Bespoke upward-opening access panels for a data centre campus in Gävle, Sweden

Building Products Index Ltd Access Panels Leave a Comment

View the Palco entry on BPindex

Visit the Palco website

The Challenge

Palco designed, manufactured, tested and delivered a bespoke ceiling access panel for a suite of data centres in Gävle, Sweden, working alongside specialist contractor DVS Development Ltd.

Panels were needed in high-traffic corridors where safe, easy access was essential. Conventional downward-opening panels reduce headroom and can take considerable effort to operate, and the solution still had to meet strict air pressure and security requirements.

Our Solution

Working directly with the project architects, we engineered an upward-opening, Class 2 airtight, insulated ceiling access panel featuring:

  • Telescopic friction stays and a pull handle for low-effort opening
  • A Rockwool-insulated door for thermal and acoustic performance
  • A neoprene seal for airtight efficiency
  • A Euro Profile 3-point locking system for high security

Made in the UK, Independently Tested

Each panel was CNC punched, welded, powder coated (RAL 9010 as standard) and assembled at our two Midlands factories, where we can manufacture bespoke panels within days.

The panel was Class 2 air pressure tested at 300Pa to BS EN 1026:2016 at Chiltern International Fire, and reaction to fire tested to EN 13823:2020+A1:2022 at Warrington Fire.

From Nuneaton to Gävle

The panels were securely palletised and shipped from Nuneaton to Gävle, arriving on time and without damage. The result is a complete bespoke access solution tailored to a high-performance data centre environment.

“We had the privilege of working closely with the Palco team on access hatches. Their dedication to ensuring the approval of their product by the design team was evident, as they went above and beyond by conducting additional testing.”

DVS Development Ltd, specialist data centre contractor

Access Solutions for Data Centres

Alongside our upward opening panel, our data centre range includes metal ceiling panels, stock access panels, circular access panels, metal and plasterboard riser doors, metal slim doors and lift out tile doors. Options include fire certification of up to 4 hours, acoustic performance of up to 48dB, air pressure performance of up to Class 4 and any RAL colour finish, or primed for site decoration. Bespoke sizes are available on request.

We offer full bespoke design engineered from your drawings or specification, multi-door units (up to 8), anti-bacterial and anti-ligature options, and multiple lock and frame types, all securely palletised and delivered UK-wide and internationally.

About Palco

Founded in 1990, Palco (Panel & Louvre Company) has supplied access panels and riser doors to the UK construction industry for over 35 years, on projects including The Shard, The Whiteley and The BoTree in London, and the Grosvenor Hotel, Edinburgh. BIM objects are available on Bimobject and NBS Source.

Visit our website for more information.

Call us on 024 7518 7518 or email sales@palcouk.com to discuss your next project.

New ACO VinylSecure delivers reliable drainage for flexible flooring applications

Building Products Index Ltd Building Drainage, Drainage, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

View the ACO Building Drainage entry on BPindex

Visit the ACO Building Drainage website

ACO Building Drainage has launched ACO VinylSecure, a new stainless steel linear drainage system designed specifically to meet the challenge of providing a secure, watertight connection with flexible floor finishes in demanding commercial environments.

Developed to address this longstanding installation challenge, ACO VinylSecure is engineered for projects where safety vinyl, sheet vinyl and other flexible floor finishes are specified. The system uses a mechanical clamping arrangement to securely fix flooring materials directly to the drainage channel, creating a robust and reliable seal.

As flexible flooring continues to be specified across sectors such as leisure, commercial kitchens, education and food production, designers and contractors require drainage solutions that can match the durability and performance demands of these environments. ACO VinylSecure has been developed to meet this need, providing a practical solution that combines stainless steel construction with secure floor integration.

Manufactured from either 304 or 316 grade stainless steel, the system is suitable for applications where long-term durability, corrosion resistance and dependable performance are essential. It accommodates flexible flooring materials between 2 and 4mm thick and is available with a range of grating finishes to suit different project requirements.

The launch is expected to be particularly well suited to leisure centres, swimming pools, sports facilities and communal shower areas, where effective water management and foot safe flooring finishes are critical considerations. The system is also particularly relevant for commercial kitchen designers and contractors, where high-temperature washdowns, frequent cleaning regimes and slip resistant flooring require drainage channels and gratings to meet those requirements.

In addition to supporting easy-to-maintain floor layouts, ACO VinylSecure offers flexibility for project-specific designs. The channel runs are manufactured to suit individual layouts, enabling architects and specifiers to incorporate continuous linear drainage into both new-build and refurbishment projects.

The new solution reflects ACO’s continued focus on developing drainage systems that address real-world installation challenges while helping construction professionals deliver durable, high-performing environments.

Commenting on the launch, Erik Mul, Technical Product Manager at ACO Building Drainage said: “Modern commercial buildings increasingly utilise flexible flooring systems because of their durability, slip resistance and ease of maintenance. ACO VinylSecure has been specifically developed to provide a secure interface between these floor finishes and drainage systems, giving designers, installers and building owners confidence in the long-term performance of the installation.”

Suitable for applications ranging from hotels and healthcare facilities to schools, universities, transport hubs and food manufacturing plants, ACO VinylSecure provides specifiers with a versatile drainage solution that helps simplify the integration of flexible flooring and stainless-steel drainage systems.

For more information, Click here

Experience Sentio like Never Before

Building Products Index Ltd controls, Heating Leave a Comment

View the Wavin entry on BPindex

Visit the Wavin website

In line with Wavin’s commitment to innovation and product development, we’re pleased to share a new Sentio app is now available.

Developed in response to valuable feedback from homeowners and installers, this update offers a more intuitive and user-friendly experience while preserving the familiar functionality users rely on every day. Features such as scheduling, holiday mode and indoor climate control remain available, now supported by a refreshed design, clearer navigation, a notification centre, and important security improvements.

Designed around user feedback

At Wavin, we believe the best digital solutions are built together with their users. Over recent months, we have listened carefully to feedback from customers using the Sentio App in their daily lives.

The result is a redesigned user experience with clearer navigation, improved accessibility and a modern look and feel. Whether adjusting comfort settings, checking room conditions, managing schedules or setting vacation mode, users can continue to access the tools they know, now in a more intuitive way.

What’s new?

In addition to important security updates and the familiar functions already available in the Sentio App, the new release includes several user-focused enhancements:

  • Modern and intuitive user interface
  • Improved room and climate insights
  • Easier heating, cooling and ventilation control
  • New climate history graphs and trend visualisation
  • Improved scheduling experience
  • Dedicated notification centre for alerts and maintenance reminders
  • Enhanced accessibility and overall usability

The update is available via the App Store and Google Play now. Discover more about Sentio here.

Factory fitting accessories to our precast concrete headwalls

Building Products Index Ltd Concrete, Precast Leave a Comment

View the Althon entry on BPindex

Visit the Althon website

Althon are able to pre-fit a wide range to accessories to our precast concrete headwalls, this means the concrete does not have to be drilled on site. Saving time on the installation and has great health and safety benefits.

Wherever possible we will deliver our headwalls with all factory fitted accessories still attached for faster offload and installation.

☑️ Flap Valves
☑️ Penstocks
☑️ Gratings, Outfall Grilles and Trash Screens
☑️ Kee Klamp, Gates, Ladders and Catwalks
☑️ Dissipation Blocks
☑️ Stepped Baffle Blocks
☑️ Cascade Panels
☑️ Tideflex Duckbill Valves
☑️ Orifice Plates
☑️ Stop Logs
☑️ V Notch Weir
☑️ Pond Liner Brackets
☑️ Dovetails Slots for Cladding

 

or more information on the headwalls we offer please visit our website, email sales@althon.co.uk or call us on 01603 488700 and we will be happy to help.

Discover Accord™ – Glasdon’s Latest Specification-Led Building

Building Products Index Ltd Uncategorized Leave a Comment

View the Glasdon entry on BPindex

Visit the Glasdon website

The new Accord™ Building Module adapts to the customer’s bespoke specification.

Glasdon recently unveiled the latest product in their range of buildings and housings – a customisable building module that delivers the benefits of off-site manufacturing without having to compromise on functionality.

While traditional modular buildings offer some ability to configure, they aren’t always suitable for the specific needs of your site. For some locations, a certain aesthetic or branding may be desired, while in others, an enhanced level of performance is required.

Accord offers customers the flexibility and freedom to configure their building however they like. The building uses a hot-rolled steel structural frame to allow walls to be configured with doors, windows, and openings as required by the function of the building.

Whether that be a security gatehouse with openings for checking ID cards, a tourist point with large welcoming windows, or a retail space with an open storefront, Accord can adapt seamlessly to the customer’s design intent.

Part of that agility is also the wide range of cladding options available. With so many finishes that can be applied to Accord, customers can express full visual control over their building’s exterior, helping them achieve their desired look.

This feature can be used to ensure the building conforms with corporate branding, or blends into the existing aesthetic of a site, or even to make sure it stands out in a high footfall area.

Accord is compact but versatile, with a maximum footprint of 10m x 3.0m. The unit is ideal for any small external functions that require a building, such as retail spaces, pop-up stores, security gatehouses, small office suites, visitor points, or welfare hubs.

To learn more about Accord, or to request a quote, contact Glasdon.

Specifying Sustainability in Fenestration

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

View the Eurocell entry on BPindex

Visit the Eurocell website

As the construction industry works towards net zero, window and door specification has an important role to play in creating more sustainable, energy-efficient buildings.

Join Eurocell for this CPD UK Verified Lunch & Learn, exploring how fenestration choices can influence operational and embodied carbon, material use and whole-life building performance.

The session will cover:

  • Material selection, durability and maintenance
  • Recycled content, closed-loop recycling and the circular economy
  • Whole-window performance, including U-values, G-values and Psi-values
  • Lifecycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations
  • Recyclability and end-of-life considerations
  • The importance of accurate, product-specific performance data

What you’ll learn

Gain practical knowledge to help you make more informed fenestration choices that support sustainability, regulatory compliance and long-term building performance.

We have two online sessions available:

Check out some of our other CPDS here: Accredited CPD Learning with Eurocell | Building Knowledge, Building Confidence

Cedral Sidings: A Trusted Partner for Your Next Project

Building Products Index Ltd Cedral Cladding, Cladding, Sheathing Board Leave a Comment

Visit the Cedral entry on BPi: CEDRAL BY ETEX on BPi

Visit the Cedral website: Helping you build more beautiful homes. – Cedral

Specify with Confidence: Expert Support, Reliable Supply and Proven Expertise

Cedral From Etex

 

Cedral by Etex

For specifiers, selecting a cladding system is about much more than achieving the desired aesthetic. Every specification needs to balance design intent, compliance, performance, availability and long-term value. When a supplier fails to deliver on stock commitments, technical support or product continuity, project programmes, client confidence and professional reputations can all be impacted.

As a result, many architects, designers and specification professionals are reassessing their supply chain partners and looking for manufacturers they can rely on throughout the life of a project. This is where Cedral stands apart. Combining proven product performance with expert support, dependable availability and decades of fibre cement expertise, Cedral offers confidence from concept through to completion.

Design Freedom Without Compromise

Modern architectural projects demand materials that deliver both visual impact and technical performance. Cedral offers one of the most comprehensive fibre cement cladding ranges available, giving specifiers greater freedom to realise their design vision.Cedral by Etex

Available in both Lap and Click profiles, Cedral can achieve either a traditional overlapping appearance or a sleek contemporary flush finish. This versatility makes it suitable for a wide variety of residential, commercial and mixed-use developments.

An extensive palette of colours, combined with smooth and textured finishes, allows architects to create distinctive facades that complement any architectural style while maintaining consistency across larger developments.

Confidence in Supply

Cedral by EtexProduct availability has become an increasingly important factor in specification decisions. Supply chain disruption can lead to programme delays, redesigns and costly project complications.

With manufacturing facilities located in Europe and a well-established UK distribution network, Cedral provides greater supply chain

 

resilience and continuity. This helps ensure that products specified during the design phase remain available when construction begins.

For specifiers, this provides confidence that project timelines can be maintained and risk associated with material availability can be reduced.

Built for Long-Term Performance

The facade is one of the most exposed elements of any building, making durability a critical consideration at specification stage.

Cedral fibre cement cladding is engineered to withstand demanding weather conditions while offering excellent resistance to rot, moisture and environmental exposure. The result is a robust, low-maintenance facade solution that continues to perform throughout the life of the building.

Technical Expertise Throughout the Project

A successful specification depends on more than product selection. Access to reliable technical guidance is essential for ensuring designs are compliant, buildable and correctly detailed.

Cedral provides direct access to a dedicated UK-based technical team, offering support on detailing, compliance requirements, installation guidance and system performance.

Whether assisting during the design phase or helping resolve project-specific challenges, Cedral’s technical specialists work closely with project teams to ensure specifications can be delivered successfully on site.

Declarations and Certifications

Cedral Sidings has an excellent fire performance classification A2-s1,d0 and is supported by comprehensive technical documentation such as declaration of performance and environmental product declaration to help specifiers confidently address increasingly stringent project requirements.

Further reassurance is provided through BBA certification, offering independent verification of product performance and suitability for use in construction applications. For architects, designers and building control professionals, third-party certification provides valuable confidence that specified systems have been rigorously assessed against recognised standards.

Cedral Sidings has also achieved CCPi verification, demonstrating its commitment to clear, accurate and transparent product information throughout the specification process.

A Trusted Partner for Specifiers

When projects are too important to leave to chance, the choice of manufacturer matters as much as the choice of product.

From design flexibility and dependable supply to expert technical support, proven durability and strong compliance credentials, Cedral delivers far more than fibre cement cladding alone. With BBA-certified systems, CCPi verification, and a dedicated UK technical support team, specifiers can be confident they are selecting a trusted facade solution backed by robust evidence and industry-recognised standards.

Cedral offers the confidence of a trusted facade partner committed to supporting successful projects at every stage.

For further information please visit: Helping you build more beautiful homes. – Cedral

Visit our BPi Profile for content: Cedral on Building Products Index

Canford School: Bespoke Aluminium Features for a Historic Setting

Building Products Index Ltd Aluminium building products Leave a Comment

View the Dales Fabrications entry on BPindex

Visit the Dales Fabrications website

When a new building sits within a historic setting, the challenge is not simply to create something new. It is to make sure it feels as though it belongs.

That was an important consideration at Canford School in Dorset, where a new Upper Sixth boarding development has been designed within a campus with a history stretching back almost a thousand years. First recorded in the Domesday Book in the 1080s, the estate has developed over centuries and today includes a Grade I listed manor house, medieval structures including John of Gaunt’s Kitchen, and later architecture shaped by Edward Blore and Sir Charles Barry.

Adding new buildings to such a setting called for a careful balance: creating modern accommodation for today’s pupils while respecting the existing architectural character.

Bespoke Aluminium for the New Sixth Form Accommodation

Opened this September 2026, Canford School’s new Upper Sixth accommodation forms part of the secondary school’s continued investment in its facilities, following the completion of the Sixth Form Hub in 2025, which saw the conversion of Montacute House.

Previously spread across seven existing boarding houses, Upper Sixth pupils are now brought together in a purpose-built residential facility providing 120 en-suite single study bedrooms across two wings. Arranged around a central courtyard, the collegiate, Oxbridge-inspired design is intended to create a university-style environment for living and studying, while remaining closely connected to the historic campus.

The entire school estate sits within the Canford Magna Conservation Area and is subject to Local Plan Policy PP30, placing particular importance on protecting the character and setting of the area’s heritage assets. Consequently, architectural detailing and material selection played an important role in the design.

To help old and new blend together, Dales Fabrications designed and manufactured bespoke aluminium features for the project, including:

  • False chimneys
  • Dormer cladding
  • Portico detailing
  • Window surrounds

Each component was bespoke designed and manufactured for the project, allowing the new accommodation to incorporate the traditional architectural details seen across the existing site.

The false chimneys continue the established roofline seen across the campus, while the dormer cladding, window surrounds, and porticos provide a visual link between the new accommodation and the school’s long‑standing architectural character.

Why Aluminium?

For projects where architectural character is as important as practical performance, bespoke aluminium offers architects considerable flexibility.

Aluminium can be fabricated into project-specific shapes, profiles and features. This makes it possible to develop details around the design of the building.

For a project such as Canford School, this offers a number of advantages:

  • Design flexibility – components can be developed to suit specific architectural details and complex forms.
  • Lightweight construction – aluminium provides a relatively lightweight solution while offering the strength required for architectural applications.
  • Durability – aluminium offers long-term performance and resistance to corrosion, making it well suited to external applications.
  • Finishing options – aluminium can be finished in a wide range of colours, tones and textures to complement the wider material palette.

For Canford School, the bespoke aluminium features supplied by Dales were finished in Interpon Y2217F Steel Bronze, a muted metallic tone which complements the surrounding estate.

A modern material with a traditional feel

Canford School demonstrates what is possible when bespoke fabrication is used to bridge the gap between historic architecture and contemporary construction.

The new accommodation is a modern development designed around the needs of Upper Sixth pupils, but its architectural detailing responds to the buildings around it. By manufacturing the features specifically for the project, Dales was able to help the design team introduce traditional architectural references while retaining the benefits of a modern aluminium solution.

For architects working on heritage-sensitive developments, conservation-area projects or buildings with particularly strong architectural identities, that flexibility can be invaluable.

How Dales Can Support Your Project

At Dales Fabrications, we work with architects, contractors and specifiers to develop aluminium solutions around the requirements of individual projects.

From reproducing traditional architectural details to developing entirely bespoke features for contemporary façades, our in-house manufacturing expertise allows us to take a project from initial design through to manufacture, with a network of preferred installers available to support delivery on site.

Talk to Dales Fabrications about your next project: 0115 930 1521 | enquiries@dales-eaves.co.uk | www.dales-eaves.co.uk

Toupret launches Filler Finder: specification made simple

Building Products Index Ltd Filler Leave a Comment

View the Toupret entry on BPindex

Visit the Toupret website

Specifying the right product on site is crucial to carrying out a good job in the required time. But it can often be difficult when faced with an unusual or unexpected job. Can you be confident that the product on your spec or the one you’re about to purchase is the most suitable for the job in hand?

Is there a better solution out there? In the extensive world of fillers, Toupret’s new Filler Finder tool answers these questions.

What it does

Filler Finder is a problem-led digital tool that matches a specific problem on the surface you’re working on to the correct Toupret filler in seconds. Rather than working backwards from a product catalogue, start from the actual condition on site; whether that’s damp-affected plaster, exterior render cracking, timber decay or a plasterboard jointing job, and be guided directly to the product engineered for that repair on that specific surface.

How it works

The tool reduces product selection to a few short steps. From cracks on walls to exterior render repair, the filler finder helps you identify the repair, provides a step-by-step guide to solve the problem and suggests the products for the job.

How it helps

  • A faster route to the right answer – The tool narrows the substrate and repair combinations down to the products most suited to the job at hand.
  • All the technical detail you need – Whether you are confirming the filler already specified or considering for the first time, the tool sets out the product’s suitability for that substrate and repair alongside the supporting technical information.
  • Coverage beyond the obvious – Unusual substrates, damp-affected areas, and less common repair scenarios are built into the tool, not just the standard jobs.

The tool brings Toupret’s substrate-by-substrate technical guidance across both interior and exterior repairs into one place.

Filler Finder is live now at fillerfinder.co.uk.

FIREFLY® Zeus Specified To Protect Peabody Apartment Blocks

Building Products Index Ltd Fire Protection Leave a Comment

View the FIREFLY® entry on BPindex

Visit the FIREFLY® website

A total of 20 traditionally built apartment blocks belonging to the Peabody Trust in North-West London have been brought up to the current requirements of the Building Regulations using products from the FIREFLY® range of high-performance barriers.

The work to the properties is being led by LMAC Group with Essex based T and R Fire Protection being the specialist installer of the Zeus 90-30, Zeus 60-30 Horizontal and ancillary products like FIREFLY® Collaroll and intumescent adhesive. Zeus Horizontal 60-30 was utilised to create ‘protected zones’ within the roof spaces.

The Site Manager for T & R Fire Protection, Tom Port-Smith, added: “So far, we have completed three of the blocks and are now waiting for Building Control to confirm they are happy with the work before our scheduled three teams tackle the rest of the buildings. Peabody required us to use FIREFLY® Zeus 90-30 on this contract we do tend to favour the manufacturer’s product range for our compartmentation work, due to the ease of installation and the dependability of performance…

…while the lightness and flexibility of the barriers make them ideal for working in relatively confined spaces like this, we always get good technical support from the company’s Technical Manager, Andy Greenwood and his team, whenever we need special details.”

Manufactured from woven and non-woven glass, the FIREFLY® range is designed to optimise resistance to flame and smoke as well as offer heat protection in a wide range of scenarios.

FIREFLY® Technical Sales Manager, Andrew Greenwood commented: “I’ve had the opportunity to inspect a number of projects completed by T & R Fire, including installations of Firefly Zeus Lite fire curtains, and I’ve consistently been impressed with the quality of their work. They have always demonstrated a strong commitment to achieving a high standard of installation, backed up by excellent technical knowledge and professionalism.

Their installers regularly undertake direct training with TBA Firefly, helping to ensure they remain up to date with the latest manufacturer details, specifications and installation requirements. From my experience, T & R Fire combine quality workmanship with a genuine understanding of the importance of installing passive fire protection systems correctly. They set a very high standard, and it’s always reassuring to see their work on site.

FIREFLY® barriers are manufactured and designed for installation horizontally, alongside a complete range of FIREFLY® ancillary products, to ensure a fully tested and certified installed system.  As one of the manufacturer’s most widely used products, Zeus has been designed and certified to achieve compartmentation in large, concealed spaces including roof voids, helping to restrict heat transfer as well as the spread of flames while its certificated performance exceeds the requirements of Building Regulations Part B.

Images shown are taken during installation and some sections of the installation might be incomplete.