Elevating Community Spaces with BLÜCHER: Success Stories of Abraham Moss and Knaresborough Leisure Centres

Building Products Index Ltd July 22, 2024 Drainage Leave a Comment

At BLÜCHER, we pride ourselves on providing top-notch drainage solutions that enhance the safety, hygiene, and efficiency of community spaces. Two prime examples of our successful partnerships are the Abraham Moss Leisure Centre and the Knaresborough Leisure Centre, both of which have chosen our innovative products to elevate their facilities and better serve their communities.

Abraham Moss Leisure Centre, Manchester

The brand-new leisure centre opened towards the end of 2023, and BLÜCHER stainless steel drainage was chosen as the ideal solution.

Our drainage channels, provided in bespoke lengths to suit the customers’ requirements, were installed to efficiently manage high volumes of water, especially in areas like swimming pools, changing rooms, and showers. The result is a hygienic environment that supports the center’s wide range of activities. By reducing maintenance costs and downtime, our drainage solutions have enabled the Abraham Moss Leisure Centre to operate seamlessly, enhancing the overall user experience and better serving the community.

Knaresborough Leisure Centre

Knaresborough Leisure Centre in North Yorkshire also chose BLÜCHER for their significant transformation project aimed at addressing the needs of their expanding community. Sustainability was a key goal of this renovation, and our products were instrumental in achieving them.

The centre installed some bespoke length channels and our standard shower drains, known for their hygienic design and durability. This system ensures efficient water management, critical for maintaining cleanliness and safety in high-traffic areas such as swimming pools and gyms. Additionally, our stainless-steel drainage solutions are 100% recyclable and have a long lifecycle, aligning perfectly with the centre’s sustainability objectives.

Conclusion

The successful installation of these BLÜCHER products highlight the important role of high-quality and reliable drainage within community infrastructure. Our drainage solutions have proven to be essential in creating efficient and hygienic environment, whilst remaining sustainable and cost-effective.

For more information on BLÜCHER’s drainage solutions and how they can benefit your projects, visit www.blucher.co.uk

The Low Down on EPDS

Building Products Index Ltd July 22, 2024 Drainage Leave a Comment

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The lowdown on Environmental Product Declarations and their importance for sustainable construction in the UK.

The construction sector has been dialling up its approach to sustainability for decades, adding new resources to the sustainability toolkit year-on-year. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are one of the latest additions helping developers and specifiers to advance sustainability goals. Used to compare and assess the environmental impact of products, they’re bringing transparency and choice to the construction market.

In this article, we look at how these reports are created, the traction they’re gaining in the UK’s regulatory environment, how they can help businesses meet their sustainability targets and what they’ll mean for specifiers and developers.

What is an EPD?

EPDs are comprehensive, standardised reports that detail the environmental impact of a product. They’re created using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which measures, among several impact categories, CO2 emissions throughout the product’s life – from raw material extraction through to transport, manufacturing, application, and end-of-life use, including recycling potential.

Based on the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards, LCAs give an understanding of a product’s environmental impact, measured against nineteen potential impact categories. This assessment is then used to create an EPD based on EN 15804+A2 which excludes any commercially sensitive information. Both the EPD and LCA are verified by an independent expert against strict protocols.

In the plastic pipe sector, for example, one of the most relevant impact measured is Global Warming Potential (GWP) in kg of CO2-eq. The GWP is an indicator of potential global warming due to emissions of greenhouse gases to air.

Thanks to the specifics and controls around their creation, EPDs are recognised as a standardised baseline for product comparison. By offering transparent, objective information about products’ carbon footprints, water footprints and energy consumption, they help consumers and regulators to make more informed sustainability comparisons and decisions.

“EPDs are credible and reliable because they use a consistent, science-based measurement and always include third party verification.”
Matteo Tagliaferri, LCA Project Manager, Wavin

The growing need for transparent reporting

In line with the saying ‘if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it’, transparency is now a watchword for organisations committed to sustainability. With the construction industry regularly hit by ‘greenwashing’ claims, and the concept of carbon offsetting losing favour due to a lack of efficacy, it’s more vital than ever that sustainability initiatives are backed with scientifically based, quantifiable evidence. Better yet, standardising this reporting so that products can be easily compared will result in more effective sustainability choices and accelerate the journey to net zero.

Already, countries like Denmark require transparent emissions reporting within construction. All buildings over 1000 m2 will require an LCA from 2023, with specific product data provided via Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) preferred by the Danish Agency for Housing and Planning. While mandatory EPDs are potentially years away in the UK, there are clear signs that regulators are turning their attention to this area – and that’s going to spell changes for construction professionals.

Are EPDs for the construction industry on the regulatory horizon?

The construction industry is awash with information about the carbon intensity of industrial products, and urgently needs to simplify and streamline sustainability information. This was highlighted in the first Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction report, that called on the Government to introduce “measures requiring suppliers who wish to make an environmental claim about a construction product to produce an EPD to substantiate it”.

The report further tasked the government to streamline access by encouraging “development of a centralised national database of EPDs and, through its own procurement practices require the collection and publication of EPDs. [This] EPD database should be digital, freely available to end users, and user-friendly.” It even suggested the introduction of a scheme to support businesses with the cost and administrative burden of creating EPDs, so the entire sector could be included in this environmental uplift.

The Government’s response broadly embraced these recommendations as they reflected its desire to see more regulatory support for more robust environmental measures in the construction industry. Its response recognised the success of mandatory EPDs in other jurisdictions and acknowledged that EPDs could provide the solution to its COP26 commitment to require “the disclosure of embodied carbon emissions of structural materials… used in major public construction projects, starting no later than 2025”. The Government also pledged to explore options to reduce the burden of EPDs on small and medium-sized enterprises – another indicator that these declarations will become increasingly important in years to come.

Government backing of EPDs in the future makes sense, particularly given its Net Zero commitments. In its Promoting Net Zero Carbon And Sustainability In Construction Guidance Note it outlines that “for the UK to meet its statutory climate targets, including its carbon budgets, requirements are only likely to increase in their stringency. Thus, being forward thinking and innovative, especially on high-value construction projects, is in the interests of both the government and industry.”

We strongly support this stance at Wavin, and sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Using innovation and data-driven targets, we strive to manufacture products with the lowest environmental impact possible, and to provide our customers with full, scientific transparency on the impact each product has. This commitment means that we’ve been investing in EPDs for years – long before the rumblings of regulatory change began. We recognise EPDs as a powerful accelerator of the construction industry’s journey to carbon net zero and we’ve seen interest in them growing year-on-year.

EPDs are a game-changer for specifiers and developers

As more EPDs hit the market, specifiers, architects and developers are better able to understand the environmental footprint of their construction projects and completed buildings. These insights enable the creation of more materially efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.

Making informed product choices at the specification stage can reduce buildings’ CO2 footprints, as well as emissions and operating costs throughout their lifecycles. Considering EPDs when selecting building materials for a new development helps to support internal sustainability initiatives and ensure compliance with external targets. Directly comparing products using EPDs is also a credible way to prioritise ‘green’ building materials, that can contribute credits towards green building certifications such as BREEAM or LEED.

These credentials are positive differentiators in today’s market, and a powerful way to raise your organisation’s profile and demonstrate your environmental commitments. Sustainability accreditations like these can also support tender bids and enable developers to charge a ‘green’ price premium for their builds on the property market. With buyers today increasingly willing to pay more for sustainable builds, this premium fuels price hikes of between 11% and 25% across both commercial and residential construction in the UK and Europe.

With this premium up for grabs, there’s a strong incentive for construction professionals to interrogate every aspect of a build’s CO2 footprint. Transparent, standardised measurements across all three Scopes enables this and encourages all members of the supply chain – from manufacturers to logistics – to step up their sustainability efforts. Products and systems that are lighter, more efficient and easier to install, for example, mean the developer in charge of the project is able to lower their emissions by requiring less transport, fewer products and a reduced level of carbon-intensive installation equipment like excavators. EPDs are also important when it comes to controlling building waste. By offering end-of-life scenarios, they help to encourage the re-use and recycling of building materials.

“There are lots of ways we factor sustainability in. A lot of our products are made from recycled materials and we’re constantly developing more efficient products. This is key because using less has a knock-on effect – less waste, fewer deliveries, fewer repairs and so on.” Adam Salt, BIM Coordinator, Wavin

Developers who want to stay competitive in the market need to start prioritising EPDs in their supply chain. Specifiers should therefore make every effort to liaise with manufacturers who provide EPDs specific to the product they are thinking of using, so that they can select the most sustainable options for their projects.

How EPDs push beyond product comparison

EPDs are more than a tool to give clients a stronger handle on environmental product comparison. Used to their fullest extent, EPDs are a great asset in product development and provide strong benchmarks against which manufacturers can improve the environmental credentials of products. As more EPDs hit the market, healthy competition will also encourage increased sustainability in manufacturing.

We’ve worked hard to get ahead of this curve and we already use EPDs as a science-based foundation to create more sustainable production processes and to optimise our products. For example, with the help of EPDs, we can clearly report on the effectiveness of our move from grey to green energy across our UK factories. For the sites of Doncaster and Chippenham, switching to renewable electricity resulted in a carbon footprint reduction of 8.100 tons of CO2 –. That’s the equivalent of 5,000 roundtrip flights from London to New York City.

“Our sustainability journey is well underway. Having more insight into the true impacts of our products globally helps us evaluate and optimise our production chain. So, our production becomes more sustainable, and our suppliers and customers get greener, high-performance products and solutions.”
Anneleen Veldhuizen, Sustainability Manager at Wavin EMEA

EPDs have also helped us to identify ‘hotspots’ – areas of significant environmental impact along a product’s lifecycle. Using this information, we can better assist others in the supply chain with more efficient product use, or look at alternative developments to reduce this impact. Plus, they’re helping us to produce increasingly sustainable products using environmentally friendly materials like our next generation bio PVC products that are built to last as well as supporting our various other environmental initiatives.

Wavin’s commitment to developing EPDs for our ranges

We’re on a mission to help build healthy, sustainable environments. That means constantly improving our processes and products to make them more environmentally friendly, and supporting construction companies to reach their own sustainability goals.

Find out more about EPDS at Wavin

CPD Approval for Delta Membrane Systems Limited

Building Products Index Ltd July 22, 2024 Membranes, waterproofing Leave a Comment

View the Delta Membranes entry on BPindex

RIBA approved CPD Seminars – Delta Membranes

Technical – Delta Membranes

Video Suite – Delta Membranes

Delta Membrane Systems Limited is delighted to announce their ‘Waterproofing – The Application of Concrete Combinations Type A, B, and C Systems for Continual Professional Development (CPD)’, has received endorsement from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This seminar represents a significant chance for industry professionals to broaden their understanding of waterproofing technology.

Delta’s Waterproofing – The Application of Concrete Combinations Type A, B, and C Systems presentation delves into the realm of design specialisations, specifically focusing on waterproofing design. The specialist’s toolbox includes a variety of elements and considerations, all meticulously developed to form a robust solution. This presentation is designed to equip Architects, Designers, and Specifiers with a comprehensive understanding of the factors a waterproofing design specialist considers to formulate a robust solution that aligns with the standards of BS 8102:2022 and BS 8500-1:2023. This deep dive into design methodology offers a unique perspective into the rigorous process behind waterproofing design.

This approval underscores Delta’s ongoing commitment to professional growth and knowledge expansion in the field of waterproofing solutions. We believe this seminar will significantly contribute to your professional development and assist in maintaining your CPD requirements.

In this informative presentation, we are collaborating with SMR Projects Limited, a leader in the field of Type B structural waterproofing design and specifications for below-ground structures. Our focus is to provide a comprehensive insight into two harmonious methodologies. SMR Projects Limited’s expertise in the field fortifies the value of this presentation.

Both Delta and SMR unite innovative products with highly skilled waterproofing design specialists. Both organisations have an in-house team of technical consultants to support our customers by providing comprehensive, reliable, and expert advice, identifying, and mitigating risk and establishing opportunities for added value.

Proudly part of the RIBA CPD Providers Network. Members whose materials are thoroughly vetted by RIBA, notably, this content is worth twice the usual CPD points for RIBA Chartered Architects. For easy access and navigation, all the materials are fully indexed on ribacpd.com.

Delta’s seminars are designed to last for about 60 minutes, this duration includes time for enquiries and discussions. Additionally, attendees will receive an attendance certificate, which allows them to accrue points for continuous professional development.

Delta’s CPD presentations are offered in several accessible formats. Available in person for a more traditional, interactive experience. Alternatively, they’re available as private webinars, which are conducted on digital platforms like Teams or Zoom. For those who prefer flexibility, Delta’s presentations can also be accessed as recorded versions “on Demand”, allowing for self-paced learning.

Enhance your knowledge with our ‘Lunch while you Learn’ program. This engaging initiative allows you to combine nourishment for your body and mind at the same time.

Delta Membrane Systems Limited is a manufacturer and provider of specialist structural waterproofing solutions, covering Types A, B and C waterproofing, combination waterproofing, damp proofing, flood resilience and ground gas protection.

To find out more information about Delta’s CPD seminars, email: info@deltamembranes.com

Vertu BMW Exeter – Superior Rendering with ProBead and ProWall Systems

Building Products Index Ltd July 22, 2024 Render Leave a Comment

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Vertu BMW Exeter, a prominent car dealership, undertook a major rendering project to enhance the aesthetic and thermal properties of the external aspects of their showroom. McCarthy Contractors spearheaded the application, utilising SAS Render Systems flagship products ProRend, ProBead and ProWall to achieve a seamless and durable finish.

Project Requirements

The project had specific requirements to ensure a high-quality and long-lasting result:

Repair Section: 100mm EPS insulation system affixed back to the steel frame on the main roadside.
Front Façade: ProWall system affixed to aluminium top hat sections.
Final Finish: ProRend Colourtex thin coat finish matching the existing colour, RAL 9001.
Comprehensive Involvement: Involvement throughout the project for all aspects of the project.

Solution

100mm EPS Insulation System

For the repair section at the main roadside, a 100mm premium EPS insulation system was installed. This system was affixed back to the steel frame, ensuring improved thermal performance.

ProWall System

For the front façade, the ProWall system was chosen for its outstanding performance and longevity. The system was affixed to aluminium top hat sections, providing a robust and durable solution that seamlessly integrated with the existing structure.

Long-Term Durability: The ProWall system comes with a 60-year BBA certificate, guaranteeing its durability.
Fire Performance: Delivers first-class performance concerning fire resistance, ensuring safety and compliance with regulations.
Strength and Stability: Provides exceptional strength and stability, maintaining its structural integrity over time.
Weather Tightness: Effectively protects the building from the elements, ensuring longevity and minimal maintenance.
Healthy Air Quality: The rendered rainscreen cladding maintains healthy air quality by allowing the building to breathe while protecting it from the elements.

Colourtex Finish

The final finish was crucial for maintaining the dealership’s aesthetic consistency. ProRend Colourtex, a premium factory-batched proprietary silicone resin thin-coat render, was selected for its high water resistance and low maintenance requirements. This finish was applied over a ProRend coloured primer and perfectly matched the existing RAL 9001 colour.

More on ProRend Colourtex silicone thin coat render:

Customisation: Available in 30 standard colours or as in this case study, custom tints, ensuring a perfect match for any project.
Durability: Guaranteed for 10 years, this render offers a long-lasting solution.
Textured Finishes: Available in two textured finishes, Uniform and Grained, providing flexibility in design aesthetics.

Comprehensive Design Support

From the initial stages to the end result, Vertu BMW Exeter received comprehensive support, including CAD details and specifications. This collaboration ensured that every aspect of the rendering project was meticulously planned and executed.

Key Features and Benefits

Eco-Friendly: The use of ProBead render beads, made from 100% recycled PVCu and fully recyclable, ensured a sharp and durable finish, guaranteed to last the test of time, with an official 25-year guarantee. ProBead is the market-leading choice for render bead, a high-quality bead manufactured in the UK.

Durability: SAS Render Systems products are engineered for long-lasting performance, ensuring the rendered surfaces remain crack-free and withstand environmental challenges.

Aesthetic Consistency: The ProRend Colourtex finish in RAL 9001 provided a seamless match with the existing structure, enhancing the overall visual appeal.

Unrivalled Technical Support: The involvement from the design stages, including detailed CAD specifications, support and guidance throughout the entire project, ensured precise implementation and a high-quality result.

Results

By choosing SAS Render Systems, Vertu BMW Exeter achieved:

Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal: The BMW showroom now boasts a clean, professional finish that significantly improves its visual impact.
Improved Thermal Performance: The 100mm EPS insulation system enhances energy efficiency.
Increased Durability: The rendered surfaces are robust and resistant to environmental wear and tear.
Sustainability: The use of eco-friendly materials underscores the dealership’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Conclusion

The rendering project at Vertu BMW Exeter, executed excellently by McCarthy Contractors using ProRend, ProBead and ProWall systems, resulted in a facility that not only looks revamped but also stands up to the test of time. The dealership now features a fresh new look, improved thermal performance, and a consistent aesthetic appeal, showcasing the exceptional performance of SAS Render Systems products and thus reflecting the premium nature of the BMW brand.

For support with your render renovation project, our friendly Technical Team are here to walk you through every step. Call us today on 01647 24620 or email info@sas-europe.com

Vertical Opportunity with Creative Structural Integrity

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 Blocks, Concrete, Green Walls, Walling Leave a Comment

View the Grass Concrete entry on BPindex

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Vertical Opportunity with Creative Structural Integrity

The Betoconcept range of earth retaining walls from Grass Concrete Ltd combine both structure and aesthetics.
This hospital re-development featured a number Betoconcept earth retaining walls.

One was a challenging construction, requiring a 4-metre-high wall, which had to work around contiguous concrete piles and incorporate a footbridge link to the main building. With a limited width available, the piles were clad vertically with stone finish Leromur blocks which transitioned into an inclined planted Betoatlas structure.

To find out more about this project

Visit our website to read the full Daventry case study, and many more.

Eurocell’s InSite window system, revolutionising construction efficiency in Inverness

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

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Eurocell’s InSite system transformed window installation for a block of four terraced houses in Inverness
Windows were manufactured at Pinefield Glass incorporated the InSite hinge with the cavity barrier
Kirkwood Timber Frame integrated the windows into timber frame panels
The panels were then transported to site and erected over two days; speeding up the process of achieving a weatherproof structure
The only window system suitable for timber frame that has been fully tested to prevent the spread of fire and smoke from, or to the cavity
Approved for use in accordance with the guidelines by NHBC.

Challenge

Affordable housing provider Places for People needed to construct a block of terraced houses near Inverness swiftly and efficiently to control costs and accommodate residents promptly. However, the conventional construction process, with its multitude of stages, prolonged time on site, and diverse specialised tasks, posed significant challenges to meeting tight deadlines.

Solution

The InSite system introduced by Eurocell, comprising a specialist hinge and sealant, a cavity barrier and window, enables house construction to be expedited by manufacturing within a factory environment. The windows were manufactured with the cavity barrier and InSite bracket fitted, at Pinefield Glass, Elgin. These were then integrated into timber frame panels at Kirkwood Timber Frame in Sauchen, Inverurie. The panels were transported to the site and erected over a two-day period (12 – 13th December 2023).

InSite streamlines the installation of fully glazed, finished windows into wall panels during the factory production process, and enables transportation to site easily as the window sits within the frame cavity, reducing damage, movement in transit and the need to pack between the panels.

This innovation also reduces onsite disruption and working at height, reduces Health and Safety concerns, minimises labour costs, and accelerates build schedules – the window sits within the cavity, so when craning panels into place, the panel sits vertical making it easier to place into position.

Once erected on-site, the window is pushed out to its finished position, ensuring the 50mm cavity. The window is then plumbed and squared, locked off, sealed and the exterior of the building is ready to be clad.

The entire panel assembly can then become wind and watertight within one day, allowing interior trades to commence work immediately. Noteworthy features include improved safety, reduced site traffic, reduction in movement of scaffolding lifts and compliance with relevant Building Regulations.

The InSite system has been tested by Warrington Fire [part of Exova Group] to .BS 476 Part 20, 1987 This certifies that when all of the approved parts within the system are used together the InSite system prevents the spread of fire and smoke from or to the cavity. This is the only system of this type to hold this fire certification.

Result

The build was completed 9 days quicker than typical timber frame construction of this scale:

Faster and easier: Reduces on-site disruption and labour costs, accelerates build schedules, and allows immediate commencement of interior trades.

Safer: As the whole commissioning operation of the windows can be carried out from inside the building, this eliminates working at height, moving windows about on scaffolding, enhances site safety and security and reduces site traffic with no separate window deliveries.
Peace of mind: Compliant with Building Regulations, thoroughly tested for air, water, and wind pressure and independently tested for Fire and Smoke resistance, assessed for load-bearing capacity.

Read the full case-study here: Insite Case Study (eurocell.co.uk)

If you have any questions or would like more information then please email: newbuild@eurocell.co.uk or call 0870 120 3003.

Securing Safety: ACO’s Bespoke Escape Hatch is a Runway Success

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 Building Drainage, Drainage Leave a Comment

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When an outdoor emergency escape hatch needed replacing at Heathrow airport, it was vital the solution could be installed quickly to minimise disruptions to air traffic as much as possible. With no escaping the difficulties inherent to projects carried out at the world’s fourth busiest airport, the contractors reached out to ACO to help them hatch a plan.

Time for an upgrade

The escape hatch in question served a plant room below the south runway and, as the one previously in place was reaching the end of its useable life, it needed updating. Intended for emergency use should there be a serious problem in the plant room, the existing hatch featured a grill near ground level which left the inside of the plant room vulnerable to frequent rainwater ingress. Due in large part to the age and outdoor location of the site, the previous hatch had become difficult to open so something more useable was required.

Safety needed to be front of mind – the new hatch needed to be openable with one hand and allow someone on the inside to override the outside locking system so that in emergency situations workers could escape quickly. These operational requirements had to be tempered with the fact that airports are high-security environments so any risk of unauthorised entry via the hatch had to be reduced to practically zero.

The escape hatch installation was contracted to Design Build International (DBI) and headed up by Construction Manager Kelvin Sumner. DBI had just four nights to break out the existing escape hatch, install reinforcements, pour concrete, and install the new hatch.

Flight path pressure

Working at an airport meant there were several constraints specific to the site with security and safety requirements meaning that transport to and from the site took multiple layers of approvals and permits. This restriction meant planning was vital because a forgotten tool or unexpected change would mean having to wait until a member of security was available before making the round-trip to pick up any additional items.

Most of the installation work had to happen at night to avoid interrupting airplane landings and take-offs. This also meant that DBI had to be very strict about leaving the site by 4:30am each day.

Along with the airport-specific restrictions, the fact that the project impacted an escape route meant that scaffolding had to be assembled to provide an adequate escape route during the day. At night, when DBI undertook the project, work couldn’t begin until the scaffolding had been disassembled. Available time was similarly reduced at the end of their shifts as they had to have each phase of the job completed early enough in the morning so that scaffolding could then be reassembled for the temporary escape route.

Bespoke solution

Given the restrictions around the time available for this project, it was vital that the installation of the new hatch went smoothly. Knowing that the escape hatch would need to be fully bespoke and made to very strict standards, Kelvin brought ACO on board. Having worked with ACO on a previous project, Kelvin knew the manufacturer’s ability to offer unique solutions as well as their speed at delivering them.

ACO supplied the fully bespoke escape hatch which suited the project as it was designed with ease of installation in mind. All aspects of the operational specification were met allowing the cover, once installed, to be opened from above and below ground level. Not only this but, thanks to its gas springs and one-handed quick release mechanism, it is easier – and therefore safer – to use in an emergency. When used from inside the hatch, the mechanism can override the lock outside, ensuring security while enabling quick escapes.

While there is no expectation for vehicles or aeroplanes to go over the hatch, to account for that unlikely (but still possible) event, the hatch has been specified to BS EN 124 load class F 900 meaning it will be able to safely withstand the force of even the heaviest vehicles. The load class and external locks combined with the water-tight seal means the escape hatch will not allow unwanted ingress of any kind.

Advantages of ACO

To support DBI with the constraints of working at an airport, ACO provided a detailed installation guide. The escape hatch was itself designed to be swift and uncomplicated to install and this meant that, when the night came to carry out the installation, the process was completed smoothly and in good time. The entire project, from removal of the existing escape hatch to installing ACO’s bespoke replacement, was completed within the four-night timeframe.

Kelvin Sumner, Construction Manager at DBI said: “Working with such tight timescales every night made for a pretty tense job but thankfully, when it came to installing the new escape hatch, we could essentially just place it in the right spot and fix it down. The guide ACO gave us was thorough enough that we knew exactly what was needed for a quick install and the escape hatch is very easy to use. Between the design elements, the fast turnaround with the supply, and the installation guide, I don’t think there’s anything else ACO could have done to make this part of the job go better.”

Liam Watkins, Sales Consultant at ACO said: “We’re really glad the hatch is now safely in place and that the installation went without a hitch. We do our best to understand the pressures that contractors face and mitigate that at every stage, from the initial ideas for solutions we come up with, to design, to additional after-sales support. DBI has been a great partner to work with and it’s great to know that we were able to make the job a little easier.”

For more about ACO Building Drainage’s access cover solutions, please visit ACO.co.uk.

How to use fillers to improve and repair exteriors

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 Filler Leave a Comment

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It’s summertime once again, and so attention is turning to outside jobs for trade professionals up and down the country (when the weather allows, that is). Typically geared towards refreshing and restoring a property’s exterior, the work may be varied, but can be made simpler.

There are plenty of filler options available for a whole host of exterior tasks, including the repair of broken window ledges, re-shaping weathered or worn-out walls and even replacing cracked or damaged render – without needing to chop it off!

Repair to broken edge with Toupret Rock Solid Repair Filller

Before buying a product, it’s important to consider the type of job you’ll be working on, the condition of the surface and the intended finish you require. Take the example of the broken window ledge; if it’s a sandstone sill, weathering may have left it soft and crumbling, so you’d need to stabilise it first with a wall hardener product. It’s also quite typical for this type of surface to become damp, in which case you could use a filler specifically designed to adhere to damp. You’ll also want to think about how you want to work. Does it need to be painted tomorrow? What colour will you be painting it? How strong does it need to be?

Toupret recognises that each job requires the right product, and that’s why they offer the largest range of exterior fillers on the market.

For filling, they offer three powder products that can be applied to any depth and be used for repairing or reshaping broken corners, edges or decorative features. But each has distinct properties over the others. For example, Masonry Repair Filler is light in colour and can be applied to damp surfaces, making it an ideal product for retaining walls and sills which are generally more affected by damp. Rock Solid Repair Filler is white in colour and rich is resin, giving it the added strength required for more hard-wearing repairs, such as to the corner edges of buildings. Tough Multi-Filler has a good deal of strength whilst still being easy to sand; white in colour, it can also be used for localised skimming, thanks to its long working time of 40 minutes.

Some fillers are designed especially for skimming, for smoothing out wide areas of rough, textured or damaged masonry surfaces, as well as for repairing render. Toupret offers two options – Ready To Use Skimcoat Filler, which has an unlimited working time, as well as the powder Skimcoat Filler, with an open time of 6 hours, and ability to repair lime render.

TOP TIP: Lime render can be a tricky surface type. Opt for a powder filler with no Portland cement content, such as Toupret’s Tough Multi-Filler or Skimcoat Filler. The pH levels in these products are not aggressive towards the lime content, making them compatible for repairs. If you prefer to use a ready mixed filler, ensure that you first prime the surface.

You can check out the full range of Toupret exterior products on their website, where you can also use their comparison tool to find the right product for your work this season.

Is this the end of the road for Modular MMC?

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 Concrete, Concrete wall panels Leave a Comment

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Volumetric construction is not the panacea for the housebuilding industry the previous government had hoped it would be. Offsite pioneer Modulous was the most recent casualty of the current swathe of modular building company bankruptcies. This, despite the fact that Modulous, describing itself as a “kit of parts”, had none of the pricey infrastructure of factories that weighed down other volumetric companies such as Ilke Homes and Beattie Passive.

Pioneers and market disrupters are always risky ventures but the following points are particularly relevant in this instance:

There is nothing new in the idea of factory-built homes. And nothing new in the litany of failure of such enterprises.
Volumetric, factory assembled structures do not suit the economic model, the logistical challenges or the skills base of the UK housebuilding sector.
Constantly chasing the ideal of precise, factory-built home units results in repeated losses for investors. When those investors include the Government, taxpayers should be asking questions.

As long ago as 1926, architectural pioneer Walter Gropius speculated on a future where lower-cost housing would be made possible by “the manufacture by mass production methods of stock dwellings which are no longer constructed at the site but are produced in special factories”.

It’s a seductive vision. Muddy building sites replaced by clean, productive factories building homes with precision in quality-controlled settings. Repeated government-backed attempts to kick-start a modular construction industry looks to the mass production of vehicles as a model – but is that analogy convincing?

There are numerous problems with the factory-built homes vision of MMC, but let’s just focus on one – the financial model.

Factory-built homes need factories. Factories involve huge investment and require a reliable and consistent market for their products. UK housebuilding, with its near total reliance on consumer confidence, has simply never provided that degree of consistency.

In its review of the modular housing sector “Modern Methods of Construction – what’s gone wrong?” the Built Environment Select Committee looked for answers from, among others, Homes England which was keen to defend its significant investment in modular factory companies. The conclusion of this scrutiny was summarised in January this year by Chair Lord Moylan: “The Government needs to change tack. Simply throwing money at the sector hasn’t worked.” Food for thought for the new Labour government.

A problem of presentation?

Part of the problem is with the presentation of MMC as a concept. Modern does not necessarily equate to pre-assembled and Method does not necessarily mean factory-based house units. The accepted definition of MMC (following on from the Farmer Report) is based around seven categories and only Category One requires the use of factory-built entities.

As Lord Moylan indicates, government funding whose objective is to deliver a greater volume of high-quality homes, needs better targeting, informed by a much deeper understanding of the structure of the UK housebuilding sector. Surely the Government’s role should be to stimulate the market and invest in new social housing, but be less enthusiastic in trying to dictate how new homes should be delivered.

H+H has always supported innovative approaches to house construction – our own Vertical Wall Panels and i-House System represent a strong commitment to new concepts and radical ideas. The difference is that these initiatives are evolutionary, rather than revolutionary.

The Built Environment Select Committee acknowledged the success of much Category Two MMC innovation (where our Vertical Wall Panel solution fits), and of the remaining five categories. That recognition absolutely supports the principle of evolutionary change.

Rather than going through another expensive loop of financial support for a delivery model that has proven so problematic, we would strongly advocate the new government takes the time to really understand the housebuilding supply chain; focuses on creating an economic environment in which housebuilding can grow to meet demand; and leave the mechanics to the industry itself.

For more information on H+H Vertical Wall Panels visit https://www.hhcelcon.co.uk/products-applications/methods-modern-mmc/system-build-vertical-wall-panels

Jaga UK opens new low-carbon showroom and training facility in Herefordshire

Building Products Index Ltd July 17, 2024 Heating, Ventilation Leave a Comment

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Jaga UK, designers and manufacturers of innovative, sustainable heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, has officially opened its new purpose-built low-carbon facility in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

The state-of-the-art facility, named ‘Kriekels House’ after the company’s founding family, was opened on 20 June with a ceremony attended by Jaga employees, customers, suppliers, and industry partners.

A Vision for Net Zero

Jan Kriekels, the CEO and visionary leader of Jaga, emphasised the company’s commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of buildings. During his address, he highlighted the importance of achieving net-zero emissions and showcased Jaga’s role in this global initiative before cutting the ribbon to officially open the facility.

The opening marks a significant milestone for Jaga as it’s home to the company’s first state-of-the-art UK demo and training facility, where they can showcase the powerful heating and cooling capacity of their products with heat pumps, and visitors can get hands-on experience with low-carbon HVAC technologies.

Features of Kriekels House

In line with the company’s sustainability ethos, Kriekels House was designed with a fabric-first approach to maximise energy-efficiency and minimise carbon emissions. The building features:

Offices and warehouse space: Providing a comprehensive operational base to service UK customers.
Demo and training facility: The first of its kind in the UK, this space allows visitors to experience Jaga’s heat pump radiators and other low-carbon HVAC technologies in action. It will be available for hands-on training for HVAC professionals and students.
Heating and cooling: Provided by high-efficiency, low-temperature heat pump radiators powered by a combination of a 15kW ground source heat pump and four 16kW air source heat pumps.
Solar PV: Solar panels covering half the roof space generate over 120,000 kWh annually, supporting the facility’s energy needs and providing electric car charging stations for staff and visitors.
Advanced Building Management System: A Qbus system manages HVAC, lighting, and security, ensuring optimal performance and energy efficiency.
Fully accessible plant room on display: Visitors can see the full workings of a building serviced by renewable technologies.

A Hub for Learning and Innovation

Phil Mangnall, Managing Director of Jaga UK, expressed excitement about the new facility, saying,

“After 11 months of building, we’re delighted to have moved into and officially opened our new building.

Kriekels House is designed to foster learning and innovation, and embodies our company ethos – centred around sustainability, creativity and social responsibility. Powered by renewable technologies, with open workspaces and dedicated training areas, we are well-equipped to continue delivering exceptional products for our customers and we hope to play a key role in inspiring the next generation of HVAC engineers to help design the net zero buildings of the future.

We’d like to thank everyone who worked on Kriekels House, helping us make our dream sustainable facility a reality. Here’s to an exciting future in our new home.”

ABOUT JAGA UK

Jaga are pioneers in designing innovative, ecologically sustainable heating, cooling and ventilation systems using less energy and fewer raw materials, ensuring a better indoor climate without damaging the outdoor climate.

The opening of Kriekels House emphasises Jaga UK’s dedication to sustainability and innovation, positioning the company at the forefront of the green building revolution.

For more photos from the event, see Jaga UK’s Latest News

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