The Government has undertaken a consultation on proposals to lower the threshold on the ban on using combustible construction materials from buildings of 18m to 11m. This would reduce the maximum height of timber-framed buildings from six storeys to four. However, the recent spate of timber-framed fires means that even
Proteus Facades has helped a monumental 24-storey student accommodation block in London to blend in with its surroundings, through innovative use of the company’s glass rainscreen cladding panels. Located in the Mayor of London’s Old Oak & Park Royal Opportunity Area, Holbrook House, designed by award-winning architects SimpsonHaugh and Partners,
Sheet metal is very important in construction. It is widely used and is very common. Sheet metal is formed through an industrial process. The goal is to make a thin and flat piece of metal for a variety of purposes. Sheet metal is one of the basics of metalworking. It
One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild with help from Polypipe Building Services. The Grade II Listed Blackpool Winter Gardens is set to open a new conference centre this year in what is the first major development at the site since the construction of the
Unfortunately, no current conversation about timber is complete without comment on the government’s catch-all ban on combustible materials. At the end of 2018, as part of fire safety improvement measures intended to prevent another blaze like that seen at Grenfell Tower, the then Housing Secretary, James Brokenshire, introduced new legislation
Do you have a plan for fluidization or air inflation? If yes, then at the initial stage, you need to collect Saifilter porous plastic fluidizing plate. This particular plate is the perfect one for not only air inflammation, but it is also essential for the air distribution of material diffusion
Ensure Full Legal Compliance for Your Drainage Products with Kingspan’s SmartServ Pro Managing below-ground drainage products across a company’s estate can be a huge challenge for energy management teams. Ensuring that a company’s collective separators, pump stations and sewage treatment plants are all working safely and correctly is difficult when
The engineered timber industry has been founded on the principles of advancing sustainable building technology. Led by innovators such as B&K Structures, the use of timber technology in UK construction has undergone a renaissance in recent years which has greatly increased the use of ground-breaking products such as cross laminated
One of the UK’s leading builders’ merchants will resume its online service to tradespeople on Wednesday. Selco Builders Warehouse’s 68 branches and all its delivery services have been closed since the UK officially entered lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak on Monday, March 23. A decision has now been taken
Engineers at the University of Liverpool, alongside industrial partners, have designed and built an adhesive free timber office building at Ness Gardens on the Wirral in order to evaluate a more environmentally friendly construction method. The key idea behind the new `green’ office structure is to use timber to connect
The Government has undertaken a consultation on proposals to lower the threshold on the ban on using combustible construction materials from buildings of 18m to 11m. This would reduce the maximum height of timber-framed buildings from six storeys to four. However, the recent spate of timber-framed fires means that even that reduced height may be questionable. The consultation findings are due to be reported later this year. The ‘Building a Safer Future’ consultation proposed reforms to England’s current building safety regulations following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Initially, it was to examine the prohibition of using combustible cladding systems. However, a series of timber building fires has resulted in calls to ban the use of combustible materials for muti-storey building structures. These fires include low-rise multi-storey buildings. Last September, a major fire reduced a four-storey timber-framed block of flats at Worcester Park in South-West London to ashes. In August, a three-storey timber-framed retirement development collapsed after a devastating fire. Meanwhile last November following a fire at a student accommodation block in Bolton, the Fire Protection Association called for a complete ban of the use combustible materials for all buildings regardless of their height. “Timber is not a suitable construction material for either high-rise or low-rise multi-storey buildings. Unlike reinforced concrete which provides up to 6 hours of inherent fire resistance and structural integrity, timber frame offers just 30 minutes,” said Steve Elliott, Chairman of the British Association of Reinforcement. Elliott also questioned the use of cross laminated timber which is being forwarded as a structural frame option because it chars rather burns and has higher strength than timber frame. He said: “Cross laminated timber is being touted as a structural option for multi-storey construction as a layer of charring is thought to prevent the structural component from burning. However, charring is burning and will have a significant impact on structural integrity. To say that charring is not burning is being disingenuous.” He concluded: “There is too much real-time evidence of the unsuitability of timber for multi-storey construction. Building for a safer future must recognise the simple fact: timber burns.”
Proteus Facades has helped a monumental 24-storey student accommodation block in London to blend in with its surroundings, through innovative use of the company’s glass rainscreen cladding panels. Located in the Mayor of London’s Old Oak & Park Royal Opportunity Area, Holbrook House, designed by award-winning architects SimpsonHaugh and Partners, is part of the Downing Students portfolio of properties. The £7 million development contributes to the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) ambitious plan to completely redevelop the area by creating thousands of new homes and jobs over the next 30 years. It is also the first student accommodation scheme in London that meets the new GLA Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on affordable rents for student accommodation. Constructed by Downing Construction and subcontractor Dane Architectural, Holbrook House is divided into three sections. The taller and more monolithic of the three multi-storey buildings features A2 rated, Proteus GL rainscreen cladding panels in five different shades (RAL5003, RAL5004, RAL5007, RAL5023 and RAL240 70 15) which graduate from a dark blue/grey to light blue/white. Arranged floor to floor in a thin vertical format, the ombre-style finish of the panels helps minimise the visual impact of the structure, enabling it to carefully blend in with and reflect the city skyline and its surroundings, whilst acting as a standalone marker for the nearby junction of Victoria Road and Wales Farm Road. The smaller of the three blocks at Holbrook House features natural terracotta tiles, with a cruciform pattern applied expressing the internal functionality, while the second, central section features bright reflective metal panels. All of which, along with the Proteus GL rainscreen cladding panels, were chosen to complement one another whilst providing a robust façade that offers some protection against the elements. Proteus GL is an integrated modular rainscreen cladding system with an aluminium honeycomb core structurally bonded between a toughened back painted glass face and a lightweight metal rear skin. Each panel is supported by the unique Proteus system of aluminium carriers and ancillary components, which can be installed on to any type of wall construction, with no visible fixings, creating a sheer, smooth façade. As glass is a completely inert material, Proteus GL provides a virtually unlimited lifespan because it is rust and corrosion free. It is also lightweight, being up to 40 percent lighter than a typical glass structural screen. In addition, as the system is available in any RAL colour or can be digitally or screen printed to create a bespoke finish, Proteus GL offers architects a wealth of design options, is colourfast, resists UV rays and fully tested and compliant with CWCT Standards. Holbrook House features 497 contemporary, affordable student residencies ranging from three bedroom, two bathroom shared flats to self-contained studio apartments. The building also includes a range of community facilities including a gym, common room, and games area. Landscaped roof terraces provide students with an outside space to relax, whilst retail space is provided at ground level adjacent to the London underground station entrance. The new development is the second Downing Students building in North Acton, alongside ‘The Lyra’ on Portal Way, which offers 209 studio apartments for students studying at local institutions. For further information about Proteus GL or to view more inspirational rainscreen facades from Proteus Facades, visit: www.proteusfacades.com or call: 0151 545 5075.
Sheet metal is very important in construction. It is widely used and is very common. Sheet metal is formed through an industrial process. The goal is to make a thin and flat piece of metal for a variety of purposes. Sheet metal is one of the basics of metalworking. It can be cut and bent further to make different shapes as needed for whatever application needs it. From cars to housing to machines and even some forms of art. Experts such as Bend-tech can help with any questions you may have about it. Sheet Metal Bending Bending sheet metal is done through the application of force or exerting pressure on certain points or linear. In bending, metal is manufactured to a point along a straight axis. It produces V-shape, U-shape, and channel shape. This can be done with press breaks, roll bending machines, or embossing/coining machines. The most common way used for bending are box and pan brakes or other break processes. Process During the process of press brake forming, the metal is positioned over a die block. The die block presses the sheet to form a shape. What happens is that the bending has to overcome the stresses. After bending, the residual stresses cause the material to spring back to its original position. The sheet should be over-bent in order to get the desired angle. Factors that come into play are the material and the type of forming. When a metal sheet is bent, the length is also stretched. Bend Deduction This refers to the amount the metal sheet will stretch as it bends and measured from the outside edges. Bend Radius Bend radius refers to the inside radius. It describes the radius of the inside curvature of a bent sheet metal. It is the minimum radius wherein a pipe, tube, sheet, cable, or hose can be bent without being kinked or damage or shortening its life. The formed radius depends on the dies and material used. It also depends on the thickness of the material. The formed bend radius is dependent upon the dies used, the material properties, and the material thickness The smaller the bend radius is, the greater the material flexibility will be. This is because the radius of the curvature decreases as the curvature increases. Minimum and Maximum Bend Radius The minimum bend radius is the smallest allowable radius a cable is allowed to be bent. Maximum Bend Radius is the determinant on how tight the cable can be bent. This is done with the intent not to add a lot of stress on the cable that can cause damages like kinks and cracks. Calculating Bend Radius The minimum or maximum bend radius can be calculated with a mathematical formula. Minimum bend radius: Step 1: Divide 50 by the material’s tensile reduction percentage. Step 2: Subtract 1 from that answer. Step 3: Multiply that answer by the plate thickness. Maximum bend radius: Step 1: Add the minimum bend radius to the part thickness Step 2: Multiply the result by 2 Common Bending Methods There are many bending methods. Below are some of the more common methods V-Bending This is the most common bending method. V-bending uses a punch and die. The three sub-grouping of this is bottoming, air bending, and coining. From these, about 90% of the most commonly used V-bending methods are air bending and bottoming. Air Bending This refers to partial bending. In this method, the working piece is not totally touching the tooling parts. The workpiece lies on two points. The punch pushes the bend. This process is often done through a press brake without the need for a sided die. A punch tool and a V-shaped bottom die is used in air bending. Air bending allows the sheet material to be bent to an arbitrary angle even without replacing the die or punch tools. Bottoming This is also referred to as bottom pressing or bottom striking. This means the punch presses the metal sheet onto the die. The die’s angle then determines the angle of the workpiece. The inner radius of the angled sheet depends on the radius of the die. Coining In this method, the workpiece is stamped between the punch and die. These penetrate into the metal past a neutral axis with pressure. This used to be a very popular method since it can get accurate results. However, today, machinery can be well-controlled and precise. Hence, coining is not as widely used as before. U-bending This is similar to V-bending. It also uses a die and a punch. However, in U-bending they are both U-shaped, which results in a similar bend. Roll Bending This is often used during the production of cones and tubes into different shapes. This is also bending with a large radius. The most common machine used for this method is a press or hydraulic brake. The reason for this is that other machines result in flat instead of a well-rounded edge. Folding Clamping beams hold the longer side of the sheet. In this method the beam rises. Then it folds the sheet around a bend profile. Wiping In this method, the longest end of the sheet is clamped. The tool then goes up and down, resulting in the bending of the sheet around the bend profile. Wiping, however, has a higher risk for scratches or damages since the tools are hovering over the sheet. Rotary Bending This method uses a freely rotating cylinder. The final formed shape is cut into it and matching the bottom die. Upon contact with the sheet, the roll contacts on the two points. It then rotates while the forming process bends the sheet. Rotary bending is referred to as a ‘non-marking’ process which is suitable to pre-painted or marred surfaces.
One of England’s most iconic venues is undergoing a huge £25m rebuild with help from Polypipe Building Services. The Grade II Listed Blackpool Winter Gardens is set to open a new conference centre this year in what is the first major development at the site since the construction of the Opera House in 1939. This was a challenging project – with both a refurbishment of the existing building and a new-build as part of the complex – so Polypipe Building Services, the commercial building specialists, was called in to offer expertise on a drainage solution. Contractors McLaughlin and Harvey, and CMB Fylde Engineering needed an adaptable solution that would not reduce the available space in the two-storey, 3,890 square metre conference centre. Polypipe Building Services provided on-site support and their high performance Terrain Fuze drainage system. The HDPE system was used in the large commercial spaces such as the halls and theatre space due to the homogenous weld giving it maximum joint integrity. Johnathan Greenwood, Strategic Project Manager at Polypipe Building Services, said: “As well as being a very prestigious project this was also a complex one. Refurbishing a Grade II Listed building has a lot of complications to overcome. “One of the key benefits to using Fuze at the Winter Gardens was the malleable nature of the product and the fact that it can be cut and welded into delicate positions and angles to create a bespoke system. “The malleability allows for extra security against loss of useable space. “Fuze gives specifiers and installers maximum flexibility in the design process with this system and, as it is light in weight, it can be installed quickly and efficiently.” Funded by the Blackpool Regeneration project, the conference centre will have an exhibition space on first floor and a conference space with a seating capacity of 2,000 on the second floor. It will also be possible to use the space in conjunction with the other venues throughout the Winter Gardens giving a capacity of 7,000. The venue will feature state of the art amenities necessary for hosting modern conferences and exhibitions, including the latest audio and visual technology. Pictures courtesy of Blackpool Council
Unfortunately, no current conversation about timber is complete without comment on the government’s catch-all ban on combustible materials. At the end of 2018, as part of fire safety improvement measures intended to prevent another blaze like that seen at Grenfell Tower, the then Housing Secretary, James Brokenshire, introduced new legislation banning combustible materials on new high-rise homes above 18m. In late 2019, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick called for the height threshold for combustible materials to be lowered to “at least 11m” (or typically anything less than three storeys in height). The second reading for the Fire Safety Bill – with the lowered threshold included – took place on 29 April. A date for the committee stage is yet to be announced and the consultation deadline has been pushed back to 25 May 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. Architects, builders, suppliers of structural timber and many others passionate about the good that wood can do for this country, are now rightly concerned about what the future holds for multi-storey timber buildings. All while many other countries are passing legislation to promote the use of more timber products in construction. While there’s no question that the Fire Safety Bill is intended to enhance occupant safety, we mustn’t lose sight of timber’s inherent qualities as a building material; benefits that have made it an increasingly popular choice for structural components. It’s easy to transport and modify, it minimises noise pollution on site and it’s highly cost-efficient to produce and use. We as an industry are calling for an objective investigation; one led by facts and science rather than emotion. To quash the use of wood in structures over 11m would be to fly in the face of the sustainable evolution that the construction industry and, more importantly, the nation so desperately needs. Indeed, in its November 2019 report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the timber industries said: “Without using safe structural timber we cannot meet these targets [the government’s net zero carbon commitment] and we will fail to address the construction industry’s contribution to climate change.” A more sustainable, decarbonised economy can allow the planet to repair itself. The building materials we choose can be a key contributor to this. To choose timber is to choose a building material that would not adversely impact or inconvenience the way we live our lives; a material that can help build a more sustainable future. Responsibly managed forests have always been the earth’s air cleaners and will continue to be so forever. And a by-product of responsibly managed forests? High-quality, sustainable timber; timber that has already taken from the air and locked away decades’ worth of harmful CO2. Andrew Waugh of Waugh Thistleton Architects – one of the UK’s leading proponents of timber construction – summed it up brilliantly earlier this year: “The reality is the evidence says we’ve got 12 years left to sort out climate change – we’ve got to start changing the way we do things. And we’ve got to keep pushing the message about the safety of CLT. It’s not only quicker to put up; it’s safer, healthier, lighter and locks away carbon.”
Do you have a plan for fluidization or air inflation? If yes, then at the initial stage, you need to collect Saifilter porous plastic fluidizing plate. This particular plate is the perfect one for not only air inflammation, but it is also essential for the air distribution of material diffusion and fluidization. But before you come to use this plate, you need to have an idea about the product. Take a look below. Materials used in the plate The fluidizing plat is made of extreme quality molecular polyethylene material. Event the plates’ construction comes with Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, High-density polyethylene, Low-Density Polyethylene, Very Low-Density Polyethylene, and Polypropylene. As a result of that, the plate runs for a long time providing its services. Even nothing damage or broken condition makes any hassle for the purpose of air inflation or fluidization. How does it look? The look of the plate is designed in such a way the work of installation comes easy and comfortable. Every side of the plastic plate is upward. You can bring any shape of it using hand tools according to your working suitability. Even it can be sealed easily in any location for your working comfort. Moreover, you can use it as a panel for effective filtration. Proper specification of the plate The thickness of the Saifilter porous plastic fluidizing sheet comes with the form of 1.25 inches to 1.75 inches. It can come with a shape of square, strip, circle, or oval. Even the shape of the sheet comes according to customers’ choice. That means no work comes impossible with the porous plastic fluidizing plate of saifilter. You no need to bear any waste of the plate. Is it cost-effective? Yes, the fluidizing plate is a hundred percent cost-effective as you no need to bear any waste of this sheet. The shape of the plate comes to be in customized size. Generally, the shape comes with the measurement of 1.25 inches to 1.75 inches. Where can the sheet be used? For your needs, either personal or professional, you can use this sheet. You can use this plate for a fluidized bed tank, filter plate, tank used for chemical technology tank, and closed conduit medium. Apart from this, you can use it for many purposes. Is the plate durable? The porous plastic fluidizing sheet of Saifilter has much more durability. It does not come to be broken itself within a short period. It can take huge pressure for a long time and keeps continue any service in need of your purpose. It does not give you hassle in any of your working purposes like air inflation or fluidization. Rather the plate provides you the freedom to keep going your working purposes. Is it costly? No, the product is not costly. The price of the product is designed in such way that people from any level can afford it very easily. Even the sometime the price comes less with a great discount.
Ensure Full Legal Compliance for Your Drainage Products with Kingspan’s SmartServ Pro Managing below-ground drainage products across a company’s estate can be a huge challenge for energy management teams. Ensuring that a company’s collective separators, pump stations and sewage treatment plants are all working safely and correctly is difficult when they aren’t always easily accessible and may be widely distributed across remote geographical locations. Nonetheless, this level of oversight is a requirement for all businesses under current EN 858-2 legislation, in order to protect the environment and public health from local pollution events. Kingspan’s brilliant new SmartServ Pro system now offers energy management teams an all-encompassing solution to the problem of monitoring and compliance, at a relatively low-cost (https://youtu.be/Vj7An5CTa54). The system provides instant access to real-time performance data for each individual drainage product and gives early warning of any issues. The benefits this brings include not just effortless oversight, compliance and optimum asset performance, but also significant time and cost-savings for a company. James Curran, Kingspan’s Commercial Director, advises: “Proactive pollution prevention, such as via early fault warnings on SmartServ Pro, is now more important than ever. “SmartServ Pro has been developed in line with Kingspan’s commitment to Planet Passionate, a series of ambitious targets to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.” How can SmartServ Pro help FMs save time and money? Once installed, SmartServ Pro sends alerts to users about the need for servicing and emptying/tankering of an asset as and when required, rather than simply when a maintenance contract requires it. This intelligent monitoring solutions avoids the disruption and costs, as well as the additional carbon footprint associated with unnecessary tankering. It also ensures a clear management plan is in place – all of which can be outsourced to the Kingspan Service team if required. Predictive maintenance support is provided through an online platform and this also gives immediately notification of a drop in performance of any individual asset along with details of the problem (ie. which component is failing). This gives teams the all information they need to action a repair in good time, reducing the risk of local underground pollution, which can occur when drainage products fail. Furthermore, SmartServ Pro acts as an asset register for a company, providing detailed, easy to access data which can be exported/shared as needed. James continues: “Separators, pump stations and sewage treatment plants are not fit-and-forget products; they need regular servicing and maintenance. “Many businesses choose to service them based on historic precedent rather than need – in other words when it’s been done in the past. That’s unnecessary and it’s very wasteful. Added to which, you could be fined for not complying to EN 858-2 guidelines, or prosecuted for polluting the local environment.” “Kingspan’s SmartServ Pro solves all these issues. It’s a big step forward from previous asset management solutions – even those which currently use sensor technology and end-user text alerts. And users can be confident that the system is built on tried and trusted technology and software, backed by Kingspan know-how.” For more information, or to book a demo please contact our Service Team: E: helpingyou@kingspan.com T: +44 (0) 333 240 6868 (NI 028 3836 4600 / ROI 0818 543 500)
The engineered timber industry has been founded on the principles of advancing sustainable building technology. Led by innovators such as B&K Structures, the use of timber technology in UK construction has undergone a renaissance in recent years which has greatly increased the use of ground-breaking products such as cross laminated timber (CLT). Here Managing Director of B&K Structures, Andy Goodwin discusses the proposed building restrictions and the unintended consequences. Leading architects such as Foster and Partners and Waugh Thistleton have realised exceptional award-winning buildings, creating a new legacy in outstanding timber architecture but we are now at a point in time where the proposed building regulations could restrict the use of a material which has the potential to help in the battle against climate change. Existing buildings and new construction accounts for nearly 40% of our national carbon dioxide emissions. CLT is now widely acknowledged as having a vital role to play in reducing CO2 emissions and crucial to reaching net-zero carbon targets. Somehow CLT, as a robust, fast, clean and sustainable construction method, has been put into the same category as dangerous highly combustible cladding systems. Many of us involved in the industry are baffled how we arrived at this place. A blanket ban that is not based on building physics or scientific fact, is seen as a quick fix but the unintended consequences will be far reaching. Every building material in some way is susceptible to fire whether it melts, warps or explodes but it is knowing how it performs that is crucial. Tests prove CLT has fire resistance of 90 – 120 minutes and greater than that if additional coatings are applied. The UK Government is currently seeking views on the ban of the use of combustible materials in external walls of buildings, with any changes affecting all new residential buildings with floor levels above 11m (circa 4 storeys). This proposal comes despite a significant amount of UK innovation in the use of engineered timber systems such as glue laminated timber and cross laminated timber. Together with sustainability, safety is of paramount importance to the team at B&K Structures and we have found a way to ensure our structures are both safe and sustainable using a hybrid approach. We support stronger measures regarding the safety of building, but the current proposal could impact the ability to construct with timber as a primary structural material. Alongside ACAN (Architects Climate Action Network), we are calling for responses to the consultation to help oppose this new legislation from affecting construction innovation. www.architectscan.org/safe-timber About B&K Structures Through careful design detailing and value engineering, B&K Structures is able to offer the best possible offsite manufactured construction solutions, ensuring a smooth integration for follow-on trades – delivering award-winning, environmentally and sustainable projects on time and to budget. B&K Structures has worked with some of the UK’s most renowned clients to develop outstanding buildings with sustainable credentials. For more information on their product portfolio and full range of services go to www.bkstructures.co.uk
One of the UK’s leading builders’ merchants will resume its online service to tradespeople on Wednesday. Selco Builders Warehouse’s 68 branches and all its delivery services have been closed since the UK officially entered lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak on Monday, March 23. A decision has now been taken for Selco to re-open 42 branches to support the delivery of online orders – through Click & Collect and Click & Deliver – only. No customers will be permitted to enter branches and other social distancing measures will be in place for collections and deliveries. Any collections will be made from the car parks of those branches that are open. Chief executive Howard Luft said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult period for the whole country and it’s been no different for us at Selco. “We have been monitoring events and government guidance extremely closely and now everything is in place to enable us to offer our customers a revised service, while closely following the social distancing guidelines. “We are fully aware our customers offer a vital service to the communities in which they operate, providing essential maintenance and repairs to properties, and we are delighted we can once again begin to make at least part of our usual offering available to them. “The health and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues remains our No 1 priority.” Opening hours at those Selco branches opening will be limited to 7am-5pm, Monday to Friday. All branches will be closed at weekends. Customer numbers will be managed through collection time slots to collect their orders, to ensure that social distancing can be maintained. Howard added: “We would urge only people who have pre-ordered products and materials to visit branches – and then only at the time they have been allocated. “We will constantly monitor operations in all of our branches which are re-opening and make adjustments as and where we see fit. “We will provide a further update on the remaining 26 branches which remain closed in due course.” For more information on Selco visit www.selcobw.com The full list of Selco branches opening is: York, Ardwick, Leeds Elland Road, Coventry, Baguley, Stirchley, Tyburn, Tyseley, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Nottingham, Cardiff Hadfield Road, Swansea, Bristol Filton, Cricklewood, Kingsbury, Ruislip, Hanger Lane, Southall, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Camberley, Reading, Slough, Isleworth, Chessington, Poole, Southampton, Walthamstow, Barking, Tottenham, Romford, Thurrock, Chelmsford, Charlton, Catford, Old Kent Road, Sidcup, Croydon, Sutton, Wimbledon, Redhill.
Engineers at the University of Liverpool, alongside industrial partners, have designed and built an adhesive free timber office building at Ness Gardens on the Wirral in order to evaluate a more environmentally friendly construction method. The key idea behind the new `green’ office structure is to use timber to connect timber, and to use timber to reinforce timber. Timber is one of the very few industrial materials that can be 100% sustainable. Engineers designed and constructed a large section of the office space using adhesive free laminated timber (AFLT) beams and adhesive free cross laminated timber (AFCLT) panels, and densified wooden dowels and plates are used to connect beams with columns rather than metallic fasteners. The dowels and plates are made using softwood from sustainably-harvested timber and compressed using a heated hydraulic press to reduce thickness whilst making it denser and stronger than common hardwood. The `green’ office, which is part of an EU-funded INTERREG research project, will allow researchers to evaluate the performance of adhesive free engineered wood products and compressed wood fasteners in a real life environment over the next five to ten years, and compare it to conventional methods that use adhesives and metal. Located at Ness Gardens on the Wirral, the 35m2 office structure will provide a functional workspace for researchers from the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Integrative Biology using the Brian Moss Aquatic Facility, one of Europe’s largest, most technologically advanced facilities for investigating environmental impacts on freshwaters. Liverpool engineer, Dr Zhongwei Guan, an international timber engineering and composite expert, who is leading project, said: “This is an exciting real world project. The structure we have designed and built is arguably the first building in the world to be constructed using this compressed wood technology! “It showcases a more environmentally friendly method of connecting wood and joining structures using compressed wood dowels and fasteners without the use of adhesives or metal products. “The prototype has been developed as part of our INTERREG EU research project to design, demonstrate and take forward new adhesive free engineered wood products for use in the construction industry.” Dr Stewart Plaistow, Senior lecturer in Evolutionary Biology in the Institute of Integrative Biology, said: “I am delighted that this new facility which will support research projects investigating the effects of climate change on shallow fresh waters. “The new space will allow researchers to process samples on site, enhancing the mesocosm facilities capabilities even further. It’s been a real pleasure seeing “green” research projects from different faculties working together.” The office was designed and built by researchers from the University of Liverpool’s School of Engineering, together with FRCS of the University, a design engineer and contractor, and local businesses, SticX Ltd and Cunliffe’s Architects.