Windows

Death of the office: traditional workspaces to disappear in future, say half of UK residents

Building Products Index Ltd March 26, 2020 Doors, PVC-U, PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

Almost half (49%) of UK residents believe that the traditional “office” will soon become obsolete as home and remote working continues to increase, according to a new report.

A further 60% said that the design of office buildings should factor in the possibility that they may need to be converted into homes in the future.

The survey of 1,000 UK residents has been published by Eurocell plc, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window and door systems.

Respondents also highlighted a number of design trends that they felt were critical for the workplaces of the future:

52% said designs that maximise natural light
44% said buildings with good ventilation
41% said windows that open
34% identified soundproofing
31% said access to outdoor spaces
25% said communal areas

Set against a backdrop of the ongoing housing crisis – and the measures put in place by the government to tackle it – the Future Communities report reveals a range of consumer opinion on how the communities of the future should look.

In contrast to a waning popularity for office buildings and traditional work spaces, there was a clear preference for the construction of schools as cornerstones of the community. 81% of respondents stated that it’s important to include educational buildings within new housing development plans. A further one in three (30%) people stated that not enough is being done to implement this as it stands.

The report includes insights from five architects from practices BDP, Stanton Williams, TOWN and Urbanist Architecture. The panel discussed the potential for buildings to be built with a residential end-purpose in mind.

Analysing the findings, Doriano Chiarparin, architect at Stanton Williams, commented: “I’m not sure about the ability to repurpose every single workplace to make it become residential but I definitely think that we need to have loose fit buildings, so that there are spaces within the development that could become a shop, could become a workshop, could become a studio, could be something that if people set up a business they have a place to go.”

The incredible rise of co-working spaces points to a step-change in the way that traditional office jobs are undertaken and this has been reflected in the findings of our research. Communities are no longer simply places to live but – given that many millions of people now work more flexibly or remotely – they are also places that need to accommodate for the 9-5, too. It’s vital that the construction industry takes note and tailor future residential developments to fit accordingly.

The research is part of Eurocell’s ‘Future Communities’ report which can be downloaded in full here.

The Annual People’s Choice Award from the Houzz Community Highlights Home Renovation and Design Professionals with Most Popular Designs and Top Ratings

Building Products Index Ltd March 25, 2020 Steel, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Crittall entry on BPindex

Visit the Crittall website

The world’s leading supplier of steel windows and doors was chosen by the millions of homeowners that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 2.5 million active home building, renovation and design industry professionals.

Crittall will be highlighted on the Houzz website and app. Also, a “Best Of Houzz 2020” badge will appear on winners’ profiles as a sign of their commitment to excellence.

The Best Of Houzz badge is awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design awards honour professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community.

“This year’s Best Of Houzz awards go to an incredibly talented and service-oriented group of home renovation and design professionals, and we’re proud to highlight the winners on the Houzz website and app,” said Inés Cid, Managing Director for Houzz UK. “This award is particularly meaningful as it reflects the sentiment of the millions of homeowners in the Houzz community who are hiring home professionals for their projects across the UK and around the world.”

Russell Ager, managing director at Crittall Windows comments: “Crittall is delighted to have received this prestigious award. We pioneered the original, iconic steel window frame over 170 years ago and are proud that Crittall was chosen by so many homeowners in the Houzz community who are hiring home professionals for their projects across the UK and globally.”

Follow Crittall Windows on Houzz https://www.houzz.co.uk/professionals/windows-and-glazing/crittall-windows-limited-pfvwgb-pf~92448061

Best Of Houzz awards Crittall windows Houzz Steel doors steel window frame Steel Windows

Introducing Kawneer’s AA®720 E Window, designed specifically for the Education sector

Building Products Index Ltd February 22, 2020 Aluminium Windows Leave a Comment

View the Kawneer entry on BPindex

Visit the Kawneer website

Kawneer has a long heritage of supplying the Education sector with cost-effective construction solutions – the latest being the new AA®720 E Outward Opening Casement Window.

Education sector construction projects rely on sourcing the best possible value and with the AA®720 E, that’s just what you get.

Part of the AA®720 modular system offering complete flexibility of design with incremental levels of thermal performance, the AA®720 E variant has been designed specifically for schools, colleges and universities, skilfully re-engineered to offer a cost-effective solution without sacrificing performance.

Made in the UK, it offers full weather protection together with PAS 24 security standards. The 72mm profiles incorporate the very latest thermal technology including extruded polyamide and patented thermal breaks, insulated centre seals and foam isolators.

The main cost benefit is derived from eliminating the need for reverse glazing adaptors, therefore reducing material utilisation, fabrication timescales and reducing sightlines from 147mm to 130mm.

The AA®720 E can be top-hung or side-hung and has a range of locking options including enhanced security to PAS 24:2016 standards; the frame is also BRE Green Guide ‘A’ Rated for projects that need specific sustainable and environmental requirements. A choice of restrictors is available to 100mm, compliant with the HTM 55 regulations and BS 8213 of 100mm initial opening, while Folding Openers with Link Bars provide safety in use.

The AA®720 E also features excellent warranties and aftercare so you can be sure it’ll pass every test, whether it’s meeting ventilation strategy or restricted budgets.

The Best Value Solution for Schools?
AA®720 E Gets Top Marks.

Take a look at our extensive portfolio of Education sector Case Studies.

AA®720 E Outward Opening Casement Window AA®720 modular system Aluminium Doors Aluminium Windows Kawneer PAS 24 security standards

Collaboration critical if the right mix of homes are to be built, say consumers

Building Products Index Ltd February 22, 2020 Doors, PVC-U, PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Eurocell entry on BPindex

Visit the Eurocell website

Almost half (49%) of consumers believe greater collaboration between local councils, property developers and social housing associations is critical if the UK is to build the right mix of properties in future.

That’s according to a research report published by Eurocell plc, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline systems.

Other factors identified by respondents as critical to ensuring the right mix of homes is built included providing more opportunities for public consultation during planning decisions (35%), more powers being given to local planning authorities for better local oversight (29%) and more strategic leadership at a national level (21%).

The findings are part of a report by Eurocell that explores how the communities of the future may look. It includes insights from five architects from practices BDP, Stanton Williams, TOWN and Urbanist Architecture.

When asked about the current mix of homes being built, half of the 1,000 respondents reported that they felt not enough affordable homes for first time buyers were being built, while an almost identical number (49%) said they believed not enough social housing was being built. This fell to 31% when asked about the amount of private rental (PRS) options being built, while 37% said that not enough homes in general were being built.

As a result, two fifths of respondents, who were equally split between private renters, home owners and social housing tenants, said that PRS, social housing and homes to buy should be of equal priority as more homes were built. However, 28% identified social housing as the priority, 17% said homes to buy and 10% said PRS options should be the priority.

Analysing the findings, Doriano Chiarparin, architect at Stanton Williams, commented: “Unless there is a push towards more social and affordable housing in city centres, land values alone tend to create socially segregated cities. In any productive environment, you need different levels of skill, different types of people and levels of affordability – so there definitely needs to be more support towards affordable residential and social housing in order to keep cities working.”

The public’s view on their preferred housing mix for the communities of the future certainly provides food for thought. The UK has typically been a nation of aspiring property owners. However, these findings suggest that there could be a shift towards more continental attitudes towards homeownership where renting is far more common. As the construction sector continues to design, plan and build the communities of the future serious consideration will need to be given towards this issue to ensure that the needs of consumers are being met.

The research is part of Eurocell’s ‘Future Communities’ report which can be downloaded in full here.

Eurocell PVC-U conservatory PVC-U doors PVC-U roofline system PVC-U window

Only one in 10 UK residents support creation of new towns as a solution to the housing crisis

Building Products Index Ltd January 23, 2020 PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Eurocell entry on BPindex

Visit the Eurocell website

Just 10% of the UK population believes that the construction of new towns is the best way to tackle the UK housing crisis, according to a new report.

The research has been published by Eurocell plc, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline systems. It highlights a reticence around the concept of new towns since the construction of places such as Milton Keynes and Telford in the mid-twentieth century.

By contrast, 43% of those surveyed would prefer the conversion of old, unused buildings and the regeneration of run-down communities or brownfield sites.

Only 4% said they would favour the construction of a greater number of high-rise buildings – a solution that is currently being implemented in high-density population areas such as Manchester and London.

New towns have been proposed as a possible answer to the current housing shortfall. This has led to the development of plans for a new town in Ebbsfleet and as many as five being proposed along the Cambridge-Oxford corridor.

Consumers were asked about the challenges they saw in plans for projects such as these coming to life. A third believed that ‘not in my backyard’ attitudes of residents would hamper approvals, with a further 24% saying that a lack of collaboration between planning authorities and infrastructure providers would make these new developments problematic. The same number again identified environmental concerns as a major obstacle.

Respondents also highlighted a number of challenges when it came to the conversion of unused buildings and the regeneration of run-down communities or brownfield sites. These included cost (37%), planning authorities lacking the power to reclaim old buildings (31%), listed building status preventing regeneration (27%) and planning authorities placing too much emphasis on new builds (23%).

Given that the UK needs to build in excess of 300,000 new homes per year for the next decade to clear the current shortfall, it is vital that a wide variety of options is considered.

This research clearly suggests a preference amongst the UK public for regeneration and the use of brownfield sites, but demand for these spaces is almost certain to outstrip supply. It is far more likely that a balanced mix of all approaches will be required. It’s therefore important that residents’ concerns over the potential impact of new towns are taken into serious consideration.

The research is part of Eurocell’s ‘Future Communities’ report which can be downloaded in full here.

Eurocell UPVC conservatory UPVC Doors UPVC rooflines UPVC Windows

Crittall featuring in BBC’s Great British Railway Journeys.

Building Products Index Ltd January 22, 2020 Steel, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Crittal entry on BPindex

Visit the Crittal website

The BBC’s popular Great British Railway Journeys programme presented by Michael Portillo, the former Secretary of State and steam train enthusiast, recently alighted to film at Crittall’s Witham-based state-of-the-art manufacturing facility base for iconic steel windows, doors and internal screen production for over 170 years.

The resulting programme will be aired on BBC2 on Wednesday 22 January 2020, at 6.30pm, and shows the affable and intrepid presenter in the factory where he helps shape a window for US Ivy League University, Yale.

Michael also tours the factory before being seen heading to Silver End to discuss its impact as a concept and the Silver End (Crittall) trainline that used to be there.

In the programme Crittall Chairman John Pyatt is seen outside the manor house in Silver End?, discussing its history and the 1930’s housing boom, highlighting Crittall’s significant influence on architectural design.

Crittall is the only company featuring in this episode produced by Boundless Productions.

Crittal Windows Internal Glazed Screens internal screen Steel doors Steel Windows

UK consumers: “We need communities, not just homes”

Building Products Index Ltd December 17, 2019 Doors, PVC-U, PVC-U, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Eurocell entry on BPindex

Visit the Eurocell website

Two-thirds of UK residents feel that too much focus is placed solely on the construction of new homes, as opposed to rounded communities with supporting infrastructure, new research has found.

The Future Communities Report has been published by Eurocell plc, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline systems. It draws on the findings of a survey of 1,000 UK adults with an equal split between homeowners, private renters and social housing occupants.

Almost seven in 10 (69%) of respondents said that they felt not enough consideration is given to the provision of educational, health and sport facilities during the current planning process for homes.

A further 32% of people believe that not enough has been done to support the development of doctors, dentists and hospitals, with a further 31% saying that not enough had been done to support the development of schools and nurseries. Respondents also said that a lot more should be done to provide parks (28%), leisure facilities such as sports and craft centres (26%) and amenities such as cafes (21%).

As a result of this, 55% of respondents said they felt that quickly building a high volume of homes negatively impacts community spirit. In addition, 44% identified a failure to extend existing services (for example, doctors’ surgeries and schools) to allow for an increase in the number of residents as having the biggest impact on the integrations of new and old communities.

When asked to identify the top factors in ensuring that enough supporting infrastructure is developed in the communities of the future, 37% highlighted providing more opportunities for local residents to input on planning decisions while 36% said there was a greater need for collaboration between planners and service providers. Other factors highlighted included more focus on the design and build of multi-use buildings (31%), more powers over services being passed to local government for better local oversight (27%), and more strategic leadership at a national level (22%.)

The report also includes expert input from architects at leading studios BDP, Stanton Williams, Urbanist Architecture and TOWN. It reveals insight into the communities that people hope to live in and current trends in the built environment sector.

Find out more by downloading the full report here.

Eurocell PVC-U conservatory PVC-U Door PVC-U Roofline systems PVC-U window The Future Communities Report

Introducing Kawneer’s AA®190 Severe Duty Welded Door

Building Products Index Ltd November 20, 2019 Aluminium Doors, Aluminium Windows Leave a Comment

View the Kawneer entry on BPindex

Visit the Kawneer website

An entrance door with class-leading thermal performance that is so robust it is offered with a lifetime guarantee.

Kawneer’s AA®190 TB pre-fabricated door features welded corner construction – the strongest aluminium door construction available, with each corner having four separate weld points, each of which has a ‘lifetime guarantee’. Rigorous testing has verified its exceptional strength and durability, making it suitable for use in severe-duty applications as defined in BS 6375-2: 2009.

With regards to weather performance, the system has Class 2 (300 Pa) air permeability, Class 3A (100 Pa) watertightness and Class C2 (800 Pa) wind resistance, results that are based on an open-in double door with butt hinges and rebated threshold.

It is an all-purpose door for use in high-traffic areas and automatic entrances, it is as suitable for internal as it is external applications, for refurbishment as well as new-build, and for all sectors, particularly education, healthcare, commercial, and leisure and retail. With security hardware it meets Secured by Design criteria.

The door is designed to accept glass units up to 43mm thick, with a maximum leaf weight of 120kg with an overhead closer and a maximum of 200kg using the floor closer, all with leaf sizes up to 1320mm wide and 3000mm high.

As well as its high strength and robust properties, the AA®190 TB door also provides improved thermal performance. A whole-door thermal transmittance of Uw = 1.7 W/m²K can be achieved with a glass centre pane of Ug = 1.0 W/m²K.

The AA®190 TB door is offered with a finger guard pivot stile as standard, providing child-friendly reassurance, and is independently tested to PAS 24 for the enhanced security performance of single and double-leaf external doors, the enhanced security is available for both pivot and butt hung doors which can feature panic hardware.

A range of multi-point lock options provides security solutions for all applications including panic doors and electronic access control. There is also a range of thresholds including drained low thresholds compliant with the Equality Act 2010.

For ultimate design flexibility the AA®190 TB door is available as single-leaf and double-leaf in open-in, open-out and dual-action swing doors suitable for automatic powered operation. Additionally, the AA®190 TB door can be used with automatic sliding or bi-parting entrance systems.

Naturally, the door is available with its own thermally broken framing system – 451PT, which suites with other Kawneer fenestration solutions and all door options are available in an extensive range of single or dual-colour finishes.

Take a detailed look at the AA®190 TB door with our Product Animation Video.

Kawneer’s new AA®190 TB doors were first featured on the striking new headquarters for BBC Cymru, an award-winning building at the heart of the dynamic redevelopment of Cardiff’s Central Square.

Aluminium Doors Aluminium Windows architectural glazing systems Automatic entrance door Kawneer Kawneer UK Ltd welded corner construction

Clement steel windows light up Central London hotel

Building Products Index Ltd October 24, 2019 Steel, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Clement Windows entry on BPindex

Visit the Clement Windows website

View further Clement Windows case studies

Case Study: Melia Hotel, London

Site: Melia White House, Albany Street, London NW1 3UP

Contractor: Corley & Woolley Ltd, 23 Finsbury Circus, London, EC2M 7UH

Specification: Clement EB24 steel window range

Colour: RAL 9010 (Pure White) semi gloss with infill panels powder coated to match frames

Furniture: 158SFKL-SC Brook handle in satin chrome finish

24mm insulated glass units, gas filled

Clement EB24 bespoke steel windows are manufactured from hot rolled steel window sections generally in compliance with BS 6510 which are produced entirely from recycled steel source material. Hot dip zinc galvanised to EN ISO BS:1461 and with a polyester powder coat paint finish to BS:6497 or BS EN 13438

Project Synopsis:

Part of the Melia Hotels & Resorts Group since 1999, Melia White House is situated in a striking Grade II listed Art Deco building close to London’s Regent’s Park.

Opened in 1936 as a luxury apartment building, it took seven hundred men less than a year to build it. With great facilities open to non-residents too it became known as the White House Club in the closing years of the 1930s. During the Second World War, the distinctive shape of the building meant it was used by the Germans as a compass and was consequently never bombed. In 1959, work started on transforming the apartment block into a luxury hotel which became the centre of the Swinging Sixties scene with many prominent guests.

Following discussions with Camden Planning, the Clement EB24 range of new steel windows with welded G+ multi pane system was installed. In total nearly 800 windows were installed in two phases requiring the Clement team to work to an exacting schedule.

Kevin McEnteggert of interiors and fit-out specialists Corley Woolley commented:

“Clement’s slick manufacturing process and the skill set of the installers ensured the contract was completed ahead of schedule and to a very high standard of finishing, resulting in an almost snag free hand over to a very happy client.

Due to the success of phases 1&2, we are in the process of negotiating phase 3 works. Clement Windows will be working with us once again.”

Clement Windows Melia Hotels recycled steel Steel doors Steel Windows

Crittalls Head Office Showroom Gets a Makeover

Building Products Index Ltd October 23, 2019 Steel, Windows Leave a Comment

View the Crittall entry on BPindex

Visit the Crittall website

Crittalls Head Office showroom has recently been undergoing a large transformation. In light out of our expanding product range, it was decided that we would undertake the refurbishments in house, utilising our expert R&D team, Kevin Wombell & John Doyle, for the build.

The showroom has been designed to double as a meeting room, featuring a comfortable and stylish room created from walls of our Innervision products, including our new Innervision Sliding Doors as an entry way into the meeting room. The meeting room also features a selection of our brochures, certificates and accreditations, photography & digital display of our PR cuttings.

Within the meeting room there is a one-of-a-kind Crittall glass table, designed by our Technical Director Darren Joyce, as a centre piece for the showroom. The table was hand created from Darrens drawings by Kevin & John, and finished with reeded glass for an art deco feel.

The showroom also features 4 large window samples of our other best selling products, Homelight Plus, Corporate W20, Berkeley & MW40. These windows are all fully functioning, and can offer visitors the chance to touch and use the windows, experiencing the quality of our products in situ.

Crittall Crittall showroom Crittall windows Innervision Sliding Doors Steel doors Steel Windows

← 1 … 8 9 10 11 12 … 14 →