Rishi Sunak has announced the Government’s £5bn commitment to remove unsafe cladding from the highest risk buildings, which he says will be partly funded by the Residential Property Developers Tax. This will be levied on developers with profits over £25m at a rate of four per cent. The news follows
With its high-quality wellTEC®, colTEC® and planTEC® design sheets, MN Metall has always stood for individual facade design. Now the company has further expanded its portfolio with the wellTEC® vario product line. Under this name, MN Metall offers facade profiles that combine 2, 3 or even more different corrugated, trapezoidal,
Staffordshire-based handrail and balustrades specialists, SMART Balustrades, has started work to deliver more than 1,000 metres of stainless-steel balustrades at a luxury waterside residential development in Nottingham. Working alongside Leeds-based property developer KMRE Group and construction company Crown Construction, SMART Balustrades is supplying and installing all of the glass and
Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) new centre for enterprise and innovation has become the latest higher education facility in the UK to feature state-of-the-art cladding panels from Proteus Facades. With higher education providers realising that the design, amenities and external aesthetics of campus buildings are just as important as the courses
The superior aesthetics, offsite craftmanship and precision of Keystone Lintels’ pioneering brick slip system has ensured the façade of a luxury apartment complex in Buckinghamshire is in keeping with its exemplary architectural design. Located on one of Beaconsfield’s premier roads, Wellington Court is an exclusive development of one, two and
Kawneer introduces an enhanced +/- 5mm expansion joint to its high-performance AA®110 SSG system. One of the main complexities in designing a glazed façade is the accommodation of slab movement/deflection, and due to the extension of structural spans seen in contemporary building designs, slab deflection is increasing. This places additional demands on a façade design team to accommodate movement between slab
Building façade systems provider, Benx, has overhauled its IT infrastructure with a suite of IT solutions from technology partner OGL Computer, to improve performance, and protect and secure data from cyber-crime. Recognising that its legacy IT infrastructure needed an overhaul to meet the business’ growth plans, Benx appointed OGL Computer
StoTherm Mineral insulation and StoSilco render were used to provide outstanding thermal performance on the recently completed Peveril Securities King’s Stables Road mixed-use development Edinburgh’s city-centre. This project illustrates Sto’s ability to work closely with specifiers, contractors and clients to ensure that the most appropriate solution was chosen for this
Bosses at a Shropshire-based global firm today welcomed the £5billion investment to replace unsafe cladding on homes across England. Tim Sharman, technical sales director of Jesmonite based in Bishop’s Castle which exports their product across the world, said homeowners had worked desperately hard to see their views heard since the
The former Ottakar’s bookstore in High Wycombe has been given a new lease of life and brought back to its former glory as a pillar of the town centre, through a state-of-the-art regeneration project featuring bespoke cladding panels from Proteus Facades. The Proteus SC cladding panels are arranged in a
Rishi Sunak has announced the Government’s £5bn commitment to remove unsafe cladding from the highest risk buildings, which he says will be partly funded by the Residential Property Developers Tax. This will be levied on developers with profits over £25m at a rate of four per cent. The news follows the Commons Housing Select Committee’s plea to establish a new, larger fund “that addresses the true scale of fire safety issues”.[1] The Government’s latest commitment is by no means the end of the post-Grenfell overhaul. The Building Safety Bill, published in July 2021, aims to transform the existing fire safety system and increase accountability, transparency, and oversight of fire safety throughout the life of a building. Under the proposals, a new national regulator will be established to maximise fire safety during a building’s design, construction, completion and eventual occupation. The Government also plans to change the law to give homeowners 15 years – rather than six – to take action against rogue developers. In addition, new British Standards Institution guidance is expected by the end of the year regarding personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled, aged, and vulnerable residents. However, there are also new intelligent ways to cut risks in social housing that can be implemented now to support the aims of the bill and Fire Safety Act 2021 and ultimately protect tenants, building managers, and landlords. By introducing connected technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), social landlords can relieve some of the burden of fire prevention and make life safer for their tenants. Post-Grenfell, more than 400 ‘waking watches’ were established around the country to monitor buildings, costing Londoners alone £145 million per year.[2] This sum is equivalent to more than a third of the London Fire Brigade’s annual budget, essential for keeping the capital safe from life-threatening disasters such as fires, terrorist threats and flooding.[3] Relying on humans for fire prevention should not be the only intervention and is not financially sustainable in the long-term. With remote monitoring and cloud connectivity of smoke detectors, social landlords can streamline fire prevention, and create an opportunity for centralised, off-site monitoring. Nick Rutter, Chief Product Officer of fire safety technology experts FireAngel, says, “Connected technology can be installed within the parameters of an existing budget, and support waking watches in the short-term by sending instant notifications when an alarm is activated, any devices are removed from the base, or a tenant needs assistance. Looking to the future, a combination of IoT, robust fire detection and alert systems and evacuation plans unique to each resident’s needs could replace the need for on-site waking watches completely. Connection to the IoT also enables landlords to monitor essential features such as the building’s age and condition and the wear and tear of electrical appliances. This combination of IoT and AI technologies provides a 24/7 overview of buildings and their changing fire risks, collecting data that can be analysed for trends and patterns, in turn, supporting the transparency aims of the Building Safety Bill. As tenants at risk await further legislative updates, now is the time for the fire industry and social landlords to keep pace with the future of fire safety and adopt new ways of protecting resident wellbeing.” [1] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/28/mps-vote-for-fifth-time-not-to-protect-leaseholders-from-fire-safety-bills [2] https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/waking-watches-costing-londoners-16000-an-hour [3] https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/waking-watches-costing-londoners-16000-an-hour
With its high-quality wellTEC®, colTEC® and planTEC® design sheets, MN Metall has always stood for individual facade design. Now the company has further expanded its portfolio with the wellTEC® vario product line. Under this name, MN Metall offers facade profiles that combine 2, 3 or even more different corrugated, trapezoidal, square or zigzag profiles. The fact that very different shapes can thus be combined with each other means that deliberate contrasts can be set within the facade sheet. There are hardly any limits to the design ideas of architects and facade planners, and the question to MN should not be “What products do you have to offer?” but rather “What vision can you make come true for us?”. Wave, zigzag, square, trapezoid…in this order or completely different? With an individual hole pattern or an offset round perforation? With a regular or irregular grid? Made of aluminum, stainless steel or copper? No matter how the more than 60 different profile types from MN Metall are combined with each other, whether perforations or grids are applied or which material is chosen – a facade clad with wellTEC® vario will be unique in this form, because it is manufactured individually for the customer. The company manufactures the wellTEC® vario facade sheets in a process-safe manner from pre-material up to 2,000 mm wide in various thicknesses and construction widths. How the profiles look in practice is already shown by some projects that MN Metall has executed. These include the IPF-Treff Bopfingen and the Fächerbad Karlsruhe. The facade of the IPF-Treff shopping center, which covers a total of 1,635 m², was clad with wellTEC® vario SQ-40/20-20/20, made of gold-colored coated 55HX® aluminum in 1 mm. Part of the facade has offset round perforations. The special highlight: the facade cladding contains a Morse code – so for the insiders, the name of the shopping center can be read in it. The wellTEC® vario facade profile used for the Fächerbad Karlsruhe is a combination of the W-45/60 and W-45/150 profiles. Coated in the color Onyx White Blue, it gives the building an exclusive outer skin that appears in two shades depending on the angle of view and is reminiscent of reflective, moving waves.
Staffordshire-based handrail and balustrades specialists, SMART Balustrades, has started work to deliver more than 1,000 metres of stainless-steel balustrades at a luxury waterside residential development in Nottingham. Working alongside Leeds-based property developer KMRE Group and construction company Crown Construction, SMART Balustrades is supplying and installing all of the glass and stainless-steel balustrades for all balconies at The Yacht Club, which boasts uninterrupted views across the River Trent. Featuring 81 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including penthouses, The Yacht Club is situated on Trent Lane and will offer residents a luxurious waterside lifestyle in a convenient location, close to city amenities. All of the south-facing apartments at the development feature either a large private balcony or terrace, with two installation teams now on site from SMART Balustrades to complete the construction of the balustrades quickly and efficiently. “This is our first project working with both KMRE and Crown Construction, and in terms of size and the number of balconies involved, it’s certainly our biggest project of the year so far,” said David Hough, managing director at SMART Balustrades. “The stunning, uninterrupted views that these new apartments will provide will be priceless, so we’re installing stainless steel balustrades with clear glass infill panels to terraces and balconies to really open them up and make the most of the vistas. We are also providing balustrades to the development’s internal staircases as well, giving a clean and modern look to the communal areas of the building.” Set up in 2017 by David and his brother, Jonathan Hough, and with over 120 years of experience in the balustrades industry, SMART has a sustained demand for its specialist services, both in the commercial and residential sectors. Having recently taken on two new recruits, with another installation engineer joining the team this month, the company continues to grow and is on track to achieve its 2021 targets. “SMART has just celebrated its fourth birthday and everyone is thrilled with the company’s performance and growth in that time. Managing and fulfilling a project of this size is a testament to that success. After a difficult 18 months for many businesses, we are eagerly looking ahead to the future, continuing to meet and excel our goals and expanding our team of skilled craftspeople and delivering excellent customer service to our burgeoning client portfolio,” continued David. “We are delighted to be working with well-known, industry leading companies such as KMRE and Crown Construction, helping to provide unique and beautiful new homes in an idyllic waterside location.”
Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) new centre for enterprise and innovation has become the latest higher education facility in the UK to feature state-of-the-art cladding panels from Proteus Facades. With higher education providers realising that the design, amenities and external aesthetics of campus buildings are just as important as the courses and educational services on offer to students, specifiers are making more use of alternatives to traditional bricks and mortar. It is one of the reasons why architects specified contemporary mirror finish and mesh cladding from Proteus Facades for the state-of-the-art new £9 million Dryden Enterprise Centre (DEC) at NTU. Designed by architects Evans Vettori and constructed by main contractor Henry Brothers, the DEC provides staff, students, graduates and external businesses with increased access to a range of high-class facilities, as well as support, mentoring, networking and training services. The new building has been developed alongside the existing Dryden Centre, a cube-like structure built on campus in 1976 that has undergone extensive refurbishment as part of the development. The new extension connects to the north end of the refurbished structure, both of which have been designed to accommodate University start-ups and spin-outs and attract external businesses looking for high-quality workspaces and support. Proteus Facades manufactured bespoke Proteus SC Aluminium 3mm Aluminium PPC Carina expanded mesh and Proteus HR 0.8mm Rimex Super Mirror 316 Stainless Steel rainscreen soffit panels for the refurbished and new structures respectively. Proteus SC is an engineered panel system that is offered in either solid, perforated or mesh panel formats. By utilising an extensive range of metals, colours, textures and forms it can add another dimension to any façade cladding project. The system can be manufactured between 1mm and 5mm in thickness and an acoustic insulation layer encapsulated within the panel. The Proteus SC panels at the DEC were specified with a PPC Pearl Beige (RAL 1035) finish and feature on the external façade of the 1970’s cube-like structure. Compartmentalising the brick-work at eye-level, the mesh cladding features in vertical sections reaching from the ground to the upper floors and then wrap around the entirety of the top level. The panels were chosen to soften the block-like appearance of the refurbished structure and complement the elegant pearl, brick and glazed sections on the façade of the new development. Proteus HR soffit panels in Rimex Super mirror finish feature on the underside of four of the first and third floor cantilevers, reaching over the main entrance and upper terraces. The mirrored cladding from Proteus was specified due to its honeycomb core creating an optically flat panel that portrays a high quality surface aesthetic. The finish also has the effect of reflecting artificial lighting from within the building and natural light from outside onto the floors below. It achieves what the architects set out to do and that is illuminate what may have otherwise been a deeply shaded area of the building. Proteus HR was also specified because it is a lightweight, strong and versatile cladding panel. The integrated modular rainscreen panels feature an aluminium honeycomb core, structurally bonded between two thin gauges of lightweight metal skin for optimum rigidity. Installed by Elhance Limited, both the Proteus SC and HR panels at the DEC are secured in place using a bespoke aluminium fixing system, also manufactured by Proteus Facades. It can be installed on to any type of wall construction and allows the panels to be secured in place with no visible fixings, creating a sheer, uninterrupted aesthetic. The £9m Dryden Enterprise Centre (DEC) is set over four floors utilising the latest technology and modern facilities including open-plan desk areas, private offices, meeting rooms, event space and communal areas to encourage networking. Proteus Facades’ innovative rainscreen cladding panels utilise an extensive range of materials such as Aluminium, Copper, Bronze, Brass, Stainless Steel, Zinc and Porcelain Ceramic. Each system is manufactured to internationally recognised quality standards, using the highest quality materials, in accordance with its BSI ISO accredited Business Management System for Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety. For further information about the wide range of rainscreen cladding systems available from Proteus Facades or to view more inspirational projects, visit: www.proteusfacades.com or call: 0151 545 5075.
The superior aesthetics, offsite craftmanship and precision of Keystone Lintels’ pioneering brick slip system has ensured the façade of a luxury apartment complex in Buckinghamshire is in keeping with its exemplary architectural design. Located on one of Beaconsfield’s premier roads, Wellington Court is an exclusive development of one, two and three bedroom apartments. Developer Halamar’s architectural vision for this property required a gable ended luxury façade and main entrance featuring prominent and distinctive brickwork arches in the Arts and Craft style. To meet their requirements, Keystone’s technical team designed Brick Slip Feature corbelled and full arch lintels which were manufactured in a factory-controlled environment, negating the need for complex brick cutting on-site. Fabricated off-site with exemplary craftmanship, Keystone’s technical team ensured each bespoke lintel was manufactured to the size, shape and aesthetic requirements within the project build schedule. The one-piece lintel design solution required exacting dimensions to avoid any conflict with the proposed stone sitting at the end of each arch bearing. 3593mm upper coursing span and 3143mm lower coursing span measurements were essential for the seamless installation of the prominent entrance. A consignment of light textured Parham Red bricks were collected from site by Keystone which reduced brick wastage and improved material management. Double Cant bricks were precisely cut and bonded onto an extra heavy duty corbelled arch lintel using a BBA approved construction adhesive in a factory-controlled environment. The patented perforated design of a Keystone Brick Slip Feature Lintel allows the adhesive to squeeze through the perforations and form a ‘mushroom’ on the inside, providing a mechanical lock between the steel lintel and the bricks. Integral key prefabricated lintel components were all manufactured concurrently as opposed to sequentially which offered greater predictability of operational expenditure during the build programme. Delays associated with bad weather onsite were also avoided which allowed for high quality and consistency to be achieved when replicating the four large full arch lintel designs. The impressive 4300mm span and 2150mm rise arches were delivered to site ready for final pointing, with all the arch lintels including lifting hooks for an easier and safer installation. Keystone is the largest supplier of steel lintels in the UK and Ireland. For bespoke applications, architects, housebuilders and contractors can specify brick feature requirements by utilising Keystone’s free Brick Slip Feature Lintel design service. With this exceptional development in leafy Beaconsfield now complete, Keystone Brick Slip Feature lintels have once again played their part in meeting the complex brickwork requirements of a high quality scheme and at the same time within the designated build schedule.
Kawneer introduces an enhanced +/- 5mm expansion joint to its high-performance AA®110 SSG system. One of the main complexities in designing a glazed façade is the accommodation of slab movement/deflection, and due to the extension of structural spans seen in contemporary building designs, slab deflection is increasing. This places additional demands on a façade design team to accommodate movement between slab and façade. When building designs require glazed facades to withstand high slab deflections one solution is to incorporate unitised curtain wall systems like Kawneer’s AA®201 or AA®265 systems, which due to their construction, can provide greater movement allowance. However, unitised curtain walling usually comes at a cost premium and is generally more appropriate for very large facades and where there might be issues of site access. Traditional stick curtain wall is more readily used by most fabricators and installers in the UK, hence the development of a new expansion joint by Kawneer. This new development has now enabled Kawneer to offer an expansion joint for its AA®110 SSG system that can withstand a +/- 5mm amount of movement tolerance. The recent launch of the capped variation of the expansion joint for Kawneer’s AA®110 curtain wall system, which allows a +/- 15mm building tolerance, has now been successfully followed by the SSG (Structurally Silicone Sealed) variant. While a conventional SSG system would be limited in its movement capabilities due to the hidden clamping nature of the glass and toggle engagement requirements, the new Kawneer solution has re-designed glass clamping rails and a re-designed toggle system to allow for greater slab deflection and differential movement. The addition of the SSG expansion joint allows increased flexibility in architectural specification where the clean lines of a silicone glazed façade are desired, but without compromising the requirement for reduced slab sizes and cost. The new joint locates at each slab level and is therefore concealed by spandrel glass or panels. Its specialised engineered foam seals expand and contract with the movement of the structure. To ensure compliance with UK standards, the new enhancement has been rigorously tested during development to ensure high performance in all UK conditions. In consultation with the CWCT, an enhanced version of the ‘Standard for Systemised Building Envelope: Sequence B’ programme was developed. This included a series of performance tests while the new +/- 5mm SSG expansion joint was in its compression, extension and neutral positions. Alongside the new expansion joint enhancement, Kawneer has also increased the glazing weight capacity of the AA®110 system which will bring it in line with the current AA®100 system, providing glass weight capability of up to 600kg. The introduction of a 36mm thermal break provides enhanced thermal performance and increased glass thickness capability up to 50mm. Kawneer’s Technical Director Gary Ledger commented: “Glazing and cladding systems need to be designed to allow for building movement without compromising the performance or safety of the system. The consequences of failing to provide enough allowance for in-service building movement can range from a reduction in weather performance to glass breakage and significant system failure. “Our new +/- 5mm SSG expansion joint is a welcome addition to our AA®110 product offer and follows on from the popular capped expansion joint launched in 2019. This subsequently gives architects ultimate design freedom by providing a traditional stick curtain wall system that gives exceptional performance and tolerance of building movement.”
Building façade systems provider, Benx, has overhauled its IT infrastructure with a suite of IT solutions from technology partner OGL Computer, to improve performance, and protect and secure data from cyber-crime. Recognising that its legacy IT infrastructure needed an overhaul to meet the business’ growth plans, Benx appointed OGL Computer as its IT partner following a competitive tender process. OGL Computer was selected for the wide range of flexible and scalable solutions. “My predecessor had been in the company since it started and so had all our hardware. He was only working with what he’d been given but a lot of hardware wasn’t compliant or bought from reputable companies. The business at that time was turning over around £200,000 but now, with a turnover of around £35 million, we needed an infrastructure that could support our growth. We’d grown so quickly that the company hadn’t had chance to evaluate the IT infrastructure, so they continued to put plasters on it rather than focusing on a long-term strategy,” said Kuldip Bhandal, IT Manager, Benx. “Previously our outdated servers couldn’t handle the load and our growth plans, and this was crucial when discussing our options. Benx needed to invest in a long-term IT solution that was bullet-proof, and that enabled us to easily adapt and scale to manage future growth.” Resilience and growth were particularly important to Benx, alongside being able to control the cost associated with IT infrastructure and services. The OGL IT Solutions team implemented an interim solution that improved performance while the full overhaul was taking place. This gave Benx time to make an informed decision on how it wanted to move forward, based on OGL Computer’s recommendations, rather than being rushed into immediate action. OGL Computer designed a private cloud infrastructure solution, providing centralised resources from OGL Computer’s highly secure UK based data centres. This offered added resilience and protection, while ensuring Benx’ data was available, backed up and secured against any disasters. To increase productivity and collaboration across Benx’ UK offices, OGL Computer migrated the company’s email servers to Microsoft Office365 and deployed Advanced Threat Analytics that provides protected access to the business’ online management portals. VMware Essentials Plus was also installed to keep systems running while essential maintenance was taking place. “We wanted to bring a technology partner on-board because we didn’t have the in-house resource to manage the level of services needed to support Benx,” Kuldip continued. “Three years ago, Benx experienced a ransomware attack and this was a big driver in investing in a system upgrade. The company didn’t have full backups or a tested disaster recovery plan, so it was a shock and left the business down for two to three weeks. It highlighted to us that if you don’t invest in IT you’re going to be in trouble.” Formed in 2002, Benx manufactures, customises, sells and provides advice on materials for construction including insulation, roofing and cladding. Its clients include Premier Inn, Holiday Inn and the University of Warwick. Thanks to its specialist services for the building industry, Benx has grown to generate over £35 million turnover annually, and is currently recruiting team members across its Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and South East England (Essex) office locations.
StoTherm Mineral insulation and StoSilco render were used to provide outstanding thermal performance on the recently completed Peveril Securities King’s Stables Road mixed-use development Edinburgh’s city-centre. This project illustrates Sto’s ability to work closely with specifiers, contractors and clients to ensure that the most appropriate solution was chosen for this project. Located in the Edinburgh Old Town’s historic Grassmarket area, the £40M King’s Stables Road development is a landmark scheme delivering housing, premium student accommodation, a 4-star apart-hotel and various commercial units, set around a number of public courtyards. “This was a large project for which a rainscreen cladding system was originally considered,” says Sto’s Project Manager, Jim Reid. “However, budget constraints meant that an alternative solution was required. The façades of the buildings feature numerous multi-level surfaces, and any alternative solution had to be able to accommodate these and various other complex detailing requirements, while still meeting the budgetary requirements.” Sto successfully worked in partnership with project architects, Fletcher Joseph Associates, and façade specialists AFS (Scotland) who installed the StoTherm Mineral system. The result was a fully bespoke insulation system which satisfied all the project requirements. The mineral-fibre insulation boards used in the StoTherm system provide excellent thermal performance along with unrivalled fire protection, great durability and impressive sound insulation. The system’s efficient single-leaf construction does not reduce interior space and requires no additional expansion joints. This allowed the smooth external surfaces which are used in the King’s Stables Road design to be created. Some sections of the development used Sto’s unique Sto-Rotofix Plus adjustable spiral fixings to secure the insulation boards to the substrate. These fixings allow for a considerable degree of post-installation adjustment so that different surface levels can be accommodated, and once again, they provide a perfectly level surface for a smooth external render finish. The remaining sections of the development had the insulation applied using StoLevell Uni adhesive. This creates a strong, durable and reliable bond with the surface, and allows the insulation to be applied onto curved substrates. All the insulation was finished with StoSilco K1.5 silicone resin render which provides high levels of water repellence, outstanding protection against harsh weather conditions and excellent CO2 and water vapour permeability. The white colour of the StoSilco complements the brickwork and dark grey cladding found on other parts of the development. “We’ve used Sto’s external wall insulation on many previous projects and find that it performs extremely well,” comments Steve Avery of AFS (Scotland). “The StoTherm system is very straightforward to install, but still provides a high degree of flexibility which makes it a very practical solution.” The King’s Stables project is owned by Peveril Securities and is part of a wider mixed-use development programme. Render was specified early in the design process as a means of brightening courtyards flanked by neighbouring buildings or facades. Careful material specification at this stage enhances the established public realm as occupants and the wider public weave their way through this exemplar development in the heart of Edinburgh’s capital.
Bosses at a Shropshire-based global firm today welcomed the £5billion investment to replace unsafe cladding on homes across England. Tim Sharman, technical sales director of Jesmonite based in Bishop’s Castle which exports their product across the world, said homeowners had worked desperately hard to see their views heard since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Mr Sharman said it should not have taken four years for the cladding removal programme and investment to be agreed but welcomed it and hoped work would commence immediately. Jesmonite, which was founded in Bishop’s Castle in 1984, has become the go-to material for designers looking for an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional building materials or resin-based products. Jesmonite AC730 is a water based, micro-concrete material. It is non-solvent, contains zero VOCs and achieves an A2-s1-d0 EN13501-1 Non-Combustible Fire Classification and has been used for cladding panels across the UK. The company’s success has seen Jesmonite being used in Buckingham Palace, London Zoo, many projects abroad including the Far East and India and regeneration projects across the UK. Mr Sharman said the Project Light, Canada Water multi-phased dockside regeneration scheme in Southwark was their largest Jesmonite cladding project to date and was a perfect example for the Government to follow and for homeowners to see to build their confidence that their homes could be safe again. The site, between London Bridge and Canary Wharf, includes approximately 9000m2 of Jesmonite AC730 external cladding panels specified as a lightweight alternative to traditional heavyweight concrete cladding. The award-winning technology behind Jesmonite AC730 allows manufacturers to create non-combustible large scale panels that offer major weight reductions whilst achieving high levels of impact resistance and flexibility. Mr Sharman said: “We are delighted that at last the Government have announced this £5billion investment. Homeowners across the UK have been left in limbo since Grenfell and I don’t think anyone can understand the true worry they have endured. “We have seen how flats have had security guards checking for any fire risks and that is no way for people to live. “Our non-combustible cladding solution has been available for 20 years but still developments have been built with cladding which we now know is unsafe. “We are looking forward to supporting the Government with the solutions they need to ensure people are safe in their homes. “We urge homeowners to keep the pressure on for the works to be carried out immediately. The announcement of the investment is not enough – we need to see cladding being removed and replaced as soon as possible.” Mr Sharman said the money was being invested in developments over 18-metres (6-storeys) high – however he said all buildings with unsafe cladding, regardless of the height, should be considered as part of the programme. The Government has offered a finance scheme for those in buildings between 11 and 18 metres high. Home Office analysis of fire and rescue service statistics shows buildings between 18 and 30 metres are four times as likely to suffer a fire with fatalities or serious casualties than apartment buildings in general.Lower-rise buildings, with a lower risk to safety, will gain new protection from the costs of cladding removal with a generous scheme offered to buildings between 11 and 18 metres. This will pay for cladding removal – where it is needed – through a long-term, low interest, government-backed financing arrangement. The Jesmonite Project Light cladding project can be viewed here https://jesmonite.com/case-study/project-light-canada-water/ Further projects and any developers looking to find out more about Jesmonite can visit www.jesmonite.com
The former Ottakar’s bookstore in High Wycombe has been given a new lease of life and brought back to its former glory as a pillar of the town centre, through a state-of-the-art regeneration project featuring bespoke cladding panels from Proteus Facades. The Proteus SC cladding panels are arranged in a striking half-hexagon design that appears to float outward from the main structure. The 6 metrehigh façade, where the panels themselves are embellished by intricately designed, leaf-shaped perforations, has the ability to stop people in their tracks while they gaze at the intriguing, shimmering aesthetic. Prior to the refurbishment, the original building, which once stood proud on the corner of Queens Square fell into disrepair after being left unattended by its previous owner for quite some time. In 2019 however, as part of an ongoing initiative to acquire, regenerate and re-let vacant shops to independent businesses, Wycombe District Council purchased the building and invested in a state-of-the-art refurbishment project. This included a complete redesign of the interior and an external upgrade to improve aesthetics and add more versatility to the town centre. During the initial stages of the redevelopment, main contractors, Abbeymead Building Ltd. found that the glazing to the upper levels would need replacing, along with limited structural support positions where the perforated cladding could connect. This resulted in a complete redesign of this section, with full replacement of the windows and the spanning solution of the Proteus SC, lightweight perforated anodised aluminium panels, manufactured by Proteus Facades. Proteus SC is an engineered panel system that is offered in either solid, perforated or mesh panel formats. By utilising an extensive range of metals, colours, textures and forms it can add another dimension to any façade cladding project. The system can be manufactured between 1mm and 5mm in thickness and an acoustic insulation layer encapsulated within the panel. Installed by J & PW Developments Ltd,the Proteus SC panels at White Hart Street, were fabricated from a 3mm J57Up aluminium alloy with a brush polished, mirror effect finish, anodised to Anolok 543. The bespoke laser-cut leaf pattern on the panels, visible both inside and out, also provides further visual appeal to the façade, offering a delicately designed brise soleil within and a striking external aesthetic for passers-by. Each Proteus SC panel is secured in place using a bespoke aluminium support system, also manufactured by Proteus Facades, with a matching anodised coating. The brackets are fixed back to the original structure with a 200mm x 50mm aluminium extrusion at panel joints, spanning approximately 3700mm between the floor and slabs, and with 1100mm cantilevered upper and lower sections. Further external works carried out during the redevelopment, completed in December 2020, include replacement of the flat roof and installation of a new shopfront set back from the pavement to create a covered seating area. Internally, the building has been completely restructured to offer a ground floor space ideal for use as a restaurant and shops, along with first floor studio-style offices. All of which have great potential to attract some of High Wycombe’s up and coming businesses, which in turn is expected to boost footfall and improve the overall experience for visitors to the town. For further information about Proteus SC or to view more inspirational rainscreen facades from Proteus Facades, visit: www.proteusfacades.com or call: 0151 545 5075.
