Commissioning machine rebuilds is already an integral part of Heidelberg Materials UK’s fleet management plan. This month the company welcomed a rebuilt Cat® 988K XE with electric drive back to its Whatley asphalt plant following a Cat Certified Powertrain Rebuild, giving it a new lease of life and many more
By Eve Pope, Technology Analyst at IDTechEx In a world with a growing population and a rapidly expanding construction sector to match, how do we prevent building homes from damaging our climate? Concrete is the second most consumed material on Earth, but its key ingredient, cement, is responsible for 7%
National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured planning consent on behalf of UK’s national synchrotron light source, Diamond Light Source (Diamond), to extend its presence at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that is used to
Britain’s leader in Ground Source Heat Pumps, Kensa Heat Pumps, is set to unveil the next generation of home heating and cooling. At an online launch on 29th February, Kensa will reveal its solution to help bring heat pumps to the masses, decarbonise current and future homes and create green
Hochiki Europe, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of fire detection and emergency lighting solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in SICUR 2024, Spain’s premier international security event. The company is set to exhibit a range of products including its groundbreaking Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection range,
Industry-leading global provider of integrated process and mixing solutions, ProSep, has received official acknowledgment from the US Patent Office for improvements made to its recognized Annual Injection Mixer (AIM), resulting in a new patent being issued. Part of ProSep’s portfolio of differentiated technologies for higher operational performance, AIM is the
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be
MaterialsZone, the leading Materials Informatics platform for manufacturers’ R&D teams, and Kafrit Group, a global masterbatches and compounds producer, announced today their long-term commercial agreement enabling Kafrit Group to better utilize their data to develop improved products and provide an unparalleled customer experience to its clients. With a crowded, competitive
Panics come and panics go in the pragmatic world of engineering. It is part of the job to identify potentially intractable problems – and then bend the collective mind to creating a practical solution to them. That is why the current disquiet over RAAC in a number of public buildings
Knauf Insulation has launched FactoryClad Roll 35, a non-combustible glass mineral wool solution for built-up metal walls and roofs with the lowest embodied carbon of any equivalent 35 lambda mineral wool product on the UK market.[1] FactoryClad Roll 35 was specifically developed to insulate the 12,000m2 roof of the new Co-op
Commissioning machine rebuilds is already an integral part of Heidelberg Materials UK’s fleet management plan. This month the company welcomed a rebuilt Cat® 988K XE with electric drive back to its Whatley asphalt plant following a Cat Certified Powertrain Rebuild, giving it a new lease of life and many more hours of operating capability. The electric drive machine has been operating at the plant in Somerset since 2018 when the company bought it from Finning, the world’s largest dealer of Cat equipment and parts. It was purchased with one of the top-level warranty packages offered by Finning, which included a full servicing and maintenance programme and remote asset condition monitoring so any faults could be identified and fixed before the machine is at risk of failure. As the machine began to reach 18,000 hours, the operational team began discussions with Finning to identify the best solution for replacement that fulfilled both the company’s commercial needs and sustainability objectives. Having had a full service and maintenance programme meant the machine was in good condition to be rebuilt. “Finning guided us through the process of comparing the benefits of buying a new machine with having the machine rebuild instead,” explained Luke Morgan, Fleet Manager for Heidelberg Materials UK. “We carefully considered all the benefits and concluded that the rebuild was the best option for us at this time. Doing so not only supports our company-wide commitment to sustainability and enables us to reduce our carbon footprint, but crucially, choosing to have the machine rebuilt also meant we could have it back operating on-site within 12-weeks. Finning was also able to provide a five-year warranty giving us reassurance that the machine will continue to operate effectively during its next life.” The Cat 988K XE was first launched in the UK in 2017 and is the first wheel loader from Caterpillar® fitted with an electric drive. It makes use of switched reluctance technology –an electric motor that runs by reluctance torque, and is equipped with a powerful Caterpillar engine, providing up to 579 horsepower enabling the operator to drive the machine at up to 40km per hour. It also provides optimised performance and serviceability, allowing operators to move material on site efficiently and safely at a lower cost per tonne. The 988K XE also emits up to 37% less CO2 an hour than its predecessor – the Cat 988K – and 45% less CO2 per tonne of material used. In 2022, Cat launched an upgraded version of the Cat 988K XE. The newer version can deliver up to 10% faster downhill speeds, improved rim pull, and increased hydraulic breakout force resulting in a further increase in productivity on the previous model of around 5%. The latest version also improves cycle times in load and carry applications and offers faster manoeuvrability as a result of having an optional counterweight which increases stability. Mark Tudball, Engine & Drivetrain Product Manager at Finning explains the additional benefits of choosing a rebuild for this machine: “The electric drive transmission in the Cat 988K XE means there are fewer moving parts than on a manual transmission. This means there are less components – around 20% fewer – and therefore less moving parts to recondition and replace as part of the rebuild process. “Although there are more electrical inspections needed once the rebuild is done, a large proportion of the electrical components, such as the power inverter and drive motors, can be removed from the original machine and reused making it a more circular, sustainable option for customers. Caterpillar reuse and salvage guidelines ensure we can offer a second life to components if they pass this process. “A further advantage is that the rebuilt machine benefits from having the latest engineering updates, which may include parts or electronic software. So despite being built originally in 2017, the rebuilt machine has the same functionality and performance of the later 2022 model, ensuring maximum longevity and efficiency.” “Rebuilding the latest technologically advanced machines shows a rebuild is not purely for older machines, the rebuild offering is aligned with newer technologies and is moving with the times to ensure the latest new machines sold have a rebuild solution in place when needed”. Gary Huxley, Product Support Sales Manager at Finning, said: “Managing machines throughout their operational life is a key part of Heidelberg Materials UK’s fleet management approach. We’ve worked with the company for more than 20 years with Cat machines making up a large proportion of its total fleet. “They typically take advantage of the engineering support and warranty packages we offer to ensure their machines are maintained and serviced and kept operating effectively, while minimising unexpected downtime. “Rebuilt machines are becoming a mainstay in the company’s fleet. Between 2021 and 2023 they have had 14 machines rebuilt, including a Cat 988K that had a Cat Certified Powertrain rebuild at 17,000 hours and is still going strong at 28,600, and a Cat 988H which has been rebuilt several times and is still operating with 47,000 hours on the clock. The company has also previously commissioned rebuilds of a Cat 972, five Cat 980s and seven Cat 775s. “The success of previous rebuilds was certainly a factor in their decision to choose to have this latest machine rebuilt and they have already commissioned the rebuild of their second Cat 988K XE machine operating at the asphalt plant in Whatley.” Luke Morgan, Fleet Manager for Heidelberg Materials UK, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our operations. We have set ourselves ambitious targets and we are already making significant gains, having reduced our operational CO2 emissions by more than 50% since 1990.” “ We’re always looking for new processes and technologies that will enable our transport and heavy equipment fleet to be more efficient. A big part of this is increasing the use of products that have a lower carbon footprint.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By Eve Pope, Technology Analyst at IDTechEx In a world with a growing population and a rapidly expanding construction sector to match, how do we prevent building homes from damaging our climate? Concrete is the second most consumed material on Earth, but its key ingredient, cement, is responsible for 7% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The answer could come from thin air – CO2-derived building materials. The new IDTechEx report “Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2024-2044: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players” explores many ways to valorize captured carbon dioxide to create useful products. Among these, CO2-derived building materials showed particular promise due to performance improvements and cost-competitiveness, as well as sustainability benefits. IDTechEx forecasts over 170 million tonnes of captured CO2 will be utilized in building materials by 2044. Carbon dioxide can be utilized in concrete production in three different ways: injection of CO2 during curing of precast concrete, injection of CO2 during mixing of ready-mixed concrete, and formation of carbonate aggregates/additives Unlike some other carbon dioxide utilization pathways, such as the conversion to e-fuels, which requires large amounts of energy and green hydrogen (often prohibitively expensive), the basic mineralization chemistry underpinning the uptake of CO2 during concrete manufacturing is thermodynamically favored and less energy-intensive because stable metal carbonates are formed. These carbonates represent effectively permanent sequestration of CO2, so CO2-derived building materials double up as simultaneous carbon dioxide utilization and carbon dioxide storage. The process is compatible with many different sources of CO2. Valorizing waste In addition to waste CO2, solid waste streams can also be repurposed into new concrete using CO2 mineralization chemistry to form carbonates. For example, CO2-derived concrete players include Swiss company neustark, who uses the reaction of CO2 with demolished concrete to store carbon dioxide and produce concrete aggregate. Another aggregate producer, UK-based O.C.O Technology, instead uses CO2 and waste materials from industrial thermal processes. Meanwhile, building materials giant Heidelberg Materials has ongoing R&D into recycling concrete using CO2 to form a cement substitute. Steel slag is being explored by companies including Carbonaide and CarbiCrete as a cement replacement during CO2-aided curing. Additional revenue can be generated through waste disposal fees, with some CO2-derived concrete players reporting to having already achieved price parity with incumbents. Accelerating adoption Concrete production is typically low-margin, and willingness to pay a green premium is low. Therefore, widespread deployment of CO2-derived concrete will rely on CO2 utilization technology players, creating easy-to-adopt solutions that are minimally disruptive to existing manufacturing processes. In CO2-aided curing, some players have targeted retrofittable curing chambers. Elsewhere, plug-and-play and mobile unit solutions are also being commercialized. 2023 saw the release of several ASTM standards around CO2-aided curing, improving confidence in the safety and quality of CO2-derived precast concrete. While many CO2-derived building materials have yet to achieve price parity with conventional concrete, some customers are willing to pay a premium due to enhanced performance (such as higher strength and improved aesthetics). Going beyond net-zero The direct uptake of CO2 into concrete can be a net-zero process if the carbon dioxide is sourced from a fossil point source (such as a coal power station) or a net-negative process if biogenic or direct air-captured CO2 is used. In 2023, a collaboration between direct air capture (DAC) company Heirloom and CO2-derived concrete player CarbonCure stored CO2 captured from the ambient air into concrete for the first time. But is CO2-derived concrete still net-negative when considering the CO2 released during cement production? The formation of metal carbonates during CO2 mineralization can increase concrete strength and reduce the amount of cement needed. Alternatively, some carbonate additives can act as supplementary cementitious materials and replace cement. Therefore, according to IDTechEx’s analysis of players, several can produce carbon-negative concrete products. The permanent storage of CO2 into concrete enables players to sell high-value carbon dioxide removal credits on the voluntary carbon market. The way forward Although the production of CO2-derived concrete is more expensive than conventional concrete, revenue can be generated through waste disposal fees and carbon credit sales, with some players already reporting to achieve price parity. In the future, stronger regulatory support (for example, increased carbon pricing) will accelerate uptake further, with IDTechEx forecasting over 170 million tonnes of captured CO2 will be utilized in building materials by 2044. With carbon capture solutions for cement kilns continuing to develop, CO2 could be sourced from cement production, creating a circular solution. To find out more about the new IDTechEx report “Carbon Dioxide Utilization 2024-2044: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players”, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/CO2U. For more information on IDTechEx’s CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) market research portfolio, please refer to the IDTechEx “Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Markets 2023-2043” and “Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Markets 2023-2040: Technologies, Players, and Forecasts” reports Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
National property consultancy Carter Jonas has secured planning consent on behalf of UK’s national synchrotron light source, Diamond Light Source (Diamond), to extend its presence at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that is used to study anything from fossils to jet engines to viruses and vaccines. The company required a new facility in preparation for its upgrade called Diamond-II, which is a project that will deliver a new machine and new beamlines with a comprehensive series of upgrades to optics, detectors, sample environments, sample delivery capabilities and computing. This new building will create space for assembly process and storage facilities which will enable the 48 section machine at the heart of the facility to be assembled. It will also provide office and laboratory space for around 100 staff. The new space will be located on the southern side of its iconic circular building. The 0.97ha site will accommodate assembly rooms, accessed off a central service spine, with all plant accessed from the perimeter road. It will also include offices and a variety of spaces for different staff preferences, working styles and team events. A sunny, south facing staff rest area will provide a balcony and a respite from work, as well as an informal touchdown and collaboration space Nicky Brock, Partner at Carter Jonas in Oxford commented, “We are extremely pleased to have achieved this planning consent on behalf of Diamond Light Source. This is an extremely important development, which will enable the research carried out at the Synchrotron to remain at the forefront of technology and stay competitive with comparable facilities around the world.” Dr Richard Walker, Interim Project Director and Technical Director at Diamond Light Source commented, “Diamond Light Source has established itself as a world-class synchrotron facility enabling research by leading academic and industrial groups in physical and life sciences. Diamond has pioneered a model of highly efficient and uncompromised infrastructure offered as a user-focussed service driven by technical and engineering innovation. To continue delivering the world-changing science that Diamond leads and enables, Diamond-II is a project that will deliver a new machine, new flagship beamlines, critical upgrades to several beamlines, and an extensive series of enhancements to optics, detectors, sample environments, and computing to support the capacity of the new machine. This will enable new applications at Diamond, including time-resolved experiments for several disciplines. The user experience will be further enhanced through access to integrated and correlative methods as well as broad application of automation in both instrumentation and analysis. Diamond-II will be transformative in both spatial resolution and throughput and will offer users streamlined access to enhanced instruments for life and physical sciences.” In achieving planning success, Carter Jonas worked alongside architects and engineers Ridge and Partners LLP. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Britain’s leader in Ground Source Heat Pumps, Kensa Heat Pumps, is set to unveil the next generation of home heating and cooling. At an online launch on 29th February, Kensa will reveal its solution to help bring heat pumps to the masses, decarbonise current and future homes and create green jobs. The launch will be presented by Kensa CEO, Tamsin Lishman, who’ll be joined by special guest Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee. Tamsin Lishman, CEO of Kensa Heat Pumps, said: “Mass adoption of heat pumps, including Ground Source Heat Pumps, will grow the economy, create green jobs and bring people out of fuel poverty. “We are about to embark upon the biggest transformation in home heating since the conversion to natural gas fifty years ago. We will show how the next generation of Ground Source Heat Pumps can provide millions with long-lasting clean, energy-efficient home heating and cooling.” For 25 years Kensa has proven that ground source heat pumps can work in all property types. From retrofit projects in high-rise flats to new build housing installations, ground source heat pumps are already reducing consumer energy bills, taking people out of fuel poverty and cutting CO2 emissions. Studies have shown installing more heat pumps will: Research also shows mass heat pump adoption improves people’s health, and could save the NHS £1.4bn per year [4] : With the Future Homes Standard set to effectively ban installations of gas boilers in new build homes from 2025, ground source heat pumps are expected to be an essential solution for the Government to meet its target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 and propel the UK to Net Zero. By 2030 Kensa plans to deliver 70,000 ground source heat pumps a year, a move that will create 7,000 green jobs and put more people in control over when they heat their homes. Registrations for the online launch are open now: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-next-generation-of-home-heating-tickets-807897371787?aff=PRGen Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hochiki Europe, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of fire detection and emergency lighting solutions, is thrilled to announce its participation in SICUR 2024, Spain’s premier international security event. The company is set to exhibit a range of products including its groundbreaking Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection range, leading intelligent emergency lighting system FIREscape Nepto and life safety platform Latitude, the team will be providing attendees with a hands-on look at the technology. SICUR, recognised as the leading event in Spain for security and safety, offers an ideal platform for Hochiki Europe to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and excellence in the Fire industry. The event will take place from the 27th February to the 1st March at the Feria de Madrid, where Hochiki Europe will be in Hall 8 stand G10A. Visitors will experience a full showcase of this world leader’s range of cutting-edge fire detection products, and how they integrate with the manufacturers’ renowned ESP intelligent range. Richard Wharram, Export Sales Manager at Hochiki Europe, expressed his enthusiasm about the company’s participation in SICUR and the opportunity to present such a wide range of products “SICUR is a key event for the security industry, and we are excited to be part of it. Amongst the many products we’ll be showcasing, I’m particularly excited to share our Ekho Hybrid Wireless range with visitors. A second-generation hybrid wireless solution, first launched in the UK in 2020, represents a significant leap forward in wireless fire detection technology, offering enhanced flexibility, reliability, and ease of installation. We look forward to meeting and talking to industry professionals, partners, and potential clients to share our vision for the future of fire safety.” Joining the team at SICUR 2024 is Raul Solinz, Hochiki Europe’s newly appointed Regional Sales Manager for the Iberian and Mediterranean regions. Solinz brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and his presence at the event underscores Hochiki Europe’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the Spanish and European markets. Raul Solinz commented on his new role and the significance of showcasing Ekho Hybrid Wireless at SICUR: “I am delighted to be part of the Hochiki Europe team and excited about the opportunity to meet with industry stakeholders at SICUR. The range we’ll have on offer addresses the evolving needs of the market and is a testament to Hochiki Europe’s dedication to providing state-of-the-art solutions. I look forward to discussing how our innovative products can contribute to enhancing fire safety across various sectors in the region.” Visit Hochiki Europe in Hall 8 stand G10A during SICUR 2024 to explore Latitude, FIREscape Nepto and the Ekho Hybrid Wireless fire detection ranges, and engage with the experts shaping the future of fire safety technology. Learn more about the Ekho Hybrid Wireless Range https://www.hochiki-ekho.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Industry-leading global provider of integrated process and mixing solutions, ProSep, has received official acknowledgment from the US Patent Office for improvements made to its recognized Annual Injection Mixer (AIM), resulting in a new patent being issued. Part of ProSep’s portfolio of differentiated technologies for higher operational performance, AIM is the technology of choice for the global energy industry, providing an innovative alternative to traditional injection quills and static mixers. Highlighting its commitment to optimizing its leading technologies for evolving industry requirements and operations, ProSep received US Patent 11,673,104 B2 for its latest improvements to the technology. These improvements optimize the energy transfer of the process fluid to the injected phase, leading to enhanced additive dispersion throughout the process stream. As a result, there is significantly greater surface area of the additive for optimal utilization, reducing the need for overdosing, all with minimal pressure drop and with performance-substantiated field data indicating additive savings of 20-60%. AIM’s improved design has already been used extensively for natural gas conditioning that requires a large turndown of the NG flow and LPG injection volumes. CFD modeling and field performance have validated vaporization distance for critical process systems. Chief Technical Officer at ProSep, John Sabey, welcomed the recognition, commenting: “This patent is a testament to our commitment to improving the innovative solutions we offer clients and our ability to provide adaptive technology that can help optimize existing operations. As an outstanding example of our proprietary mixing technologies, AIM has a longstanding track record of reducing chemical and wash water injection for upstream operations, resulting in enhanced plant efficiency and significant cost savings for operators. These improvements, covered by the patent, create new application opportunities in the midstream, natural gas, and LNG markets. Additionally, we are also pursuing deployment in downstream and carbon capture applications. These improvements and the recognition received by the US Patent Office will allow us to continue deploying AIM across projects to support industry aims to adopt more environmentally conscious technologies that optimize critical resources.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be the largest in the UK and provide fire testing, technical and certification services. Customer demands for Warringtonfire’s product testing are set to continue to grow significantly, due to increasing regulatory requirements, the introduction of additional standards, the rising importance of third-party certification and product assurance as well as the need for shorter testing lead times. The new facility will meet this increased demand; it will represent an almost 80% increase in size over its existing facility in the region and is expected to triple Warringtonfire’s testing capacity in the medium term. The new facility, which is being built at Birchwood Park near Warrington, will add unique capabilities including eight state-of-the-art fire resistance testing furnaces, comprising three horizontal and three vertical furnaces (designed to evaluate the fire performance of different products or assemblies built either horizontally or vertically), and two indicative furnaces (which provide a very focused testing method to quantify the ability of a material or assembly to withstand exposure to high temperatures). The new facility will also provide larger preparation areas to improve workflow as well as higher quality and more accessible customer reception and viewing areas. In line with the commitment to be more sustainable, the new facility will implement extensive measures to reduce energy use, maintain air quality and potential environmental impacts, including built-in recycling systems, energy-efficient fans, plus smoke & odour capture and treatment. The new facility will create over 50 new jobs in the Warrington region, with a commitment to training and upskilling new and existing employees. The 200 strong team will be one of the world’s largest teams of fire technical experts. Jason Dodds, VP of Warringtonfire, said: “Our new fire testing facility in Warrington is a major investment in the region and a statement of our ambition for the business. We are excited to be expanding into Birchwood Park and undertake our essential product testing in this state-of-the-art business park. “The new facility will significantly improve Warringtonfire’s testing offering for our customers, providing a faster and more wider ranging service, as well as expanded access to technical excellence delivered by the foremost experts in the fields of fire testing and certification. It will solidify our position as the go-to partner for fire testing and related services and broaden our ability to serve customers across the value chain. Using best in class building design and new technology, we will also be able to greatly improve our environmental footprint, which is incredibly important to us as a company and is becoming increasingly important for our customers.” Warringtonfire’s existing facility will continue to operate at full capacity while the new facility is under construction. Following the transfer of fire resistance testing to Birchwood Park, part of the existing facility will be used to create a center of excellence for reaction to fire testing, which are smaller scale tests including spread of flame and heat release. Construction of the new 101k sq. ft. facility has begun and is expected to be completed in 2025. The total investment in the new facility will be circa $30 million. The designers were TP Bennett Architects and Hoare Lea and construction is being managed by Arcadis with Tilbury Douglas as the principal contractor carrying out the works. Warringtonfire specialises in providing comprehensive testing and certification services related to infrastructure, with a portfolio of services including fire resistance and reaction to fire testing, security, durability and weather testing, product certification and inspection. Warringtonfire works with key stakeholders at every stage of the project lifecycle, from architects and designers to contractors and developers, planning and local authorities, building owners and operators and product manufacturers. The new enhanced facility will be of particular use for product manufacturers for their R&D development for bringing a product to market or for achieving certification.
MaterialsZone, the leading Materials Informatics platform for manufacturers’ R&D teams, and Kafrit Group, a global masterbatches and compounds producer, announced today their long-term commercial agreement enabling Kafrit Group to better utilize their data to develop improved products and provide an unparalleled customer experience to its clients. With a crowded, competitive landscape, constantly changing customer demands, supply chain challenges, and intensifying regulatory requirements, the manufacturing industry is facing increasing costs and prolonged time to market and delivery. The solution to this challenge hinges on harnessing data and becoming data-driven, yet these companies lack the necessary tools and expertise. MaterialsZone has developed a unique Materials Informatics Platform, leveraging data and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, enabling companies such as Kafrit Group to augment their internal capabilities and increase collaboration. Not only does the platform aggregate, enrich, and standardize data, but it also enables materials and data scientists to gain insight and knowledge on developing and improving products faster and at a reduced cost. “I see Kafrit Group as an ideal partner, not just because I’m confident they are confronting challenges we can assist with, but also due to their forward-thinking approach to innovation,” said Dr. Assaf Anderson, Founder and CEO of MaterialsZone. “This approach promises a smoother implementation and the potential for a successful outcome.” “The plastics industry is very crowded and constantly changing, which indicates innovation will be key to staying competitive,” said Kafrit Group’s CEO Daniel Singer. “Tools like that of MaterialsZone will bring a much-needed data and artificial intelligence revolution into the Group, leading us into a better future and a better position in the market. Furthermore, MaterialsZone facilitates team collaboration and synergies within the Group, allowing us to harness our global assets more effectively.” Materials and materials-based products are ubiquitous, ranging from environmentally friendly concrete, advanced alloys for spacecraft, enhanced polymers and plastics, next-generation batteries, and many others. Last year, companies across various industries invested 41.6 billion dollars annually in research and development (R&D). However, their limited data utilization capabilities call for a disruptive change, as indicated by the 25% compound annual growth rate projected for the Materials Informatics market. MaterialsZone closes the gap, empowering its customers to build better and more sustainable products while dramatically reducing costs. This partnership was envisioned and will be pursued in honor of Kafrit Group’s SVP BD & Innovation, Nadav Goldstein, who was killed on October 7th in Kfar Aza, Israel. Before his passing, he had this to say about the partnership: “With our global and expanding presence in the plastics industry, we constantly seek innovative tools to bolster our competitive edge and enhance the customer experience. The extraordinary team at MaterialsZone, along with their unique platform, will support our digital transformation process and will drive us towards a better future in which we can meet industry standards and our customers’ needs by enabling us to design our products with cost, sustainability, and functionality in mind.” For more information, please visit: https://www.materials.zone/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Panics come and panics go in the pragmatic world of engineering. It is part of the job to identify potentially intractable problems – and then bend the collective mind to creating a practical solution to them. That is why the current disquiet over RAAC in a number of public buildings throughout the UK needs to be kept in perspective. If you subsisted only on a diet of mainstream media, you could be forgiven for thinking the entire built estate was on the point of imminent collapse. For clarity, this is not the case. Yes, RAAC – Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete – exists in a number of buildings, but the number is small in comparison to the totality of schools (more than 20,000 in England), hospitals and other public buildings, and most closures are precautionary, rather than evidence-based. But first of all, what is RAAC? It is an aerated lightweight cementitious material with no coarse aggregate, looking in cross-section a bit like the inside of an Aero bar. When it was introduced to the UK from Scandinavia in the reconstruction period after the war, it was hailed as an innovative wonder material. In fact, if RAAC planks – the technical name for the concrete panels – in a building are properly protected, there is a maintenance schedule and there is no sign of water ingress, the roof will likely be fine and the facility can continue to be used. According to construction and engineering materials expert Professor Chris Goodier of Loughborough University, RAAC is still manufactured and installed all over the world and can be an appropriate construction material if properly designed, manufactured, installed and maintained. The problems arise in situation where maintenance has been neglected over the course of years, or indeed decades. In buildings from the fifties, sixties and seventies, when RAAC was used freely, maintenance regimes were not as comprehensive as they are now and users did not know what to look for or what to do. Given that the material was lightweight and economical, it is hardly surprising that many manufacturers were happy to supply it – with the best of intentions and with no foreknowledge of the issues which would rear their heads further down the line. Although local authorities have been aware of RAAC in their buildings for some time, things came to the boil a year ago when the Office of Government Property sent a Safety Briefing Notice to all Property Leaders, regarding the dangers of RAAC, stating that “it is now life-expired and liable to collapse”. It put the onus squarely on those responsible for the management, maintenance or alteration of central and local government buildings to know whether their buildings contain RAAC and, where they do, to act appropriately to ensure that such buildings are deemed safe. How can those concerned go about this? The first step is inspection, either by a surveyor or a structural engineer. Both are professionals who will act in the client’s interest, the difference being that the former will identify problems while the latter will also propose manageable solutions. Inspection is eased by the fact that most RAAC planks are in flat roofs on single-storey buildings. Drones can give a clear picture of the roof covering and heat sensors can check if water has penetrated. If there is water ingress, then as far as RAAC is concerned it is game over. There is no remedial solution and use of the building has to be immediately stopped. However, RAAC planks can be replaced with traditional roofs with timber joists or a dual-pitch roof truss. The good news is that RAAC does not affect residential buildings. The bad news is that, like a previous panic – asbestos, many owners or operators of public or commercial properties do not know that they are, or might be, affected. The issue is not going to go away. But there are answers to it, and prudence would dictate more regular monitoring and inspection regimes – something that will almost certainly be factored in by insurance companies at renewal time. However, It’s not a case of RAAC and ruin. Professional advice and guidance can alleviate the understandable instinct to panic. Alan Ferns is Director – Structural Engineering at Dougall Baillie Associates Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Knauf Insulation has launched FactoryClad Roll 35, a non-combustible glass mineral wool solution for built-up metal walls and roofs with the lowest embodied carbon of any equivalent 35 lambda mineral wool product on the UK market.[1] FactoryClad Roll 35 was specifically developed to insulate the 12,000m2 roof of the new Co-op Live arena in Manchester, one of Europe’s largest and most sustainable live entertainment arenas. “Co-op Live is a project that places sustainability at its heart,” explained Liliya Luke, Glass Mineral Wool Product Manager at Knauf Insulation. “So it was essential our new FactoryClad Roll 35 not only delivered the required thermal efficiency but met the project’s sustainability requirements.” “We know that the construction industry faces a monumental task in delivering on the country’s net zero target. FactoryClad Roll 35 not only ticks all the boxes in terms of thermal, fire safety and acoustic performance but it’s backed up by the sustainability credentials the industry needs, so we decided to roll it out to meet demand for sustainable insulation for commercial buildings.” FactoryClad Roll 35 is non-combustible with the best Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification. Because it is made of mineral wool, it also acts as a sound absorbent lining within built-up metal roofs, so will help control the reverberation of internal sound. It comes in five thicknesses between 60 and 220mm and is manufactured at a width of 1,200mm for speed of fitting. It also has a high tear strength which ensures its durability and ease of handling during installation. FactoryClad Roll 35 is backed up by a wide range of sustainability credentials. It’s manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added phenol or formaldehyde and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders. Products made with ECOSE® Technology generate low levels of dust and low VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. All Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool is made using up to 80% recycled content, mainly bottles and jars collected from the local area. The company has also invested in the most advanced compression packaging, which reduces handling, storage and transport emissions as well as the amount of plastic film used. In addition, the products are manufactured in the UK. Like other Knauf Insulation glass mineral wool products, FactoryClad Roll 35 is accredited Declare ‘Red List Free’. This means there is an obligation to disclose a full list of product ingredients up to 0.01% and it certifies that the product does not contain any harmful chemicals featured on the Declare ‘Red List’. For more information visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/factoryclad-roll-35. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals [1] Based on published EPD data available in October 2023.
