street, being led by CO-RE. The art deco Daily Express building will be transformed into a publicly accessible cultural destination with social and educational outreach. The Operations Director for ASWS, Kris Bennell, explained some of the stages involved in overcoming multiple challenges at 120 Fleet Street, saying: “Once we got the call from Erith our survey team not only photographed the entire 200m2 façade of black Vitrolite glass panelling, but also took precise measurements from a datum before compiling very detailed CAD drawings which will allow us to precisely re-assemble the bracketry and frontage when the new structural work is complete.” “It is one of the most famous art deco buildings in London – dating from 1932 – where the Vitrolite panels – basically pigmented structural glass – are glazed into aluminium frames in units some two metres tall and 3.5 metres wide. We removed all of the cappings as well as the transom and mullion cover plates so the Vitrolite could be lifted out and the main frames dismantled.” Kris continues, “This was complicated by the varying contours across the building and variations in the original manufacture. As well as our having the Heritage Asset Register and secure storage facilities, we were also able to bring all of our experience in such forensic type work to bear: so that the façade can be exactly rebuilt in some 18 months’ time.” The Lead Site Manager for Erith, Sean Morris, commented: “We have worked with ASWS on a number of projects in recent years and they have done an outstanding job again on the Express building, enabling our work to proceed on schedule.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A programme of testing being carried out by one of the country’s leading research universities is expected to verify the team’s early findings around the WikiHouse offsite building system – indicating that West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero panels offer superior performance benefits for the production of their large format blocks, beams and other components. The material’s compressive and shear strength have proved key to the successful outcomes. WikiHouse has been developed to provide an economic and sustainable means of constructing low-rise housing and other accommodation which is straightforward to manufacture and erect. A switch from imported plywood to UK-produced SterlingOSB Zero, which uses only renewable energy and has no added formaldehyde, is seen as increasing the successful housebuilding system’s environmental credentials. Originally prototyped in 2011, WikiHouse is a zero-carbon building system, maintained in the UK by Open System Lab, and offers a comprehensive selection of key components which can be shared as code and produced in small local workshops, rather than a large factory. Crucially, the WikiHouse blocks are produced to an accuracy of 0.1mm and can be rapidly assembled by a small site team, requiring none of the traditional trade skills. WikiHouse’s Engineering Lead, Gabriele Granello, explains: “The main idea of the system is that we are proposing these blocks – fabricated for beams, columns and other elements – that, when you join them, characterise the structural system of your house. Up until now, we have been working with plywood but there is no UK-produced plywood, so the question for us was, could we switch and still span six or seven metres as we are now? “We suspect it can as the way the system works is that it relies much more on the compressive and shear strength of the material, rather than its tensile strength. We have done analytical modelling for the SterlingOSB Zero and because it is made up of myriad of non-directional strands, instead of alternately orientated plys, at a microscopic level, there is no single shear plane along which the OSB will fail. We have already carried out some preliminary testing of the joints in isolation, where the OSB actually performed better than plywood, so now we are engaging with Imperial College in London for one of their final year Masters students to conduct a programme of full-scale experiments.” The work at Imperial College’s laboratories is expected to continue for three months, with London-based Hub Workshop being the supply chain partner responsible for supplying the actual WikiBlocks. The Founder of Hub Workshop, Drew Munden, added: “As a specialist sub-contractor in CNC machining, we serve various client sectors including garden rooms, bespoke furniture and architectural structures, and are one of half a dozen fabricators for the WikiHouse system in the UK. Buying from merchants, the SterlingOSB Zero is half the price of spruce plywood and it machines perfectly well. For the WikiHouse Blocks, we are using a variety of tooling including various drills, an ‘engraving router’ and a compression cutters router which leaves a very clean-cut face on the 18 mm OSB.” Mel Esquerre at Open System Labs, commented: “We already have a single-storey structure using SterlingOSB Zero – a cabin, that has been completed by a private client to use as a rental property – but our road map for the system very much involves the housing associations and other affordable housing providers, to scale up the operations, and SterlingOSB Zero will very much be part of those conversations.” Available in thicknesses of 18 and 22mm, the 2400mm length boards come in widths of 590 and 1200mm, while being manufactured using UK grown timber and with Zero added formaldehyde, SterlingOSB Zero has outstanding environmental credentials. Both the 18- and 22-mm thick panels are strong enough to meet most load-bearing applications, are BBA Approved and recognized under the NHBC Technical Standard for housing applications. SterlingOSB Zero T&G also bears the coveted UKTFA Q-mark, a quality certification which provides a benchmark for manufacturers, and offers confidence to designers and end-users across the UK. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The softwood category started 2023 on a high, with volumes up 12% compared to January 2022, according to the latest Timber Development UK statistics. Softwood imports totalled 426,000m3 in January this year, with volume increases from Sweden, Finland and the Republic of Ireland largely responsible. Despite softwood increases, overall timber import volumes were 8.7% lower than in January 2022. This is due to significant declines in panel product imports, with plywood and particleboard down 42% and 18% respectively. Hardwood imports also dropped by 37% following a record year in 2022. Looking long-term, there is room for positivity, with yearly import volumes around 100,000m3 higher on average than in 2013. TDUK Head of Technical and Trade, Nick Boulton, said: “It is great to see softwood imports on the up once more following a tricky 2022. “This growth is largely attributable to returning construction activity, with recent Department for Business and Trade figures reporting increased RM&I work in early 2023. “These latest softwood figures suggest that normality may finally be returning to the market after a tumultuous few years of Covid, conflict and general uncertainty. “The panel and hardwood sectors are a little further behind, with imports well below 2022 levels. This, however, is due in part to unusually high imports in January 2022 rather than downward market trends. “Looking long-term, the stats paint a positive picture with timber imports consistently on the up since 2013. “This is likely to continue in the years ahead as the UK Government looks to decarbonise the built environment using timber.” Members can read the full statistics report here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The VELUX Group and partners open the doors to Living Places Copenhagen – seven prototypes that show how we can develop sustainable buildings with a three times lower CO2 footprint and a first-class indoor climate. Living Places concept holds the lowest CO2 emissions in Denmark, demonstrating that we do not have to wait for future technology to build more sustainably. The building industry accounts for 34% of the global energy consumption and 37% of the global CO2 emissions, and in the latest report from the UN’s climate panel, it is clear that low carbon solutions must be scaled and implemented – also in the building industry. One of those solutions can be experienced in Copenhagen from today. With the groundbreaking project Living Places Copenhagen, the VELUX Group and its partners, demonstrate how to build homes with a CO2 footprint of 3.8 kg/CO2/m2/year – three times lower than the current Danish legislation of 12 kg CO2/m2/year – and to a price that matches the market price for a one-family house or rowhouses at scale. Furthermore, Living Places Copenhagen is designed with a strong focus on creating a healthy indoor climate using daylight and fresh air and it delivers best in class indoor climate. “As part of an industry that accounts for a large part of the global CO2 emissions, we wish to take responsibility for finding ways to build more sustainably. With this project, we show how it can be done already today. I’m very proud of the results we have created with Living Places Copenhagen together with our partners. This project is a good example of how building more sustainable, healthy homes can both address climate challenges within our industry and improve peoples’ health. After all, we spend 90% of our time indoors, so a healthy indoor climate in our home is crucial,” says Tina Mayn, Executive Vice President for Products at the VELUX Group. Living Places Copenhagen is the first prototype showcasing the overall concept – Living Places – which was initiated by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT and Artelia. The vision is to lead the way within the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The concept is based on five key principles: homes should be healthy, affordable, simple, shared over time and scalable. These principles can be applied to new or existing buildings and communities. The materials, solutions and knowledge are already here As a part of The Living Places Copenhagen project, the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia and Enemærke & Petersen, have carried out a complete Life Cycle Assessment. This means that each material, design and building technique has been carefully considered and mapped in terms of the emissions they project compared to a typical Danish household. Based on this, the partnership have built prototypes, showing that we do not have to wait for future technology to build homes that benefit both people and the planet. “The monitoring and thorough assessment of every product and process has been crucial to reach the results that we are able to present with this project. The fact that we have been able to reach these record results with Living Places Copenhagen is proof that we don’t have to wait for future technologies to build more sustainable buildings. The materials, solutions, and knowledge are already here – we just need to enable and scale them. I hope that we can inspire the building industry to follow,” says Lone Feifer, Director of Sustainable Building at the VELUX Group. Living Places Copenhagen showcases a total of seven prototypes – five open pavilions and two completed full-scale homes which open to the public on Earth Day on the 22nd April. As an official partner to the UIA World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen, Living Places Copenhagen will host a programme of debates and activities designed to drive and accelerate change in the building industry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
When Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest flooring contractor, embarked on a project which is helping transform a former Liverpool children’s home into a bustling urban village, supply issues threatened to de-rail the tight deadline for fitting hundreds of square metres of carpet tiles and safety flooring. But thanks to a lot of chasing, some lucky deliveries and a dedicated team of just two floor layers, the entire project – which included screeding of the ground floor tile areas and fitting 96 stair nosings – was completed in two-and-a-half weeks and came in bang on deadline. From initial inspection to final sign off, the project at the former Fazakerley Cottage Homes, built in 1888, took Designer Contracts around five months after being commissioned to undertake the work by building contractor, Next Big Thing. The work was carried out between October 31, 2022, and November 18 2022 Now known as The Clocktower offices, it is part of a wider redevelopment scheme by Urban Splash to bring new life to an old site, transforming the historic building into one fit for commercial use. Luke Ryan, Designer Contract’s project manager for the installation said: “This was a great project to be part of and involved laying some 1300sqm of carpet tiles and 125sqm of safety flooring. During the fitting stage of the project we discussed changing the original plan of fitting carpet tiles throughout the ground floor communal corridor and decided to leave some of the original floorboards exposed. Keeping some of the authentic character of the building really enhanced the finished look. “To meet the brief we installed Select Carpet Tiles (Anthracite) in a linear pattern to three floors and Altro Wood Safety (Walkway – Manor Oak) in wet areas and kitchens. The site manager made this extremely easy to plan with constant communication of where the renovation was and was going to be at certain points. “We were also in constant touch with the guy running the site about the subfloors to ensure a perfect finish. “Hitting deadline dates at a time of stock issues was the main challenge but with a little luck and a lot of persistence we got there – and the client is extremely pleased with the finished result.” Said John Grugel of Next Big Thing Developments: “The fitting team did a great job on the Grade 2 listed building at The Clocktower. The two-man team fitting the carpets and vinyl throughout the office, toilet and kitchen areas were very efficient and the quality of work was to a good standard.” AddedMiles Pearson,co-owner of Jordan Street Studios at the Clocktower Park Offices: “The Clock Tower building is the centre piece of this 1890 listed estate and required both good design solutions and the highest quality of work along with a high level of durability. We have worked with Designer Contracts on this and other commercial schemes and have always found their product specification and installation to be of the highest quality. Both ourselves as developers and our tenants are extremely happy with the results and we look forward to working with them again on our future developments. I would have no hesitation recommending them and the completion photos demonstrate the high-end finish we were looking for.” From a development that once consisted of 24 cottages that were used as homes for children, The Clocktower now houses the NHS, Liverpool City Council, Fazakerley Special Needs and a private nursery the Clocktower. Redevelopment at the site is ongoing. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
