Following on from a record-breaking company turnover in 2019, Yorkshire-based firm Caddick Group has set its sights on increasing its presence down south. The construction and property development company has welcomed two new senior additions to its ranks and introduced a new London office. The two new hires will join
Decorators and DIY’ers in need of exterior paints that allow decorators to continue their work outdoors, even in dipping winter temperatures, should look no further than Zinsser AllWeather Exterior Masonry Paint and Zinsser AllCoatExterior (Solvent-Based). Zinsser AllWeatherExterior Masonry Paint makes working outdoors in winter conditions easy, as this ultimate-performance exterior masonry
High Path in Merton has won the Urban Design and Masterplanning award at the Landscape Institute Awards 2019. In its 90th year, the awards recognise projects and individuals that create places that connect people, place and nature, and make a positive contribution to people’s lives. High Path forms part of
They say that an investiture will be one of the most proud and memorable moments of anyone’s life and Bell Group Chairman and Founder, George Bell, would most definitely agree. On Tuesday 19th November 2019, George attended Buckingham Palace for his investiture ceremony and was awarded his OBE by the
BALI Registered Contractor Ground Control has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019, sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate and Headline Sponsor of the Awards Green-tech. Ground Control’s project, The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was entered
Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air
Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air
Profile 22 Optima windows were specified in the development of 26 one and two bedroom apartments in a retirement development in Upper Norwood, London. Lewis House is a development of 26 one and two bedroom retirement apartments in Upper Norwood in London from McCarthy & Stone, the UK’s leading retirement
Over 300 Spectus Elite 70 System windows were used in the construction of a new build retirement village in Chorley town centre. Chorley Council commissioned a 65 apartment retirement village to provide those aged 55 and above with an independent living space with access to care and support. The development,
Manufacturer’s parallel opening window vents feature at the Anna Freud Centre. Parallel opening window vents by leading manufacturer of architectural glazing systems Kawneer were specified for a mental health project that is arguably without parallel. Some 88 of Kawneer’s AA®100 SSG parallel opening vents were used as concealed windows, to
Following on from a record-breaking company turnover in 2019, Yorkshire-based firm Caddick Group has set its sights on increasing its presence down south. The construction and property development company has welcomed two new senior additions to its ranks and introduced a new London office. The two new hires will join the Group’s development arms: Caddick Developments, which specialises in city centre regeneration projects as well as big box and mid-box industrial/logistics schemes, and Moda Living, a leading build-to-rent developer and operator. Alistair Smith joins Caddick Developments as Associate Director from Town Centre Securities PLC, where he was responsible for a diverse investment and development portfolio across Yorkshire and the North West. Alistair will be working with the existing team on a variety of projects including the delivery of SOYO, a new neighbourhood in central Leeds within the city’s burgeoning cultural quarter, as well as City One, which will offer a mix of offices, retail, leisure and residential and help expand the city centre. Charlie Adcock, previously of Summix Capital, a UK and Ireland fund focused on delivering housing, build-to-rent and student accommodation, joins Moda Living as acquisitions manager and will be responsible for sourcing new opportunities in London and the South of England. Charlie will be joining the existing London team in Caddick Group’s newly acquired office space at 1 Heddon Street W1. This historic building was recently renovated by the Crown Estate into co-working space and is a certified WELL building, an accreditation that was specifically sought by Caddick Group to reflect the company’s focus on wellbeing. These company changes form part of Caddick’s effort to grow and deliver its £5bn development pipeline and expand its presence in London and the South East. Johnny Caddick of Caddick Group said: “Having recorded a successful 2019, we look forward to entering the new year with a growing team and with a new headquarters in London that will help drive our growth in the capital and South East. “As a Group our focus remains on areas of the market that are structurally supported with long-term growth potential. We see a huge opportunity to redefine what city centre living means through both our Moda Living brand and major regeneration projects like SOYO and City One, and there remains strong demand for high quality logistics facilities to service Britain’s e-commerce boom.”
Decorators and DIY’ers in need of exterior paints that allow decorators to continue their work outdoors, even in dipping winter temperatures, should look no further than Zinsser AllWeather Exterior Masonry Paint and Zinsser AllCoatExterior (Solvent-Based). Zinsser AllWeatherExterior Masonry Paint makes working outdoors in winter conditions easy, as this ultimate-performance exterior masonry paint forms a low-maintenance, water shedding, tough finish that is showerproof in 20 minutes and can be applied in temperatures as low as -5oC. Once applied, it offers supreme protection to bare or previously painted exterior concrete, render, stone and masonry. AllWeather contains a biocide that protects the dried coating against fungal degradation* giving a long-lasting stain and moisture resistant finish, designed to resist cracking, peeling and blistering. In many instances AllWeather Exterior Masonry Paint is self-priming and will bond to existing paints without sanding, so for many refurbishing jobs there is no need to purchase a separate primer. After removing existing mould and mildew, two coats of AllWeather Exterior Masonry Paint will ensure that any exterior looks bright and beautiful for years. Available in white, black and a selection of bases that can be tinted to any colour. For other substrates, including outdoor wood, metal, masonry, plastic, concrete and cladding, Zinsser AllCoat Exterior (Solvent-Based) silicon alkyd formula forms a low maintenance, water-shedding coating that is touch dry in 3 hours, even drying in low temperatures down to 5°C. Zinsser AllCoat ® Exterior (Solvent-Based) gives excellent resistance against cracking, blistering and flaking for up to 15 years before first maintenance. The tough finish is resistant to rain and severe weather and offers excellent colour retention, in addition the paint contains a biocide to protect the dried coating against fungal degradation. After removing any existing mould and mildew, the first coat primes and seals the surface, providing a base. The second coat is the topcoat, which completes the sealing process and provides additional moisture resistance and protection. Zinsser AllCoat Exterior(Solvent-Based), available in Satin and Gloss, will ensure that any exterior looks bright and beautiful for up to 15 years. Available from Brewers and all good paint merchants.
High Path in Merton has won the Urban Design and Masterplanning award at the Landscape Institute Awards 2019. In its 90th year, the awards recognise projects and individuals that create places that connect people, place and nature, and make a positive contribution to people’s lives. High Path forms part of Clarion Housing Group’s wider Merton regeneration project, which is one of London’s most ambitious regeneration schemes. While the site is well located on the edge of the Wandle River ecological corridor near Wimbledon and benefits from great links to central London, the former layout left it as a tangle of competing uses and illegible streetscapes. As such, the estate was dislocated from its surrounding neighbourhood and its socio-economic profile was found to have higher levels of deprivation compared to the wider London Borough of Merton, and these were predicted to exacerbate over time without social or physical intervention. In 2012, Clarion Housing Group appointed PRP’s architecture and landscape architect teams to develop a masterplan for the phased regeneration of the estate, which focused on the needs of the existing community and anticipated the requirements of future generations. PRP’s collaborative design celebrates the area’s character and rich history by reconnecting existing Victorian streets to the north of Merton High Street with the estate’s southern edge at High Path. A number of character areas are included, which together with distinct neighbourhoods will help High Path become a unique and memorable place. At the heart is a new park that responds to the existing urban infrastructure and creates desire lines from north to south and east to west, along inner streets. Landscaped areas with lush planting, sensory gardens, simple paths, and play areas create a multifunctional green haven for all ages, all year around. This is bookended by hard landscaping to the south and north providing contrast, whilst drawing people in from Merton High Street. Another key part of the Landscape team’s design is to create a destination on the edge of Wandle River ecological corridor. This will be encouraged by cycle paths and planting referencing the work of William Morris, leader of the arts and crafts movement and who once ran a textile mill at Merton Abbey on the banks of the river. Angeli Ganoo-Fletcher, Landscape Director at PRP, said: “PRP has a passion to deliver true places and this is a key driver in our design approach. It also mirrors the philosophy of our client Clarion Housing Group, who has adopted Jan Gehl’s principles: First life, then spaces, and then buildings, as the other way around never works. With this in mind, we developed our vision for High Path in collaboration with the local community to ensure it becomes a sustainable and high-quality neighbourhood. The design promotes inclusion and diversity and is fully integrated with its surroundings to last for successive generations.” Paul Quinn, Director of Merton Regeneration at Clarion said: “We are extremely pleased that High Path has been recognised for this important award. “Clarion is passionate about developing vibrant, mixed and well-designed communities and working with PRP, we have designed a scheme that will enhance and celebrate the area’s identity, character and historical heritage, while delivering high quality housing to the area.” Once complete, Clarion’s Merton regeneration project will include 2,800 new homes across three neighbourhoods. The project will rehouse all existing tenants and resident homeowners while providing an additional 1,800 properties for sale and rent, helping boost Merton’s supply of high-quality new housing.
They say that an investiture will be one of the most proud and memorable moments of anyone’s life and Bell Group Chairman and Founder, George Bell, would most definitely agree. On Tuesday 19th November 2019, George attended Buckingham Palace for his investiture ceremony and was awarded his OBE by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William. Starting himself as a painting and decorating apprentice, George has dedicated his career to building Bell Group and ensuring that our people and communities remain at the heart of the business. This award recognises his contribution to the painting and decorating industry through Bell Group’s work to support communities; his notable involvement with the Scottish Decorators Federation, Scottish Enterprise and CITB ConstructionSkills to actively promote apprenticeships within the painting industry; and his contributions to the industry as a part of the advisory panel for Scottish Parliament. George Bell, OBE: “To say I’m delighted is an understatement, I feel very honoured to receive this award. I have always been passionate about our industry and ensuring a bright future for both those I work with and the communities we work in. I am so proud of the company that Bell Group has become and in my mind this award is for everyone that has contributed to that.” About The Bell Group Bell Group is a commercial painting and building maintenance contractor with over 1600 directly employed tradesmen and staff. Our purpose is to maintain, protect and improve the aesthetic of the built environment by providing a value for money service for our clients and a memorable experience for their customers. We have 31 branches throughout the UK and our key sectors are social housing, property managers, local authority, defence, healthcare, education and leisure. https://www.bellgroup.co.uk
BALI Registered Contractor Ground Control has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019, sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate and Headline Sponsor of the Awards Green-tech. Ground Control’s project, The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was entered into the Community and Schools Development category. The annual BALI National Landscape Awards, held at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London celebrates the skills, hard work, quality, commitment and successes of BALI Registered members and are the largest landscape Awards in Europe. They recognise excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as awarding Affiliate customer service and employer excellence. Ground Control, a UK-based multi award-winning grounds maintenance provider specialising in winter maintenance, took home the top Award for The Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the first significant development within the Kew Gardens estate for over a decade. Ground Control developed the initial design concept, engaged with Kew’s visitors, local community groups and larger public organisations before transforming a large under-used area into a unique play and learning space. Children of all ages can now enjoy a beautiful adventure space unaware they are learning about nature, plants and the environment. This year’s BALI National Landscape Awards’ Adjudicators, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, jointly commented, “The quality of the finish on this hard and soft landscaping scheme is absolutely superb. The contractor has embraced the design and created an amazing play and learning space for children, complete with a beautifully constructed oak tree circle walkway, meticulously installed play equipment, carefully sited rockery boulders, and a skillfully laid plethora of different surfacing including artificial grass, composite boarding, gravel pathways and safety surfacing. Every aspect, without exception, has been tackled with skill, precision and exemplary attention to detail. The planting scheme softens and enhances the hard elements and, despite the garden’s popularity and consequent heavy use, seems to thrive in spite of the attention of many small hands and feet. This is landscaping at its very best and a worthy winner of this year’s BALI Grand Award.” 145 entries were judged by BALI adjudicators over the summer with 91 National Landscape Awards bestowed on 63 members of the Association in September, with 23 Principal, 8 Special and the coveted Grand Award announced live on stage at the glittering ceremony. Other notable wins came from BALI Registered Designer Rosemary Coldstream MBALI who won three Principal Awards, two for her Modern Garden Hampstead and one for Copper Courtyard whilst BALI Registered Contractor Blakedown Landscapes (SE) won a Principal Award for the Venetian Waterways, Great Yarmouth and was also the recipient of two Special Awards; Best Community Involvement for the aforementioned project and Outstanding Memorial for Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham – Sousse and Bardo Memorial. BALI Registered Contractor Bridgman & Bridgman also received a Special Award for Best First Time Entrant and BALI Registered Contractor NAO Landscapes took home a Special Award for Best Newcomer to BALI. This year also saw several records broken, including the most entries received in the last 10 years, the highest number of first-time entries at 51 and 34 International entries ever received. This was the second year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the team at BALI’s Landscape House. Events Project Manager Leah Brookes, who attended the 2018 Awards and project managed the 2019 event said, “It has been an immense pleasure managing the BALI Awards 2019. From attending the event last year, to meeting and working alongside the expert adjudicators, to managing the whole entry process and advising members on their submissions. To see the fruition of a year’s work come together on this special day and celebrate together with each and every member is fabulous. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all our sponsors, adjudicators and stakeholders for their continued support of the prestigious National Landscape Awards.” Sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith played host for the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 1,000 BALI VIPs, members and guests, including Adam White MBALI, President and Fellow of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute and BALI Registered Designer; Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Sarah Morgan; Rod Winrow, Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers; Sue Biggs CBE, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society and Gerald Bonner, President of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIOH). BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills said, “Once again I am delighted that the level of quality and professionalism demonstrated at our 43rd Awards is set at the highest possible level. Our well-deserved Grand Award winner for 2019, Ground Control, seriously impressed adjudicators who recognised their outstanding contribution to landscaping with a flawlessly executed standard of workmanship and professionalism in The Children’s Garden scheme. This delivered in excess of the expected levels of quality as a BALI Registered member and also achieved the highest level of client satisfaction. Congratulations to them and all of our winners this year, and thank you to our sponsors, who without them, the event would not be possible.” Benefitting from a collection at the event, this year’s chosen charities were Perennial and the BALI Chalk Fund who will both split £4,905 between them. A full list of award-winners and a description of the winning schemes is available on the BALI Awards website here.
Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. The 239m (784 foot) building, developed by Chalegrove Properties, comprises more than 800 premium residential apartments with spectacular views of the city and beyond. Amenities occupying five floors include restaurants, a leisure centre and gym, a sky-garden and a double-height roof-terrace. The custom system includes 1,776 of CIAT’s top-of-the-range Major Line fan coil units (FCUs) that are being installed by Haydon Mechanical and Electrical Ltd. The units will provide an outstanding indoor environment to apartments, common areas and facilities, distributed throughout the building. The highly energy efficient, four-pipe FCUs were specified in six sizes and configurations to suit the variety of capacities required and situations within the building, which is due to be completed in 2020. Manufactured at CIAT’s global centre of excellence at Culoz, France, the units are equipped with bespoke controls and connection sets specified by Haydon. “One of the biggest challenges for equipment specification was space constraints,” said Paul Graham, technical director for Haydon, who is leading the installation project. “Indoor units are installed in ceiling voids to ensure a perfect concealed finish. With limited headroom, this required changes to the design of the fan coil unit. “We worked closely with CIAT on a previous project and were aware of the quality of the equipment and the company’s flexible approach. They were able to redesign the Major Line units to fit the available space at Landmark Pinnacle, which required a new lay-out and extended drip-tray. The company provided timely support on site whenever needed, and it was proven to be a very successful collaboration.” Another key requirement was low operating sound levels, due to the premium residential nature of the building. The air conditioning units were selected in medium and low-speed configurations to ensure whisper-quiet operation. Air conditioning units were delivered to site in phased batches, timed to coincide with installation stages as the building fit-out proceeded. Before leaving the factory, each was tested for water-tightness, with a certificate of compliance provided as part of its manufacturing record. CIAT built a support structure around FCU connections to ensure the factory-installed valve sets were protected and supported during transit, so units arrived on site in perfect condition. CIAT’s Major Line FCUs are available in vertical and horizontal configurations, cased and uncased, with heating capacities from 1 to 11.5 kW and cooling from 1.4 to 7 kW. They feature a high-performance coil design with up to 15% larger surface area, twinned with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) impellers with airfoil blades, which together help cut energy consumption by 20% compared to previous models. Sound output is also reduced by 2dB(A). “Landmark Pinnacle is an outstanding new building in the UK’s capital,” said Paul Smith, sales manager for CIAT. “We are delighted that CIAT was chosen by Haydon to provide the high quality, high efficiency indoor environment required to match the building’s premium residential apartments and facilities.” For more details on CIAT Major Line, visit: https://www.ciat.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Major-Line-brochure.pdf . About CIAT CIAT is one of Europe’s leading names in cooling, heating, and indoor air quality. Renowned for its capacity to create innovative, durable and high-performing products, CIAT offers a complete range of equipment that is designed to work together. CIAT latest innovations have been specially designed to meet the most demanding requirements. CIAT is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.ciat.uk.com.
Landmark Pinnacle, a new 75-storey development under construction in Canary Wharf that is set to be the tallest residential building in Western Europe, will be heated and cooled by high quality bespoke CIAT air conditioning. CIAT is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. The 239m (784 foot) building, developed by Chalegrove Properties, comprises more than 800 premium residential apartments with spectacular views of the city and beyond. Amenities occupying five floors include restaurants, a leisure centre and gym, a sky-garden and a double-height roof-terrace. The custom system includes 1,776 of CIAT’s top-of-the-range Major Line fan coil units (FCUs) that are being installed by Haydon Mechanical and Electrical Ltd. The units will provide an outstanding indoor environment to apartments, common areas and facilities, distributed throughout the building. The highly energy efficient, four-pipe FCUs were specified in six sizes and configurations to suit the variety of capacities required and situations within the building, which is due to be completed in 2020. Manufactured at CIAT’s global centre of excellence at Culoz, France, the units are equipped with bespoke controls and connection sets specified by Haydon. “One of the biggest challenges for equipment specification was space constraints,” said Paul Graham, technical director for Haydon, who is leading the installation project. “Indoor units are installed in ceiling voids to ensure a perfect concealed finish. With limited headroom, this required changes to the design of the fan coil unit. “We worked closely with CIAT on a previous project and were aware of the quality of the equipment and the company’s flexible approach. They were able to redesign the Major Line units to fit the available space at Landmark Pinnacle, which required a new lay-out and extended drip-tray. The company provided timely support on site whenever needed, and it was proven to be a very successful collaboration.” Another key requirement was low operating sound levels, due to the premium residential nature of the building. The air conditioning units were selected in medium and low-speed configurations to ensure whisper-quiet operation. Air conditioning units were delivered to site in phased batches, timed to coincide with installation stages as the building fit-out proceeded. Before leaving the factory, each was tested for water-tightness, with a certificate of compliance provided as part of its manufacturing record. CIAT built a support structure around FCU connections to ensure the factory-installed valve sets were protected and supported during transit, so units arrived on site in perfect condition. CIAT’s Major Line FCUs are available in vertical and horizontal configurations, cased and uncased, with heating capacities from 1 to 11.5 kW and cooling from 1.4 to 7 kW. They feature a high-performance coil design with up to 15% larger surface area, twinned with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) impellers with airfoil blades, which together help cut energy consumption by 20% compared to previous models. Sound output is also reduced by 2dB(A). “Landmark Pinnacle is an outstanding new building in the UK’s capital,” said Paul Smith, sales manager for CIAT. “We are delighted that CIAT was chosen by Haydon to provide the high quality, high efficiency indoor environment required to match the building’s premium residential apartments and facilities.” For more details on CIAT Major Line, visit: https://www.ciat.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Major-Line-brochure.pdf . About CIAT CIAT is one of Europe’s leading names in cooling, heating, and indoor air quality. Renowned for its capacity to create innovative, durable and high-performing products, CIAT offers a complete range of equipment that is designed to work together. CIAT latest innovations have been specially designed to meet the most demanding requirements. CIAT is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.ciat.uk.com.
Profile 22 Optima windows were specified in the development of 26 one and two bedroom apartments in a retirement development in Upper Norwood, London. Lewis House is a development of 26 one and two bedroom retirement apartments in Upper Norwood in London from McCarthy & Stone, the UK’s leading retirement housebuilder. As in all McCarthy & Stone developments, high quality was a top priority – it is the only housebuilder of any size to have been awarded the five-star rating for customer satisfaction by the Home Builders Federation every year since the awards began. When it came to the 97 windows and 26 door and sidelight combinations required on the project, McCarthy & Stone approached Epwin Window Systems. The systems house recommended the Optima system from Profile 22 and put the developer in touch with local Profile 22 Approved Window Installer Newview Homes Ltd. The company is one of the largest installation companies in the South East and is the one of the few UK installation companies to hold both ISO 9001 for Quality Management and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management. Profile 22 Optima Chamfered Windows deliver specifications required. The window specification required a U value of 1.4 wm2/k on all windows and Secured by Design accreditation on ground floor and easily accessible first floor windows. Acoustic glazing was also required because Lewis House is situated on a busy road so traffic noise needed to be minimised. Visually, the local authority had requested a grey exterior to give a modern appearance and provide a close match to aluminium. Newview used Profile 22’s Optima 70mm casement windows in smooth slate grey on white with 28mm Low E sealed glass units. Secured by Design accredited windows were fitted where required. Michele Wietscher, Commercial and Finance Director at Newview, said: “The Optima profile is always well-received because of its ability to meet demanding requirements at a competitive price.” The windows were manufactured by Newview’s long term fabrication partner, Emplas Window Systems Ltd, one of the UK’s largest window and door fabricators. Michelle said: “We work with Emplas because they are consistently reliable and offer excellent quality and good customer service.” Newview is an experienced commercial installer used to working on new build developments so was well-placed to ensure installation ran smoothly and coordinated with all other trades on site. It was the first time the company had worked with McCarthy & Stone and Michele said the team appreciated the developer’s meticulous approach. “McCarthy & Stone are well organised on site and their efficiency helped us be more productive. The installation process went well.” Everyone involved is delighted with the finished result. Senjey Sehmi, Senior Technical Manager South East, McCarthy & Stone Retirement Lifestyles, said: “We are very happy with the appearance of the windows, as they give a clean and contemporary look, which is in keeping with the architectural style of the building.” The quality of the Optima profile and Newview’s standard of workmanship have also been well received. Michele commented: “It was the perfect little contract for our first time working with McCarthy & Stone. We have priced two other sites in the South East now and hope to be working with them again soon.”
Over 300 Spectus Elite 70 System windows were used in the construction of a new build retirement village in Chorley town centre. Chorley Council commissioned a 65 apartment retirement village to provide those aged 55 and above with an independent living space with access to care and support. The development, Primrose Gardens, is in the centre of Chorley and is part of the Council’s strategic masterplan for the town centre. The development partner for the build was Eric Wright Construction. The window contract on the build was awarded to Spectus Approved Window contractor JADE Window and Door Specialists, a family run company based in Batley with over 25 years’ experience in the industry. JADE won the contract because it was able to demonstrate its ability to meet the demanding requirements of the window specification and deliver the project in line with the reduced timeframe required. The 65 apartments had over 300 windows in total. Thermal efficiency was a particular focus to keep running costs on the apartments to a minimum. The Elite 70 System from Spectus was able to meet this requirement and within the budget. It is a five-chamber system, which increases thermal performance, meaning it is capable of achieving a Window Energy Rating of A+ and U-values to 0.8W/m2K. The system is Secured by Design accredited where a high level of security is a requirement. Primrose Gardens’ town centre location meant careful programming and logistics planning was required to ensure minimum disruption and safe access. The construction was also on a reduced timeframe to enable Chorley Council to start delivering services as quickly as possible. JADE Window and Door Specialists are an experienced commercial contractor, so the team was able to take these factors into account and still deliver a high-quality installation to the timescale. The construction was completed on schedule in Autumn 2019. Councillor Alistair Bradley of Chorley Council said: “What is important is that the scheme will not only provide much- needed affordable accommodation for older people in the town who may need extra care and support later in life, it will also bring residential areas back into the town centre which is part of our town centre masterplan. And it will also generate much-needed income for the council which is vital with the cuts in central government funding that can be spent on providing services to our residents.”
Manufacturer’s parallel opening window vents feature at the Anna Freud Centre. Parallel opening window vents by leading manufacturer of architectural glazing systems Kawneer were specified for a mental health project that is arguably without parallel. Some 88 of Kawneer’s AA®100 SSG parallel opening vents were used as concealed windows, to maintain the same aesthetic as the façade, within AA®100 mullion-drained curtain walling and AA®720 doors on the new £40 million London headquarters of the world-famous Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. The Kawneer systems were specified by architects Penoyre & Prasad as they were a “cost-effective” solution to their needs and enabled them to use the same systems for all areas of curtain walling and rooflights. Architect Sam Frankland said: “We had an aspiration to create a very clean, paired-down façade that would give clear cohesion to the various buildings. Having scissor-action windows helped emphasise the planar quality when the windows are open.” The project has enabled the relocation of the mental healthcare charity to bring together its global expertise in practice, research and policy under one roof from its residential properties in Hampstead to a purpose-built facility near King’s Cross. This comprises a six-storey new-build and the refurbishment of a century-old former chocolate factory and warehouse. All of the Kawneer glazing systems feature a diagonal frit on the glass, with the Kawneer curtain walling featuring on the ground to top floors and the AA®100 SSG parallel-opening vents on all but the ground floor. The AA®720 doors feature on the main entrance and top floor which also features a roof terrace. Sam Frankland added: “We wanted to create spaces filled with light and views out over London so we opted for fully-glazed panels with a simple frit to give an element of privacy and a degree of visual interest to the façade.” The aluminium Kawneer systems were installed over eight months by a team of six from approved specialist sub-contractor/dealer JPJ Installations for main contractor Willmott Dixon. The charity that today bears the name of Sigmund Freud’s sixth and youngest child was first established almost 70 years ago and its approach, that every child and its family should be at the heart of the care they receive, working in partnership with professionals, has been reflected in Penoyre & Prasad’s design. This needed to be striking to reflect the charity’s aspirations to reflect its status as a world-renowned organisation working with eminent academic institutions as University College London and Yale. This itself presented a challenge, bringing together the multiple needs of the individual users of the building, from children and their families in need of support, to researchers, clinicians and internationally-renowned visiting academics attending symposia. At the front, in the space made vacant by the excavation of a former courtyard, is the new six-storey building housing shared conference facilities and the Pears Family School which is sponsored by the Anna Freud Centre. This caters for up to 48 youngsters who have been excluded from school or alternative education provision and helps them return to mainstream education. Penoyre & Prasad worked from the outset with the diagonal motif on the glazing on both the front and rear facades to inform both the transparent elevation and the precast cheeks of the building which they could do very little with as they were both party walls but which nevertheless replicate the diagonal fritting. The five-storey chocolate factory, parts of which had been used as offices since the 1990s, was converted into a combination of head office facilities and therapy, post-graduate teaching and research (part of which had been based at University College London) and break-out spaces for the Anna Freud Centre. Although not listed, heritage officers at Islington Council had still been anxious about how it would be developed. “The client was very keen to have as environmentally friendly a building as possible so aluminium seemed like the natural choice for the curtain wall system which has been used extensively to the east and west facades and as a large rooflight,” said Sam Frankland. Based on the established Kawneer AA®100 SSG POV system, the parallel opening design benefits from excellent ventilation characteristics combined with thermal performance. Increased air flow around the full perimeter of the window enables highly efficient natural ventilation while greatly reducing draughts as fresh air is drawn in the bottom of the window while warm, stale air is expelled via the top, creating full air circulation within a room. This efficient exchange of air can assist with Approved Document F compliance and can enable the window to meet the ventilation requirements of even the most demanding project.
