Integra delivers wellbeing facilities for NHS staff in Southampton after Banksy artwork sale
Modular building specialist Integra has created new wellbeing facilities for NHS staff in Southampton, in a project made possible with proceeds from the auction of Banksy’s artwork Game Changer. The Banksy artwork was gifted to Southampton Hospitals Charity in May 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic. Following its £16.7m sale at auction – a record for a Banksy artwork – Integra was awarded a contract to deliver a wellbeing hub for NHS staff working at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), one of a number of projects funded by Game Changer. The bespoke building features an open plan gymnasium, relaxation lounge, kitchen, changing and shower facilities as well as multi-purpose rooms where groups can come together to rest or take part in team building activities, which are all free for staff to use. Staff can also utilise a cycle parking area, promoting a key initiative in the Trust’s sustainability work and commitment to reduce its carbon footprint. Gary Parker, CEO at Integra, said: “The pandemic shone a very bright light on the invaluable work NHS staff across the country do every single day, saving lives and keeping us healthy. “To be awarded this contract was a huge privilege, and we’ve enjoyed working with UHS to provide staff with a relaxing environment to enjoy breaks from their hectic and challenging work. “We have a strong track record of delivering high-quality modular buildings for the health sector, and have also recently supplied an 80-plus bay hospital building for Newham University Hospital. “Our NHS staff dedicate their lives to caring for patients in their time of need, so to be able to give something small back to them feels very fitting.” Banksy’s Game Changer shows a child choosing to play with a caped toy nurse instead of more traditional superhero figures. Proceeds from its £16.7m sale were distributed to more than 40 healthcare organisations and charities across the UK, funding projects which an emphasis on mental health and wellbeing. One of those projects was the new wellbeing facility at University Hospital Southampton. Ellis Banfield, Southampton Hospital’s Charity Director, said: “We’re enormously grateful for the donation received to build a space that will enable our NHS staff to have an area to rest, recharge and reflect. “The building itself has been designed with our people in mind and will provide a lasting legacy that all of us at UHS are enormously proud of.” The new wellbeing facility was officially opened on Wednesday 5 July, as part of national celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the NHS. Throughout its 25-year history, East Yorkshire-based Integra has developed a nationwide reputation for excellence in the design, construction and fit-out of modular buildings for a wide range of uses, including education, sport, leisure, healthcare and commercial operations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The future is panels: Net Zero Panels launches to provide sustainable solutions to the education sector
Net Zero Panels – launching as part of the Premier Modular Group – is driven to minimise construction’s embodied carbon through panelised solutions. Joining the Premier Group alongside Net Zero Buildings (NZB) – which focuses on delivering buildings that are net zero in operation – Net Zero Panels enables a holistic approach to sustainability, helping clients to ensure compliance, reduce embodied carbon. Net Zero Panels will support several sectors – particularly education – as it continues to help clients gain traction towards optimal use of offsite components via a ‘kit-of-parts’. What is panelised construction? Panelised construction can be either structural – a whole building comprising of internal and external load-bearing walls, floor cassettes and a number of structural roof options – or a wrap, where external walls and a roof ‘wrap’ around a concrete or steel-framed building. To meet growing demand for panelised solutions, Premier Modular Group, the market leader in offsite construction – for capacity and capability – has launched a new division: Net Zero Panels (NZP). “NZP is designed to strike a balance between compliance and carbon reduction,” explains Dan Allison, director, NZP. “Compliance is at the heart of the approach, and we ensure extensive acoustic and structural fire testing is built into every system – along with carbon assessments – so we’re best placed to advise on the best materials for your project and their embodied carbon impact. “Using a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) approach, with NZP, buildings can be configured from a pre-defined kit-of-parts – offering the simplicity of structured panels with all the advantages of flat-packed, volumetric building.” Designing for purpose “NZP is an integrator and distributor, which innovated X-Guard panels,” says David Harris, managing director, Premier Modular Group. “X-Guard panels are made of either timber or light-gauge steel structural elements, but we also use other materials in our kit of parts, such as glulam, hot rolled steel, modified gypsum fibreboard and precast concrete. It’s a question of what’s fit for purpose for your individual building, and it can be provided in one package. “The business has taken off so well that it’s worthy of its own division as an integral part of our group. NZP has all the agility of a start-up with all the financial stability, capacity and ESG credentials you’d expect from a long-established company.” The Department for Education and other public procurement frameworks help schools prioritise the use modern methods of construction for new buildings, which is increasing their prevalence. NZP is taking advantage of this and has already delivered the kit of parts for DfE’s first carbon pathfinder scheme at Treetops Free School in Grays in Essex. Treetops Free School – the UK’s first net zero carbon pathfinder The DfE commissioned the 3,293m2 extension to Treetops School as the government’s first zero carbon pathfinder project, which completed in August 2022. Zero carbon pathfinder projects follow a ten-point plan to achieve net zero carbon in operational energy and dramatically reduce embodied energy in their construction. NZP delivered the structural solution for Treetops, which provides full-time education and therapeutic behavioural support for 3-16 year-old pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Treetops’ building solution comprised of a hybrid, structural timber panel system with a highly insulated envelope. The NZP ‘kit-of-parts’ system included floors, external and internal walls, the primary frame for the Hall and the panelised roof solution to the entire building. “This was all made possible by our design, engineering, production, manufacturing and installation capabilities, as well as the transparent ways we collaborate with the school, main contractor and our supply chain,” says Dan Allison. “Treetops shows how green the schools of the future will be because of its net zero considerations, and it can be reconfigured as needs change.” Lawrence Sheriff School in Rugby, Warwickshire – less school more panels A long-established school – Lawrence Sheriff in Rugby, Warwickshire – needed a new facility to expand teaching capacity. It required new science classrooms and a studio, as well as a modern dining room. Completed in December 2021, the 346m2 extension needed to complement and integrate seamlessly with the heritage building and adhere to best practice in net zero construction. In this project, the main contractor built a primary hot-rolled steel frame, and NZP wrapped the structure with its highly insulated timber panel system. NZP provided a structural, closed-panel system with a factory-fitted drylined service zone and clad with cedar and airtight brick facades onsite. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McAvoy appointed to build the new Orsett Heath Academy in Essex
Leading UK and Ireland offsite manufacturer McAvoy has been awarded a £37.5m project by the Department for Education (DfE) to deliver the new Orsett Heath Academy, part of the South West Essex Community Education Trust (SWECET) in Thurrock, Essex. Commissioned by the Secretary of State for Education, McAvoy has embarked on the construction of a new 8,610sqm secondary school. With construction underway, the school will have the capacity for up to 1,200 pupils aged 11-16 in its 3-storey accommodation. The new secondary school will showcase innovative internal design features including a double-height dining area, spaces for students to collaborate and share ideas, and a performing arts hub. Externally, the brief includes extensive hard and soft landscaping, parking areas for cars and bicycles, outside lockers, playing fields and the installation of a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). Works started on site in May with the school due to be completed in Summer 2024. The project has been described as a “very exciting” development for children and families in Thurrock and will replace the temporary accommodation where students are currently learning with a brand new, state-of-the-art secondary school. Positioned in close proximity to the Thurrock Rugby Club and Thurrock Harriers Athletics Track, the academy is poised to strengthen its existing partnerships and will support the development of a thriving sports hub in Thurrock. The prime location will foster development pathways for pupils and the wider community at all levels. McAvoy has been at the forefront of the UK and Ireland’s offsite industry for more than 50 years, with significant experience in the education sector. It has recently delivered projects including Merstham Park School, a pioneering ‘Low Carbon Pathfinder’ project, and The Cavendish School, the world’s first International Baccalaureate special free school for Department for Education, as well as 2 SEND classroom blocks at Great Oaks School for Southampton City Council. McAvoy CEO, Ron Clarke said the awarding of the Orsett Heath Academy project reflected the confidence in offsite manufacturing as a preferred solution within the education sector. “Our team has significant experience of delivering high-quality accommodation within the education sector to demanding programmes and we are delighted to be appointed for this major project by the Department for Education. We have invested heavily in our manufacturing and delivery infrastructure in recent years with a view to securing projects of this nature where sustainability, quality and delivery within budget and programme are essential.” The new building will provide a much-needed permanent building and cater for the growing demand for secondary school places at Orsett Heath Academy. The school has a specialism in sports, the arts and a strong international approach to languages, and will remain in joint use with the interim site for educational and sports provision, creating a lasting legacy, enhancing education, sport and recreation as a ‘Thurrock Institute of Sport.’ Steve Munday, CEO of SWECET, said: “Our community, students and families have eagerly awaited this state-of-the-art facility that will allow us to continue to provide an exciting and ambitious ethos of high expectations and achievement to more students in our local area. We’re so pleased that building work is underway and would like to thank all those who have supported us in our community during this time.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Solutions for Offsite – Passive & Inter-Module Fire Protection
By Laura Smith – UK Head of Marketing CPG UK For the offsite sector, the focus is not just on building efficiently, but also manufacturing safe and complaint buildings. To achieve this, it is important that offsite manufacturers and their suppliers collaborate at the earliest opportunity. CPG Offsite Solutions, which encompasses seven brands – Nullifire, Illbruck, Tremco, Flowcrete, Dryvit, Nudura and Vandex, is an excellent example of how industry collaboration in practice allows for specialist solutions to be developed for the offsite sector. A fabric first approach relies on early engagement with offsite modular manufacturers to make buildings safer from the outset. Working closely with partners, CPG Offsite Solutions offer a range of passive fire protection products for both service penetrations, and inter-module junctions. Penetration Seals: Penetration seals are passive fire protection systems used to maintain the fire resistance of a wall or floor that has services passing through it. In the event of a fire, the penetrations caused by these services can undermine the integrity of a buildings fire safety precautions. Service penetration seals such as Nullifire’s FP220 Service Sleeve, or Nullifire FP170 Intucollar Intumescent Pipe Collar provide an effective solution to this problem. FP220 Service Sleeve is a pipe closer device which comprises of an intumescent material within a stainless-steel shell. Expanding when exposed to fire, this device reinstates the fire performance of compartment walls which have been penetrated by combustible pipes. Suitable for installation prior to a module being transported to site, FP220 provides up to two hours fire resistance (tested to EN 1366-3) and is ultra-slim in design ensuring quick and easy installation. FP170 Intucollar Intumescent Pipe Sleeve is another penetration seal which is suitable for offsite construction. Expanding when exposed to fire, this product has been tested with a wide range of combustible pipes, insulated non-combustible pipes and network cable bundles (up to 125mm). This product is easy to install within modules and provides up to 4 hours fire resistance (tested to EN 1366-3). Module Junctions: Offsite manufacturing inherently creates joints between modules or panels. Ensuring that adequate fire protection is installed within these areas is critical to the fire strategy of the building. CPG Offsite Solutions offer a range of tested and certified passive fire protection products for module junctions, including, Nullifire FJ203 Fire Resistant Rope, as well as Nullifire FJ400 Intuspan Intumescent Joint Filler. FJ203 Fire Resistant Rope has been designed to reinstate the fire compartment requirement in linear gaps such as those created by module or panel junctions and is tested to EN 1366-4 achieving up to four hours fire resistance. Nullifire FO142 or FO143 Silicate Adhesive may be required for installation. Nullifire’s fire resistant rope is easy to apply, easy to cut and can accommodate joint widths of up to 150 mm. Saving time and money within offsite construction. FJ400 Intuspan Intumescent Joint Filler, is also a popular choice for module junction protection. Typically offering 60% physical movement capabilities, this product has been tested in linear joints from 12 mm to 115 mm gap width and is suitable for use between horizontal and vertical elements. Offering up to two hours of fire protection between module junctions, this fully dry system is ideal for high vibration areas and can be installed by hand. How can CPG Offsite Solutions support the offsite market: CPG Offsite Solutions have access to a comprehensive range of tested solutions ideal for the offsite market. Supported by an expert technical team, working closely with their partners to ensure that the correct fire protection solutions are installed within all projects. Find out more about CPG Offsite Solutions today. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Citu begins work on £16million passive MMC scheme funded by Close Brothers
Citu, a leading sustainable developer, has started construction on a 51 unit MMC scheme of low energy homes, designed using the Passive House Principles, with a Gross Development Value of £16million. Stall, in Kirkstall, Leeds, is set on a brown-field site and is being funded by Close Brothers Property Finance, part of the FTSE 250 Close Brothers Group plc, who is a committed supporter of sustainable residential development. The development has an expected 18-month build schedule, with the first homes available for occupation at the end-2023. The modular closed timber frame panels are designed in-house and manufactured in the Citu factory, located just miles from the site. Operating a vertically integrated delivery model focuses on the reduction of embodied carbon and is designed to dramatically reduce operational carbon for incoming home owners. The properties are designed to passive house standards using the passive house planning package (PHPP). The homes will heat the hot water using air source heat pumps and will use Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MHRV) units to regulate the internal air quality and temperature. The MHRV units, combined with the high levels of insulation, mean that energy required for heating is around five times lower than the average UK house. The use of 100% on and off site renewable electricity, as opposed to gas, significantly reduces the carbon footprint, whilst also equating to lower bills than the average home. The development will be set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and have a solar array, which will be co-owned by all of the residents and will provide a source of clean, renewable energy on-site. Located on the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the homes at Stall will border a green corridor that passes Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve and the famous Kirkstall Abbey, providing a convenient route for cyclists and pedestrians directly into central Leeds. There will also be a wealth of natural landscaping and the preservation of existing trees incorporated in the design of the scheme. Jonathan Wilson, Managing Director at Citu, comments “Our partnership with Close Brothers has enabled our business, and the communities we are building, to grow. We are excited to collaborate on this latest venture in Kirkstall and deliver places and homes with purpose that give equal priority to people, nature and high-standards of living.” Daniel Joyce, Director at Close Brothers Property Finance, comments: “Building sustainable housing has never been more important and we are committed to funding future-proofed homes, which are designed to reduce their carbon footprint as well as energy usage. We have a strong track record of supporting low carbon developments in the UK and working with the very best developers in the industry to move MMC and passive housing from being a one-off bespoke design model, to a reality for everyday homeowners. Developers such as Citu are leading this charge, we’re proud to be supporting them on their journey and look forward to continuing to work with them.” For further information on Stall please visit: https://citu.co.uk/citu-live/citu-arrives-in-kirkstall
Keith Woodlock Joins Senior Team at Rollalong
Modular construction specialist Rollalong has recruited another experienced director to further strengthen its senior team. Keith Woodlock has been appointed as Project Director responsible for main contracts and major works, with a focus on the defence sector and MOD contracts. Keith has many years’ experience in both modular and traditional builds and has worked on major projects including the Wave Hotel at Butlins Bognor Regis, 5 Churchill Place in Canary Wharf, and Orchard Plaza in Poole. He has worked in main contracting for large PLCs helping to deliver landmark buildings, offsite solutions and refurbishment schemes nationwide. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Buildings and the Association of Project Managers and is a certified member of the Certified Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (CIWFM). “I wanted to join Rollalong because they are increasing their turnkey operations, and my skills and experience will help the company to achieve growth in that area,” said Keith. “My role is all about quality and delivery – ensuring that quality is high and continuing to deliver projects on time and on budgets – while providing the rest of the board with information to help the company grow and be successful. “I’ve loved it so far and the wider team are brilliant. I’m really enjoying working with the MD Steve Chivers, who has given me the autonomy to use my initiative and make sure I deliver what’s required in line with Rollalong’s vision and values.” Steve Chivers commented: “We are delighted to welcome Keith, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. “We’ve recruited Keith to help us ensure that Rollalong’s major works projects are delivered effectively, on time and under budget, for our valued clients, and we’re confident that he will make an important contribution to our business.”Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals