M5 Final PDF Pages cc

MMC 

MODERN METHODS 

OF CONSTRUCTION 

July 2017 

issue M5 

Lean, mean, new-build 

window machine 

MMC reports on Building 

Product Solutions (BPS) 

rapid rise. 

Icarus LSF 

How Icarus LSF used light 

gauge steel to the highest 

level of best practice. 

Off-site timber innovations 

MEDITE SMARTPLY develops 

large panel technologies for 

the offsite industry. 

p 

10 p 

20 p 

24

NOT ALL OSB 

IS CREATED EQUAL 

www.mdfosb.com 

info@mdfosb.com 

CUT IT, DRILL IT, FIX IT. 

Whatever you do to SMARTPLY FR OSB, it will 

still maintain it’s CE mark and certification due to the 

flame retardancy being built into the panel, not applied 

as a coating or impregnated after manufacture.

MMC 

July 2016 

issue M5 

Dear Reader, 

My thoughts when watching the 

horrifying news coverage of Grenfell 

Tower, were that this cannot be 

happening in the UK, in 2017. 

Whilst, at the time of writing, 

investigations have yet to determine 

the cause of the fire and its 

uncontrolled spread, it is more 

important than ever to ensure that the 

building design, and the methods and 

materials we use, are not only 

sustainable and cost-efficient, but 

must be capable of protecting the 

users of that building against fire, 

smoke and CO. 

Cheaper options are not necessarily 

better options. 

The whole chain from designers, 

specifiers, main and sub-contractors, 

purchase departments, and installers, 

must each ensure that the materials 

used be correct - whether it’s because 

‘water-repellent’ has been confused 

with ‘water-proof’ which can lead to 

costly rectifications - and damp 

contents - all the way up to life-ordeath 

decisions, where it can be simply 

too late. 

In the term MMC we must remember 

that the ‘M’ is for ‘Modern’ - and in this 

day and age scenes like those of 14th 

June should not exist. 

12 The need for new traditions 

The Construction industry is very good at problem solving – something that 

happens on sites across the UK every day of the week. 

14 On the right track 

At UK rail stations, modules are the new ‘bricks and mortar, Matthew Goff, 

director of UK operations at Actavo Building Solutions, explains how rail can cut 

construction costs. 

25 W.Howard's range in a speedy five days 

Leading MDF profile manufacturer The W.Howard Group can supply over 200 

different line items within five days across the UK, providing a superior service in 

the offsite construction market. 

28 Off site application for optimum performance of SiOO:X 

SiOO:x is a patented silicon-based two-part wood surface treatment process that 

was developed in Sweden over 15 years ago, where it finds extensive use in the DIY 

market. 

30 The relationship between sustainability & wellbeing 

The importance of sustainability in the construction industry has come of age. 

What was initially considered by many to be a tick-box exercise has fast become a 

major design requirements. 

Regards, 

Juliet 

44 Inbound vs outbound project costs: 

How the industry can bring these two figures closer together. 

Features Editor: 

Juliet Davies 

editor@buildinsite.co.uk 

Advertising: 

Paul Barstow 

paul@buildinsite.co.uk 

Press Releases: 

press@buildinsite.co.uk 

Production: Di Smith 

di@buildinsite.co.uk 

Design: Ellie Rich 

design@buildinsite.co.uk 

Circulation: 

circulation@buildinsite.co.uk 

Enquiries 0121 661 9484 

Front cover advert 

Award winning projects by G-frame Structures, 

specialists in the design and delivery of CLT, 

Glulam and hybrid structural solutions across 

a range of sectors including multi-storey, 

residential, public access, student 

accommodation, education and workspace. 

Projects clockwise from top: Moneypenny HQ, 

Midmill Primary School, Curwen Primary 

School, Redshank Beach House (centre). 

Specifiers can subscribe free of charge to this magazine, please visit 

www.buildingspecifier.com/subscriptions 

Publisher’s Statement. 

Printed in England. All rights reserved. No part of MMC may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form 

without prior permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, the editor and publishers 

do not accept responsibility for errors or loss and damage caused by any statements, claims or observations made by contributors, authors 

and their agents. 

BuildInsite Limited. Reg - 10260463 

MMC 

July 2017 M5 3

MMC 

Latest News 

Offsite demand increases recruitment 

Northampton-based Fusion Building Systems has recently appointed two new team members and advertised for a further seven, in response to new 

contracts being won by the business as the popularity of offsite construction methods increases. 

Mark Webb has joined the light gauge steel superstructure manufacturer as a Project Site Manager from Stewart Milne Timber Systems, and Ahmed 

Sharif has been appointed as a Trainee Structural Engineer. Ahmed will combine his role at Fusion with studying for an MSc in Structural Engineering 

at the University of Surrey. 

In addition to these new appointments, Fusion has recently advertised seven new positions which require varying skillsets and levels of experience - 

two Site Managers, an Assistant Site Manager, a Structural Engineer, a Graduate Structural Engineer, a Design Team Leader and a Technical 

Designer. 

The roles already filled and those being recruited for provide a snapshot of the expertise involved in offsite manufacturing. From creating building 

designs using state-of-the-art BIM software, to managing the safe delivery and erection of a panelised, or smart modular, superstructures on site, 

Fusion is looking for graduate applicants through to those with engineering Chartership status. 

Contract wins for Gus Robinson Developments 

North-east building contractor Gus Robinson Developments has celebrated starting work on three new schemes with a combined value of over 

£9m. The business, that has employed 11 new members of staff over the last year, is working towards a financial target of £20m turnover by 

September this year. 

Since January, the company has started works on two projects with Karbon Homes, at the former St Mary’s School in South Shields, and at the 

former Newbottle Community Centre near Houghton-le-Spring, which will see 54 new homes being completed throughout 2017. 

Works have also commenced on the firm’s first collaboration with Bernicia Homes with 11 new bungalows and houses under construction in 

Fawdon, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Bernicia Homes is working with Newcastle City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to deliver 11 

much needed affordable homes in a popular area of the city. 

These new developments are part of Gus Robinson Developments’ growing pipeline of work and business plan, which is set to exceed £20m in 

each of the next two financial years. 

Support builds for Gate Safety Week 

With the dhf (Door & Hardware Federation) initiative ‘Gate Safety 

Week’ only a few months away, leading UK organisations have 

been quick to offer their support to the on-going safety campaign, 

with the British Safety Council the latest to put its weight behind 

the drive for safely installed and maintained automated gates. 

Gate Safety Week is a year-long campaign, now in its fourth year, 

and will culminate in a week of intense activity from 9th - 15th 

October, with the objective to raise awareness about the dangers 

of unsafe gates, as well as how to spot a potentially dangerous 

gate and report it. This year’s campaign focuses on automated 

gate safety within the school environment. dhf represents the 

leading suppliers, installers and maintainers of powered gates, 

traffic barriers and powered access control automation 

equipment. 

Sentinel is Centre of Excellence for BMF 

Sentinel’s state-of-the-art training facility, which is located within the 

company’s substantial headquarters in Daresbury, Cheshire, has been 

awarded Centre of Excellence status by the Builders Merchants Federation 

(BMF). The modern space will be used to host builders’ merchants, 

including specialist plumbing and heating merchants, attending regional 

BMF events, which deliver support in areas such as training and 

development, business advice, and policy representation. 

The BMF is the only trade association that represents and protects the 

interests of builders’ merchants and suppliers to the merchant industry in 

the UK. In January 2017 its membership stood at 578 merchant and 

supplier companies operating from over 4,800 branches across the UK, 

and its members employ more than 117,000 people. The BMF has 14 

Centres of Excellence throughout the country, where its members can 

access training and events closer to home. The association plans to open 

two centres in every UK region. 

Kawneer appoints new technical specialist 

A façade designer and engineer with some stunning projects to his name has been appointed by Kawneer, a leading UK manufacturer of 

architectural glazing systems, to the role of Technical Director. Danny Birrell has an MSc in façade engineering, and 18 years of experience in the 

construction and architectural aluminium industry, most recently as technical leader with a specialist sub-contractor. 

At Kawneer he leads a team of more than 20 consultants, designers, engineers, technicians and trainers, and will be part of the Cheshire 

company’s senior management team led by Managing Director Phil Randles. 

Danny replaces Vince Murphy who retired after almost 30 years with the business. He brings with him a high level of expertise in full façade 

management and the design, fabrication and installation of façade envelopes comprising curtain walling, rainscreen cladding and structural 

glazing. 

High profile projects that he can put his name to include the Olympic village project (Stratford City, London), the former Royal Eye Hospital in 

Manchester, 123 Victoria Street (London), Winnersh Triangle in Reading, and BSKYB Academy in London. 

4 MMC 

July 2017 M5

g15 announce new Chair and Vice Chair 

Housing association g15 have announced the appointment of a new Chair and Vice Chair. Paul Hackett, CEO of Optivo, succeeds David Montague 

as Chair, and Helen Evans, CEO of Network, takes over the Vice Chair role from Paul Hackett, with immediate effect. 

“g15 have committed to increase the delivery of new homes by 50% to 60,000 over the next four years,” explained Paul. “Of these 42,000 homes 

will be affordable, with the remainder for market sale and market rent. The country is going through a period of uncertainty, so it’s even more 

important that g15 works with its partners to create the conditions that will enable housing associations to maximise the supply of new homes, 

matched with a commitment to help address Britain’s broken housing market. I’m looking forward to working with the GLA, the boroughs, and 

the new government to drive higher housing supply in London, and with Helen Evans as we take the g15 forward.” 

Helen Evans added, “This is an exciting time to be taking over as Vice Chair of g15. Between us we house one in ten Londoners and provide a 

positive voice for housing in the capital.” 

FireAngel strengthens team 

FireAngel, leading manufacturer of fire and carbon monoxide safety 

solutions, has appointed two new managers as part of its continued 

investment in its growing sales team. Claire O’Meara has been 

appointed as the National Account Manager for the Fire and Rescue 

Service (FRS) department, while Elizabeth Mitchel joins the 

company as Area Specification Manager for the North East and 

East Midlands regions. 

Claire is responsible for a total of 44 FRS divisions nationwide, 

visiting each service once a quarter to build relationships, monitor 

stock levels and make sure latest schemes, such as the current 

Connected Homes project, are implemented correctly. Elizabeth 

manages all contracts across the North East and East Midlands 

regions, working closely with social landlords, wholesalers, 

merchants and contractors to keep individuals safe from potential 

fire and carbon monoxide incidents within the home. 

FireAngel’s success continues to go from strength to strength, with 

their Project SHOUT campaign recently winning the Outstanding 

Achievement Award at the 2017 H&V News Awards. 

CoWicona appoint new Director of Specification 

Sales 

Graham Hurrell has joined Wicona as Director of Specification Sales, 

bringing more than 30 years’ industry experience. Primarily responsible 

for increasing Wicona’s visibility as a high-specification architectural 

product brand, Graham will be working across Wicona’s core markets to 

develop engineered solutions, and further elevate the brand’s presence 

in its sector. 

With Wicona renowned for delivering technically complex, high-end 

bespoke solutions, part of Graham’s role is to oversee consistency of 

quality across the board by ensuring that product testing, accreditation 

standards and resourcing are perfectly aligned. 

Graham first started working for the Sapa Group in 1998 and progressed 

to Director of Specification Sales for Sapa Building System UK, followed 

by a three-year assignment on international business development. After 

a short period away from Sapa, Graham is thrilled to return to the Group. 

Graham lives in Suffolk, close to the Essex border, and will be dividing 

his working hours between Wicona’s offices in London, Wakefield and 

Tewkesbury. 

New guide boosts use of offsite components 

Important new roofing guidance endorsed by the NHBC has been published by the Trussed Rafter Association (TRA), designed to reduce the 

risks, costs and waste from poor spandrel panel construction by housebuilders. 

In a recent NHBC survey of 8,000 new homes sites, about 17% were already using spandrel panels. Trussed roof manufacturers report increasing 

interest in these offsite components, especially from large and volume housebuilders building low-rise housing and apartments. 

The new guide for masonry-built homes provides evidence-based technical best practice on the design, structural requirements, fire and 

acoustic performance, weather protection and safe installation of spandrel panels. It is available now as a free download from the TRA website. 

The guide has been developed by the TRA in association with the NHBC and the Structural Timber Association (STA), and will receive further 

updates following the outcome of further fire testing, currently being undertaken with the STA. The TRA and NHBC will also be providing further 

updates on gable detailing later this year. 

Roofing project nominated for two awards 

A complex new re-roofing project, undertaken by Ian Williams subsidiary Chamberlain Building Contractors, has been nominated for two separate 2017 

construction awards; the Master Builders Awards and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors Awards. 

Managed by Bristol City Council, Parbrook Court provides sheltered accommodation for vulnerable residents, in the form of 20 self-contained flats plus 

communal facilities and garden. The key challenge in the project was to reroof the facility in a single project, without displacing or inconveniencing 

those residents. The challenge was heightened due to the unusual design of the building, where tiling extended down from the roof to the base of the 

first floor. 

To accomplish this Ian Williams proposed a solution centred upon a temporary Haki roof structure, which would allow the old roof – including 

asbestos, tiles and lead work – to be removed, the new roof installed, and windows to be replaced at the same time. A highly complex scaffold system 

was also designed to provide necessary access while ensuring the health and safety of staff and residents. 

A project this complex requires tight project management and coordination of all parties, including contractors, specialist sub-contractors, suppliers 

and clients. At the same time, residents were kept fully involved and informed, through residents’ meetings and a direct-employed on-site officer 

tasked with liaising with residents and monitoring their wellbeing throughout the project. 

The result was a complex project delivered on time and within budget, and a client delighted with the finished roof. 

MMC 


MMC 

Product News 

Armstrong takes installers to new 

heights 

A new, highly engineered 

suspension system that is 

up to 20% quicker to install 

has been launched by 

Armstrong Ceiling 

Solutions. The new TLS 

metal hook cross tees 

manufactured from solid 

steel and engineered with 

total precision now delivers 

the three Ss - Simplicity, Stability and Solidity. 

The superior functionality of TLS is characterised by three key 

elements. It is simple and safe to install due to a secure hook design. 

It aligns and sets into position with an audible click, guaranteeing 

ceiling stability and self-squaring, and it features a solid clip 

manufactured from pre-shaped steel, for stronger and more secure 

connections that lock into place. 

For specifiers, it also lies flush to the main runner, providing a 

streamlined aesthetic to the fully finished ceiling, while for 

installers, pre-shaped embossments on the clip increase rigidity and 

also control rotation. 

In addition, the new Prelude 24mm TLS cross tees enable Armstrong 

to deliver a fire resistant and fully Cradle To Cradle® certified 

system when installed with Cradle To Cradle certified ceilings such 

as Ultima+, Perla and Dune Supreme. 

www.armstrongceilings.co.uk 

Clean up with demountable bathroom 

pods 

Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod manufacturer, has 

developed an innovative demountable pod solution for refurbishment 

and new build projects where there is insufficient access for fully 

assembled pods. Demountable pods radically reduce work on site, and 

offer the superior and consistent quality of factory-built bathrooms. 

The demountable solution uses a unique sectional design where the 

shower tray forms part of the floor and the wall panels create the 

shower enclosure. Holes for 

sanitaryware are pre-drilled and 

only the shower door is then 

installed on site. The pod walls 

are completely vertical with 90° 

corners – unlike pods created 

from complete GRP moulds 

which have tapered walls – so 

integration is very simple. 

Offsite Solutions’ demountable 

pods are manufactured from 

GRP which is very robust and 

offers ease of maintenance and 

longevity. A wide variety of wall 

finishes are available for the 

sectional pods, including tile 

effect, matt or gloss and with 

feature recesses if required. 

www.offsitesolutions.com/demountables 

The case for factory finishing timber 

The benefits of full factory finishing of architectural timber, combined with the use of translucent coatings to bring out the lustre of natural wood, 

are ideally highlighted in the construction of a new-build fire and rescue station in Lymm, Cheshire. 

While factory finishing is becoming more prevalent, it is still far from the 

norm, despite the many distinct advantages shown in this project. 

“It not only means the process can be carried out in a completely controlled 

environment but also of course the entire piece is coated, not just the outside 

surfaces,” explained Graham Avery, Technical Coatings Manager with 

specialist paint supplier Mighton. “The work can be done 365 days a year, 

whatever the weather – and the result is significantly more weatherresistant.” 

Similarly, translucent wood coatings are a less common choice than opaque 

finishes though, as the Lymm contract shows, they can show off the timber 

grain to its best effect while retaining all the weather-proofing and 

preservative qualities of a technically advanced exterior coating. In this case, 

Mighton Woodstain TP transparent top coat was specially mixed to the colour 

TR4131 to complement the natural colour of the Siberian Larch specified for 

the exterior cladding, while the translucency of the coating brought out the 

timber’s grain to best effect. 

The low-build, high-solids Mighton Woodstain TP is a one-pot solution so the single product is not only applied as primer, base coat and finish - 

requiring no washing out of machinery between coats – but is also used for repair and maintenance, ensuring absolute consistency of colour and 

gloss level. The impregnation achieved by vacuum-coating also gives improved adhesion so the surface will not flake, peel or crack, and the product 

has the added environmental benefit of being water-based. 

www.mightonproducts.com 

6 MMC 


MMC 

Product News 

A trio of benefits for metal ceilings 

Transport projects are often at the cutting edge of great design. But ceilings designed to 

capture the eye soon begin to capture dirt, and because they are usually designed at height in 

this sector, cleaning and maintaining them is not an easy option. 

Now Armstrong Ceilings has come up with a patented solution; TrioGuard, a high-performance 

dirt-resistant coating for metal ceiling tiles. This unique powder painted finish has a lasting ‘just 

like new’ appearance, which means lower maintenance costs and ease of cleaning, and is also 

colour fast, keeping its original colour for up to 10 years. TrioGuard also brings its trio of 

benefits to sectors such as healthcare and commercial where ceilings are more easily cleaned. 

High-performance TrioGuard is available in both Armstrong’s standard and custom ranges of 

Hook-On, Clip-In and Lay-In metal ceilings, in plain, perforated and microperforated options as 

well as baffles and walls. 

For areas with low ceiling voids the Clip-In systems are downwardly demountable and come with 

an optional swing-down function. The Hook-On panels can be stored vertically in the ceiling 

when specified with the hinge-down swing function. Both systems are also lockable, with a 

separate security clip. 

Manufactured from up to 30% recycled content and up to 85% light-reflecting, the TrioGuard 

systems are covered by Armstrong’s 15-year product warranty and industry-leading 30-year 

systems warranty. 

Armstrong’s architectural specialties product manager Jeremy Sumeray said: “Transport 

projects are among the most visually attractive spaces for the people who are passing through 

them as well as the people who work in them. But what looked stunning on paper is not always 

what transpires in reality. 

“TrioGuard helps our customers deliver better-looking ceilings for longer, resulting in happier 

passengers, and because of the reduced cost of maintenance and cleaning, happier operators.” 

A high-performance dirt-resistant 

coating for metal ceiling tiles, 

TrioGuard, launched by Armstrong. 

www.armstrongceilings.co.uk 

Game Set and Match for Wimbledon Court No.1 

Award winning innovators in 

EOS Landscape Wimbledon 

light gauge steel, EOS Facades, 

were appointed to design and 

manufacture a new open/close 

roofing solution for Court No.1 

at Wimbledon Tennis & 

Croquet Club. The bespoke 

roofing system will provide 

protection for players and 

26,500 spectators, minimising 

disruption and reducing 

potential loss of income during 

inclement weather. 

EOS designed two walls to envelop the entire circumference of Court No. 1. The inner wall was completed in April 2017, and the outer wall is 

scheduled for construction later this year following the 2017 Championships. 

EOS took a linear product and developed it to engineer an entirely bespoke solution, whilst retaining the minimalist design of the tennis club. 

They applied a lightweight solution to create an integral masking screen which will not only maximise the audience's experience, but virtually 

eliminates any sign of industrial support infrastructure. EOS utilised bespoke framing support that was introduced subtly and hidden behind the 

screens, continuing the seamless flow. 

With EOS supplying all ancillary parts and providing cold formed studs/tracks cut to length, a tight deadline was achieved. Site issues were nonexistent 

due to the design being BIM modelled and being manufactured in factory controlled conditions with stringent quality checks. 

The project was recently entered in to the 2017 Offsite Construction Awards - Best Use of Steel category. 

To read the full Wimbledon case study go to: http://www.eos-facades.co.uk/case-studies/case-studies-commercial/ 

8 MMC 


Kerkstoel 2000+ 

A European leader in the offsite manufacture 

of “hybrid” precast concrete products. 

High quality – fine tolerances and smooth finish 

Reinforcement already installed 

Ability to build in components 

Little or no material wastage 

Structural capabilities equivalent of in-situ concrete 

Just in time delivery, little or no storage required on site 

Simple and rapid erection with minimal skilled labour, enhanced health and safety 

Our state of the art factory produces Twin Walls, Wide Slabs, Comfort Walls and Active Flooring. 

We already have more than 10 years of experience supplying high profile clients 

on the UK and Irish markets, let us see what we can do for your projects! 

More info? 0333 012 4196 or www.kerkstoel.co.uk 

Built on experience, driven by innovation. 

Inspirational CMS Window Systems Secures Top 1000 UK Companies 

Ranking 

10:07 

CMS Window Systems, Scotland’s leading designer, manufacturer and installer of windows, doors and curtain walling, has once again been 

named as one of the best British businesses with excellent growth potential, by making the influential Top 1000 ‘Companies to Inspire Britain’ 

2017 report published by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). 

It is the second year in a row that the company has featured in the report, 

which is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small 

and medium sized businesses across the UK. 

CMS is one of just 41 companies in Scotland to make the Top 1000 

Companies to Inspire Britain report, and one of only a handful in the 

windows, doors and building envelope sector. This recognition comes only a 

few weeks after CMS was awarded a prestigious Queen’s Award for 

Enterprise for its sustainable management achievements. 

Andy Kerr, Managing Director of CMS Window Systems, says, “We’re 

delighted to be named as one of the UK’s most inspirational companies 

again. It’s high-profile recognition of the whole team’s continued hard work 

and an independent confirmation that our business development is on track 

as the demand for genuinely sustainable, high quality windows and doors 

continues to grow.” 

Commenting on the report, the Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for 

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “I want to congratulate the 

1000 companies from across the UK featured in London Stock Exchange 

Group’s pioneering 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report. Championing 

Based near Glasgow, CMS Window Systems has grown 

rapidly to now employ more than 250 people in just over a 

decade. 

high growth innovative SMEs is crucial for the continued success of the UK economy and a country that works for everyone.” 

CMS Windows provides social housing providers, housebuilders and developers with a range of high performance windows, doors and curtain walling 

solutions designed to maximise energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and deliver comfort for householders and building users. 

Find out more at www.cmswindows.com 

MMC 


lean, mean, new-build window machine 

Dedicated new build window manufacturer and installer Building Product Solutions (BPS) was established in 2009, and from a 

standing start is set to achieve a £7m turnover this year. It supplies most major housebuilders including Taylor Wimpey, 

Persimmon and Redrow, and many regional developers across the North. Lynne Darwin, Sales Director and Shareholder at BPS 

explains why the new build sector is not one for faint-hearted or ‘part-time’ suppliers. 

Responding to the UK’s relentless demand 

for new housing, the construction sector 

is constantly being asked to innovate and 

develop new solutions that eliminate waste, 

time and cost and help contend with the skills 

shortage. This innovation has emerged through 

suppliers developing new products and 

materials, as well as new services that are 

specifically developed to meet the needs of this 

specialist industry. 

New build is hard, and margins tight, so it’s 

critical that suppliers like BPS have a deep 

understanding of the sector, develop close, 

collaborative relationships and invest in 

infrastructure and IT that allows us to provide 

the right products at the right time - every time. 

Specialisation is Strength 

When it comes to products, BPS exclusively 

fabricates next generation Deceuninck profile, 

one of the best-looking PVC-U windows on the 

market. We’re currently manufacturing 1500 

cavity closers and 1500 windows every week, all 

of which are A rated as standard. We call this 

MMC system Click and Fix. It comprises a 

unique installation clip system that ensures all 

brick openings are the correct size from top to 

bottom and side to side (available in standard off 

the shelf brick opening sizes) so windows can be 

installed effortlessly to create a single unit. This 

innovation also eliminates the need for any 

temporary timber support. 

People are surprised when we explain that we 

only produce white windows, a strategy borne 

10 MMC 

July 2017 M5 

out of experience. Time and time again we see 

window companies try and fail to deliver colour. 

The reason is simple: because windows are 

fitted at a very early stage in a build, all the 

services coming in afterwards use the windows 

for passing through equipment, building 

materials, and so on. Damaged foiled and 

coloured products are a nightmare to repair in 

contrast to white PVC-U substrate. 

But if you don’t understand how the sector 

works and then appreciate the logistical stages 

that occur in a build programme, you wouldn’t 

know this presents a major headache for 

everyone. 

Making A Customer, Not A Sale 

Service is everything in new build which 

requires an understanding of the dynamics of 

how a housebuilder operates and the need for 

products to be on site when specified. Lateness 

is not an option when so many trades are 

involved and downtime incurs heavy losses. 

That’s why we’ve structured BPS in a very 

specific way. We’re involved with the builder 

pretty much from Day One and our teams work 

with everyone from the CEO, through to the 

Contracts Director and Site Managers. 

Collectively, we provide detail on how the 

windows should interface with the fabric of the 

building, meet acoustic requirements and U 

Value requirements, provide wind pressure 

assessments for site location and confirm 

correct framing construction and design. 

As a supply and fit company, getting product and 

fitting teams on site at exactly the right time is 

imperative. Within our team are ‘Site Eyes’ who 

are literally watching the sites we are working 

on and liaising with the in-house teams and 

production to ensure that original deadlines 

don’t go astray – or if we do that we’re aware of 

this to proactively manage the situation. 

We also have our own bespoke software BPS- 

SYS that is used right through the process and is 

honed for optimum efficiency. Every single item 

is logged and tracked through the build, precommissioning 

checks before the householder 

moves in and even through the two-year 

warranty period. We now have over 2 million 

records on the BPS-SYS software. 

When a housebuilder or developer chooses 

BPS, they get so much more than a ‘window’. 

They get access to a knowledgeable, specialist 

and experienced team. I believe it’s our focus on 

customer satisfaction that has underpinned our 

growth to date and will continue to do so. 

Unlike some companies, this ambition for 

growth will never be at the expense of quality 

and customer service. We have a 10/10 business 

objective to achieve £10 million sales in our 10th 

year with 100 staff. We’ll only achieve this by 

being great at what we do day in day out – a 

strategy we intend to stick to. 

Contact Lynne Darwin at Building Product 

Solutions for more information on the 

company’s Next Generation products on 

01709 882080.

Service is everything in 

new build which requires 

an understanding of the 

dynamics of how a 

housebuilder operates 

and the need for 

products to be on site 

when specified... 

MMC 


image © Portakabin 

Those who want to learn more 

about off-site construction 

should think about signing up 

as delegates to the Off-site 

Construction Show 2017, that 

takes place at London’s ExCel 

Centre on 11th & 12th October. 

Delegate places are free. 

For more information contact 

offsiteconstructionshow.co.uk 

The need for new traditions 

The Construction industry is very good at problem solving – something that happens on sites across the UK every day of the week. 

But the Buildoffsite organisation say that 

whilst successfully dealing with 

problems that arise on a regular basis 

and solutions found on a here and now basis, 

the industry is much less good at getting under 

the skin of the reasons that problems arise and 

taking steps ahead of time to aim to avoid 

repetition. 

A frankly quaint way of operating that other 

industries have long since moved away from. 

Problem solving on the fly provides a great 

learning opportunity but it is expensive; 

someone (usually the client) ends up paying. 

And if lessons are not learned – and they rarely 

are - then the root cause is simply another cost 

of doing business. No wonder that for so many 

construction is seen as a distress purchase. 

It is perhaps no surprise that McKinsey’s found 

that globally the construction industry has been 

flat-lining in terms of its productivity over the 

last 50 years or so. Despite all the new digital 

technology, despite BIM, despite increasingly 

excellent components and construction 

systems, clients continue to pay more year on 

year when for almost all other industries the 

client/customer expectation is that increased 

efficiency and the hard edge of competition will 

mean that prices go down and value increases. 

The increased use of offsite solutions is a 

potential game changer for the construction 

industry. This doesn’t take a lot of thinking about 

as the evidence is available from other 

manufacturing industries which have all long 

since gone down this path. However, the thing 

that many in the construction industry have yet 

to pick up on is the fact that in order to enjoy the 

benefits of an approach to construction that 

increasingly involves the site assembly of 

factory-made components it is rather important 

that both the procurement process and the 

construction process are also restructured. 

For much of the industry, the separation of 

design from construction means that buildings 

12 MMC 


and structures are designed in a way that 

reflects traditional practices. Designers are still 

slow to recognise that it is not an abdication of 

their training and undoubted abilities to design 

in a way that takes advantages of standardised 

components and solutions. Is it really the case 

that good design is possible only if every project 

is designed as a one-off? 

An approach to design that assumes that the 

construction will be delivered traditionally 

inevitably causes difficulties for an offsite 

supplier to compete. As a consequence the 

learning point that comes back is that offsite 

construction is more expensive than traditional. 

If a project has already received planning 

consent based on a traditional approach, the 

prospect of switching to offsite construction is 

even more challenging. 

Now switch things around so that the design 

follows the principles of Design for Manufacture 

and Assembly and suddenly the game shifts 

dramatically. No longer the sharp differentiation 

of the design from the construction process but 

an integrated whole that has regard to the 

technical, resourcing, project planning, and 

health and safety challenges that impact on the 

project delivery on the ground. Viewed in this 

way offsite enabled construction starts to come 

into its own in an open and honest way that is 

simply not the way in which traditional 

construction operates. 

Inevitably as more and more offsite construction 

systems come to market and their use is driven 

by increasingly informed clients, things will 

change and recognition of the game-changing 

nature of offsite solutions will become 

embedded. However, we are still some way off 

this ideal. 

The reality is that still too many clients are 

prepared to tolerate an approach to construction 

that they know will lead to cost and time overruns, 

will generate needless waste, impose 

additional risks to health and safety, take far too 

long to complete and so on. Experienced serial 

clients already know how to compare the 

anticipated out-turn cost of traditional 

construction methods with an alternative offsite 

enabled approach and understand what value 

means in a particular context. 

In many ways the construction industry is in 

transition. Too few professionals have an indepth 

understanding of offsite construction 

despite the increasing efforts of the 

Professional Bodies. In many cases the kneejerk 

reaction to offsite construction is to price, in 

their view of the risk which will inevitably make 

life difficult for offsite suppliers to compete. In 

this case it is quite likely that risk is being taken 

as a proxy for a lack of understanding of offsite 

by the client’s professional team. 

Curiously how often do you hear of a risk 

premium being added because of labour and 

material shortages associated with traditional 

construction – or the almost inevitably of cost 

and time over-runs? 

Education and growing experience will take care 

of many of the residual challenges to offsite 

methods. The ubiquitous use of information 

modelling will also be a powerful driving force. 

Aside from the obvious benefits of offsite 

solutions in terms of greater cost certainty, 

reduced time on site, assured quality of build, 

and savings on preliminaries, there is also the 

increasingly important issue of the performance 

of the completed structure in use. To date 

performance of a traditionally constructed 

building has sort of been assumed but there is 

growing evidence that performance at the 

design stage is not necessarily the same as that 

achieved at project completion. There is clearly 

a risk issue here but curiously risks associated 

with traditional construction do not seem to 

attract anything like the same attention and 

concern. Funny old world! 

For developments linked to offsite 

manufacture and use please visit 

www.buildoffsite.com

Modular construction was 

perfect for this remote 

moorland location (supplier 

Caledonian Modular) 

image © Ken Davie 

BSkyB Believe in 

Better Building 

image © B & K Structures 

MMC 


In My Opinion 

On the right track 

At UK rail stations, modules are the new ‘bricks and mortar,’ with Oxford Railway 

Station being just one example. Matthew Goff, director of UK operations at Actavo 

Building Solutions, explains how rail can cut construction costs. 

Modular office accommodation provided by 

Actavo Building Solutions at Bristol Temple 

Meads Railway station, for Signalling Solutions 

Within 

five 

years, it 

is estimated that 

over half of all 

construction 

projects will be 

built offsite. Far 

from being a 

lesser alternative 

to traditional methods, the high-quality of 

modular construction is now so integrated into 

UK construction that it is difficult to single out 

which buildings have been built using 

traditional and which with modular methods. 

By 2025, the global construction market is 

predicted to grow by over 70% and the UK 

needs to fight for its fair share of that growth. 

When the government launched Construction 

2025 – a joint strategy which sets out how the 

construction industry and government will 

work together to put the UK at the forefront of 

global construction – it did so with ambitious 

targets. 

Stating that by 2025, the construction industry 

needs to cut both its initial and whole-life costs 

of built assets by 33%, it also says construction 

needs to be 50% faster, deliver 50% lower 

carbon emissions and reduce the trade gap 

between total exports and imports by 50%. 

The £56bn High Speed 2 (HS2) puts UK 

construction well on our way to becoming the 

global leader in the rail sector. 

Manufacturers’ investments in the research 

and development of modular buildings started 

to pay back some years ago. They have brought 

world-class buildings to the UK’s rail industry 

which are not only higher in their 

environmental performance than a traditional 

build, but can also be as aesthetically pleasing. 

Offsite construction offers numerous benefits 

to the rail sector; new stations, trackside and 

non-trackside, can all be delivered in short 

time-frames and with financial savings – that’s 

the difference modular methods make. 

Modular is also built to the same, if not higher, 

sustainability standards as traditional 

methods, including BREEAM. 

If you couple all these benefits with modular’s 

more nimble approach which means it adapts 

to changes in specification more quickly than 

traditional bricks and mortar, the rail sector is 

set to win all round. 

Complete turnkey solutions delivered using 

offsite construction methods could be the rail 

sector’s answer to reducing its costs and 

construction programmes. 

HS2 is one of the world’s largest construction 

projects, and health and safety is one of its core 

values. As HS2 is working with a broad group of 

contractors, suppliers and manufacturers, it 

has established a unique, belief-based health 

and safety brand – Safe At Heart. This culture 

puts safety at the heart of building the railway 

and reflects that the health and wellbeing of the 

collective is at the heart of everything they do. 

There are many health and safety benefits 

associated with modular building due to the 

controlled factory environment in which they 

are produced. The factory-based setting 

provides cleaner, safer working conditions and 

safety requirements can be easily met and 

policed. 

There is also a reduced risk of trips, slips and 

falls, particularly as work at height is reduced, 

and manual handling and lifting of goods is 

limited. 

Now viewed as the modern, innovative, 

construction method of choice in the rail sector, 

modular building offers both robust quality and 

speed of build with minimal disruption. 

www.actavo.com/buildings 

14 MMC 


Trackside, two-storey modular office accommodation in 

Wolverhampton by Actavo Building Solutions for Alstom Transport

Kerkstoel have been involved in some of the 

most prestigious recent projects in Belgium. 

Antwerp Law Courts - Kerkstoel delivered 

20,000m 2 of walls and 100,000m2 of floors for 

this award winning building. 

Kerkstoel Twin Walls and Wide Slabs 

"Hybrid" Precast Concrete is the term used to refer to concrete products that are 

partially precast offsite in a factory and then filled with "in-situ" concrete onsite. 

The two most widely used products are 

"Twin Walls" and "Wide Slabs" also 

known as lattice or filigree slabs. 

Whilst they have been widely used in Mainland 

Europe for many years these products still 

remain relatively unknown and under-utilised in 

the UK. 

Wide Slabs 

Consist of a thin shell - normally 60mm of 

factory cast concrete containing the lower layer 

of reinforcement plus so called lattice 

reinforcement which gives the element rigidity 

during lifting and onsite casting and also acts as 

support for the top layer of reinforcement which 

is placed on site before the upper layer of 

concrete is poured. 

Wide slabs can also incorporate pipe-work to 

create "activated" flooring allowing warming or 

cooling of the building taking advantage of the 

thermal mass of the concrete. This is one of the 

most energy efficient methods of doing this. 

Twin Walls 

Essentially two wide slabs connected together 

by the lattice reinforcement with a gap of 60mm 

or more between the skins which is filled with 

concrete on site. The precast skins contain all 

the reinforcement. 

The twin walls can also incorporate an 

insulation layer if required. 

All the products are custom made to the 

customer's requirements and can incorporate 

openings for doors, windows etc. and things 

such as electrical boxes, ducting etc. 

Advantages 

• Structurally practically the same as cast insitu 

concrete 

• Extremely rapid onsite construction – a team 

of three can typically install 200m2 of walls or 

400m 2 of slabs per day 

16 MMC 


• High quality and accuracy due to factory 

production 

• Minimal labour plant and materials required 

on site - therefore also safer 

Little waste 

• Just in time delivery - little or no onsite 

storage space required 

• Lighter than solid precast panels for craneage 

and transport 

Applications 

Kerkstoel twin walls and wide slabs can be used 

in a wide range of applications in both the 

building and civil engineering sectors 

Building 

Internal and external walls, lift, stair,service 

cores and shear walls for: 

• Student accommodation 

• Apartments 

• Hospitals 

• Public buildings – law courts etc. 

• Hotels 

• Houses 

• Prisons 

• Shopping centres 

• Offices 

• Schools 

Civils 

• Retaining walls 

• Water retaining structures – Laing O’Rourke 

made extensive use of twin walls for tanks at 

Beckton STW 

Why not consider using Kerkstoel’s products for 

your next project? 

www.kerkstoel.co.uk 

11:26 Page 1 

Our state of the art factory produces Twin Walls, 

Wide Slabs, Comfort Walls and Active Flooring.

Preventing fire in 

combustible wall 

cavities 

Tenmat Limited are the largest UK producer of intumescent 

ventilated (wall cavity) fire barriers or VFBs, this is the 

result of pioneering developments in the field and testing 

way beyond the standard Building regulation requirements 

to ensure maximum fire protection. 

Construction techniques have moved forward rapidly in 

recent years and therefore fire protection products, 

particularly for wall cavities, have had to evolve at a similar 

pace, the good news is that Tenmat have developed products 

which outperform traditional products, even in highly combustible 

cavities. 

A major difference between Tenmat VFBs and standard “fire socks” 

is that the wall cavity can be left fully ventilated and open, thus 

negating the need for unsightly air vents and weep holes. The 

reason for a wall cavity is to maintain an open cavity between the 

external and internal wall membranes, bridging this cavity with 

“fire socks” reduces the effectiveness of the wall cavity, potentially 

allowing moisture and thermal bridging to take place. 

However the biggest difference between Tenmat VFBs and standard 

“fire socks” is the performance in a fire situation, during 

construction gaps and misalignments can occur in the fire barrier 

system, in an exhaustive set of large scale tests, Tenmat VFBs 

outperformed all full fill barrier systems when used in combustible 

cavities when such gaps and misalignments were present. This set 

of 21 tests was used as a basis for the publication of the NHBC 

NF51 report. 

With Tenmat VFBs you can have a clean wall, fully ventilated cavity 

and the maximum protection against spread of fire within the wall 

cavity. 

Contact Tenmat for further details of how you can improve the 

performance of your walls. 

www.tenmat.com 

MMC 


The Offsite Construction Show 

October 11th – 12th 2017, Excel, London 

The Offsite Construction Show 2017 (OSCS2017) is all set for an early sell out, it is the only UK event totally dedicated to the 

OFFSITE Construction Industry and it’s aims are to bring people together, provide focus to give the industry perspective and it is a 

great a launch-pad for new products and systems 

The Show is supported by many leading 

companies such as Trimble, Howick, FP 

McCann, Modulek, Wetherby Building 

Systems, Telling Architectural, Shay Murtagh 

Precast, Actavo Building Solution, Enterprise 

Ireland, JJ Smith, Caledonian Modular, Apex 

Wiring Solutions, Morland, Creagh Concrete, 

British Precast… have booked their stand 

space. 

We live in an increasingly remote digital age, 

there is simply no substitute for meeting people 

in person and networking at the Offsite 

industries leading event. 

The Show is supported by Buildoffsite and we 

are working with them to develop the seminar 

program, Master class sessions and some new 

and exciting one to one sessions 

This program will reflect the scope of the 

exhibition and will include the following market 

sectors and cross cutting themes: 

• BIM (in practice) 

• Lean (reducing time and cost) 

• DFMA 

• Standardisation 

• Integrating Supply Chain 

• Housing (private and social) 

• Other Residential 

• Infrastructure including Transport, Water, 

Power 

• Retail 

• Commercial 

• Health 

• Education 

The full program will be announced shortly. 

This exciting Event is now a must-visit for 

anyone seriously involved in any aspect of the 

construction industry and all our exhibitors and 

partners are working with us, so that visitors 

can see what is new in the market and hopefully 

show why Offsite is the UK’s fastest growing 

construction method. 

If you are involved in the offsite sector, you 

cannot afford to miss this show, the only 

national event supported by many major 

industry figures. For more details, call 

0203 086 9296 Paul Shelley ext 3. 

If you are involved 

in the offsite 

sector, you cannot 

afford to miss this 

show, the only 

national event 

supported by 

many major 

industry figures 

18 MMC 


How Icarus LSF used light gauge steel 

to the highest level of best practice 

Icarus LSF recently partnered with Ashcourt Contracts to deliver 239 units of student accommodation over 9-storeys in the centre 

of Leeds. We caught up with the CEO of Icarus LSF, Andrew Turnbull to find out more about the design, manufacturing and 

installation of the project’s 6000m 2 of load-bearing light steel framing: 

How long did it take to complete the project? 

We had very early involvement in the design of 

the building, but manufacturing and installation 

took just 16-weeks. The on-site erection of the 

offsite manufactured light steel wall panels 

(with factory installed weather defence board) 

and floor cassettes (with factory installed steel 

decking) was completed 14-weeks ahead of the 

original 30-week target installation programme. 

You mentioned offsite manufacturing; is the 

quick delivery time of the Leeds building due to 

the modern methods of construction 

implemented throughout the construction 

process? 

Absolutely. We think the project is a perfect 

demonstration of how employing modern 

methods of construction, coupled with the 

incredible material properties of light gauge 

steel, can drastically speed up the construction 

process - without sacrifice to health, safety or 

quality. 

Can you elaborate on that? 

Most of the superstructure’s work content is 

actually completed before we need to set foot on 

site. While the site is being prepared and the 

podium levels are being constructed, we’re busy 

roll forming and assembling the walls and 

floors ready for erection on site as soon as the 

slab is ready for us. We take much of the work 

off the critical path, allowing the building to be 

erected in an incredibly short on-site timeframe. 

The speed of LSF installation and ability to 

reduce the critical path meant the project was 

delivered 50% faster than would be possible 

with traditional methods. Added to this, roundthe-clock 

manufacturing provided programme 

certainty not seen by our client on similar 

schemes. Beyond this, the fact that LSF can be 

installed in wet and inclement conditions 

enabled further programme acceleration and 

certainty. And finally, because the steel solution 

provided a rapid dry envelope, follow on trades 

could commence work in parallel to the LSF 

install. 

So, how did you maintain a high level of 

quality? 

By using light gauge steel as the main building 

material, we were able to offer a solution that 

not only benefited from the use of offsite 

manufacturing, but benefited from the 

mechanical and material properties of the steel 

itself. The light-weight galvanised steel we use 

not only provides a much lighter solution, 

helping reduce the cost of foundations, but it 

provides an incredibly high level of predictability. 

20 MMC 


It’s a highly engineered solution, so what you 

design is exactly what you get! 

It’s by marrying the use of bespoke 3D 

modelling software and BIM with the use of a 

direct CAD/CAM interface to our roll forming 

machines, that a fully pre-engineered solution 

can be assembled on-site with the confidence 

that all of the benefits of light gauge steel can 

be realised. 

Beyond this, each stage of the project was 

measured and controlled to ISO standards; with 

every steel frame uniquely labelled with frame 

number, weight and GA site references. We use 

manufacturing philosophies and state-of-theart 

machinery to ensure every steel component 

produced exactly matches the approved design. 

Further to this, each component is produced to 

be self-jigging for accurate and fast assembly 

within the factory, further assuring quality at 

every step of the process. 

How did you ensure that the project was 

delivered within the client’s budget for the 

scheme? 

The solution provided a myriad of cost savings. 

Prelim costs were reduced due to the faster 

programme; foundation costs were reduced due 

to the low weight of the solution; and waste 

costs were reduced due to the use of a preengineered 

no-waste design. Further, costs 

associated with moisture, shrinkage or 

settlement were removed due to the use of steel 

to provide dry, stable construction. Outside of 

the prime cost, the client was also able to 

benefit from a swifter ROI and reduced 

borrowing costs and an increase in floorspace 

due to the reduced wall thickness that LSF 

afforded. 

Do you think that as a practice, the manner in 

which you delivered this building is sustainable 

and less harmful to the environment than more 

traditional methods? 

Without question. To meet sustainability 

objectives, the solution was delivered using 

100% recyclable materials, with zero site 

wastage. 98% of factory waste was recycled and 

site deliveries were significantly reduced. 

The project also fell in line with Icarus LSF’s A+ 

Green Guide rating, as well as the business’s 

zero waste-to-landfill policy, whilst also 

delivering against the project’s BREAAM 

requirements. For ongoing environmental 

benefit, the warm-frame nature of the LSF 

solution meant that the accommodation 

benefited from u-values significantly exceeding 

requirements. 

With regards environmental disruption and 

impact on site, the solution enabled a clean and 

low-noise method of erection. Also, the pace of 

erection meant that the timeframe for city 

centre disruption caused by the site was 

significantly reduced. 

The lightweight nature of the solution meant 

that building weight was significantly reduced, 

meaning the requirements for foundations and 

piling were minimised. The reduced weight of 

the structure also meant that on site logistics 

and cranage requirements could be minimised – 

reducing the environmental and noise impact of 

heavy duty construction equipment. 

With regards transportation, the nature of the 

LSF solution meant that a significant proportion 

of the building’s structure could be delivered on 

each site delivery, dramatically reducing the 

number of site deliveries when compared to 

traditional methods of construction and in turn 

reducing the environmental and carbon impact 

of the project. 

Let’s talk a little about your experience with 

the steel and offsite construction supply chains 

- were they positive or negative experiences? 

Ultimately, how did they help or hinder the 

delivery? 

Due to the complex technical nature of the 

project and the tight timescales, it was 

important that all supply chain partners were 

highly aligned at every step of the project. An 

initial supply chain workshop was used to 

ensure all parties fully understood the 

complexities of the project and the client’s 

requirements; and this was followed by regular 

checkpoint reviews where time, cost, quality and 

risk were reviewed in collaboration with all key 

supply chain partners. 

Information management at every step of the 

project value chain was key – ensuring the 

effects of any late architectural or design 

changes were managed and the effect of any 

site risks or constraints were understood by all 

parties. To manage the flow of information and 

ensure alignment of the supply chain, a 

dedicated project management team was 

allocated to the project, ensuring each supply 

chain touch-point had a single point of 

responsibility within Icarus, who could then act 

as a conduit of information to and from the 

client team. 

This collaborative and highly controlled 

approach gave all parties continued confidence 

throughout the project that the supply chain was 

combining to deliver the most cost effective and 

speedy solution for the ultimate client.

MMC 


Quality over Price = Long Term Gain 

Pressures of budgets are still at the forefront when it comes to businesses selecting products & services rather than a focus on 

quality, a decision which is causing long term issues, rising costs and questions regarding safety. 

There is capacity in the 

offsite market to fill the 

growing demand in a 

controlled and health 

and safety conscious 

way, and at the same 

time to offer the best 

products on the market 

to give a long term 

return on their 

investment... 

Steve Hardy, Joint Managing Director of 

Perth based fenestration specialist 

Sidey, believes that mind sets need to 

change in order for these major issues to be 

avoided in the future and for today’s housing 

to be of a ‘decent’ and safe standard. 

“For over 85 years it has been an ethos of 

Sidey to provide customers with the highest 

quality products along with the highest safety 

standards within our industry. 

Our comprehensive list of accreditations 

assures customers that Sidey work to and 

maintain the highest standards in order to 

provide the best possible quality product, 

service and safety standards. 

“Quality over quantity - it's an age old lesson 

that too many of us choose to ignore. 

Although sacrificing the former for the latter 

may grant a few short-term profits, however 

long term effects can be detrimental. 

Investment in Quality and Offsite 

Steve continues -“The solution to some of 

these problems and changing mind sets has 

to lie in the growth of offsite construction. 

Costs are now no more than when building 

through standard construction methods, but 

the two huge pluses are the delivery of better, 

safer buildings by design, and delivery on 

time”. 

“One of the great benefits to companies is the 

opportunity for Sidey to get involved at the 

design team stage, to work collaboratively 

with the architects, the constructors, and the 

clients themselves; to understand exactly 

what they want, and to offer quality bespoke 

solutions, ensuring our element of the build – 

enhanced specification windows and doors, 

air-tightness and offsite installation solutions 

compliments the whole of the rest of the 

construction”. 

“There is capacity in the offsite market to fill 

the growing demand in a controlled and 

health and safety conscious way, and at the 

same time to offer the best products on the 

market to give a long term return on 

investment. 

For more information about Sidey and our 

Innovative Solutions on and offsite contact us: 

info@sidey.co.uk | 01738 634 803 or visit 

www.sidey.co.uk & www.kitfix.co.uk 

22 MMC 


SMARTPLY OSB used for giant 

Greenpeace tree at Glastonbury 2017 

The Greenpeace Field at Glastonbury festival has long been popular among festival-goers thanks to their free hot showers and 

delicious veggie food available at their cafe. This year, however, it saw a new feature to the field with the addition of a showstopping 

20m giant tree structure. 

Images © Alex Stoneman / Greenpeace 

Built from SMARTPLY OSB, the huge 

tree came alive at night with a colour 

changing light show and featured a 

DJ booth filled at one point by no other than 

Jarvis Cocker himself. 

#StandForForests was Greenpeace’s key 

message for this year’s festival with the 

environmental campaigning organisation 

emphasising the important role forests play 

in maintaining the health of our planet. The 

choice of SMARTPLY OSB to build their tree 

structure was a result of its carbon positive 

...It’s a real testament 

to our commitment to 

sustainability and the 

environment that an 

organisation like 

Greenpeace would 

choose our timber 

panels... 

nature as a building material, as well as the 

rigorous sustainability agenda and clean 

supply chain of the manufacturer. Making use 

of renewable wood from well managed Irish 

forests independently certified in accordance 

with the rules of the Forestry Stewardship 

Council, MEDITE SMARPLY are strong 

believers in working towards a circular 

economy model when it comes to timber 

production. 

The wooden tree structure offered not only an 

enjoyable and interesting experience for 

festival-goers, but was also designed and 

built with Greenpeace values of sustainability 

at its core. 

Along with the giant tree, Greenpeace also 

built a range of other visually exciting 

features for their field using SMARTPLY OSB. 

From the interior of the Greenpeace bar, a 

huge skate ramp backing featuring a design 

by famous graffiti artist Sam3, to decorative 

giant animal sculptures, such as the majestic 

stag, a Jungle café and a forest grotto 

teaching visitors about the majesty of the 

world’s forests. 

Katy Duffy from Greenpeace, commented, 

“Our close and longstanding collaboration 

with SMARTPLY originates from Greenpeace’s 

involvement in the setting up of the Forest 

Stewardship Council (FSC) back in the 

nineties. It is through this that we 

recommended the use of SMARTPLY in 

preference to the unsustainable products 

sometimes being used throughout the 

building industry, which included wood from 

Brazilian rainforests used on hoardings. Over 

the years’ we have also helped to convince 

the events industry that SMARTPLY has 

numerous uses and as a result we now see it 

used in festivals and events throughout the 

UK.” 

“Greenpeace are radical thinkers with 

regards to the environment and climate 

change,” says Stuart Devoil, Head of 

Marketing and Brand at MEDITE SMARPLY, 

“and so it’s with great pride that we were 

selected as the material of choice for their 

tree structure at Glastonbury. It’s a real 

testament to our commitment to 

sustainability and the environment that an 

organisation like Greenpeace would choose 

our timber panels. We hope festival-goers 

enjoyed visiting the Greenpeace field and 

learning about the importance of legally 

sourced timber and the effect it has on our 

planet.” 

www.smartply.com 

MMC 


Timber Construction 

Timber innovations target offsite 

construction sector 

MEDITE SMARTPLY develops large panel technologies for the offsite industry. 

Modern methods of construction, such 

as offsite manufacturing, have been 

widely identified as key in the push to 

close the gap in affordable housing, as well as 

offering large building and hotel developers 

more efficient solutions. 

When it comes to the 

sustainability and 

traceability of our products 

we have an enviable 

guaranteed supply of FSC 

certified timber sourced 

from our own forests in 

Ireland, which removes the 

risk of illegal timber – an 

issue that is high priority in 

our industry. 

This move away from traditional site-based 

building methods means reducing the slow, 

component focused, reliance on traditional 

skills and moves to more of a factory built, 

efficient, quality controlled approach; a 

practice that perfectly suits the timber frame 

industry due to its lightweight, structurally 

sound product offerings. 

MEDITE SMARTPLY, manufacturers of 

innovative timber panel products, is one such 

company that has adapted the way it works to 

prepare for the forecasted increase in demand 

for offsite production. 

“We have developed a number of groundbreaking 

technologies over the past few years 

to ready ourselves for increased demand in 

offsite, modular construction,” says David 

Murray, Innovation Manager at MEDITE 

SMARTPLY. 

“Our SMARTPLY OSB 3 and 4 panels, for 

example, are ideal for wall, roof and floor 

sheathing applications where a combination of 

strength, moisture resistance and flame 

retardancy are paramount, such as low-rise 

housing, medium-rise apartment blocks, 

hotels or school buildings. 

“Timber burns, that’s a reality, but it doesn’t 

mean we can’t slow down the rate at which it 

does, or even better prevent its ignition, which 

is exactly what we can do with SMARTPLY FR 

OSB. It’s lightweight and structurally sound as 

an OSB panel, but with an enhanced reaction 

to fire classification, due to the 

environmentally friendly water-based flame 

retardant added to the OSB strands during 

manufacture. 

Noticing the shift to offsite construction early, 

the innovation team at SMARTPLY identified 

the need for a different type and format of 

product to suit a new demand. 

“Our brand new Conti-roll® manufacturing 

advancements now mean that we can 

manufacture FR OSB panels up to 7.5m long, 

perfect for offsite construction,” David 

continues. “What these large panels mean for 

the industry is that we can now sheath entire 

sides of an apartment, home or school in a 

controlled environment, which can then be 

simply delivered to site and craned into place 

ready for services to be installed. No additional 

post-treatment or coating is required. 

Structurally sound and with European reaction 

to fire class C-s2,d0 and BFL –s1 performance, 

as well as independent WPA Benchmark FR 

Build Certification and STA FR Build approval, 

SMARTPLY FR OSB 3 is also suitable for use 

with torch-on roofing systems. 

“All FR panels that we produce from our 

manufacturing plant in Waterford, Ireland are 

CE certified. Our flame-retardant SMARTPLY 

FR OSB 3 panels are manufactured with 

Zeroignition® technology during production 

unlike many panels that are treated postmanufacture 

which can damage the structural 

integrity thereby invalidating a CE mark.” 

And any additional tweaks that need to happen 

on site further down the line can be addressed 

easily due to the nature of the product, 

meaning it can be cut, drilled or fixed without 

invalidating the CE mark. 

“The SMARTPLY FR OSB product that we’ve 

developed is also more lightweight and easier 

to cut than mineral-based panels. In fact, it 

can be installed in exactly the same way as 

standard structural OSB with the added 

benefit of ‘built-in’ flame retardancy. 

“If any adjustments or renovations need to be 

made at a later date, then that is still not an 

issue. Furthermore, our panels are less dusty 

than mineral-based panels when cut, do not 

crack when fixings are inserted or shatter on 

impact during construction. They also do not 

contain any added formaldehyde: something 

which is vital for sensitive environments.” 

Supply chain traceability is also easy to 

monitor, meaning environmental credentials 

are easy to prove and product supply and 

demand can be managed with precision. 

“When it comes to the sustainability and 

traceability of our products we have an 

enviable guaranteed supply of FSC certified 

timber sourced from our own forests in 

Ireland, which removes the risk of illegal 

timber – an issue that is high priority in our 

industry. 

“It’s our goal to provide the offsite industry 

with high performance wood panel products 

that continue to address the challenges that 

they face, which is exactly what we’ve done 

with our SMARTPLY FR OSB. We will continue 

working closely with the trade, and insurers, to 

create an ultimately safer, more efficient 

timber frame industry.” 

While timber has long been a sustainable, 

structurally sound and lightweight solution, it 

has not always had the chance to prove its 

worth on a mass scale. With the need for 

housing growing, changing demographics, 

skills shortages and offsite construction 

methods providing a logical solution to at least 

part of that problem, it is surely just a matter 

of time before this versatile building material 

is at the forefront of specifiers minds. 

www.mdfosb.com 

24 MMC 


W.HOWARD'S RANGE IN A speedy FIVE DAYS 

Leading MDF profile manufacturer The W.Howard Group can supply over 200 different line items within five days across the UK, 

providing a superior service in the offsite construction market. With stock products, including its recently launched KOTA range, it 

is able to offer quick delivery and an ability to get products out efficiently, within tight project programmes. 

W.Howard is the new supplier of the 

innovative and increasingly popular 

KOTA product and this 

announcement is good news for contractors 

looking for materials within a short 

timeframe. This unique MDF product brings 

an exciting new factory finished architectural 

profile option into the market, providing a 

new solution for skirting, architrave, door 

stop and linings. 

Group managing director, Graham Williams 

who looks after the Group's operations in 

both the UK and Ireland said: "The KOTA 

product is unique in that it saves both time 

and money on a project - each profile is 

factory finished and requires a simple 

installation of fix, fill and finish. 

"Both the UK and Irish markets have 

responded well to this addition to our 

expanding range. We look forward to 

developing the offer and continuing to provide 

more and more choice for the market." 

Unique to KOTA is the application of advanced 

Eastman Cerfis Technology to create 

interior profiles with a smooth, silky, factory 

finish. The coating technology allows KOTA 

products to be as tough as they are elegant. 

With KOTA the installer improves 

procedural efficiencies significantly, reducing 

time and cost with a perfect finish every time. 

There is no need to paint KOTA; once the 

skirting and architrave is on – that's it, the job 

is done. The durable and colour consistent 

range comprises of factory finished profiles, 

door linings and stops, available within just 

five days from order with bespoke items 

quoted individually upon application. 

The addition of KOTA to the W.Howard 

Group's existing range of 198 core items 

provides the builders’ merchant market with 

a significantly enhanced impact resistance 

profile that traditional fully finished products 

cannot offer. Its MDF profiles are extensively 

used by a number of offsite construction 

companies mainly due to the Group's ability 

to supply factory finished products that can 

be installed quickly. Other options available to 

customers include services to cut to size and 

machining for hinges and latches. 

www.kotamouldings.com 

MMC 


Timber In Construction 

Rising to the challenges 

Urbanisation is one of the most significant issues facing humanity today; by 2050, two thirds of the world’s population will live in 

cities. With urban growth fast outpacing the ability to build affordable and sustainable living space, Metsä Wood explores the 

possibilities of using timber to help solve the housing crisis in our cities. 

The Chrisp Street 

Market project, by 

Kalpana Gurung and 

Robert Buss from 

Studio Hoopla 

Utilising new modern timber materials such as Metsä 

Wood’s Kerto® LVL enables several stories to be 

constructed on top of existing structures 

Cities all over the world are in dire need 

of new ways to house a rapidly growing 

urban population. Nowhere is this 

more evident than in the UK and in our 

capital city, where space is at a premium and 

housing the ever-growing population 

continues to pose a huge challenge. 

London is at the heart of the housing crisis 

with experts forecasting that the city will 

require 60,000 new homes a year (around 

double the current rate) to meet new 

projections. Innovation in building methods 

and materials is required for house building 

in urban areas to hit these targets, while 

ensuring fast and sustainable construction. 

One obvious, yet often overlooked, solution is 

to start building up, and stop tearing down. 

Utilising new modern timber materials such 

as Metsä Wood’s Kerto® LVL (Laminated 

Veneer Lumber), enables several stories to be 

constructed on top of existing structures. A 

building extension constructed with a timber 

frame can be a fast, sustainable and 

inexpensive solution. 

At a recent roundtable event hosted by Metsa 

Wood in London, industry professionals, 

including architects, designers, planners, and 

academics discussed the merits of modern 

timber and how it could be better utilised in 

urban architecture. 

Linda Thiel of Sweden’s White Arkitekter 

discussed how timber is being used in her 

country for commercial and public buildings 

as well as houses, where it wouldn’t have 

necessarily been considered in the past. 

“Too often engineered timber is being used 

simply to replace concrete,” she said. “Once 

designers see it as a different material, 

design will flourish and create a new 

architecture.” 

This is particularly true in urban areas, such 

as London, where space is at a premium and 

planners are looking to build on existing 

structures to maximise every last square foot 

of space. 

Research shows that approximately a quarter 

of existing buildings are strong enough to 

carry additional floors made of wood. 

Moreover, it is the only material light enough 

to build quickly on to existing structures. This 

makes wood a highly promising building 

material for providing living space for billions 

of people – while also preserving the 

architectural heritage of our cities. 

One of the other main considerations for 

considering timber in urban construction is 

energy efficiency, not only during the 

construction process but also for the lifetime 

of the building. 

Through its Plan B project, Metsä Wood has 

been challenging the perception of 

architects, construction engineers, and 

builders as to what is possible with timber 

construction. 

Metsä Wood also recently ran a competition, 

inviting architects to design timber structure 

extensions to existing urban buildings using 

Kerto® LVL as the main material. One of the 

16 entrants based on the city of London was 

the impressive Chrisp Street Market project 

by Kalpana Gurung and Robert Buss from 

Studio Hoopla. 

“Chrisp Street Market shares the qualities of 

many large redevelopments around London: 

wholesale destruction of existing buildings, 

private developers with a stranglehold on 

profit, and the ‘cleansing’ of the city,” 

explained Gurung and Buss. “Our proposal 

seeks a sustainable future, environmentally 

and socially, for everyone, by building on the 

existing structure and community. 

“The Metsä Wood Plan B competition 

provided an opportunity to address the 

socially and environmentally unsustainable 

trajectory of housing development in 

London.” 

www.metsawood.com/planb 

26 MMC 


MMC 


Off site application for optimum 

performance of SiOO:X 

SiOO:x is a patented (WO2007111556) silicon-based two-part wood surface treatment process 

that was developed in Sweden over 15 years ago, where it finds extensive use in the DIY market. 

The surface protector acts to prevent the wood protector from leaching out until it has 

cured. The wood protector undergoes a chemical reaction with atmospheric carbon 

dioxide to deposit insoluble silica particles in the wood. 

Light scattering from the silica particles gives an even silvery-grey appearance to the wood 

surface, looking just like weathered wood. The silica envelope that forms is completely 

stable to ultra-violet light, unlike oil and varnishes, which are based on carbon chemistry. 

It is the even-ness of the silvery-grey appearance that is one of the most attractive features 

of the product. But the product needs to be applied correctly in order to obtain optimum 

performance. Factory finishing is always to be preferred because the product can be applied 

under controlled conditions. 

The product works best when there is good penetration of the wood material 

and rough sawn surfaces are always preferred. Where planed surfaces are 

specified it is important to sand the surface to break through the machining 

glaze that is often present in order to allow the product to penetrate the 

wood. Curing is also accelerated with higher temperatures, but applying in 

direct sunlight is best avoided, since rapid drying of the water-based product 

will limit diffusion into the wood. 

Application in damp, cold conditions is also to be avoided, since curing is 

slowed down and there is a risk that the wood protector will be leached out 

before curing has occurred. For these reasons a factory-applied finish by a 

SiOO:x accredited treater is always the best option. The treatment can be 

applied using brushing or spraying and good penetration is the key to good 

performance 

www.sioo.co.uk 

MetsÄWood launches ‘Open Source Wood’ 

A pioneering open innovation project to accelerate growth in large scale wood construction. 

Metsä Wood’s Open Source Wood 

initiative is a call to action to 

architects, designers and 

engineers to join forces, share innovation 

and contribute knowledge about largescale, 

modular wood construction. By 

creating an open innovation platform 

around modular wood construction, Metsä 

Wood’s aim is to connect the local wood 

construction industry with global 

knowledge to facilitate collaboration and 

growth. 

Today the construction industry is dominated 

by two materials – steel and concrete. Only a 

fraction (5-10%) of global urban construction is 

wood, due in part to the fact that the industry is 

fragmented and local. Wood, however, is an 

optimal material for urban construction as it 

enables faster building processes; its lightness 

leads to more affordable structures and it is 

the most environmentally friendly building 

material, battling climate change through 

carbon storage. 

Metsä Wood’s Executive Vice President, Esa 

Kaikkonen, explains: “Not enough knowledge 

about modular wood design and building is 

shared, so wood construction remains niche. 

There is plenty of innovation but it is difficult to 

find, so Open Source Wood is our solution. We 

believe that with open collaboration the 

industry can achieve significant growth.” 

Inspired by open source ideology 

The initiative takes its inspiration from open 

source ideology, championed by the software 

industry, to drive innovation further and faster, 

and to increase speed to market. 

Metsä Wood is taking the first step by sharing 

its own intellectual property for modular 

Kerto® LVL wood elements, making them 

available freely for everyone. 

Metsä Wood to award €30,000 prize 

Additionally, Metsä Wood will award innovation 

in modular element design by offering 30k 

euro in prize money during 2017 to exceptional 

designs, submitted as part of the initiative, 

using its Kerto LVL material. 

By 2050, approximately 70% of the world’s 

population is expected to live in urban areas. 

This means that we need living space for 

billions. At the same time, cities contribute to 

up to 70% of the total greenhouse gas 

emissions and we need to fight climate change. 

One way to fight climate change is to make 

construction more sustainable and that’s 

possible when building with wood on a global 

scale. 

Learn more about Open Source Wood and how 

you can participate: 

www.metsawood.com/opensourcewood 

28 MMC 


UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP 

BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY & WELLBEING 

The importance of sustainability in the construction industry has come of age. What was initially considered by many to be a tickbox 

exercise has fast become a major design requirement. 

For many years the potential 

environmental impact of a project has 

been the catalyst for numerous key 

decisions. However more recently the focus 

of conversation has changed to encompass 

the impact that the built environment has on 

the health and wellbeing of occupants and 

users. For global businesses such as Sika, it 

is imperative that we not only consider the 

health and wellbeing of our employees, but 

also that we provide sustainable solutions 

that enable others to do the same. 

When considering the built environment 

sustainability is generally accepted to be 

vitally important, but for many years the 

main focus has been on the creation of highperformance 

building fabrics and addressing 

the impact of global warming and resource 

depletion. As such, another important 

impact has on the whole been ignored – the 

impact of buildings on occupants. We spend 

a lot of time indoors – it is frequently stated 

that as much as 90% of our time is spent in 

artificial environments such as buildings and 

vehicles, and recent research has shown that 

at work, 90% of employees admit their work 

is affected by the quality of their 

environment. 

As a leading manufacturer of products 

working across multiple industry sectors 

(see www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IKlZmXERg) 

and as a responsible employer, the health 

and wellbeing of our employees at Sika is 

vitally important. However, equal to this is 

the positive impact that our sustainable 

solutions enable project teams to 

incorporate into their designs. 

So, what should we be doing to improve the 

impact that buildings have on occupant 

wellbeing? Possibly, the most obvious 

measure relates to indoor air quality. This 

can be addressed for example by specifying 

products such as floor and wall finishes, 

furnishings, interior paints and adhesives 

that offer low or zero VOC (Volatile Organic 

Compound), formaldehyde and chemicals of 

concern content. By careful choice of the 

building products we use, we can at a stroke 

improve indoor air quality and have a major 

influence on the health, wellbeing and 

productivity of building occupants. 

However, as the World Green Building 

Council states, “there is a difference 

between environments that are simply not 

harmful – i.e. the absence of ‘bad’ – and 

environments that positively encourage 

health and wellbeing, and stimulate 

productivity.”* 

Exposure to different light sources and 

levels can affect the circadian rhythm, the 

inbuilt cycle that tells our bodies when to 

sleep, wake, eat and regulates many 

physiological processes. As such, circadian 

rhythm disruption has been linked to 

increased BMI, obesity, mood disorders, 

depression and decreased duration and 

quality of sleep. In turn, exposure to daylight 

in buildings can reduce work stress and 

dissatisfaction, and in healthcare settings 

has even been linked to a reduction in pain 

medication requirements and a shorter 

average length of stay. 

Thermal comfort has been identified by 

many as having a significant impact on 

workplace satisfaction. It has been 

suggested that higher temperatures are less 

tolerated and have a greater impact on 

productivity than colder temperatures. 

However, user control over one’s thermal 

comfort by opening a window or rooflight to 

increase the air flow/speed across the 

occupant’s body, for example, increases a 

person’s tolerance of temperature extremes. 

Further to this, there is a growing 

recognition of the benefits of considering 

Biophilia – the relationship between humans 

and nature and the effect that contact with 

the natural environment has upon our health 

and wellbeing in building design. Although 

closely linked to the effect of daylight, views 

of nature are thought to lower stress, 

improve cognitive function and enhance 

creativity. 

Appropriate consideration of these areas 

during the design phase will potentially go a 

long way to improving occupant’s wellbeing, 

but in a drive to prove the positive effects of 

thermal comfort, biophilia, indoor air quality 

and the like, we run the risk of narrowing 

our focus by separating them out. As a 

result, we are at risk of missing out on the 

big picture as all of these factors are 

actually intrinsically linked – increasing 

plant-life indoors increases air quality and 

biophilia opportunities; increasing glazing 

increases biophilia opportunities and natural 

light, and depending upon window type – 

airflow, therefore improving thermal comfort 

and air quality etc. 

Industry standards such as BREEAM and the 

WELL Building Standard are one way of 

making sure we think about all of these 

elements as a holistic solution rather than 

their individual benefits. To further this, it is 

interesting that at the end of last year, it was 

announced that these standards, both of 

which promote an all-encompassing 

approach to sustainability and wellbeing, 

would mutually recognise specific credits. 

This collaboration will make it easier for 

projects pursuing both standards, which 

could be what the industry needs to help 

create a drive to improve our indoor 

environments with a structure and process 

that lets us identify the right products and 

benchmark best practice for indoor 

environments. 

Every day we spend a vast amount of our 

time indoors and every day design teams and 

specifiers are making decisions about 

buildings that affect our health and 

wellbeing. It’s reassuring to know that as a 

global brand, Sika has a clear understanding 

that all aspects of sustainability and 

wellbeing impact each other and that the 

company strives to provide solutions that 

help others foster this approach. 

From green roofs and low VOC/emissions 

flooring systems and wall coatings, to 

sealing and bonding systems that enable the 

incorporation of increased glazing areas 

Sika provide sustainable solutions that 

enable others to positively impact on 

building occupants health and wellbeing. 

It is this wide appreciation and 

understanding that will help to drive the 

improvement of building interiors and 

ultimately lead to improved occupier health, 

happiness, productivity, retention and 

wellbeing. 

To find out more about the impact Sika are 

making every day, visit 

gbr.sika.com/en/group/about-us/sikaeveryday.html 

or for information on 

sustainability visit 

gbr.sika.com/en/group/sustainability.html 

*Health,Wellbeing & Productivity in Offices: The 

next chapter for green building – World Green 

Building Council. 

30 MMC 


...there is a growing 

recognition of the benefits 

of considering Biophilia – 

the relationship between 

humans and nature and the 

effect that contact with the 

natural environment has 

upon our health and 

wellbeing in building 

design... 

MMC 


eport from Wood Window Alliance 

spearheads battle with PVC-u 

The Wood Window Alliance has published the first chapter of its 2017 trends report, Windows on the World: 

The Rise of Natural Wellness. 

Identifying three consumer trends that 

explore how Brits live in their homes, the 

report introduces the notion that consumers 

are entering a post-plastic age and rejecting 

plastic and other synthetic materials in favour 

of timber and other natural materials, amongst 

other findings. Insights are supported by 

research from 1,000 UK homeowners and 

expert commentary from Oliver Heath, an 

architect specialising in biophilic design. 

The three key trends are: 

1. Post plastic - wood for good 

• It seems that the desire to stem the tide of 

plastic in our lives (and in our oceans) has 

spread beyond the plastic bag, with one in four 

home-owners planning to decrease the 

amount of plastics in their home this year. This 

is part of a wider aversion to synthetic 

materials, as one in three is conscious of the 

effects of synthetic materials on their 

wellbeing. 

• In terms of natural products, wood retains top 

spot for desirability, with timber cited by 67% 

of homeowners as the material they would 

like to have more of in their homes. With 

timber windows perceived as the most 

environmentally friendly (44.3%), most 

aesthetically pleasing (44.2%), the nicest to 

32 MMC 


live with (33.4%) and providing the most 

character (56.2%), it seems that wooden 

windows are now set for a resurgence in the 

post plastic age. 

2. Homely-Wellness 

• From living a ‘raw’ lifestyle, to the growth of 

urban gardens and chemical-free products, 

research reveals a growing desire to reconnect 

with nature, with 49% of home-owners stating 

that having natural materials in their homes 

makes them feel discernibly happier than 

when surrounded by artificial materials. 

• In 2017 one in three plan to bring more natural 

materials in to their home, whilst 27% plan to 

increase the amount of natural fibres in their 

homes in a bid to improve their quality of life. 

3. Nurture through nature - bringing the 

outdoors in 

• Brits are increasingly attempting to restore 

their connection with nature through home 

designs that ‘nurture through nature’. 

Research shows that 82% of people feel that 

being surrounded by greenery makes them 

feel happier, so it’s understandable that 

almost half of Brits (46%) are planning to 

increase the number of plants and flowers in 

their homes this year in a bid to improve their 

connection with nature. 

Tony Pell, Chairman of the Wood Window 

Alliance said: “It’s no surprise that we’re 

becoming increasingly disconnected from the 

natural world. However, we’ve recently 

witnessed a new desire among homeowners to 

take a bigger view of the world. With a growing 

recognition that wood is good, particularly 

amongst environmentally aware millennials, 

homeowners are now recognising that the 

cheap and disposable has consequences. 

“Timber sourced from sustainable forests not 

only means that more trees get planted than 

chopped down, so protecting the natural health 

of the planet, but it means timber window 

frames have a negative global warming 

potential - over their 60+ years’ service life they 

actually reduce the amount of CO2 in the 

atmosphere. Not to mention the intrinsic beauty 

of timber, which, as our research shows, is yet 

to be beaten.” 

The report has been developed as part of the 

Wood Window Alliance’s 2017 marketing 

campaign, and aims to help a range of 

stakeholders understand consumer motivations 

to help further the incorporation of timber 

window frames into UK homes. 

For more information about wood windows visit 

www.woodwindowalliance.com or tweet us 

@woodwindowall

The Top-4 Health & Safety Benefits of 

using Modular Construction 

Many people who work in the construction industry would agree that the health and safety of staff and visitors is one of the most 

important factors on any construction project. As projects become more complex – due to new, technological advancements – 

safety measures have to be multi-faceted. Matthew Goff (pictured), director of UK operations at Actavo | Building Solutions, 

explains his top-four health and safety benefits of using modular construction: 

Buildings are manufactured in a controlled 

environment 

Modules – which are the building blocks behind 

modular construction – are manufactured 

offsite using specialist plant 

machinery in a controlled 

environment. This process 

reduces waste and 

increases control, 

leading to a low 

environmental 

impact. 

These modules 

are then delivered 

to site pre-fitted 

with electrics, 

plumbing, heating, 

doors and windows, 

thereby reducing the 

onsite building programme 

and accelerating the overall 

construction process. 

The reduced onsite building time, coupled with 

the indoor manufacturing environment, 

combines to reduce the risk of accidents 

associated with construction sites. A recent 

report by CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building 

Services Engineers) Journal has concluded the 

construction industry could reasonably expect 

a significant reduction in incidents if it adopted 

more of a manufacturing mindset.[1] 

Factory construction methods pose far fewer 

risks for both workers and the general public, 

compared with inherent dangers of a building 

site. 

Reduction in waste 

67% less energy is required to produce a 

modular building, compared to an equivalent, 

traditionally-built project. Typically, compared 

with traditional methods, modular methods 

involve up to 50% less time onsite[2] resulting 

in up to 90% fewer vehicle movements[3] 

around the project which, in turn, reduces CO2 

emissions. 

There are also fewer people working onsite at 

any one time, giving a potential total reduction 

in site hours of 60% to 80%.[4] 

Offsite construction delivers a significant 

reduction in waste. No hazardous materials are 

sent to a modular building site, as the Control 

of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) is 

controlled and managed offsite in the factory 

environment. 

The impact on the local environment is also 

reduced, as there is less noise, packaging and 

emissions. These matters will have been 

addressed and resolved in the factory, which 

allows for far greater efficiencies in 

environmental control measures 

and materials. 

Passivhaus – 

buildings may 

see a 

reduction in 

energy 

consumption 

and running 

costs.[5] 

Also, when a modular 

building is built to 

comply with specific 

sustainability 

standards – such as 

BREEAM, AECB or 

Offsite can 

provide safer 

working 

conditions 

Modular 

construction 

can provide cleaner, safer working conditions. 

The factory-based conditions of offsite enable 

safety requirements to be more easily met and 

policed, which leads to better quality, a 

reduction in the level of defects, and improved 

quality control procedures. Actavo works to ISO 

Accredited Certifications 9001, 14001, 18001, and 

50001. 

Not only is there a reduced risk of trips, slips 

and falls, particularly as work at height is 

reduced, but there is also a reduction in onsite 

activity. The manual handling and lifting of 

goods onsite is also limited, as materials are 

mechanically moved in a highly-regulated 

production unit. 

Actavo’s factory environment has been 

designed with purpose-made workstations, 

where modules can be appropriately tested 

using controlled sources of heating, power, air 

and water. 

Specialist training in modular environment 

Ensuring everyone’s safety is at the heart of 

what Actavo does and, in line with this, Actavo 

has developed the HEART (Help Eliminate All 

Risks Today) procedure. Devised and 

implemented in the continuous effort to 

create an accident and incident-free 

environment, the HEART behavioural safety 

observation process sets the whole Actavo 

team’s expectation: every injury is 

preventable, so don’t let 

them happen. 

Actavo has also developed 

a set of ‘Golden Rules’ – 

including care, skills, 

protect and plan – 

designed to help its team 

‘work safe, go home safe’. 

To continually improve 

health and safety 

standards, Actavo has a 

designed SHEQ (safety, 

health, environment, 

quality) team which 

enforces and monitors 

regular health and safety 

audits. 

Working to health and 

safety legislation, each 

member of Actavo’s 

highly-trained, onsite 

team is CSCS 

(Construction Skills 

Certification Scheme) certified, is Disclosure 

& Barring Service (DBS) checked, and wears a 

numbered high-visibility vest so they are 

easily identifiable, to ensure the safety of 

everyone. 

In April 2017, Actavo was recognised with a 

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents 

(RoSPA) President’s Gold Award for the 13th 

consecutive year, a reflection of the 

company’s impeccable occupational health 

and safety performance over the past twelve 

years. 

For more information, please visit 

www.actavo.com/buildings 

1 www.cibsejournal.com/cpd/modules/2016-11-mod 

2 www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Modular_vs_traditional_construction 

3 www.netzerobuildings.co.uk/schoolhaus/performance 

4 www.cibsejournal.com/cpd/modules/2016-11-mod 

5 www.aecb.net/carbonlite/building-certification 

34 MMC 


Innovative Structural Solutions 

Vision Built specialises in the Design, Manufacture and installation of innovate building structures. The Vision Built system enables 

designers and contractors to deliver fast, cost effective structures for residential, commercial and educational projects. 

Established in 2012 with 30 years' experience in off-site construction 

Vision Built operate a state of the art fully computerised roll forming 

machines with barcode system tracking. Vision Built Ltd assemble 

floor to floor height pre-insulated external and internal Load bearing to the 

project requirements. 

The Vision Built Light gauge structure is factory assembled to exacting 

standards and carries full accreditations and warranties. This will provide our 

clients with the confidence in the surety of the steel structure and with 

excellent supply chain partners we can comfortably meet the demands of our 

customers in the UK & Ireland. 

Vision Built offer a professional technical service with over 40 years of light 

gauge steel and general construction experience with the Design Team 

headed by Chartered Engineer's. 

From the initial enquiry the scheme suitability is assessed and the scope 

detailed, we provide a detailed quotation and marked up drawings of what is 

included in the quote. 

From the instruction to proceed, the technical team will work with our client 

to best achieve the most efficient and cost effective structure covering all 

aspects of the detailed design. Using the latest 3d design capability Vision 

Built offer BIM Level 2. IFC export assists the design team so that the LGS 

model can be incorporated into all architectural models. 

Vision Built have completed projects in Cambridge (Student Accommodation) 

for Pentaco, Travel lodge in Finchley and Wood Green for Boss Construction. 

Vision Built have also been awarded the first phase of St.Annes Quarter for 

Orbit Homes by ISG PLC. This project marks a significant increase in the 

capabilities of the company. The project consists of 187 apartments in 10 

blocks varying from 4 storeys through to 7 storeys. 

www.vision-built.com 

MMC 


Offsite construction is major theme 

at UK’s largest construction event 

UK Construction Week, the largest gathering of the UK’s built environment community announces its return to Birmingham NEC 

from 10 – 12 October 2017, where it will host the most popular event in the construction calendar. 

(MPBA Marketing Committee), Michael Hunter 

(Hemsec SIPS), Steve Newell (Director, 

Portakabin), Tom Bloxham (Chairman of Urban 

Splash), Rory Bergin (Partner, Sustainable 

Futures), Jackie Maginnis (CEO MPBA) and 

Richard Hipkiss (MD, Digital Energy). 

One of UK Construction Week’s main aims is to 

act as a showcase for innovation in the industry, 

whether it’s new ways of working, sustainable 

products or evolving technologies. The 

Innovation Trail will bring visitors the latest 

products, services and innovations that are 

changing the way we build and have never 

previously been showcased in the UK. 

Companies can apply for their product to feature 

on the Innovation Trail by visiting the website. 

Amajor theme at this year’s event will be 

offsite construction. There will be a 

dedicated theatre and awards 

programme supported by the Modular and 

Portable Building Association (MPBA) and the 

Structural Timber Association (STA), while 

exhibitions will showcase the latest 

developments in the sector from industry 

experts including Portakabin, Containex and 

Wernick Group. 

The MPBA and STA have been working closely 

with UK Construction Week to establish a major 

presence to promote this growing sector at the 

event. Jackie Maginnis, CEO of MPBA 

commented: “UK Construction Week 2017 

represents a massive opportunity for the MPBA 

to educate the wider industry in the significant 

advantages of volumetric modular 

construction”. 

The industry has embraced the latest 

technologies that have enabled us to build 

quicker, more efficiently and at a quality not 

achievable before. At the event, MPBA and STA 

will seek to educate and inform a wide variety of 

construction professionals visiting the show 

about ongoing and future challenges, as well as 

the quality of products and components that all 

contribute to the success of this evolving 

industry. 

Industry experts will take to the stage to discuss 

and debate a range of hot topics, such as what 

volumetric construction is and its uses in 

education, healthcare and residential, and why 

offsite construction will become the way to build 

in the future. Special guest speakers already 

include Andy King (MD, Wernick Buildings), Phil 

Smith (Senior Estates Advisor, NHS) Bob Mears 

...UK Construction Week 

2017 represents a 

massive opportunity for 

the MPBA to educate the 

wider industry in the 

significant advantages of 

volumetric modular 

construction... 

A number of new, specialist awards will also 

feature at this year’s event. These include: Low 

Carbon Vehicles Awards, BIM Awards, Offsite 

Awards and the WAN Transport, Concrete in 

Architecture and Adaptive Reuse Awards. The 

UK’s best companies in the industry will also be 

recognised at the Construction Enquirer Awards 

on the opening night of the show. 

Consisting of Build Show, Timber Expo, Civils 

Expo, Plant & Machinery Live, Energy 2017, 

Smart Buildings 2017, Surface & Materials Show 

(featuring Kitchens & Bathrooms Live), HVAC 

2017 and Grand Designs Live, the event caters 

for the entire spectrum of the industry from 

builders, architects, innovators and consultants, 

each show provides exhibitors with the 

opportunity to network alongside decision 

makers and purchasers while showcasing their 

services and products to thousands of visitors. 

For free registration visit 

www.ukconstructionweek.com/register 

36 MMC 


Modern methods of construction provide 

perfect solution for historic renovation 

Work has started on the redevelopment and extension of Horsforth Mill in Leeds where Fusion Building Systems is designing and 

manufacturing a light gauge steel superstructure for 50 luxury apartments, contracted by Landstock Developments (Northern) 

Ltd. 

Horsforth corn mill is a Grade II listed building dating back to the 

1770s. Sadly neglected for decades, planning permission was 

secured last year to transform its shell into residential 

accommodation akin to the surrounding area, with work to be carried out 

by Landstock in partnership with Khalsmith Ltd. 

Prior to starting on site, Fusion worked with Landstock on the designs for a 

light gauge steel superstructure which could house 50 of a total 89 luxury 

apartments, link two buildings together and incorporate a stone exterior to 

match the stone-faced frontage of the former mill building. 

]Fusion delivered the first floor and wall ‘cassettes' to site at the end of May 

(2017) and is working to an agreed 18-week build programme. The process 

will see the latest in offsite design and construction technology used to 

manufacture and erect the five-storey structure, enabling restoration 

specialist Landstock, to build what promises to be one of the area's most 

prominent and desirable residential addresses. 

Architect's CGI of the Horsforth Mill regeneration project 

Stewart Hackney, Fusion Business Development Manger, said: "Horsforth Mill is a perfect example of how modern methods of construction can 

interface with a historical building to extend its life into the 21st century. 

"The use of our bespoke light gauge steel system will enable two buildings, old and new, to be linked together and in doing so, regenerate a disused 

brownfield site and help to preserve part of our industrial heritage. The flexibility of our design and manufacture process means we can tailor-make 

options for projects which are as individual and significant as Horsforth Mill. We hope that as part of the successful delivery of this project, the industry 

as a whole will further appreciate the adaptability and relevance of offsite methods of construction for future developments." 

www.fusionbuild.com 

Modular building specialists Actavo announces 

major expansion and jobs boost 

Actavo, the UK’s fastest-growing modular building company for the past three years*, has today expanded its presence with the 

opening of a new 120,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Hull, initially creating 33 new jobs. 

The new factory, located at 30 Freightliner Road in Hull, will produce bespoke, state-of-the-art modular accommodation for a variety of 

sectors, including education, healthcare, construction, commercial, rail and defence. 

CEO of Actavo | Structural Division, Roger Hastie, said “Today’s opening takes place 

against the backdrop of a revolution in the building industry, where modern methods of 

construction are increasingly being embraced. Faster, cost-effective and more flexible, 

there is now a groundswell of support for modular construction’s ability to address 

many of the challenges we face in terms of supply and demand for accommodation in 

both the public and private sectors. We look forward to operating from our new Hull 

base and to playing an active role in the locality in the years ahead.” 

Matthew Goff, Operations Director for Actavo | Building Solutions, said “Actavo is 

delighted to be establishing its new manufacturing facility and generating employment 

here in Hull. Initially, 33 new jobs are being created, and this number will rise over the 

next 12 months. Actavo chose Hull primarily due to the critical mass of industry and the 

skilled workforce in the city and surrounding areas. Our new premises is also 

strategically located, adjacent to the A116 Ring Road on the western side of Hull city 

centre, which is ideal for an offsite construction company. As a business, we have 

always sought to lead from the front. In addition to being the UK’s fastest-growing 

modular building company for 2014, 2015 and 2016, we were one of the first modular 

building companies to fully implement BIM Level 2 into our business.” 

Sean Corkery (CEO and Chairman, Actavo), 

Matthew Goff (Operations Director, Actavo | 

Building Solutions), Cllr John Hewitt (Lord Mayor 

of Kingston Upon Hull), and Roger Hastie (CEO 

Actavo | Structural Division). 

Chairman and CEO of Actavo, Sean Corkery, commented: “As a company involved in many different sectors and geographies, we are extremely proud 

of the phenomenal growth of Actavo | Buildings in the UK in recent years. While the attention today is understandably on construction and innovative 

design techniques, essentially our primary focus is on people – the thousands of families, workers, teachers, pupils, students, healthcare 

professionals, patients, defence force members and others who will benefit from using these modular buildings into the future.” 

www.actavo.com 

MMC 


Educational Buildings 

A Textbook Answer to Accommodation 

Problems from The Holt School 

Two of the biggest problems facing schools in Britain today are aging building stock and oversubscription. 

The Holt School in Wokingham recently 

found itself in the unfortunate position of 

displaying symptoms of both these issues. 

“Our Sixth form common room was becoming 

cramped, and was no longer the quiet study area 

we wanted to provide for our students,” 

commented Janet Perry, Business Manager for 

the School. “We also had two old timber frame 

classroom blocks that were beginning to show 

their age.” The school decided that replacing the 

old classrooms with a new two-storey block 

would solve both problems at once. 

Like all schools, the solution to these problems 

needed to be cost efficient and delivered quickly. 

“To receive funding for the project we needed to 

meet a limit on the price per square metre ,” 

Janet told us. The school would also be without 

four classrooms for the duration of the project, 

meaning a drawn out construction process was 

out of the question. Ridge and Partners LLP 

were brought in as architects on the project, and 

recommended using modular after having 

delivered another modular project earlier in the 

year. Partner Adrian Goulding commented “The 

time for delivery of building and design reviews 

is massively reduced with a modular 

programme, and we knew it would also help us 

meet the price per square metre.” 

This wouldn’t be the first modular building for 

the school, as they had previously worked with 

Wernick to provide a two storey classroom block 

many years before. Ultimately, Wernick would be 

the ones to build the new block.” We went 

through a full tender process,” commented 

Janet, “and Wernick Buildings’ submission most 

closely responded to our requirements.” 

Wernick Buildings Ltd 

is part of the Wernick 

Group, which is one of 

the UK’s largest 

independent 

manufacturers, and 

suppliers of modular 

steel framed 

accommodation for 

sale or hire 

The new 981m2 block was installed in just 3 days, 

with the total programme lasting only 14 weeks. 

The ground floor is dominated by an open plan 

study area complete with a small kitchen area, 

and also features meeting rooms and office 

space. The upper floor contains three 

classrooms as well as more office and study 

space. 

Architecturally designed, the building is finished 

with brick to the ground floor and render to the 

second floor, with grey cedral cladding features 

around the windows. Externally, the building also 

incorporates a partially covered patio area 

accessed via a bi-folding door from the study 

area. 

“The response to the new building has been 

overwhelmingly positive,” Janet told us. “We 

would absolutely recommend a modular build 

for another school. The demands on schools are 

always changing, and modular buildings provide 

the flexibility to accommodate that.” 

www.wernick.co.uk 

38 MMC 


Changing the perception of 

buildings and construction 

m odular 

MTX are one of the UK’ 

s leading providers of bespoke modular 

buildings which offer a comparative alternative to a traditional 

building and constructed in less than half the time. 

Specialising in projects within the Education sector we provide our clients with 

a bespoke solution, tailored to meet our clients exact requirements and as we 

are included within a pre-approved procurement framework, purchasing our 

buildings could not be easier. 

We would welcome a discussion with you so please get in touch. 

For more information contact us on: 

0845 

130 9639 mtx.co.uk/mtx-education 

@ mtxcontracts


CREATING A BUZZ IN EDUCATION 

Electronic devices are becoming increasingly important tools for staff and students alike, but keeping them topped up with juice 

is never easy. Emma Segelov, head of marketing at MK Electric, discusses why USB sockets can help schools and universities 

charge ahead with their learning. 

Less than a decade ago, pen and paper 

was the go-to resource for taking notes 

in classes and university lectures. Fast 

forward to today’s digitally connected society 

and mobile devices are commonplace across 

the board, for both academic and recreational 

purposes. A recent study by St Andrews 

University found that almost 89 per cent of 

students used electronic devices for more than 

50 per cent of their study time; while 14 per 

cent used them for the entirety of it. 

Not only has the frequency of use changed, but 

also the number of different devices. Laptops 

are a given, but research also shows that 95 per 

cent of students own a smartphone, 57 per cent 

own a tablet and 29 per cent own an e-book 

reader. In fact, The Bring Your Own Device 

(BYOD) trend has swept across countless 

institutions, including University College 

London, where a dedicated IT service desk will 

connect any device to the university's wireless 

network, Eduroam. 

The implications for an educational 

establishment’s systems are plenty, and schools 

and universities alike are having to respond to 

this shift as quickly and efficiently as possible, 

either by upgrading the bandwidth on their Wi- 

Fi, or ensuring students have somewhere to go 

to top up their charge. 

When it comes to the latter, USB charging 

outlets offer the benefit of negating the use of 

adapters to charge devices in a conventional 

switch socket outlet, and installing them can 

help to prevent cash-strapped students using 

40 MMC 


unofficial chargers, which may present a 

number of safety issues. 

Indeed, charity Electrical Safety First recently 

commissioned tests looking at the safety of 

chargers bought from online trading and auction 

sites. It found that half had been wired using 

‘sub-standard components’ and none met the 

safety requirements of the Electrical Equipment 

(Safety) Regulations Act 1994. As an added 

benefit, USB charging also eliminates the need 

for PAT testing. 

They are also convenient for international 

students who need power on the go, but do not 

want to be restricted to carrying their bulky 

mains power chargers and international travel 

adaptors around. With an estimated 436,585 

foreign students now at UK universities, this is a 

large and growing section of the studentpopulation 

who would benefit from a universal 

approach to charging. 

In 2013, MK Electric was one of the first UK 

manufacturers to introduce a range of award 

winning USB charging modules, and now this 

technology is being integrated into the market 

leading twin socket. USB charging capability is 

now available within six MK Electric wiring 

device ranges – Logic Plus, Metalclad Plus, 

Albany Plus, Edge, Aspect and Elements, 

offering the widest choice and flexibility to suit 

any application. 

Additionally, MK Electric’s offering features 

innovative dynamic device recognition (DDR), 

which is specifically designed to detect charging 

configurations from a range of manufacturers 

and react accordingly for optimal and efficient 

charging. 

Charging devices via a USB socket can come 

with potential problems because varying devices 

draw charge in different ways. This technology 

ensures that whatever device you use, it 

recognises the socket as it would its own 

charger and draws current in the most efficient 

way. 

DDR helps the MK Electric switch sockets to 

become a true game-changer in USB charging, 

with the potential to provide a powerful 

competitive advantage for businesses open to 

embracing it. 

Importantly, like all MK Electric’s switch socket 

outlets, the USB integrated socket features a 

three-pin child resistant shutter system as a 

safety measure designed to prevent access to 

the electricity supply unless all three pins of a 

standard British plug are in position. 

The changing needs of students, from primary 

school through to degree level, presents many 

challenges to schools and universities, 

particularly in how they choose their power 

outlets. However, manufacturers such as MK 

Electric have responded to these modern 

requirements with a number of innovative 

solutions that are flexible and easy to install, 

enabling such buildings to offer their students 

simple, convenient and effective charging 

solutions. 

For more information, visit 

www.mkelectric.co.uk

Need more 

teaching space? 

The solution for 

longer lasting 

buildings 

Wernick buildings are built to last, 

with a backed 25 year structural 

warranty and a 60 year design 

life expectancy.* 

*Under current Building Regulations 

quick turnaround 

cost effective 

25 year warranty 

quality build 

An education in modular buildings 

To find out more and view education case studies go to: 

www.wernick.co.uk/education 0800 112 4644


a speedy solution for Primary Schools 

In September 2016 MTX Contracts LTD delivered additional modular classroom facilities to 3 primary schools in Salford, 

Greater Manchester. 

Salford City Council had a requirement for 

additional classroom blocks to 

accommodate for the current capacity of 

primary school students. Working under 

Galliford Try for the North West, MTX delivered 

a free standing bespoke building to each of the 

schools to house classrooms, breakout areas 

and washroom facilities. 

Construction works began at Lark Hill, St Pauls 

and The Friars primary schools simultaneously. 

Having the projects delivered on time was of up 

most importance to the Client as they needed 

each building to be completed and functional in 

time for the new school year beginning in 

September 2016. Works commenced onsite in 

May 2016 with the groundworks on each of the 

school’s existing playing fields. The modules 

were delivered to site in July 2016 with the M&E 

fit out works taking place immediately after this. 

The solution for Lark Hill primary school, the 

biggest of the 3 projects at 810m², was a 2 storey 

bespoke modular facility accommodating 8no 

classrooms, a large break out space and wash 

room facilities. A mechanical ventilation system 

was installed for compliance and class room 

ventilation, as well as a standalone boiler plant, 

BMS control system and controlled roof lights. 

Externally the project was finished to the end 

user’s preference which included cedar cladding 

and render finish and was handed over to the 

Client in just 9 weeks. 

42 MMC 


For St Pauls primary school MTX provided 6no 

classrooms, a break out area and wash room 

facilities in a single storey 640m² modular 

building with an external cedar cladding finish. 

All fit out works were completed within 9 

weeks, including the external cedar cladding. 

The Friars primary school was the smallest of 

the 3 projects at 216m². MTX provided 2no 

classrooms, a break out space and wash room 

facilities in just 8 weeks, including the external 

cedar cladding. 

Each project was fully compliant with Building 

Bulletin regulations and included the following 

features: 

• Controlled roof lights in all classrooms to 

provide both teacher control along with fully 

smart control linked to CO² sensor and rain 

sensors 

• Fan lights above classroom doors to 

encourage further natural light 

• Internal and external colour schemes 

finished to end user’s preference 

• Air permeability test results of less than 

4.75m³ 

• Electric blinds installed in all classrooms 

operated by single teacher control 

• LED lighting throughout the projects with PIR 

detection 

• Total of 16no extra classrooms provided 

across all the projects 

Above all the Client received a modern, 

bespoke educational facility that pacified their 

need for more school places and allowed the 

opportunity for possible further expansions in 

the future. 

Gerrard Gibney Manager of Special Projects for 

Galliford Try said; “MTX were extremely 

engaging pro-active and responsive to our 

needs. The project timescales were challenging 

in all areas from design, manufacture to 

installation. We fully intend to use this company 

again and would have no hesitation in 

recommending them for future works.” 

mtx.co.uk/mtx-education

Gerflor meets the need for improved 

sports flooring 

The urgent need for 

building, extending and 

improving educational 

establishments is 

creating new 

opportunities for top 

class education flooring 

solutions. 

Today’s flooring must be 

flexible with properties 

suited to multifunctional 

spaces and 

sport. Point elastic 

resilient flooring offer 

comfort, safety and 

different levels of shock 

absorbency: P1, P2 & P3. 

It is therefore possible to 

match the specification 

to the requirement. 

P2 and P3 flooring like Taraflex® from Gerflor offer a multi-use 

sport product. By opting for a P3 flooring, the higher level of 

protection, it equates to the requirements of an elite indoor 

sports flooring by absorbing impact with the floor. The addition of 

surface treatments lowers the friction temperature which also 

reduces the risk of friction burns caused by sliding. 

www.gerflor.co.uk 

For all your shower and ensuite pod needs please contact us 

Tel: 01423 771 645 Email: info@taplanes.co.uk www.taplanes.co.uk 

www.handrailsuk.co.uk/sentinel 

email:sales@sgsystems.co.uk 

Tel: 01473 240055 

strad e 

lustrad 

ndrai 

l 

e 

Sentinel 

Stainless steel balustrade system 

“Tailored to suit our Client’s needs” 

steel bal u 

Se entinel - stainless 

l 

- structural glass ba 

G lassrail 

Il l umine - LED illuminated ha 

MMC 


66 Queen Square, a BIM designed project from Metsec 

INBOUND vs OUTBOUND PROJECT COSTS: 

How the industry can bring these two figures closer together 

In this feature, Ryan Simmonds (pictured above), sales director for framing at voestalpine Metsec plc examines why there can be a 

significant difference between projected costs versus final costs and reviews how changing the approach to planning the project 

can bring these figures closer together. 

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the 

budgetary costs on major construction 

projects rarely match up with the final cost 

at handover of the project. In fact, one study 

estimated that as many as nine out of ten high 

profile projects go over budget. 

Public Projects 

The Olympic Stadium in London is a famous 

example. Originally budgeted at £280m, the final 

project came in at a staggering £701m – more 

than two and half times the original plan. Other 

well-documented examples include the Scottish 

Parliament building, costing ten times its 

original budget and delivered more than three 

years late, and London’s Shard, costing a 

rumoured £1.5bn, coming in at more than 240% 

over budget. 

(Typical) Planning 

There can be a number of reasons why a project 

exceeds its budget. Project delays, issues with 

land, materials or financing problems. However, 

it is often the case that the original budget is set 

too low by the client, or that the solution is 

selected by a commercial team, basing 

decisions on cost rather than a full integrated 

review. The irony here is that selecting a 

solution based on price rather than how closely 

it fits the vision by the end client invariably 

means that elements are changed as the project 

progresses, which alters the cost of the project 

each time. 

The Farmer Review of the UK Construction 

Labour Model, published last Autumn, explores 

poor predictability as a major industry failing, 

but more worrying is the fact that this failure 

and under performance is accepted by both the 

industry and, begrudgingly, by clients as well. 

The design phase of any project – big or small – 

is vital, however this is often the stage that, in 

retrospect, the parties involved accept that they 

did not spend enough time on or engage with 

the right stakeholders. 

End clients normally work with an architect to 

translate the vision into a design and at this 

point it is crucial that the end client has a clear 

understanding of what they want, and an 

understanding of the costs involved in achieving 

that. These specifications go through the main 

contractor and out, as packages, to subcontractors. 

Often, it is at this point when an 

expert in a specific area first sees the project 

details and reviews the design. 

Those with experience of having executed 

similar projects and who could have advised and 

provided valuable input, often see a package at 

the point of quoting for delivery and see major 

flaws in the design. However, particularly within 

a tender environment, companies will pitch for 

the design based on cost to secure the project, 

aware that when it comes to delivery much of 

the design will need to be changed. 

Partnering in Planning Stages 

So, communication is clearly the weak link in 

the chain. It’s at the initial strategic and briefing 

stages that end clients and those appointed to 

deliver the project should engage with groups 

such as installers and manufacturers to 

collectively review and critique the design. This 

lack of collaboration, according to the Farmer 

report, is at the root of the industry’s change 

inertia. 

With all parties working on the project plan 

together and adopting digitisation through 

media such as Building Information Modelling 

(BIM), any issues that are recognised can be 

resolved whilst still in the design stages. 

Without this engagement, projects often 

progress to the technical design or even the 

construction stages before stumbling blocks are 

identified and, by this stage, they are already 

time-consuming and expensive to rectify. 

Additionally, engaging with experts such as 

structural engineers, fabricators and 

manufacturers, the end client is able to take 

account of the advice of specialists at the point 

where their input is of most value. Like Metsec, 

many of these stakeholders will have their own 

design capabilities that they can utilise and BIM 

allows for this work to be done collaboratively. 

The Role of BIM 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the 

management of information through the whole 

life cycle of a built asset, from initial design all 

the way through to construction, maintaining 

and finally de-commissioning, through the use 

of digital modelling. 

44 MMC 


Metsec is accredited to BIM Level 2 and can offer 

design services to clients in the concept design 

stage. In practice, this means that a building, 

infrastructure or landscape can be designed and 

built using data sets and images digitally, even 

before the first spade goes in the ground. 

Smithfield Square, a BIM designed project from Metsec 

BIM is all about collaboration between 

engineers, owners, architects contractors and 

suppliers in a two and three dimensional virtual 

construction environment and the sharing of this 

information and knowledge across the supply 

chain. BIM allows design and construction teams 

to communicate about design and coordinate 

information across different levels that have 

been unseen before. It also helps to analyse any 

potential impacts that previously may have been 

overlooked or unforeseen. 

The objective of BIM is to satisfy the three 

components of a successful project; namely 

time, cost and quality, by managing the project 

using a more efficient and reliable method of 

work. 

With project costs an ongoing concern, 

particularly with public projects, the UK 

government has recognised the invaluable role 

that BIM can play in controlling costs and 

timescales. Since April 2016, the UK government 

has required construction suppliers tendering 

for centrally-procured government projects, 

including buildings and infrastructure, to be 

working at BIM Level 2. 

What was industry best practice has now 

become a compulsory part of major projects. 

This was to ensure that projects stayed to 

budget, and demonstrated the government’s 

trust in the method. voestalpine Metsec plc is 

the first tier 2 supplier to be certified by the BSI 

and further enhanced its BIM capability by 

becoming the first tier 2 company to be awarded 

a Kitemark for its BIM capabilities. The Kitemark 

strengthens voestalpine Metsec plc’s position as 

market leader, but also gives customers 

confidence in its ability to work collaboratively 

with others in the supply chain, and that it 

considers maintaining and enhancing customer 

satisfaction through its BIM offering a key part of 

its business. 

Working with manufacturers who are able to 

provide BIM modelling as well as adhering to 

the design throughout the project can have a 

significant impact on the final outcome and cost. 

The expectations of all parties are managed and 

agreed upon in the early phases, all relevant 

parties are consulted in the initial strategic and 

conceptual stages which will create a more 

accurate design with which to move forward 

with. 

Conclusion 

A key issue that contributes to these budgetary 

– and often timescale – issues is the fact that a 

limited number of parties are engaged in the 

early design stages of the project. The end 

client, the architect and often a commercial 

team will work on the initial phase, but 

ultimately those who can advise and guide – 

namely the manufacturers and installers – are 

not consulted in this stage and are often 

appointed much further down the line of the 

project. 

With these major projects, early engagement of 

all delivery partners can have a significant 

impact on the project and ensure that the 

designs and construction methods are fit for 

purpose. 

But it is more than just that. Whilst early 

engagement is key, its early commitment to the 

design that is vital in keeping costs down and a 

project on-track. All parties need to finalise the 

materials, methods and timescales on the 

project in the early stages and commit to 

adhering to these elements throughout the 

delivery of the project. 

Whilst BIM has been introduced as a 

compulsory measure for many public projects, 

it’s important for the industry not to view it as 

red tape or a restrictive burden, but rather see 

BIM as an enabler to streamline processes and 

work collaboratively in order to bring down costs 

for the overall project. 

www.metsec.com 

A Metsec BIM designed project at East Riding Leisure Bridlington 

MMC 


message FROM THE NATIONAL 

FIRE SPRINKLER NETWORK 

It remains to be seen if 

sprinklers would have 

been effective at 

Grenfell House. The 

NFSN are not about to 

speculate on this in 

advance of the official 

investigation... 

The National Fire Sprinkler Network (NFSN) have been watching the tragic events unfold at the horrendous fire at Grenfell House 

tower block in North Kensington in London. We wish to express our heartfelt sympathy to everyone who has been affected by this 

devastating incident. 

Clearly the fire spread and subsequent 

loss of life at this fire is unprecedented in 

this type of structure in the UK. We know 

of no other high rise residential building on our 

shores that has suffered such extensive 

damage, with fire spreading throughout the 

building to the extent we have seen at Grenfell 

House. 

The scale of the fire, significant loss of life and 

impact on the local community is 

immeasurable, the effect of this fire will be felt 

for years to come in terms of human and 

financial loss. It must also be stated that the 

risks to firefighters posed by an incident of this 

magnitude were also far in excess of normal 

firefighting expectations. 

There will now follow a detailed and thorough 

investigation into the cause of the fire and 

reasons for the fire spread. The whole of the fire 

sector including architects, fire engineers, fire 

investigators and right the way through to 

firefighters will be keenly awaiting the outcome 

of this investigation to provide answers around 

the cause and spread of the fire and to establish 

what can be learned to prevent reoccurrence. 

The NFSN feel it is premature and inappropriate 

to pass judgement on the effectiveness of 

sprinklers in relation to this particular fire in 

advance of the official investigation being 

completed. 

Whilst it is too early to speculate on the cause of 

the fire and the reasons for the rapidity of the 

fire spread, the subject of sprinklers is being 

raised up in the discussions and the National 

Fire Sprinkler Network are being approached 

for comment and opinion as to the effectiveness 

of sprinklers. 

As a group the NFSN are concerned with 

promoting the advantages of sprinklers in the 

built environment and to this end we work to 

lobby for sprinklers, educate on the 

effectiveness of them, improve stakeholder 

support and engagement around the wider 

sector and importantly to provide evidence of 

the benefits of sprinklers. 

In regard to providing evidence the NFSN have 

over the past year coordinated the collection of 

data from all UK Fire and Rescue Services, in a 

bid to describe the general effectiveness of 

sprinklers. 

The data collected has been secured from all 

fire and rescue services in the UK taking 

information from Fire Reports that have been 

completed after fires have occurred in buildings 

were sprinklers were fitted. The data captured 

evidence stretching over a five year period. 

The data has been analysed to establish firstly 

the reliability of sprinklers, based on answering 

the question “did the sprinkler system 

operate?” In addition the effectiveness of 

sprinklers was explored asking the questions 

“Did the sprinkler system control the fire and 

what was the extent of fire damage”? 

Amongst the key findings of the report are the 

following headlines: 

• Across all premises types sprinklers are 99% 

effective 

• Across all premises types operational 

reliability of sprinkler is 94% 

• The average fire damage in dwellings not 

fitted with sprinklers is 18-21sq.m. In 

dwellings where sprinklers are present, the 

average is under 4sq.m 

• The average fire damage in other building 

types with sprinklers is 30sq.m which is half 

that of buildings without 

A copy of the report can be accessed under 

'Latest News'. (Left hand column of NFSN 

Home page) www.nfsn.co.uk 

It remains to be seen if sprinklers would have 

been effective at Grenfell House. The NFSN are 

not about to speculate on this in advance of the 

official investigation. 

The NFSN are committed to sharing expertise 

and advice across the fire sector and to working 

in continued partnership with the National Fire 

Chiefs Council to promote fire safety solutions 

involving the use of sprinklers and other 

automatic water suppression systems. 

Steve Mills, GIFireE Secretary, National Fire 

Sprinkler Network 

46 MMC

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